Tag: Davon Godchaux

Patriots’ top 10 defensive players in Week 2, per PFF grades

Who cracked the top-10 on defense for the Patriots in Week 2?

For a second straight week, most of the highlights for the New England Patriots came on the defensive side of the ball in their Week 2 matchup with the Miami Dolphins.

They were presented with the seemingly impossible task of covering the Dolphins’ otherworldly receiving tandem of Tyreek Hill and Jaylen Waddle, and they overachieved in not allowing the game to be broken open.

Unfortunately, the same couldn’t be said for their effort in stopping the run game after seeing them get pounded into the ground by Dolphins running back Raheem Mostert for 121 yards and two touchdowns.

Rookie cornerback Christian Gonzalez did a tremendous job matched up on the outside against Hill, who had five receptions for 40 yards and a touchdown, after going off last week for 215 yards and two touchdowns. The first-round draft pick even undercut Hill on one play and leaped high into the air to snag the first interception of his NFL career.

Let’s take a look at Gonzalez and the other nine defensive players that received the highest Pro Football Focus grades for the Patriots in Week 2.

Madden 24 ratings for every Patriots defensive tackle and edge rusher

The “Madden NFL 24” ratings are in for the Patriots’ defensive tackles and edge rushers

EA Sports has been revealing player ratings for the upcoming “Madden NFL 24” video game, and two of the initial positions they’ve highlighted are defensive tackle and edge rusher.

No one from the New England Patriots defense joined the 99 club at those positions this year, but defensive end Deatrich Wise Jr. did get an 81 overall rating on the game.

Despite all of the defensive success, it’s becoming increasingly clear that Patriots players are still being underrated. Barmore might be one of the best defensive tackles in the league, but he obviously hasn’t stayed on the field long enough to prove it.

That could all change in the 2023 season and potentially lead to a ratings increase in a future patch for the game. Keep your fingers crossed, Patriots fans.

Here are the ratings for every defensive tackle and edge rusher for the Patriots in “Madden NFL 24”.

Predicting the Patriots’ 2023 starting defense before camp

Predicting the starting defense for the 2023 Patriots

Coach Bill Belichick’s defense was the star attraction for the New England Patriots last season, and it’s hard to envision that changing heading into 2023.

The Patriots continued to commit heavily to the defensive side of the ball by selecting cornerback Christian Gonzalez, defensive end Keion White and linebacker/safety Marte Mapu with their first three picks of the 2023 NFL draft.

That’s considerable firepower added to a unit returning with nearly every player from last season. Legendary safety Devin McCourty is the only starter from that team that is no longer on the roster. But then again, the Patriots are one of the deepest teams in the league at safety.

The defense will once again be a force, and here’s my 11 starters that will continue to make that happen:

Patriots’ 15 biggest cap hits in 2023

What Patriots players have the biggest cap hits in 2023?

Things may not be perfect, but the New England Patriots are in a much better place financially than they were in the 2022 season.

Last year, wide receiver Nelson Agholor’s contract came with the second-highest cap hit, while tight end Jonnu Smith’s deal was the fifth-highest hit. Those contracts served as a punch in the gut for a Patriots team that hardly utilized the two veteran players.

Whether the onus should fall on the team or the players themselves is irrelevant in regards to the fact that it was wasted money for the Patriots organization.

We’ll see if that ends up being the case for some of the players with big cap hits for the team this time around. Here are the 15 players with the biggest cap hits for the Patriots heading into the 2023 season (via Spotrac):

Davon Godchaux bullish on Patriots’ defensive potential in 2023

Could the Patriots have a top-three defense in 2023?

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The New England Patriots had one of the best defenses in the NFL in 2023. Defensive tackle Davon Godchaux believes it can be even better for the 2023 season.

New England ranked eighth in total defense last season. The unit had 14 interceptions on the year and had a plus-7 turnover differential.

Nearly every player from last year’s defense is back, with the exception of safety Devin McCourty, who retired back in March. New England also used the draft to focus on defense. Cornerback Christian Gonzalez was the team’s first selection, while defensive end Keion White was selected in the second round.

Defense was the theme all the way until the end of the draft, as Jackson State’s Isaiah Bolden was the last pick selected. Bolden projects as a corner, as well as a special teams player.

It’s no surprise that Godchaux is bullish about the team’s offensive chances. He recently spoke to the media and seemed extremely optimistic about the unit, as transcribed by NESN.com’s Dakota Randall.

“It’s a good group,” Godchaux said. “I mean, we finished, I think, sixth in total defense last year. I think we could’ve been a lot better. Could’ve easily been… you know, always want to aim for top five, top three. But we could’ve easily been up there. Made a lot of key mistakes.”

Of course, it remains to be seen what happens on the field. Nevertheless, there is certainly reason for optimism when it comes to the 2023 defense.

