On Monday, the 2023 iteration of the New England Patriots will take the field for the first time together for the team’s first OTA practice. It’s the first of 10 practice sessions over the next three weeks, which will be followed by three Mandatory Minicamp practices the second week in June.
UPDATE: The Patriots’ first OTA practice has been rescheduled to Wednesday, May 31.
Of those 13 practices, six will be open to the media – one OTA practice a week, and then the full Minicamp. That will give us at least a glimpse into where the Patriots roster stands heading into training camp.
New offensive identity
Spring practices last year were our first look at what would become the Matt Patricia offense – highlighted by a shift from a man-based blocking scheme to zone, among other key changes. For the second year in a row the Patriots will have a new offensive play-caller at the helm, and with it a new offense.![New offensive coordinator Bill O'Brien watches the quarterbacks work during practice. The Alabama Crimson Tide opened practice for the 2021 season as they prepare to defend the 2020 National Championship Friday, Aug. 6, 2021. [Staff Photo/Gary Cosby Jr.] Alabama First Practice](https://985thesportshub.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/88/2023/01/Bill-OBrien-Alabama-03-copy.jpg)
New offensive coordinator Bill O’Brien watches the quarterbacks work during practice. The Alabama Crimson Tide opened practice for the 2021 season as they prepare to defend the 2020 National Championship Friday, Aug. 6, 2021. (Tuscaloosa News/Gary Cosby Jr.)
What exactly that offense will look like remains unknown. Bill O’Brien certainly has historical tendencies and preferences, but how he’ll apply them to the Patriots’ roster is one of the early questions to answer with this team.
Will he add more RPOs? How will he structure the running game? How will the role of the slot receiver change with Juju Smith-Schuster replacing Jakobi Meyers? We should get a rough idea over the next few weeks.
Where do things stand between the coaching staff and Mac Jones?
MIAMI GARDENS, FLORIDA – SEPTEMBER 11: Head coach Bill Belichick and Mac Jones #10 look on during pregame at Hard Rock Stadium on September 11, 2022 in Miami Gardens, Florida. (Photo by Megan Briggs/Getty Images)
It was a long offseason of speculation about Mac Jones and the Patriots’ coaching staff – specifically Bill Belichick. From his end of season press conference on, Belichick was hesitant at best to commit to Jones, and for a stretch of media availability sessions didn’t even say the quarterback’s name.
Yet at the same time, the team did nothing to bring in any new competition for Jones, never mind replace him. The only quarterbacks added to the roster this offseason were long-time practice squad player Trace McSorley, and UDFA Malik Cunningham. As the team begins spring practices, Jones remains the team’s most experienced quarterback, with the only chance of a remote challenge coming from 2022 fourth-round pick Bailey Zappe.
Was this offseason all posturing from the coaching staff to get under Jones’ skin as a form of motivation? Or have they been setting up an in-house competition between him and Zappe. The distribution of reps this spring – not just the total number but who is working with the projected starters and how often, should give us an idea.
For what it’s worth, Jones seems to have gotten off to a strong start in the off-field portion of the offseason program. NFL insider Mike Giardi passed along rave reviews from both teammates and coaches last week.
Is Tyquan Thornton ready for a Year 2 jump?
FOXBOROUGH, MASSACHUSETTS – AUGUST 11: Tyquan Thornton #11 of the New England Patriots celebrates after scoring a touchdown during the preseason game between the New York Giants and the New England Patriots at Gillette Stadium on August 11, 2022 in Foxborough, Massachusetts. (Photo by Maddie Meyer/Getty Images)
Despite wide receiver being viewed as one of the Patriots’ biggest needs this offseason, the team made minimal moves at the position. They added Smith-Schuster, but that addition canceled out Meyers’ departure. Besides that, their only two other additions came via sixth-round draft picks Kayshon Boutte and Demario Douglas.
Given all of that, it seems like the Patriots’ plan for improving at wide receiver is through internal growth. And no player at the position is in a better spot to make a jump in 2023 than 2022 second-round pick Tyquan Thornton.
At the end of last season, Thornton told reporters he had a list of things he hoped to improve about his game including “route running; working on moving my arms throughout my routes, in and out of my breaks; working on contested catches.” Not only will any growth in those areas be something to watch for, but also where he’s at physically.
One of the biggest knocks on Thornton coming out of college was his size and play strength – he stands 6-foot-3 but was listed at just 181 pounds last year. Did he add more muscle to his frame, and if so will that added mass limit his elite movement ability?
Where are the tackles playing?
