The New England Patriots have already restructured their coaching staff for the second consecutive offseason. Now it is time for the real work with an expected overhaul of the roster coming.
Free agency will be a key part of this process. And while adding external players to the mix will undoubtably happen with over $130 million in projected cap space, there are also a few in-house free agents to be taken care of. Following a series of moves, 10 remain in need of a new contract prior to free agency.
Among them is outside linebacker Oshane Ximines, the final player in our free agency profile series.
Hard facts
Name: Oshane Ximines
Position: Outside linebacker/Defensive edge
Opening day age: 28 (12/7/1996)
Size: 6-foot-4, 254 pounds
Jersey number: 93
Free agency status: Unrestricted free agent (UFA)
Experience
NFL teams: New York Giants (2019-23), England Patriots (2024)
A four-year starter at Old Dominion, who registered 32.5 combined sacks during his college career, Ximines entered the NFL with Giants in 2019. The first ever Monarch to hear his name called in the draft, he went off the board 95th overall in the third round.
Ximines went on to spend five years in New York, but never developed beyond role player status. He did appear in a combined 50 regular season and playoff games for the organization, registering registering 6.5 sacks as well as one forced fumble and recovery each. He never exceeded more than 45 percent defensive playing time in any of his seasons as a Giant.
He joined the Patriots during the 2024 offseason, but was limited to only two games because of injury.
2024 review
Stats: 2 games (0 starts) | 14 defensive snaps (1.3%), 29 special teams snaps (6.6%) | 1 tackle, 0 missed tackles
Season recap: Five months after the Giants released him from their practice squad, Ximines was given an opportunity to prolong his NFL career. Reuniting with his former outside linebackers coach at the Giants, Drew Wilkins, he joined the Patriots on a one-year contract in late April.
Despite his minimum-level deal and his recent inability to earn regular playing time in New York, Ximines left a strong first impression in New England. With top pass rushers Matthew Judon and Joshua Uche both sitting out OTAs, he was given plenty of reps with the top defense — something that continued into training camp and the preseason.
After registering a pair of sacks and five total pressures in two exhibition games, Ximines looked poised for a prominent role. However, he was unable to carry his momentum into the regular season: before suffering a season-ending ACL tear in Week 2 against the Seattle Seahawks, he was on the field for only 14 defensive snaps and was a virtual non-factor as a pass rusher. He registered one assisted run game tackle in the season opener.
Ximines’ biggest contribution came via special teams. Even though he did not put up any stats, he was part of five units in his brief time on the active roster and played 56 percent of available snaps over Weeks 1 and 2.
Free agency preview
What is his contract history? Ximines signed a standard four-year deal with he Giants upon his arrival in 2019, and later returned to the club on a one-year contract. He also signed a one-year pact with the Patriots, bringing his combined career earnings to $5.1 million, according to Over The Cap.
Which teams might be in the running? Given his recent history, Ximines likely will not be in high demand entering free agency. Teams who might be interested in adding him to their edge rotation include the Buffalo Bills, Baltimore Ravens, Washington Commanders, Chicago Bears, Detroit Lions, Green Bay Packers, Atlanta Falcons, Carolina Panthers and Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
Why should he be expected back? The Patriots’ depth chart on the edge currently consists of starter Anfernee Jennings, a player best suited for early-down work, as well as backups Titus Leo and Truman Jones. Ximines would not fix all the woes — far from it — but he would be able to provide experienced depth at a minimal cost.
Why should he be expected to leave? Not only is Ximines coming off a major knee injury, he also has not registered a regular season sack since October 2022. Frankly, he would be little more than a reclamation project for a new-look Patriots coaching staff that has no ties to him (unlike last year’s through Drew Wilkins).
What is his projected free agency outcome? Ximines is a candidate to go one-and-done and is headed for the open market, but the Patriots might keep the door open for him to return further down the line. That said, he is not a priority by any means and seems more likely to depart than re-sign.
What do you think about Oshane Ximines heading into free agency? Is his tenure coming to an end? Or will the Patriots give him another shot? Please head down to the comment section to discuss.