Patriots Surprisingly Viewed as AFC Contenders in Offseason Prediction Model

The New England Patriots have had a great offseason so far, adding plenty of key pieces with the huge amount of cap space they had entering the offseason. They added Milton Williams, Harold Landry, and Carlton Davis on defense, while adding Stefon Diggs, Morgan Moses, and Garrett Bradbury on offense, just to name a few.

More news: Top NFL Draft Prospect Will Campbell Calls Out Critics Over Arm Size, 'It's BS'

That has led the team to be widely considered as a much-improved team, especially on defense, but they could also be a greatly improved team on offense with a full season of Drake Maye at quarterback.

In a recent offseason analysis from The Athletic, they created an analytical model that showed how improved the Patriots actually were. Using expected points added as a measure, the team added the third most points this offseason according to the model.

With 28.9 expected points added, they sit well above numerous teams, including division rival New York Jets.

An interesting takeaway from this chart for the Patriots is how they have fared this offseason compared to their division rivals. The Jets are on the opposite end of the spectrum with a -51.5 expected points, while the Buffalo Bills and Miami Dolphins are a bit less negative at -20.0 and -11.6 respectively.

This raises an interesting debate about how good the Patriots actually are compared to the other teams in their division.

While the Bills are the obvious favorite for the division, it seems the Patriots' drastic improvements in free agency and new coaching staff could lead to an immediate turnaround.

With the Bills getting worse, the Patriots may even be able to challenge them for a division title. With two chances to beat them in the regular season, it is certainly possible.

The Dolphins are also heading in the wrong direction after an injury-riddled season last year. They could also challenge for the division title but don't seem to have the upside the Patriots have with all of their new pieces.

The Jets are fully reliant on Justin Fields currently, making their season a bit uncertain as of now. They could be picking even higher than the no. 7 pick next year.

With the no. 4 pick in the draft, if the Patriots can add a dynamic player, such as Travis Hunter or Abdul Carter, to the mix, they could be in for a winning season and a potential playoff spot.

With a bunch of new pieces in place across the organization with even more coming in April, anything seems possible for the Patriots next season, along as Drake Maye lives up to the hype.

More NFL news:

Grading the New England Patriots Signing of Stefon Diggs

Grading the New York Giants Signing of Russell Wilson

Russell Wilson to Giants Could Mean Aaron Rodgers is Heading to Steelers