Not much is expected of the New England Patriots heading into the 2024 NFL campaign. After they completely fell apart in 2023, with Mac Jones wilting away under center and Bill Belichick being cast to the side, the upcoming season offers an opportunity for the Patriots to take their first step towards reestablishing themselves as a perennial playoff contender.
The problem is that the result in 2024 could be fairly ugly. While New England's defense should remain one of the best units in the league, they have a completely new coaching staff that is being thrown into the fire right away, and an offense that is devoid of talent. As far as expectations come, this is the lowest they have been since the turn of the century.
And yet, there are reasons for optimism if you look at this team the right way. Sure, they almost certainly aren't going to be contending for a playoff spot, but that doesn't mean that all hope is lost for the future of this team. So with that in mind, let's check out three of the bigger reasons for optimism surrounding the Pats as they approach the 2024 campaign.
Jerod Mayo, new coaching staff set to bring in new ideas
It was clear heading into 2023 that Belichick's impact on the Patriots had begun to wane, and after they completely crumbled last season, it was time to move on from him. Shortly after the two sides parted ways, it was announced that former defensive coordinator Jerod Mayo would be the team's next head coach, and just like that, a new era of Patriots football was underway.
There's no doubt that Belichick is a football genius, but his methods of coaching and roster building had run their course. There's no shame in that; all great things must come to an end eventually. But rather than being fed up that the Belichick era is over, it's important to look at Mayo's tenure as a chance for this team to get on the right track.
Mayo is great at relating to this new generation of football players, and he has a strong group of coaches around him that will support his efforts to improve this team. It may not pan out, but it's important to not jump the gun when judging Mayo and this new group. Rebuilds take time, and in order for it to work, everyone needs to have patience with him and this new team. Some ideas will work, and some won't, but considering how last season played out, all new ideas should be welcome in Foxboro, MA.
Patriots defense should be one of the best units in the NFL
If there was one silver lining in New England last season, it was the performance of their defense. Despite the fact that they lost two of their top players in Matthew Judon and Christian Gonzalez early in the year to season-ending injuries, Belichick and Mayo pieced together this unit all year long, and they ended up keeping the Patriots in several games they really had no business being in.
The front office worked hard to keep many of the key players in town this offseason, and many familiar faces will be running the defense again in 2024. Whether they re-signed players like Josh Uche and Anfernee Jenninggs, or extended guys like Christian Barmore, Jahlani Tavai, and Kyle Dugger, Eliot Wolf and company made it their prime objective to keep this unit intact.
Add in the returns of Judon and Gonzalez, and this unit could be scary good in 2024. If they could have gotten any sort of help from their offense last season, New England is probably hovering around the .500 mark. And while the offense is a major question mark again, it's fair to assume that on defense, the Patriots will remain as stingy as ever.
Patriots believe they have found their quarterback of the future
The Patriots first attempt to replace Tom Brady didn't go too well with Jones, so now, they've moved onto Drake Maye. New England selected their new quarterback of the future with the third overall pick of the 2024 NFL Draft, and there's hope that he can eventually become their long term starter at the most important position of the game.
Anytime you draft a new, young quarterback, there's going to be some excitement surrounding him. Even with the fact that the plan may be for Maye to play sparingly as a rookie, how he develops behind the scenes will be exciting to watch. And honestly, given how things played out with Jones, allowing Maye time to find his bearings in the NFL is going to be objective number one for this coaching staff.
Even if the offense struggles in 2024, no clear judgements can be made about Maye given how his supporting cast may just be the worst in the NFL. But that's what rebuilding is about, and while it could take some time, that is the overarching silver lining for this unit in 2024. It may not be fun to watch, but if Maye can eventually turn himself into a star quarterback, it will all be worth it.
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