The New England Patriots returned to the playoffs after a one-year hiatus in 2020. Following the departure of Tom Brady, there was bound to be some regression. But it did not take long for head coach Bill Belichick and the Patriots to right the ship. They were the fifth team in the 2021 NFL Draft to take a quarterback, yet might have got the best one.

Quarterback Mac Jones had an outstanding rookie season. He almost set the NFL record for completion percentage for a rookie. The Patriots defense returned to form, finishing as one of the top units in the entire league. Despite all of that, it was made very clear that they were not on the same level as the division rival Buffalo Bills. The Bills hammered New England in the playoffs, scoring on every single offensive possession (first team in NFL history to accomplish that feat).

Needless to say, New England needs to make some adjustments. Here are my four bold predictions for the Patriots 2022 NFL offseason.

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4 Bold Predictions for the 2022 NFL Offseason

4. New England does NOT address need at WR

One of the more obvious takeaways from the Patriots 2021 season was that they lacked a wide receiver that can stretch the field. New England's receiving corps were made up of Jakobi Meyers, Nelson Agholor and Kendrick Bourne. Meyers proved to be a reliable, chain-mover. He has good hands and decent size, but lacks any big play upside. Both Agholor and Bourne have been WR3's throughout their career. They are nothing more.

As Mac Jones heads into his second season in the NFL, it would make sense for New England to go out and get him a bonafide threat on the outside. But if history has taught us anything about this franchise, it's that they will try to make due with what they have.

3. The Patriots let Dont'a Hightower walk

One of the biggest reasons New England's defense has been so stout the last bunch of seasons was the play of linebacker Dont'a Hightower. Hightower has spent his entire 10-year career with New England. He was drafted by the team in the first round of the 2012 NFL Draft.

Despite earning Pro Bowl honors twice and being named to the All-Pro team in 2016, his game took a step back this season. He posted only 64 tackles and one tackle for loss in 2021. He was out of place on numerous occasions. But the biggest determining factor as to why I believe he won't be in New England next year is his age. Next month, Hightower will turn 32 years old.

We have seen it many times before. Bill Belichick would rather get rid of a player one year too early than one year too late. Take Richard Seymour for example. After Belichick let him go, Seymour had one great year with the Raiders before falling off a cliff. The flip side of that is Chandler Jones, who is still balling years after leaving New England.

Hightower is an unrestricted free agent and will likely command close to $10 million per year to re-sign him. I don't think the Patriots will pay that.

2. New England signs a scat back to replace James White

Longtime New England Patriots running back James White is set to be an unrestricted free agent. Considering his age, usage and injury history, I don't believe the franchise will bring him back. But if you know anything about the Patriots, they need to always have a good pass-catching tailback in the backfield.

There are a lot of choices on the market. Jalen Richard, J.D. McKissic, Matt Breida and Chase Edmonds are among the bigger names that fit that bill. But Edmonds will likely re-sign with Arizona. Richard has a lot of mileage already and McKissic and Breida are even more injury-prone than White.

So, my guess out of a long line of free agent running backs would be Corey Clement. The former Dallas Cowboys and Philadelphia Eagles tailback would not cost very much. He is an excellent receiver out of the backfield. In case you don't remember, just watch.

I guarantee Patriots fans have not forgotten. I know I haven't.

1. New England signs Rodney McLeod

The Patriots stand to lose free safety Devin McCourty this offseason. He is an unrestricted free agent. There has even been some chatter that he might retire. In order for this defense to maintain its elite status, they will need to replace that level of production.

Free agents Tyrann Mathieu, Marcus Williams and Quandre Diggs likely will cost a lot more. But McLeod is every bit as good. He helped lead the Eagles secondary to become one of the best units in football in 2021. McLeod will likely cost about half of what it would take to sign Mathieu, but give you almost the same level of production. Bill Belichick is all about maximizing talent and efficiency. This fits both.