2023 NFL Draft ‘Dos and Don’ts’ for the New England Patriots

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Nov 20, 2022; Foxborough, Massachusetts, USA; New England Patriots special teams Marcus Jones (25) returns the kick for a touchdown to win the game against the New York Jets in the second half at Gillette Stadium. Mandatory Credit: David Butler II-USA TODAY Sports /

DON’T

Cannot overlook special teams additions

The Patriots during the Belichick era have been known for their always noteworthy special teams performances, except for last year.

The unit was historically bad during the 2022 season; from a long list of missed tackles and punt/kick return touchdowns allowed to horrible punting and missed extra points, the once-always-reliable group became a liability that put the team in a lousy position far too often.

With the release of Jake Bailey, prioritizing the punter position is vital.

With Nick Folk turning 39 in the middle of the season this year, succeeding at finding the kicker of the future is also of the utmost importance.

And with Matthew Slater nearing retirement, likely at the end of next season, adding more talent to help make the transition smoother is critical. Although they already appear to have struck gold with Brenden Schooler, it’s time to add some more and get back to being the special teams of old.

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