It's the Fourth of July, a time to celebrate the birth of the United States of America. What better way to ring in the festivities on the NFL front than by centering focus on the New England Patriots, who were founded in Boston with a nickname directly inspired by the colonists who led the American Revolution against Britain in 1776?
Here are four bold predictions for the 2024 Patriots, in honor of the club's ties to the summer holiday:
Drake Maye takes over as QB1 before midseason
Veteran Jacoby Brissett is the widespread favorite to open 2024 as the starting quarterback, giving new coach Jerod Mayo a proven hand with experience in offensive coordinator Alex Van Pelt's system. Brissett has only played a full season once in his eight-year career, however, and New England has a gauntlet to start the year: at Bengals, vs. Seahawks, at Jets, at 49ers, vs. Dolphins, vs. Texans. At some point during that stretch, the rookie Maye should prove more appealing for his off-script tools, even if Brissett is the "safer" play.
Antonio Gibson becomes a go-to weapon
For years the converted receiver was hyped as a potential dual-threat dynamo in Washington, only to cede carries to Brian Robinson Jr. Now in New England, he'll still likely serve a complimentary role alongside the freshly paid Rhamondre Stevenson, who's got his own pass-catching tools. But with Van Pelt in place as the offensive coordinator, Gibson has a real chance to become the Pats' version of mid-career Kareem Hunt, deployed in the slot and across formations as a third-down outlet for Brissett and/or Maye.
K.J. Osborn emerges as the leading receiver
Who, you ask? Only the guy who topped 500 yards in three straight seasons playing behind Justin Jefferson in Minnesota. No, Osborn's numbers have never been gaudy, and neither his size (5-foot-11, 203 pounds) nor play style dictate a heavy majority of targets. Yet the Patriots are already poised to lean heavily on the run game, as well as the tight ends, leaving the versatile Osborn as the utility man New England hoped JuJu Smith-Schuster would be in 2023. The ex-Viking was well-respected for his do-it-all approach in Minnesota, which should carry over here.
Jerod Mayo oversees a top-10 defense
This might not seem crazy considering Mayo hails from that side of the ball, but consider also that New England is squarely in rebuild mode, and it'd be a major achievement if the 2024 Pats retain Bill Belichick-level stinginess on defense. The pieces are there if you squint: Keion White is primed for a step forward opposite a healthier Matt Judon off the edge, Kyle Dugger has emerged as a steady hand on the back end, and Christian Gonzalez has difference-making tools at corner. New England may not rack up the wins this year, but you can almost surely count on them keeping things chippy when the other team has the rock.
