The Patriots and We

In a game that needs no further story lines, the Patriots will be taking on the Detroit Lions tomorrow night. The battle between mentor and student will be on center stage, and it’s about time we take a look into how it might go down.

How Do They Match Up?

Despite the Lions disappointing 0-2 start, there are a couple things that lend some degree of optimism to the team. Matthew Stafford is a legit NFL quarterback and consistently puts up big numbers for his team. Unfortunately for Lions fans the defense has not been as impressive in recent years. The Lions have given up 78 points so far this season which makes them ranked 31st overall in points allowed. With a frustrated Brady coming off an incredibly quiet showing in Jacksonville, the Lions could be in for a long night on defense.

The biggest concern for New England will be the injuries mounting on the defensive side of the football. With Chung, Flowers, and Rowe already being declared out the Patriots will need some of the lower depth chart guys to step up in a big way. A player to watch for the Lions is Kenny Golladay who is seemingly catching everything thrown his way and will likely be going up against Jason McCourty or JC Jackson during the game.

The Patriots are clearly the better team, but a slow start offensively and defensive play carrying over from the Jaguars game could make this contest a lot closer than it really should be.

Key Players

Sony Michel

If the Jacksonville game served as a warm up for the Patriots first round running back, this Sunday should be his coming out party. The Lions rank dead last in yards allowed to running backs. The Patriots will simply need to have a running game be a big part of their offense this season, especially with Edelman weeks away from returning and Josh Gordon still learning the offense. It’s possible Burkhead gets the nod as the lead back, but I think Josh McDaniels really wants to give Michel some opportunities to be the guy they thought he was.

Jason McCourty

With injuries to both Eric Rowe and Patrick Chung, Jason McCourty is likely to see additional playing time in the contest. If he plays second cornerback, he’ll be faced with containing Kenny Golladay which may develop into the true key match up of the night. If he has to fill in at safety he’ll be tested even further by playing a position he isn’t totally familiar with. There were a lot of high hopes when McCourty came to New England this offseason, but most of those hopes seem to have passed him by. Sunday night is a big opportunity for J-Mac to make an impact on the team.

 Dont’a Hightower

This really doesn’t have much to do with the way Hightower matches up with the Lions. Detroit doesn’t have much of a running game, and it’s not likely to be a major factor in the game. The fact of the matter is Hightower has been nonexistent at best so far this season, and a complete liability at worst. He’s a long standing staple of the defense, but it really has seemed like he’s taken a major step back so far. Perhaps he’s still not feeling 100% after his injury last season, but a highly productive Hightower would do wonders for a Patriots defense that is desperately looking for a star player to center itself around.

Injuries

The Lions injury report is as follows:

Out:

Andrew Donnal (OT)

Questionable:

Ezekiel Ansah (DE)

Eli Harold (LB)

Marvin Jones Jr (WR)

TJ Lang (OG)

Michael Roberts (TE)

Darius Slay (CB)

The Patriots injury report is as follows:

Out:

Jacob Hollister (TE)

Patrick Chung (S)

Trey Flowers (DE)

Eric Rowe (CB)

Questionable:

Marcus Cannon (OT)

Keion Crossen (CB)

Nate Ebner (S)

Josh Gordon (WR)

The Hollister injury comes as a bit of a surprise as it was evidently sustained in practice after a hard hit. The Patriots should be really hoping for Marcus Cannon’s return to the line as Waddle did not look good last week against the Jaguars. It’s of personal belief that providing Gordon is feeling good on Sunday night, he’ll be making his Patriots debut in a limited offensive package capability. 

Predictions:

This one is going to come down to the Patriots defense digging deep and coming up with a good rebound performance after making Blake Bortles look like the second coming of John Elway (I think I just threw up in my mouth a little with that comparison). Injuries could spell disaster for the Patriots, but this seems to be a real “come to Jesus” moment for the Pats, and it doesn’t hurt that the Lions seem to be on the verge of imploding as the locker room is seemingly turning on new head coach Matt Patricia. 

A healthy dose of Sony Michel and maybe a couple flashes from Josh Gordon will give the Patriots a fairly comfortable win in Motown.

Two titans of the AFC meet for a rematch of the AFC Championship. The Patriots will make the trip down to Florida to take on the 1-0 Jacksonville Jaguars. Let’s break down this marquee match up between two possible super bowl contenders.

How Do They Match Up?

On paper, Jacksonville is the more talented roster with a star studded defense and an emerging superstar at running back in Leonard Fournette. Pound-for-pound, the Jags are clearly the better team at this juncture on the hole, but pure talent is not the defining factor of an NFL team.

The Patriots schooled the Jaguars in coaching during the AFC Championship, and there’s no reason to think that will be any different on Sunday. Personally, I think Doug Marrone gets more criticism than he deserves, but he has made some truly head-scratching decisions in critical points of football games. Belichick will have his troops prepared for anything and everything, and I can’t say the same thing for Mr. Marrone. 

With injuries to running backs on both sides, the offenses of both teams are actually quite similar. The teams are thin at receiver (Edelman on suspension for the Pats, and Marquise Lee out for season for the Jaguars) and could both be without their workhorses at running back (Burkhead and Fournette). The key difference, however, is that the Patriots’ quarterback is Tom Brady and he’ll be throwing to Rob Gronkowski. I have much more faith in that duo than anything the Jaguars could even hope to produce. The flip-side of that statement, however, is that Tom Brady and company will be going up against a proven elite defense, and Bortles will be facing off against a largely unknown one.

Key Players

James White

It’s a broken record at this point, but yes, the New England Patriots are quite thin at the wide receiver position. Gronkowski can do a great deal to take the pressure off the wide outs, and Dorsett looked promising against Houston, but Brady needs a reliable target to help him out and there’s nobody more reliable than James White. Look for White to be heavily involved in the passing game and possibly even the running attack as he’s one of the most trusted players in the offense.

Ja’Whaun Bentley

Regardless of if Fournette sees significant playing time tomorrow, the Patriots primary goal on defense should be to shut down the running game. I don’t mean to dog pile on the guy, but Blakes Bortles is not a quarterback the Jags can rely on to make 30-40 throws a game. If the Patriots run defense can set up long third downs and force throws then it should be a huge positive in the effort to win the game. Bentley saw a ton of snaps in the week one contest against Houston, and the rookie fifth rounder will likely be heavily leaned on again to help shut down the run. As an aside, Dont’a Hightower’s status is quite the question mark. With Bentley seeing more snaps than him in the opening game one has to wonder what his current role with the team is.

Phillip Dorsett 

Everybody in the world knows Tom Brady wants to get the ball to Rob Gronkowski. Even with how great Gronk is, Brady will need other outlets to get the ball to. Personally, I’m fed up with Hogan’s lack of productivity and think he’s a sub-par receiver despite his current number one designation in the depth chart. Enter: Phillip Dorsett. I don’t think he’ll ever be able to live up the hype of being a first round wide receiver, but he can be good enough to give Brady an effective option to keep defenses guessing. The Jags are going to throw everything they have at Gronk, which means Tom might need to get it done in other ways. James White is one of these ways, and Dorsett needs to be the other.

Injuries

Oh boy, the injuries are already starting to pile up.

For the Patriots, Cannon and Crossen have already been declared out. Burkhead and Michel are both questionable. I think one of the two will have to be active, and due to Burkhead working through a concussion I think it’s finally time for Sony Michel to make his Patriots debut. 

The Jaguars only have one real injury, but it’s a huge one. Leonard Fournette was forced to exit the week one contest against the Giants with a hamstring injury. Despite not practicing all week, the Jags intend to test his availability on game day. Even if Fournette plays, I expect him to be limited and not as dominant as he typically is.

Predictions

This is an extremely difficult game to call. Who knows who the leading running back will be the Patriots (it could even be newcomer Kenjon Barner), and the new look Brian Flores-led defense certainly appeared strong against Houston, but will they be able to keep that up against a healthy quarterback this week? This is actually the closest game I can think of to predicting a Patriots loss, but I can’t bring myself to do that when it boils down to Tom Brady vs Blake Bortles and Bill Belichick vs Doug Marrone. The Patriots will be prepared, and I can’t say the same for the Jags.

The Patriots started off the season right with a 27-20 victory over the Houston Texans. Here are the three top performers, and the three factors that could see improvement as the season moves on.

Three Up

Rob Gronkowski

As it turns out, missing OTAs didn’t make Gronkowski look any less like his usual self.

Gronk hauled in seven passes for 123 yards and a touchdown as he continues to prove why he’s the most dominant single player in the National Football League. Simple put, when the Patriots need a play to be made the pass goes to Gronkowski. He made multiple catches in double or even triple coverage and is seemingly unable to be guarded when he’s really on the top of his game. 

The lone negative comes from a fumble on a long reception in the middle of heavy traffic, but it can be hardly blamed on Gronk as the Texans made an excellent defensive play to knock the ball out of his hands after securing the catch. It’s Gronkowski’s first fumble in about six years, so it’s not exactly going to keep Belichick up at night. If Gronk can remain healthy, there’s no need for any concern for the Pats offense.

Deatrich Wise

The New England pass rush roared to life on Sunday as the quarterback hunters feasted on Deshaun Watson all afternoon long. 

Deatrich Wise largely led the assault with 1.5 sacks and producing a large amount of the pressure felt by Watson during the game. Wise is coming off his rookie season in which he showed sparks, but definitely looked outclassed at times. After putting together a very strong training camp and preseason, it’s great to see Wise start the season off with yet another strong showing. 

Trey Flowers could have easily been in this spot as well, but he’s a bit of a known product for the Patriots so seeing the pressure come from a more unproven area is the bigger positive.

Phillip Dorsett

It has been spoken of at length all over the internet and sports radio. The Patriots are thin at wide receiver, and they really need an unlikely source to step up to help shoulder the load. Enter: Phillip Dorsett

Dorsett had an extremely quiet 2017 campaign finishing the season with just 12 catches for 194 yards. It’s difficult to catch onto the Patriots’ offense even with a full offseason to prepare, and Dorsett was added during the regular season last year which certainly did not help his cause. 

Today, however, the ex-Colt played a great game at receiver. Dorsett caught his first touchdown as a Patriot while tying Gronkowski for the most receptions for the team with seven and adding 66 yards to the passing attack. If Phillip is able to continue that chemistry with Brady, he could even see a jump in the depth chart replacing...

Three Down

Chris Hogan

Hogan received a nickname during his time featured on Hard Knocks: Training Camp With the Miami Dolphins. His nickname is “7-11″ because he’s always open. I hereby move to rename Chris Hogan to Chick-fil-A as he’s seemingly never open on Sundays.

He’s simply been a disappointment since late last year when an apparent shoulder injury hampered him, and it unfortunately continued into the game today. Hogan only caught one pass for eleven yards. One pass. He’s the Patriots number one receiver on the depth chart, and he only managed one pass. 

Hogan needs to pick it up, and he needs to pick it up in a hurry. With the emergence of Phillip Dorsett and the return of Julian Edelman just three games away, it’s very possible he could disappear into the lower portion of the depth chart and see minimal snaps moving forward.

