The Patriots didn't do much in free agency and in the trade market to increase optimism in Foxboro for the 2022 NFL season.
The same can be said for New England's performance in last week's draft.
The Patriots made a total of 10 selections this year, headlined by arguably the most puzzling pick in the draft. New England probably reached for first-round guard Cole Strange, as well as second-round wide receiver Tyquan Thornton.
As such, the Patriots dropped four spots in Dan Hanzus' NFL power ranking. New England now sits 17th in wake of the draft.
"The Patriots' first-round selection of Chattanooga guard Cole Strange was deemed a significant reach by the draft community, but let's not act surprised when Strange is anchoring the interior of the New England line in 2030," Hanzus wrote for NFL.com. "Yes, we still respect the football acumen of The Hooded One. That said, the Pats feel shorthanded in the AFC's arms race. Trade acquisition DeVante Parker was a nice weapon to add to an underwhelming wide receiver room, but we would've liked to see the Pats get aggressive and land one of the Big Six wideouts that came off the board in the first round in Vegas."
Oddsmakers aren't very bullish about the 2022 Patriots either. New England currently is in the bottom tier of the league when it comes to shortest Super Bowl LVII odds at DraftKings Sportsbook.
