The New England Patriots have no shortage of issues on offense. But maybe coach Bill Belichick is OK with that. Maybe he thinks his defense can compensate.
The team saw departures from Tom Brady and Rob Gronkowski in consecutive years. They are two of the best players — if not the best — to ever play their position. If there were two words to sum of the state of New England’s offense, they would be: Now what?
And of course, the draft is always a good place to restock talent at a low cost, which is why many have the Patriots targeting an offensive player in the first round. Maybe it’s a receiver (Clemson’s Tee Higgins or LSU’s Justin Jefferson). Maybe it’s a tight end (Cole Kmet). And maybe it’s a tackle (Houston’s Josh Jones or USC’s Austin Jackson).
But if free agency is any indication, Belichick seems fairly content with what he’s got on offense, if only because the defense looks poised to be elite for another season. So, why not bring even more talent on the defensive side of the ball? That’s what ESPN’s Todd McShay had in mind in his latest mock draft with Iowa defensive end A.J. Epenesa falling to the Patriots at 23rd overall.
“These aren’t the Patriots we are accustomed to seeing. They could use upgrades in a bunch of areas, including quarterback, wide receiver and a handful of spots on defense. I don’t expect coach Bill Belichick to reach for a QB here, and while wide receiver is in play, it seems unlikely two years in a row on Day 1. So how about an edge rusher? LSU’s K’Lavon Chaisson is the better player, but Belichick has a strong relationship with Iowa head coach Kirk Ferentz, and Epenesa fits nicely with the Patriots’ 3-4 system as a 5-technique.”
On paper, it’s hard to find a reason why Epenesa wasn’t a fit in New England. He’s a fundamentally sound edge player, who comes from a Hawkeyes program that Belichick admires. Maybe Epenesa’s measurables weren’t ideal at the NFL combine, but his game film shows a player who is ready to contribute at an NFL level right now.
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