Ted Johnson reacts to Drake Maye and Hunter Henry, among others, defending the Patriots coaching staff during their postgame press conferences and explains why that’s a good sign for this team moving forward.
Morale in New England appears to be improving. But Keion White just offered a reminder that not every Patriots player is full of holiday cheer as the season nears its end.
The second-year defensive end spoke to MassLive's Karen Guregian on Thursday and voiced skepticism about his career in New England going forward.
"I’m going to try to get through these next two games, and then figure it out after that, and see where the cards may lie for my future,” White told Guregian.
When asked what exactly he meant by where his "cards may lie," White hinted at frustration with his lack of production this season.
"Just in general. In terms of everything," White replied. “I mean, anything is possible. It’s the NFL. Anything can happen year to year. It’s a production-based business. It is what it is. You just figure out where you go.
"… Something’s gotta change. That’s the way I feel at this point."
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White, the team's second-round pick (46th overall) out of Georgia Tech in the 2023 NFL Draft, appeared on his way to a breakout sophomore season when he racked up four sacks in the Patriots' first two games this season. He has just one sack in his most recent 13 games, however, and hasn't recorded a quarterback hit in his last four games, with just three solo tackles during that span.
"I feel like I’m not playing good run defense," White added. "It’s a multitude of reasons why. It’s an internal thing we need to figure out.
“I don’t think it’s just one thing. I think it’s a lot of things. First and foremost, it’s me. I need to improve me, and being on the same page with what the coaches want.
"But I think it’s a lot of other things as well. Without going too much into details, that’s how I feel.”
What exactly is bothering White is unclear, but at the very least, at sounds like he isn't on the same wavelength as his coaches -- particularly outside linebackers coach Drew Wilkins, who told Guregian he was unaware of any issue White has with New England's defensive scheme.
White's apparent frustration is an unfortunate development for a Patriots team that is trying to point the arrow forward near the end of a lost season. While New England has dealt with plenty of dysfunction this year, the team appeared to take a step in the right direction with a near-upset of the Buffalo Bills in Week 16 that inspired rookie quarterback Drake Maye to publicly endorse head coach Jerod Mayo and offensive coordinator Alex Van Pelt amid speculation about their future.
White's comments serve as a reality check, however. Even if he doesn't go anywhere this offseason -- White's rookie deal doesn't end until after the 2026 season -- the team needs to figure out how to get him back on track while determining if any of his teammates feel similarly about their standing with the team.
Winning ultimately cures all, so the sooner the Patriots can emerge from the NFL's basement, the better -- for all parties involved.
