5 things to watch for as Patriots enter a new era
FOXBORO, Mass. (WPRI) — The New England Patriots kick off their season this weekend, and with it comes the dawn of a new era.
When the team takes the field Sunday in Cincinnati, they'll be doing so under an almost fully revamped coaching staff, with a number of new players to boot.
The group will be looking to reignite the franchise after a dismal 4-13 season last year.
Kickoff is scheduled for 1 p.m. on WPRI 12.
Below are some things to watch for as the new season gets underway.
1. New coaching staff
Bill Belichick is gone, and his replacement has some gargantuan shoes to fill.
All eyes will be on Jerod Mayo as he begins his head coaching career in New England. At 38 years old, he's currently the youngest head coach in the league.
Mayo spent his entire eight-year playing career with the Patriots, which included two Super Bowl appearances and one win. He was then hired as a linebackers coach in 2019 before being promoted to head coach earlier this year.
Alongside Mayo will be a new supporting cast that includes new offensive coordinator Alex Van Pelt and newly promoted defensive coordinator DeMarcus Covington.
Dont'a Hightower, who played alongside Mayo, was hired as a linebackers coach following his retirement last year.
Fans may also notice a Belichick on the sideline, despite the departure of Bill and his son Steve. Bill's younger son Brian stuck around as a safeties coach.
2. New quarterback(s)
New England Patriots QBs Drake Maye and Jacoby Brissett drop back during a drill. (Photo by John Tlumacki/The Boston Globe via Getty Images)
Perhaps the most talked about change ahead of the upcoming season is who will be under center.
After putting an end to the Mac Jones era by trading him to the Jacksonville Jaguars, the team brought back veteran QB Jacoby Brissett and drafted Drake Maye out of UNC and Joe Milton III out of Tennessee.
Jones' backup, Bailey Zappe, was among the Patriots' preseason roster cuts.
Last week, the team announced Brissett will be the starter to give Maye more time to develop.
3. Potential breakout players
The Patriots are hoping to see some returns on their investments in the 2023 NFL Draft.
Their first-round pick, CB Christian Gonzalez, is set to make his return to the starting lineup. He earned that spot as a rookie last year and showed a lot of promise early on, even being named Defensive Rookie of the Month for September, until he suffered a season-ending labrum tear in early October.
Their second-round pick, Keion White, is also a breakout candidate this season. He's the "next man up" at defensive end following the trade of Matthew Judon to Atlanta.
On the offensive side, wide receivers Demario Douglas and Kayshon Boutte will have an opportunity to really make a name for themselves, along with newly drafted Washington product Ja'Lynn Polk.
4. Offensive line (issues)
The success of those receivers, and the offense as a whole, will really be dependent on the big men up front. Aside from center David Andrews, a lot of question marks are swirling around the New England's offensive line.
The New England Patriots offensive line during practice at Gillette Stadium. (Photo by Danielle Parhizkaran/The Boston Globe via Getty Images)
Dating back to last season, the Patriots have struggled to find consistency with that unit, mainly due to injuries and linemen having to play out of position.
Penalties were also a glaring issue during the preseason.
According to the team's latest injury report, guard Sidy Sow missed practice on Thursday with an ankle injury and tackle Vederian Lowe was limited due to an abdomen injury. It's unclear at this time if either will be able to start on Sunday.
5. Injuries
Along with Sow and Lowe, the injury report lists newly acquired RB Antonio Gibson and LB Joshua Uche as limited participants on Thursday, while CB Jonathan Jones, TE Hunter Henry and DE Deatrich Wise Jr. are among those who fully participated, despite reported injuries.
The Patriots will still be without fourth-year DT Christian Barmore, who's starting the season on the reserve/non-football injury list after he was diagnosed with blood clots over the summer.
WR Kendrick Bourne is on the physically unable to perform (PUP) list, so he'll also miss at least the first four weeks.
Given those absences and the previously mentioned personnel changes, the Patriots could be in for a rough-and-tumble start to the season. But no matter what, fans should be excited to witness the next step in the team's evolution as they work to rebuild from the bottom up.
The Game's on 12! Watch the Patriots take on the Bengals this Sunday, Sept. 8, at 1 p.m. on WPRI 12.
New England NationSundays at 11:30 a.m. on FOX ProvidenceJoin us for in-depth Patriots coverage, including exclusive insight and analysis, the latest headlines, interviews with the players and more.More Patriots coverage on WPRI.com »
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