Running Back Depth

This position was considered one of great depth for the Pats as the season began, and, suddenly, the team is on shaky ground again. Jeremy Hill sustained what appeared to be a significant injury due to some friendly fire from James Develin. One would hope Hill can return from the injury, but based on a cryptic tweet from the newly acquired running back, it sounds like the injury is going to keep him out for some time.

Moving forward, the Patriots have Rex Burkhead and James White as the only healthy running backs on the active roster. Sony Michel has been practicing and figures to be ready to go for the Jaguars next week, but at that point the Patriots are looking at two injury prone backs to be their workhorse for the remainder of the season. The Hill injury could have long lasting impacts as the wear and tear of the season nips away at the remaining backs.

It’s possible the Pats could call up practice squad running back Ralph Webb, but he’s more of a James White type of player and is unclear if he’d be able to pick up any significant amount of carries in the offseason. In order to begin to replace Hill in the event of his injury being serious, they’ll likely have to look outside the organization which can be tough to do in such a complicated offensive scheme.

Riley McCarron

When you’re added back onto the active roster for one role, you best not screw it up. Riley McCarron screwed up his one job, and he did so at a critical point of the game.

Late in the fourth quarter with the game largely in hand, McCarron let the football come right off his hands and set up the Texans for a potential comeback as a result. Due to his muffed punt (and failure to recover the ball on which he landed directly on top of), the Texans scored a touchdown cutting the lead to just seven points and caused New England fans everywhere a lot of unnecessary strife. 

Ball security is paramount at any position, but it’s absolutely critical at the returner positions and this mistake may have just caused McCarron his chance at the job. Belichick has been historically known for having a microscopic tolerance for bad ball handling and it remains to be seen if McCarron will have a spot on the roster come next week. 

The Patriots left a lot of room for improvement, but they also shined in areas in which there was concern leading up to the game. They did an excellent job containing Deshaun Watson (even if he was clearly not anywhere near 100%), and the passing game did see some sparks from Dorsett and a couple nice plays from Cordarrelle Patterson. 

Hopefully they can take these improvements forward into next week where they will be taking on the Jacksonville Jaguars and keep the good vibes rolling with another victory.

Until then,

The time has finally come. After a long off-season, the New England Patriots prepare to host the Houston Texans to open their 2018-19 season. Without any further ado, let’s take a look at some of the key factors in the match-up.

How Do They Match Up?

It’s a broken record at this point, but it still needs to be said: The New England Patriots have flat out stunk at trying to contain rushing quarterbacks in recent years. Players with the ability to extend plays have caused nightmares for the Patriots, and one doesn’t need to go any further back than last season against Houston to see this fact on full display. 

Deshaun Watson had an extremely impressive start to his NFL career that was tragically cut short due to a freak knee injury in practice in early November. Due to the recovery period, it’s possible the Patriots will be dealing with a more pocket focused Watson which should help the defense out overall, but his explosive play potentially cannot be discounted even when considering the injury.

It’s a little difficult to take the Texans seriously when it comes to the past match ups. Houston has only defeated the Patriots once in their entire history, a mostly meaningless week 17 game during the 2009-2010 season, and it seems like Belichick and company have been coaching circles around Bill O’Brien and the rest of the contingent of “Patriots South.” Watson certainly changes this dynamic, but history is clearly on New England’s side.

Defensively, I believe the Patriots are in a good spot to handle the Texans offense. Watson will likely not be his usual self, and while the Texans have two great receivers in Hopkins and Fuller, they do not have much depth outside of those two in the instance of the Patriots focusing those two players down. 

On the offense, who really knows at this point. Brady’s receiving core is decimated, but at the same time a formation consisting of White-Burkhead-Hogan-Dorsett-Gronkowski should be more than capable of putting points on the board. Providing Trent Brown can give Brady time against JJ Watt, the Pats should be able to put a decent amount of footballs into the end zone.

Key Players

Adrian Clayborn

One of the Pats biggest issues last season came to getting a dependable defensive end to help set the edge against the rush and generate pass rush. While I’m not totally convinced Clayborn is the guy to fix the pass rush issue, he’s certainly a proven defensive end and the Pats will need his experience to help shut down the Texans offense. By keeping Watson in the pocket, New England’s defense will be able to translate the game into a more conventional offense where the Pats can play more to their strength.

Eric Rowe

It’s likely that we’ll see Stephon Gilmore be tasked with covering the always spectacular Deandre Hopkins, which will leave Rowe with the critical task of covering Will Fuller. The 24 year old receiver seems poised to produce his best season yet, and it will likely be up to Rowe to keep him in check. Fuller tends to be a more physical receiver which can be beneficial to Rowe’s play style, but it will take a significant effort to keep the Notre Dame product out of the end zone on Sunday.

Trent Brown

It will be an early test for the new man on Brady’s blindside. Brown will likely be going up against the injury-prone JJ Watt, and while he may not be the player he once was, it stills offers a clear challenge for the newly anointed left tackle. It’s a bit unfair to put all of the pass protection on Brown as the Texans have great pass rushers up and down their defensive line, but the match up between those two clearly presents the largest question mark in the game. 

Injuries

Only four players are listed on the injury report for the Pats: right tackle Marcus Cannon, safety Nate Ebner, running back Sony Michel, and tight end Jacob Hollister. 

Cannon and Ebner were full participants in practice during the week and are expected to be ready to go come Sunday. Michel and Hollister are not quite as set in stone, but I anticipate Hollister being active while Michel being left as a largely healthy scratch as he continues to grow in the system and rehab his knee after a “minor” procedure early in August which sidelined him for the entire preseason.

Predictions

I believe this will be a game of growing pains for both teams involved. Brady is trying to settle into an offense with many new weapons and a new left tackle, while Watson is returning from a serious knee injury which could severely limit his play-making ability and nullify a great deal of the Texan’s offensive potential. It will be a close game, but one that Brady and company come away from 1-0.

With the preseason completed, and the regular season just over the horizon it’s finally time to publish my final projections for the Patriots roster.

A quick note before we get into the specifics, players like Julian Edelman who are slated to miss some time will not be included on this list as he is effectively not counting against the 53 man roster until his activation in week five.

With that out of the way, let’s begin:

Quarterback (2)

Tom Brady

Brian Hoyer

Running Back (5)

Rex Burkhead

James White

Sony Michel

Jeremy Hill

Brandon Bolden

Fullback (1)

James Develin

Wide Receiver (5)

Chris Hogan

Phillip Dorsett

Cordarelle Patterson

Riley McCaron

Matthew Slater

Tight End (3)

Rob Gronkowski

Dwayne Allen

Jacob Hollister

Offensive Line (8)

Trent Brown

Joe Thuney

David Andrews

Shaq Mason

Marcus Cannon

LaAdrian Waddle

Ted Karras

Cole Croston

Defensive End (5)

Trey Flowers

Adrian Clayborn

Derek Rivers

Deatrich Wise

Keionta Davis

Defensive Tackle (5)

Danny Shelton

Lawrence Guy

Malcom Brown

Adam Butler

Vincent Valentine

Linebacker (5)

Dont’a Hightower

Kyle Van Noy

Ja’Waun Bentley

Elandon Roberts

Nicholas Grigsby

Cornerback (6)

Stephon Gilmore

Eric Rowe

Jonathan Jones

JC Jackson

Duke Dawson

Cyrus Jones

Safety (5)

Devin McCourty

Duron Harmon

Patrick Chung

Nate Ebner

Jason McCourty

Specialists (3)

Stephen Gostkowski

Ryan Allen

Joe Cardona

The toughest selections on this list came down to three players:

Marquis Flowers showed sparks last season, but he hasn’t had a very good preseason to this point while Grigsby has shown that he’s not just a special teams body and can make plays in open field.

The inclusion of Cole Croston over Matt Tobin is another one that could really go either way. As I see it, LaAdrian Waddle can fill in at tackle should an injury occur at the position, but with Tobin the the mix as well there’s no clear cut solution at backup guard than Ted Karras. Croston gives the Patriots options in the interior line, but also leaves them thin at tackle depth. The Pats could elect to go with nine players on the offensive line, and it wouldn’t totally shock me for this reason.

Finally, Cyrus Jones has had a brutal start to his NFL career. After an awful rookie season on both special teams and defense, his season came to an unfortunate early end in the preseason last year due to a torn ACL. His recovery has been a long road, but he was finally looking like a decent option at returner this preseason. At the end of the day, the Patriots need a punt returner and don’t have many options, so it may be Cyrus Jones’ time to shine at long last. I don’t have hope for him at cornerback, but perhaps he could evolve into a Brandon Bolden or Matthew Slater role and make all his contributions on special teams and not his given position.

That’ll do it. I feel fairly good about this list, but there’s always the possibility of a trade (as what happened with Jordan Richards this morning) or signing other teams’ sendoffs from the waiver wire tomorrow. 

As with last season, expect coverage before and after each Patriots game in the form of previews and Three Up - Three Down. In addition, I’ll be testing out a new feature currently entitled Halftime Hits, in which a short summary of thoughts will be published during halftime of each game starting week three. I hope you all look forward to this additional content.

Until then (and I’m so glad to be able to say this again after a long offseason),

With OTAs well underway and mandatory minicamp opening next week, now is a good time to take a look at six players that were on the Patriots roster last season that are at risk of losing their spot on the team. With a talented free agent class and a number of promising rookies, this New England training camp figures to be one of the more competitive occurrences in recent team history.

Elandon Roberts

The Patriots defense looked flat out bad at times last season, but I think the core of the blame can be put on the front seven rather than the secondary. Despite boasting one of the best defensive back groups in the league, there were times when the Pats just seemingly could not get opposing offenses off the field. Pass rush is a large reason why, but an aspect seemingly flying under the radar is also a big contributor. New England just could not put themselves into favorable third down scenarios on defense.

Teams that beat the Patriots last year did it by picking the conservative defense apart, but it was often the case that a strong running game was the primary threat that kept a talented secondary in third and short situations. The return of Dont’a Hightower will help the team in this regard, but the depth linebackers need to be better, and the arrival of two new rookies will lead to a competitive camp at the position. 

With Hightower and Van Noy locks, and Marquis Flowers likely on the roster as well, there will be four major players for the final spots: Elandon Roberts, Harvey Langi, and rookies Christian Sam and Ja’Whaun Bentley.

Roberts struggles heavily against the pass, but was considered a solid running down ‘backer in his rookie season, but it all fell apart in 2017 in which he consistently over-pursued the running back taking himself out of the play completely. With his undersized frame, Roberts cannot afford to commit technical errors, and it could very well lead him off the roster. Bentley possesses a similar skill set and could provide a cheaper long-term option for Belichick if the competition is close. 

Mike Gillislee

Last year it appeared like wide receiver was going to be the most stacked position for the Patriots, but this season it will certainly be the running backs that provide some of the toughest competition in camp.

Belichick was high on Gillislee, signing the restricted free agent away from the Bills with a relatively pricey offer sheet, and it appeared like Gillislee was going to be the lead running back replacing LeGarrette Blount. What occurred was an early running-back-by-committee approach that eventually ended with Dion Lewis being the feature back with Mike Gillislee firmly as a game day healthy inactive with only 383 rushing yards on the year.

