Love is in the air on Valentine’s Day, and there’s plenty to love about the New England Patriots heading into the 2023 offseason.
No, they haven’t made the playoffs in two of their last three seasons, and depending on what happens over the next month, the roster could have more holes than Camp Green Lake.
The good news is the new version of the Patriots won’t be a weighted science experiment dropped off in the middle of the ocean. Bill O’Brien has returned to take the offensive coordinator reins from Matt Patricia, and the team should be able to get back to at least some semblance of normalcy.
But what players should you love for a potential 2023 breakout season?
Grab a fistful of candy hearts and uncork your favorite sparkling beverage. Here are the five players Patriots fans should be eyeing next season.
Christian Barmore
Injuries ruined what should have been a breakout year for Patriots defensive tackle Christian Barmore, who has all of the makings of a future star in the NFL.
He only played in 10 games in 2022 and came away with 23 tackles and 2.5 sacks. His size and athleticism is a handful to deal with for opposing offensive lines, and it’s going to get infinitely harder with the other talented defensive pieces already in place for the Patriots.
Wipe the previous season from memory because Barmore will be getting in the face of a lot of quarterbacks in 2023.
Jack Jones
Jack Jones reportedly had some disciplinary issues creep up near the end of the season, but there’s no denying the fact that he looked like a future playmaker in his rookie season with the Patriots.
He snagged his very first NFL interception from Green Bay Packers quarterback Aaron Rodgers. Does it really get any better than that?
Pick-6 for the rookie Jack Jones! @presidentjacc
📺: #NEvsGB on CBS
📱: Stream on NFL+ https://t.co/YPHqeLC4zg pic.twitter.com/OJItBVOmYW— NFL (@NFL) October 2, 2022
With Jonathan Jones a pending free agent and Jalen Mills constantly battling through injuries, the Patriots are in dire need for Jack Jones to step up and answer the challenge defensively. Considering what we saw from him in 2023, Jack Jones doesn’t seem like someone that would back down from a challenge.
Marcus Jones
Yes, I know this one was a no-brainer. So sue me!
Marcus Jones was just so good last season that there’s no reason he should be left off this list. He’s a defensive, special teams and offensive threat that scored at all three phases for the Patriots as a rookie.
I’d expect to see him get more defensive snaps in 2023, and the team will likely utilize him more in offensive situations as well. Imagine a defensive back trying to defend Jones on a go route. A foot race with the Patriots’ third-round draft pick could turn into a Sunday afternoon barbeque.
Tyquan Thornton
Don’t sleep on Tyquan Thornton.
Of course, it would be easy to do so considering he only posted 22 receptions for 247 yards and two touchdowns in his rookie season. But it’s hard to place all of the blame at his feet considering the poor play-calling and execution with the offensive coaching.
O’Brien’s arrival should do wonders for Thornton, who has shown the ability to create separation at the next level with his route-running. Another offseason of work coupled with a little bulking, hopefully, could set Thornton up for significant success in 2023.
Josh Uche
Expect 2023 to be a continuation of the latter-half of last season, when Patriots linebacker Josh Uche shot out of a cannon.
Matthew Judon made the comment that Uche was the Patriots’ best pass-rusher, and most thought it was nothing but mere lip service. And then Uche proved otherwise by finishing the year with 11.5 sacks, 27 tackles and two forced fumbles.
Next season could be the time when he really does overtake Judon, and the stats begin to reflect the lofty praise even more.
