The New England Patriots' defense needs to be better in 2022. That's abundantly clear after New England gave up 27 or more points in three of its last four games of the 2021 regular season, then allowed the Buffalo Bills to score seven touchdowns on seven drives in a 47-17 AFC Wild Card Game rout.
But did the Patriots' defense get better on paper this offseason? The secondary lost top cornerback J.C. Jackson to free agency and replaced him with 32-year-old Malcolm Butler, while free-agent signings Terrence Mitchell and Jabrill Peppers and a pair of rookies (Marcus Jones and Jack Jones) join a group that's undergone significant change over the last two seasons.