Patriots free-agent primer: Who will they target on offense?

While free agency is only part of the team-building process, taking into account fit, skill set and (likely) financial demands, here are a handful of names that jump off the page when you’re talking about potential free-agent targets for New England on the offensive side of the ball. Consider this the companion piece to the one we ran on Monday morning detailing a handful of defensive free-agent targets. The biggest difference here? The Patriots are more interested in re-signing their own offensive free agents like offensive tackle Nate Solder, running back Dion Lewis and wide receiver Danny Amendola than exploring the market. That’s why this list is a bit shorter than the one we had on the defensive side of the ball.

RUNNING BACK

Jerick McKinnon: A running back who might be able to fill the void if New England loses Lewis and/or Rex Burkhead. He’s never had to be the man over the course of a full season, but the 25-year-old could be the sort of bit player that could fit nicely in New England. The 5-foot-9, 205-pounder has 1,918 rushing yards on 474 carries (4.0 yards per carry) and seven touchdowns, as well as 142 catches for 984 yards and five receiving touchdowns in his four seasons in the league, all with the Vikings.



Darren Sproles: We’ve always had a soft spot for the undersized overachiever, and while he’s not the same lightning bolt of a player he was a few years ago, we’re convinced he can still bring something to a running game. Sproles, who will turn 35 in June, has 3,366 rushing yards and 4,656 receiving yards in 12 seasons in the league. He’s coming off a knee injury that limited him to just three games last year, which means the market for his services will be cool. The 5-foot-6, 181-pounder isn’t a feature back, but is the sort of player who could be a good complementary piece of a larger offensive puzzle.

Isaiah Crowell: An under-the-radar back who put up good numbers the last few years with the Browns. The 25-year-old is a 5-foot-11, 190-pounder who has shown an ability to carry the ball (3,118 yards, 4.2 yards per carry) and serve as threat in the passing game as well (96 catches, 770 yards) in his four years in the league.

TIGHT END



Jimmy Graham: From a production standpoint, Graham is the only tight end of recent vintage comparable to Rob Gronkowski. In 121 regular-season games, the 6-foot-7, 260-pounder has 556 catches for 6,800 yards and 69 touchdowns since he first arrived in the league in 2010. (In that same stretch, Gronkowski has 474 catches for 7,179 yards and 76 touchdowns in 102 games.) That doesn’t mean the Patriots should try and push all their chips to the middle of the table and bet on Graham if Gronkowski leaves. (If that does happen, I’d bet on them beefing up another position and revisiting the Martellus Bennett and Dwayne Allen deals before thinking about going all-in on Graham.) The bottom line is that Graham is an enticing pass catcher and red-zone target who has to be included in any discussion about free-agent possibilities for New England.

Trey Burton: The tight end is going to be a man in demand after he was a part of Philadelphia’s championship season, a year where he had 23 catches for 248 yards and five touchdowns in a part-time role. The 6-foot-3, 228-pounder has good hands, and is a versatile enough chess piece where you can do a few non-traditional things with him. (Witness his pass as part of the “Philly Special” in Super Bowl LII.) Probably out of the Patriots’ ultimately price range — especially if Gronkowski is back — but an intriguing possibility nonetheless. (EDIT, 11:27 a.m.: Cross him off the list as well -- it appears Burton is expected to sign with the Bears.)

Anthony Fasano: The affordable veteran will turn 34 next month, and could be plugged in as a backup tight end if there’s a shakeup at the position this offseason. Not an overwhelming offensive presence, but the 6-foot-4, 255-pounder is a steady performer who can be counted on as a blocker. He’s played for four teams (Dallas, Miami, Kansas City and Tennessee), and has 299 catches for 3,278 yards and 36 touchdowns over the course of his career.

WIDE RECEIVER



Taylor Gabriel: The Patriots love identifying underutilized guys who are capable of putting stress on opposing defenses, and Gabriel could be one of those guys. A smallish (5-foot-8, 167 pounds) receiver with terrific speed, he’s been a part-timer the last two years with the Falcons (68 catches, 957 yards, seven TDs in 2016 and 207 combined). The 27-year-old is also capable of providing a boost to the screen game, an area where the Patriots have been alarmingly inconsistent the last couple of seasons.

Brice Butler: The 28-year-old receiver torched every bridge on his way out of Dallas this offseason, saying he can “do all the things better than (Dez) Bryant.” As a free agent, he may just get that opportunity. The 6-foot-3, 220-pounder has 31 catches for 536 yards and six touchdowns combined the last two years, which should make him relatively cost-effective.

Albert Wilson: The 5-foot-9, 200-pounder has been a good piece of the puzzle for the Chiefs the last four seasons, a stretch that’s included a career-best 42 catches, 554 yards and three touchdowns last season. (His YAC totals — 317 last year — are certainly the sort of thing that’ll catch the eye of the Patriots’ brass.) Wilson, who will turn 26 in July, has slot experience and special teams value as a returner as well. (EDIT, 9:35 a.m.: So much for Wilson -- Ian Rapoport says Wilson is signing with Miami.)

TACKLE



Ja’Wuan James: We’re going to use him as an exception for a couple of reasons: One, James technically isn’t a free agent ... yet. The Dolphins are trying to trade him, but if they can’t get anyone to bite on a deal, they could release him before Wednesday, which would make him available come the start of free agency. Two, the rest of the class (outside of Solder, Cam Fleming and LaAdrian Waddle) is so subpar the Patriots might elect to try and restock the position via the draft as opposed to free agency.) Basically, if James does become available, he might suddenly be one of the better offensive tackles out there. The 25-year-old is a 6-foot-6, 311-pounder who has started 47 games in four seasons with Miami. His acquisition would necessitate some movement along the line — the Patriots could move Cannon from right to left tackle, a position he’s played before at a high level. But it’s certainly a viable contingency plan. A situation Patriots fans should keep an eye on over the next day or two.

Chris Hubbard: The 6-foot-4, 286-pounder, who will turn 27 next month, has played 31 regular-season games the last two years at right tackle for Pittsburgh. He played well down the stretch this past year, and that, combined with the state of the market, could mean he'd get a slightly better-than-anticipated deal. Slightly undersized for the tackle position, Pro Football Focus had him grade out as better-than-average when it came to pass protection (PFF gave him a better grade than Solder, but in fewer total pass protection snaps), but average at best when it came to run blocking. Still, he's probably one of the more palatable options on the market.