To say it was a disappointing Patriots debut for the ex-Bill would be putting it lightly, and it’s somewhat likely it might have been his only chance with the Pats. The arrival of Sony Michel, Jeremy Hill, and Ralph Webb being one of the highest paid undrafted free agents means Gillislee will have to do a lot to turn heads in training camp. Jeremy Hill fills out much of the skill set Gill brings to the table, so that extra cost and redundancy may land him just outside the loaded position.

Eric Lee

Speaking of ex-Bills being on the outside looking in, Eric Lee could be another casualty to a position that saw a heavy emphasis this off-season. It’s no secret the Patriots had a pass rush issue in 2017, and the use of a Bills practice squad player on the defensive line just highlights the problem.

Lee showed sparks at times, but was practically non-existent as the season progressed and opposing teams learned his tendencies. It’s possible that Lee may see a jump in productivity in his second season, bu the signing of Adrian Clayborn and the return of Derek Rivers just adds further competition to the defensive end/Edge rusher position. 

Often times being a cheap player is a positive in a Belichick system, but in the case of Eric Lee he may be a bit too cheap. Being a practice squad signed player means there’s not much expected of Lee compared to some of the other players at the position which have more invested in them, and that, coupled with his lack of production late in the season, will likely land him out of New England.

Phillip Dorsett

Despite being traded prior to week one from Indianapolis to New England, Phillip Dorsett was never able to make a major impact in the full season with the Pats. In fact, he logged his most disappointing performance thus far in his three year career with only twelve receptions for 194 yards and zero touchdowns. 

With the departure of Brandin Cooks, the Patriots are once again without a true deep threat and the speedy, young Dorsett could see himself land in a similar role which would allow him a spot on the team, but he’ll need to prove himself to a significant degree in the preseason. The Patriots are already likely to carry an inflated number of receivers due to their impact on special teams (Slater and Patterson being the two major special teamers), so it may be an even more crowded position than usual, especially with the arrival of Jordan Matthews and rookie Braxton Berrios. 

Belichick obviously thinks very highly of Dorsett as he was traded for Jacoby Brissett, a former third round pick and possible starting quarterback which is a high commodity during the season. The fact of the matter is Dorsett will have to finally develop into a receiver that’s capable of utilizing his speed to make big plays, or he’ll be left behind for cheaper, more productive, or more physically gifted options.

Ryan Allen

Oh yes, there will be a heated punter competition in Foxborough this summer, and we can only hope that the small town can survive the intensity. All jokes aside, Ryan Allen is in a situation similar to his predecessor, Zoltan Mesko. He enters camp against an undrafted free agent who is challenging the incumbent starter, and, just as before, the starter could very well lose out due to the financial reality. 

Allen did not have a particularly good season last year, but New England’s spectacular special teams play was able to cover up aspects of it. He’s been a punter that values control over raw power, which does fit into Belichick’s scheme on placing the ball in an exacting location to benefit the coverage or place the opposition in unfavorable territory.

The 28 year old punter is counting two million dollars against the cap in 2018. His competition, undrafted free agent out of New Mexico, Corey Bojoquez is scheduled to make just $480,000 in comparison, and early OTA reports are indicating that Bojoquez’s leg strength has been far superior to Allen’s. It’s still early, and Allen’s accuracy should could win the day, but it seems like Ryan Allen’s days in New England could be numbered.

Eric Rowe

Let’s just get this out of the way now. No, Eric Rowe is not in any danger of somehow missing the cutoff point for the Patriots roster. He’s a solid cornerback who can excel in the slot. This selection is more of a testament to how deep the Patriots could be at the slot corner position in 2018.

Rowe may not be in danger of not making the team, but he could fall into the fourth or fifth cornerback slot depending on the success of two main competitors: Jonathan Jones and rookie Duke Dawson. Jones is coming off his best season thus far in his young career, and is looking to evolve into becoming one of the better slot corners in the NFL. Duke Dawson was drafted high by the Patriots (second round), and is known for being a slot corner during his time at Florida. 

Rowe definitely brings experience to the table which is lacking in Dawson’s case and also in Jones’s to a lesser degree. Rowe is by no means an expensive player, making just over one million this year, but he is on the final year of his contract which could mean a trade is possible if Belichick feels confident enough in the depth at the position. Either way, it’s possibly nearing the end of Eric Rowe’s time in New England, but he’ll almost assuredly survive roster cuts this year.

Thank you all so much for reading. Training camp is an exciting time as the team begins to put itself together for another run at glory in the 2018-19 season. At some point in the near future, this blog will be putting together an entirely too early prediction of the final 53 man roster which will obviously be proven entirely wrong by week one of the regular season. I hope you look forward to it! Until then,

The third day of the NFL draft saw (many) more trades, another “stereotypical” Patriots wide receiver, and a late round quarterback.

Round 5 - Pick 146 - Ja’Whaun Bentley - Inside Linebacker - Purdue

The Patriots entered the 2018 NFL draft with their biggest need arguably being linebacker, but it took until the fifth round to draft one. After trading out of every pick in the fourth round, the Patriots finally made a selection Saturday afternoon of Ja’Whaun Bentley. 

Just like the previous selection of Duke Dawson, Belichick may have reached. Bentley was largely regarded as a seventh round pick due to a lack of top end speed and his difficulty to cover the pass in softer zone schemes. It’s entirely likely that the Pats could have made this selection later, but Bill must have liked what he saw and pounced on the opportunity.

The positives for Bentley are very clear. The Purdue Boilermaker is incredibly strong. Built like a tank (6′2, 260 pounds), Bentley put in an outrageous 31 reps at the bench press at the NFL combine. He’s simply one of the strongest players at his position in the draft and utilized that strength to great results. He’s proficient in jamming tight ends at the line of scrimmage and can use his powerful hands to throw aside would be blockers to open up shots on the opposing running back. 

Bottom Line: Some athletes are drafted more on measurables than on tape. Bentley’s freakish strength could make him a good choice on clear rushing downs, and he could factor in as a replacement to an under-performing Elandon Roberts.

Round 6 - Pick 178 - Christian Sam - Inside Linebacker - Arizona State

Where Bentley is proficient in one aspect of defense, Christian Sam is more of a jack-of-all-trades type of ‘backer. There’s not one thing that Sam does that’s terribly exciting, but he’s a player with good measurables and technique. 

The Patriots have an issue in which they possess many linebackers that have specified skill sets. Elandon Roberts, for example, is a decent linebacker in the run game, but he’s absolutely terrible when asked to cover the pass. Sam is the very definition of a three down linebacker. He’s strong enough to get downfield, explosive enough to catch up to a running back, and is a sure enough tackler to bring down the back on his own. He’s also skilled in a variety of coverage sets and can bring stability and youth to the New England linebackers if he lives up to his potential.

According to NFL.com, most of Sam’s downsides are to do with the mental side of football. He sometimes has difficulty adapting to changing plays and can occasionally be caught out of position where he’ll make poor choices. He is likely a player that will need to sit for awhile before being NFL ready, but with the proper program and education he could evolve into a Kyle Van Noy style player for the Pats.

Bottom Line: He’s by no means an instant impact player to the Patriots, but, if allowed to sit and learn, Sam could become a decent depth player at the position.

Round 6 - Pick 210 - Braxton Berrios - Wide Receiver - Miami

Look, we’re all thinking it. I’m not going to bring it up. 

Berrios might immediately resemble a Edelman/Welker player, but he’s more like a Danny Amendola replacement. While his measurables aren’t off the charts, he displays a quickness at the position that can get him into open space. His versatility is likely what Belichick saw in the 5′8 Miami project as he can return punts, play receiver out wide or in the slot, and even threw a pass in college. He’ll need that versatility to make the Patriots at a highly competitive wide receiver position, but if he emerges as the top choice for punt returner in camp he very well could find a spot on the team.

Bottom Line: He has a lot to prove at a position with an intense concentration of talent, but Berrios could develop into a sort of Danny Amendola 2.0 as he runs many of the same routes to similar levels of success.

Round 7 - Pick 219 - Danny Etling - Quarterback - LSU

Well, picking a quarterback in the final rounds worked once, why not do it again?

To just get it out of the way, no, Danny Etling is not likely the next starting quarterback in Foxborough. He played in a heavy run-first offense at LSU and operated as a solid game manager. Etling doesn’t do much to wow the audience, but he’s a controlled type of quarterback. He only threw two interceptions in his season year to 16 touchdowns. His short and deep accuracy is fairly well developed, but his intermediate routes can be a real issue which is often a point of the field where New England looks to dominant. 

Etling’s biggest obstacle is his throwing mechanics which lead to a very slow delivery. Slow deliveries often spell disaster in the NFL as defenses are quick to determine where the ball is going. Interestingly enough, Etling has been working with Brady’s throwing coach on the mechanics, so we very well could see a different looking quarterback when training camp opens.

Bottom Line: Don’t get too excited. With Brady reaffirming his desire to play until his mid-forties, it’s possible the next quarterback for the New England Patriots may not even be on the roster until 2020.

Round 7 - Pick 243 - Keion Crossen - Defensive Back - Western Carolina

Who?

NFL.com doesn’t have a draft profile on Keion Crossen. That’s how unknown this kid is. When it comes down to it, Crossen is the definition of a player selected by athleticism rather than actual position play. He’s possibly the fastest player in the draft and that alone earned him a draft pick. He faced weak competition at Western Carolina and wasn’t by any means an overly dominant player. That being said, his sheer speed and athletic ability could make him a good candidate for special teams play which the Pats look to acquire in the later rounds.

Bottom Line: If Crossen makes the team, it’ll likely be on special teams. Physical talents are off the charts, but his play at his position against weak competition will likely keep him from being a cornerback at the next level unless he undergoes massive technique training.

Round 7 - Pick 250 - Ryan Izzo - Tight End - Florida State

The Pats drafted two players from the state of Florida to go along with their two players from Georgia. Ryan Izzo is certainly not a dominant tight end, but his ability to block in the running game is a strength that he demonstrated time and time again at Florida State. 

In the ever evolving competition at tight end for New England, Izzo delivers something that Dwayne Allen and Troy Nikklas already do. If the Pats decide to carry three tight ends (with Gronkowski’s injury history, they probably will), it will be a competition between these three players to determine who gets the nod. It’s unlikely that Izzo makes the team, but if he can demonstrate comparable blocking to Allen he could offer a cheap alternative to the five million dollars Allen is owed this season.

Bottom Line: Likely a camp cut. Possible spot on the team if he displays Dwayne Allen-like blocking for cheaper.

Whew. There it is. Every New England Patriot drafted this year. It’s a time of excitement as new talent is injected into an already stellar roster. The next stop on the Patriots off-season schedule are OTAs which will likely be a highly anticipated media event as Rob Gronkowski and Tom Brady were not spotted at the first team workouts earlier last month. Until then,

After a flurry of trades, the Patriots made their only selection of the second day of the NFL draft at the 56th selection.

Round 2 - Pick 56 - Duke Dawson - Cornerback - Florida

Again, the Patriots drafted a need left by a departure. Malcolm Butler going to the Titans meant the Patriots would need help at the number two corner position, and they signed Jason McCourty to help accomplish that. However, Jason is on a one year deal and is a fairly old player for the position meaning that he’s a short term solution to the problem. That being said, it’s not immediately clear if Dawson is going to be a suitable player for the position.

