The struggles last season for the New England Patriots were very apparent. 

However, one former NFL general manager believes that "the Patriots' issues (aren't) complicated at all."

In an article for The Athletic, Randy Mueller identified the biggest concerns for each AFC East team this season. And his one for the Patriot should come as no surprise. 

Mueller believes there is one person who will make-or-break the Patriots season.

The answer: Mac Jones. 

"New offensive coordinator Bill O’Brien has gotten most of the attention, but for my money the Patriots’ fortunes fall directly on QB1 Mac Jones and their ability to keep him upright," Mueller wrote. "Last year’s experiment on offense with dual coordinators failed badly by anyone’s account. That being said, I don’t think it can get worse, so we should see a better version of Jones, who is playing for his job in New England."

The duo of Matt Patricia and Joe Judge leading the offense did not go as planned, with Jones showing a clear decline in Year 2. 

In his rookie season, Jones was the NFL’s top rookie quarterback in 2021 under the direction of former offensive coordinator Josh McDaniels. He had 352 completions for 3,801 yards and 22 touchdowns.

However, with McDaniels leaving to become head coach of the Las Vegas Raiders in 2022 and Patricia becoming the main play caller for the Patriots, Jones took a serious step back. He appeared in 14 games, having to sit out for an injury, and threw for 2,997 yards (288 completions) and 14 touchdowns.

So for Jones, he is looking to get back on track. 

And Mueller is all in favor for the Patriots adding DeAndre Hopkins to the roster, believing it will help the young quarterback. 

However, one thing the Patriots might be lacking is protection for Jones, with the quarterback being sacked 34 times last season. 

The Patriots made 10 selections in the 2023 NFL Draft, but Mueller explained why it might have been smarter to trade some of those away and gain a stronger offensive line so Jones has more time and "less chaos in the pocket."

New England has a lot to prove this season, with the AFC East being one of the toughest divisions in the league. 

"I’m just not sure New England has enough ammo to fight the fight in a loaded division," Mueller said. 

Let's see if they can prove Mueller wrong. 

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