New England Patriots: 3 players that exceeded expectations this season

The New England Patriots 2021-22 season probably didn’t end the way the team expected it to. After all, most teams don’t think they are going to go into a playoff matchup and allow the opposing team to score a touchdown everytime they touch the ball.

Despite the tough end to the season for the Pats, the 2021-22 season has to be considered a success for a number of reasons. They found some key players that should be cornerstones of the Patriots next title-contender, and ended up making the playoffs with a rookie quarterback under center for the entire season. One bad loss at the end of the season doesn’t erase all the progress made in the previous 17 games.

There are many reasons this team as a whole exceeded expectations on the season. For starters, their rookie quarterback, Mac Jones, didn’t play like he was a rookie for most of the season. The team also used a mammoth free agency period to bring in some established veterans to aid their cause. And, for the first time in awhile, the Patriots found some players in the draft who were able to come in and contribute right away.

All of this added up to a team that was fighting for the top seed in the AFC late in the season. While they ultimately fell apart down the stretch, there were some players who were stood out above others in helping this team improve this past season. Let’s take a look at three Patriots players that exceeded expectations this past season, starting with the 15th overall pick in the 2021 NFL Draft.