Ten Things for Patriots Fans To Look Forward to in 2024

The optimism around the New England Patriots is not the same in 2024 as it was during the Belichick-Brady Era. New England is coming off a 4-13 season in 2023 and is projected to finish in the same ballpark this season. Furthermore, three of the players who were expected to excite Patriots fans this season will not take the field, at least to begin the year. Pro Bowl linebacker Matthew Judon got traded to the Atlanta Falcons, Christian Barmore will start the season inactive after his blood clot diagnosis, and rookie quarterback Drake Maye was passed over for the starting job in favor of Jacoby Brissett.

Despite the Patriots having the worst Super Bowl odds to begin the season, Week 1 games have yet to be played. And even if this campaign does not end in a seventh Lombardi Trophy for the franchise, there remains plenty to look forward to in 2024. Here are ten such things for Patriots Nation to eagerly anticipate in 2024:

New Coaching Staff

A lot of attention is given to the difficulty in replacing a legendary NFL quarterback. The New England Patriots find out first hand the challenges of replacing a legendary head coach in Bill Belichick. Mayo deals with the additional struggle of a new offensive coordinator in New England, Alex Van Pelt. The entire offensive staff turned over from a year ago, which is not necessarily a bad thing based on last season’s production, but difficult nonetheless. DeMarcus Covington enters his first season as an NFL defensive coordinator. The same goes for Jeremy Springer on special teams. Regardless of the win total in 2024, there should be a good feel for whether Mayo was the right man for the job by the season’s end. His staff is likely to experience some turnover, regardless of team success. The 2024 season might not be one with championship aspirations for many, but it will be one to evaluate all the people in the locker room, which begins with the coaching staff.

Newly-named New England Patriots head coach Jerod Mayo, left, and Patriots owner Robert Kraft shake hands Wednesday, Jan. 17, 2024, following an NFL football news conference, in Foxborough, Mass. Mayo succeeds Bill Belichick as the franchise’s 15th head coach. (AP Photo/Steven Senne)

Drake Maye’s NFL Debut

The future of the franchise begins the season as a backup to Jacoby Brissett. But it is unlikely the entire season goes by without Drake Maye seeing some NFL action. When that happens and the cause behind it remains unknown. However, those who saw Tom Brady take over for an injured Drew Bledsoe in 2001 still remember where they were when it happened. People won’t want to miss the beginning of Maye’s days in Foxboro either. The rookie showed enough in preseason to generate some genuine excitement for what lies ahead in his professional career.

First @NFL TD 👏@DrakeMaye2 | #NEPats

📺: @wbzsports pic.twitter.com/rDzGw6MwtI

— New England Patriots (@Patriots) August 16, 2024

Eliot Wolf’s First Rookie Class

Maye is not the only rookie beginning their NFL journey in Foxboro this season. New England enters the season with ten rookies on their 53-man roster. In addition to the team’s nine draft selections, UDFA Dell Pettus made the squad too. It is Eliot Wolf’s first year having the final say for a franchise. Thus, the rookie class reflects on Wolf’s first-year performance as well. WR Jay’Lynn Polk and OG Layden Robinson are the only players who appear in line to see a significant role in Week 1. But it is a long season, and all of these rookies could have a chance to make their presence felt by year’s end. Quarterback Joe Milton III seems the least likely of the rookies to see the field, though the same could have been said about Bailey Zappe in 2022, and by Week 4 he was starting.

New England Patriots wider receiver Ja’Lynn Polk steps on the field before an NFL football practice, Monday, May 20, 2024, in Foxborough, Mass. (AP Photo/Steven Senne)

DeMario Douglas

As a rookie in 2023, Douglas finished with 49 receptions for 561 yards. DeMario Douglas doubling his numbers from a year ago would not be surprising. The New England Patriots attempted to upgrade their wide receiver room over the offseason. They parted ways with DeVante Parker and JuJu Smith-Schuster. New England signed K.J. Osborn in free agency, then drafted Ja’Lynn Polk and Javon Baker. Douglas remains the Patriots’ most consistent option to get open and catch the football. This is especially true with Kendrick Bourne remaining sidelined to start the season. The probability of a major second-year leap for Douglas is high as long as he remains healthy.

