Three Patriots players named most 'underrated free agents' at their position

There is still about a month left until NFL free agency opens on Mar. 13 at 4 p.m. ET, the start of the new league year. But teams are doing everything they can to prepare for it in the meantime.

First and foremost, teams must decide which players of their own who are free agents they want to try and re-sign. And while there will be a ton of talent available, several players will be overlooked.

Pro Football Focus believes three Patriots players could be among those as it highlighted "one underrated 2024 NFL free agent at every offensive position."

The first player is WR Kendrick Bourne. The 28-year-old joined New England in 2021 and has posted 127 catches for 1,640 yards and 10 touchdowns since.

Bourne struggled to stay healthy in 2023, playing in just eight games. But PFF's Gordon McGuinness says, "he does offer a safe pair of hands that would be a good fit as a secondary receiver on pretty much any NFL roster."

According to Spotrac, Bourne is expected to receive a three-year, $14.65M contract this offseason.

The second player is TE Hunter Henry, a second-round pick by the Chargers in 2016. Henry also joined the Patriots in 2021 and has 133 receptions for 1,531 yards and 17 touchdowns over the last three years.

New England could very well bring back Henry as he has been one of its most reliable pass catchers and likely still has some gas left in the tank at 29. Spotrac believes a contract could come in the form of a one-year, $7.5M deal.

The third player is offensive tackle Mike Onwenu, the team's sixth-round pick in 2020. Onwenu has played all around the offensive line during his four-year NFL career.

But the 26-year-old earned himself a payday in 2023, allowing just three sacks, per Pro Football Focus. It's likely to be a four-year, $54.57M contract, according to Spotrac.

Bourne, Henry and Onwenu may not get the attention they deserve in the coming weeks, but that should only help the Patriots retain them.

New England has the fourth-most salary cap space ($66.1M) in the NFL, so money shouldn't be an issue. Now the team must decide if it values the three players at the same level that McGuinness considers them.