5 burning questions facing Patriots heading into training camp

Patriots training camp kicks off next week, and there are many questions surrounding the team as it enters Year 1 of the Jerod Mayo era.

It’s the first time in nearly a quarter century that Bill Belichick will not be patrolling the Patriots’ sidelines.

New England is in the beginning stages of a rebuild with a new coach, new quarterback, and a newfound resolve to pay their homegrown talent.

Perhaps the biggest question of all is: How quickly will the Patriots be able to revamp one of the NFL’s worst offenses and start putting up enough points to win games?

There will be position battles, contract negotiations, rising stars and perhaps even a couple of surprise cuts. There will certainly be lots of intrigue as New England searches for the new Patriot Way.

So, here are 10 key questions that the Patriots face as they head into training camp.

Who will be the left tackle?

Whether it’s Drake Maye, Jacoby Brissett, or even Bailey Zappe under center, the Patriots need to figure out who is going to be responsible for protecting the quarterback’s blindside.

Trent Brown is gone after signing a 1-year deal with the Bengals, whom the Patriots will face in the regular-season opener.

The top option to replace Brown appears to be Chukwuma Okorafor, Patriots executive vice president of player personnel Eliot Wolf said in April. The 6-foot-6, 320-pound Okorafor started 59 games over six seasons with the Steelers primarily at right tackle, but was cut after rookie Broderick Jones emerged as a starter.

The Patriots also drafted a tackle, Caeden Wallace, in the third round. Sidy Sow started 13 games at guard as a rookie last year, so it’s not out of the question that Wallace could come in and compete for playing time. But, it remains to be seen how his game will translate to the next level.

Calvin Anderson played in two games last season and ended up missing the rest of the year after a bout with malaria. He says he is fully healthy and ready to compete this season. Vederian Lowe, who started eight games last year, also returns.

Is Drake Maye ready to be the guy?

Mayo said back in April that his legacy will be tied to whoever the Patriots took at No. 3 in the draft. That player is quarterback Drake Maye.

At 6-foot-4 and 225 pounds, Maye has size, athleticism, and a big arm, which are all things that the Patriots lacked at the quarterback position last year. There are also questions about whether his footwork and accuracy are up to par for this level.

Maye will have the opportunity to compete this summer, but offensive coordinator Alex Van Pelt already has familiarity with Jacoby Brissett, who started 11 games for the Browns in 2022.

Will the Patriots play Maye or be set with Brissett? That’s a big decision for this new coaching staff.

How will Christian Gonzalez look?

Gonzalez’s rookie season was promising, but short-lived.

He made 17 tackles, one sack, and one interception in four games before missing the remainder of the season with a torn labrum.

Gonzalez said back in May that he was healthy and ready to go, which means that training camp will be an opportuity to see how he looks heading into his second season.

Full-on contact with pads is hard to replicate, and Gonzalez’s last game action was last October. If he picks up where he left of last year, he’ll be a key piece to the secondary.

How will Matthew Judon’s contract situation play out?

Judon, who has made four of the last five Pro Bowls, has one year left on his contract.

The Patriots restructured his deal last season, bringing his guaranteed money from $2 million to $14 million. But, Judon played played in just four games last season after a torn biceps sidelined him.

Judon’s cap hit for this upcoming season will be $14.6 million, according to Spotrac. That number includes a $6.8 million signing bonus, a $6.5 million base salary, $1.1 million from agreement to restructure, and a $235,000 roster bonus.

Judon’s cap hit is the highest on the Patriots, but ranks 16th among edge rushers according to Spotrac. There are 10 edge rushers with cap hits higher than $20 million this season.

Greg Bedard of the Boston Sports Journal reported that Judon will not play for the Patriots under his current contract. However, Judon said during a recent episode of Felger and Mazz that letting his agents and the Patriots front office work things out.

Another kicker competition?

Chad Ryland had an awesome moment on Christmas Eve when he nailed a 56-yard field-goal to beat the Broncos.

But, he struggled during his rookie season, making 16 of his 25 field-goal attempts. He went 24-for-25 on extra points and made nine of his 11 field-goal attempts under 40 yards, but he also missed half of his attempts over 40 yards, prompting questions about his Patriots future.

New England brought in Joey Slye, who went 19-24 on field-goals last year, including 10-14 from 40 yards or longer, to compete for the job.