Can Patriots 2022 Draft Class Be Saved?

The New England Patriots' 2022 draft class was a big casualty of the summer's final roster cuts. Can it be saved as their second seasons loom?

One would be ill-advised to play the "Drink Every Time a New England Patriot Is Said to Be in Make-or-Break Year" game this season, lest they have the nearest hospital on speed dial (if such a concept still exists). 

The Patriots' next endeavors, which begin on Sunday against the Philadelphia Eagles (4:25 p.m. ET, CBS), will feature fewer contributions from their 2022 draft class than they'd like to admit: several entrants were part of their final camp cuts and those left behind have left something to be desired. 

As their second season looms, Patriots Country looks back on the 2022 class, who could've been had (within the immediate ensuing 10 picks), and how they can make things right ...

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OL Cole Strange, Chattanooga (1st round, 29th overall)

What Happened: Another pick that seemed to fulfill the implied Football Champion Subdivision standout mandate that seems to exist on New England lineups, Strange struggled after his immediate entry into the starting lineup and was benched on several occasions. He did impress well enough in the latter stages of the year to keep his starting job and stood as one of only two blockers (along with Mike Onwenu) to start all 17 games last year.

How to Fix It: One of the challenges of the revamped offensive coaching staff, starring coordinator Bill O'Brien and line coach (and three-time Patriots champion) Adrian Klemm will be to help Strange realize his true potential on a consistent basis. Strange isn't helped by the fact that some potentially elite playmakers went almost immediately after him, but calling him a bust after a handful of starts feels cruel. If he can open up some avenues for a run game that will be heavily relied upon this season, the Patriots will feel a whole lot better.

Could've Had: George Karlaftis (KC), Christian Watson (GB), Breece Hall (NYJ)

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WR Tyquan Thornton, Baylor (2nd round, 50th overall)

What Happened: Last year's second round yielded some potential-packed receiver talents, some of whom revealed themselves immediately while others required patience. Thornton is certainly in that latter category thanks to a collarbone injury but hints of his big play potential were sprinkled throughout the season. Alas, a shoulder issue has placed him on season-opening injured reserve.

How to Fix It: Labeling an oft-injured player a bust doesn't feel right and should perhaps spawn other conversations entirely. It's not fully fair to grade Thornton until that happens and the state of the Patriots' aerial situation hints that there's a chance to be patient until Thornton heals. 

Could've Had: George Pickens (PIT), Alec Pierce (IND), Skyy Moore (KC)

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CB Marcus Jones, Houston (3rd round, 85th overall)

What Happened: The Patriots might've found a late day two stud, is what happened, as Jones is easily the standout of the otherwise leaving-much-to-be-desired 2022 draft class. If the current NFL has its own version of Shohei Ohtani, Jones would perhaps be at or near the top of that silly shortlist, proving himself capable as a receiver, cornerback, and return specialist. 

How to Fix It: Barring injury, there's really not much to fix when it comes to Jones. New England will likely try to tone down his triple-threat exploits, he and the newest first-round pick, Christian Gonzalez, should form one of the more intriguing subplots of the Patriots' 2023 season 

Could've Had: Rachaad White (TB)

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DB Jack Jones, Arizona State (4th round, 121st overall)

What Happened: Jones had an admittedly decent season, one that saw him earn plenty of opportunities in the post-J.C. Jackson cornerback picture. He forced several turnovers, including a pick-six but, true to nearly every cursed draft class, Jones' issues seemed to linger off the field: charges for a June gun-related arrest were recently dropped, but he'll still have to rebuild trust with Patriots management after a bizarre suspension ended his rookie campaign.

How to Fix It: Redemption will have to wait: Jones will miss the first four games of the season due to a hamstring issue that put him on injured reserve. New England has apparent high hopes for him: they stuck by him while his name appeared on the NFL police blotters and he made himself into the de facto third starting cornerback. How he accomplishes that is up to him, but Jones will likely get his chance to re-establish a New England base.

Could've Had: N/A

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RB Pierre Strong Jr., South Dakota State (4th round, 127th overall)

What Happened: Another FCS stud, Strong had a chance to immediately establish a role for himself in the Patriots' run game thanks to Damien Harris' injury and departure. The Patriots kept him on the shelf for most of his opening season and but he failed to impress much over a fateful summer, earning just nine touches over the preseason trio. Strong is already gone but the Patriots were at least able to get something back for him, dealing the ex-Jackrabbit to Cleveland for Tyrone Wheatley Jr.

