Who Do The Patriots Acquire In The Off-Season To Get Back To Contenders
What changes can the Patriots make in the off-season to become an elite team?
The Patriots have been very inconsistent since Tom Brady left, and it has continued this season. Beyond just Brady himself, turbulence throughout the coaching staff, as well at many key positions, are a big issue. New England has had a rocky start to the 2022 season, and they see themselves at 6-6.
As of right now, New England isn’t in the playoffs. Even if they somehow do sneak into a playoff spot, they still have a lot to address in the off-season. The entire AFC is becoming more offensive-oriented, and the AFC as a whole is becoming more dynamic. The Patriots will need to make significant changes to keep up with the rest of the AFC. Here are some additions New England can make.
Bill O’Brien
Potentially getting Bill O’Brien may be one of the biggest changes New England can make. Ever since Josh McDaniels departed, New England has had a major problem on offense. The Patriots replaced Josh McDaniels with a defensive coach in Matt Patricia. The offense has been below average throughout the whole year, and Mac has regressed with Matt Patricia as the coordinator. Mac Jones has a 7-7 touchdown to interception ratio, and overall the offense has looked sloppy. Getting an experienced coordinator, who has been in the Patriots’ system would be a great addition.
Bill O’Brien has had lots of success with his quarterbacks, implemented a great system utilizing two tight ends, which New England could use, and overall Bill O’Brien has a great feel for offense. And in this case, it doesn’t violate Belichick’s unwritten rule of not leaving his coaching tree. O’Brien worked with New England’s offense in various roles for five years from 2007-2011, and the 2012 coach of the year is currently leading a high-powered Alabama offense with another part of the Belichick tree, Nick Saban. This shouldn’t be too much of a reach for Belichick’s comfort zone, while still being a significant improvement. Finding an experienced offensive coordinator should be the Patriots’ number one priority.
Orlando Brown JR.
Another big problem the Patriots have had on offense is their offensive line. Isaiah Wynn has regressed, and Trent Brown has also had an inconsistent year, and as a result, the edges have been particularly weak. Given some of the excellent defense ends in the league, this cannot fly and has been a huge limitation for the Patriots offense. The tackle is an extremely important position in the NFL, and having a staple at tackle helps your quarterback significantly. Brown would be a staple on the Patriots’ offensive line, and he’s a very consistent blocker. Considering New England’s offensive line’s inconsistency this year, having a steady presence like Brown would be a great addition.
Having a good offensive line is crucial to success in the NFL. The offensive line is a large part of Mac Jones’ regression this season. Brown is ranked as the sixth-best tackle since week seven. Getting a good pass protector like Brown may help Mac take a big leap. Brown provides a big presence on the offensive line, and he’s a great player to have anchoring down your quarterback’s blind spot.
Tremaine Edmunds
New England currently has a very good linebacker core, but if a player like Tremaine Edmunds is on the board, the Patriots should try to get him. Edmunds is a staple to any linebacker core, and he’s a great defensive leader. Edmunds, throughout his career, has accumulated 534 tackles. Edmunds is a very consistent tackler and provides a good presence to any core.
The Patriots are revamping their defense by getting younger and faster. Edmunds would be perfect for the Patriots’ defense. Edmunds is very athletic and he’s good at stopping the run. Stopping the run game – particularly the QB running game – has been an issue for New England throughout the last few years, and Edmunds would help address that issue a lot.
With already a good tackler in Ja’Whuan Bentley, and a rising star in Josh Uche, among many other pieces, the linebacker core for New England would be elite, and it would be a great core for the next few years. Also, taking a quality player from a division rival would help weaken the Bills’ defense. Overall, Edmunds would be a great addition to an already strong linebacker room.
Like Our Facebook Page. Follow StadiumRantHQ on Twitter. Check out our other articles @The Gillette Gazette. Are you an NFL fan? Have some takes you want to get out into the world? This is the place because we have plenty of opportunities at Stadium Rant spanning the whole NFL and more!