Biggest Takeaways From On-Site Look At Patriots Training Camp
So I had the blessing of the day off from my day job. I took my talents to Gillette stadium and saw firsthand what the New England Patriots looked like on the first day open to the public.
My first thoughts have been organized and energetic. Everyone seemed on the same page and understood their role on the team and the organization, a massive step forward from last year's jumbled mess.
Bill O'Brien's Presence Is Felt
Last year, too many cooks were trying to make the Patriots' offensive sauce. They have been thrown out, and BoB is in there setting up the system and teaching the pass catchers the nuances of each route and play concept. I can see his influence even after watching such a small sample size. The Patriots lacked motion in their scheme last year, and their concepts seemed to clash or feel out of place.
From the first 7 on 7, the Patriots were flying around in pre-snap motion. They were using a lot of rub routes (ran correctly). Juju scored on one and clearouts to the right with the RB Ty Montgomery (more on him) later out to the left flat for easy scores. There weren't miles of separation, heck, the first pass Mac threw in drills got picked off by Dugger in the end zone, but the offense looked organized on time and ready to improve.
The other thing I noticed about the offensive sets is the player rotation is insane, they may not have a true number-one option, but they have enough solid players that can be mixed around to find mismatches. They won't be a significant statical outlier because all the pass catchers will be involved.
Juju's Energy Could Be Contagious To Patriots
Very few Patriots were as excited to get out there and play football as Juju Smith-Schuster, he came out of the locker room, and the 4000 in attendance went wild. I was hesitant after hearing how little time he and Mac had spent together and his recent absence at mini-camp, but he came out and looked to have as much energy physically as he did mentally.
He has fun, and he looks in shape. If he can stay healthy all season, he will be impactful for this team and Bill O Brien, but as I said earlier, The Patriots will have a chameleon attack. I think the energy Juju can bring will ignite the locker room to perform to New England standards. I miss Jakobi Meyers, but Juju will be a fantastic Patriot.
Ty Montgomery WILL Be A Factor In 2023
Despite playing in the second unit, Montgomery will assume the pass-catching role he was meant to inhabit last year. He looked fantastic. He worked out with the receivers and lined up with the running backs. He was the most consistent player on the field that I saw. His drills were precise, and he made a highlight reel TD catch where he took an interception away from the DB (I am blanking on the player). As a former Patriot would say, "He Got Mossed!"
The Patriots have been missing the James White type of player since he retired; that role has been the butter to the bread of their system. O'Brien understands the usefulness of receiving back. I think I will need to adjust his projections this year to reflect the type of player I watched on July 26th, 2023.
Gonzalez IS The CB1 On Stacked Defense
Wearing the number 50 jersey (A Belichick staple) and lining up on the left outside corner position with the first team, Christian Gonzalez was like glue to his man in the red zone, Hunter Henry got the best of him in zone coverage, but in his early limited work, he looked truly dangerous.
Dugger was up to his old tricks picking off Mac on the first 11 on 11 play. Even in the second unit Jack Jones looked healthy and ready to go mentally; if his legal situation is resolved, he should make an impact.
With Gonzalez and Dugger as the frontmen and the three Jones' backing them up makes for an active group of ball hawks and playmakers. What was an excellent Patriots defense last year will turn into an elite unit. He should be able to isolate and shut down the best of the best in the league.
End Of Rant
Both sides of the ball should be much improved in 2023, the defense got better pieces, and the offense has one consistent message and play-caller. However, the issue is that most other teams in the AFC, not just the AFC East, got more talented. The schedule is tough as nails, but I envision a much more watchable product and a 9-8 to 10-7 record with a chance to play in the wild-card weekend.
Who Will Have The Most Impact On New England This Year
0%Juju
0%Christian Gonzalez
0%Ty Montgomery
0%Bill O Brien
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