The New England Patriots Defense has always been a bright spot over the years under the command of Bill Belichick. Now that the Patriots have moved on from Bill, and Jerod Mayo is taking over, how will that impact the defensive side of the ball? Luckily for New England, they have some great pieces on defense as well as a great mind in Jerod Mayo. Mayo has had a big hand in the defense during his time on the Patriots coaching staff. Even when Mayo played in New England, many of his old teammates spoke of how smart he is and how great of a leader he is. This is great news to hear for fans of the Patriots organization. One of the very few bright spots in the 2023 season was the defense and their playmakers.
One of the most important positions in football is cornerback. A true number one corner who can lock down any opposing receiver is incredibly valuable. The Patriots usually have great success when it comes to drafting and developing corners. And that has been the case with their 2023 first round draft pick Christian Gonzalez. Gonzalez got hurt early in the season but in the games he did play, he was quite impressive. Gonzalez was on track to being Defensive Rookie of the Year, making his case by containing some of the best receivers in the NFL in his first few games. He went toe to toe with A.J. Brown, Tyreek Hill, and Garrett Wilson. As a rookie, being able to hold his own against some of the biggest names in football was amazing to watch. He even did a great job against Ceedee Lamb for a portion of the Patriots game against the Cowboys before he got hurt. In 2024, a healthy Christian Gonzalez will make his case for becoming the best corner in the NFL, and the New England Patriots will be incredibly difficult to throw against.
Along side Christian Gonzalez is a very talented secondary. Starting with the other outside corner in Jonathan Jones who has a lot of experience as an NFL starter and is a great leader on the team. Jones flashes impressive instincts and is very reliable against good offenses. Add in Marcus Jones as the slot corner and New England is fielding one of the better secondaries in the league. Marcus Jones was lost to injury in 2023, but his athleticism and agility allows him to keep up with some of quicker slot receivers. The Patriots also have plenty of depth in their corner room, with the late addition of Alex Austin in 2023 who showed a lot of potential as an outside corner. Overall, New England is in very good hands next season when it comes to talented playmakers in the secondary.
Another young, talented star is on the rise in New England. Christian Barmore is proving himself to be a top five defensive tackle in the NFL. At six foot five inches, three hundred and fifteen pounds, Barmore has sneaky speed and athleticism that allows him to take over a game. Which is exactly what he did against Russell Wilson and the Denver Broncos on Christmas Eve in 2023. A three sack performance in Denver, showed how much of a game wrecker Barmore can be when he is on his game.
Veteran Leadership
New England has some great leaders on their roster. Starting with none other than Matthew Judon. Judon is one of the league’s best pass rushers and is a great voice to have in Foxborough. He has consistently shown his love for the Patriots organization, and every offseason gets the nickname “GM Judon”, meaning General Manager Judon, because he tries to recruit big name free agents to New England. Judon is exactly the leader needed to help carry the Patriots into the new era, not only because of his elite play on the field, but his leadership and energy.
Another great leader on the Patriots defense is Jabrill Peppers. Peppers had a slow start to his career, but once he became a New England Patriot, it completely changed. He has been one of the best players on the entire roster, and looks like he has found a home in Foxborough. He is very impressive at stopping the run, and can also be quite an enforcer against the pass. If the Patriots wish to get back on the road of success, they need to make sure they keep great leaders, such as Peppers in New England.