The Patriots have had more than their fair share of struggles over the last four years. Besides the questionable personnel decisions and inadequate coaching because of it, the uninspiring roster has created the most issues in their hope of getting back to winning games.
Most of the problem has come from the offense, which continues to be more of a liability than an asset, from quarterback to receiver to offensive line; it has been a roller coaster ride that you can't jump off.
Now that they're set to begin a new era under Jerod Mayo and his entirely new staff, there is hope that things can turn around as soon as next season. However, a few players may need to be let go or, at least, put on a short leash, as they have proven to be on track to earning the label of total bust in New England.
Maybe a new regime will help them if they remain with the team through training camp and preseason, but their performances may have already sealed their fates to be elsewhere next year.
Tyquan Thornton
Right from the get-go, Belichick's decision to draft Tyquan Thornton in the 2022 draft was criticized, mainly because he selected him far higher than he was projected on almost any draft board. Although the receiver was touted for his size and speed, his weight was a concern, particularly going into the NFL and facing far bigger men than in his college career.
That was an immediate problem when he began practicing with the team, as he broke his clavicle in a preseason game. He was placed on injured reserve before the 2022 season began, which is not ideal when your team desperately needs help with their receiving corps.
Thornton returned a month later and had a breakout game against the Browns in Week 6, recording four receptions for 37 yards and a touchdown. He also added three carries for 16 yards and a score, impressing the doubters right away upon his return.
But the rest of the season didn't continue that way.
We didn't see the receiver involved much on game day until Week 16 against the Dolphins, when he, once again, scored a receiving touchdown. He finished the year with 22 receptions for 247 yards and two touchdowns, along with three carries for 16 yards and a touchdown.
Concerns began to brew with Thornton throughout the summer of his second season as he dealt with more injuries that kept him sidelined much too often. It forced the Patriots to place him on IR to start the season for the second time, and the 2023 season was far from exciting.
He recorded 13 receptions for 91 yards and three carries for 51 yards in just nine games. Although all the blame can't be placed on his shoulders alone since the offense was a total disaster and the atmosphere was reportedly chaotic, Thornton just doesn't seem to be able to integrate into the offense in the way he was drafted.
Perhaps the expectations placed on him for being a second-round pick are why he's feeling like a bust, but the Patriots can't keep hoping he will magically transform into what the team needs when they're working through a rebuild to be successful as soon as possible.
Mac Jones
It has been quite a downhill spiral for the quarterback over the last three years, accomplishing an impressive rookie season only to be outright benched in 2023. Some of that may be attributed to the alleged hostility behind the scenes, with Belichick lacking any real interest in maintaining a relationship with Jones. But he certainly didn't help himself with his continued weak performances each week.
After the chaotic 2022 season, many offensive players whose production suffered due to Matt Patricia or Joe Judge were given a pass, Jones included. Because the coaches were not exactly qualified for their positions, the season was considered a wash for most who had a down year.
So when Bill O'Brien was brought in as the next offensive coordinator, the third one Jones would work with in three years, there was a bit of optimism that the quarterback we saw in 2021 would return in short order. Unfortunately, that wasn't the case, and he actually seemed to play worse.
Although Jones's performance during his sophomore season was forgettable, he became a liability for the Patriots a year later. His poor decision-making and ill-timed turnovers became the common denominator for their continuing losses, prompting Belichick to remove him from four games before ultimately benching him to end his season early.
Rumors swirled all year about the tension behind the scenes between the players and Belichick, most of which focused on the alleged toxic environment that Jones contributed to. Whatever was going on led to Belichick ending the year not speaking to Jones to the point of not even telling him he was a healthy scratch to finish the season.
Now that Mayo is in charge, there's a chance the quarterback will get another shot at earning the trust of his teammates and proving he can be the guy they need under center. However, the circumstances haven't changed; Alex Van Pelt is the new offensive coordinator, meaning Jones will be working with his fourth in four years. So the situation, besides Belichick's exit, isn't any easier than it had been.
Jones will have to prove throughout the summer that he can get back to the player he was three years ago if he wants to remain with the team. Otherwise, speculation has already said the team is considering trading him this offseason since they're likely looking to draft their next franchise player in April.
Chad Ryland
Maybe it's a bit harsh to stamp a label of bust on a player after only his rookie season, but Chad Ryland's performance throughout last season was hard to watch. For a team that has historically been one of the best with their special teams unit, it was almost unfathomable how poorly they have performed in recent years and how difficult they have found it to find their next long-term kicker.
It has been a constant struggle basically since Stephen Gostkowski was released to nail down the right guy for the job. Countless players have come in and spent a few days or maybe a week in New England before they were eventually released. From rookies to veteran free agents, none had panned out until they struck gold with Nick Folk.
The tenured kicker became the unlikely hero of special teams for the Patriots, putting together some of the best seasons of his career during the four years he spent with the team.
Because he started to get up there in age, and Belichick has been very concerned about that over the years, they decided to try again by drafting a kicker. They believed so much in Ryland that they traded up to take him in the fourth round last year, a decision that seems to have bitten them in hindsight.
He had a pretty good training camp and preseason, and when it was time to make roster cuts, Belichick decided to move on from Folk in favor of Ryland, which was a questionable choice from the start.
It cost them significantly, with Folk signing with the Titans and missing just one field goal and two extra points all season. On the other hand, Ryland missed nine field goals and one extra-point attempt.
HIs performance made it easy to label him a bust almost immediately, which is disappointing because the Patriots really needed a kicker. However, there is time for him to change that with hard work this offseason and build more confidence. If he can't do that, there's no reason to believe he will be back on the roster for the 2024 season.
JuJu Smith-Schuster
Another player doomed from the start is JuJu Smith-Schuster, whose initial signing was questioned since he was apparently brought in as Jakobi Meyers' replacement. It was not a move most Patriots fans wanted, as Meyers had quickly become a favorite and the leading receiver in an ever-changing offense.
But Belichick didn't see the same value in him, hence essentially giving the same contract to Smith-Schuster that Meyers received with the Raiders. It made the decision even more questionable, with the former Chiefs receiver coming in with a reported injury and Meyers recording one of the best years of his career during the 2022 season.
Trying to move on from what Belichick chose to do was made more difficult when Smith-Schuster couldn't participate much throughout the summer practices and preseason. And then those worries seemed to be validated once the season began, as he dealt with injuries that kept him out for six games throughout the year.
Smith-Schuster only took the field in 11 games and totaled 29 receptions for 260 yards and a touchdown, the worst statistical season of his career outside of the 2021 season when the year ended early due to injury.
He wasn't able to integrate into the offense as well as anyone hoped, not even after Kendrick Bourne went down with a torn ACL in the Patriots' second game against the Dolphins.
It was a disappointing first season for Smith-Schuster, who remains the subject of most trade talks this offseason, and because of his lackluster year, he could be on the outs when free agency begins next month.