The Patriots have loads of query marks getting into the 2023 season, particularly on the offensive aspect of the ball.
Mac Jones and Invoice O’Brien will play key roles in a possible turnaround for the Patriots in 2023. (AP Picture/Steven Senne)
After a protracted offseason, Patriots coaching camp is lastly upon us.
The 2023 Patriots are anticipated to report back to the crew facility at Gillette Stadium on Tuesday, with the primary open observe set for the next morning in Foxborough. Invoice Belichick’s squad will maintain coaching camp for shut to 2 weeks earlier than the slate of preseason video games begins in August.
After a disappointing 2022 season marred with dysfunctional teaching and an ineffective offense, the 2023 Patriots are in search of a clear slate in a aggressive AFC East subject.
With loads of new faces in place, this Patriots roster has a great deal of potential … and a ton of query marks.
Listed below are 10 questions dealing with New England on the eve of coaching camp:
1. Can Invoice O’Brien revive Mac Jones and New England’s sputtering offense?
On paper, there’s so much to love about this 2023 Patriots crew.
They return an elite protection that must be additional buoyed by an inflow of younger expertise. There may be intriguing personnel in place on the other aspect of the ball that ought to provide up increased returns with a clear slate in 2023.
However let’s face it. The possibilities of the 2023 Patriots punching their ticket to the playoffs seemingly hinge on whether or not or not Invoice O’Brien can proper the ship for a woefully inept offensive unit final season.
In 2021, a Patriots offense crafted by Josh McDaniels led to a Professional Bowl marketing campaign from a rookie Mac Jones. However the QB’s sophomore season was nothing in need of a catastrophe, with an ill-equipped teaching workers led by Matt Patricia and Joe Decide additional hampering the younger sign caller’s progress.
The return of a seasoned coach and confirmed offensive play-caller in O’Brien provides hope that Jones can orchestrate a bounce-back marketing campaign.
Though it’s robust to glean a lot from minicamp and OTAs, the muse of New England’s new-look offense was beginning to be set throughout our restricted seems to be in Foxborough again in June.
Whether or not it’s loads of two tight-end units with Hunter Henry and Mike Gesicki or extra play-action calls added to New England’s offensive scheme, O’Brien has to create a system in place that will get the very best out of Jones in 2023.
In fact, loads of accountability additionally falls on Jones to execute on this new system, particularly with Bailey Zappe ready on the sidelines. New England can’t afford to let drives stall out within the purple zone because of poor throws and dangerous reads from Jones.
2. Who emerges in a crowded receiver room?
The Patriots misplaced out on the DeAndre Hopkins sweepstakes, with New England’s provide to the All-Professional wideout reportedly not in the identical ballpark because the one he finally accepted with the Titans.
If New England believes it has sufficient expertise in place to encompass Jones with succesful receiving targets, it’s time for a crowded wideout grouping to show it.
Barring any surprises (or accidents) in camp, count on Jones to rely closely on his tight ends in Henry and Gesicki (who features extra as a big-bodied wideout than a conventional TE).
Mike Gesicki is likely one of the most linear gamers within the NFL
Explosive straight line. Explosive jumps. Vertical. Turns like a ship. Terrible after the catch. And undoubtedly not a TE
Has extra broad snaps than inline (358 vs 166) over final 2 yrs, and obv far more slot than anything pic.twitter.com/5qXenBIIfX
DeVante Parker will seemingly function New England’s “X” receiver after inking a contract extension final month, whereas free-agent pickup JuJu Smith-Schuster is probably going Jones’ new slot receiver if he can put a nagging knee harm within the rearview mirror.
By way of remaining reps, a bulked-up and motivated Kendrick Bourne might be a difference-maker if he regains his 2021 type. Second-year professional Tyquan Thornton has game-changing pace and can provide New England’s offensive unit a much-needed dynamic, however he wants to remain wholesome.
Rookies like Kayshon Boutte, Demario Douglas, Ed Lee and Malik Cunningham additionally venture to be within the combine.
3. Can New England’s sort out place stand tall?
Even with gifted proper guard Mike Onewnu set to open camp on the PUP, the inside of New England’s offensive line must be an space of power in 2023.
A wholesome Onewnu, heart David Andrews and second-year Cole Unusual ought to negate loads of strain up the intestine in entrance of Jones and Zappe. Rookies like Jake Matthews, Atonio Mafi and Sidy Sow will additional reinforce new O-line coach Adrian Klemm’s grouping.
The sort out place, nonetheless, is a unique story.
Each Jones and Zappe had been routinely knocked to the turf in 2022 because of some porous play on the skin from Isaiah Wynn and Trent Brown. After a lackluster displaying in his restricted time at Patriots minicamp, a motivated Brown must anchor New England’s O-line at left sort out.
If he’s locked in, the 6-foot-8 Brown provides the very best upside in relation to defending Jones’ blind aspect. If he falters, New England’s offense could be grounded earlier than it ever will get an opportunity to take off this summer season.
However even when Brown bounces again beneath Klemm’s tutelage, the fitting sort out place can also be a murky spot on the roster. New England signed veteran Riley Reiff within the offseason, however the 34-year-old was leapfrogged within the spring by different tackles like Calvin Anderson and Conor McDermott.
Maybe gamers like Anderson and McDermott have extra to present and might shore up a emptiness if wanted. Nonetheless, this present sort out grouping doesn’t precisely encourage a lot by way of confidence, particularly in wake of a disappointing 2022 marketing campaign.
