Yes. We saw more long ball attempts last camp than we did last summer, for a number of reasons, not the least of which is that New England has more long ball players on the roster. Ja’Lynn Polk and Javon Baker were extremely competitive on long balls in camp. KJ Osborn can do a little bit of everything, including long balls. And while the passing game isn’t always successful, Tyquan Thornton is consistently able to break away from defensive backs, especially on long balls down the sideline. (That’s not even counting Jalen Reagor, who also had some good long passes over the course of camp.) I don’t think the Patriots will necessarily go all out, but they will attempt more passes down the field this season than they did last year.
Last year, Patriots games were just plain boring to watch. Do you think this year’s games could be more entertaining, even though their record is barely (if at all) better?
— Bob Wildman, Westwood
From that perspective, the 2024 Patriots won’t necessarily be electric, but they should still be more entertaining than last year, if only because they have some young players at the skill positions worth watching, like Polk and DeMario Douglas – the latter still has tremendous short-range quickness that he flashed once last season. The defense will allow them to be competitive for much of the season, and if they can improve the offensive tackle position, that’s the first step to building some traction on that side of the ball. But they’ll be more fun to watch than last year.
A team goal with a new quarterback is to adapt the offense to his strengths. What do you think are Maye’s strengths and how successful has the coaching staff been so far in achieving that goal?
—John Lima, Wilmington, Vermont
Really good question. It’s still relatively early in the process, but looking at camp, two things immediately come to mind. First, it’s clear that new offensive coordinator Alex Van Pelt wants to get all of his quarterbacks on the run with things like bootlegs. In my opinion, something like that takes advantage of Maye’s athleticism and speed really well. Second, something about Maye: In college, he was much more shotgun than under center. While he’ll have to play under center at the next level, the fact that he’s playing so much shotgun this summer is another sign that he’s playing to his strengths.
How long can Vederian Lowe last at left tackle and do you think the two rookies will become the best offensive linemen as the season progresses? I guess if they can’t beat this group, it’s a failure.
—Ed Liebfried, New Hampshire
Lowe, who has sat out the last few days with an oblique strain (per a league source), is still near the top of the order, but it was interesting to see Chukwuma Okorafor step in when Lowe was out later this week. In my opinion, if the coaches had the choice, they would let Okorafor take the job and stick it out. But so far in the summer, he hasn’t stood out from the rest of the group. Maybe that will change when the regular season starts? Some players can flip that switch when the real games start. With Okorafor, we’ll see. As for the rookies, I’ve been most impressed with the consistency of Caedan Wallace at the right tackle position. I think both he and guard Layden Robinson can develop into NFL-ready starters, but it will take some time for them to settle in.
Is there a lineman or tight end who could occasionally be used as a fullback to protect the quarterbacks?
— Joe Flynn, Mansfield
Joe, I had a long conversation with running backs coach Taylor Embree earlier this summer about the possibility of adding a fullback. Two things are notable: First, he says he wants to add a player to the roster, but he’s looking for the right one, hinting that he’d prefer a guy who’s already in the league but might not be available right now. (He wouldn’t say who that might be.) And second, in the meantime, he’s open to using both linebacker Jahlani Tavai (who made a cameo there for a few snaps last season) and tight end Jaheim Bell this year. Bell has some experience in the run game — he ran for 261 yards as a college player for South Carolina in 2022 — and has played fullback sporadically this summer. Two guys to watch until Embree finds his dream fullback.
How will the Patriots improve their offensive line? Will they make any moves before the regular season?
—Art Bobruff, Springfield, New Hampshire
That’s going to be the million-dollar question, Art. With Mike Onwenu at guard, the combination of Onwenu, David Andrews, and Sidy Sow is pretty solid on the interior. And you should see improvement when Cole Strange returns. But that doesn’t fix the tackle problems. They’ve looked at available players, but none of them will have a significant impact. A trade remains a possibility, but I don’t think they could get significant value in return. You can come up with ways to cover up deficiencies on the offensive line, including prioritizing getting the ball out quickly or getting the quarterback moving. But they’re going to have to find an answer sooner rather than later.
I’d like your opinion on the wide receiver corps. There is so much discussion about how low they are ranked, but most of them are rookies, have had injuries, or have barely been able to show what they can do on the field. We only have impressions from training camp, so what is this negative information based on? Can’t one or two of them show potential?
—Andrew Nemethy, Calais, Vermont
Much of the cynicism stems from uncertainty at the position. They’re a young group; by my estimation, four of the guys they’ll rely on starting (Polk, Baker, Thornton, and Douglas) have a combined 19 starts in the league. Osborn is solid, and veteran Kendrick Bourne is coming off a season-ending knee injury. The ceiling for this group is high, and there’s plenty of potential, especially with Polk. But even after seeing all of them (except Bourne) in action this summer, it’s still hard to say how ready they are for the NFL when talking about this season.
The pressure to bring Drake Maye into the team is excessive. Before he starts, the offensive line needs to be solidified and we will need one or two good receivers. Isn’t that a reason to wait until next year to bring Drake Maye into the team?
—Jim Deveau, South Carolina
It’s all connected, Jim. You’re right. You also want to make sure he’s really ready when you put him on the field. Taking the risk of him stumbling and then getting pulled could do irreparable damage to his development. But after what we saw from Maye last week, it’s clear he’s worth speeding up the transition process, if only a little. Ultimately, I believe Brissett will start the season as QB1, but by the end of the year, that will be Maye’s job.
There’s still $50 million left in salary cap space. I understand why investing in Judon isn’t a good idea for a 4-5 win team, but how about we get some tackle help? I’m not sure I’d pay Donovan Smith, but please let’s do something!
— Aaron Goldberg
The Patriots have done their due diligence in exploring the offensive tackle market, and I would be surprised if a tackle transfer doesn’t happen between now and the start of the season. As for Smith, I know New England hasn’t reached out to him, at least until a few days ago.
The selection of running backs seems very limited. Do you think they will look to the waiver list to sign a player?
— Rick Bethel, Peabody
Great minds, Rick. I was thinking about this the other day at practice. The Patriots are putting a lot on Rhamondre Stevenson’s shoulders this year. And while it looks like if he stays healthy he’s ready for a 1,000-yard season, they could use a changeup option. I was impressed with Antonio Gibson’s ability to be a dual threat this summer — he can run between the tackles but is slippery enough to find a role in the passing game. It will likely come down to whether they feel they have enough depth there with a combination of backs like Kevin Harris (who ran well between the tackles as a backup) and JaMycal Hasty (more of a threat in the passing game than anything else, in my opinion). If they don’t think either one has what it takes to be a regular contributor, I think they’ll try to find someone else.
Are there any players you think the Patriots could target via trade or free agency once the roster is finalized? Do you think the Patriots could take a hit on the salary cap?
— Donny, Natick
There will be a lot of movement between now and the start of the regular season, and given their needs, I’m sure the Patriots will be making a lot of calls. According to league sources, they have expressed interest in a few available offensive tackles, including Dennis Daley, who was recently released by the Cardinals. As for the salary cap, I don’t think there are any real candidates in that department since they signed so many players this offseason. JuJu Smith-Schuster might have been the leading candidate here, but they already dealt with that this summer.
Christopher Price can be reached at [email protected]. Follow him @cpriceglobe.
