The New England Patriots weren’t in the top 10 for USA TODAY’s power ranking ahead of Week 1 of the NFL season. The list featured two AFC East teams above the Patriots, with the Miami Dolphins starting at 11th and the Buffalo Bills ranked at fourth.
The top team in the AFC is the Kansas City Chiefs at No. 2. Tom Brady and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, meanwhile, are the top-ranked team in the NFL after winning the Super Bowl and retaining their entire starting roster.
The Patriots have plenty of uncertainty with a rebuilt roster after the 2021 offseason, and perhaps that’s why USA TODAY’s Nate Davis seems to be cautiously optimistic. New England will be starting rookie quarterback Mac Jones with a supporting cast that has come largely from free agency, including recent signees Jonnu Smith, Hunter Henry, Nelson Agholor and Kendrick Bourne.
Here’s what Davis wrote:
“Patriots: Questions on both sides of ball with rookie QB Mac Jones in and 2019 defensive player of the year Stephon Gilmore out (for now). But reloaded Pats appear ready to contend anew.”
Gilmore won’t play until Week 7, at the earliest. That leaves New England’s defense without its best player, with cornerbacks J.C. Jackson and newcomer Jalen Mills set to start at the top of the depth chart. The good news is that the Patriots added edge talent, with Matthew Judon and Kyle Van Noy joining the mix. Bill Belichick also paid big money ad draft picks to shore up the defensive interior with veteran defensive tackle Davon Godchaux and rookie Christian Barmore.
It will be fascinating to see if these additions can turn around the Patriots’ prospects after a rough 2020.
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