Patriots' Team Needs to Fill in 2023 NFL Draft

The New England Patriots entered the offseason with two huge roster needs.

As the 2023 NFL draft approaches, the Patriots still need to fill up their wide receiver and cornerback rooms.

The free-agent signing of JuJu Smith-Schuster was a solid pickup, but the Patriots could do more during the draft to bolster the targets for Mac Jones.

Bill Belichick's side retained Jonathan Jones in free agency and re-signed Jalen Mills after he was cut. Only one of those players could start the 2023 season at cornerback. Mills is willing to shift over to safety to replace Devin McCourty, per ESPN's Field Yates.

If Mills moves to safety, the Patriots need to find a new cornerback in the draft to pair with Jonathan, Jack and Marcus Jones.

New England could also use help on the offensive line, but that need is not as glaring as the other two. Trent Brown and Riley Reiff both may not be in Foxborough in 2024. Brown is entering the last year of his contract, while Reiff inked a one-year deal in free agency.

Wide Receiver

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ORCHARD PARK, NEW YORK - JANUARY 08: DeVante Parker #1 of the New England Patriots and Mac Jones #10 of the New England Patriots celebrate after Parker's touchdown reception during the fourth quarter against the Buffalo Bills at Highmark Stadium on January 08, 2023 in Orchard Park, New York. (Photo by Bryan M. Bennett/Getty Images)

The Patriots can make the playoffs with Smith-Schuster, DeVante Parker, Kendrick Bourne and Tyquan Thornton at wide receiver.

However, the Patriots can't win the Super Bowl with that collection of wideouts.

New England's current group does not stack up against the Buffalo Bills and Miami Dolphins in the AFC East, and against the Cincinnati Bengals, Los Angeles Chargers and others across the AFC.

Smith-Schuster's signing was a good move, but he essentially serves as a like-for-like replacement for Jakobi Meyers.

The Patriots need to improve at wide receiver, not remain at a similar level, so that they can challenge for the AFC East crown.

The No. 14 overall pick may be the first-round sweet spot for selecting a wide receiver, but the more practical move is to draft a cornerback there.

ESPN.com's Jordan Reid has the Patriots taking Illinois cornerback Devon Witherspoon at No. 14 and Tennessee wide receiver Cedric Tillman in the third round at No. 76.

The Patriots can find a starting-caliber wide receiver in the second or third round, and they can add a depth piece with one of their eight picks in the fourth, sixth and seventh rounds.

Cornerback

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LAS VEGAS, NEVADA - DECEMBER 18: Jonathan Jones #31 of the New England Patriots looks on during an NFL football game between the Las Vegas Raiders and the New England Patriots at Allegiant Stadium on December 18, 2022 in Las Vegas, Nevada. (Photo by Michael Owens/Getty Images)

The Patriots need to stack up with the loaded wide receiver rooms across the AFC by landing comparable talent at the position, and by acquiring top-tier players who can stop the likes of Stefon Diggs, Tyreek Hill and Jaylen Waddle.

Mills' potential move to safety opens up a roster spot alongside the three Joneses at cornerback.

The Patriots can target Witherspoon, Penn State's Joey Porter Jr., Oregon's Christian Gonzalez or Maryland's Deonte Banks in the first round.

New England needs another lockdown cornerback more than a No. 1 wide receiver, and you could make the case it is easier to find a wide receiver in the latter rounds than it is a corner.

The Patriots have not had great wide receiver luck in the draft under Belichick, but they have found more success with Julian Edelman and Deion Branch after the first round. The failure of the N'Keal Harry first-round selection in 2019 could also lead to some hesitation in taking a first-round wide receiver.

Taking one of the top-tier corners early in the draft would settle a need for the Patriots, and it would then allow them to unearth some gems on offense in the mid-to-late rounds.

Offensive Tackle

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FOXBOROUGH, MA - JANUARY 01: New England Patriots offensive tackle Trent Brown (77) during a game between the New England Patriots and the Miami Dolphins on January 1, 2023, at Gillette Stadium in Foxboro, Massachusetts. (Photo by Fred Kfoury III/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)

The Patriots need to do some forward thinking at offensive tackle.

Brown is entering the final year of a two-year contract, while Reiff was brought in as a one-year replacement.

New England could lose Brown in free agency next offseason, and the best way to protect against that is to select and develop a young offensive tackle in 2023.

The Patriots could attack that need in the second or third round to find a high-quality player who may need to work on some flaws before taking over as a starter in 2024.

Having an eye on the future could be key for the Patriots because they would then have an offensive tackle to protect Jones for multiple years.

The Patriots need to use their abundance of late-round picks wisely, and if they do not land an offensive tackle on Day 2, they should go after one or two offensive tackles to develop while they have time to do so with Brown and Reiff in place.