Patriots 2023 Report Card Grades: Straight Fs?

Following the conclusion to a tumultuous season which brought about the end of the Bill Belichick era in Foxboro, Patriots Country has taken a position-by-position look at the New England Patriots 2023 performance.

As Ancient Roman philosopher Seneca (later to be modernized by ‘90s rockers Semisonic) once said, "Every new beginning comes from some other beginning's end." 

Since leaving the snow-covered Gillette Stadium field following their Week 18 loss to the New York Jets on Jan. 7, the Pats have ridden an emotional roller coaster which ultimately brought about the end of the Bill Belichick-era in New England.

Having concluded their campaign with a 4-13 record — their lowest total in Belichick's tenure — the Pats failed to qualify for the playoffs for the third time in the past four seasons. Accordingly, the Patriots chose to part ways with the legendary coach after 24 years with the club. Having contractually outlined a succession plan prior to the season, the Patriots quickly hired former inside linebackers coach Jerod Mayo as the 15th head coach in the franchise’s history.

Before fully moving forward into the Mayo era, the Patriots must evaluate their performance in all three phases of football during the season. New England finished the campaign ranked No. 32 in scoring offense, averaging 13.9 points per game, while managing only 27 touchdowns. Still, the Patriots' defense played at a surprisingly high level. New England entered the final week of the regular season ranked No. 6 in overall defense in the NFL and No. 4 in run defense, allowing only 93.2 rushing yards per game.

With changes to the roster, as well as the coaching staff, about to reach a fever pitch in the coming weeks, here is a retrospective look at the 2023 Patriots performance at each position, along with a grade for each group. 

The New England Patriots are ushering in a new era after another dismal finish in 2023 / Cred: ClutchPoints

QUARTERBACKS

While the hiring of Bill O’Brien as offensive coordinator was expected to bring about positive changes for the Pats’ quarterbacks, the renaissance never materialized. After starting 11 games this season, Mac Jones was displaced by Bailey Zappe as New England’s starter prior to the team’s Week 13 matchup with the Los Angeles Chargers. Jones finished the season having completed 224 passes for 2,120 yards, with 10 touchdowns and 12 interceptions. The Pats 2021 first-round (No. 15 overall) draft selection routinely exhibited an inability to make sound decisions when most-needed. His struggles led to a foundering of both his confidence and his mechanics — as well as his being benched in five of New England’s games. 

Though Zappe played with greater confidence and play-making ability down the stretch, he statistically did not fare much better than Jones. The second-year starter completed 63 percent of his passes for 1,272 yards, six touchdowns and nine interceptions. Heading into 2024, New England has neither a franchise quarterback, nor a serviceable 17-game starter on their roster. Accordingly, the team is likley to be active in their attempts to upgrade either though the NFL Draft, or free agency. 

Grade: D

RUNNING BACKS

Though a high-ankle sprain suffered in Week 13 would sideline him for the remainder of the season, top running back Rhamondre Stevenson finished the season with 619 yards and four touchdowns, while averaging four yards per attempt. He was also a notable contributor in the passing game, catching 38 passes for 238 yards. Despite the premature end to his season, Stevenson is expected to be fully ready to start team workouts in the spring. Veteran Ezekiel Elliott was a key addition, assuming the lead back duties in Stevenson’s absence. The former All-Pro performed well, leading the team in both rushing yards (642) and receptions (51). Second-year rusher Kevin Harris served as the team’s top reserve in the latter part of the season, occasionally flashing prowess in his downhill running style.  JaMycal Hasty, a late-season addition to the 53-man roster, was mostly a healthy scratch.

Grade: B

TIGHT ENDS

Despite missing the last three games of the season due to a knee injury, Hunter Henry made the most of his first turn as a team captain. The 29-year-old led the positional group with 42 catches for 419 yards and a team-leading six touchdowns. Mike Gesicki, who joined the Pats on a one-year deal prior to the season, fell short of expectations by logging only 29 catches for 244 yards and two touchdowns. The pleasant surprise in the unit was Pharaoh Brown, whose ability as a run game blocker complemented his surprisingly explosive big-play ability. In spite of their numerous troubles in the passing game, the Pats tight ends were among their most reliable ball catchers on the roster. 

Grade: B

WIDE RECEIVERS

Injuries clearly took their toll on the Patriots receivers room, as veterans Kendrick Bourne and JuJu Smith-Schuster both incurred season-ending injuries. At the time of suffering his torn ACL, Bourne was leading the team in 37 catches with 406 yards with four touchdowns. Still, New England’s breakout star at the position was rookie DeMario Douglas. The Liberty product’s speed and route-running prowess helped him lead the team with 561 receiving yards. Though veteran DeVante Parker occasionally demonstrated solid contested catch-ability, he struggled to remain consistent. Speedsters Jalen Reagor and Tyquan Thornton have shown flashes of their prowess, but will require greater experience to reach their full potential. Accordingly, New England should be searching for additional help at the position, primarily from a receiver who can consistently separate.

