The New England Patriots have plenty of questions entering the 2022 NFL campaign, and the recently-released “Madden NFL 23” ratings hit on one of them Thursday.
The Patriots, who watched No. 1 cornerback J.C. Jackson sign with the Los Angeles Chargers in free agency, enter the season with a mixture of veterans and unknowns at the position. And the “Madden” ratings, as they currently stand, don’t indicate it’s a highly-regarded group.
Jonathan Jones, the longest tenured Patriot cornerback, sits atop the list with an overall rating of 81 behind elite acceleration (95) and speed (93) measures. After Jonathan Jones, though, the Patriots have a number of average talents at the position, well, at least in the eyes of “Madden” graders.
Veteran Malcolm Butler returned to New England this offseason and has earned a grade of 78 overall in front of Jalen Mills (75), Terrance Mitchell (73), Joejuan Williams (72) and Myles Bryant (70). Rookie cornerbacks Marcus Jones (68) and Jack Jones (66), both of whom could be called into action, round out the group ahead of last season’s acquisition Shaun Wade (65).
Now, obviously, the ratings of a video game don’t directly correlate into how much success the group will have in the upcoming season. But, at the very least, it is indicative of New England’s uncertainty at the position. That’s what the Patriots are left with after trading former Defensive Player of the Year Stephon Gilmore, who has a 91 rating, while allowing Jackson, who has a 90 rating, to walk out the door.
There are 31 cornerbacks that rank higher than Jonathan Jones’ overall rating. And there are a number of teams — Miami Dolphins, Indianapolis Colts, Baltimore Ravens, etc. — who have two or more corners that rate above the Patriots’ top man. You can view the full list here.
Surely, the Patriots will be looking for those unknown pieces to develop into contributors and their current contributors to make their ratings look silly.
You can view additional Patriots-related “Madden” content on the receivers here, pass rushers here and running backs here.
The Patriots will start training camp Wednesday.
