The 2017-2018 NFL season is still a few months away and teams are already preparing for the tough grind that awaits them. Winning the Super Bowl is not an easy task to achieve. Winning it all over again the next year is even more difficult. The New England Patriots are no strangers to both. The New England Patriots have so far won five Super Bowls, which includes back-to-back wins in 2003 and 2004. Having just won last season's Super Bowl LI, the New England Patriots are favored to win it again next season. The key to their success is building their team thru free agency, smart draft picks and trades.

With the 52-hour legal tampering period for free agents already underway, how the New England Patriots will approach the free agents will either make or break the New England Patriots chances of winning the Super Bowl again next season, according to a report from the Boston Herald. Aside from free agents from the other NFL teams, the New England Patriots have their own free agents to worry about. Based on the initial list of their own free agents, the New England Patriots have a lot of work to do.

First name on the New England Patriots list is linebacker Don't'a Hightower. Don't'a Hightower will become a free agent this Thursday. Don't'a Hightower wants to test his value on the open market first before committing to the New England Patriots.

Aside from Don't'a Hightower, New England Patriots cornerback Logan Ryan, tight end Martellus Bennett, defensive tackle Alan Branch and safety Duron Harmon will also become free agents this Thursday. Alan Branch and the New England Patriots have made strong progress in their negotiations last week so signing him up will only be a formality before next season starts.

Martellus Bennett, like Don't'a Hightower wants to test the open first. As for Logan Ryan and Duron Harmon, the New England Patriots have told both players to see what's their value in the free agent market and come back to them with their preferred offer.

That seems like a lot of work for the New England Patriots. But this the New England Patriots and history has shown that they have a knack of getting quality free agents without spending too much, as ESPN reported.

So don't be surprised if the New England Patriots would be the big winners in this off season's free agent acquisitions. After all, the New England Patriots still have two legends in Bill Belichick and Tom Brady that most players still want to play with.