Imagine a 2023 season where the New England Patriots didn’t plummet off a cliff. What if Bill Belichick put together one of the best draft classes in his 24 years with the team? Would he still be the head coach for the Patriots?
It’s something that’s fun to think about considering the multitude of options available to the legendary coach and de facto general manager in the 2023 NFL draft. The Patriots came away with 12 rookie picks in an effort to retool the roster.
They had just missed the playoffs the previous season, and Mac Jones went from being a Pro Bowl quarterback to being questioned as an NFL starter.
It was a disaster of epic proportions.
Unfortunately, Belichick’s solution was adding more defensive talent at the top of the draft board and throwing darts at offensive linemen and receivers late. There was no sense of urgency to fix the offense and surround Jones with the necessary talent to succeed.
Today, we will pretend Belichick got a do-over button and approached the draft with a more offensive-minded philosophy.
In this make-believe land, the Patriots wouldn’t have been an absolute dumpster fire and the greatest coach of all time would have kept his job. We’re keeping the draft day trades in place, but the pick choices are not all the same.
Here are the 2023 draft moves that would have kept Belichick in New England.
Jun 10, 2024; Foxborough, MA, USA; New England Patriots cornerback Christian Gonzalez (0) stretches before the start of minicamp at Gillette Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Eric Canha-USA TODAY Sports
Belichick knocked this one out of the park.
Christian Gonzalez looked like one of the best cornerbacks in the NFL in only four games as a rookie. He was so good that even Miami Dolphins All-Pro receiver Tyreek Hill was singing his praises after going head-to-head with him early in the season.
“I was able to go against their rookie. He’s real good,” Hill said on an episode of the “It Needed To Be Said” podcast, via the Vocal Podcast Network. “Very lengthy corner, had some real good technique and speed about him. So they’ve got some real good pieces over there in New England, man. So shout out to New England.”
It’s not often a rookie receives that kind of praise from one of the best receivers in the NFL. Gonzalez has superstar-level talent and potential.
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Green Bay Packers wide receiver Jayden Reed (11) celebrates the Packers’ victory over the Chicago Bears during their football game Sunday, January 7, 2024, at Lambeau Field in Green Bay, Wis. The Packers defeated the Bears 17-9.
Wm. Glasheen USA TODAY NETWORK-Wisconsin
Keion White was a solid draft pick, but at the same time, it didn’t make sense to be taking a defensive player in this spot. After getting Gonzalez, this is where Belichick should have shifted his focus back to the offensive side of the ball.
Former Michigan State wide receiver Jayden Reed would have been a great start toward retooling the offense. He emerged into an offensive playmaker right out of the gates for the Green Bay Packers with 64 receptions for 793 yards and eight touchdowns.
That production surpassed anything else the Patriots had on offense in 2023.
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Miami Dolphins running back De’Von Achane (28) breaks free for a 76-yard touchdown run against the New York Giants during the first half of an NFL game at Hard Rock Stadium in Miami Gardens, October 8, 2023.
The Patriots ended up signing Ezekiel Elliott later to pair with Rhamondre Stevenson, but they would have been better off going with a young, explosive playmaker like De’Von Achane.
That isn’t to suggest that Elliott wasn’t effective coming out of the backfield. Quite the contrary, the veteran rusher proved he could still carry the load on an offense after Stevenson went down with an injury.
But Achane is a home run threat with the ball in his hands. He would have also factored in as a receiving threat. He finished his rookie year in Miami with 800 rushing yards and eight touchdowns, along with 27 receptions for 197 yards and three touchdowns.
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Aug 17, 2023; Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA; Cleveland Browns offensive tackle Dawand Jones (74) against the Philadelphia Eagles at Lincoln Financial Field. Mandatory Credit: Eric Hartline-USA TODAY Sports
The Patriots’ offensive line continued to be a problem last season, mostly due to Belichick’s reliance on aged-out veterans to serve as the unit’s primary depth options. Trent Brown started off strong and then fell off later in the season, and Belichick experimented in moving starting guard Michael Onwenu to right tackle.
They could have given the unit a boost by drafting Ohio State’s Dawand Jones, who ended up starting in nine games and playing 87 percent of the offensive snaps in Cleveland.
Mac Jones certainly could have used the extra protection along the offensive front in a season where he looked more like a crash test dummy than a quarterback.
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FOXBOROUGH, MASSACHUSETTS – OCTOBER 22: New England Patriots guard Sidy Sow #62 warms up before the game against the Buffalo Bills at Gillette Stadium on October 22, 2023 in Foxborough, Massachusetts. (Photo by Maddie Meyer/Getty Images)
Sidy Sow was a solid value selection for the Patriots.
They needed to tighten things up on the interior portion of their offensive line, and Sow has tremendous upside at guard. The focus last season was leaning on the rushing attack and defense, while avoiding turning the ball over on offense.
