The 2023 NFL season is a fresh start for every New England Patriots player, especially quarterback Mac Jones.
It's no secret that the 2022 campaign was a tough one for Jones. The 2021 first-round pick did not improve on his strong rookie season. He took a step back performance-wise and missed three games due to an ankle injury. The offensive coaching situation, highlighted by Matt Patricia calling plays and Joe Judge as the quarterbacks coach, was an absolute disaster.
There is reason for optimism going forward, though.
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A new offensive coordinator was hired in Bill O'Brien, and he wants Jones and the entire offense to start fresh.
"I think the big thing for us right now is everybody’s starting with a clean slate,” O'Brien told reporters Tuesday in his first media availability since being hired in January. "I think that every year’s different. I think this year is no different than any other year relative to each year in the NFL is different. So what you did in the past, whether it’s a player or a coach or anybody in the organization, really has no bearing on what happens moving forward.
"We just started (Monday), and we’re looking forward to having a good Phase 1 (of the offseason program) and then a good Phase 2 and then a good Phase 3. That’s kind of what it’s all about."
Having a real offensive coordinator like O'Brien should be an immense help for Jones.
O'Brien has enjoyed a lot of success as an offensive-minded coach in the NFL and in college. He has developed a lot of different quarterbacks into quality players. O'Brien, who was on the Patriots' staff from 2007 through 2011, also is very familiar with the team's culture and how head coach Bill Belichick runs the organization. This should help him make a seamless transition into the role he occupied in Foxboro in 2011 before departing for Penn State.
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There's too much talent on the Patriots offense for the unit to play as poorly as it did last season. Sure, there's a lack of high-end playmakers at the skill positions, and that should be addressed in the 2023 NFL Draft next month. But there's really good depth at running back and wide receiver. Hunter Henry is a productive tight end, too.
It all comes down to O'Brien's ability to put these guys in situations and roles where they can best succeed. And, of course, getting Jones back on track. New England ranked sixth in points scored during Jones' rookie season, and many of those same players are still on the roster.
It'll be a challenge for O'Brien, but he's far more capable of rising to the occasion than Patricia.