The New England Patriots are entering a new era under first-year head coach Jerod Mayo. Mayo is a former Patriots linebacker who learned under the tutelage of Bill Belichick. Mayo comes highly recommended, but nobody really knows what to expect from the Patriots during his first year as head coach.
One thing is for certain — it will look different than the Bill Belichick years.
But that doesn't have to be a bad thing. Mayo comes highly recommended by some names with some clout around New England. This includes former Patriots tight end Rob Gronkowski.
Gronk spoke highly of Mayo earlier this summer on Julian Edelman's Games With Names podcast.
“Jerod Mayo was the Tom Brady on the defensive side of the ball,” Gronk said. “Jerod Mayo was just a phenomenon on the football field with lining every one up and also in the meeting rooms as well. He knew where every player needed to be during any situation that occurred on the defensive side of the ball.”
Gronk went on to say that Mayo is a good fit for the Patriots right now.
“He knew how to read offenses, he knew when to call out plays, and he was always correct when he'd call a play out, or else he was just making the whole defense aware of when that play was going to be called,” Gronk continued. “…He was just always alert, and you could always tell that was going to translate into the next phase of his life.”
Mayo can't will the Patriots to become champions all by himself though. He will need some help from the players who he has brought to the organization this offseason.
There is one offensive player who could make or break the team's chances of succeeding in the 2024 season.
The Patriots will need to count on Ja'Lynn Polk no matter who is under center at QB
One of the bigger questions headed into the 2024 Patriots season is how long will it take before Drake Maye enters the starting lineup?
When thinking realistically, it is easy to imagine that Jacoby Brissett will be the Week 1 starter. Brissett likely won't be replaced until it is absolutely necessary, or until Maye is ready — whichever comes first.
Regardless of who is the starting QB for the New England Patriots, they will need some solid options at receiver if they want to have any level of success. That's where Ja'Lynn Polk comes in.
The New England Patriots drafted Ja'Lynn Polk early in the second round of the 2024 NFL Draft. Polk will have a great opportunity to make a splash with the Patriots in his rookie season. New England has a shockingly deep wide receiver room, but they lack players who can be a definitive WR1. Polk has the chance to capture that job if he can ball out in 2024.
Polk was a two-year starter at the University of Washington. He started 22 games in two seasons and logged 110 receptions for 1,853 receiving yards and 15 touchdowns. Polk boasts good size at 6'1″ 203lbs and has a knack for going up and getting the ball in contested situations. This is not the type of receiver you immediately think of when imagining the Patriots teams of recent years. It will be interesting see how the Patriots deploy Polk in their new-look offense.
Polk does not have much long-term competition on the roster either, which could put him in a safe position moving forward. Veterans like Kendrick Bourne, K.J. Osborn, and JuJu Smith-Schuster will all have their roles, but none of them are part of the team's long-term vision. DeMario Douglas is the only other wide receiver who seems firmly linked to the team's future. Fellow rookie Javon Baker will also have an opportunity to prove that he can become a valuable part of this rebuild.
Finally, we should talk about what “make or break” even means in this context. A successful 2024 season for the Patriots does not have to be winning the Super Bowl. Instead, the team could simply gel together and show flashes of a new identity. It also wouldn't hurt to see Drake Maye adjust to the NFL game and prove that he has the potential to be a franchise QB.
We can't wait to see the new-look Patriots in action later this fall!
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