The New England Patriots had the greatest run in the history of sports over the last twenty years. Unfortunately, fans have seen the dynasty come crashing down since Tom Brady left in 2020. Season after season, the offense struggles, and the lack of talent on the roster becomes worse and worse. Is this all about to change with the new head coach Jerod Mayo? How will Director of Scouting, Eliot Wolf, look to get back on track when the NFL Draft rolls around in April? Overall, the Patriots have quite a long way to go before they can be considered Super Bowl contenders, but the foundation of the next dynasty could be put into place this off-season.
If the Patriots wish to get back to competing in the gauntlet of the AFC, they should start by selecting their franchise quarterback. Look no further than North Carolina quarterback, Drake Maye. Maye has all the talent in the world and with proper coaching, he could be the next great quarterback at the NFL level. If the Patriots select Maye at third overall, and he turns into one of the elite quarterbacks, like a Joe Burrow, watching the AFC East go to battle could be incredibly entertaining. Not to mention, it will set up New England for a very bright future. With the right quarterback in place, the Patriots will be in contention for the playoffs every year, but in order to compete for the Lombardi Trophy, they will need to build around Maye.
Building around Drake Maye starts in the Draft this year. The Patriots’ decision-makers will need to nail their other picks. Whether that is an elite receiver in the second round, or a solid left tackle to protect their franchise quarterback, they need to get the picks right. In a perfect world, they would take Maye at third overall, select an elite receiver prospect in the second round, and solidify their left tackle spot in the third round. By doing this, the Patriots could be set up for success for at least the next five years. Creating a more dynamic offense for 2024 and beyond should be the number one priority of Eliot Wolf, Jerod Mayo, and Robert Kraft.
New England has a very talented defense, with some great pieces in place. Players like Christian Gonzalez and Matthew Judon will be leading the charge in 2024. Having a high-powered defense is incredibly valuable for the future of the organization, and will serve New England well when moving into the next dynasty. By having so many weapons on the defensive side of the ball, it will allow Eliot Wolf to focus on fixing the offense. As soon as the offense starts pulling their weight, we may see an incredible team. A team that nobody wants to play in the playoffs. A young team that has a hunger to prove themselves, and the willingness to play anybody, could be a scary thing for the AFC East.
How will Jerod Mayo create a new culture for the Patriots?
Jerod Mayo has a very new style of coaching. He has been described as a player’s coach and could be exactly what is needed in Foxborough. Being able to get guys to play for him, and go to battle every Sunday for him, is something that Mayo is great at. New England linebacker Josh Uche, took a huge pay cut to stay in Foxborough because he wanted to play for Mayo. This should be incredibly exciting for fans to hear because it shows that New England is ready to step into the next chapter of their organization. It shows that Jerod Mayo is ready to lead this team to the promised land, and ready to create the next dynasty.
