The New England Patriots have put together a squad that has vastly outperformed expectations in 2025. The league’s most successful organization has made yet another Super Bowl, but the squad’s construction is still very much underway.
While Drake Maye, Milton Williams, and Christian Gonzalez have significantly raised the team’s floor, continuing to add quality pieces and depth will be key to filling out a team that should be a contender for years to come. One way they’ll pursue that is through free agency.
One of the most notable moves so far in 2026: coach John Harbaugh joined the Giants after being fired by the Ravens after 18 years. While their lack of playoff success in recent years made it a real possibility that he’d be fired, it still came as a surprise that they actually pulled the trigger.
Now in the Meadowlands, Harbaugh is sure to bring in some of his own from his Baltimore days. In a recent Bleacher Report article, Adam Wells reports that the Giants will likely look to free agency for several big-name Ravens players.
The Patriots are a more attractive destination than the Giants
The Patriots will enter free agency with the tenth-most effective cap space, while the Giants sit at under $10 million. A handful of obvious cap casualties would save the Giants about $33 million in cap space.
Despite that boost in funds, New England is a more attractive destination than New York, given their 2025 success. Big-name free agents such as Tyler Linderbaum, Isaiah Likely, and Ar’Darius Washington are mentioned as players with the potential to be future Giants.
Safety Alohi Gilman was traded to the Ravens by the Chargers midseason, the team from which the new head coach, Jesse Minter, just departed. There’s a chance he isn’t part of the new staff’s plans either. Former OSU Buckeye Dre’Mont Jones and fullback Patrick Ricard are also impending free agents.
The Patriots could sabotage the Giants’ free agency plans
The Patriots could use an upgrade at center without a doubt, especially if Jared Wilson remains their left guard into next season. Likely would be a massive upgrade over the aging Austin Hooper as a second tight end, while Washington would add depth to the safety room.
Jack Westover has been a disappointing fullback, and if they look elsewhere to replace him, Ricard is a top option.
#Patriots fullback Jack Westover is the first at the position in team history to ever go a full season without gaining a yard of offense.
He had his first career catch on Sunday against the Dolphins, but it was for no gain. #nfl
— Graham Wilker (@GrahamWilker1) January 5, 2026
The signing of a player like Washington could also make the Giants’ mainstays surplus. Impending free agent Dane Belton could be an excellent fit in New England, but should Washington be available in free agency, it’s possible the former Hawkeye is allowed to leave come March.
It’s hard to believe New England won’t seriously consider one of Harbaugh’s former players. Whether it be a big ticket item like Linderbaum or Likely or a depth piece like Washington, there’s plenty of merit in attempting to hijack Harbaugh’s free agency plans.
