The New England Patriots are in dire need of roster improvement this offseason.

New England saw quarterback Drake Maye flourish once it became time for the North Carolina product to take the field. However, it wasn’t enough. The Patriots, even with Maye’s promising flashes, failed to muster up enough wins to end the now-three-year-long playoff drought — and seven-year drought of having not won a playoff game since Super Bowl LII.

So, with the No. 4 overall pick in the 2025 NFL Draft, plus options in free agency and the trade market, the Patriots have roles to fill. That includes a “sleeper” position before the team takes the field for the 2025 season.

“One sleeper position to watch in free agency: center,” Andrew Callahan and Doug Kyed of The Boston Herald wrote.

The Patriots have struggled immensely the past few seasons with their offensive line, warranting Mike Vrabel and company to consider their options. Veteran quarterback Jacoby Brissett was sacked 18 times across eight appearances. That didn’t change once Maye took over in Week 6, as the first-year quarterback himself got sacked 34 times over 13 appearances, which ranked 13th among all quarterbacks.

Even before Maye was freed from the bench, the Patriots expressed concerns regarding the offensive line’s ability to protect him.

Now, the Patriots are back to square one.

Starting center David Andrews is set to return from a second-ending injury, but his future is in question. And Cole Strange, the team’s 2022 first-round selection, underwent right knee surgery and missed 14 games last season. Strange remains under contract for 2025, but his option for the 2026 season also poses another decision for the Patriots to make in the near future.

Drew Dalman, Ryan Kelly and Bradley Bozeman are among the top free-agent center options to sign this offseason.