The last 12 weeks haven’t been kind to the New England Patriots. They went 1-3 to end the regular season. The defense fell apart, particularly the run defense. The Buffalo Bills beat them twice by a combined 80-38.
The exclamation point was the 47-17 playoff loss. The only thing stopping the Bills offense was itself, literally. They rolled up 482 total yards, didn’t punt once, and until they took three knees to end the game, every drive ended in a touchdown.
That punctuation mark goes at the end of, “The defense looked slow!”
If the New England Patriots have any shot of literally catching the Bills, the defense needs some upgrades
Help will come from free agency, but so will some harm. CB J.C. Jackson left for much greener pastures, making the in-season trade of Stephon Gilmore look even worse. The chances of re-signing starting inside linebackers Ja’Whaun Bentley and Dont’a Hightower is iffy, which could explain the OLB Chase Winovich for ILB Mack Wilson trade.
The NFL Draft eventually factors into the team building. If done right, the Patriots will hopefully find a few players that can help the team immediately. That’s what happened last year with QB Mac Jones, DT Christian Barmore and RB Rhamondre Stevenson.
The defense needs some impact players. If the Patriots draft the well, they’ll find players that can contribute from day one and become foundational veterans for years to come.
Why the New England Patriots should target CB Alontae Taylor, Tennessee
To play for the New England Patriots, cornerbacks must have the same zest for tackling as they do for blanketing receivers. That could describe Alontae Taylor. There are more talented corners available in the draft, but none are as enthusiastic about tackling as Taylor is. The six foot, nearly 200-pound Taylor isn’t shy about taking on running backs head-on.
Taylor isn’t a finished product at this time. He came to Tennessee as a wide receiver prospect and shifted to the other side of the ball. The move was for the better, as Taylor developed into one of the best corners in the SEC. And he should have more room to grow with coaching and experience.
In addition, Taylor is a high character person off the field as well. He was an academic standout at Tennessee and was a leader in the Volunteers locker room. He would be a very welcomed addition to the Patriots in that regards as CB Devin McCourty, WR Matthew Slater and RB James White are approaching the end of their football careers.
Taylor ran a 4.36-second 40-yard dash at the NFL Combine, so he can make the defense faster. He could be off the board as soon as day two.
Why the New England Patriots should target LB Chad Muma, Wyoming
With the rhetoric that the New England Patriots need to get faster at the linebacker position, Chad Muma’s 4.63-second 40-yard dash might not be viewed as fast enough.
Well Muma ran a faster 40 than Hightower (4.68) and Bentley (4.75), so it’s a start.
What Muma lacks in straight ahead speed, he makes up for it in quickness, finishing second in the 20-yard shuttle (4.28 seconds) and fourth in the three cone drill (7.06 seconds). Combine that with solid instincts, and Muma will collect a lot of tackles by making the right reads.
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And he’ll do so without sacrificing strength. Unlike many draft-eligible linebackers, the 6-3 240-pound Muma can engage and shed blockers before taking ball carriers down. Belichick may want to get faster, but I doubt he’s willing to sacrifice the physicality to play the position the way he wants.
Muma could play either inside or outside, which is another plus to his profile. Most mock drafts expect Muma to go in the third round. If the Patriots want him, New England either has to trade up in the third or select Muma in the second round.
Why the New England Patriots should target Joshua DT Paschal, Kentucky
Bill Belichick loves Deatrich Wise Jr. Some might not fully understand why, but the Hoodie does. You know what Belichick would love more than Wise Jr?
Two Deatrich Wise Jrs. That’s what Joshua Paschal would be.
Don’t be concerned about 40 times with Paschal. And don’t expect a lot of sacks from him either. His career high is five, which he set last season. But he amassed 15 tackles for a loss for the Razorbacks. Basically, Joshua Paschal is a human stop sign.
Paschal can play end in a 4-3 and 3-4. If you want to slide Paschal inside to tackle, he can do that too. Line him up wherever you want, because wherever Joshua goes, the ball won’t go past him.
Paschal would be another high character addition to the team that would live the Patriot Way from day one. And he’s a cancer survivor. How can you not root for this guy? Paschal could be available in the third round.
Why New England Patriots should target DT John Ridgeway, Arkansas
Testing is not John Ridgeway’s thang. 40 time? When’s the last time you saw a 320-pound man run 40 yards straight in a game? So don’t worry that Ridgeway didn’t put on a show at the combine. If he can be a tree stump occupying two O-linemen every play, then you should be very happy with Ridgeway.
Ridgeway is classic nose tackle who’s good for one thing and one thing only: stopping the run. He’s effective occupying blockers to free his teammates to make plays. If an opponent makes the mistake of blocking Ridgeway one-on-one, he’ll toss the blocker aside and swallow the running back.
The New England Patriots signed Davon Godcheaux last season and he was effective, but it was a two year deal, so Godcheaux could leave as a free agent after the 2022 season. Ridgeway would get a one year apprenticeship before taking over, and a year of development might be best for Ridgeway.
Ridgeway is a former wrestler, which could somewhat explain his success. Just understand Ridgeway offers very little as a pass rusher. If you value the idea of Ridgeway as a situational player, then spending a fourth round pick on him would be well worth it.
Why the New England Patriots should target LB Troy Andersen, Montana State
Remember how much Belichick values versatility? Well Belichick imagining what he could do with Troy Andersen might leave Belichick intoxicated.
Anderson came to Montana State as a quarterback and made All Big Sky Conference in 2018. He then switched to linebacker and made all-conference in 2019 and 2021. Along the way he lined up at running back, caught a few passes, and punted four times. If you listen carefully, you can hear Belichick drooling just at the mention of Andersen’s name.
As a pro, Anderson is expected to be developed into a linebacker. He needs some seasoning and time in the weight room, but the raw athleticism is there, waiting to be molded.
Just don’t expect Belichick to play Andersen at one position. Belichick would have so much fun finding new ways to play with this new toy. But like Christmas time, Belichick can’t wait too long to select Andersen. He could be gone early on day three.