Patriots training camp preview: Defensive storylines to follow

FOXBORO — The 2023 Patriots season is officially here, with veterans reporting to training camp on Tuesday. The new year starts with plenty of questions — and concern — on offense, but once again things are pretty positive on the defensive side of the ball.

The Patriots were one of the top defenses last season, thanks in large part to their ability to take the ball away from opponents. New England took the ball away 30 times in 2022, which was tied for the second-most in the NFL behind just the Dallas Cowboys and their 33 takeaways. 

The Patriots also sacked quarterbacks 54 times last season, tied for the third-most in the league. With Matthew Judon and Josh Uche (in a contract year) set to lead the charge again this season, and promising rookie Keion White potentially joining the pass-rush mix, New England should send plenty of QBs to the turf again in 2023.

The defense still carries its share of questions, including a Devin McCourty-sized hold when it comes to leadership. But the unit should once again be one of the better defenses in the league.

We tackled the biggest questions on offense on Monday, and today, we take aim on the defense. Here’s what we’ll be watching throughout training camp with the New England defense.

Who steps up for Devin McCourty?

The Patriots lost a lot of leadership in the secondary and on the defense as a whole when McCourty retired after 13 seasons with New England. It will be hard to replace it, but the Patriots have a handful of candidates.

Veterans Adrian Phillips, Kyle Dugger, and Jonathan Jones will be the voices that New England’s young corners turn to for guidance. As far as playmaking, Dugger is in line for a huge year as he heads into his fourth season and is playing for an extension. He’s gotten better every year of his career, and this year should be no different. Jalen Mills will also likely see some playing time at safety, unless the Pats get in a pinch at corner.

The New England secondary essentially lost its backbone when McCourty retired, but they have players that should be able to step up both on the field and in the locker room.

Is Christian Gonzalez the real deal?

The rookie is expected to take over as New England’s No. 1 corner, and many believe the 21-year-old is up to the task. He turned some heads in minicamp and will need to keep that going in training camp.

At 6-foot-2 and 205 pounds, Gonzalez is already one of the biggest corners on the roster. Along with that size, he’ll bring speed and explosiveness to the secondary. Mix that with his ability to bully potential pass-catchers, and the Patriots could have something special in Gonzalez.

It won’t be hard to see what kind of impact Gonzalez is going to have when camp kicks off, and especially when the team starts its preseason slate. There will be growing pains along the way, because that’s just how it goes at the cornerback position. But with several high-powered offenses on the schedule, the rookie will have plenty of opportunities to shine in the New England defense.

What’s the future hold for Jack Jones?

Will Gonzalez be lining up across from Jack Jones? That is a question nobody can answer at the moment.

Jones pleaded not guilty to gun charges stemming from an incident at Logan Airport in June and his next court date is set for Aug. 18, which is smack dab in the middle of New England’s preseason slate. We don’t know if Jones will be able to roam the secondary and build off a promising rookie season, or if he’ll be serving time. 

If he isn’t out there, it will really put New England’s depth at cornerback to the test. That might be something the team wants to test in camp. 

Will Mapu Madness live up to the hype?

Marte Mapu is a hybrid defender that Patriots fans have already fallen in love with. The third-round pick dominated minicamp and now we’ll get to see what he can do when everyone puts on their pads and starts laying some hits.

Mapu is going to be all over the field this season, and he’s going to be a lot of fun to watch.

Will Lawrence Guy show up?

Guy didn’t report to mandatory minicamp, reportedly over a contract issue. Will he be there when training camp kicks off?

He’s one of the biggest cogs on the defensive line and has been a leader of the group throughout his six years in New England. Chances are he and the team will work something out, but if not, Guy will be missed along the line.