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Structural Engineer by day, sportswriter by night. Living a bigger double life than Bruce Wayne Follow me on Twitter @DLPatsThoughts

The State of the New England Patriots Offensive Line

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There may not be a more important unit in football than the offensive line. A good and a bad offensive line oftentimes are the difference between wins and losses. The Patriots offensive line is in something of a flux this off-season after Nate Solder signed with the New York Giants. Fortunately, the Patriots offensive line situation clarified itself after New England re-signed tackle LaAdrian Waddle. With the draft less than a month away, let’s take a look at the state of the New England Patriots offensive line.

The New England Patriots Offensive Line Situation

Right Tackle: Marcus Cannon

Starting right tackle Marcus Cannon has had one of the more interesting careers on the Patriots. Selected in the fifth-round of the 2011 NFL Draft, Cannon played sparingly as a swing tackle until 2015. Injuries forced him into the starting lineup, and he did not play well. His worst game of the season came in the 2015 AFC Championship Game, when Von Miller blew by him on seemingly every snap.

However, despite that poor season, Cannon has gone on to establish himself as one of the better right tackles in football. Thanks to the return of offensive line coach Dante Scarneccia, Cannon had a great 2016 season, culminating in a Super Bowl title.

Cannon began 2017 where his 2016 left off. He played like one of the best right tackles in the league through seven games. Unfortunately, an ankle injury prematurely ended his season. If Cannon can fend off injuries, he’s one of the best right tackles in the league. However, that’s a big if. Throughout Cannon’s career, he’s only played one full 16-game season, and that was when he was a backup. 2016 saw him start in 18 of a possible 19 games, but he’s no guarantee to stay healthy.

Right Guard: Shaq Mason

Right guard Shaq Mason has evolved into one of the best guards in the league

Image credit: The Tennessean

While Cannon carries upside with injury risk, right guard Shaq Mason only carries upside. Mason has been a phenomenal run blocker ever since entering the league, and has steadily improved as a pass blocker. Between Cannon and Mason, the Patriots should be able to run to the right with great success. Mason is easily the best guard to enter Foxborough since longtime star Logan Mankins. The right guard position is nothing to worry about so long as Mason stays healthy.

Center: David Andrews

Andrews was one of the best surprises of the 2017 season. He was a league average center his first two years in the league, and earned a modest three-year, 11.7 million dollar contract. The deal clearly made him the Patriots center of the future, and he spent 2017 earning every penny.

Andrews 2017 season was easily the best of his career. The third-year center was one of the best in the league at his position, constantly winning the tough fights in the trenches. New England’s offensive line ranked as the best run blocking unit in the league, and Andrews was a big reason for that.

Additionally, Andrews has stayed remarkably healthy over his career. Andrews has played in all but four games in his career, and only missed two due to injury. Just as with the right guard position, there’s no need to worry about the guy lining up at center.

Left Guard: Joe Thuney

The weak link on the 2017 offensive line was the left guard, but that says more about the rest of the line than it does Thuney. While the rest of the line was above average to great, Thuney was just solid. That’s not to say he was bad – far from it – but he was only a serviceable player.

However, there’s plenty of reasons to believe Thuney is the long term answer at guard. Thuney has been a starter ever since entering the league in 2016, and has improved in every season. He’s undersized for a guard and probably won’t ever become a top-ten player at his position. However, he’s further along than Andrews was last season, and it’s not unrealistic to expect a similar third-year jump out of Thuney.

Left Tackle: LaAdrian Waddle

LaAdrian Waddle projects as the 2018 starting left tackle

Image credit: MassLive.com

This is where things get interesting. After losing Nate Solder to the Giants, New England turned to his longtime understudy to fill the starting role. While there are worse tackles than Waddle, there’s certainly room for improvement.

He’s below average as both a pass blocker and a run blocker, but he’s not so bad that he’s an active liability. Additionally, there’s reason to believe in his pass blocking. After struggling in 2015 and hardly playing in 2016, Waddle had an encouraging 2017. Filling in for Marcus Cannon, Waddle didn’t allow a single sack all season, per Pro Football Focus. It’s unrealistic to expect him not to allow a sack in 2018, but there is hope that his development as a pass blocker is still improving.

Much like with Cannon, injuries have plagued Waddle’s career. The former Detroit Lion has never played in more than 12 games in a season, either due to injury or being benched. With the injury history of both Waddle and Cannon, the chances of both players starting all 16 games are incredibly slim. The organizational depth will likely be tested.

Tackle Depth

With so many questions with the starting tackles, it goes without saying that the depth is questionable at best. Currently, the only other tackles on the roster are underwhelming options such as Andrew Jelks, Matt Tobin, Cole Croston, and Antonio Garcia.

All the aforementioned players either lack experience or success at the NFL level. However, of this bunch, Garcia has the highest ceiling. The second-year Patriot was drafted in the third round of the 2017 NFL Draft, but lost his entire rookie season to blood clots. He was recently cleared to play, but it’s anyone’s guess how effective he will be.

