Patriots Training Camp 3 To Watch: Linebackers
FOXBORO — After looking a step too slow [and perhaps a bit long-in-the-tooth, at times] last season, the New England Patriots are ready to get faster on defense in 2022; particularly at linebacker.
Though the Pats headed into both free agency and the 2022 NFL Draft with clear need along the depth chart, the team chose not to prominently address the position.
Aside from trading for former Cleveland Browns linebacker Mack Wilson, New England was largely quiet in the linebacker market.
In terms of improvement at the position, the Pats preferred it to come from within the unit.
While looking outside of the organization is a smart strategy, few franchises value ‘promoting from within’ than the Patriots. After all, ‘next-man-up’ is practically part of the lexicon at One Patriots Place in Foxboro, Massachusetts. Fortunately for the Pats, some of their most versatile athletes, capable of infusing the velocity for which the team is searching, reside on their linebacker depth chart.
With the first Patriots set to report for training camp in less than two weeks, here are three Pats linebackers, which might catch a ‘sharp eye’ this summer.
Josh Uche
Despite being one of the most highly-touted Patriots' rookies in 2020, Uche’s 2021 season did not exactly live up to expectations. His placement on injured reserve in mid-November (resulting from an ankle injury) stalled a season in which he had been used sporadically. In eight games this season, Uche recorded three sacks, four quarterback hits, one fumble recovery and 12 tackles [four, for loss] as a rotational edge rusher.
Still, Uche has the speed, athleticism and system savvy to be a factor in the Patriots defense as an edge rusher or an off-the-ball linebacker. While it remains to be seen whether he will be used as a pass rush specialist or a true every-down move linebacker, he has the skillset to play on the line in the Patriots’ 5-1 looks as well as their 4-2 and 4-3 alignments and also move back if they run a more traditional 3-4. Uche will need to step up his game to earn a prominent spot in the Pats linebacking corps in 2022.
Cameron McGrone
New England once again dipped into the Michigan defensive well with McGrone’s selection in the fifth round of the 2021 NFL Draft. The 6-1, 234-pound linebacker has some upside, as well as the potential to be a three-down player. McGrone played in only 19 games with 15 starts at Michigan, which is a relatively small sample size for scouting purposes. However, he made his mark during the time he spent on the field. He finished his collegiate career with the Wolverines with 91 tackles, including 11 for loss, to go with four sacks and one forced fumble.
McGrone suffered a season-ending ACL injury versus Rutgers in November 2020. As a result, his draft stock plummeted. Still, his toughness and impressive range clearly made him worth the investment for New England. Despite not playing a down for the Pats in 2021, he is expected to add both speed and athleticism to the position for 2022, which for all intents and purposes will be his ‘rookie’ season.
Raekwon McMillan
One of the Pats biggest defensive struggles in 2021 was a lack of speed in executing their coverage assignments. It is this area in which McMillan may be able to thrive in the Pats defense. The former Miami Dolphin signed a one-year deal with the Patriots in March 2021. As such, he was expected to compete for a depth spot on the team’s linebacking corps. McMillain was enjoying a solid camp performance, routinely applying pressure to the quarterback and providing stout coverage in his assignments.
Despite entering the 2021 season with a significantly upgraded depth chart at linebacker, McMillan was making a strong case for a spot on the Patriots regular season roster. His ACL tear during training sadly ended his season before it started. However, McMillan has been impressive during OTAs and minicamp this far. As a result, he is expected to be in line for a roster spot in 2022.
