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The New England Patriots came in the middle of the pack in ESPN’s post-draft power rankings. ESPN ranked New England as the 16th overall team in the NFL.
New England made a flurry of moves this off-season, and they were not just roster additions. Adding Bill O’Brien as offensive coordinator should help the offense get back on track.
Additions such as wide receiver JuJu Smith-Schuster and tight end Mike Gesicki should also help the offense move a little bit smoother. Defensively, New England loaded up in the draft, taking corner Christian Gonzalez with their first pick at No. 17 overall.
ESPN’s Mike Reiss gave his breakdown of where the Patriots stand, as well as noting that offensive coaching was their most improved area:
Bill Belichick’s plan to install a new offense in 2022, and to do so with longtime defensive-based coach Matt Patricia as a leading presence, didn’t produce the desired results (e.g. last in the NFL in the red zone; 27th in third-down efficiency; 28th in total first downs; dipping from 48 TDs scored the prior season to 31). So handing the reins to Bill O’Brien, who pairs with new OL coach Adrian Klemm, should be a decisive step in the right direction.
It remains to be seen how all of these pieces will fit together. Nevertheless, it’s clear that New England made some improvements in a year that they need to succeed and play at a high level.
The AFC East got a lot tougher over the offseason. Now, it’s time to see if New England made enough adjustments to counteract that.
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