The unfortunate reality is the New England Patriots don’t have a ton to be thankful for this Thanksgiving.
New England’s personnel department failed to address obvious needs last offseason, allowing for one of the worst rosters in the league. Jerod Mayo and the first-year coaching staff have lacked consistency and competence, as well. And there’s no doubt wholesale changes will be made to the roster after under sub-.500 season.
But with that said, the Patriots do have a few things to be grateful for this season, with some perhaps more obvious than others:
THEY HAVE THEIR FACE
Drake Maye is the obvious No. 1 here. Maye has shown traits of a franchise quarterback both on the field (arm strength, mobility, diagnosing defenses, etc.) and off the field (leadership, toughness, resilience, etc).
The third overall pick already has exceeded expectations and has coaches, teammates and opponents praising him. Maye looks capable of blossoming into a legitimate top (insert number here) quarterback with his Josh Allen-like skillset in a Justin Herbert-like frame.
BILL BELICHICK’S PARTING GIFT
There was plenty to second-guess regarding Belichick’s early-round draft history over the years, but his final first-rounder is a home run. Christian Gonzalez is New England’s second-most talented player behind Maye, one of the league’s top young cornerbacks.
Gonzalez has lined up against top wideouts routinely this season and frequently won his matchups. He limited Ja’Marr Chase (three catches, 15 yards), DK Metcalf (four receptions, 27 yards), Garrett Wilson (five receptions, 33 yards), Brandon Aiyuk and Deebo Samuel (two receptions, 12 yards), Rome Odunze and DJ Moore (one catch, 18 yards) as well as Jaylen Waddle and Tyreek Hill (two receptions, 24 yards in Week 12), per Pro Football Focus.
The No. 17 pick in the 2023 NFL Draft should remain in Foxboro, Mass. for the long haul.
THEY HAVE THE ASSETS
Fortunately for the Patriots, wholesale roster changes are achievable this offseason. New England is expected to have a top pick in the 2025 NFL Draft — the Patriots hold the No. 4 pick entering Week 13. It gives them to opportunity to address their biggest need (offensive tackle) early in the draft.
The Patriots also have $139 million in salary cap space entering 2025, per Spotrac.
They should not be outbid for their most desired wideout, which would help address arguably the second-biggest need.
They have plenty of assets to address cornerback and pass-rusher — oh yeah, and did we mention the offensive line is a mess?
BARMORE IS BACK
Christian Barmore was hospitalized with blood clots at the start of training camp, about three months after New England signed the defensive tackle to a four-year, $92 million contract extension.
Given the severity of the situation, it was unknown whether Barmore would return in 2024. Or return at all, actually.
Well, Barmore returned after missing the first 10 games and recorded his first sack of the season Sunday. It’s unlikely he will return to his dominant form this season, but there’s a good chance he will get back there in 2025. His presence has been sorely missed.
