Patriots head into draft looking for youth at LB, WR

By KYLE HIGHTOWER
AP Sports Writer

FOXBOROUGH, Mass. (AP) — The Patriots were one of the biggest spenders in free agency during the 2020 offseason, uncharacteristically giving big-money deals to beef up holes on both sides of the ball. Because of it, they entered this offseason with a much tighter grip on the wallet. It means Bill Belichick will turn to the draft to bolster a roster that still needs help at linebacker, offensive line, receiver and cornerback. New England enters the draft with eight total picks to get it done, including the 21st pick of the first round. Possible early targets include linebacker Nakobe Dean, receiver Kyle Philips and cornerback Andrew Booth.