In addition to those three, plenty of attention will be paid to Tyquan Thornton, a second-round pick in April. But in a league that’s increasingly moving toward 11 personnel with three wide receivers, the Pats will need all three to stay healthy and step up. Jakobi Meyers, the team’s leading receiver each of the past two seasons, returns, as does Kendrick Bourne. The Patriots haven’t had a 1,000-yard receiver since Julian Edelman and Tom Brady were still in Foxboro. How Parker plays could have a big impact on an offense in need of a boost at wide receiver. In search of pass-catching help for Jones, the Patriots acquired DeVante Parker from the Dolphins in April with the hope that he can get back to his 2019 form when he posted 72 receptions for 1,202 yards and nine touchdowns. But he and the Patriots know one year means little in this league, especially when you get spanked in the playoffs, so what he does in Year 2 will be massive. Jones’ first year indicated that he’s capable of being a franchise quarterback in the NFL. How will that impact his progress? Can he improve as a downfield passer? How is his decision-making? Those are all crucial questions to be answered. The Patriots will see Josh McDaniels for joint practices with his Raiders in a couple of weeks, but without him on the staff, Jones is working with a new crew and spending more time with Belichick. Of course, one of the big questions is whether anything will change for Jones with a new offensive coaching staff.

If the early reviews are any indication, quite a bit.Īccording to a number of players, Jones has taken on more of a leadership role throughout the early part of the offseason, and Belichick continues to praise his young quarterback. So what does he have in store for an encore? In what may have been a bit of a surprise, Jones - not Trevor Lawrence, Justin Fields, Zach Wilson or Trey Lance (all of whom were chosen before Jones) - was the NFL’s best rookie quarterback last season. So as I transition to the Pats beat after years of covering the Vikings, let’s break down what I’m most looking forward to following in New England.

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