Cameron McGrone did a lot of watching during his rookie season in the NFL. He was watching film and watching practice. But he didn’t do a whole lot of playing football. The New England Patriots linebacker and 2021 fifth-round pick spent most of the year recovering from an ACL injury.
In one sense, McGrone is almost like a rookie, joining the 2022 class as an exciting new player with potential. But he’s arguably in an even better position than the rookies. He’s had a year to learn the playbook and acclimate to the NFL workload — and to the Patriots’ culture.
“I’m very excited,” McGrone told reporters on May 23 after the first day of OTAs. “There’s no nervous bone in my body.”
He added: “The time is now.”
It certainly is. New England made way for their young linebackers during the 2022 offseasons, so far electing not to retain Dont’a Hightower or Jamie Collins. The team also parted ways with Kyle Van Noy, who landed in L.A, and Chase Winovich, who landed with the Browns.
McGrone appears to be a part of the team’s plans at inside linebacker, where he’s in a position group with Ja’Whaun Bentley, Raekwan McMillan, Mack Wilson and Anfernee Jennings, among others.
“It definitely helped a lot spending all that time (during my rookie season) in the rooms with the older guys watching film and just learning there,” McGrone said. “And then to be able to put it on the field just for a couple weeks towards the end of the season was really good for me to just get my feet back wet and just get into it. So now, coming in with that knowledge, I’m just really excited.”
McGrone made an attempt to return from the physically unable to perform list, but lasted just a few weeks before returning to the PUP list for good in December. Defensive coaching assistant Steve Belichick said recently that, during that brief stint of practices, McGrone “really didn’t look in any sort of way out of place.”
“With my knee, there’s no problem,” McGrone said after Monday’s practice where he was a limited participant. “That’s a thing of the past. I’m just looking forward now.”
As for how he might contribute, McGron thinks his speed, a trait the defense sorely lacked in 2021 should be an asset this year.
“I definitely believe it’s my strong suit — speed,” McGrone said. “I think anywhere the ball is on the field, I can get there.”