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Davon Godchaux knows the importance of Tom Brady’s return

Davon Godchaux knows Tom Brady’s return will be a big one.

New England Patriots owner Robert Kraft announced the team would be honoring former quarterback Tom Brady during the 2023 season.

The news generated excitement for both players and fans. Patriots defensive tackle Davon Godchaux reacted to the news when speaking with the media on Thursday.

“That’s going to be big. We don’t even know who the home opener is going to be (against), and that’s probably sold out already,” said Godchaux, per NESN’s Zack Cox.

Brady will return to New England for the first time since October 2021, when he defeated the Patriots as the quarterback for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Now, he’s retired and returning to the team he helped win six Super Bowl titles and put amongst the elite in NFL history.

It’s going to be an exciting time for the Patriots in the fall with several big-name opponents coming to Gillette Stadium. With that in mind, the hometown hero may be the biggest guest of them all.

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Two Patriots defenders responded to Aaron Rodgers joining Jets

The AFC East just got much, much tougher with Aaron Rodgers’ arrival.

Aaron Rodgers’ arrival in the AFC East signals a seismic shift in difficulty for the New England Patriots.

Not only do they have to worry about the perennial contending Buffalo Bills and the burgeoning Miami Dolphins, but now, they’ll have to contend with a rapidly improving New York Jets team that just added one of the top-10 quarterbacks to ever play the game.

That reality isn’t lost on the Patriots defense, which will now face the arduous task of defending a Rodgers-led Jets offense twice a year. Patriots safety Jalen Mills and defensive tackle Davon Godchaux took to social media to react to the blockbuster trade on Monday.

“Division just got better.. Let’s get it!!” Mills tweeted.

“Draft Day starting already I see! AFC East will be a great division!” Godchaux posted.

The Jets came close to making the playoffs last season with a shaky quarterback situation. Now, they’ll have an opportunity to right those wrongs with a former Super Bowl champion and future Hall of Famer.

With that said, the Patriots defense is nothing to sneeze at considering most of their talent will be returning in 2023. They’ll be ready to go toe-to-toe with whoever is under center.

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10 biggest Patriots salary cap hits with new player contracts in 2023

Who are the Patriots’ 10 biggest salary cap hits in 2023 with the newest contracts included?

The New England Patriots have reloaded their roster through free agency in an effort to wash the stink off from the 2022 season.

Whether they’re successful or not remains to be seen, but coach Bill Belichick is leaving no stone unturned with a real opportunity in front of him to change the ugly narrative surrounding the team.

One way to do that is beefing up the same offense that sputtered and ultimately collapsed under pressure last season. So Belichick went out and added playmakers like wideout JuJu Smith-Schuster, tight end Mike Gesicki and running back James Robinson.

On the defensive side of the ball, which was clearly a strength for the team, he kept the unit mostly intact. This was all done without breaking the bank and also leaving room to make even more moves down the line.

Taking the newest contracts into consideration, here are the 10 biggest salary cap hits for the Patriots in 2023.

Davon Godchaux’s reaction to Jalen Ramsey trade was priceless

Devin McCourty and Davon Godchaux had a hilarious exchange on Twitter, regarding Jalen Ramsey joining the Dolphins.

The Miami Dolphins acquisition of corner Jalen Ramsey sent shockwaves through the NFL on Sunday, with at least one retired player planning to be front and center when New England takes on Miami.

The Patriots face the Dolphins twice next season, as the divisional rivalry promises to be in full force next season. Devin McCourty, who recently announced his retirement from the NFL, had some fun with one of his former teammates, Davon Godchaux, on social media.

After hearing news of Ramsey joining the Dolphins, McCourty tweeted out in shock regarding the news. Godchaux then commented and asked if McCourty would be returning to the Patriots to hopefully lend a helping hand.

The response from the legendary safety was downright hilarious.

Ramsey going to Miami adds another chapter in what has been a historic rivalry that has picked up over the past couple seasons. It also ups the level of difficulty for a Patriots team looking to get back to the playoffs.

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10 biggest cap hits for Patriots heading into 2023 offseason

These are the biggest cap hits for the Patriots in 2023.

With the 2022 season now in the rearview, the New England Patriots turn their attention towards the 2023 offseason, when they’re expected to have the sixth-most cap space in the NFL, according to Spotrac.com.

The Patriots are projected to have roughly $44 million in a year where they’ll need to address the offensive line, re-sign pending free agents and possibly even add an elite receiver.

There’s plenty of work to be done for the team after missing the playoffs for the second time in three seasons, and they’ll actually be in a position to make some big moves. It might not be raining money like it was in the 2021 season, but the potential is there for it to get close.

Here are the team’s biggest cap hits heading into the offseason.