Three decisions the Patriots could regret in the offseason
The New England Patriots are heading into an extremely important offseason and could put themselves in a position to make decisions they could regret.
With cap space and draft picks, the Patriots are nicely positioned to have a strong offseason. They have the money to sign top free agents and have draft capital to either use in trades or take highly ranked prospects with.
Bill Belichick is entering one of the most important offseasons of his career, and there could be decisions that the team could strongly regret in 2023.
Three decisions the Patriots could regret in the offseason
1. Not drafting a tackle with the first or second round pick
It would be a huge mistake if the Patriots did not use one of their top two draft picks on a tackle. Trent Brown is under contract for another year and I’m not sure there is another tackle on the roster who is starting material.
Brown could slide back to the right tackle spot, where he’s competent.
However, there is a distinct possibility that the Patriots need to new starting tackles in 2023, and with the tackle market in free agency good but not great, New England should invest one of their top picks at the position.
2. Not taking a big swing for a wide receiver
At the very least, the Pats need to take a massive swing for a wide receiver this offseason. I think the two most likely candidates to be dealt in free agency are DeAndre Hopkins and Brandin Cooks, who both have a connection with the team.
If they miss out on a top candidate like this, they need to use a high pick on a wide receiver. Having a top-15 pick is extremely valuable and the Patriots may have to take to the draft to find what they are looking for.
3. Failing to add a legitimate body to the QB position
This might be a silly take, but I think it’s something that the Patriots need to do. I’d assume that Mac Jones does not have the longest leash as the starting QB in 2023. Rookie Bailey Zappe put better play on tape in 2022 and could certainly take a step forward in 2023.
However, with Jones entering his third year and Zappe entering his second year, it’d be wise if the Pats added someone like Jacoby Brissett or Andy Dalton in free agency. They should do this not only for the strong veteran leadership, but also if Jones stumbles a bit and perhaps needs taken out of the lineup.
I’m not saying that I would not trust Zappe in that situation, but I’d trust someone like Brissett or Dalton more in this scenario.