Welcome to 7 Patriots coaching camp questions!
Each day main as much as the beginning of camp, the Herald will discover one of many largest questions going through the Pats this summer time. Several pertain to the offense, which welcomed again Bill O’Brien this offseason and added JuJu Smith-Schuster and Mike Gesicki. Other questions cowl the protection and particular groups, models which may rely closely on rookies and should overcome the lack of longtime captain Devin McCourty.
Once the Patriots hit the observe subject, right here’s what they need to be taught earlier than the season kicks off versus Philadelphia on Sept. 10.
No. 7: Can Mac Jones return to kind?
No. 6: How will the Patriots substitute Devin McCourty?
No. 5: Who will make a Year 2 leap?
No. 4: Will the particular groups be fastened?
No. 3: Does the offense have sufficient at offensive sort out?
No. 2: Can Christian Gonzalez begin at cornerback?
The first time Patriots rookie cornerback Christian Gonzalez took the observe subject in entrance of reporters, he was proper the place a first-round decide belongs: thrust into the first-team protection with the staff’s common starters.
That was within the second week of Patriots organized staff actions practices after Gonzalez missed the staff’s first open session for undisclosed causes. In a perfect world, first-round picks are quick starters. But it’s not simply that the Patriots would love Gonzalez to begin, they could want him on their first-team protection this season.
There was extra latitude when Gonzalez was drafted. The Patriots had the choice to begin the three Jonses — Jonathan, Jack and Marcus — at cornerback, however issues have modified for the reason that offseason exercise program broke in mid-June. Jack Jones’ availability is up within the air attributable to his authorized standing — he faces 9 fees after firearms had been allegedly present in a carry-on bag at Logan Airport — so, a participant like Myles Bryant or Shaun Wade would want to step up if Gonzalez isn’t prepared and Jones can’t play. It should have been a reduction to Patriots defensive coaches that Gonzalez appeared like he belonged throughout these spring observe periods then.
If Gonzalez begins each sport for the Patriots this season, he’d be in fairly uncommon firm. Since Bill Belichick took over as head coach in 2000, solely seven rookies, 5 of whom had been first-round picks, began each common season sport: guards Logan Mankins and Cole Strange, linebacker Jerod Mayo, defensive again Devin McCourty and quarterback Mac Jones — all first-rounders — plus guard Joe Thuney and offensive lineman Mike Onwenu.
Starting nearly all of video games as a rookie has been a constructive indication for the way forward for Patriots first-round picks. Linebacker Dont’a HIghtower, defensive finish Chandler Jones, offensive sort out Nate Solder, defensive sort out Malcom Brown and defensive finish Richard Seymour all did it. Defensive sort out Vince Wilfork solely began six video games as a rookie however nonetheless went on to have a Patriots Hall of Fame profession, so it’s definitely not a tough and quick rule. Other gamers who began lower than half of the Patriots’ video games as rookies, together with vast receiver N’Keal Harry, defensive sort out Dominique Easley, working again Laurence Maroney and security Brandon Meriweather, didn’t fare as effectively.
So, it will likely be a great signal if Gonzalez can begin immediately and preserve that function in New England’s protection this season.
The 21-year-old cornerback has been praised by fellow defenders for his pace and smoothness in protection regardless of his 6-foot-2, 205-pound body.
“It’s pretty effortless just the way he does everything,” security Kyle Dugger throughout OTAs. “The way he moves in and out of breaks, he runs easy. It just looks very light, very fluid. It’s easy to see.”
Gonzalez began all 30 video games wherein he made appearances in school throughout his time break up between Colorado and Oregon. He let up simply 39 catches on 64 targets for 495 yards with three touchdowns, 4 interceptions and 6 cross breakups as a junior in 2022 at Oregon, vaulting him into Top 10 dialogue previous to the 2023 NFL Draft.
The rookie provides a component the Patriots sorely lacked with the dimensions, pace and size to match up with extra bodily receivers downfield. He wound up falling within the draft and the Patriots had been in a position to commerce down and nonetheless seize him. Immediately inserting a first-round decide into the beginning protection is the expectation, however it could nonetheless really feel like an enormous win and fill a significant want within the secondary.
Source: www.bostonherald.com