New Year’s Resolutions for the New England Patriots
By Dan Kelley
New Year’s Resolutions for the Patriots
6. Better Quarterback Play – First off, the quarterback being referenced here is Mac Jones. There is no need to discuss Bailey Zappe, Tom Brady, Jimmy Garoppolo, Derek Carr, or any other QBs who will inevitably be rumored to be heading to Foxboro in 2023.
There is a litany of reasons/excuses that can be made for the regression in Mac Jones’ play this year, including the transition to a new/inexperienced offensive coaching staff, struggles of his offensive line, lack of reliability at receiver, the high ankle sprain he suffered in Week 3 that he possibly returned too quickly from, etc.
But the bottom line is that Mac Jones needs to play better. His performance has dropped significantly this season, both statistically and from a simple eye test. Only a year ago, Mac Jones put together a season that saw him rank among the Top 10 rookies in NFL history for QB Wins, Passing Yards, Passing Touchdowns, and Completion Percentage (only Cowboys QB Dak Prescott can also make that claim). Mac still has two years remaining on his rookie contract, and it is crucial that the Patriots put him in the best position possible to succeed and show everyone whether he can be the long-term answer for the franchise behind center.
If not, the Pats need to move on to whatever Plan B is, though that time has yet to arrive. Jones needs to up his game significantly next season to ensure that the narrative hasn’t changed dramatically a year from now.
7. A Few Important Additions – It’s easy to think of the Patriots as being far removed from serious Super Bowl contention due to a few consecutive seasons of roughly .500 football. But New England is not as far from turning the corner as some may think. Their +27 point differential this season ranks 8th best in the NFL, and the seven teams ahead of them all have 10+ wins and Super Bowl aspirations. With just a few key additions, this team can contend quickly. What are they missing? Three key pieces: Two offensive tackles and a game-changing wideout.
Trent Brown and Isaiah Wynn were okay in 2021, but after switching sides in 2022, both have had the worst seasons of their Patriots careers. Wynn is a free agent who will almost certainly not be back. Brown has one year left on his contract, though if he is not traded ($7.75M cap hit), the dead money of his cap hit ($1.25M) would undoubtedly be absorbable.
There is also the possibility he is kept around another season, hoping he regains comfort back on the right side of the line. But assuming two new OTs are added, it doesn’t matter whether they come via free agency (Orland Brown Jr., Mike McGlinchey), the NFL Draft (Kevin Skoronski Anton Harrison, Cody Mauch, Darnell Wright, Blake Freeland), or trade, just make sure they are in Pats Camp and ready to protect Mac Jones.
The other essential addition, a game-changing wide receiver, might be more challenging to acquire, but they certainly do exist. Even if Tyquan Thornton lives up to the excitement he generated last preseason, adding another big-play weapon is crucial. Relying on defensive back Marcus Jones to be the Pats’ most explosive offensive weapon again feels like a losing proposition. But, again, the route New England takes to acquire this player is unimportant as long as it happens.
In this instance, however, the trade route might be the easiest way to get somebody such as (dare to dream) Davante Adams, Tee Higgins, D.J. Moore, Chris Godwin, or the like. As Courtney Cronin pointed out, the NFL model now is for teams to find their young franchise QB a true #1 wide receiver, something the Pats have yet to do for Mac. Bill Belichick is the same man who once brought Wes Welker and Randy Moss to Foxboro to replenish a receiving corps desperately in need of a talent boost, so if he understood the need to surround the greatest QB in NFL history with some elite talent, hopefully, he is willing to dip back into that pool for Mac Jones.
An NFL QB rarely sees a reduction of playmaking ability in his receivers when he turns pro, but that is exactly what happened to Mac (speaking of which, would Jaylen Waddle and DeVonta Smith be interested in a Crimson Tide reunion in New England? Seems worth asking). These three additions, the two offensive tackles and the playmaking wide receiver, would also allow the Patriots’ big 2021 free agency signings, Hunter Henry and Jonnu Smith, to focus on what they do best and have more opportunities to be difference-makers for New England.
Suppose the New England Patriots can stick to these seven resolutions. In that case, they will be able to make a fun journey into this year’s NFL Playoffs while significantly improving their chances of returning to be a legitimate Super Bowl contender next season and beyond. Bill Belichick has been around long enough to know what works, and this year got a hearty taste of what does not. Combining this knowledge with a solid nucleus on the returning roster and a few key difference makers both on the staff and on the field should ensure that Patriots fans have plenty to be excited about in 2023.