The 5′11 Florida secondary member is largely regarded by scouts as being a slot corner player and has been said to perhaps lack the speed required to keep up with burner receivers going deep. His acceleration is lauded, however, and he has allowed under forty percent completion on passes thrown to his man in his previous two seasons at Florida. Above all else, the Patriots must be enamored with Dawson’s versatility as he played snaps at base corner, nickel corner, and safety at points in college. Often times, this ability to be plugged in anywhere will allow Belichick to justify a draft selection.

According to NFL.com, Dawson was projected to be drafted in the third or fourth rounds which makes this selection a bit of a reach. It’s not quite a reach to the extent that Jordan Richards was, but it is an uncomfortable selection with Bill’s track record of drafting defensive backs in round two (see: Darius Butler, Ras-I Dowling, Jordan Richards, and Cyrus Jones), but Dawson is, at least on paper, a more complete package than any of those players. This is the type of pick that will likely take years before it’s clear if it was worthwhile of a second round selection.

Well, predicting one out of two isn’t too bad. After a shocking turn of events, the Patriots made their picks and they weren’t too terribly shocking. As the second day of the draft is set to being, let’s examine the newest members of the New England Patriots.

Pick 23 - Isaiah Wynn - Left Tackle/Guard - Georgia

A bit of a surprising selection. The most glaring weakness on the Patriots roster is the left tackle position ever since Nate Solder signed with the New York Giants, and many fans and analysts expected the Pats to address this issue early in the draft. Names such as Kolton Miller, Connor Williams, and Brian O’Neill were names thrown around as possible picks at number 23, but with the rush for offensive line help causing Miller to go as high as the fifteenth selection, the Patriots had to quickly make a move for the player they wanted.

The biggest question about Wynn is where he will play at the NFL level. One would hope that the Georgia product would be the next long-term solution at left tackle, but concerns with his size have many analysts predicting a move to the interior line. Wynn stands at 6′3 which is a huge step down from the massive 6′8 Nate Solder. His less than prototypical size at the position is far more in line with the average size of an offensive guard and he could struggle with the more powerful pass rushers found in the NFL.

That all being said, Wynn was a truly outstanding left tackle in college and was a large reason why the Bulldogs made it to the NCAA championship game in 2017. ProFootballFocus puts it best, in the entire 2017 season Wynn only allowed five quarterback pressures. The QB was hit by his blocking assignment just 26 times in his 2,609 college snaps. The player is beyond talented and deemed an instant starter by NFL.com. While it’s yet to be seen if he has what it takes from a physical standpoint to play at the left tackle spot, his ability to get it done week-in-week-out in the most pro-level conference in college football is an encouraging sign. It’s difficult to fully get behind this pick due to the questions involving his position of play, but the Pats would be hard pressed to find a better player at pick 23 than Isaiah Wynn.

Bottom Line: A complete steal if he can play left tackle, but an outstanding blocker to perhaps beat out Joe Thuney in the short term and Shaq Mason in the long. 

Pick 31 - Sony Michel - Running Back - Georgia

Goodbye, Dion Lewis. Hello, Sony Michel. Again, the Patriots addressed a significant off-season departure by looking for top talent in the first round. While Michel was the third running back selected (behind Barkley and Penny), he was considered by most to be the second best player at his position in the draft. 

There seems to be some misinformation flying around about Michel in the moments after the Pats drafted him, so let’s delve into what kind of player he is.

He split carries during his senior year at Georgia and still ended with 1,200+ yards and an outstanding 16 touchdowns on the ground (with one more coming in the passing game) and just two fumbles on the season. Michel is being labeled with a fumbling issue due to his 12 fumbles throughout his college career, but it’s important to note that almost half of these came in his senior season. Michel has shown steady improvement in nearly all areas, but his biggest shocker of a statistic was his unbelievable 7.9 yards per carry in 2017. The level of production Michel has achieved is truly exciting and he’ll offer yet another place from which the Pats can hit their opponents from.

I’d like to take a moment to attack some narratives being thrown around now. Injury concerns are cropping up, but Michel appeared in all games played his senior and sophomore years and just missed one game his junior year. The concerns of lingering injuries are far overblown as availability to that scale at the running back position is something teams adore. Finally, some comparisons are being made to Saints phenom Alvin Kamara. While I’d love to say Michel is another Kamara, he’s not a terribly talented pass catcher. He had just nine receptions in 2017 and has never eclipsed 244 yards receiving in any of his college seasons. Michel does many things right, but he’s certainly no Alvin Kamara. The tool sets are completely different.

Bottom Line: The real deal, complete package. Michel could be the day one starter at the position and his production will only be aided with the strong interior offensive line play of the Patriots and vaunted aerial attack. Expect Michel to be a staple of an already great offensive unit.

The second and third rounds begin tonight. Some picks on the defensive side of the football are anticipated. A couple names I’d personally love to see are Iowa cornerback Josh Jackson (whom I wrote about on the previous blog entry), and Boston College’s Harold Landry has fallen significantly from where many analysts projected him to go. Health injuries have played Landry, but he recorded 16.5 sacks in 2016 which is quite the instant fix for the New England pass rush issue. 

It’s an exciting time in New England, and let’s hope it continues into the later rounds of the draft. Expect analysis of the next round to be posted later tonight, or early on Saturday. Until then,

With a fair number of early round picks, the New England Patriots seem poised to make significant moves for the first time in years in the early stages of the NFL draft. It’s impossible to predict how the draft will shape up with the assured trades and off-the-wall picks that will occur on Thursday night, so this should be considered a fan’s wish list. Without factoring in New England trading their picks, these are the players that The Patriots And We would be most excited to see join the Foxborough team in round one.

Round 1 - Pick 23 (From the Los Angeles Rams)

Leighton Vander Esch - Inside Linebacker - Boise State 

Every year there seems to be a player that has shown the ability to be great but sample size or injuries prevent him from going as high as one would imagine. In a sense, this is what happened to Gronkowski who demonstrated huge upside in college, but injury concerns had him fall into the second round. Vander Esch is certainly no Rob Gronkowski in terms of raw impact, but his monster junior season has put him on the map. After an extremely quiet freshman and sophomore year campaign, Vander Esch exploded onto the scene and became one of the most dominant linebackers in the NCAA. Sample size, and lingering injury concerns, have dropped Leighton’s value compared to his productivity, but the Patriots need help at the linebacker position and he could be just the thing to get it going in the right direction.

In Vander Esch’s junior season he racked up 141 tackles, 8.5 sacks, and 2 interceptions. A phrase used on the NFL.com draft profile is that Vander Esch has a “GPS for the football” which is exactly what Belichick looks for in his linebacking group. He’s a strong choice at 23, but even a trade up to select him would be welcomed as Vander Esch immediately brings productivity to a group of players which struggled mightily after the injury to Dont’a Hightower last season. A linebacker core including Hightower, Vander Esch, and Van Noy is quite the talented group and could elevate the Patriots defense to the next level.

Rashaan Evans - Outside Linebacker - Alabama

If the Patriots don’t manage to land Vander Esch, they should be thrilled with the prospect of getting Rashaan Evans. Belichick loves his linebackers, and Evans brings a lot of extraordinary things to the table. First off, he performed in the SEC which offers the highest level of competition in the NCAA (sorry, Big Tenners) and, with the relationship between Nick Saban and Bill, Evans appears to be a match made in heaven.

In terms of raw talent on the field, Evans can do absolutely anything you ask of him. He’s quick while maintaining the height and weight you look for from the position, is a physical player capable of quickly moving up and making a play, and can be played in many positions around the field including edge rusher. Durability has been a concern with a groin injury last season, but the sheer versatility and explosive playmaking aptitude that Evans displays is extremely tempting. The linebacking group is typically what New England likes to base their entire defense around and adding someone like Evans would only improve the unit’s ability to take over a game.

Mason Rudolph - Quarterback - Oklahoma State

Personally speaking, the prospect of the Patriots using their top pick on a quarterback isn’t a terribly thrilling proposition due to the lack of impact it will leave until Brady decides to call it quits. It’s very possible that any quarterback selected by the Pats this year will not get an opportunity to truly show what he’s capable of until three years down the road and on a possibly expiring rookie contract. That being said, if Mason Rudolph were to fall into the Pats’ laps at pick 23, it’s hard to deny the talent he could bring to the table.

Lamar Jackson is a quarterback that has been generating a lot of buzz, and his time in a New England style offense while in college could make him a good match for the Foxborough faithful, but he’d likely be in territory in which the Pats would have to trade up to make a play for him. Rudolph is a bit more realistic of a selection and has demonstrated some Brady-like traits during his time at Oklahoma State. Rudolph has shown great improvement over time and seems apt to be able to take it to the next level in an NFL environment. He’s a pure pocket passer with great pocket awareness and has tremendous success reading defenses. While the changing of the guard from Brady will be a transformative time in New England regardless of who the backup is, having someone with a skill set like that of Brady’s could ease the offense into the new era. 

According to NFL.com’s draft profile, the majority of Rudolph’s weaknesses come from when plays go “off-schedule” or it begins to break down. He’s not a good thrower on the run, and is far more comfortable when able to stand in the pocket and make decisions. More so, quarterbacks that can be found in the later rounds (such as Kyle Lauletta and Mike White) may be a bit more raw than Rudolph or have more glaring weaknesses, but seeing as how whomever is picked will be sitting behind the GOAT potentially for a few years, a project player may be a better value selection. Regardless, if the Pats have a shot at the 6′5 quarterback at pick number 23, it could be a good decision to help secure the future.

Round 1 - Pick 31 

Connor Williams - Left Tackle - Texas

It’s no secret that the left tackle position is a critical one, especially with a 41 year old pure pocket passing quarterback. The departure of Nate Solder leaves the position in a state of flux, and if the Pats select a left tackle in the first round it may be quite telling of Belichick’s confidence in 2017′s third round pick Antonio Garcia’s ability to reliably block some of the most talented edge rushers in the league.

Williams isn’t a flashy pick by any metric, but he offers a solid choice at the critical position. His 2016 season put him on the map at Texas as one of the best tackles in the NCAA, but a bit of a regression in 2017 has his draft stock dropping in a year without many great offensive tackles. Even with 2017 season being the way it is, Williams has a ton of upside and could easily develop into the next long-term Patriots left tackle. His height and size appear to be concerns as he can be overpowered with his sub-average frame, but he makes up for it with shows of athleticism and excellent technique. Solder had mass to make up for some sloppier play, and Williams isn’t afforded such a luxury, but as a pure technician there may not be a better choice outside the top picks of the first round. 

Sony Michel - Running Back - Georgia

With the departure of Dion Lewis, New England is likely in a running back by committee situation like they were early in 2017. It’s possible for someone like Jeremy Hill or Mike Gillislee to command the majority of the snaps and become a feature back, but the hole left by Dion is something the Patriots may be interested in addressing and Sony Michel is quite the player to do it. He’s not the open field juking back that Dion is by any stretch, but what Michel brings to the table is a reliable, north-south running back who can take and deliver punishing hits while churning forward. What sets him apart from the typical power backs of the world is a second gear that allows him to turn up into the secondary after getting passed the initial blockers.

