NEWSLETTER
A new era in Foxboro is upon us. The New England Patriots have officially closed the book on the Brady-Belichick dynasty and are looking at a complete rebuild. The first order of business for new head coach Jerod Mayo will be finding his franchise QB in the upcoming NFL Draft. But they have many more holes to fill, so let’s examine their top 5 NFL Draft priorities.
New England Patriots Positions to Address in the NFL Draft
The New England Patriots are coming off their worst season as a franchise since 1992 and entering their first NFL Draft without Bill Belichick at the helm since 1999. The rebuild started with a pretty active free-agent period and now Jerod Mayo and company look to set up scaffolding for the future in the NFL Draft. Let’s take a look at their top draft priorities below.
Quarterback
Every team wants and needs a competent quarterback that the franchise can build around. This is exactly what New England will be looking for with the 3rd overall selection in this month’s NFL Draft.
Wide Receiver
While the Patriots have a plethora of nice wide-outs currently on the roster, they lack a true number-one option. An important part of developing young quarterbacks is assuring they have consistent play from their receivers and it’s always nice when they can grow within a system with a fellow young wide-out.
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Offensive Tackle
Keeping with New England’s building process centered around their new QB is, of course, protecting him with top-tier talent bookending the offensive line. The Patriots brought in Chukwuma Okarafor to play opposite Calvin Anderson but neither of these players is considered elite. They’re both slated to be free agents following the upcoming season. Making tackle a must-address spot for the Patriots.
Guard
The Patriots’ offense was flat-out embarrassing last year. They finished third worst in total yards, and tied for the fewest points scored. A big reason for their struggles was on the offensive line, where they were weak everywhere, especially up the middle. New England has a decent amount of young players at guard under contract for a few more years, but adding depth and competition couldn’t hurt.
Edge
The New England Patriots finished with the 6th fewest sacks in the NFL last year with their leading sack producer being a defensive tackle. Now, Matt Judon’s injury probably affected this, but he’s in his early 30s coming off that injury and like the majority of New England’s edge rushers, is playing on an expiring contract. If the Patriots have any hopes of improving defensively, they need to create pressure on the outside.
New England Patriots Offseason Additions
The New England Patriots’ offseason additions have been a mixed bag. They’ve focused on re-signing key veterans like linebacker Anfernee Jennings and guard Mike Onwenu. They also brought back wide receiver Kendrick Bourne and signed free agent running back Antonio Gibson to bolster their backfield. Check out their most impactful moves below.
New England Patriots 2024 NFL Draft Picks
The New England Patriots will be selecting 3rd overall in the upcoming 2024 NFL Draft. The only round they have two picks in will be the 6th and they have a total of eight selections during the draft. See all their draft spots below.
