The New England Patriots are a much better football team on paper than they were at this time last year, but they’re still heading into training camp with more questions than answers.
Most of those questions stem from the Patriots’ unwillingness to change as an organization. The same old ways of doing business and roster building have been in place since Tom Brady was under center at quarterback.
Meanwhile, the rest of the AFC East has undergone their own version of “Extreme Makeover: Home Edition”. Last season, the Patriots missed the playoffs for the second time in three years. This year, there’s a real possibility they finish dead last in their division.
No, training camp doesn’t hold every answer, but at the very least, it’ll give us a sneak peek into some realistic possibilities that await the 2023 Patriots.
Here are 10 burning questions facing the team ahead of training camp:
1
Does Mac Jones have enough weapons?
Coach Bill Belichick ultimately made the decision to pass on wide receiver DeAndre Hopkins when he didn’t up his initial contract offer to remain competitive with the Tennessee Titans.
As if the Patriots were in any position to snub their nose at adding an elite receiving option to their roster, but I digress.
That decision left things barren for quarterback Mac Jones at the skilled position. There isn’t a single receiver on the roster that jumps out as someone that can consistently beat one-on-one coverage in those got-to-have-it situations.
DeVante Parker, JuJu Smith-Schuster and Kendrick Bourne are all good players. But considering what they’ll be facing on the other side of the ball this season with the hardest schedule in the league, good might not be enough.
2
Do the old ways still work?
Belichick didn’t value receivers high when Brady was the quarterback, and given the way things went down with Hopkins, he still doesn’t value them high to this very day.
Aaron Rodgers and the New York Jets have Garrett Wilson. Josh Allen and the Buffalo Bills have Stefon Diggs. And Tua Tagovailoa has both Tyreek Hill and Jaylen Waddle with the Miami Dolphins.
Jones has Parker as his top receiving option with the Patriots.
It’s a situation that feels like Belichick has once again done the bare minimum on offense and put most of his focus into strengthening the defense.
Heading into the 2023 NFL draft, the Patriots were projected to come away with either a receiver or an offensive tackle in the early rounds, and they instead made the decision to spend their first three picks on defensive players. That could come back to bite them if the offense continues to struggle putting points on the board.
3
Who will replace Devin McCourty?
Losing Devin McCourty stings from more than just a football perspective.
Not only was he one of the Patriots’ best players on the field, but he was one of their core locker room leaders. He is all smiles these days after settling into his broadcasting career. So don’t expect No. 32 to come walking back through those doors at Gillette Stadium.
His absence should create the “Wild Wild West” version of training camp battles. Adrian Phillips. Jabrill Peppers, Jalen Mills, Joshuah Bledsoe and even rookie Marte Mapu will all be competing for opportunities to fill the role of a legend and play across from Kyle Dugger.
4
Will the Riley Reiff glue hold?
The Patriots passing on an opportunity to draft a premium offensive tackle is likely due to them stockpiling veterans in the offseason. One of those veteran players is former Chicago Bears tackle Riley Reiff.
At 34 years old, Reiff clearly isn’t a long-term option in New England, and he doesn’t have to be. However, he does need to be a reliable glue piece that can help keep the offensive line ship from sinking in 2023.
If the offensive line fails to keep Mac Jones upright, the team’s lack of high-end receiving weapons won’t even matter. Jones will have a face full of jerseys and doing snow angels in the dirt.
5
Can Bill O'Brien get the offense back on track?
Bill O’Brien is the biggest acquisition the Patriots made in the offseason. They needed a real offensive coordinator to bring some normalcy back to the unit after suffering through last year’s catastrophe.
O’Brien is one of the best in the business, and he already has familiarity with the Patriots from having coached there before. The play-calling will improve dramatically, and the schemes and concepts involved should be more sophisticated.
One of the things to really keep an eye on is how O’Brien utilizes tight ends Hunter Henry and Mike Gesicki. With the lack of elite receiving talent, he could look to get more out of the mismatches he’s able to create on the field in two tight end sets.
6
Is Christian Gonzalez the next "Sauce" Gardner?
It has been a long time since the Patriots have had a rookie receiving as much buzz as cornerback Christian Gonzalez.
I had him as the top cornerback in the 2023 NFL draft, and he somehow fell to the Patriots at No. 17 overall. The former Oregon standout plays with exceptional technique to complement his physical traits. His athleticism is off the charts.
Dan Lanning, his former coach at Oregon, said he looked like a “Madden” video game creation on the field. The Patriots are hopeful he can hit the ground running as quickly as Jets star corner Ahmad “Sauce” Gardner did last year.
That sort of home run draft pick would take an already great New England defense to another level.
7
How will Marte Mapu be utilized?
One of the more intriguing Patriots rookies is third-round draft pick Marte Mapu. His ability to play both linebacker and safety makes him a bit of an unknown as far as how the team plans on using him.
Belichick tested him at multiple positions throughout the spring practices, and that will likely continue to be the case at training camp. This isn’t a situation with a young player that’ll spend too much time watching from the sidelines.
Mapu is a dominant defensive player that should see action right out of the gates. The options of how to utilize him are seemingly endless, and Belichick should have a fun time exploring as many as possible.
8
Will there be two kickers?
Back in June, Belichick claimed he wasn’t ruling out the possibility of keeping both Nick Folk and rookie kicker Chad Ryland on the roster.
It’s hard to envision Ryland not making the team after the Patriots spent a fourth-round draft pick on him. But then again, for a team that has struggled putting points on the board as much as the Patriots, they can’t afford the kind of shaky play inexperience can wrought.
Field goal makes could be the difference between winning and losing for New England, much in the same way that they were last season. If Ryland fails to have a great showing, the Patriots might be wise to keep Folk around a little while longer.
9
Is this the year that Christian Barmore and Josh Uche finally take flight?
Christian Barmore and Josh Uche both have elite potential as defensive players. Will this be the year that they kick down the door and become household names in the NFL?
At least one of them, if not both, should be receiving their first Pro Bowl nod this season.
Injuries have been an issue for Barmore, who has flashed greatness when he’s on the field. Uche came on late last season and finished with a career-high 11.5 sacks. The opportunity is clearly there for both players to take flight in a defense that should rank among the best in the league this season.
10
What does a Year 2 Tyquan Thornton look like?
Tyquan Thornton is a wild card for the Patriots.
His 2022 rookie season was a bit disappointing, but it’s hard to judge him on that performance given the poor overall state of the offense altogether. In many ways, this feels like a do-over season for him with O’Brien at the helm of the offensive play-calling.
He showed the ability to separate on tape last season, despite only being targeted 45 times. If he can somehow emerge as a reliable playmaker for the Patriots, it could drastically change things for the team on the offensive side of the ball.
There was evidence of a much-improved Thornton at the early spring practices, but his time was cut short due to injury. We’ll see if he can pick back up where he left off at training camp.