FOXBOROUGH, MASSACHUSETTS – SEPTEMBER 25: Trent Brown #77 of the New England Patriots lines up against the Baltimore Ravens at Gillette Stadium on September 25, 2022 in Foxborough, Massachusetts. (Photo by Maddie Meyer/Getty Images)
One of the biggest stories from spring practices last year was the tackle position. It was the first time we saw the side switch, with Trent Brown moving to left tackle and Isaiah Wynn flipping from left to right.
This year’s position battle at tackle will be a unique one. Of the four players viewed as the leaders to win starting jobs, three Brown, Riley Reiff, and Calvin Anderson have experience and the ability to play both left and right tackle (they’re joined by Conor McDermott, a pure right tackle).
It won’t be as simple as saying “it’s two or three players competing for one job.” Because of the positional versatility of the players involved, there are multiple permutations to get the best tackles on the field. By simply seeing which players are lining up at left tackle, which players are lining up at right tackle, and which players are moving around, we should get a much clearer picture of what the Patriots are planning at the position.
Marte Mapu’s position
Sacramento State linebacker Marte Mapu (Sacramento State Athletics)
The Patriots’ third-round selection of Sacramento State’s Marte Mapu is a bit of a Rorschach test of a draft pick at the moment. What any outside observer thinks of the pick depends on what kind of player they see Mapu as. Mapu sits well outside the mold of a Patriots’ typical draft pick, playing off-ball linebacker in college at 6-foot-3, 217 pounds.
For Mapu to succeed in New England, something has to give. Whether that’s Mapu changing his position to box safety or edge rusher, or changing his body type by adding mass to be able to play the more downhill style the Patriots typically look for in their linebackers, to the Patriots changing their philosophical approach to the linebacker position and adding a role to the defense similar to those played by guys like Fred Warner in San Francisco or Matt Milano in Buffalo.
Which way will they go? Seeing which positional groups Mapu is working out with, and where he’s lining up on the field over the next few weeks should give us an idea of what the team’s long-term plan for him is (assuming he’s back on the field after undergoing surgery for a shoulder injury he suffered while training for the NFL Combine).
Who takes over Devin McCourty’s old role?
Jan 1, 2023; Foxborough, Massachusetts, USA; New England Patriots safety Kyle Dugger (23) runs for a touchdown after intercepting the ball during the second half of agame against the Miami Dolphins at Gillette Stadium. Credit: Brian Fluharty-USA TODAY Sports
The Patriots have massive shoes to fill on the back end of their defense, following Devin McCourty’s retirement. After not adding any safeties in the offseason, it looks like that replacement will come in-house.
Replacing McCourty will not be a simple task, and likely be done in a number of ways. Kyle Dugger, Jonathan Jones, and Jalen Mills are all candidates to take single-high safety snaps, and all will probably rotate in that role to some extent. It would also make sense for the Patriots to go with more two-high looks, which could open opportunities for players like Jabrill Peppers and Myles Bryant to play deep.
Which look will we see the most this spring? That will be telling.
Special teams improvements
Special teams coordinator Cam Achord (left) welcomes an “extra set of eyes” on special teams this spring. (Photo by Ethan Miller/Getty Images)
The Patriots’ special teams units were a major liability at times in 2022. They’ve made big changes and invested significant resources in trying to change that in 2023.
At the top, special teams coordinator is now joined by Joe Judge on the staff. Judge comes over after being quarterbacks coach last year – he was a special teams coordinator during his first stint in New England.
In the draft, the Patriots used a fourth-round pick on kicker Chad Ryland and a sixth-round pick on punter Bryce Baringer. They’ll be competing against Nick Folk and Corliss Waitmann, respectively.
They upgraded their coverage players this offseason as well. Chris Board was signed in free agency, with Ameer Speed and Isaiah Bolden added late in the draft and Jourdan Heilig as a UDFA.
Attendance
The Patriots’ practice fields behind Gillette Stadium (Alex Barth/98.5 The Sports Hub)
While Minicamp is mandatory for all players, attendance at OTAs is optional (although contrary to popular belief, the ‘O’ in OTA stands for ‘organized’ team activities not ‘optional’). There are always a handful of players that end up skipping some, if not all, of the 10 optional sessions.
Players worth watching specifically for attendance are those who might be angling for contract extensions this offseason. Dugger, Michael Onwenu, and Josh Uche are all now eligible for new contracts, with their rookie deals expiring at the end of the 2023 season. Will they try to make a good impression by being at all 13 practices?
