Welcome to 7 Patriots training camp questions!
Each day leading up to the start of camp, the Herald will explore one of the biggest questions facing the Pats this summer. Several pertain to the offense, which welcomed back Bill O’Brien this offseason and added JuJu Smith-Schuster and Mike Gesicki. Other questions cover the defense and special teams, units that might rely heavily on rookies and must overcome the loss of longtime captain Devin McCourty.
Once the Patriots hit the practice field, here’s what they must learn before the season kicks off versus Philadelphia on Sept. 10.
No. 7: Can Mac Jones return to form?
No. 6: How will the Patriots replace Devin McCourty?
Picture the Patriots’ top needs.
Offensive line, wide receiver and – pending Jack Jones’ availability given his legal trouble – cornerback.
How can the team possibly solve them all? By asking more of their 2022 draft class.
Cole Strange, stabilize the left guard position so Trent Brown isn’t caught having to help a young, overmatched player any more. Do your job, and the interior of the offensive line can be a strength. And if you’re reliable enough, theoretically Mac Jones can slide protections right to help whichever replacement-level tackle starts on that side.
Tyquan Thornton, take the top off opposing defenses in a way that allows Rhamondre Stevenson to stop running into stacked boxes. Become the deep threat the Patriots have not boasted since 2017 by weaponizing your 4.2 speed. Despite missing the first four weeks of last season, you played more snaps than Kendrick Bourne and Nelson Agholor and 18 fewer than DeVante Parker. Show what you’ve done with those.
Marcus Jones, seize on the momentum of your rookie year. As an All-Pro returner, you proved to be a rare scoring threat on punt returns and can do similar damage on kick returns. So master the nickelback position on defense, which will allow Jonathan Jones to stay outside and bolster the team’s corner depth along with first-round rookie Christian Gonzalez.
Of course, it’s not that simple. Growth is not always linear, and the player who was viewed as the surest bet to make a Year 2 leap last season – Mac Jones – regressed in a way not possibly foreseen last summer.
And now, of all the Patriots’ 2022 draft picks, arguably the best bet to make that leap this year is the one who also carries the greatest risk: Jack Jones. The second-year corner played at the highest level of any rookie regular on offense or defense last season, finishing with two interceptions, a forced fumble, six pass deflections and 30 tackles. He also could be sidelined soon for facing felony gun charges stemming from his June arrest at Logan Airport.
But, if Jones stays on the field, while the Patriots and the NFL allow the legal process to play out, he has the potential to man one outside corner spot from Week 1. Jones was the best player on the field during the Pats’ final minicamp practice, when he intercepted Mac Jones and didn’t allow a completion in man coverage. As a rookie, he also graded as a top-15 cornerback across the entire league, per Pro Football Focus grades, with a top-20 mark in man coverage.
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Flipping back to offense, second-year running backs Pierre Strong and Kevin Harris may not boast the same raw talent as Jones, but their paths to playing time are as clear as any backup's. Stevenson will need to be spelled on certain third downs and for the occasional breather. Ty Montgomery, 30, splitting his time between running back and receiver and has little explosion left, is the only veteran standing in their way of those snaps.
In limited action last season, Strong flashed his 4.3 speed by rushing for 100 yards on 10 carries. Harris bulldozed his way to 52 yards and a touchdown. Their test will be in blitz pickup, the most difficult learning curve for any young back in the NFL. So far, Strong looks to have an edge.
But if either back can take a step forward, the Patriots won't need to sign a worn veteran, like Leonoard Fournette and Darrell Henderson Jr., who both worked out in Foxboro this week. The Pats can dip into their reserves and pull out homegrown talent with superior athleticism, provided these second-year players are prepared mentally. This is how the Patriots maximize their playoff chances this season.
On either side of the ball, it all comes down to the kids.