New England owner Robert Kraft wasn’t happy with the Patriots’ showing in the 2022 NFL season, but he doesn’t blame the disappointing campaign on quarterback Mac Jones.

For 2023, Kraft thinks the team has made changes that will lead to a better season for the Patriots and Jones.

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“I was very disappointed the way our season went,” Kraft told reporters at the NFL’s annual meeting this week. “… My objective for our team is that we make the playoffs, because once you make the playoffs, anything can happen. But if you don’t, then your season ends in a way that doesn’t make me very happy. …

“I thought changes had to be made, and I think we made some moves and changes that I think give me personally some hope for the upcoming season.”

In 2021, New England made the playoffs with a 10-7 record as Jones started every game under center as a rookie. In 2022, the Patriots missed the playoffs when they lost their regular-season finale 35-23 to the Buffalo Bills to finish at 8-9.

An ankle injury caused Jones to miss three games and most of another in 2022. In his 13 full games, the former Alabama All-American averaged 6 more passing yards per game than he had in 2021, but his passer rating dropped from 92.5 as a rookie to 84.8 in his second season.

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“I’m a big fan of Mac,” Kraft said. “He came to us as a rookie. He quarterbacked in his rookie season and did a very fine job, I thought. We made the playoffs.

“I think we experimented with some things last year that frankly didn’t work when it came to him, in my opinion. I think we’ve made changes that I think put him in a good position to excel.

“Look, in the end, (coach) Bill (Belichick) is in charge of my football team and makes the decisions of who should start and who should play, and he’s done a pretty darn good job of it, when you think about it, for the last 24 years.”

The 2022 experiment came in the structure of the offensive staff.

When long-time offensive coordinator Josh McDaniels left last offseason to become the head coach of the Las Vegas Raiders, Belichick did not name a replacement.

Back on the New England staff after being fired as the head coach of the New York Giants, Joe Judge served as the quarterbacks coach, a position he’d never held previously.

A former defensive coordinator for the Patriots and head coach of the Detroit Lions, Matt Patricia served as the offensive-line coach and called the offensive plays for New England, a responsibility he’d never had previously.

Among the 32 NFL teams, the Patriots dropped from sixth in scoring in 2021 to 17th in 2022.

This offseason, Belichick hired former Patriots offensive coordinator Bill O’Brien for that position again. Since leaving New England, O’Brien had been the head coach for Penn State and the Houston Texans and the offensive coordinator for Alabama.

“For me, I see (Jones) as a very hard-working young man,” Kraft said. “He’s in the stadium almost every day now in the offseason. I think bringing in Bill O’Brien will work to his advantage. I’m very positive and hopeful about this upcoming year, and I personally am a big fan of Mac.”

Kraft said the change in the offensive coaching staff had been Belichick’s decision, but one the owner thought needed to be made.

“We had a discussion,” Kraft said, “and it was in Bill’s hands what he wanted to do. We talked about it, and he came up with a number of different people. Actually, Bill (O’Brien) was at the top of my list, so I was really happy — someone who’s been here.”

Kraft didn’t express any animosity toward Patricia.

“I think he got put in a difficult position,” Kraft said, “and I think it was sort of an experiment, and he worked very hard at it. In retrospect, I don’t think it was the right thing. And I feel bad for him because he’s such a hard worker. He got put in a difficult position.”

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Mark Inabinett is a sports reporter for Alabama Media Group. Follow him on Twitter at @AMarkG1.