The New England Patriots are set to open their doors to reporters for voluntary team organized activities on Wednesday.
So it’ll be the first time the team peels back the curtains on the entire 2023 team with both veterans and rookies on the field together. It will also be the team’s first practice back since they were stripped of two OTA sessions for a scheduling violation.
This isn’t training camp, but that doesn’t mean things won’t get competitive during the workouts. Even without pads, players are already vying for on-field opportunities down the line, while also looking to improve overall as a team.
After missing the playoffs last season, the Patriots have a lot of work ahead of them with little time to do it. Here are five things to watch for at Wednesday’s OTAs session:
Potential early impact of rookie CB Christian Gonzalez
The main event in the eyes of many will be first-round draft pick Christian Gonzalez working against some of the veteran wideouts.
There’s hope that the former Oregon standout can make an immediate impact and potentially even start as the No. 1 cornerback on the depth chart. Gonzalez is already the Patriots’ most physically-gifted player at the position, which means he could find himself matched up with the opposition’s best receiver on a weekly basis.
But how soon will that be?
That all depends on Gonzalez’s development over the next few months. Can he get up to speed quickly enough to make an impact right out of the gates, or is this more of a slow burn progression that will reward the Patriots down the line?
Progression of Tyquan Thornton in Year 2
If the Patriots don’t make the splash signing for DeAndre Hopkins, they’ll need to see a significant leap from second-year receiver Tyquan Thornton.
The former 2022 second-round draft pick flashed potential last season, but it wasn’t enough to shrug off the fear that New England missed on another receiver. It would help seeing him more involved offensively and developing into a legitimate playmaker for the team.
He might not be the most physically-imposing receiver on the roster, but he’s long and has more than enough speed to put defensive backs on skates. There’s no more hiding behind the rookie label for Thornton in 2023. He’s a veteran with a full year under his belt.
That means we should see him take multiple steps forward this season.
What is going on at quarterback?
No, I’m not delving into any Mac Jones versus Bailey Zappe debates. Barring some unforeseen injury, Jones will be the Patriots’ starting quarterback when the season opens against the Philadelphia Eagles.
So we can go ahead and put that to rest.
Still, Zappe’s improvements in Year 2 will certainly be worth monitoring. I fully expect Jones to start and be the leading man under center, but if things go off the rails like last season, there could be an opportunity for Zappe to sneak back into the spotlight, especially if his talent arrow continues pointing upwards.
Malik Cunningham will be another player I’ll be watching on Wednesday. He brings a different element to the quarterback position than we’ve typically seen from the Patriots over the years. Not only can Cunningham get the job done with his arm, but he’s an explosive playmaker with the ball in his hands.
He’s undersized at the quarterback position, and there are still accuracy concerns. But there is some truly otherworldly potential for the undrafted rookie out of Louisville.
Did the Patriots hit on two sixth-round diamonds?
The Patriots passed on taking a receiver early in the draft, but they did roll the dice on a pair of sixth-round fliers in Kayshon Boutte and Demario Douglas.
Both rookies were two of the more fascinating players in the entire 2023 NFL draft, regardless of position. Boutte was believed to be one of the better receiving prospects in the country at one point, before his momentum was ultimately derailed by an ankle injury in college.
One would have to think he’d take the spot where he was drafted personally and attempt to prove all of the naysayers wrong. From strictly a talent perspective, Boutte has elite level potential as a playmaker.
Meanwhile, Douglas fits that Patriots mold of being a smart and reliable receiver that can get in and out of routes quickly. In due time, he has the potential to develop into that Julian Edelman, Danny Amendola and Wes Welker role for the team.
Early strides made under Bill O'Brien and Adrian Klemm
The offense should look significantly improved with Bill O’Brien handling the play-calling duties, while Adrian Klemm oversees the offensive line.
I’m not expecting an elite offensive unit to just burst onto the scene, but the Patriots should be more efficient and effective in their approach. There has been talk that the arrival of O’Brien has energized quarterback Mac Jones behind the scenes.
That’s the kind of thing you want to hear from the Patriots, following last season’s offensive train wreck. The make-up is truly there for a solid unit, but they’ll need great coaching to bring it out.
O’Brien has the experience to get the unit back on track, and Klemm should be good enough to get us all to finally stop bugging Dante Scarnecchia to come out of retirement.
