The New England Patriots made a ton of roster changes last offseason, and for the most part these moves worked out pretty well.
They found a new starting quarterback by selecting Mac Jones with the No. 15 overall pick in the 2021 NFL Draft. They also found a stud defensive lineman in Christian Barmore (second round) and a future starting running back in Rhamondre Stevenson (fourth round) through the draft.
New England was busy in free agency, too, signing linebacker Matthew Judon, wide receivers Nelson Agholor and Kendrick Bourne, plus tight ends Hunter Henry and Jonnu Smith, among other players.
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But none of these guys listed above made Pro Football Focus' ranking of the top 101 graded NFL players for the 2021 season.
However, the Patriots did have five players make the cut. Here's a summary:
- 35. G Shaq Mason
- 71. CB JC Jackson
- 75. C David Andrews
- 84. G Michael Onwenu
- 90. S Adrian Phillips
The first takeaway is three offensive linemen on the list, which shows how much talent and depth the Patriots have on that unit. This group, as our Tom E. Curran laid out in a recent column, did a pretty good job protecting Jones and helping the rushing attack thrive.
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This PFF list also highlights a lack of high-end talent at the skill positions in New England, most notably at wide receiver.
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Stevenson and Damien Harris are a very good running back duo, and Henry had an excellent first season with nine touchdown receptions as the starting tight end. Bourne and Jakobi Meyers also had solid seasons, but the wide receiver group as a whole lacks a big-play, game-breaking threat. There's no true No. 1 wideout on the roster, and it's a weakness the Patriots must address through the draft or in free agency.
One concern with this list is Jackson could leave in the offseason as an unrestricted free agent. He's one of the few playmakers on the Patriots defense, and there's no other defensive back on the current roster capable of filling the No. 1 cornerback role. Replacing him would be quite challenging, to say the least.
The Patriots roster is in a much better place right now than it was at this time a year ago, but it still has plenty of issues for head coach Bill Belichick and his staff to fix before next season.