Contracts Patriots Must Consider Cutting in 2022 Offseason

The New England Patriots spent the 2021 offseason improving their depth at the offensive skill positions.

The upcoming offseason could be vital to trimming the depth at wide receiver and tight end to give the team the best chance to challenge for the AFC East title.

N'Keal Harry has been one of the most disappointing first-round picks from the past few years, and the Patriots could be willing to cut ties with him one year before his contract expires.

New England could look to do the same with tight end Devin Asiasi, who does not have much use in the offense, with Jonnu Smith and Hunter Henry, last offseason's big-money signings, taking up most of the snaps at the position.

The Patriots must do their best to open up salary-cap space where they can because they have to try to re-sign a handful of key defensive players, including J.C. Jackson, Devin McCourty and Dont'a Hightower.

N'Keal Harry has not lived up to expectations.

The 2019 first-round pick has 598 yards and four touchdowns in his three seasons with the Patriots. Harry was bypassed by free-agent signings Kendrick Bourne and Nelson Agholor during the 2021 season, and he should be viewed as an expendable piece.

The wide receiver would cost the Patriots $2 million dead salary-cap money, which is only $1.2 million less than his projected cap number. It may seem like a small amount, but the Patriots should try to save money in any way possible because of the defensive free agents they have to attempt to sign.

Harry can't stick around for another season and contribute so little to the offense, so it would be wise of the Patriots to let him find a better situation than waste another season on their roster.

Devin Asiasi was active for a single game in the 2021 season.

The second-year tight end played 12 offensive snaps in Week 10 and then sat for the rest of the campaign.

New England has no need for Asiasi on the roster while Jonnu Smith and Hunter Henry are established as the top two tight ends on the depth chart.

The Patriots could find a more productive third tight end in the latter rounds of the 2022 NFL draft or on a cheap deal in free agency.

Asiasi has not done enough to get on the game-day roster in two years, and it would cost less than $1 million to cut him prior to the 2022 campaign.

A release makes sense for both parties since Asiasi's tenure in New England has been far from successful.

Joejuan Williams has not caught on as much as the Patriots expected him to as a second-round pick in the 2019 draft.

Williams played more than 50 percent of the defensive snaps in three of his 12 appearances during the 2021 campaign.

The defensive back, like Harry and Asiasi, comes with a minimal salary-cap hit if he gets released. New England would save $1.4 million if it cut the 24-year-old before the final year of his rookie contract begins.

Again, that may not seem like a large sum of money, but every bit of cash helps if the Patriots want to be involved in the free-agent chase of some of their defensive stars.

Williams has made a one start in three seasons, and given he has not done much in that time, not a lot should be expected of him during his fourth year.

Statistics obtained from Pro Football Reference. Contract information obtained from Over the Cap.