The Patriots Current Shopping List For The 2022 Draft.

The Patriots have some holes and now is a good time to start making a shopping list. People might disagree but I'm going to list what areas or departments I would send the team to shop in come the draft. Now this could change with free agency but I'm not looking at free agency. I'm not looking at second hand, I am looking at new.

Before I start, let me say these positions are not going to be in any order. 

First up is receiving back. J.J. Taylor has been an after thought. Taylor played in six games in 2020 and this season he's only appeared five times. James White played in fifteen games in 2019 and was used in forty six percent of the snaps over that span. In 2020 over fourteen games he was only used in thirty eight percent of the snaps. Whites 29 and with this injury and the decrease in his snap use, there's a good chance he's going to be faded out. Brandon Bolden is having a good year but he's not getting the production the Patriots expected from White.

Stretch receiver is another area to watch. Currently the only stretch receiver the Patriots have is Nelson Agholor. I'm not saying the Patriots need to get a number one receiver, but a number two that can get separation and burn teams deep. The Patriots have plenty of Y and Z receivers. But against Buffalo it was clear that without Agholor that there was a need for a backup for Agholor.

Tackle is another need. Trent Brown and Isaiah Wynn have had down years. They have Onwenu but they need another tackle. They could also use an interior offensive linemen. Onwenu was supposed to be the starting guard and had to be pulled off the line. The team could also use depth incase Andrews goes down.

Nose tackle is another need. The Patriots are still a revolving door in the line. Barmore is a hell of a pass rusher and he's improving as a run stopper but he's not good enough and they're not getting the production from Godchaux that they thought they would get. 

Hightower is looking old and could be injured. The Patriots need a guy who can bring what he brings to the core. Hightower has lost some speed. I would convert him to end but the Patriots defense is surely going to need a solid middle linebacker that can play from side to side. Come up against the run and be able to cover.

The Patriots need a number two corner. J.C. Jackson is going to wanna get paid and he has to get paid. But the Patriots need someone to line up across from him. With the departure of Gilmore the Patriots have been shown that the depth is decent but not good enough to start. Especially with Johnathan Jones being injured.

The Patriots also need a free safety. D-Mac is currently 34 years old. Retirement has been a possibility and he could retire after the season. Having a reliable coverage guy in that spot is key to success in the league. At least for the Patriots and I do not think they have anyone on the depth chart that can replace him and I wouldn't sacrifice the play of the strong safeties for it.

Two other areas to keep an eye on are kicker and backup quarterback. Stidham will be entering his final year and Nick Folk is up there in age and his leg not what it used to be. I also would not be surprised if Belichick took punter Matt Ariaza. Ariaza has the ability to also kickoff and kick field goals. The only other names I am watching this up coming draft is quarterback Dustin Crum and running back Calvin Turner Jr.