Author: Ben Levine

Offseason In Review: New England Patriots

By Ben Levine | at August 31, 2024 9:59 pm

Four years into the post-Tom Brady era, the Patriots hit a new low. New England finished the 2023 campaign with only four wins, their lowest total since Bill Belichick’s five-win debut in 2000. That dismal performance ultimately led to the legendary coach’s ouster, meaning the organization has officially hit the reset button with two of their three franchise pillars out the door.

Owner Robert Kraft remains, and he’s hoping his two highest-profile offseason moves will help guide the franchise to another stretch of success. Jerod Mayo takes over along the sideline, with the unofficial co-defensive coordinator (and assumed Belichick successor) earning the promotion to HC. On the field, the team invested the No. 3 overall pick on North Carolina quarterback Drake Maye, a raw but talented prospect who possesses more upside than any of the other QBs who have taken the field since Brady’s departure.

That duo will be hard pressed to match even a fraction of Brady and Belichick’s accolades, but they’re obviously not being tasked with reaching those same heights. Instead, Kraft and Co. will be counting on his rebuilding squad to show same flashes of potential in 2024, perhaps convincing ownership to open up the checkbook next offseason.

Coaching/front office:

• Parted ways with Bill Belichick after 24 years with organization
• Promoted Jerod Mayo to head coach
• Promoted Eliot Wolf to executive vice president of player personnel
• Hired Alex Van Pelt as offensive coordinator, promoted DeMarcus Covington to defensive coordinator
• Added Ben McAdoo, Dont’a Hightower to coaching staff
• Added Alonzo Highsmith to front office

Bill Belichick’s resume is undeniable, and the organization wouldn’t have won six Super Bowl rings without him roaming the sideline. However, considering his full dominion over every facet of football operations, he was chiefly responsible for the team’s downfall in recent years.

Even ignoring his influence on Tom Brady’s departure, Belichick made questionable decisions as both a coach and GM over the past four years. From his mishandling of the coaching staff (which featured handing the offense to former defensive coordinator Matt Patricia and former special teams coordinator Joe Judge) to his mishandling of the quarterback position (which never featured a full endorsement of former first-round pick Mac Jones), Belichick was as much to blame as anybody in the organization.

Following the team’s worst showing during Belichick’s tenure, the head coach and owner Robert Kraft ultimately decided to part ways. This officially ended one of the most successful runs in North American sports history, and with the two main contributors to New England’s dynasties no longer in the building, the Patriots have officially kicked off a new era.

While ownership went through a faux head coaching cycle, the team landed on the assumed successor: former linebacker and recent de facto defensive coordinator Jerod Mayo. The former first-round pick rejected previous head coaching inquiries to stick in New England, a major clue that he was likely going to succeed Belichick when the time came. While Mayo showed some coaching talent while guiding the defense alongside Stephen Belichick, it obviously remains to be seen if he has the ability to guide an entire organization. At the very least, he’ll provide a fresh voice to Belichick’s old-school (and, potentially, antiquated) approach.

Mayo was immediately tasked with filling out his coaching staff. On offense, he landed on Alex Van Pelt, who was a surprise scapegoat following Cleveland’s blowout playoff loss last year. Van Pelt got the most out of Nick Chubb and Kareem Hunt during his four-year stint with the Browns, but the passing offense often left much to be desired. The offensive coordinator certainly won’t be evaluated for his rebuilding unit’s performance in 2024, but the organization will be hoping the offense shows some progress before the season is through.

On defense, Mayo settled on a familiar face to guide the way. DeMarcus Covington has been with the Patriots staff since 2017, working his way up from an assistant to the team’s defensive line coach. Covington was credited with the development of former second-round pick Christian Barmore, and Matt Judon and Josh Uche have both had success on the edge under the coach’s tutelage.

Belichick’s departure also left a major hole in the front office, where the legendary coach had full control over the roster. For that gig, the organization also opted for the long-rumored favorite: director of scouting Eliot Wolf. The son of long-time Packers GM Ron Wolf, Eliot will be tasked with bringing some of that Green Bay mentality to New England. In that arrangement, the organization would value the personnel department’s input vs. the head coach’s final say (a tactic that was impossible with Belichick at the helm).

Belichick’s ouster obviously had rippling effects on every facet of the organization. The coach’s eventual departure was inevitable, and while his successors may take time to find their footing, the Patriots have overcome the first hurdle of ripping off the Belichick-sized band-aid.

Extensions and restructures:

• Extended C David Andrews through 2025 season
• Signed DT Christian Barmore to four-year, $92MM extension ($41.8MM guaranteed)
• Signed transition-tagged S Kyle Dugger to four-year, $58MM extension ($32.5MM guaranteed)
• Signed DT Davon Godchaux to two-year, $21MM extension ($16.5MM guaranteed)
• Signed S Jabrill Peppers to three-year, $25MM extension ($11MM guaranteed)
• Signed RB Rhamondre Stevenson to four-year, $36MM extension ($17MM guaranteed)
• Signed LB Jahlani Tavai to three-year, $17.88MM extension ($9MM guaranteed)

Curiously, while many pundits critiqued Bill Belichick’s recent draft track record and attributed it partly to his New England demise, the team still put in efforts to retain many of his extension-eligible draft picks.

