The Patriots are off enjoying one of the rare extended breaks on the NFL schedule and aren’t due back at Gillette Stadium for another month. But when they return for the start of training camp, a handful of important questions await them.
Depending on how they’re answered, they’ll go a long way in determining the success of the 2023 team. So, with organized team activities and minicamp in the books, let’s dive into the unresolved questions facing the team.
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This is the biggest question — or at least the most intriguing one.
Hopkins was in town last week for a visit to the team’s facilities, which included time spent with current players and Bill Belichick. But he left without a contract and seems content now to wait as long as the start of the preseason before deciding where he’ll sign.
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The Patriots are already confident that their offense will improve over the futile results of a year ago, when Joe Judge and Matt Patricia were running the show. The offensive roster didn’t get a massive upgrade in the offseason, though, and could benefit from the kind of star presence Hopkins would provide. Belichick’s affinity for Hopkins has been well known and was a point underscored during Hopkins’ visit with the head coach. The issue isn’t whether or not the Pats could use Hopkins or if Belichick wants him.
Indications are that Hopkins wants to exceed the one-year, $15 million deal that Odell Beckham Jr. signed with the Baltimore Ravens this spring. Is Belichick willing to give him that, even though Hopkins is 31 years old and has missed a combined 15 games the last two seasons?
If the answer is “yes,” the expectations for the Patriots’ offense would improve dramatically and the pressure would ramp up on Mac Jones, who would have few excuses if 2023 didn’t go well.
Jack Jones had two interceptions, broke up six passes and made 30 tackles as a rookie last season. (Nick Cammett / Diamond Images via Getty Images)What happens with Jack Jones and the cornerbacks?
At the end of minicamp, cornerback seemed like one of the roster’s biggest strengths. It was a young group, sure, but there was so much promise in the secondary given that Christian Gonzalez and Jones played very well in spring practices.
But last Friday, Jones was arrested and charged with 10 counts related to allegedly bringing two loaded guns in a carry-on bag to Boston’s Logan Airport for a flight to Los Angeles. He pled not guilty, posted $30,000 bail and is due back in court on Aug. 18 for a probable cause hearing.
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Outside of that, there are no real updates on Jones’ status with the Patriots. The team has acknowledged that he was arrested but hasn’t said anything about his place on the roster.
Since Jones faces charges that carry a mandatory minimum sentence of 18 months, the Patriots at least have to prepare to play without him. And that’s where things get dicey.
If Jones isn’t on the team in 2023, the Patriots’ depth at outside cornerback looks bleak — even after drafting Gonzalez in the first round. Jonathan Jones, who is 5-foot-10, probably would have to play on the outside opposite Gonzalez. Marcus Jones likely would have to start in the slot, potentially limiting his usage on special teams and offense. After that, the team’s depth falls off pretty drastically and could cause the defense to play with three or four safeties on the field at the same time.
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Is the offensive line good enough?
Perhaps the biggest surprise of the Patriots’ offseason was how little they invested in their offensive tackle position, even after a year in which the group struggled mightily. New England signed veterans Riley Reiff, Calvin Anderson and Conor McDermott to affordable contracts but didn’t draft a lineman until Round 4.
At least in spring practices, those decisions looked concerning. Reiff struggled so much that he was relegated to the second-team offense; Anderson and McDermott were constantly beaten by Matthew Judon and Josh Uche; left tackle Trent Brown, the lone stalwart at the position, skipped OTAs and missed the start of minicamp, then was sent to do conditioning work instead of practicing with the team.
And that was just the offensive tackles. The offensive line’s best player, right guard Mike Onwenu, missed spring practices while recovering from ankle surgery.
In short, it was a rough spring for the offensive line. The Pats need much better results come September in order to properly protect Mac Jones.
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Who is the No. 2 running back?
On the one hand, the Pats have to feel good about Rhamondre Stevenson, their no-doubt No. 1 running back, who is poised to buck Belichick’s preferred by-committee approach to the position. On the other hand, the depth isn’t great, which means there’s no obvious No. 2 running back to spell Stevenson or serve as a third-down option.
Patriots 53-man roster projection: Predicting where things stand after spring practices. Story: https://t.co/5Sw5AdmoBv
— Chad Graff (@ChadGraff) June 20, 2023
The Patriots signed former 1,000-yard rusher James Robinson in March, then released him less than three months later. Now, the only backs behind Stevenson on the roster are a former wide receiver (Ty Montgomery), a pair of 2022 Day 3 picks (Pierre Strong Jr. and Kevin Harris), and J.J. Taylor.
The Patriots really need one of those players to step up and prove capable enough of giving Stevenson a breather.
Will Belichick still lean into special teams?
After one of the worst special teams seasons in the Belichick era, the Patriots worked to fix their issues during the offseason. They retained Matthew Slater, then signed Chris Board, whom Belichick previously praised as one of the best special teamers in the league. They also used draft picks on a new kicker (fourth round), punter (sixth round), and focused on Day 3 athletes capable of contributing on special teams. Plus, they made the NFL’s most obscure undrafted free agent signing, agreeing to a deal with Jourdan Heilig, a backup linebacker from Appalachian State who thrived on special teams.
Then in May, the league voted to instate sweeping changes to special teams with new rules on kickoffs designed to disincentivize returning the kickoff. The Patriots were one of a few teams that voted against the rule changes.
In short, the Patriots invested a lot of resources into a phase of the game from which the league is swerving away, with even fewer kickoff returns projected for the 2023 season. Will Belichick stay the course and find value where others don’t? Or will he, for the first time, place less of an emphasis there during practices and roster construction?
(Top photo of DeAndre Hopkins and Jack Jones: Cooper Neill / Getty Images)
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