Back to the Future: Predicted Patriots Decline Next 3 Years?

A panel of ESPN NFL experts projects the New England Patriots to be merely an average team over the next three seasons.

Bill Belichick may be entering this season on the proverbial coaching "hot seat," but according to a new projection by a panel of NFL experts the entire New England Patriots' team could soon go up in flames.

ESPN recently released its 2023 NFL Future Power Rankings, a rating of teams based on how well they are positioned for the next three years as far as coaching, front office, quarterback, drafting and overall roster. Many observers believe the Pats have slipped to the cellar of the AFC East, and this new projection shows them perhaps staying there for a while.

The Patriots were 13th in the 2022 future power rankings, but have now dipped to No. 16.

With the future Hall of Famer Belichick, ESPN ranked New England's coaching No. 7, even though speculation is that he might not be around much longer if the team doesn't win a playoff game this season. Belichick's stability in the front office - combined with savvy owner Robert Kraft - gives the Pats the 14th ranking in front  office.

Then it gets ugly, as they are ranked in the bottom half of the league in quarterback (17), draft (19) and overall roster (21).

Citing the team's biggest reason for future concern, ESPN's Louis Riddick says "(Bill) O'Brien might be the most important coordinator hire in the NFL for the 2023 season. He must get Mac Jones and this New England offense on the right track after an utterly embarrassing train wreck in 2022. Can he get it sorted out quickly enough, and does the offense have enough firepower overall to contend with the teams in their own division, let alone the rest of the conference, before ownership starts to consider a change at the very top?"

A coach in potential limbo. Mac Jones a below-average quarterback. And a mediocre roster void of any players selected in the first round of the draft from 2010-19.

Add it all up and the future doesn't look so bright for the Patriots. ESPN's overall "future" grade for the team is 79.6, ranking it 16th in the 32-team NFL.

The top three teams are the the Philadelphia Eagles (94.1), Kansas City Chiefs (93.4) and Cincinnati Bengals (91.0).

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