DEMARIO DOUGLAS 🔥@popshotta3 | #ForeverNE

📺 on @NFLonCBS pic.twitter.com/l0iV4H7d1N

— New England Patriots (@Patriots) October 22, 2023

Offensive Line Jobs

New England remained undecided on their offensive line throughout training camp. With Week 1 approaching quickly, the starting unit remains a question mark in many regards. The team needs to determine which linemen are NFL starting-caliber players this year. Solidifying specific spots along the line would be beneficial as well. This allows Eliot Wolf to head into the 2025 offseason knowing the areas of need to address through free agency and the NFL Draft. While versatility is beneficial, building continuity and rapport along the offensive front would benefit the franchise in the long run.

New England Patriots guard Mike Onwenu blocks against the Washington Commanders during an NFL football game at Gillette Stadium, Sunday Nov. 5, 2023 in Foxborough, Mass. (Winslow Townson/AP Images for Panini)

Old School Football

During an era of high-flying offensive attacks, the New England Patriots go against the grain in many ways. They strive to be a run-first offense this season. This means trying to win the battle of time of possession and field position. Running back Rhamondre Stevenson plays a huge role in the success of this plan, as do the men blocking for him. And quarterbacks need to reduce the turnovers committed by their predecessors a year ago. But the defense needs to be just as stout as it was in 2023, perhaps even more so. It is a tall task following Matthew Judon’s departure and the absence of Christian Barmore, at least to start the season. New England’s special teams units need to help out here too, which means a significant upgrade in performance from the past several seasons.

Rhamondre Stevenson gives the Patriots the lead!

📺: #NEvsLV on FOX
📱: Stream on NFL+ https://t.co/SuNPv0yZ94 pic.twitter.com/xeiqlVf4CM

— NFL (@NFL) December 18, 2022

Christian Gonzalez

When the NFL Top 100 players were unveiled for 2024 no New England Patriots were listed. The player with best chance of making it onto the 2025 edition is cornerback Christian Gonzalez. The 2023 first-round pick got off to a great start in his NFL career, earning NFL Defensive Rookie of the Month last September. Unfortunately, his season ended after only four games. If Gonzalez picks up where he left off, he’s a potential Pro Bowl player this season. Gonzalez looked unspectacular in the preseason but it shouldn’t dampen enthusiasm for what he can accomplish once the regular season arrives.

Oregon CB Christian Gonzalez is headed to the Patriots as the No. 17 pick in the #NFLDraft pic.twitter.com/Ogu6sAMLht

— ESPN (@espn) April 28, 2023

Emergence of Core Players

Part of the “Packer Way” Eliot Wolf said he wanted to bring to New England was extending core players. Some players emerge every year to take on bigger roles and provide more production than what may have been expected. Several players did so in 2023, despite the team’s poor record. These included Christian Barmore, Jahlani Tavai, Anfernee Jennings, and Jabrill Peppers. All four received new contracts with the Patriots during the offseason, either in free agency (Jennings) or through contract extensions. Discovering who follows suit in 2024 will help determine the nucleus of the team moving forward.

New England Patriots linebacker Jahlani Tavai celebrates his interception during the first half of an NFL football game against the Las Vegas Raiders, Sunday, Oct. 15, 2023, in Las Vegas. (AP Photo/David Becker)

2025 Free Agents

New England had a number of potential 2025 NFL free agents heading into this past off-season. However, the team extended several core players in addition to trading away Judon. But more players expected to play pivotal rules in 2024 are headed into the final years of their contract before free agency. This list includes veterans Jonathan Jones, newcomer Chukwuma Okorafor, and Joshua Uche, who was retained on a one-year deal. Starting quarterback Jacoby Brissett is also slated to become an unrestricted free agent after the season. Players looking to solidify their next contract are worth keeping an eye on, in addition to players who could be in line for contract extensions in 2025.

New England Patriots linebacker Josh Uche (55) warms up prior to an NFL football game against the New Orleans Saints, Sunday, Oct. 8, 2023, in Foxborough, Mass. (AP Photo/Michael Dwyer)

Patriots Football Now Coverage

Does shameless self-promotion deserve to make the top ten list? Yes. Regardless of how the New England Patriots perform in 2024, Patriots Football Now will have it all covered. This includes results and analysis of games, opinions on everything happening inside team headquarters, and much more. From 2025 NFL Draft coverage to potential free agent signings, PFN will have everything needed to keep Patriots Nation updated on their favorite NFL franchise.

And no matter what anyone projects the 2024 New England Patriots to accomplish, there is a reason they still play the games. Stay tuned!