The New England Patriots are looking to improve offensively, and some players can break out for the team in 2023. This isn’t expected to be an offense that puts up points like the Kansas City Chiefs, but there’s room for them to grow into a league-average group and multiple players who can make it a reality in 2023.
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Players to Watch (OFF): Bengals | Bills | Browns | Dolphins | Ravens | Steelers
Below, we’ll highlight three players on the Patriots’ offense that can stand out in 2023.
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Mac Jones, QB
We’re entering New England quarterback Mac Jones’s third year in the NFL, and this will be a very telling season for him in terms of his future in the league as a starting quarterback. Jones had a solid rookie campaign and helped lead the Patriots to the postseason, but he took a step back in 2022 by many people’s standards.
Jones has always been projected as a pocket passer with a lack of mobility, and it looks as though the Patriots have made the appropriate moves to help protect him. We’re not expecting Jones ever to be considered among the elite quarterbacks in the AFC. Still, he can be competent enough to be a starter and continue growing under Bill O’Brien’s offense, and we expect that and more to transpire in 2023.
Hunter Henry, TE
It feels somewhat peculiar to call a 28-year-old a potential breakout candidate for New England, but that’s precisely what we will do with tight end, Hunter Henry. The big tight end has had some solid seasons with the Los Angeles Chargers and Patriots, but he’s yet to establish himself as a threat offensively. In saying that, reports have been glowing about the connection between Jones and Henry in training camp. They highlight that he’s expected to play a more significant role than many expect in their passing attack in 2023.
Henry will not only prove to be a nice safety blanket for Jones but also establish himself as a big red zone target, which is an area they need to improve on. Henry might be older than a lot of potential breakout candidates, but the reasons he can succeed in 2023 are substantial.
Cole Strange, G
It’s no secret that Bill Belichick loves to build his teams in the trenches. The offensive line is an area the Patriots addressed in the 2022 NFL draft, selecting guard Cole Strange. There were ups and downs during his rookie campaign with the Patriots, but the fact that it ended positively leaves us bullish on him, making even more of an impact in 2023.
The potential has always been there for Strange, but when New England selected him in the first round last year, it was known that it would be a bit of a project and they’d need to take their time with this player. They’ve been able to do so, and although there still might be some growing pains in 2023, we expect him to continue developing and being an essential part of this group moving forward.
