Patriots Training Camp: 3 Crucial Questions

New England must answer three key questions if it is to have a successful training camp starting this week.

The New England Patriots relinquished control of the AFC East in 2020. Can they regain the crown this season?

That answer begins to take shape this week as the Pats commence training camp in Foxboro. While the division was robust with moves this offseason - the Buffalo Bills signed Von Miller, the Miami Dolphins traded for Tyreek Hill and the New York Jets enjoyed four of the top 36 picks in April's NFL Draft - New England was relatively quiet.

The Pats will get off to a limping start, with two veteran captains beginning camp on the PUP List.

While many expect them to take a step back in the second year of quarterback Mac Jones, CBS recently posed three questions that will be the key to their training camp:

1. Will Joe Judge or Matt Patricia call plays on offense? This has been the biggest question in New England since Josh McDaniels accepted the Raiders head coaching job. With Jones heading into a pivotal second year in the league, having a capable play caller is paramount to his development. While Bill Belichick could have a heavier hand in the offense, it seems like it'll be either Judge or Patricia holding the play sheet on game day. Neither choice particularly instill a ton of confidence given their prior histories on offense in their head coaching stops, but a clear masthead would make things streamlined for the second-year QB.
2.  Who is the passing down back? James White is still recovering from a hip injury that erased effectively all of his 2021 season, and it's no sure thing that he'll be ready to go when camp opens. Given that Brandon Bolden -- New England's most targeted running back last season -- departed in free agency, there is some uncertainty in what has been a massive piece to the Patriots offense. It's possible carryovers like Damien Harris, Rhamondre Stevenson, and J.J. Taylor could take on more targets, but another candidate could be rookie Pierre Strong Jr.. The South Dakota State back ran a 4.37-second 40-yard dash at the combine, which was the fastest at his position. 
3. Is there enough at corner? New England has seen quite the talent drain at corner over the past calendar year. Heading into camp last season, the team had J.C. Jackson and Stephon Gilmore atop the depth chart. Now, Gilmore has since been traded and recently signed with the Colts, while Jackson inked a monster deal with the Chargers. That leaves the Patriots with not a lot to work with as Malcolm Butler and Jalen Mills are the top two options on the outside. It's possible that rookie Jack Jones could factor into that conversation as well. That said, in a division that has Tyreek Hill and Stefon Diggs, the Patriots will need to be strong at this position to stand a chance.

The Patriots hold their first practice of training Wednesday in Foxboro.