Free agency and the NFL Draft are in the books and offseason workouts have (kinda) begun.
The roster-building process for Bill Belichick’s 2021 Patriots (and 31 other squads) is mostly complete, and the work toward actual football and on-field competition is underway!
New England is obviously in a unique position, a sort of organizational crossroads. The first year without Tom Brady under center at Gillette Stadium didn’t go well. There were more losses than wins, more losses than touchdown passes by starting quarterback Cam Newton. There were no playoffs. Mix in COVID and it was a year that many would love to forget.
The best way to do that, of course, is to look to the future in Foxborough. And as we all now know, No. 15 overall pick Mac Jones is the future. As he goes, as the quarterback position goes, so likely will go the Patriots.
For that reason much of the next four-plus months or longer will be dominated by one simple question in Patriot Nation: Cam Newton or Mac Jones?
That QB competition – let’s not forget forgotten man Jarrett Stidham! – will play itself out in the meeting rooms, walkthroughs, workouts and preseason action, and hopefully by September the outcome will be clear and obvious. Ideally Belichick will be able to name a starter in Randy “Macho Man” Savage fashion with a new spin on his own mantra and say, simply, “What it is, is what it is!”
But with everything that has gone on over the last year-plus in Robert Kraft’s organization, there are actually other questions facing the Belichick and the Patriots this spring and summer other than just the quarterbacks. So, let’s take a quick NBA-style 20-second timeout from the Jones and Newton QB talk to look at a few other issues that face New England heading toward what everyone hopes (expects?) will be a major bounce back year by Belichick and his troops.
How does Belichick continue to replace right-hand men Nick Caserio and Ernie Adams?
The Patriots made it through their first draft in years without Caserio, now the GM in Houston, serving as Belichick’s top advisor. As Belichick described it himself, Dave Ziegler, Eliot Wolf and Matt Groh – “Matt, you’re good on this?” – carrying the ball in the pre-draft process and right into the war room. Matt Patricia also stepped up in new and potentially valuable ways.
But the work is only beginning, not only continuing to replace Caserio but having to do the same with Adams after he announced his retirement. It may not be hyperbole to say the two trusted advisors had two of the most unique roles in football under Belichick New England. Caserio not only led the personnel department but worked on the field as a coach, threw passes as an extra QB when needed and was in the coaching booth as eyes in the sky for offensive coordinator Josh McDaniels and others on game days. Adams similarly had roles that extended from trade analysis and pre-draft work, into scouting, game preparation and serving as Belichick’s eyes and ears above the action during games. Belichick’s high school pal was always just a phone call or headset question away. No one or two people are going to fill the voids created by the Caserio departure and Adams’ retirement. Given his own unique talents and background, maybe Patricia has a role in the booth during games. But others will have to be involved as well. It won’t be easy and neither guy will truly be “replaced.” Belichick is going to have to push forward and make decisions without his two most trusted advisors, and in Adams’ case without his top sounding board who’s been on-call for the entirety of his head coaching career. Such a loss can’t be overlooked, even if it’s a behind-the-scenes one.
Who’s the No. 1 WR and do you even need one?
The Patriots invested heavily in the roster, including adding a handful of pass catchers. Heck, with Hunter Henry and Jonnu Smith New England now may have two No. 1 tight ends for whichever QB wins the job to put to use. But, there is seemingly still a hole atop the wide receiver depth chart, especially with positional leader Julian Edelman having limped off into retirement. Former first-round pick N’Keal Harry’s hasn’t developed into the No. 1 target he was drafted to be. Nelson Agholor is coming off his best year, averaging 18.7 yards per catch in Las Vegas. Even so, it’s hard to argue that a guy who’s never topped 900 yards receiving nor had more than 64 catches in a year is a true No. 1 receiver. Maybe Kendrick Bourne is ready for a breakout. Or, maybe returning possession option Jakobi Meyers will continue to defy those who overlook him. Either way, there is plenty of competition to be had at receiver and roles to be hashed out in the coming weeks and months. Even if the Patriots are mostly a two-receiver offense, there are questions to be answered regarding the wide receiver depth chart.
With so many changes to the roster, will chemistry be an issue especially early in the year?
Even good talent and great players don’t ensure success. The Patriots certainly have improved the team on both sides of the ball this offseason. The pass catchers have been upgraded. The front seven has been overhauled on defense. But talent on paper and success on the field are not necessarily directly connected. There is a process of putting it all together to build cohesive units, especially with uncertainty at quarterback. For the 2007 Patriots, that process was swift and successful. A couple years later, Belichick famously lamented with NFL Films rolling that he couldn’t get his 2009 team “to play the way we need to play.” Chemistry and cohesion can be guided but not forced by either a coach or team leaders. There will have to be a natural process, one that may be slowed somewhat by remaining COVID restrictions, toward theoretical unity. Sometimes that takes more time than others. Other times, it never really works the way you want it to at all.
It is what it is.
Is there a concern with aging key contributors like Devin McCourty, Stephon Gilmore, Dont’a Hightower, Lawrence Guy and James White “losing a step”?
As the new-look Patriots look to return to more competitive, consistent action the new blood on the roster is balanced out with an aging core of key leaders and contributors. On paper, that’s a really good thing. But on the field, sometimes guys start to show their age and it’s an obvious negative. Hightower should be a revelation in his return from the COVID opt-out. But the 31-year-old linebacker does have an injury history and has been away from the game for more than a year. McCourty isn’t coming off his best year, especially in terms of pursuit angles and tackling as the last line of defense. White battled off-field tragedy last fall and had to learn a new QB, limiting his production. But he strangely seemed to garner limited attention on the open market. Do other teams see/know something? Gilmore and Guy have been key defensive cogs, but when you creep past the age of 30 or 31 in the NFL, questions about durability, longevity and production creep up as well. Maybe all the Patriots key veteran leaders will continue to play at a high level, but Father Time often has other plans.
Could there be a few more notable moves on the roster? Trades?
Many have been predicting a trade or two throughout the offseason in New England. The perception was that Gilmore, who reportedly wants a new contract and has been the subject of trade talks dating back to last year, was likely to be dealt. But that’s not yet happened. Some wondered if No.
2 cornerback J.C. Jackson might be sent out of town on his RFA tender. Young players like Harry and Joejuan Williams have also been bandied about as possible change-of-scenery trade targets. Oh, and given the salary cap situations with some teams across the league, there could be some big-name trades with post-June 1 cap designations. Aaron Rodgers may not make sense for the Patriots, but Falcons No. 1 receiver Julio Jones certainly could! Given all the chatter and the way the NFL has come to dominate the sports calendar almost 12 months of the year, there certainly could still be some additions or alterations to the Patriots roster that are more than minor moves. Former Defensive Player of the Year Gilmore going? Future Hall of Famer Jones coming? At the very least, such possibilities are fun to ponder as the offseason rolls into the summah!