Matt Groh Reveals Post-Draft Assessment of Patriots Roster
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With the dust settling after one of the more unpredictable New England Patriots drafts in recent memory, it's still unclear if the team has truly improved. In a conference call with reporters after the NFL Draft, Patriots Director of Player Personnel Matt Groh emphasized that roster construction is still in progress.
'We're just in phase 1 here getting ready to start phase 2 and actually put the team together. Look, we're still putting the team together. We're still working through college free agents. We've been able to add some good undrafted college free agents here through the years, and we're working through that process right now. So to take the easy way out, that answer is yet to reveal itself. We'll keep working. We are going to continue to try and find ways to make this team better, so I think it would be very early to compare this team that is a work in progress to last year's team that played 17 regular season games and was fortunate enough and earned their way into the playoffs.'
Entering the draft, New England was tasked with finding replacements for multiple veteran players. Pursuing future substitutions for long-time New England players such as guards Shaq Mason and Ted Karras, and cornerbacks Stephon Gilmore and JC Jackson created the greatest voids on the roster.
The front office pushed to immediately replace Mason in the first round, drafting Cole Strange, a five-year starter from Chattanooga. Despite Strange being considered a reach in the first round, Bill Belichick's strong draft record with first-round offensive linemen such as Logan Mankins, Isaiah Wynn and Nate Solder presents a hopeful outlook on Strange's success in the league. Strange offers eye-popping athleticism with a relative athletic score of 9.95 out of 10, making him the 7th most athletic guard grade in Combine history out of 1,298 guards.
In addition, Strange has experience playing multiple positions on the line; a characteristic that Belichick values heavily, as has been seen with Wynn, Karras, and Michael Onwenu in the past. Other offensive line replacements such as sixth-round LSU guard Chasen Hines and seventh-round Michigan lineman Andrew Stueber offer athletic and versatile project players that could be developed into suitable stalwarts in the trenches.
With the Patriots needing help in the secondary, the front office turned to nickel corner Marcus Jones out of Houston and press-man cornerback Jack Jones from Arizona State. Marcus Jones, though only 5-8, offers breathtaking quickness and change-of-direction ability that especially shined in his ability to produce as a kick and punt returner at Houston, where he averaged 19.8 yards per punt return. Jack Jones, is a more prototypical outside corner that shined in man-to-man coverage at Arizona State. As a ballhawk, Jack Jones offers a similar archetype of corner to Jackson, who was the feature of a secondary that was second in the league in interceptions in 2021.
Though the New England front-office seemingly played a game of catch-up at the offensive line and cornerback positions, the team was able to add value compared to 2021 at wide receiver and running back. Offseason signing Devante Parker and second-round draft pick Tyquan Thornton look to add physicality and speed to the Patriots' aerial attack. Meanwhile, a crowded running back room with additional draftees Pierre Strong and Kevin Harris could provide a new dimension to the marriage between New England's pass and run game.
While the Patriots' draft has not been favorably looked upon by experts, the front office's 'shot-gun' approach has allowed him to address positions of need. The impact of the draft remains to be seen, but Groh's words are an indication that more is yet to come for this New England roster.
