Patriots top 5 positional needs to address in the new league year
Patriots still need upgrades at the linebacker position
The veteran fix for the linebacker position didn’t work for the New England Patriots. After completely passing on selecting fresh blood at a position of need in the 2022 NFL Draft, the Patriots traded for Mack Wilson and waited for Raekwon McMillan to return from an ACL tear suffered during training camp 2021.
By the end of the season, Wilson was practically limited to special teams play and Jabrill Peppers was getting almost as many defensive snaps as McMillan.
Wilson’s tackling problem was apparent early in the season. It was so bad, Wilson was called out for it here. McMillan wasn’t anything special for most of the season, but his play improved in the second half with a few tackles for a loss down the stretch.
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The goal was to get faster at the linebacker position. And while McMillan and Wilson were faster than Dont’a Hightower and Jamie Collins, better speed didn’t lead to increased production.
Add to that 2021 draft pick Cameron McGrone was signed off the Patriots squad by the Indianapolis Colts. So much for faster linebackers (Sorry, Jahlani Tavai).
Brining back McMillian for one more year wouldn’t be too bad if you’re banking on his play down the stretch, but New England needs a good, young player that brings speed and still has the size to defend the run.
The good news: if the Patriots still want to get faster on the second level, there were big, fast linebackers still available in the draft’s third round that seemed to fit the Patriots’ system (Chad Muma, Leo Chenal). If the 2023 draft plays out in similar fashion, New England could still find one worth developing on day two.