Michel doesn’t tick every box that Belichick tends to go for, according to NFL.com he’s an average pass catcher and can struggle with making “clean catches.” That all being said, Michel could bring stability to a Pats running back group which feels like the wild west right now and could be the next feature back for years to come. Also, his nickname practically writes itself, he’s the PlayStation.

Josh Jackson - Cornerback - Iowa

Again, this selection comes as a reaction to a major playing leaving. Malcolm Butler offered a few great years at the starting corner position, but now it’s up to Belichick to find another option to put opposite of Stephon Gilmore for the foreseeable future. Jason McCourty will likely be the number two corner come September, but Josh Jackson offers a tantalizing option in the years following.

First off, Butler’s primary issue was dealing with taller receivers. Jackson is much larger at 6′1 and could make for a fairly large starting secondary with Gilmore on the other side. His ball skills are off the charts as he, similar to Vander Esch, seems to have a GPS to the football’s location at all times. Again, Jackson’s draft stock has taken a hit due to a small sample size in which his latest season was by far his most dominant. While this can be indicitive of an evolving player, it’s also a bit concerning with production shown on such a small scale.

Another aspect brought up by NFL.com that could have the Patriots hesitant is that Jackson’s tackling is questionable at times and does need work at the NFL level. With Jason McCourty on a one year deal, that gives Jackson the time he needs to work on the fundamentals at the position while bringing his explosive play (27 passes defended and eight interceptions last season) to the NFL. 

These six players could potentially have huge impacts on the teams in which they land, and a Patriots selection of any of these would be personally met with optimism and anticipation. The first round of the draft begins Thursday night, but until then,

The NFL draft is nearly upon us, and at times it can be difficult to fully invest oneself in the results of the draft with the almost random nature of NFL prospects. For this reason, we’re going to be taking a look at the best players selected by round since the 2008 NFL draft. While this seems to be an arbitrary cut off point, it’s the latest round that still contained Patriot players that have had a recent impact on team success. With that being said, let’s dig into:

Round 1

Devin McCourty - Cornerback - Rutgers

2010 NFL Draft - Round 1 - Pick 27

The Patriots have had success on many occasions in the first round during this time frame, but there is no larger success story than Devin McCourty. Originally drafted as a cornerback, McCourty won AFC Defensive Rookie of the Year honors with seven interceptions on the season. However, after a tumultuous Sophomore campaign, he was moved to the safety position and has since become one of the best in the league. 

McCourty, according to his NFL.com draft profile, was expected to mostly make an impact on special teams and the nickel corner position, but quickly emerged as one of the more talented players on the Patriots defense. There are few Patriots that have had more of an impact on the defensive side of the ball in recent years than McCourty as the Pats have largely shut down deep ball attacks due to his ability to close ground quickly. 

Not to be overshadowed by Devin’s play on the field, he has emerged as a true leader and a veteran presence on a team with high turnover. Named a captain rather quickly into his career, McCourty embodies the Patriots organization in many ways and has become a perennial Patriot. The argument can be made for other big names drafted in the first round such as Dont’a Hightower and Nate Solder, but it is McCourty’s durability (at most, McCourty has missed two games in a season since entering the league) that simply puts him a notch above every other recent first round pick.

Honorable Mentions: Dont’a Hightower, Nate Solder, Jerod Mayo

Round 2 

Rob Gronkowski - Tight End - Arizona

2010 NFL Draft - Round 2 - Pick 42

Well, what exactly did you expect? There’s not much I can say about Gronkowski that hasn’t been said a million times before. He’s, when healthy, the most dominant player at his position in NFL history. He nearly cannot be covered and will make a big play at some point during the game. As the saying goes, you cannot hope to stop him, you can merely contain him.

His NFL.com draft profile is rather spot on in most respects. He exited college as a very productive player that’s size proved incredibly difficult to handle, but his durability was called into question as he missed his entire season year with back surgery. This durability is largely a reason why he fell into the second round to begin with, but it’s still a bit curious how someone with the measurables like Gronk was put in that position.

Despite the tension between him and Belichick this offseason, Gronk has also emerged as a team captain for the Patriots, and it’s hard to argue that anyone else drafted in this time frame has made more of an impact for the Pats than he has. He’s a total freak of nature, and absolutely the best Patriots second round player in the history of the franchise.

Honorable Mentions: Patrick Chung, Jamie Collins, Jimmy Garoppolo

Round 3

Logan Ryan - Cornerback - Rutgers

2013 NFL Draft - Round 3 - Pick 83

The fact that Logan Ryan is the selection here should be rather telling of the Patriots ability to draft in the third round. Logan Ryan can best be described as a “solid” player during his time in New England. He played well enough to elevate himself to the #2 corner position behind Malcolm Butler and was instrumental in the Patriots 2016 title run. 

His physical ability attracted the Patriots to Ryan as he was a sure-handed tackler in college. Honestly, it may be the college he attended that Belichick found the most intriguing as Bill’s obsession with the University of Rutgers was at a full fever pitch during this time frame. Three of the Patriots secondary members were from Rutgers (McCourty, Harmon, and Ryan) during Ryan’s tenure with the Pats, and Harmon was selected mere picks after Ryan was. Regardless, Logan Ryan was considered a solid selection in terms of value in the round the Pats selected him.

While the argument could be had for Duron Harmon taking this spot, Harmon being a backup safety led to Ryan having a more down-to-down impact on the team during his stint. Harmon is assuredly the more flashy playmaker (earning himself the nickname “The Closer” as a result of his game clinching interceptions), but at the end of the day Ryan had more to do with the weekly success of the organization.

Honorable Mentions: Duron Harmon, Joe Thuney, Stevan Ridley

Round 4

James White - Running Back - Wisconsin

2014 NFL Draft - Round 4 - Pick 130

The hero of Super Bowl 51 is the best Patriot drafted in the fourth round in the past decade. James White, as described by Martellus Bennett in his fantastic illustration, is the ultimate Swiss-Army knife of the Patriots roster. Clutch, durable, and multi-talented, White is the quintessential New England Patriot.

White was considered a reach by many scouts. He was given a 7th round, potentially undrafted grade by NFL.com. His time at Wisconsin was behind one of the better offensive lines in the NCAA, and he split carries with a few other running backs at the university which did not give him a tremendous amount of time to show off what he was capable of. This coupled with a smaller frame meant White was a bit of a question mark coming out of college.

One could compare James to an ex-Patriots legend, Kevin Faulk. Both were capable of running the ball, taking care to not turn it over, being outstanding pass catchers, and fighting tooth and nail for every yard. While there a couple huge success stories in the last ten years for the Pats drafting in the fourth round, it’s tough to say anyone has had more of an impact than the hero of the Super Bowl himself, James White.

Honorable Mentions: Trey Flowers, Shaq Mason.

Round 5

Matthew Slater - Wide Receiver/Special Teams Gunner - UCLA

2008 NFL Draft - Round 5 - Pick 153

With the third longest active tenure as a New England Patriot, Matthew Slater has been a stalwart example of what it means to play for the top organization in the National Football League. He has long embodied the Patriot Way, and his attitude while playing for the team has him as one of the few New England players that seem to be “lifers” in that it’s nearly impossible to envision Slater in another uniform. His leadership is one of his biggest assets, but his play on special teams has elected him to seven pro bowls in nine years.

Slater was a known quantity coming out of UCLA. Scouts agreed that his impact on offense was likely to be non-existent with some potential to play as a slot receiver, but if Slater were to be drafted it would be for his outstanding special teams play. Belichick, being one of the coaches most outspoken on importance of special teams, nabbed Slater in the fifth round and the rest has been history.

It’s difficult to quantify in statistics why Slater is such an important member of the Pats, but he has orchestrated the kickoff and punt units as a captain for many years in a New England uniform and has consistently made an impact on an important phase of the game. His locker room presence also cannot be left out, as he’s one of the most respected players in New England by players and coaching staff alike.

Honorable Mention: Marcus Cannon

Round 6

Nate Ebner - Safety/Special Teams - Ohio State

2012 NFL Draft - Round 6 - Pick 197

Yeah, it’s been a slow sixth round for the past ten years. Ebner has been a great special teams player, and a long time Patriot, but this shows the Pats lack of success in the late round more than anything. If this list were extending to Belichick’s entire coaching career with the Patriots, there may be another 6th round pick (and just two selections later than Ebner) that could be considered here, but as it stands Ebner is the best of the bunch.

Largely known as a rugby player, Ebner entered the NFL draft with no fanfare, and a large contingent of people hadn’t really ever heard of him. So much so that Ebner actually does not possess an NFL.com draft profile. It’s likely that Nate would have gone undrafted and potentially never made in the NFL without Belichick taking a chance on the Ohio State project late in the 2012 draft,but it has panned out quite well for the special teams unit of the Patriots.

His athleticism has allowed the Patriots to create some trickery on punt situations (recently shown during the fake punt against the Dolphins this prior season), but Ebner has not been able to play any meaningful snaps at the safety position. He’s not terrible bothered by it, however, as Nate has made it clear multiple times that he thrives on special teams play and self-professes that he might have “a couple screws loose.” He’s no Tom Brady, but he’s a decent draft success in a round in which the Patriots haven’t had many in the past decade.

Honorable Mention: Elandon Roberts

Round 7

Julian Edelman - Quarterback/Wide Receiver - Kent State

2009 NFL Draft - Round 7 - Pick 23

As if there was any doubt. There are few more inspiring draft stories than that of Julian Edelman. He emerged as the next great slot receiver in a lineage that includes the greatest slot receiver of all time, Wes Welker. While Welker was undrafted, Edelman was a quarterback in college and was largely expected to be a playmaker on special teams in the NFL. His work ethic and fierce determination have formed him into what he is today, one of the top wide receivers in the league.

Despite being a successful college quarterback, Edelman was largely asked to try out at wide receiver in the run-up to the 2009 NFL draft. While his experience was lacking at the position, good measurables and shows of athleticism put him on a couple teams radars. Despite this, Edelman nearly went undrafted before the Patriots snagged him late in the seventh round. 

In terms of pure value, it’s tough to think of a Patriot player not named Tom Brady drafted by the Patriots in the 6th-7th rounds under Belichick that provides a higher return-on-investment. Julian is an absolute standout player who has made his presence known as a hero on the grandest of stages twice in his career, propelling the Patriots to two Super Bowl victories (and arguably the true MVP of Super Bowl 49). If Patriots fans are still feeling down about the conclusion of the previous season, it doesn’t take more than the prospect of Edelman returning to drive hype for the upcoming 2018 campaign.

Honorable Mention: Alfonzo Dennard

And that’s that, hopefully this has proven illuminating at how talent can come and impact a team from any round. The Patriots have built the success that they have enjoyed in large part to draft success stories that have come manifest in a number of players we couldn’t imagine the team without today. Any given player taken by the Pats can turn out to be the next Devin McCourty or Julian Edelman, and that’s truly what makes the draft so exciting. With a large catalog of high picks in the draft next week, the Patriots will be looking to bring in new faces, new fan favorites, and, hopefully, new Super Bowl heroes.

