It was already going to be a season of change for the Patriots. After two decades of dominance and six Super Bowl rings, Tom Brady left for Tampa Bay, Cam Newton was brought in and for the first time since essentially the turn of the century there's some uncertainty in New England. On top of everything else, the entire sports world is still dealing with the effects of COVID-19. For a while the NFL was in the advantageous position of having most of an offseason to figure things out, but the league and players are quickly running out of time.
The league has moved up the deadline to opt out of the season to Wednesday, a decision that Pats' captain Devin McCourty ridiculed to the media on Sunday, saying the NFL pushed the date "mainly because they don't want to continue to see guys opt out. I'm sure they're shocked about how many guys have opted out." The Pats, in particular, have been hit hard by opt outs. As of Monday, eight players will sit out the 2020 season due to COVID-19 concerns, including some cornerstone pieces.
Here's a running list of Patriots who won't suit up this fall:
Danny Vitale: The fullback was brought to New England to fill fairly big shoes, following James Develin's retirement at the end of last season. The 28-year-old spent the last two seasons with the Packers, appearing in 15 games in 2019 in a limited offensive role (playing 16 percent of snaps). But he won't play in 2020 after his wife had the couple's first child during the pandemic. The Pats rely on a fullback more than most in today's NFL, and now have either Jakob Johnson or rookie Jake Burt as their options.
Marcus Cannon: The team's full-time right tackle since 2016, Cannon became the second Patriot to opt out early last week. While all players choosing to opt out need no justification in doing so, Cannon's decision is especially prudent. At the combine in 2011, before New England selected him in the fifth round, he was diagnosed with non-Hodgkin lymphoma and had to undergo chemotherapy treatment during the 2011 lockout. While he's recovered and has since been a core piece of the offensive line, his pre-existing condition makes playing not worth the risk.
Dont'a Hightower: One of the staples of the Patriots defense, the Pro Bowler is one of the league's biggest names to opt out to date. The 30-year-old has been a consistent presence at linebacker since being drafted in the first round in the 2012 draft, starting 99 games. He has 42 tackles for loss and 25.5 sacks in his career that's seen him win three Super Bowls. Like some others, Hightower has a newborn, playing a major role in his decision to opt out.
Patrick Chung: Hightower isn't the only big-name defensive player to opt out. Shortly after Hightower's announcement, safety Patrick Chung followed suit with his own announcement. The 33-year-old signed a two-year extension earlier in the offseason to remain a foundational part of the defense. Since re-joining the team in 2014 he's missed only five games, though three of those came in 2019. The absence of Chung and Hightower means New England must replace a combined 255 games and 11,736 snaps of experience.
Brandon Bolden: The veteran has only accounted for 12 touchdowns over his seven-year (and two stint) tenure with the Patriots, but Bolden's presence is more valuable than that, making his opt out another blow. A special teams ace, Bolden has played at least 60 percent of special teams snaps every year since 2014 and is a good presence in the running back room, despite getting limited action behind Sony Michel, James White and Rex Burkhead.
Najee Toran: The offensive lineman opted out last week in what was to be his second season with the organization. Undrafted out of UCLA in 2018, Toran signed with the 49ers before joining the Patriots' practice squad prior to Week 1 last year and signing a futures contract in January. He has yet to play a regular season snap in the NFL, and he wasn't a guarantee to make the 53-man roster.
Marqise Lee: The 28-year-old former second-round pick was cut by the Jaguars in the spring after missing all of 2018 and playing just six games in 2019. While it appeared to be a classic Belichick-ian signing, it won't be happening. Lee decided over the weekend to skip 2020, leaving the already thin wide receiver corps a little bit weaker.
Matt LaCosse: The most recent Patriot to sit out the season, the tight end announced on Sunday he would sit out 2020. The 27-year-old was set for his second season in New England, after catching 13 passes for 131 yards and a touchdown last year. His wife is reportedly due to have a child during the season, which likely played a major role in the decision.