The New England Patriots have a lot of question marks heading into training camp. Many of the concerns are centered on the defensive side of the football. With a revamped secondary and a new-look linebacker group, the Patriots have a lot to sort out.
For some of these players, they will have to take on roles that they have not encountered at this point in their career. For others, it will be about stepping up and making an impact in a bigger way. In some cases, it may seem risky. However this could be a year where we truly find out the impact of previous drafts.
Today we take a look at three concerns surrounding the defensive unit, as new pieces look to keep pace.
The secondary needs to find an identity
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One of the biggest causes of concern for the Patriots is the secondary. Following the departure of J. C. Jackson, this now leaves the organization without a top corner.
Jonathan Jones and Jalen Mills are returning for the organization. Jones appeared in only six games last season, before an injury in October sidelined him for the rest of the year. Mills was a valuable part of the Patriots secondary. He recorded 47 tackles last season, appearing in all 16 games.
The Pats did address the lack of secondary depth in the offseason. They were able to acquire Terrence Mitchell and Malcolm Butler during free agency.
Butler does have starting experience. He started for the Patriots for three seasons from 2015-2017. He also played in 16 games for Tennessee in 2020. Mitchell appeared in 16 games for the Cleveland Browns in 2020, starting all of them. He appeared in 14 games for the Texans last season.
The Patriots also drafted Jack and Marcus Jones. Jack hails from Arizona State, while Marcus was a standout at Houston.
The problem here is that the Patriots will be relying newcomers to really make an impact. The best case scenario is that Jonathan Jones heals from his injury. A healthy Jones makes a big difference and allows those mentioned above to grow into their roles. The combination of Mills and Jones will have to hold down the secondary, as the newcomers and rookies get mixed into the equation.
The linebacker position has a lot of question marks
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The Patriots underwent a bit of a makeover at the linebacker position. Kyle Van Noy, Dont’a Hightower, and Chase Winovich are no longer with the team. This leaves…
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