It’s the Fourth of July, a time to celebrate the birth of the United States of America. What better way to ring in the festivities on the NFL front than by centering focus on the New England Patriots, who were founded in Boston with a nickname directly inspired by the colonists who led the American Revolution against Britain in 1776?
Here are four bold predictions for the 2024 Patriots, in honor of the club’s ties to the summer holiday:
Drake Maye takes over as QB1 before midseason
Drake Maye
USATSI
Veteran Jacoby Brissett is the widespread favorite to open 2024 as the starting quarterback, giving new coach Jerod Mayo a proven hand with experience in offensive coordinator Alex Van Pelt’s system. Brissett has only played a full season once in his eight-year career, however, and New England has a gauntlet to start the year: at Bengals, vs. Seahawks, at Jets, at 49ers, vs. Dolphins, vs. Texans. At some point during that stretch, the rookie Maye should prove more appealing for his off-script tools, even if Brissett is the “safer” play.
Antonio Gibson
USATSI
For years the converted receiver was hyped as a potential dual-threat dynamo in Washington, only to cede carries to Brian Robinson Jr. Now in New England, he’ll still likely serve a complimentary role alongside the freshly paid Rhamondre Stevenson, who’s got his own pass-catching tools. But with Van Pelt in place as the offensive coordinator, Gibson has a real chance to become the Pats’ version of mid-career Kareem Hunt, deployed in the slot and across formations as a third-down outlet for Brissett and/or Maye.
K.J. Osborn emerges as the leading receiver
K.J. Osborn
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