Sow gives the Patriots a strong boost in both run and pass-blocking. He started in 13 games for the team last season, and that role is expected to continue in 2024.
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Jan 7, 2024; Santa Clara, California, USA; Los Angeles Rams wide receiver Puka Nacua (17) after the game against the San Francisco 49ers at Levi’s Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Sergio Estrada-USA TODAY Sports
Missing out on Puka Nacua probably stings the most for Patriots fans.
The former BYU standout was arguably the biggest steal of the entire draft for the Los Angeles Rams. He had an All-Pro rookie season with 105 receptions for 1,486 yards and six touchdowns.
It hurts even more considering the Patriots actually showed pre-draft interest in Nacua. Yet despite being one of the most receiver-needy teams in the league, the Patriots never made a move. Hitting on Nacua could have changed everything for the team offensively.
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May 12, 2023; Houston, TX, USA; Houston Texans outside linebacker Jarrett Patterson (68) stretches during rookie camp at the Methodist practice facility. Mandatory Credit: Thomas Shea-USA TODAY Sports
The Patriots are fortunate to have David Andrews for another season, but there will come a day when he’ll no longer be the starting center. He creeps closer to retirement every year, and people continue to underestimate his value to the team.
Jarrett Patterson stepped up immediately to anchor a Houston Texans offensive line with C.J. Stroud under center. He proved to be a real difference-maker for an offense that looked like night and day from what they were the previous year.
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Oct 29, 2023; Miami Gardens, Florida, USA; Miami Dolphins linebacker David Long Jr. (51) dives for New England Patriots wide receiver Demario Douglas (81) during the second half at Hard Rock Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jasen Vinlove-USA TODAY Sports
DeMario Douglas was one of the biggest steals of the 2023 NFL draft. Belichick has often been criticized for his inability to draft good receivers. Well, those critics had to pump the brakes after seeing Douglas in action.
His ability to shake defenders out of their cleats and feast on YAC with the ball in his hands wasn’t expected from a sixth-round draft pick out of Liberty. By the end of the season, Douglas was the Patriots’ best receiver on the field.
Teams even started double-teaming him at times. Respect doesn’t get much better than that in the NFL.
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Oct 22, 2023; Foxborough, Massachusetts, USA; New England Patriots punter Bryce Baringer (17) punts the ball during the first half against the Buffalo Bills at Gillette Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Bob DeChiara-USA TODAY Sports
Bryce Baringer was a Pro Bowl candidate as a rookie punter.
Some people aren’t typically a big fan of drafting punters and kickers, but the Patriots had a plethora of picks in their arsenal. They wisely chose to use one of them on the Michigan State specialist in the sixth round.
Baringer was a nice bounce-back pick for the Patriots after things went south with previous punter Jake Bailey.
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Dec 7, 2023; Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA; New England Patriots defensive back Alex Austin (28) on the sidelines in a game against the Pittsburgh Steelers at Acrisure Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Philip G. Pavely-USA TODAY Sports
The Bills must really be kicking themselves after letting cornerback Alex Austin walk out of the door. They waived him before the start of the season, and he was initially claimed off waivers by the Houston Texans, before being released and signed by the Patriots.
Austin made his mark immediately in Belichick’s defense and even got to play meaningful snaps with both Christian Gonzalez and Marcus Jones out with injuries. He made sure to punish the Bills for cutting him, too.
The Patriots liked what they saw in Austin enough to bring him back for another season. Even with the team significantly healthier than it was last year, he’ll likely still have a defensive role in 2024.
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Jun 10, 2024; Foxborough, MA, USA; New England Patriots cornerback Isaiah Bolden (29) stretches before the start of minicamp at Gillette Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Eric Canha-USA TODAY Sports
Isaiah Bolden’s biggest opportunity for contributions will likely come on special teams. Jerod Mayo called him a “special teams demon” over the spring.
Belichick had similar thoughts in mind when drafting the former Jackson State defensive back. Bolden could work in at cornerback, while also providing legitimate special teams value. This was a solid pick by Belichick in the seventh round for a player who should continue to find ways to contribute.
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Dec 10, 2023; Paradise, Nevada, USA; Las Vegas Raiders wide receiver Davante Adams (17) is tackled by Minnesota Vikings linebacker Ivan Pace Jr. (40) during the first quarter at Allegiant Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Stephen R. Sylvanie-USA TODAY Sports
Ivan Pace Jr. ultimately went undrafted, but that was obviously a mistake considering the stellar rookie season he had. The Patriots weren’t the only team who missed on the tackling machine out of Cincinnati.
Pace started in 11 games for the Minnesota Vikings and combined for 102 tackles, 2.5 sacks and one forced fumble. He was all over the field on defense.
It was an incredible find for Vikings general manager Kwesi Adofo-Mensah, and it didn’t even cost the team a draft pick.