To be brutally honest about the 2022 New England Patriots, they were old and mediocre, which is a brutal combination.

They’ve improved in at least one of those areas this offseason, and we’ll see by the end of the 2023 season if they can hit on both.

The 2022 Patriots not only finished 8-9 and out of the postseason, they were also the second-oldest team based on Football Outsiders’ snap-weighted age.

The Patriots had the second-oldest offense, the 14th-oldest defense and the league's oldest special teams.

New England probably didn’t get significantly younger, if at all, on offense. Departing running back Damien Harris is older than his replacement, James Robinson, wide receiver Jakobi Meyers is the same age as his replacement, JuJu Smith-Schuster, and Jonnu Smith is the same age as his replacement, Mike Gesicki, but key players like Mac Jones, Rhamondre Stevenson, Hunter Henry and DeVante Parker also got a year older.

New England got significantly older at right tackle with Riley Reiff, 34, replacing Isaiah Wynn, 27. They have the potential to get younger if 2022 draft picks running back Pierre Strong and wide receiver Tyquan Thornton can play more snaps. Getting some key snaps from 2023 draft picks offensive linemen Jake Andrews, Sidy Sow and Atonio Mafi would also help lower the average age. Removing wide receiver Nelson Agholor, 29, also helps bring down the average age.

The key areas where New England will get younger are at defensive back and on special teams. Free safety Devin McCourty, 35, retired and creates a void at his position. But New England will lower their average age by replacing him with some combination of Jalen Mills, 29, Kyle Dugger, 27, Jabrill Peppers, 27, Adrian Phillips, 31, and Joshuah Bledsoe, 24. First-round pick Christian Gonzalez, 20, also could take on starting snaps at cornerback.

The Patriots should have rookies at both kicker and punter after drafting kicker Chad Ryland in the fourth round and punter Bryce Baringer in the sixth round. Special-teams ace Matthew Slater, 37, does still bring that average age up. Ryland, 23, and Baringer, 24, are potential replacements for Nick Folk, 38, and Jake Bailey, 25.

It’s unlikely that New England will suddenly become one of the youngest teams in the NFL unless Sow and rookie defenders Keion White and Marte Mapu can also take on a starting share of snaps. But with McCourty retired and Folk seemingly on his way out, the Patriots did remove two of the three oldest players on the 2022 roster from their team.

We’ll see if the changes they made can get them into the playoffs this season.

Featured image via Vincent Carchietta-USA TODAY Sports