Patriots Owner Robert Kraft: Only 'Hopeful' For 2023 Season; Why?
New England Patriots owner Robert Kraft admits his team's rookie class has an arduous, if not potentially lucrative, opportunity to make a sterling first impression. Long the kings of the AFC East, the Pats are now hopeful of being competitive in one of football's toughest divisions.
Predictions for the upcoming NFL campaign haven't been kind to the Patriots, who are projected by many to land in their division's cellar for the first time since 2000. Kraft believes the young arrivals will help keep the team afloat.
"I liked our draft this year and I hope that translates on the field," Kraft said in an interview with ESPN. "I think we have the most difficult division in the NFL, the best balance of teams ... all the other three teams are good. So, we'll have our challenges but I'm really hopeful about this team."
New England is coming off an eight-win season that denied them a chance to create a new playoff streak. The AFC East featured two teams fresh off postseason trips (champion Buffalo and runner-up Miami) while the perennial doormats, the New York Jets, have obtained rare optimism thanks to the arrival of MVP quarterback Aaron Rodgers.
But don't tell Kraft, who appears to be enthused by the reinforcements to a sold defensive group that carried water for a struggling offense: the Patriots used their first three selections on defenders, welcoming in Christian Gonzalez and Marte Mapu in the secondary, sandwiching the selection of front-seven man Keion White in round two.
No one can argue that New England doesn't have a difficult task ahead. But Kraft seems pleased with the way he has set the team up in both the present and future.
Geoff Magliocchetti is on Twitter @GeoffJMags
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