4. Who will again up Rhamondre Stevenson?
Rhamondre Stevenson was one of many few vivid spots in an in any other case dour 2022 season for New England’s offense.
However as final season began to wind down, it grew to become clear that New England’s heavy utilization of Stevenson exacted a heavy toll on the gifted again.
With Damien Harris now in Buffalo and New England chopping James Robinson earlier this offseason, the Patriots must discover a appropriate backup possibility behind Stevenson on the depth chart.
Second-year execs in Kevin Harris and Pierre Robust will look to make an impression over the following few weeks, whereas a wholesome Ty Montgomery provides loads of attraction as a third-down, passing-catching possibility within the backfield.
If New England wants to usher in extra choices, each Dalvin Prepare dinner and Leonard Fournette can be found.
A wholesome and efficient Stevenson can be a key motive behind any potential resurgence from New England’s offensive unit. However the Patriots want to seek out different choices with a purpose to keep away from operating him into the bottom.
5. Can Christian Gonzalez safe a beginning function?
The Patriots are already anticipated to return an elite defensive unit in 2023. The addition of poised rookie Christian Gonzalez provides hope that this grouping may be even higher this fall.
After New England took Gonzalez with the seventeenth general decide within the 2023 NFL Draft, the 21-year-old nook was instantly thrown into the combination with the highest unit through the Patriots’ minicamp.
He didn’t look misplaced when matched up towards New England’s high wideouts, with Gonzalez’s pro-ready body (6-foot-1, 197 kilos), fluidity and athleticism instantly standing out.
If Gonzalez can maintain his personal and set up himself as a beginning exterior nook, the following domino impact stands to learn the Patriots.
New England can then slot both Jack Jones (extra on him later) or Jonathan Jones to the opposite beginning spot on the skin, with Jonathan Jones doubtlessly given the prospect to maneuver again to his common place on the slot if everybody stays within the lineup in entrance of him.
6. Can every other rookies carve out roles on protection?
Gonzalez may provide the very best upside amongst New England’s rookie class. However he’s removed from the one potential affect participant within the Patriots’ subsequent crop of younger expertise.
Marte Mapu was one of many stars of New England’s stars throughout OTAs/minicamp, with the third-round decide making affect performs each at security and linebacker.
Mapu bulked as much as 230 kilos over the low season, however his hybrid sport may come in useful as New England tries to bolster its security grouping.
The Patriots should not have any subject producing strain towards opposing quarterbacks with each Matthew Judon and Josh Uche on the roster. Nonetheless, second-round decide and imposing defensive finish Keion White can additional add to a power on this membership.
7. What’s subsequent for Jack Jones?
There’sno denying Jack Jones’ immense potential. James White in contrast him to a younger J.C. Jackson, together with his ball-hawk abilities welcomed on a protection stuffed with big-play potential.
Nevertheless it stays to be seen if Jack Jones is even a part of New England’s roster as this preseason progresses.
Simply after placing collectively a standout displaying at minicamp, Jones was arrested at Logan Airport after officers discovered a pair of weapons in his baggage.
After pleading not responsible and getting launched on bail following his arraignment, Jones is scheduled to seem in courtroom for a possible trigger listening to on Aug. 18.
Past his authorized points, it’s unclear if Jones will face extra self-discipline from the Patriots and/or the NFL.
If he’s within the lineup, Jones has the potential to be a beginning exterior nook subsequent to Gonzalez.
8. Who replaces Devin McCourty?
There’s no solution to change the veteran mettle and management that Devin McCourty carried with him for over a decade in Foxborough.
As for the emptiness created on the depth chart, the Patriots have quite a few choices to show to on the security place. Kyle Dugger will occupy one beginning spot, with Adrian Phillips, Jabrill Peppers, Jalen Mills and Marte Mapu all anticipated to struggle for beginning reps subsequent to him.
Mapu has loads of momentum on his aspect after his efficiency in June. However Belichick provided up essentially the most reward for Peppers final month when requested about his development in his second yr with New England.
“Oh my god, yeah. He’s a a lot totally different participant now than he was final yr at the moment and even in coaching camp,” Belichick stated of Peppers. “A full yr after the harm, a number of confidence within the communication, the system, his assignments. He’s taking part in quick, aggressive, serving to out his teammates.
“Final yr he was attempting to study issues, now he’s serving to out his teammates, anticipating, making calls or changes that possibly assist him or probably assist his teammate be in a greater place to defend a sure play or kind of play. Yeah, he’s been nice. He’s means forward of the place he was final yr.”
9. Will rookies set up themselves on particular groups?
The Patriots have repeatedly prided themselves on stout particular groups play over the previous twenty years.
The 2022 season left so much to be desired in that regard, with an inflow of latest blood this summer season price monitoring.
The Patriots maintain kicker Chad Ryland in excessive regard after choosing him within the fourth spherical of the 2023 NFL Draft out of Maryland. Can he unseat veteran Nick Folks because the crew’s high kicker?
One other rookie may play a key function on particular groups, as 2023 sixth-round decide Bryce Baringer will compete with veteran Corliss Whitman for the crew’s beginning punter place.
10. Will Lawrence Man finish his holdout?
The Patriots nonetheless have one order of enterprise to settle from the offseason, as beginning defensive lineman Lawrence Man didn’t report back to obligatory minicamp because of reported contract-related causes.
The very last thing that New England needs is for this holdout to hold over into the preseason. Though Man, 33, is getting up there in age, he’s nonetheless a valued chief up entrance on the Patriots’ protection.
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