New England Patriots DVOA, Stats, & NFL Rankings

NFL Network's Mike Garafolo reports that the New England Patriots re-signed wide receiver JaQuae Jackson (ankle) to an undisclosed deal on Wednesday. The undrafted free agent from Rutgers impressed the coaching staff in training camp last summer after he was originally released by the Atlanta Falcons in June, and he scored a 38-yard touchdown in the preseason before going down with an ankle injury. The 25-year-old pass-catcher spent all of the 2024 season on Injured Reserve but will now return with the team in 2025 to provide receiver depth. It's unclear how healthy Jackson currently is, but whenever he's back to full health, he'll compete for a roster spot with the Patriots this year.

New England Patriots quarterback Joe Milton III made a good enough impression in his NFL debut in the Week 18 victory against the Buffalo Bills backups that he could become a trade chip this offseason. "I thought the Patriots would hold off on entertaining a trade of Joe Milton, who was drafted in the sixth round (193rd overall) last year, for at least another season, but there's increasing belief around the NFL that the Patriots are at least contemplating a trade of Milton this offseason," Boston Sports Journal's Greg Bedard wrote. This year's QB draft class is considered weak, and the Pats could fetch up to a third-round pick for Milton this year if QB-needy teams don't feel like taking their chances on QB prospects like Riley Leonard, Dillon Gabriel or Jaxson Dart. If New England doesn't shop Milton before the draft in April, they could revisit and look to trade him this summer.

The New England Patriots signed free-agent tight end Giovanni Ricci (knee) to a Reserve/Futures deal on Monday. Ricci was on the Cleveland Browns' practice squad in 2024 but never was active for a regular-season game and was cut in August due to a knee injury. The 28-year-old former undrafted free agent out of Western Michigan made his NFL debut in 2021 with the Carolina Panthers, with all 36 of his career games coming with Carolina. In three NFL seasons, Ricci has caught only nine of 12 targets for 102 yards and no touchdowns with the Panthers. Ricci is more of a blocker than a pass-catcher and will now represent tight end depth for the Patriots throughout the offseason and into training camp this summer. The most likely scenario is that he'll effective serve as a fullback for new Patriots offensive coordinator Josh McDaniels.