1 – Given that Jerod Mayo has now taken over in New England and taken on the unenviable task of replacing the legend of Bill Belichick, the next biggest question this offseason for the Patriots comes at the quarterback position. Who will be the starting quarterback be when Mayo makes his NFL head-coaching debut in September?
Obviously at this early point in the process, there are plenty of options. Either or both Mac Jones and Bailey Zappe could be brought back to compete for the job they’ve unsuccessfully shared for the last couple seasons. Although, that wouldn’t seem to be the most palatable, forward-thinking path at the position.
Then, of course, there is the No. 3 overall pick in April’s draft. The fastest way to franchise-altering success at the QB position – even with its bust-filled pitfalls – is to take a quarterback near the top of the first round of the draft. Let’s call that the C.J. Stroud model. Jayden Daniels anyone? Drake Maye?
Finally, there is the veteran quarterback route. Free-agent options like Baker Mayfield – who has ties to Eliot Wolf from their days together in Cleveland – and Kirk Cousins could be options, albeit expensive ones. Jacoby Brissett or Jimmy Garoppolo, who now carries a two-game NFL PED suspension, could be in the more affordable mix. Maybe Russell Wilson would even be worth a consideration.
Make no mistake, though, now that the coaching staff and front office roles have been solidified for the time being the next most important question in New England is the quarterback position. How that question is answered and who fills out the depth chart will go a long way toward deciding the short- and long-term success of the Patriots moving forward. And toward deciding Mayo’s level of success as a young, inexperienced, first-time head coach.
2 – While the entire population of Patriot Nation seems focused on the QB position, there are plenty of other positions of obvious need as Mayo, Wolf, Matt Groh and the rest of the collaboration crew (with the occasional social media assist from Matthew Judon!) look to rebuild the roster with an eye on returning to victory on a more frequent basis. As we rank the rest of the most pressing needs on the New England depth chart, most of the top concerns unsurprisingly come on the offensive side of the ball.
After quarterback, the critical position of tackle is probably next on the To Do list, especially if protecting and developing a rookie QB is part of the plan. The end of the line has been a problematic spot in recent years, especially right tackle. And now both starting tackles from last season – Trent Brown and Mike Onwenu – are set to hit free agency, and may actually be two of the most talented options on the open market. With Brown and maybe Onwenu set to leave town, there aren’t a lot of next-man-up options on the tackle depth chart. As such, free agent dollars and a relatively high pick at the position have to be a consideration.
3 – The third-most critical area of need on the New England roster could be wide receiver, even though there are a number of veteran options under contract. JuJu Smith-Schuster and DeVante Parker should be the experienced core of the receiver depth chart, leading and mentoring younger options like DeMario Douglas and Kayshon Boutte. But neither veteran made many plays a year ago and can really be seen as a competent No. 1 option. With Kendrick Bourne set to hit free agency coming off a torn ACL and Boutte in the midst of a gambling situation from his days at LSU, really the young slot playmaker Douglas is the only option at receiver with a remotely positive narrative these days in New England.
While opinions on the value of elite, expensive wide receivers vary – the Chiefs won consecutive Super Bowls after parting ways with Tyreek Hill and the Raiders floundered after investing heavily in Davante Adams – there is a definitive need at the position for the Patriots. Again, especially if developing a young rookie QB is part of the plan.
4 – In many ways all the world seems to agree that quarterback, tackle and wide receiver are the Patriots’ biggest needs this offseason. Heck, Mayo even listed those spots as considerations for the No. 3 overall pick. But the talent search doesn’t end there by any means, even if the other needs might become more debatable. With that in mind, next on our list would be tight end. Solid contributor Hunter Henry and massive one-year disappointment Mike Gesicki are both set to hit free agency. Surprising No. 3 contributor Pharaoh Brown isn’t seemingly likely to ascend the depth chart. So unless Henry is brought back, there is a big hole once again at the critical tight end spot. New England probably would have to consider both a draft pick and free agent investment here to bring even baseline hope to the position.
5 – Finally as we work our way through the list of needs, we find a hole on the defensive side of the ball at the safety position. The future and contributions at safety for Kyle Dugger, Jalen Mills and versatile option Myles Bryant are uncertain. Sure, Jabrill Peppers is back and Marte Mapu could be intriguing with a Year 2 jump, but Adrian Phillips isn’t getting any younger. If Dugger isn’t re-signed, there is a massive hole at the position.
Even if he is, there remains an unfilled slot at free/coverage safety that was vacated a year ago by Devin McCourty. It’s far from the biggest need on the roster, but the middle of the back end might need a little injection of depth this offseason.
6 – Given all the questions in terms of personnel and Alex Van Pelt taking over the unit, it’s hard to really pinpoint what the New England offense is going to look like in terms of players and scheme in 2024. One thing that Van Pelt has already made clear is that he wants to run the football, which certainly aligns with the fact that arguably the best player on the roster on offense at this point is running back Rhamondre Stevenson. But, depth at running back is non-existent. Ezekiel Elliott was a revelation as a late-arriving veteran backup last fall, doing all the right things on and off the field. But he may want to seek greener pastures where his late-career contributions might be part of a more competitive, winning culture. And with Stevenson himself heading into a contract year, the depth and long term stability at running back needs to be addressed, likely in the draft. Adding a complementary option who can also catch the football would probably be the ideal newcomer for the spot.
Regardless, some new legs are needed in the backfield.
7 – One tool at New England’s disposal to solidify at least one of the team’s biggest needs is the franchise tag. Certainly Henry, Onwenu or Dugger could be considerations for the tag, which NFL teams can begin using this Tuesday and running through March 5. Obviously the tag comes at a cost. Obviously young options like Dugger and Onwenu would prefer longer term contracts to the one-year lucrative tender. But the franchise tag is worth watching from a Patriots perspective as we potentially get some actual movement on what will be the long offseason of roster-building in Foxborough.
Along those lines, it will be worth watching how the franchise tag is utilized elsewhere across the league, especially with an eye on the wide receiver position. There is the expectation that top potential free agent options like Tee Higgins, Mike Evans and Michael Pitman could be tagged in Cincy, Tampa Bay and Indy, respectively. That would obviously take a big bite out of the free agent market at receiver and could drive up the price tag of other options that do hit the open market.