4. DE Deatrich Wise Jr.

Wise is in the final year of his rookie contract and is set to have a cap hit of $2.3 million. His release would save the Patriots $1.64 million.

With Trey Flowers out of the mix, it seemed like Wise was poised to see a jump in production in 2019. Instead, his snaps were significantly decreased from 41.4% in 2018 to 22.72% last season. The Patriots switched up their front to include a lot more linebackers rushing the quarterback instead of defensive ends like Wise. This meant more playing time on the edge for guys like Kyle Van Noy and Dont’a Hightower. John Simon’s versatility also gave him a spot.

If the Patriots are going to continue playing Wise less than a fourth of the snaps, it would make sense to move on. He’s still a productive piece that should fetch a mid-round pick or a swap for a position of need in a trade.