The New England Patriots are at a pivot point in their franchise’s history. Bill Belichick and the Patriots did not immediately bounce back from the departure of Tom Brady. New England had a so-so year with quarterback Cam Newton at the helm in 2020 and an improved season with Mac Jones in 2021. If those were the Patriots’ rebuilding years, then New England is at an exciting moment in its franchise. But there’s no guaranteeing those were the worst of it. It’s possible that 2022 ends up getting ugly for the Patriots. They did, after all, get worse this offseason — at least on paper — with the departure of top cornerback J.C. Jackson and a handful of veteran linebackers including Dont’a Hightower.
But somehow, Belichick’s teams are rarely defined by the amount of talent they have on paper. So we’ll watch and wait to see what this team has to offer in an AFC that’s insanely competitive and impressive.
Let’s dive into predictions for training camp.
