Kyles: Patriots Defensive Roster Reset After Week 1 of Free Agency

The Patriots had one of the league’s best defenses last season, with a relentless pass rush complimented by a ball-hawking secondary that was sometimes a more reliable scoring threat than its offense. There is young potential grounded by reliable veterans at all levels, and the retention of possible Bill Belichick successor Jerod Mayo was an underrated move that should keep New England competitive for the forseeable future.

Bill Belichick and his front office knocked it out of the park on this side of the ball, re-signing nearly every player they envisioned in their 2023 plans. But Devin McCourty’s retirement has yet to be clearly addressed, and Jalen Mills’ release leaves them without a corner above 5’11”. There are also some shallow areas in the defensive front that must be addressed.

Here’s my breakdown of each defensive position group and their outlook at this stage of the offseason.

Interior Defensive Line

• Returning: Lawrence Guy, Davon Godchaux, Deatrich Wise Jr., Christian Barmore, Daniel Ekuale (re-signed), Carl Davis Jr. (re-signed), Sam Roberts, Jeremiah Pharms Jr.
• Could Still Use: Developmental defensive tackle

This is by far the deepest position on the Patriots’ roster. Guy and Godchaux may not be household names, but they’re two of the league’s best run-stoppers and do a solid job pushing the pocket as rushers. Though Wise Jr. is thought of as more of a 4-3 defensive end, he spends most snaps inside the tackles as a 3-4 DE on early downs and as a 3-technique on passing downs. He’s one of the team’s best rushers regardless of alignment and his commitment to bulking up for his interior role has led to improved run defense.

Barmore has the talent to be a premier defensive tackle, but he hasn’t been able to stay on the field and struggles against doubles on runs. With Barmore missing most of last season, Ekuale assumed most of his responsibilities as the team’s rotational 3-technique and pass-rushing nose tackle and performed admirably, prompting the team to bring him back for another season. Davis Jr. provides depth at nose tackle against the run, lining up over the center so Godchaux can bump over to defensive tackle for more 1-on-1 opportunities. Roberts is an explosive player with upside, but little experience against top competition, while fellow 2022 practice squad member Pharms Jr. could serve as additional depth at nose after spending a brief stint at offensive line during last season.

 

Edge Defender

• Returning: Matthew Judon, Josh Uche, Anfernee Jennings, Ronnie Perkins
• Could Still Use: Well-rounded, developmental outside linebacker

This is a top-heavy unit that needs more depth than most may realize. Judon earning his fourth consecutive Pro Bowl nod speaks for itself, but his productivity has fallen off at the end of the past two seasons due in part to a heavy workload. Wise Jr. can man the edge in certain packages with his elite length, but he doesn’t have the athleticism to contain athletic passers consistently. Last season Jennings excelled as a run defender, while Uche’s pass rushing prowess drew comparisons to Von Miller.

While both excelled in their primary roles,  neither has proven they can be every-down contributors and both will be free agents next offseason. Perkins has yet to play a regular season snap after being drafted out of Oklahoma in 2021. Most of the Patriots’ inside linebackers can also kick outside to defend the run, but they lack upside as edge rushers.

Inside Linebacker

• Returning: Ja’Whaun Bentley, Jahlani Tavai, Raekwon McMillan (re-signed), Mack Wilson Sr. (re-signed), Terez Hall
• Could Still Use: Athletic WILL who can blitz

Like Elandon Roberts before him, Bentley went from a thumper who could be picked on in coverage to a well-rounded difference-maker whoi plays to his strengths. The team’s primary MIKE also weares the green dot and commands New England’s’ front, adding to his value last season by showing proficiency as a blitzer. But like edge defender, this is a position without much every-down talent. Tavai and McMillan were disruptive against the run and flashed in coverage, but had significant lapses and struggled diagnosing plays. Wilson Sr. is an excellent athlete, but his lack of size and subpar recognition led to zero defensive snaps the final five weeks of the season. This spot could benefit from an athlete who excels in coverage and as a blitzer without being a liability versus run.

Cornerback

• Returning: Jonathan Jones (re-signed), Marcus Jones, Jack Jones, Shaun Wade, Quandre Mosely
• Losses/Unsigned: Jalen Mills (released), Myles Bryant* (tendered), Joejuan Williams
• Could Still Use: Boundary corner with size and/or length

Yes, the Patriots secondary struggled against the gauntlet of elite receivers they faced last season, but there’s something to be said for how often they were in position to contest the big receptions they gave up.

Jon Jones proved to be an excellent CB2 and slot after transitioning to the boundary after J.C. Jackson’s departure. But his lack of size proved to be an issue against receivers who complimented size with dominance at the catchpoint. Rookies Marcus and Jack Jones were impact starters after being thrust into big roles due to injury, and while there is obvious room for improvement, their arrows are pointing up. Restricted free agent Myles Bryant is a lightning rod for criticism, and his lack of top-end athleticism is an obvious liability against dynamic receivers, but he brings physicality, good awareness, and better tackling than he’s credited for.

When put in position to succeed, he’s a solid starter with versatility and above average football IQ. Williams is unlikely to return after not panning out as a 2019 2nd-round pick, and Wade allowed a touchdown and two additional coversoins in less than ten defensive snaps last season. If the Patriots sign former Raider Rock Ya-Sin or find a corner who can matchup with size in the draft, it could take their secondary from competitive to truly elite.

SAFETY

• Returning: Adrian Phillips, Kyle Dugger, Jabrill Peppers (re-signed), Joshuah Bledsoe, Brad Hawkins
• Losses: Devin McCourty (retired)
• Could Still Use: Centerfield safety

The Patriots had one of the deepest and most versatile safety groups in the league last season, which will help soften the blow of Devin McCourty’s retirement. The team lacks an obvious successor at free safety, but McCourty recently mentioned his absence could play to New England’s benefit. Phillips is the likely successor as primary signal caller on the backend given his experience and intelligence. Dugger is too valuable in the box and against tight ends to play deep zones on a regular basis.

That said, his spectacular playmaking has overshadowed some concerning lapses in awareness and tackling.

Peppers gave Dugger a run for most violent hitter last season. He showed his trademark versatility by lining up everywhere from cloud corner to dime linebacker to deep safety. He should only build on a solid 2022 after earning more defensive snaps later in the season. Sophomore Joshuah Bledsoe showed promise in limited reps and recently drew praise for his work ethic and his preparation.