Not so long ago, the New England Patriots were the ruling force in the AFC, especially in the AFC East Division.
Bill Belichick had the Buffalo Bills, New York Jets, and Miami Dolphins in check, but those days are far behind them.
Tom Brady is no longer in town, Rob Gronkowski also walked away from the game, and their once-lockdown defense is somewhat beatable nowadays.
Regardless of that, and even though the rest of the division is now much-improved, team owner Robert Kraft still like their chances to compete in the AFC East in 2023:
“I liked our draft this year, and I hope that translates on the field,” Kraft said. “I know the guys are working very hard. I think we have the most difficult division in the NFL, the best balance of teams. All the other three teams are good. So we’ll have our challenges. But I’m really hopeful about this team.”
(ICYMI) Patriots owner Robert Kraft confident New England can compete in “most difficult division in the NFL” https://t.co/cqZBLF5A35 pic.twitter.com/kfPHr0XrQB
— Around The NFL (@AroundTheNFL) June 10, 2023
Of course, it’s always nice to have some confidence in your team, and it’s not like he could’ve said anything different, but the reality is that they’re far behind the rest of the division.
The Miami Dolphins took a major step forward with Mike McDaniel last season, and Tua Tagovailoa thrived in that new offense, with Tyreek Hill and Jaylen Waddle wreaking havoc downfield.
The Buffalo Bills have been the best team in the division for years now, and they’ll continue to be a force to reckon with for as long as Josh Allen is out there and healthy.
The New York Jets put together an elite set of talent on both ends of the field, have arguably a top-5 defense in the league, and traded for that guy Aaron Rodgers, who’s supposed to be pretty good.
The Patriots, well, they have Bill Belichick, who should always give you a chance to compete, but that might not be enough anymore.
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Patriots WR Feels He Didn’t Give The Team His Best Effort In 2022
