1 – The Patriots will ramp up their offseason program with the third phase of OTAs beginning on the practice fields of Gillette Stadium this week. That means the level of action on the practice field will increase to include more competitive 7-on-7, 9-on-9 and 11-on-11 work, even if it’s in a non-contact and still-voluntary environment.
For a New England team that’s living the mantra of “Process…Progress…PAYOFF” under first-time head coach Jerod Mayo, Phase 3 is the next step in that process and a chance to show progress for a squad that many are projecting to struggle to win many games this coming fall. Clearly, even at this very early point in the “Process,” the Patriots have lots of questions to answer in regards to various roles and responsibilities across a young, rebuilding roster. There will be plenty to focus on when the media is on the field for its first view of the third phase of OTA work on Monday in Foxborough.
Atop that list of questions this May is … Who will be the starting quarterback, both in terms of the season opener in Cincinnati but also in regards to each of the 17 games on the schedule?: Jacoby Brissett is the penciled-in veteran starter. Drake Maye is the future of the franchise. Bailey Zappe is still hanging around, a couple years after injecting life and early-season wins into Patriot Nation. OTAs – often referred to as passing camps over the years – will give an early shot to analyze the QB depth chart, how Maye is picking things up and how things may shake out at the position over the course of the summer and early fall. Maye will lay the foundation for his swift success or slow progress with his work this May.
2 – Is there a capable, competent left tackle on the roster?: Without a doubt the biggest hole on the Patriots’ depth chart right now is at left tackle. There is no obvious option to fill the position and not even obvious competition for the role. The team has sold the idea that both veteran signing Chukwuma Okorafor and third-round pick Caedan Wallace could be strong candidates for the spot despite the fact that both are career right tackles. Maybe a now-healthy Calvin Anderson is a dark horse. Based on Eliot Wolf’s talk before the draft, it would seem Okorafor will get the first shot to win the job. Seeing what transpires at the left tackle spot -- and the rest of the offensive line – will be worth watching, even in the non-contact world of OTAs.
3 – Who will step up as the No. 1 option in the passing game?: New England’s leading receiver last fall was running back Ezekiel Elliott, who’s now back in Dallas. (Fellow running back led New England in receptions in 2022.) There is no entrenched No. 1 target on the depth chart. Maybe DeMario Douglas can stay healthy and step into the high-volume role in the slot. Maybe Kendrick Bourne will be healthy and ready to go sooner rather than later. Maybe one of the rookies – second-round pick Ja’Lynn Polk or confident fourth-rounder Javon Baker – will be the kind of instant impact youngster that’s become relatively common across the NFL in recent years. OTA action this week might be just give us all a taste of what’s to come (or two worry about) in the new look New England passing game.
4 – Is Christian Gonzalez ready to carry the cornerback position?: It can’t be overstated how much upside the 2023 first-round pick has or how good he looked early in his rookie season. But the reality is that Gonzalez played three-plus games as a rookie before being lost to injury. He still has plenty to prove even though he’s expected to be the No. 1 corner and a key cog on a defense that’s expected to be the strength of the team. If Gonzalez isn’t ready for his huge role or can’t stay healthy it will be a huge problem for the cornerback position and defense as a whole. It will be fun to watch the young developing star cornerback compete with the young receivers in spring practice action.
5 – Will Chad Ryland shake off his rookie woes to solidify the kicking game?: There were more downs than ups for Ryland as a rookie fourth-round kicker a year ago as he missed nine of his 25 field goal attempts and one PAT. Plenty of rookie kickers struggle. Some figure it out in their second season to go on to strong careers. Others don’t, and aren’t long for the job with the team that drafted them. Ryland faces competition from veteran signing Joey Slye and needs to find successful consistency sooner rather than later.
6 – What does the future hold for former first-round pick Cole Strange?: Between at-times suspect play and injuries, the first couple years of Strange’s New England career have not gone all that well. As he continues to recover from a knee injury that cut short his 2023 season, he must also reestablish himself with a new offense and new coaching staff. There hasn’t been a lot of discussion of Strange from the new regime and it would seem that his job is not a given the way it was when he was handed the starting guard job as a first-round rookie. Beyond David Andrews at center and Mike Onwenu as a mainstay regardless of position, the rest of the New England line has plenty to prove and that includes Strange as he enters his third NFL season seemingly at a career crossroads. I might consider moving him to fullback, but that's just me and I just kinda like fullbacks.
7 – What does the offense look like under first-year coordinator Alex Van Pelt?: We may have buried the lede here this May. Everything that involves the competitive action at quarterback, wide receiver, offensive line and throughout the OTA workouts will be held under the umbrella of what Van Pelt is looking to install and establish in his first shot to run his own NFL offense in more than a decade. We already know it will look a lot like the Cleveland offense Van Pelt has been working in for the last few years. There will be zone running elements. There will be some deep shots. But as Van Pelt tries to not only do things his way but also tailor things to the talent he has to work with, there will be adjustments and evolutions along the way. There is a lot for Van Pelt to figure out and not a lot of time to do it this spring and summer heading toward September action.