The 2017 Patriots draft class was certainly a small one, and the number of players drafted that truly made an impact on the team is essentially one. Deatrich Wise, the Patriots fourth round pick, did made some splashes at times, but offered not much more than depth at a defensive line plagued by injuries. This lack of a draft class impact is largely due to season ending conditions to the top two drafted players of the 2017 Patriots, Derek Rivers and Antonio Garcia.

Much will be made about the free agent acquisitions of the Patriots (and the return of big names such as Julian Edelman and Dont’a Hightower), but New England will also be replenished by two third round picks that had their entire 2017 campaigns erased. They may be a bit of an unknown quantity for Pats fans, so it may be beneficial to take a look at who these players really are.

Derek Rivers

Drafted: Third round, 83th overall selection. 

The Patriots were without a first (sent to New Orleans for Brandin Cooks) or second round pick (after a trade down) in the 2017 draft, and as such the first selection came in the middle of the third round. Belichick knew about the potential issue at edge rusher for the Pats and elected to draft Derek Rivers out of Youngstown State University.

Rivers was able to provide his college team with 13 sacks in his Sophomore year and 14 sacks in his senior year. He was a standout among the small school, and offers something desirable for the Patriots. Rivers enters the league essentially as a pure pass rusher, but he has shown some issues with setting the edge against the run which will likely only become more apparent at the NFL level. The defensive end is quite physically gifted, standing at 6′5 and weighing 250 pounds, so one would imagine with proper technique he could emerge as a three down lineman. 

Derek Rivers was a very nice value pick for the Pats at a position of need, and while he may not possess the full toolkit to be a starting member of the defense initially, he could provide additional pressure on the quarterback on passing downs. Rivers has all the tools to make a name for himself in the NFL, but he’ll have to make the most of his training camp after coming off a season ending ACL tear in the preseason. He’s a bit of a project player if Belichick is looking for a down-to-down defensive end, but he could be just what the Patriots need in 2018 with pass rush being a looming concern.

Antonio Garcia

Drafted: Third round, 85th overall selection.

Perhaps Belichick knew that Solder was going to be difficult to retain after the 2017 season. The Pats traded two of their picks to move up to the 85th slot (just two spots after the Rivers selection) and took an edge lineman ... on the other side of the ball. With Nate Solder and Marcus Cannon being firmly set into their starting roles at the tackle slots, Garcia was assuredly intended to be a backup/project player to fill those roles in the future.

Yet again, the Pats elected to go with value. Many draft projections had the University of Troy product going in the second round, but he fell deep enough into the third to justify Belichick moving up to snag him. Garcia is an offensive tackle that largely uses athleticism and mobility. His ability to move out on swinging blocks, or to move ahead of a running back on an off-tackle run is by far his biggest selling point. He’s a great match-up against defensive ends that largely rely on speed which is becoming more prevalent in NFL defenses. His issues lie in the opposing category: despite being 6′6, Garcia has a rather small body frame for his position which can cause issues when going up against larger pass rushers. He will likely need to bulk up to truly be dependable at the NFL level. Many of his other issues are based on technique which can be addressed by the Pats offensive line coaching group.

Garcia is one of the more intriguing “additions” for the 2018 Patriots as he could be in the mix to win the now vacant left tackle spot, but he is rebounding from a rather major setback. Before the season began, Garcia was put on the “non-football reserve list” which quickly turned into a season long ending condition. It was discovered that Garcia had blood clots in his lungs which ended his rookie season before it even began, and his treatment caused him to lose a significant amount of weight. Thankfully, Garcia has been cleared to resume football operations after successful treatment, but he’ll likely have a lot of work to do when getting his body into football shape before training camp begins. Due to this, he may be a long shot of immediately winning the ever important blindside blocker job, but he very well could be the next Matt Light or Nate Solder in New England once he has time to acclimate.

Hopefully this look into two of the more unknown quantities of the Patriots provided illuminating for some fans. With free agency slowing down, it becomes more enticing to look inwards to attempt to predict where certain pieces may fall into the starting 2018 Patriots roster. Content may slow down a bit until the NFL draft at the end of the month, but I’ll attempt to search for ideas of topics to cover in the meantime.

Until then,

Despite a slow start from the Patriots in the free agency period, Bill Belichick and company have put together some pieces to fill the voids at positions of need. While the degree to which these acquisitions will positively impact the team will not be clear until deep into the season, a preemptive look at some of the upside of these new faces is in order as we approach the NFL draft.

Danny Shelton

Position: Defensive Tackle

Age: 24

Height/Weight: 6′2, 335 lbs

2018 Salary: $2,030,955

With mounting concerns from Patriots fans on the status of the defense, and especially the pass rush, any move on the defensive line is sure to be met with at least some form of optimism. Unfortunately, Danny Shelton is assuredly not a pass rusher. In his two years of play in the NFL he has recorded only 1.5 sacks. What Shelton does bring to the table is a large body that can eat up blockers in the interior offensive line to allow linebackers clean shots on the ball-carrier. 

Shelton was widely praised as one of the best defensive players coming out of the 2015 NFL draft. He was selected 12th overall by the Cleveland Browns, but largely did not live up to expectations. While he was not the defensive force that Browns fans were expecting, there’s plenty of things to be excited about with Shelton. He’s young, relatively inexpensive, and fills a need for the Patriots with the departure of Alan Branch. The Patriots run defense struggled on early downs last season which led to shorter passing downs for the opposition. With a big, talented guy like Shelton in the middle of the defense, it is possible that the New England secondary may benefit indirectly. 

While Shelton was not the greatest player in his brief stay in Cleveland, he obviously has a lot of talent. Being a top first round draft pick means Shelton has the tools to get it done in the NFL, and he very well may benefit from a scheme change. At worst, he’ll be an acceptable replacement for a under-performing Alan Branch. At best, he could show flashes of the most recent great defensive tackle in New England, Vince Wilfork.

Jeremy Hill

Position: Running Back

Age: 25

Height/Weight: 6′1, 230 lbs

2018 Salary: $1,500,000

There seemed to be some initial skepticism when the Patriots signed Jeremy Hill, but, personally speaking, it appears to be a solid signing at a position of need. Hill started off his career drafted in the second round in 2014 by the Cincinnati Bengals. He emerged on the scene as one of the more promising power backs in the NFL. In his rookie season, Hill ran for over 1,000 yards, adding 200 more on receptions, and nine touchdowns. While his yardage totals dropped slightly in the following years, the touchdown numbers kept getting higher as he had amassed 30 touchdowns just three years into his career. 

Hill eventually fell out of favor in Cincinnati mostly due to the arrival of rookie running back Joe Mixon and a drop off in production, but he’ll be given a fresh start to compete in a rather open Patriots backfield for the 2018 season. He uses his large size to power forward for the tougher yards which the Patriots did have an issue with in 2017. Mike Gillislee was supposed to be the bruiser back for the Pats, but he was quickly replaced by the tandem of Lewis. Burkhead, and White. Expect Hill and Gillislee to compete for the top “work horse” type running back position in training camp.

Jeremy Hill isn’t going to make many explosive plays, but he is going to get the team those hard-to-get yards when they really need them. He has been largely durable in his career, but has had ball security issues in the past (8 fumbles in his first two seasons). If he can remedy those issues and remain healthy, he could be a great addition for the Pats.

Adrian Clayborn

Position: Defensive End

Age: 29

Height/Weight: 6′3, 280 lbs

2018 Salary: $6,000,000

If you can’t beat ‘em, join ‘em. Clayborn appeared to be a strong interest of Belichick from the beginning of the free agency tampering period, and the Patriots worked quickly to get him on the team. After a three year stretch with Atlanta (including the 2016 Super Bowl team), the veteran defensive end decided to take his talents to the north east. 

Clayborn’s sack numbers on paper aren’t the most impressive showing. He had 7.5 sacks in his first two seasons in Atlanta, followed by a career high 9.5 sacks in 2017. The thing to note about this, however, is that six of these sacks came in one game against the Dallas Cowboys against a backup left tackle. Regardless, Clayborn brings leadership and production to a Patriots pass rush that was absolutely decimated last season. While his sack numbers may not be considered as high as some Patriots fans would like, Clayborn does pressure the QB a great deal and is one of the better players in that respect. He’s great at setting the edge against running backs as well, which the Pats struggled with mightily at times last season.

Of all the free agency signings, this may be the most positive. With defensive end Derek Rivers expected to make his career debut after missing the entire 2017 season, the Patriots need some veteran leadership on the line. It’s possible Clayborn may be able to fill the Rob Ninkovich role that had been vacant last season. The hypothetical 2018 starting Patriots defensive line (Clayborn, Brown, Shelton, Rivers) is already miles ahead of how the Patriots finished last season. 

Matt Tobin

Position: Offensive Tackle

Age: 27

Height/Weight: 6′6, 302 lbs

2018 Salary: $815,000

Of all of the Patriots acquisitions, this is the one I’m the least enamored with. Tobin hasn’t played much in his career. Discounting the 2015 season, he has only started in eight games. He’s a bit of an unknown due to this, but it’s also a sign that he was never good enough to see much of the field for Seattle in 2017 during a season in which their offensive line was one of the worst in the NFL.

Tobin’s most productive year came in 2015 where he appeared in all sixteen games and started thirteen. However, he allowed nine sacks in that 2015 campaign which is not a very good showing at all. It’s tough to find much upside with Tobin, but the Patriots were thin at the position and were forced into making a move.

Perhaps Belichick and Scarnecchia see something in Tobin that isn’t immediately noticeable, but this appears to be a cheap signing to add some competition for the backup spots on a depleted Patriots offensive line. At best, Tobin makes the team and serves as a backup to whomever is decided to be the left tackle, but it’s likely he does not even make the team.

Jason McCourty

Position: Cornerback

Age: 30

Height/Weight: 5′11, 195 lbs

2018 Salary: $3,000,000

It seems like for years during free agency Patriots fans have been teased with the possibility of the Patriots bringing together the brothers McCourty. There always seemed to be some interest when Jason would enter free agency, or even stirrings of a possible trade. Well, it has finally happened as the Patriots traded with the Cleveland Browns to bring the (slightly) younger brother to the Patriots at a position of need.

Despite playing for the 0-16 Browns, McCourty by all accounts had a fairly good season last year. He’s been a solid defensive back throughout his career and offers some of the things that Malcolm Butler did for the Patriots. Despite his age, he’s still fairly quick at a position that demands it and is a good tackler. His ball skills are much like his brother as he seems to have a good sense of where the football is at all times. Above all else, this signing is important due to an obvious void at the cornerback #2 slot with the departure of Butler. It may come down to Eric Rowe and Jason McCourty battling out for the position, but due to Rowe’s tendency to be played in the slot (in which it is personally believed that Jonathan Jones will win the job) it is likely that McCourty will be the cornerback starting opposite of Gilmore in 2018.

