The Patriots had an eventful first few days of free agency before slowing down their spending.

Let’s check in with the fanbase and answer some questions in this week’s mailbag.

@RobFieldBox
Why have the Patriots spent approximately $3 in Free Agency….but seriously all that cap space and not many moves…what’s the plan if any?

I’ve been a fan of the Patriots’ actual signings. I understand that the idea of re-signing the same players who were just on a team that went 4-13 looks odd on paper. But the guys they’re bringing back are good players, and they’re being signed to smart contracts.

Offensive lineman Michael Onwenu was one of the league’s best impending free agents, and he was re-signed to a market deal. Hunter Henry is a legitimate starting tight end and was brought back on a pay cut. Kendrick Bourne is a solid Z receiver, and he’s only being guaranteed $5.5 million over three seasons. Edge defender Josh Uche, at a $3 million base, is one of the best bargains in free agency whether he regains his 2022 form or not. You need an early-down starter like Anfernee Jennings with Uche on your team as a situational pass rusher.

We’ll see what happens with safety Kyle Dugger on the transition tag, but it seems like the most likely scenario at this point is that he plays on it for the season.

So, all of those moves were solid.

I don’t think you can really squabble with the players they’ve cut, traded or let walk as free agents in J.C. Jackson, DeVante Parker, Adrian Phillips, Lawrence Guy, Mac Jones, Mack Wilson, Pharaoh Brown, Jalen Mills or Mike Gesicki.

It’s the outside players they’ve signed that are leaving more to be desired by a seemingly large subset of the fanbase.

But quarterback Jacoby Brissett knows the offense, only cost $8 million and won’t create an awkward quarterback room with a rookie. Running back Antonio Gibson will be a nice complement to Rhamondre Stevenson. Linebacker Sione Takitaki replaces Wilson. Chukwuma Okorafor would be a solid swing tackle, and there are people within the organization who believe he can play left tackle if a better option isn’t found. Tight end Austin Hooper replaces Brown and Gesicki, and guard Nick Leverett and defensive tackle Armon Watts fill in depth on the line.

Once again, there haven’t been any bad outside signings. The Patriots haven’t overspent on a single player they’ve signed, and they’re still left with a hefty amount of cap space.

But, understandably, fans are wondering where the Patriots are going to find a wide receiver or left tackle.

Those questions would have been answered if wide receiver Calvin Ridley or left tackle Jonah Williams had been signed or if wide receiver Keenan Allen had been acquired via trade.

Ridley picked a similar offer from the Titans. And he was already expensive at $23 million per year when he’s going to be 30 in December. That being said, Ridley was viewed as a really good player who was a free agent at the right time, and clearly, the Patriots were interested. We’ll see in due time if that was a miss, but it would have filled a big and obvious need with a splash move.

I didn’t get the sense that the Patriots were interested in Williams. He also hasn’t played very well over the past two years at left or right tackle. Okorafor might be a similar player for much cheaper.

And for Allen, yes the Patriots had checked in with the Chargers about cut/trade candidates earlier in the week, but they didn’t feel like he was a fit for the direction the team was heading. He’s 32 years old and will make $23 million in 2024, and the team is looking to add speed. There was sense of surprise that the Bears gave up a fourth-round pick for Allen rather than pulling off a pick swap for Allen.

The Patriots aren’t going to go after a big fish just to say they caught one. They have to believe that the players they’re acquiring are right for where the team is at.

But the Patriots need something at wide receiver and left tackle, and there’s an acknowledgment that veteran options are limited. Former Chargers wide receiver Mike Williams could still be in play, though.

@PatsMiLLa
Biggest need outside of QB, WR, and T.

Cornerback and defensive end. The Patriots’ defense is solid as a whole, but they should still be looking to upgrade their pass defense.

@tivs04
Would you trade #34 for Tee Higgins on draft night if MHJ, Nabers, Odunze, Brain Thomas, and Adonai Mitchell are off the board?

Yes, I would. But I don’t think it’s smart for the Bengals to actually trade Higgins if they hope to be competitive in 2024.

@thiagosaloma0
Would you trade #3 for #11, #23 and 25 1st?

I’d be tempted to. The QB-needy Vikings traded up from the second round up to No. 23 overall on Friday, which sparked this question.

Ultimately, I think I’d take the quarterback at No. 3 overall. This is a strong quarterback class, and there’s no guarantee, even with two first-round picks next year, that the Patriots could draft as good of a quarterback in 2025 than who would be available at No. 3 this year.

I know Michigan’s J.J. McCarthy has some fans in New England, but at this point he might not even be available at No. 11 overall.

The tempting part is that the Patriots could take a wide receiver, offensive tackle and quarterback at Nos. 11, 23 and 34. And that would fill the biggest needs on the team.

But I’d still just take the quarterback. It’s the most important position the field. And the future of the franchise depends on who they can add.

@ReplyG82403
Doug, how are you doing personally? We care and want to make sure you and the family are hanging in there.

We’re doing OK. March 28 would have been Hallie’s third birthday, so that day will be tough. But we’ll celebrate in her honor. I can’t believe it’s almost been a year since she was diagnosed with AML last April.

Kyed: Remembering Hallie and covering the Patriots through unimaginable circumstances