Team Profile

A competitive team that aims to neutralize their opponent’s best weapons, rather than possessing their own true identity. The Patriots play in the best division in football, so a deep roster simply isn’t enough anymore, superstar talent is lacking, and acquiring it is necessary to transform them into true title contenders. 

Goals

• Put Mac Jones in a place to succeed and figure out if he is the franchise Quarterback
• Hire a new offensive coordinator in order to make the offense more explosive and less predictable
• Bill Belichick cannot remain stubborn, he needs to take advantage of the Patriots’ cap space and draft more talent at key skill positions

Core Pieces

• QB Mac Jones
• RB Rhamondre Stevenson
• WR Jakobi Meyers
• LT Trent Brown
• OG Michael Onwenu
• OLB Matthew Judon
• CB Jonathan Jones

Targets 

• Wide Receiver
• Cornerback
• Offensive Tackle
• Middle Linebacker
• Free Safety

Assets

• 14th Overall Pick in the 2023 Draft
• 8 2023 Draft Picks in 7 Rounds
• 44 Million Dollars In Cap Space (5th Most)

Points of Emphasis

• The 2023 season should be a “prove it” year for Mac Jones. The Patriots need to figure out if the third-year Alabama player is truly the answer for this franchise at the quarterback position. However, the Patriots should do as much as possible to solidify the rest of the offense around him this offseason, so that Bill Belichick will be able to make a decision on whether Jones is talented enough to anchor a top-tier offense. The situation the Patriots have now reminded me of Daniel Jones’s situation with the New York Giants this year. As a young quarterback, Jones was still adapting to the speed of the NFL level and on the cusp of being a franchise quarterback, but there were a plethora of questions surrounding him entering this season. New York did absolutely everything in their power to improve the rest of the offense around Daniel Jones in order to reveal his true talent and find out if he could be their quarterback of the future. Now, Jones is currently preparing to face the top-seed Philadelphia Eagles in the divisional round of the playoffs and is primed for a massive extension this offseason after flashing his ability throughout the season. 
• In recent years, we have seen quarterbacks thrive with the help of star receivers. Despite what Belichick thinks, it is a much more wide-receiver-driven league in today’s game with players like Cooper Kupp, Justin Jefferson, and others becoming more heavily utilized and setting records. Everywhere around the league, quarterbacks are making a jump to stardom after their team acquired a superstar receiver. To name a few, Josh Allen and Stefon Diggs, Tua Tagovailoa and Tyreek Hill, and Jalen Hurts and AJ Brown. Hingham High School freshman Will Carr said, “Even Trevor Lawrence became a way better quarterback after they signed Christian Kirk in the offseason.” The evidence is there, these young quarterbacks have all taken massive strides after their team acquired a number one wideout and I believe that the Patriots should do the same with Mac Jones this offseason, aiding his development into, hopefully, the Patriots quarterback for years to come. 
• The Patriots were extremely aggressive two years ago, inking tight ends Hunter Henry and Jonnu Smith to sizable long-term contracts. However, we have yet to see them on the field much at all. Yes, injuries are a part of that, but even when they are in the game, Belichick refuses to utilize Henry or Smith in the passing game at all. I believe this is part of Bill Belichick’s obstinate side as he refuses to change his ways despite being a head coach in an ever-evolving game of football. Today, tight ends are so much more than just blockers and occasional pass-catchers, instead, we see players like Travis Kelce lead their team in receiving yards on a yearly basis. Especially with Mac Jones’s struggles pushing the ball downfield, Smith and Henry would serve as terrific safety blankets at the very least, but I hope a new offensive coordinator will inspire Belicheck to develop a few new wrinkles in his offensive scheme. 
• Throughout his coaching career, Bill Belichick has constantly stressed the importance of his defenses being built through the secondary. Players like Devin McCourty, Ty Law, Rodney Harrison, and Stefon Gilmore, among others have led the Patriots to multiple Super Bowls in past seasons. Belicheck has even brought in aging stars such as Aqib Talib and Darrelle Revis on cheaper deals to consolidate his defenses and mentor the younger players. However, in recent years, the Patriots have been on the opposite side of the spectrum, their secondary has been a major weak point, yet the front seven is loaded with a solid mix of proven veterans and blossoming superstars. I don’t think the defensive front needs much work, but the Patriots are missing a true number-one corner, which will allow players like Jonathan Jones, Marcus Jones, and Myles Bryant to shine in smaller roles and grow under the leadership of a star cornerback. Especially with the likely departure of Devin McCourty this offseason, the Patriots should not be afraid to splurge on the talented group of defensive backs in the 2023 free-agency class.