How to Fix It: Finding redemption in the post-Strong era is a two-pronged quest: every retained rusher from last season was made expendable by Ezekiel Elliott's arrival, a relatively low-risk ($3 million), high-reward situation. Even with his career in a supposed decline, Elliott was an infinitely better option than any of them. Now it's up to Wheatley, set to back up Trent Brown at left tackle, to help salvage the pick, which saw the Patriots pass on a potential catching weapon stationed at Lambeau.

Could've Had: Romeo Doubs (GB)

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QB Bailey Zappe, Western Kentucky (4th round, 137th overall)

What Happened: A college record-setter, Zappe's time as the Patriots' fan favorite is an increasingly distant memory. He briefly took over the starting quarterback role thanks to a Mac Jones injury and briefly kept the role after his healing but a brutal showing in prime time (not to mention a fumble-packed preseason) resigned the Patriots to another year of trying to make the Jones era work.

How to Fix It: Zappe was among the final cuts but was added to the practice squad shortly after. Even that spot was far from assured: he's joined on the group by Malik Cunningham, whose multi-faceted talents won the hearts and minds of New Englanders over the summer. Zappe's late summer rollercoaster came to a halt on Saturday, when he was granted the duties of Week 1 backup after the release of MAtt Corral. Honestly, there's an easy way for the concern over Zappe to vanish, but that mostly depends on Jones becoming the franchise quarterback that the Patriots envision him to be upon his own drafting in 2021.

Could've Had: Isaiah Likely (BAL), Cobie Durant (LAR), Chigoziem Okonkwo (TEN)

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RB Kevin Harris, South Carolina (6th round, 183rd overall)

What Happened: In this gridiron day and age, drafting two running backs, even on day three, was a curious move. Even with the departed (and unrelated) Damien Harris fighting injuries, Harris had trouble establishing himself in the crowded New England rushing room though he eventually gained trust over the tenured JJ Taylor.

How to Fix It: Harris is down but not out: he was part of the Patriots' final cuts but was retained on the practice squad while Strong was traded. Working with Elliott could help provide some balance to his career, especially if he intends to stay for only one season.

Could've Had: Malcolm Rodriguez (DET)

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DE Sam Roberts, Northwest Missouri State (6th round, 200th overall)

What Happened: One thing that stood out about Roberts ... other than, of course, his unheralded alma mater that followed in the footsteps of fellow Division II alum Kyle Dugger ... was his size, entering the league at 6-5, 295 lbs. He struggled to get in the 2022 gameday lineup but impressed well enough this preseason to earn himself a roster spot.

How to Fix It: Now comes the hard part: avoiding the inactive list. Showcasing his versatility on the defensive line would be a great way to do that, as Roberts can play on both the inside and outside. However much time in New England he has left, he'd be wise to glean as much as he can from names like Lawrence Guy and Deatrich Wise.  

Could've Had: N/A

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G Chasen Hines, LSU (6th round, 210th overall)

What Happened: Hines was acquired with one of the picks obtained in the Sony Michel trade with the Los Angeles Rams. The college football national champion and former Joe Burrow protector never played an official down in a Patriots jersey, placed on injured reserve in October and was one of the early departures in final camp cuts. To his credit, Hines almost immediately found work, as the Miami Dolphins put him on their practice squad. 

How to Fix It: The Patriots didn't miss out on much in the immediate sixth-round aftermath, so now it's up to the interior guys kept over Hines to justify the decision, a group that includes fresh interior picks like Jake Andrews and Atonio Mafi.   

Could've Had: N/A

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OL Andrew Stueber, Michigan (7th round, 245th overall)

What Happened: Another late-rounder who didn't take the field, Stueber at least managed to land back on the Patriots' practice squad, his career likewise sidelined for medical reasons (a lingering hamstring issues that ate up his entire senior season in Ann Arbor). 

How to Fix It: See above, as the Patriots also made draft adjustments on the outside (Calvin Anderson understudy Sidy Sow). That, of course, will depend on any lingering aftershocks from his devastating injury, one that has thrown a major wrench into his gridiron career.

Could've Had: Isiah Pacheco (KC), Trenton Gil (CHI)

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