Patriots' Biggest Keys To Having Successful NFL Offseason
The New England Patriots must center their offseason plan on giving Mac Jones more help.
They are in danger of falling further behind the Miami Dolphins and having the New York Jets catch up to them in the AFC East if they don't put together the right set of targets for the third-year quarterback.
Jakobi Meyers and Nelson Agholor are set to hit the free-agent market at wide receiver, as are running back Damien Harris and offensive tackle Isaiah Wynn.
New England has a clear-cut answer at running back with Rhamondre Stevenson starting and Kevin Harris likely moving up to the backup spot, but there are plenty of unknowns on the offensive line and at wide receiver.
The holes aren't just exclusive to the offense. The Patriots need to work on their defense, especially at cornerback, where three players are set to hit free agency.
A bad offseason is not acceptable in the current state of the AFC East and the entire conference. The Patriots could be one or two bad moves away from the bottom of the division given how consistent the Buffalo Bills have been and how aggressive Miami and New York can be in the offseason markets.
Arrange the Right Skill-Position Core Around Mac Jones
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The offseason standard in the AFC East has been laid down by the Bills and Dolphins in the last two years.
Buffalo made the big move two years ago by trading for Stefon Diggs, while Miami landed Tyreek Hill in one of last offseason's major deals.
New York's potential pursuit of a veteran quarterback could make it three major moves by New England's divisional rivals in three consecutive offseasons.
The Patriots enter the offseason with Kendrick Bourne, DeVante Parker and Tyquan Thornton at wide receiver, Hunter Henry and Jonnu Smith at tight end, and Stevenson, Kevin Harris and Pierre Strong at running back.
That is a decent core to have around Jones, but it's not good enough to match the offensive units Buffalo and Miami have put together and what the Jets could build if they achieve their loftiest offseason goals.
New England has to find improvements in the passing game, whether that is through the draft, free agency or a trade. Re-signing Meyers would be a nice move, but it can't be the offseason headliner.
The Patriots were aggressive two offseasons ago, but that landed them back in the same spot in 2023 because Agholor, Bourne, Henry and Smith did not come together as the team hoped.
Bill Belichick and his staff might have to swing bigger in this offseason in order to avoid past mistakes and, more importantly, keep up with their competition.
Offensive-Line Improvements
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The Patriots would be wise to move on from Wynn, who played in more than 10 games just once in his four seasons.
New England does not have to rework its entire offensive line because most of its starters are under contract already for 2023.
However, the Patriots do need a new offensive tackle to protect Jones if they choose not to keep Wynn.
The 14th overall pick in the 2023 NFL draft could serve as the Patriots' vehicle to land a new lineman.
A draft selection could be the cheaper method of acquiring a new tackle because of the other needs the team has.
Figure Out Cornerback Situation
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Jonathan Jones, Joejuan Williams and Myles Bryant are all set to hit free agency.
Jalen Mills and Marcus Jones are the top cornerbacks currently on the roster. The former is a solid second option, and the latter has the potential to be a decent player on the outside as well.
The Patriots could use a top-tier shutdown corner to deal with Diggs, Hill and the other top wideouts in the AFC.
New England can take a shot at one of the top free-agent corners, such as James Bradberry or Bradley Roby, to improve its depth at the position right away.
The Patriots could try going with one of the top young cornerbacks with the No. 14 pick, but there is also a chance that other needs come first.
New England found some gems in the middle and later rounds of the 2022 draft in Marcus Jones, Kevin Harris, Thornton, Strong and Bailey Zappe.
The scouting staff could discover some more gems in this year's draft, which would help fill some of the positional needs.
Regardless of how they add players, the Patriots must fill their biggest gaps to come away from the next few months with a successful offseason.
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