Coach Bill Belichick’s defense was the star attraction for the New England Patriots last season, and it’s hard to envision that changing heading into 2023.
The Patriots continued to commit heavily to the defensive side of the ball by selecting cornerback Christian Gonzalez, defensive end Keion White and linebacker/safety Marte Mapu with their first three picks of the 2023 NFL draft.
That’s considerable firepower added to a unit returning with nearly every player from last season. Legendary safety Devin McCourty is the only starter from that team that is no longer on the roster. But then again, the Patriots are one of the deepest teams in the league at safety.
The defense will once again be a force, and here’s my 11 starters that will continue to make that happen:
DL Christian Barmore
Assuming health isn’t an issue, Christian Barmore is in line for a massive breakout season along the defensive front. He has yet to reach his ceiling, which could have him in the conversation with the best defensive tackles in the NFL.
DL Davon Godchaux
Davon Godchaux has been one of the key fixtures for the Patriots’ defensive front since arriving from the New York Jets. He’s powerful and possesses the size to clog running lanes, while also generating a pass-rushing push up the middle.
DE Deatrich Wise Jr.
With all of the talk surrounding Matthew Judon and Josh Uche, it’s easy to forget Deatrich Wise is also coming off a career season with 7.5 sacks. The starting edge rusher could be a player on the rise with the Patriots defense likely being just as good, if not better than they were in 2022.
OLB Josh Uche
After starting flat in 2022, Josh Uche had a light bulb moment and went on an absolute tear. He racked up a total of 11.5 sacks over a span of seven games. If that was a tease of what’s to come in 2023, a special year could be in the works for the fourth-year linebacker.
OLB Matthew Judon
Matthew Judon shot off like a rocket in the 2022 season and ended with 15.5 sacks total and a Pro Bowl nod. The expectations will once again be high for a player that is without question the Patriots’ best pass-rusher.
LB Ja'Whaun Bentley
Patriots linebacker Ja’Whaun Bentley has been a model of consistency for the team, which is why he received a two-year contract extension. The Patriots have big plans for Bentley in their defense.
CB Christian Gonzalez
Christian Gonzalez hit the ground running in the spring practices. Despite only being a rookie, he already looks like a player that could top the Patriots’ depth chart at cornerback.
CB Jack Jones
There are a lot of questions surrounding second-year cornerback Jack Jones’ future with the team after his recent arrest. He could still do jail time, which would obviously impact his ability to play football. But assuming things work out and it’s business as usual, Jones will start opposite of Gonzalez.
Slot CB Jonathan Jones
Jonathan Jones would be best suited for slot work, but as he showed last season, he’s versatile enough to compete on the outside as well, if needed. That will all obviously depend on the situation surrounding Jack Jones.
SS Kyle Dugger
Kyle Dugger is already one of the Patriots’ best defensive players. He’ll likely be playing with a chip on his shoulder with 2023 being the final year on his Patriots contract.
FS Jabrill Peppers
Who will take the reins from retired safety Devin McCourty?
I’m going with Jabrill Peppers considering the great improvements he’s made in the offseason. Coach Bill Belichick heaping praise on Peppers is hard to ignore heading into training camp.
“Oh yeah. Oh my God. Yeah. Totally is a much different player…” Belichick said, when asked about Peppers, via ESPN’s Mike Reiss.
Adrian Phillips and Jalen Mills should also be in the mix for a starting job as well.
