For the first time since 2000, the once-proud new england patriots finished last in the AFC east.
Here’s how they got back to the top in 2024.
Mac jones, the quarterback, is no tom brady. He isn’t exactly drew bledsoe, matt cassel, or jimmy garoppolo, as we’ve seen. Only teammate bailey zappe (68.8) and carolina’s bryce young (73.7) had a lower quarterback rating than jones (77.0) in 2023.
Free Agent Pick:Â OT Jonah Williams with the third-overall pick and jones still under contract, the team can afford to address other issues in free agency with $69 million in cap space for 2024.
Williams wasn’t content to give up his left tackle position to Orlando Brown jr. last season, but he did have a great time adapting to the right side. With starting tackles trent brown and Mike Onwenu now free agents, the patriots need a player with williams’ versatility up front.
Draft Goal: QB Jayden Daniel’s, LSU. The patriots seem to be able to hold their ground and walk away with this year’s heisman trophy winner, who was drafted as a 3rd pick in the 2024 NFL draft. Former tigers head coach bill belichick completed 236 passes for 3,812 yards and 40 touchdowns last season, while adding 1,134 yards and ten touchdowns on the field.
Reason for optimism: former tigers head coach bill belichick may have mastered the ropes, but the team’s new head coach could be a breath of fresh air.
New england has plenty of reasons to be optimistic about the future with new ideas, a new quarterback (probably) and the third-largest cap space in the league.
Reason for concern: since Belichick took over, the patriots haven’t had a bone-headed general manager, and the team has no plans to hire one in 2024. Matt Groh is still the director of player relations, and eliot wolf will return to his role as director of scouting.