Cordarrelle Patterson

Position: Wide Receiver/Kick Returner/Special Teams Gunner

Age: 27

Height/Weight: 6′2, 220 lbs

2018 Salary: $3,250,000

Belichick sure loves trading for first round picks that did not work out initially. Patterson is the third first round pick acquired by the Patriots this off-season, and he’s certainly a versatile weapon. In fact, weapon is the term that truly exemplifies Cordarrelle Patterson. Other than the ability to make me second guess spelling his first name, he is the best kick returner in the NFL in terms of average yardage gained since he arrived in the league in 2013. He’s not only talented at returning kicks, he’s also overly adept at covering them. He’s a gunner, much like Patriots captain Matthew Slater, and adds just another key player to quite possibly the most talented special teams unit on paper I’ve ever seen.

Now that Belichick has wiped that grin off his face, Patterson also plays wide receiver. He was drafted in the first round because he was such a dominant wide receiver in college, but it just hasn’t translated into the NFL. He’s never cracked 500 yards and at most had four receiving touchdowns in a season (his rookie year), and this may due to his less than technical style of play. Patterson is not a very good route runner, and seems to have had playbook issues in the past. This could translate to issues when learning an offensive as complex as the Patriots, but if any offensive coordinator could design some trick plays to utilize the physical freak, it’s Josh McDaniels. 

It seems unlikely that Patterson will be a staple of the Patriots offense, and it’s very possible that his impact will largely come on special teams, but expect a few explosive trick plays to go his way when situations are looking tough for the Pats. Regardless of offensive output, having the kick returner with the highest average return setting up an already gifted offensive unit in better field position is absolutely worth the price of admission.

That’s all for today. I initially considered writing about some of the players the Pats re-signed and their roles with the team, but I figured it would be a bit redundant since many fans already know them. If the Patriots go out and make another splash in free agency perhaps a part two of this article will be in order, but until then the focus turns to the draft which is set to be one of the most exciting for the Patriots in recent memory.

Until then,

In a bit of a break from the norm, it may be a good time to take a look at the two surprise departures of left tackle Nate Solder and wide receiver Danny Amendola. A lot has been said regarding some of the losses of key free agents from the Pats, but this blog has yet to weigh in on the reasoning behind the departures, and the path forward for the Patriots in filling those positions.

We’ll begin with:

Danny Amendola

Danny Amendola never was the Wes Welker replacement that Patriots fans had hoped him to be when the major shakeup at receiver occurred in the 2013 offseason, but in recent years he developed into a true clutch performer and a massive fan favorite. Everything Amendola did appeared to exemplify the Patriot Way. He would play wherever he was asked, returned punts, and continually accepted pay-cut after pay-cut to remain with the team. Nothing but respect for Amendola should be had as he moves his career forward.

The cold reality is that the Patriots simply did not deem Amendola important enough to the team’s overall success to engage in a bidding war with the Miami Dolphins. Amendola signed a two year, 12 million dollar deal with the South Beach team. To put this in perspective, Amendola had accepted a pay-cut in 2017 agreeing to be paid just under three million for the season. When you’re a 32 year old injury prone receiver, you need to make decisions that are for the betterment of your career. Danny had an opportunity to cash out after winning two rings with the Patriots, and he chose to do so.

In terms of the replacement of Mr. Playoffs himself, the Patriots shouldn’t be terribly worried. They possess one of the deepest and most threatening wide receiver units in the NFL, and with the return of Julian Edelman and Malcolm Mitchell the likelihood of Amendola seeing significant playing time in 2018, barring major injuries, was fairly low. This departure should have a minimal impact on the offense in 2018.

Nate Solder

This is by far the most shocking move in Patriots free agency to this point. Solder appeared to be the number one priority for the Pats to maintain. The left tackle position is certainly an important one on the football field as it serves to protect the quarterback from blindside hits (at least in the instance of right handed quarterbacks), and that’s surely a great concern when your quarterback is going to be 41 years old and just happens to be the greatest of all time. 

Again, this comes down to simple financial reasoning. The Patriots at the beginning of the free agency window were one of the bottom ten teams in terms of spending cash, and some tough decisions had to be made as a result. In the end, Nate Solder got paid in a big way. The Giants ended up signing the 6′8 behemoth to an equally large deal: four years, 62 million dollars (15.5 million per year, 35 million guaranteed) which makes Solder the highest paid offensive lineman in NFL history. 

Even with the long history of the Patriots dynasty, this is a bit of uncharted waters. Since 2000, Belichick has had only two starting left tackles at the beginning of the season: Matt Light and Nate Solder. Replacing Nate Solder will undoubtedly be the number one concern for Belichick in the off-season, but the Patriots already have a few pieces in place to accomplish this:

Firstly, the Pats did draft an offensive lineman last year in Antonio Garcia. The 6′6 University of Troy product is considered a bit of a work-in-progress by many draft analysts, but he is fit for the left tackle position, has shown great athleticism, and will surely have his best aspects brought out under the keen eye of offensive line coach Dante Scarnecchia. Garcia did miss the entire 2017 season due to the discovery of blood clots in his lungs, but as of today he has been cleared to begin his journey to playing football in 2018. He has a ways to go, but Garcia could be the future at left tackle in New England.

Another option is for the Patriots to make the switch of a known quantity at the right tackle position. While switching tackle spots is not as easy as it sounds, it is possible that New England may be able to take Marcus Cannon, who has experience at left tackle, and see how he adjusts, or they could pursue one of their free agents from last season in LaAdrian Waddle or Cameron Fleming who both saw extensive time playing at right tackle. Out of all of these options, this is the least appealing. Marcus Cannon was to Patriots fans as Cyrus Jones is now, in the sense that he appeared to be a player that simply could not produce at the NFL level. Cannon did turn it around in a major way in 2016, and he played well in 2017 prior to his season ending injury. There’s probably some hesitation to move Cannon around after he’s finally settled into a role he excels at. Waddle and Cameron are interesting options, but, again, they’re right tackles and having a question mark like that on Brady’s blind side is sub-optimal.

Lastly, there’s always the possibility of the Patriots acquiring a left tackle in the draft. Belichick has shown that he values the position enough to trade up higher in the draft order to get a player he deems skillful enough to protect the quarterback. In 2011, Belichick moved up to pick number 17 and selected Nate Solder who would begin serving as the Patriots left tackle immediately. New England has a decent variety of picks in the early rounds and could be equipped to trade up and select someone that catches Belichick’s eye. Personally speaking, this appears to be a fairly reasonable bit of speculation as Belichick most likely would not have let Solder walk if a replacement wasn’t immediately in view.

That’s all for now. I hope to keep updating based on major free agency moves in the coming weeks as we begin to turn our collective attention to the NFL draft. 

Until then,

Hello everybody. Free agency is nearly upon us as the market officially opens on March 14th at 4 PM Eastern, and the Patriots have a few players on contract year. Today we’re going to take a lot at the contract situations of a few key players, and the likelihood of New England re-signing them.

Nate Solder

This blog in particular has been a bit harsh on Solder as he can face some consistency issues at the ever important left tackle position. It should be said, however, that when Solder is playing well he’s among the best tackles in the NFL. Having a poor blocker on the blindside of your soon-to-be 41 year old quarterback is not something anyone in New England should be looking for, which is why I believe re-signing Nate Solder should be the primary objective for the Patriots this off-season.

Left tackle is a bit like the quarterback position. Not every team has a great one, and when one hits the open market, the prices can get pretty high. That being said, the importance of that position cannot be understated, especially for a quarterback like Brady. We have seen a New England team with rotating players at the ever important left tackle spot as recently as 2015, and that alone should hammer home why the Pats should attempt to sign Solder to a longer term deal and make him one of the highest paid Patriots.

Verdict: Solder gets signed unless Belichick is hugely confident about an upcoming tackle in the draft.

Dion Lewis

Dion really came into his own as a running back in 2017, but that may have come at the wrong time for New England if they wished to keep him beyond that campaign. With the running back by committee approach the Pats elected to run with (pun intended) early in the season, it’s fairly easy to see why Belichick may be more apt to paying a few younger guys a lesser salary and switching them in and out rather than dumping a bunch of money into Dion Lewis. 

That being said, it’s not totally out of the question for the Pats to make a run at Lewis, and I do believe Belichick will make an offer to Lewis, but if it becomes a bidding war, I just cannot see Belichick using huge quantities of team funds to attempt to secure Lewis. His versatility is a strong argument in his favor in terms of being on Belichick’s good side, but I see Bill letting Lewis go, and pursuing a running back or two in the draft.

Verdict: Depends on market interest, but unlikely. 

Danny Amendola

Danny Playoff Amendola has become something of a folk hero in Boston. His ability to come in the clutch year after year, all the while taking pay cuts to remain with the team, has deeply entrenched him as a fan favorite. The only issue is Patriots fans have to deal with General Manager Belichick who doesn’t care about such labels. 

The Pats are stacked at receiver. Next season, sans Amendola, they’ll tout a lineup of Brandin Cooks, Julian Edelman, Chris Hogan, Malcolm Mitchell, Phillip Dorsett, and possibly Kenny Briit (but I find that unlikely). It’s possible that Bill may consider that position essentially filled and not press to get a new deal done, but on the other hand ‘Dola isn’t going to command a high price on the open market as he’s a 32 year old receiver that doesn’t put up amazing stats in the regular season. If Danny is willing to take yet another contract that possibly underpays him in order to remain in New England (which is a possible angle seeing his relationship with Brady and Edelman), then Amendola should be ready to go come September. 

Verdict: Expected to remain with the Patriots, unless he wants to cash out in the twilight years of his career.

Malcolm Butler

The moment Stephon Gilmore was given his large contract in the 2017 off-season, Pats fans everywhere knew Butler’s time was coming. In fact, it was a bit of a surprise that Butler even played for the Patriots at all in 2017 as many rumors were hinting at a Butler-Cooks swap in a trade to New Orleans. In addition, his up and down performance all throughout the 2017 season certainly didn’t help matters.

To get the elephant out of the room, there’s simply no way that Malcolm Butler is re-signed by the Patriots. The benching in Super Bowl 52 totally confirmed what we already knew regarding his future with the team, and it’s a tragic end to a career with the team that began with the highest of highs. The good news for Butler is that he’ll be paid quite well as a number one or two corner for another team, and he likely has a long and fruitful NFL career ahead of him.

Verdict: Zero percent chance of being a Pat next season.

Matthew Slater

Behind Brady and Gostkowski, Slater has the longest active tenure with the Patriots going all the way back to 2008. Since then he has become a stalwart of the team becoming the Special Teams captain and emerging as a true leader of the locker room. His importance to the team cannot be understated, and he’s truly a significant reason for the success the Pats have enjoyed over the years.

Despite his responsibilities and titles, Slater is a relatively cheap player making just $900,000 as a base salary last season. He has shown to be fiercely loyal to the organization and has been entrusted by Belichick in a number of different roles. Coupled with the fact that he would be unlikely to find much higher pay elsewhere, the only way Slater is leaving Foxborough is via retirement.

Verdict: Practically guaranteed to be re-signed.

Rex Burkhead

Burkhead is probably the biggest question of this list. Burkhead counted as over three million dollars against the cap on his one year deal last season and again prepares to enter free agency. There are many things to like about Burkhead, but his versatility is the true standout. He can be relied on to bring power and finesse to the running game, but he’s also a fantastic option in the passing attack. His ability to find the end zone all season long was a true benefit to the Patriots offense, and the Pats have to be happy with what he did during his time on the field.

