3 Players Who Definitely Won't Be on the Patriots Roster Next Season
By Jerry Trotta
The Tennessee Titans waltzed into Gillette Stadium on Saturday evening and subsequently squashed the New England Patriots' hopes to repeat as Super Bowl champions.
Bill Belichick's bunch wasn't exactly a heavy favorite, but their loss, especially at home, came as a surprise to NFL fans.
Now, they're headed for an earlier-than-expected offseason that will come with some arduous ultimatums as it pertains to certain free agents. With that in mind, let's highlight a few players who will not be returning to Foxborough in 2020.
Among the #Patriots scheduled to be free agents this offseason: Tom Brady, Kyle Van Noy, Devin McCourty, Matthew Slater, Jamie Collins, Joe Thuney, Danny Shelton and Ted Karras.
— NFL Update (@MySportsUpdate) January 5, 2020
Josh McDaniels will have HC interviews. Nick Caserio’s contract is also set to expire.
3. S Devin McCourty
McCourty, 32, has long held the mantle of being one of New England's highest-paid players, and confirmed after Saturday's loss that he has more football left in his veteran body. Whether that's with the Pats, however, remains to be seen. Should McCourty demand to steep of a contract, Belichick could part ways with his longtime defensive captain.
2. K Nick Folk
It took New England quite some time to find a viable replacement following Stephen Gostkowski's season-ending injury, and Folk performed nicely as a mid-season pickup. However, Gostkowski is still under contract. Given that fact, expect the Patriots to part ways with Folk this offseason, despite his consistent production.
1. OG/C Ted Karras
Karass was slated as a reserve coming into the 2019 season, but was ultimately penciled in as a starter once world-beater David Andrews was lost for the season. Given the shoes that Karass was asked to fill, he performed exceptionally well. However, Andrews should be back next year, leaving Karass' future in New England murkier than ever. The Pats could bring him back on the cheap, but we fully expect him to pursue a significant payday as a regular starter elsewhere.