Are the New England Patriots now the third best team in the AFC East? It’s easy to reach that conclusion if you are judging success from activity during free agency.
The Buffalo Bills signed edge rush specialist Von Miller, headlining their free agency class as they spent big to maximize their championship window. The Miami Dolphins traded for WR Tyreek Hill to pair with WR Jaylen Waddle and signed LT Terron Armstead to provide QB Tua Tagovailoa the weapons and protection to succeed.
Yes, the Patriots made some additions, but it seems more quality walked out the door than came in. Pro Bowl cornerback J.C. Jackson is off to the Los Angeles Chargers. Starting guards Shaq Mason and Ted Karras won’t be protecting QB Mac Jones anymore.
Before contemplating what New England should do with their top-5 pick in 2023, lean away from the panic button and wait and see what happens in this year’s NFL Draft.
The Patriots found three impact players in last year’s draft in Jones, DT Christian Barmore and RB Rhamondre Stevenson. If healthy in 2022, linebackers Ronnie Perkins and Cameron McGrone could be big contributors.
So who’s to say the New England Patriots can’t repeat last year’s success this year?
The Patriots have their work cut out for them. The needs are obvious. They have eight selections right now, but head coach Bill Belichick tends to be active with trades. My expectation is New England trades down in the first round in an attempt to acquire additional second and third round picks.
From my evaluations, several Patriot-type players will be available in rounds two and three. The additional picks put New England in better position to get the players they want.
But projecting trades is cheating, in my opinion. It’s too easy to create favorable trades to get the players one wants for their respective teams. So I’m working off the current draft selections.
Will any of those selections be receivers? Yes. But probably not when Patriots Nation wants.
Round 1, 21: New England Patriots select Kenyon Green, guard, Texas A&M
A potential clue to what direction the Patriots are leaning towards for the No. 21 overall selection could be the New England Patriots’ pre-draft visit with Northern Iowa OT Trevor Penning. Finding a long term left tackle is very important. Finding a starting guard for 2022 is more urgent, which is why Kenyon Green is the pick.
The departure of Ted Karras and trading Shaq Mason subtracted two starters from the O-line. Michael Owenu will likely fill one guard spot. James Frentz was re-signed, but might not be starting caliber. Green is a plug and play prospect with experience at both guard spots and right tackle.
You can debate the Patriots’ ability to draft at certain positions, but you can’t argue their success at finding interior O-linemen (Mason, Owenu, Logan Mankins). Green would be an excellent addition to the list.
Round 2, 54: New England Patriots select Chad Muma, linebacker, Wyoming
One way to get faster at the linebacker position: stock up on LB/S hybrids. Already with Adrian Phillips and Kyle Dugger, the New England Patriots signed free agent Jabril Peppers to add to the mix. And while the Patriots added speed, I still believe Belichick values physicality.
Chad Muma does bring it, and speed to the position as well.
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Muma fills the LB frame at 6-3 240 pounds, so he has the strength to stack and shed blockers. He’s also a great athlete, performing well in the 40-yard dash and combine agility drills. And Muma finished his final year with Wyoming with three interceptions, so he can play all four downs.
New England has a true thumper in Ja’Whaun Bentley. Who starts alongside him is up for grabs. Muma would compete with McGrone and Raekwon McMillian, whom are both coming off of injuries that kept them off the field in 2021.
Round 3, 85: New England Patriots select Alontae Taylor, cornerback, Tennessee
A case can be made that cornerback is the top need for the New England Patriots after losing Jackson. Signing Terrance Mitchell and Malcolm Butler adds competition, but it is doubtful either are a long-term solution. Alontae Taylor is a prospect worth developing for a year or two to groom into a starter.
Taylor made the switch from wide receiver to corner while at Tennessee. Over his four years as a Volunteer, Taylor he became one of the best corners in the SEC. Because he’s been playing the position for only four years, it suggests there is still a lot of room to develop further.
At 6-0 199 pounds, Taylor can compete against physical receivers and is a willing tackler. He also has experience on special teams. He may not have the versatility to cover in the slot, but Taylor has the speed and quickness to blanket on the outside. He just needs some refinement.
Round 4, 127: New England Patriots select John Ridgeway, defensive tackle, Arkansas
The New England Patriots’ run defense wasn’t great to begin with, but it fell apart after the bye week. John Ridgeway can be a vital piece to prevent that from happening again.
The country strong Ridgeway is nearly immovable once he anchors. He can occupy blockers and keep the linebackers clean or toss one-on-one blocks aside and make the play himself.
Ridgeway can get a one year mentorship as part of the rotation along with veterans Henry Anderson and Davon Godcheaux. When their contracts are up in ’23, Ridgeway could play a larger role. If Ridgeway is ready to play by day one, he’s a natural nose tackle. He would free Godcheaux to play defensive end.
Round 5, 158: New England Patriots select Zach Tom, offensive tackle, Wake Forest
Over the years the New England Patriots found some good O-linemen in the middle rounds.
Zach Tom could be next. The former Demon Deacon has experience playing all five O-line positions. But his ability to play either bookends might be valued the most.
The Patriots re-signed Trent Brown and have Isaiah Wynn under contract for another year. But Brown’s deal is for just two years, and Wynn, the 2019 first round selection who hasn’t lived up to being the 23rd overall selection, is entering the final year of his contract. New England will need at least one new starter as soon as 2023.
Whether that will be Tom is to be determined. For now, the depth he could provide would be critical, considering the injury history of both Wynn and Brown. Tom can be a swing tackle for 2022, while positioning himself to start in 2023.
Round 5, 170: New England Patriots select Bo Melton, wide receiver, Rutgers
The receiving corps probably are about to get shuffled following the addition of DeVante Parker.
That shouldn’t deter the New England Patriots from adding a rookie to the deck. Bo Melton would be a perfect addition to add some juice to the crew.
It seems very likely that N’Keal Harry won’t be on the Patriots roster for much longer after the Parker trade. Nelson Agholor, Kendrick Bourne and Jakobi Meyers have their roles. Out of the four, only Agholor is a legitimate downfield threat.
Melton has the speed to keep defenses honest. He also has excellent quickness, which would make Melton stand out among Bourne and Meyers. Meyers also has experience as a kickoff returner. That is where he could have an immediate impact while learning the offense.
Round 6, 200: New England Patriots select Smoke Monday, safety, Auburn
With Smoke as a nickname, Quindarious “Smoke” Monday has a chance to become very popular with New England Patriots fans. Every time Monday makes a big hit, and he will, his moniker becomes a verb and his victims get smoked.
There is a lot more to Monday’s game than big hits. He’s a versatile defender able to play free or strong safety. In certain packages, he can align as a linebacker as well. Monday can hold his own in coverage and is strong against the run.
Monday will have some excellent mentors in Devin McCourty, Dugger, Phillips and Peppers to learn from. There’s no need to rush Monday, but he can play special teams while learning from the veterans.
Round 6, 210: New England Patriots select Damarion Williams, cornerback, Houston
The New England Patriots have had some success with signing rookie free agent corners. They may not be able to wait if Damarion Williams is still on the board. He would be a good prospect to develop on the practice squad.
Williams played outside, slot and even safety for the Cougars, but his most likely position would be slot corner due to his size (5-10 180 pounds), with the ability to play outside when needed. Despite his size, Williams is a very willing tackler, even on run plays.
Jonathan Jones is expected to be back in 2022, but his contract expires after this season. If he leaves, New England has some insurance in Williams to compete for the very important slot corner job.