That all being said, durability has been a major concern for Burkhead. He played in just ten games all season, and always seemed to be the lesser option behind Dion Lewis, and even James White in some third down scenarios. It’s difficult to gauge what the Patriots organization thinks of Burkhead as a player, but he could potentially become a larger weapon for the team if Lewis were to leave and he assumed a more prominent role while remaining on the field for longer than he did in 2017. Dion Lewis’ situation will likely color Belichick’s approach to contract talks with Burkhead, so this is a somewhat nebulous situation.

Verdict: Fifty-fifty.

Marquis Flowers

Marquis Flowers retweeted this asinine opinion from a fan earlier today, and that just may paint a target on his back. He later claimed he never retweeted it (he did), and is probably pretty lucky that Belichick’s granddaughter will likely see this before he will.

Verdict: May get thrown into a volcano by Belichick.

Thank you all so much for reading. The extended break helped to tone down some of the emotions from that previous game, and now it’s full on to 2018. Articles will not be posted to the same frequency as they were during the regular season just due to not as many aspects to cover, but expect some check ins for feedback on free agency signings, draft prospects, and maybe even a draft review (full disclosure, I’m a total scrub when it comes to college football), and I hope you all enjoy that as we inch ever closer to the 2018 campaign.

Until then,

Hello all,

With the season coming to a close, I’d like to again thank everyone that has supported this blog throughout the year. I had long thrown around the idea of putting my thoughts on my favorite football team in some formal fashion, but didn’t have the encouragement to do so until this year. Honestly, I didn’t expect more than one or two people to end up reading any of this, so it’s all come as a big surprise.

I’m sure you’re all as disinterested in reading a Three Up, Three Down for the Super Bowl as I am to write one, so I think we’ll skip that. Perhaps it will be revisited down the road when the wound isn’t quite as fresh. 

This isn’t the end of this blog by any means, and I intend to check in many times during the off-season. Free agency opens early next month, so projections and reactions will likely be in order. Of course the draft follows, and some coverage and opinions will be issued there.

I’m excited for the 2018 campaign, and I’m even more excited to cover it as was done this season. I only hope you will all stick around for the ride.

It has all come to this. Every snap, every hit, every thrilling conclusion, and every demoralizing defeat leads to just one destination. On Sunday, February 5th at 6:30 PM Eastern, the New England Patriots will wage war, one more time, in an attempt to win an astonishing sixth Super Bowl in 16 years.

The stories of these teams could not be any different. The city of Philadelphia has never successfully brought home the Lombardi trophy, and it seems the residents are ready to set the world alight with either result. At one point of the season considered a total powerhouse, the Eagles laid waste to large swaths of their schedule before a late season injury to quarterback Carson Wentz tempered all expectations. Many, myself included, deemed the team to be the weakest in the NFC playoffs even with the fact remaining that they were the number one seed. The Eagles are not a show in consistency to the degree that the Patriots are, but the 2017 squad resembles one of the city’s most famous works of fiction, but the question remains whether this Eagles team will merely “go the distance” or manage to put Apollo Creed down.

Sticking with the metaphor, in the other corner stands a behemoth. In a league so geared towards parity and the dispersion of wealth, the Patriots are in their own class with a relentless focus on success and the overtaking of all obstacles that stand between them and yet another Lombardi. Even when teams begin to feel comfortable they are simply reminded of the nature of the Beast in the North. The Pats simply do not die. Whatever the score is, Brady and company have a shot at turning it around, and this alone can be enough to keep opposing coaches awake at night. You do not defeat the villain by landing a series of jabs, you defeat them by unleashing haymaker after haymaker until there is nothing left. The Eagles will have to keep this in mind as they attempt to do what few teams can.

All that ridiculous gravitas aside, there is indeed a football game to be played on Sunday, and it’s finally time to preview it.

How Do They Match Up?

In spite of some popular opinions that this may be the weakest opponent New England has faced in a Super Bowl, there is cause for concern for Patriots fans.

It has been stated multiple times here and elsewhere that the true strength of a Belichick-led team is the ability to neutralize the main attack method of the opposing offense. Even with the injury to the most singularly important position in football, the Eagles possess so many weapons to hit their opposition from different angles.  They possess tall receivers that can stretch the field vertically and provide challenges for the deep safeties and corners in one-on-one coverage, an all-pro tight end who is emerging as one of the best at his position in Zach Ertz, a running back tandem that can hit you with thunder or lightning (the Patriots being well acquainted with both, but the former a bit more-so), and the danger of run option plays which can keep a front seven second guessing themselves.

Defensively, the Eagles tout the best run defense in the league giving up the fewest rushing yards and the third fewest touchdowns on the season. The secondary has seen issues at points this season, but has exploded onto the scene in the playoffs in a big way. This may be explained by the total dominance asserted by the Philadelphia defensive line. This season, the Eagles, out of all the playoff teams, were the quickest group to get to and hit the quarterback. The pressure shown just two weekends ago against Case Keenum and the Vikings is a perfect example of how that group can totally take over games. The pass rush is the true threat defensively that the Patriots will be forced to neutralize to some degree.

In terms of the match up, the Patriots defense may have their hands full. If I were forced to give a comparison, the Eagles offense resembles the Kansas City Chiefs. They have an extraordinarily talented tight end in Ertz, receivers that can take the ball down the field, and a strong group of running backs. None of the Eagles receivers are to the level of someone like Tyreek Hill, however. There was no 1,000+ yard receiver on the Eagles this season, but they’re all bigger sized players who had found ways to get the ball down in the end zone. This will be an exciting battle to watch as the Eagles possess so much talent in the red zone, but the Patriots have one of the best red zone units in the league. Torrey Smith will likely be covered by Malcolm Butler or Eric Rowe, and he’ll need to be careful as Smith is one of the speedier receivers in the NFL (and has broken Patriots fans hearts in the past). Gilmore will likely be on Alshon Jeffrey which should be a favorable match up for #24, and Chung will likely be on Ertz which could be the most critical assignment in the passing game. All eyes will be on the front seven, however, as they’ll be forced to deal with changing speeds at running back, quick options to Ajayi, and misdirection plays. Discipline will be required from the young unit.

Offensively, this will be Brady’s Super Bowl to win. It’s likely that the Patriots will not be able to rely on Lewis and Burkhead to set up favorable downs for the passing offense as the Eagles are just so stout at defending the run. As mentioned, Philadelphia has had issues at times defending the pass, but Brady absolutely must have time for these windows to open up. If the offensive line and tight ends block well, Brady may very well have another Super Bowl MVP performance on his hands, but a less than stellar performance from that unit could bring back some troubling memories of the Super Bowls against the Giants in which Brady is firmly planted into the turf. Specifically, the Eagles have had issues against tight ends which could spell doom. If Gronkowski is able to get going, nearly nothing short of triple coverage will slow him down, and the game very well could get out of hand.

Key Players

Philadelphia

Fletcher Cox

Cox is about all you can ask for in a defensive tackle. He’s a stalwart defender of the run, but also possesses the rare strength at nose tackle to push the pocket and collapse it from the interior. This has long been the only true way to crush Tom Brady. Since the quarterback has become so adept at stepping up into the pocket to avoid edge rushers, forcing him backwards into a back-footed throw, or an attempt to scramble to buy time can be exactly what the doctor ordered to shut down the Pats passing attack. Fletcher can do it both, however, as he’s pulverized running backs all season long.

Zach Ertz

The 6′5 tight end has given both Wentz and Foles an outlet receiver which the Eagles had struggled to find at multiple points this season. Ertz has emerged as a true top tight end with over 800 yards and eight touchdowns in fourteen games. When a pass is intended for Ertz, it’s a completion 67% of the time. If the Eagles are finding it difficult to get the ball downfield to guys like Jeffrey and Agholor, it will be up to Ertz to beat Chung in man-to-man assignments and get across the middle of the field for critical yards on late passing downs.

Nick Foles

I don’t typically like to put quarterbacks on this list as their impact on the game is obvious, but Foles is in quite the dramatic position. Replacing one of the front runners for the 2017 MVP award, Foles was thrust into action late in the season and immediately achieved mixed levels of success. The Eagles originally sought Foles to be a game manager and to essentially not make major mistakes, but he’ll need to be more than that against the Patriots. Turnovers and missed critical plays will wound a football team, but the quarterback collapsing under pressure will bury it. Foles has been shaky when rushed at points this year, so expect the Patriots to come fast and often. It will be up to Foles to stand up to the pressure and show why he belongs in Minnesota. 

New England

Rob Gronkowski

This one is a bit obvious, but it still needs to be stated. The Eagles pass defense has been stellar, but their numbers specifically in quarterback rating allowed are significantly higher when covering tight ends than receivers. It’s often repeated that Gronk opens up the rest of the field, and that could absolutely be the case on Sunday. The Eagles will obviously be aware of this fact and will be focusing on Gronkowski to a significant degree, but it only takes one or two small mistakes to go from shutting down the 6′6 tight end, to watching him spike the ball 10 feet in the end zone.

Patrick Chung

Not much to say here. Chung will be likely in charge of covering Ertz and the Patriots will be hoping he can win that match-up one-on-one. If the Patriots are forced to bring in a linebacker to jam Ertz, or move a safety down to assist Chung, Ajayi and company may be able to find open room against a less focused New England front seven.

Trey Flowers

Foles is by no means an inexperienced quarterback, his name has floated around the league for years and he had success starting early in his career. However, Nick Foles hasn’t been a starting quarterback for too long, and the one thing that can really impact quarterbacks without much starting time is pressure. Trey Flowers is the biggest source of pressure on the Patriots line, and has been playing quite well so far in the playoffs. If Flowers is able to get around the edge and quickly converge on Foles the Eagles may be in for a long evening. Foles is not a terribly mobile quarterback, so pocket containment won’t be a huge issue on the front seven’s mind. If Flowers can get there, he should be able to bring the QB down.

Injuries

For the first time all season, there’s nothing to report. All Patriots are healthy and will be ready to go, and all Eagles players have been listed as full participants in the final practice.

Predictions

The Patriots truly face a multi-dimensional threat in the Philadelphia Eagles. The team has aspects of prior teams that the Pats have had issues with in the past and possess so many “X-Factor” type players that it can be truly difficult to nail down where that big play is going to come from. If I were to guess the Patriots focus, I think a conservative secondary, but an aggressive front seven will be the strategy. The Eagles may be allowed some yards on the ground and the short passing game as a result, but keeping plays in front of the Patriots in the secondary and forcing methodical drives and baiting mistakes may be the way to go. If the Patriots can throw a wrench into Philadelphia’s scoring opportunities, as they have all season long with other teams, then the offense should be able to outscore the Eagles by a reasonable margin.

When it comes down to difficult to discern match-ups such as this one, I typically like to go on the side of experience. Which team, or player, has encountered enough situations to handle anything thrown at them, and there is no coach better at preparing situations than Bill Belichick. I believe this will be largest margin of victory for a Patriots team in the Super Bowl, but probably not by enough to make it any sort of a relaxing game.