Monday’s moves suggest a youth movement is underway in New England

Four of the Patriots’ 14 players over 30 were in the news on Monday.

The times they are a-changin’ at One Patriot Place. Beyond a wide-scale restructuring of the coaching staff and a new starting quarterback likely being added this offseason, the New England Patriots also appear willing to cut ties with some of their most experienced players.

Monday’s transactions suggest as much, especially when viewed in the context of the full roster. The Patriots entered the day with 14 players over the age of 30 under contract. Of those 14, two were released, one saw his contract void, and another one retired.

Granted, the age of 30 is a somewhat arbitrary demarcation when it comes to roster analysis. However, one can also look at it that way: of the 14 oldest players on the team, three were removed from the roster on Monday, with a fourth seemingly on his way out as well.

The players in question include 33-year-old defensive tackle Lawrence Guy and 31-year-old safety Adrian Phillips. Both were let go after seven and four years with the club, respectively. The team appears to feel better about potential cap savings totaling $5.17 million rather than having the two veterans on their roster.

Furthermore, 30-year-old offensive tackle Trent Brown was not extended before his contract was set to void. He will now enter free agency in mid-March and his future remains unclear after an injury-riddled season and questions about commitment from both sides.

On top of it all, 34-year-old James Ferentz announced his retirement.

For the Patriots, this is a pulling-off-the-band-aid sort of situation. While Ferentz’s retirement did neither come as a surprise nor significantly weaken the overall composition of the roster, Guy, Phillips and Brown all played prominent roles in 2023 in their respective positions on defense, special teams and offense.

And they might not be the only departures of their age group. A look at its 10 remaining members shows that uncertainty reigns supreme.

Special teamers Matthew Slater (38) and Cody Davis (34) are both free agents and candidates for retirement as well, something that is also true for offensive tackle Riley Reiff (35). Wideout DeVante Parker (31) is coming off a disappointing season and while his contract structure suggests he will stick around for 2024, nothing is certain at the moment. Offensive tackle Conor McDermott (31) and defensive tackle Daniel Ekuale (30), meanwhile, are also not guaranteed to return.

That also might be the case with defensive edge Matthew Judon (31). Although he has been one of the Patriots’ best players since his arrival as a free agent in 2021, he is entering the final year of his contract and might be a trade candidate.

This leaves only three relatively safe bets to be with the team next season: long snapper Joe Cardona (31), center David Andrews (31), and cornerback Jonathan Jones (30).

Regardless of what will happen with the plus-30 players remaining on the team, Monday’s moves suggest that the Patriots are willing to get younger. It would not be a surprise if they improve their ranking as the 27th-oldest roster in football at the start of the regular season.