This season was always about development for the New England Patriots.
“We have to realize that we have to get better each and every day,” Patriots head coach Jerod Mayo said on Aug. 1. “Even when we go through the regular season, where we are Week 1 should not be where we are Week 8, and that’s the approach that we’re taking.”
With the Patriots on their Week 14 bye, it hasn’t played out like that.
Rookies (other than Drake Maye) have yet to truly contribute. Second-year players (other than Christian Gonzalez) have yet to take the vital second-year leap head coach Jerod Mayo has stressed. Have some younger Patriots players improved? Well, sure. But they’re not easy to identify.
That’s arguably the most concerning aspect of the pre-bye week season.
Maye, again, is an obvious one. The third overall pick is in a much different spot than he was in training camp. He’s not only showed eye-catching traits since his first start (Week 6), but he’s put the team on his back and elevated those around him. There was a lot made about Maye’s footwork during the pre-draft process, and offensive coordinator Alex Van Pelt has commended Maye for that improvement. The first-round rookie has showed off his intelligence by diagnosing and shredding blitzes. He never seems to get sped up.
That’s a huge win, no doubt.
Gonzalez has taken noticeable steps forward, too. The 2023 first-round pick was labeled a shutdown corner entering his second season despite the fact he played four games as a rookie. He’s undoubtedly lived up to those high expectations while locking down opposing top wideouts.
Beyond those two, however, the list is small. Maybe you can include second-year defender Keion White, but even White has struggled with consistency. Sophomore wideout DeMario Douglas has started to form a connection with Maye, but there’s no doubt he’s well short of expectations this season.
Meanwhile, the rookie class includes question mark after question mark. In what area has second-round wideout Ja’Lynn Polk developed? What about fourth-rounder Javon Baker, who rarely sees the field on offense? And then there’s third-rounder Caedan Wallace, who hasn’t been healthy enough to contribute. Remember when vice president of player personnel Eliot Wolf thought Wallace would be able to develop at left tackle this season? The early returns point to that being a no, as well.
Mayo has said New England’s young players will have more opportunities in the last four games. The Patriots need to see what they have entering the offseason, Mayo said.
They sure do. Because the vast majority have not shown any improvement the first three months of the season.
