6 players the Patriots should build their roster around for 2024 and beyond
The Patriots are heading into a new era for the first time in more than two decades, and Jerod Mayo and Co. have already made it clear there will be a heavy focus on the youth movement.
That is their apparent basis for building the roster, focusing on keeping the talent they have drafted and developed while hoping to add more of those types of players this year with their coveted high selections.
Since they want to build from within, there are more than a handful of players who should become the backbone of the team and who they categorize as building blocks of the future.
6 players the Patriots should build their roster around for 2024 and beyond
Christian Gonzalez
If it wasn't already clear after his standout performances through four games as a rookie last year, it's clear the future leader of the secondary will inevitably be Christian Gonzalez. He impressed early on in 2023 and proved he was the real deal, as he was the frontrunner to win Defensive Rookie of the Year before suffering a season-ending shoulder injury.
Coming into the 2024 season, he will build upon all that he accomplished in such a short amount of time last year and it's hard not to be excited about what that could entail.
After cutting or not re-signing some the veteran corners in free agency (J.C. Jackson, Jalen Mills and Adrian Phillips), Gonzalez is set to take on an even bigger role at a young age. The prospect of him joining forces with the electric Marcus Jones, who is returning from injury, is a thrilling one.
With another standout season this year, Gonzalez would inevitably become the leader of the secondary, even more so with Jones heading to free agency in 2025. His role as the foundation of what the Patriots are trying to build with their defense is not just important; it's critical.
Gonzalez was so impressive in just four games last year that it's hard to imagine him not becoming one of the best corners in the league as his career continues. He will be an incredible asset on and off the field and a solid foundational player to kick off the new philosophy in Foxboro.