2022-23 New England Patriots LB ‘Projected Biggest Bust’
New England Patriots LB Mack Wilson is projected to be the “biggest bust” of the 2022-23 season. Will he prove the critics right or wrong?
The New England Patriots acquired some interesting players this offseason, however, one move in particular is projected to be a failure. According to Alex Kay for Bleacher Report, he believes the former Cleveland Browns’ linebacker Mack Wilson will fall short of the mark in the 2022-23 season. While the Pats suffered losses this offseason, they also did make some moves to improve. Arguably their biggest acquisition, DeVante Parker, is predicted to have a major role in this upcoming season’s offensive scheme.
Another surprising acquisition received via trade was Mack Wilson. The Patriots received Wilson in exchange for Chase Winovich. While many are excited about Parker’s potential in 2022, the same sentiment cannot be shared for Wilson. Throughout Kay’s article, he goes on to express Wilson’s arrival came purely to veteran LB Dont’a Hightower’s demise. After the Patriots didn’t retain the 32-year-old in FA, this left the door open for Wilson. However, Wilson struggled in Cleveland which led Kay and many to question, “how will he flourish with the Pats?”
"“After deploying Dont’a Hightower in the middle of their defense for the past decade, New England opted not to retain the 32-year-old in free agency,” Kay stated. “That decision has opened the door for Mack Wilson to play a bigger role for the club in 2022. It’s a decision the Patriots could regret, even if Hightower had clearly lost a step in recent seasons. Wilson spent the last three years with the Cleveland Browns, failing to carve out a reliable role after being drafted in the fifth round back in 2019.”“While New England is hoping he can live up to the potential he has thus far failed to reach, it could be difficult for the Alabama product to finally put it all together,” he continued. “The Patriots’ complex defense is notoriously difficult to pick up, and it could take the linebacker time to make the adjustment, setting him up for a down 2022 campaign.”"
Who was Mack Wilson Prior to the New England Patriots?
There’s no secret Wilson hasn’t been a great player, thus far in his career. In three seasons, Wilson accounted for 163 tackles and just one sack, according to ESPN. Wilson is joining the Pats with a pretty talented group of LBs. Veteran LBs Matthew Judon and Ja’Whaun Bentley could use him within their group. While he’s proven to not be a legitimate cornerstone in the NFL, this does not mean he cannot be of value to the New England Patriots. Many believe he may be cut prior to the season starts, however, one shouldn’t be surprised if he comes on and shows his value to the LB room being built for future years to come.