Two of the team’s three foundational extensions came on the defensive side of the ball. The Patriots first slapped safety Kyle Dugger with the rarely-used transition tag before handing him a lucrative four-year extension. The former second-round pick doesn’t have any Pro Bowl appearances on his resume, and Pro Football Focus has been inconsistent with their evaluation of the defensive back. Still, Duggar has proven himself to be one of New England’s most reliable defenders in recent years, with the safety compiling nine interceptions and 20 passes defended. Facing an uncertain future, some consistency and familiarity will be key.

The Patriots also made a sizable commitment to defensive tackle Christian Barmore, assuring the former second-round pick is in New England for the foreseeable future. The Alabama product’s production took a clear step forward this past season, with Barmore compiling 8.5 sacks and 13 tackles for loss in 2023, the second season in which he was healthy for every game. Barmore added 19 pressures and 16 QB hits, and he ranked eighth among defensive tackles in terms of PFF grade (83.8).

On the offensive side of the ball, the Patriots strayed from Belichick’s former playbook by handing a running back a notable extension. Rhamondre Stevenson’s extension won’t break the bank, but the four-year commitment certainly shows a change in philosophies. The former fourth-round pick has been one of New England’s most consistent offensive contributors in recent years, including a 2022 campaign where he collected 1,461 yards from scrimmage.

David Andrews represents one of the lone holdovers from the team’s Super Bowl-winning days. The veteran center managed to start all 17 games for the second time in three years, and the Patriots are assuring he’ll continue to stick around as the team transitions to Drake Maye under center. Both Jabrill Peppers and Davon Godchaux were savvy former pickups by the Patriots in free agency, and the veterans were rewarded for their efforts with multi-year extensions.

Trades:

• Traded QB Mac Jones to Jaguars for a 2024 sixth-round pick
• Traded LB Matt Judon to Falcons for a 2025 third-round pick

The Patriots didn’t seem entirely committed to Mac Jones during his sophomore season, and the quarterback clearly fell out of the team’s plans following his 2-9 showing as a starter in 2023. Even before the team committed to drafting Drake Maye with the third-overall pick, New England decided to move on from their former first-round pick.

Jones had an up-and-down showing during his time with the Patriots. His best season came as a rookie, when he tossed 22 touchdowns, earned a Pro Bowl nod, and helped guide the Patriots to a postseason appearance. The wheels fell off over the subsequent two years, although the organization certainly didn’t put the signal-caller in a position to succeed. With Jones showing signs of regression and possessing only one-plus season remaining on his rookie contract, the Patriots decided to revamp their QB situation by dealing the player to Jacksonville.

As the Patriots handed out extensions left and right, the team curiously didn’t give a long-term pact to one of their most deserving players. Matt Judon took his play to another level after joining the Patriots as a free agent in 2021, with the edge rusher collecting 28 sacks between the 2021 and 2022 campaigns. His 2023 season was limited to only four games, and with the defender set to enter his age-32 season, the Patriots were wary of tacking on additional term to his contract.

While the front office was willing to increase his $6.5MM base salary for the 2024 campaign, it sounded like Judon wasn’t all that interested in a lame-duck status with a rebuilding squad. So, the Patriots made a move that was probably inevitable anyway by the time the trade deadline came around, sending their top defender to Atlanta for a third-round pick.

Free agency additions:

• Jacoby Brissett, QB: One year, $8MM ($6.5MM guaranteed)
• Antonio Gibson, RB: Three years, $11.25MM ($5.3MM guaranteed)
• K.J. Osborn, WR: One year, $4MM ($3.18MM guaranteed)
• Chukwuma Okorafor, OT: One year, $4MM ($3.13MM guaranteed)
• Sione Takitaki, LB: Two years, $6.6MM ($3.12MM guaranteed)
• Austin Hooper, TE: One year, $3MM ($2.4MM guaranteed)
• Joey Slye, K: One year, $1.26MM
• Armon Watts, DT: One year, $2.2MM ($800K guaranteed)
• Nick Leverett, G: One year, $1.77MM ($575K guaranteed)
• Jaylinn Hawkins, S: One year, $1.3MM ($417K guaranteed)

Armed with a chunk of cap room, the Patriots entered the offseason with some high hopes. While the team pursued some of the top names on the market, the front office ended up settling for some depth moves in a clear effort to evaluate their holdovers and draft picks.

Offensively, the team’s most notable free agent addition was also a familiar face. Jacoby Brissett was a third-round pick by the Patriots back in 2016, but the QB only lasted one season in New England before he was dealt to the Colts, where he filled in (and eventually succeeded) Andrew Luck. He proved himself to be a capable starter but not a ceiling-raiser, and he’s since established a reputation as one of the league’s premier QB2s.

In New England, the veteran will keep the seat warm until Drake Maye is ready to roll. It’s uncertain if Brissett will run the offense for all or just part of the 2024 campaign, and the team’s sizable guaranteed commitment shows they’re paying up for the uncertain role.

The team added a handful of additional offensive players who could play fringe roles for the 2024 Patriots. Antonio Gibson proved himself to be a capable pass-catching back during his stint in Washington, and the veteran should provide the Patriots with a change-of-pace option at the RB position. K.J. Osborn topped 500 receiving yards in Minnesota in each of the past three seasons, but with an uncertain QB room and a relatively deep WR room, he probably won’t top those numbers in New England. Austin Hooper brings some experience to the tight end room, although the departed Mike Gesicki’s tepid New England production shows that we shouldn’t expect a whole lot from Hunter Henry’s backup.

Read more