Grade: C

OFFENSIVE LINEMEN

New England’s offensive line was riddled with both injuries and inconsistent play for almost the entirety of the season. The team lost starters Cole Strange and Riley Reiff to season-ending injuries, while newcomer Vederian Lowe struggled in pass protection for much of the season. New England appears to have found a diamond in the rough in rookie guard Sidy Sow, who was among the top performers at his position this season. Though the line consistently struggled in both pass protection and opening lanes for the running game, tackles Trent Brown and Mike Onwenu routinely found themselves in position to seal the edges. Onwenu’s successful switch to right tackle was one of the few bright spots for a Pats o-line with its share of problems to solve for 2024 and beyond.

Grade: D

DEFENSIVE LINEMEN

While the Patriots experienced more struggle than success in 2023, their defensive line was one of the best of its kind in the NFL. Veterans Davon Godchaux and Lawrence Guy were instrumental in anchoring a stifling run defense, while team captain Deatrich Wise, Jr. showcased his proficiency in setting the edge. Christian Barmore’s ability to push the pocket made him a standout in pass defense; leading the team in sacks, while contributing six passes-defensed. Rookie Keion White plays with both fury and fortitude, raising his potential to become New England’s next five-technique player. With promising young players such as Sam Roberts and Jeremiah Pharms under contract, New England looks to be well-stocked along their defensive line for the upcoming season.

Grade: A-

LINEBACKERS

After suffering the devastating, season-ending loss of linebacker Matthew Judon to a torn biceps in Week 4, the Patriots received a boost from both Anfernee Jennings and Mack Wilson, Sr. Jennings led the team with 14 tackles for loss, while Wilson showcased the type of sideline-to-sideline speed and tackling ability which made him a standout for the Cleveland Browns during his rookie season. Jahlani Tavai earned his starting spot, finishing the season with 110 total tackles while also logging five passes-defensed. Lastly, team captain Ja’Whaun Bentley led all linebackers with 114 total tackles and 4.5 sacks. Whether soon-to-be free agent Josh Uche returns to New England, the unit performed at a high-enough level to be considered a position of strength in the upcoming season. 

Grade: B+

CORNERBACKS

New England’s secondary also sustained its share of injury woes in 2023, most notably losing rookie Christian Gonzalez to a torn labrum in Week 3. The No. 17 overall pick had earned 17 total tackles, three passes-defensed, one interception and a sack, while being credited with allowing only 11 catches on 20 targets for 124 yards and zero touchdowns. To help mitigate the loss, the Patriots reacquired veteran corner J.C. Jackson. However, Jackson had his share of both on-an-off field difficulties and was placed on the Non-Football Illness (NFI) list in late December. Amid the difficulties, cornerback Myles Bryant emerged as a reliable contributor and occasional playmaker from both the slot and the perimeter. Veteran Jonathan Jones fought through leg injuries for much of the season, yet still compiled 40 solo tackles and seven passes-defensed. 

Grade: C+

SAFETIES

At safety, Kyle Dugger and Jabrill Peppers formed one of the top defensive backfield tandems in the NFL, routinely leading the team in snaps taken on defense. Peppers put up Pro Bowl-worthy numbers, finishing the year with 78 total tackles, eight passes-defensed, one sack and one interception — as well as a forced fumble and a recovery. Dugger led all defensive backs with 109 total tackles, while also compiling seven passes-defensed, two interceptions and 1.5 sacks. Jalen Mills settles into the third spot along the depth chart, earning 45 total tackles and a forced fumble. 

Grade: B

SPECIAL TEAMS

Having the unorthodox distinction of starting rookies both at punter and kicker, New England completed its experiment to mixed results. First-year kicker Chad Ryland struggled with both distance and accuracy while making only 16 of 25 attempts. Bryce Baringer has been a welcomed addition, raking second in the NFL in punts with 98, along with an NFL-best 38 having been placed inside the opponents’ 20-yard-line. Though he occasionally struggled with missed tackles, Brendan Schooler was named as an NFLPA All Pro as a core special teamer. Lastly, after 16 seasons with the club, special teams captain and ace Matthew Slater is expected to retire, leaving a significant void in both on-field prowess and team leadership. In spite of the occasional flash of individual prowess, the group struggled mightily with ball security, positioning and committing undisciplined penalties.

Grade: D

Mayo Introduced as Patriots Head Coach: 'Ready to Kick Butt!'

COACHING

The Patriots 4-13 finish at the bottom of both the division and the conference was not likely the valediction for which Bill Belichick had hoped at the end of his tenure in New England. However, he was far from the only problem on the Pats’ sidelines. Having failed in his objective to resurrect the Pats offense, O’Brien will return to the college ranks next season, as Ohio State’s new offensive coordinator. New England’s offense was routinely ill-prepared for its assignments, primarily along the offensive line (coached by Adrian Klemm, who took a mid-season medial leave of absence) as well as their corps of receivers (under Troy Brown) in 2023. Special Teams coordinator Cam Achord once again presided over a unit which finished No. 28 overall in special teams DVOA, after finishing at 32 in 2022. New England’s defensive staff, including Mayo, outside linebackers coach Stephen Belichick and defensive line coach DeMarcus Covington performed remarkably well under the circumstances. Their showing — which individually would grade at a B+ — raised the overall grade for the failing grades on both offense and special teams.

Grade: C     

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