Patriots quarterback Mac Jones should be better with Bill O’Brien running the offense, but that is a moot point with a substandard offensive line. George Walker IV/Associated Press
FOXBOROUGH, Mass — The Patriots went through cutdown day Tuesday. They constructed their practice squad on Wednesday.
So what are they left with? What’s the overall impression of the trimmed down 2023 roster?
I’d say it’s like looking at an empty canvas. It’s a team that’s somewhat nondescript thanks to a lack of game-breaking stars and elite talent.
But that was known well before 90 turned into 53. Plus an additional 16 on the practice squad.
More to the point, it’s just hard to wrap your head around what the Patriots are shooting for, what direction they’re headed based on the players that are still here and where the money is being spent. Because right now, they’re stuck in neutral. They’re not terrible, but they’re not especially good.
The Patriots are parked in the dreaded land of mediocrity. Meanwhile, their primary competition in the AFC East – Buffalo, Miami, New York Jets – all spent money to improve, and look more like contenders than Belichick’s crew.
Wiping out a good part of the 2022 draft class during cutdowns is part of the reason for their middling status. As it is, that class has only produced one starter (Cole Strange) to go with an All-Pro punt returner (Marcus Jones), as there are only five of the nine players selected remaining. More to the point, poor drafts in general is a significant cause of the team’s recent downfall.
Of course, parting with Tom Brady a little too soon is the single biggest contributor to the Patriots current state. He used to be able to elevate a mediocre roster. From what we’ve seen over the course of two seasons, Mac Jones isn’t capable of doing the same. But there’s more to it.
Whether it’s the quarterback position, or elsewhere, the Patriots still don’t have a defining trait, now four years removed from Brady.
Is Bill Belichick seriously thinking he can go back to yesteryear and bank on defense winning championships? Complemented by a ground and pound offense? Perhaps he hasn’t noticed – or refuses to recognize – that the signature for teams that win are high-powered offenses, featuring good-to-very good quarterbacks with star-studded arsenals.
On paper, the Patriots are tilted toward the side of the ball where Belichick has made his name as a coach. The gaps on the defensive side of the ball aren’t nearly as obvious as those on the offensive side, where desperation led him to haul in two new tackles and carry 11 linemen on the initial 53 because of how poor the line performed during camps and the preseason.
Seriously, should anyone feel good about all the roster mismanagement that went on that left them with one quarterback, two running backs, and two tight ends after cutdown day Tuesday?
Maybe it seems like it worked out with both Bailey Zappe and Malik Cunningham getting through waivers and signing on with the practice squad. Same with backs Ty Montgomery and Kevin Harris, and tight end Matt Sokol. But it also speaks volumes that half the quarterbacks, running backs and tight ends weren’t worthy of initially making the cut. They also went unclaimed, meaning no one else wanted them.
Moreover, if the defense doesn’t hold up as the team’s calling card, and still can’t tame the better quarterbacks and offenses in the league, does the arrival of Bill O’Brien instantly cure the offense and counter that?
No, not by a long shot.
They remain thin in too many areas on offense, and while the offensive line has been fortified in theory, it would be foolhardy to say Jones is going to live happily ever after playing in front of that line.
By cutting Zappe initially, that signaled they were putting all of their eggs in Jones’ basket.
Basically, it’s Jones’ offense, sink or swim.
While many players on that side of the ball – Mac included – have been buoyed by O’Brien’s arrival, and his vision for the offense, it’s all moot if the line can’t block. There’s no guarantee Trent Brown will stay engaged. There’s still no one set to play right tackle. And Cole Strange considers himself day-to-day.
Newcomers Mike Gesicki and JuJu Smith-Schuster have certainly drunk the Kool-aid when it comes to the potential of the offense and seem confident the group can perform above expectations.
“I love this offense. I’ve played in similar systems before. It’s been cool to get back into it,” Gesicki said Tuesday. “Coach O’Brien has been awesome. It’s been great dealing with him, and Will (Lawing) and the whole staff, honestly. It’s been cool, a lot of fun. Obviously, we’re getting closer to when it’s real. So it’s been fun, it’s been exciting and we’re going to continue to do what we can to put our best foot forward.”
Added Smith-Schuster: “I think we’re in a great spot right now. Collectively, as a group, we’re putting stuff together. I’m just excited to go out and play.”
Perhaps that blank canvas will ultimately find color, take shape and provide a clearer view of where the team is headed.
But for now, there isn’t much to hang your hat on.
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