A five-step New England Patriots 2023 offseason plan

Even though the Pats didn’t manage to make it through to the playoffs this year, there are plenty of Super Bowl betting promotions to take your mind off of it until Belichick can get New England back to their winning ways. Coming off an 8-9 season, it’s a third-straight year around .500 with just one trip to the playoffs for New England. With a clearly defined power structure in the AFC becoming more and more defined during the playoffs, the Pats must figure out a way to first crack the bottom three playoff spots, which feature the Chargers, Dolphins and Ravens, before then tackling the next group, the AFC’s final four, Kansas City, Buffalo, Cincinnati and Jacksonville.

Here are five quick steps on how the Patriots should approach the offseason to re-emerge in the AFC.

1. Revamp the attack: With reports that the team will begin meeting with offensive coordinator candidates this week, it seems the Patriots are already focused on taking the most important step, installing a better offensive approach from a coaching and schematic standpoint. Many signs point to Bill O’Brien as being the best candidate given his experience in New England and some familiarity with Mac Jones. Regardless if it’s O’Brien or someone else, the team needs someone like Josh McDaniels to get their offense humming at a high level.
2. Reinforce Protection: With Isaiah Wynn due to hit free agency, the Patriots have at least one starting-level need at tackle and might even need two as Trent Brown enters the final year of his deal. The consistency from the tackle spots was spotty at best in 2022 and it’s a critical position of long-term stability. If the team can have confidence in their edge protectors the whole offense should benefit.
3. Repeat weapons search: Jakobi Meyers and Nelson Agholor are free agents so the team will also have some turnover at receiver position, another spot where a key addition or two could help elevate the attack. Can Tyquan Thornton take another step forward and be a consistent threat? DeVante Parker had quite a few flashes late in the year and is a player to build around, as the team should be aggressive in the draft to continue stacking speedy talent.
4. Real cover corner: Injuries hammered the Patriots cornerback depth this season, by the end they were on fumes, but that only highlights the need to restock the position as Jonathan Jones heads for free agency. The team has lacked a true number-one corner since Stephon Gilmore’s departure and the effects against the top receivers in the league have been obvious. Finding another number-one corner, whether in free agency or with a first-round pick seems like one of the most critical additions to the defense that needs to happen in the spring of 2023.
5. New leadership: With the potential retirements of Matthew Slater and Devin McCourty, the team could have significant role to fill on the field on defense and special teams, as well as inside the locker room, where the duo has been critically important with their experience and leadership. Finding a new identity post Slater and McCourty figures to be a significant storyline this season as the team continues to find themselves further away from their last Super Bowl title. Free safety could be a sneaky big need, while the team already found a gem on special teams in Brenden Schooler.