In summary, the interior of the Patriots offensive line should be one of the best in the league. Mason and Andrews are two of the best at their positions, and Thuney should only get better as his career goes on. If this group can stay healthy, as they have throughout their careers, then New England should have nothing to worry about.

The tackle issue, however, is a problem. Cannon is an above average starter, while Waddle is just serviceable. However, both have injury problems and the depth behind them is less than inspiring. Heading into the draft, the Patriots will need to address this issue.

Cover image courtesy of Football Scoop.

Realistic Expectations for Adrian Clayborn

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The New England Patriots entered the offseason with a desperate need for an edge defender. The 2017 Patriots struggled to stop outside runs and lacked consistency getting to the quarterback. Two days into free agency, the Patriots addressed that problem with the signing of former Altanta Falcons defensive end Adrian Clayborn. But what are realistic expectations for Adrian Clayborn as a Patriot?

Setting Realistic Expectations for Adrian Clayborn

Clayborn Rushing the Passer

Clayborn’s six-sack game against the Dallas Cowboys won’t be the norm

Image credit: SI.com

Clayborn finished his 2017 season with 9.5 sacks, but that number is a little deceiving. Six of his nine and a half sacks came in one game, against Dallas Cowboys backup left tackle Chaz Green. Take out that game, and he only had 3.5 sacks in 15 games.

This isn’t meant to take any credit away from Clayborn – six sacks in a game is an incredible feat – it’s merely to point out he’s not an elite pass rusher. Anyone expecting the second coming of Richard Seymour is asking for disappointment.

While Clayborn isn’t a Hall of Famer, he’s still a huge upgrade as a pass rusher. He’s never had a double-digit sack season. However, he consistently gets to the passer. He’s capable of lining up all over the Patriots defensive line, although he’s best when lining up wide off the edge.

While he doesn’t always bring down the quarterback, he’s phenomenal at generating pressure. Per Pro Football Focus, Clayborn pressured the quarterback on 54 snaps, despite having just 9.5 sacks. If Clayborn can continue to bring pressure and move the quarterback off the spot, then the rest of the defense can finish the job.

Ultimately, Clayborn won’t fix the pass rush all by himself. However, pairing him with fellow defensive end Trey Flowers should give the Patriots one of the better pass rushing duos in the league. Factor in edge rushers Deatrich Wise Jr. and Derek Rivers coming off the bench, and suddenly the Patriots have one of the deeper groups of pass rushers in the league.

Clayborn Against the Run

While Clayborn is an above average pass rusher, he’s not quite as good against the run. Per Pro Football Focus, Clayborn finished his season with 18 run stops overall. While that’s not an elite number, it’s fine for a player whose game is primarily rushing the passer.

However, he doesn’t need to be an elite run defender to be an upgrade. The 2017 Patriots edge defenders couldn’t set the edge to save their lives. Cassius Marsh was a failed experiment, while younger players like Wise and Adam Butler just didn’t have enough experience to play the run and the pass. Outside of Flowers, the only player capable of setting the edge all last season was former Pittsburgh Steeler James Harrison.

Clayborn is an upgrade on all of the non-Flowers defenders in the run game. While it’s not his speciality, he’s still capable of setting the edge, eating up a blocker, and allowing linebackers Dont’a Hightower and Kyle Van Noy to finish the play.

How Adrian Clayborn Fits

Trey Flowers will be happy to have Clayborn in town

Image credit: ESPN

Essentially, New England is getting a lesser version of Chandler Jones. While Clayborn isn’t the same pass rushing threat that Jones is, he’s capable of generating pressure on a snap to snap basis and getting to the quarterback. Like Jones, Clayborn is an adequate, if unspectacular, run defender. He’s not a liability, but it’s certainly not his strength.

Ultimately, the Patriots got the ideal #2 edge defender on a good deal. Clayborn should be a perfect complement to Flowers, and Flowers will have a genuine pass rushing threat alongside him.

Clayborn, Flowers, Wise, Butler, and Rivers should combine to be a ferocious pass rushing unit on passing downs. The base defense of Clayborn, Malcolm Brown, Danny Shelton, and Flowers won’t be one of the elite run stopping units in the league, but they’ll certainly be capable of holding their own against opposing offensive lines.

Clayborn came over on a two-year, $12 million dollar deal and he already looks like a bargain. He fits an immediate need on the Patriots defensive line and should be a Week One starter. While this free agency has been turbulent for Patriots fans, this is one move that absolutely goes New England’s way.

Cover Image Credit: USA Today

Jason McCourty: Just What the New England Patriots Needed

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So far, free agency has been a complete and utter frenzy for the New England Patriots. After losing Super Bowl LI, everyone in Patriots Nation wanted New England to get a big name cornerback. When that fell didn’t happen, hot takes were everywhere. Belichick was asleep at the wheel, and the 2018 Patriots defense was already a failure. However, the Patriots acquired longtime cornerback Jason McCourty from the Cleveland Browns, and he is just what the Patriots need.

Jason McCourty is Just What the New England Patriots Need

What the Patriots Need

With the departure of Malcolm Butler, there was no denying the Patriots needed to look into acquiring a cornerback to start opposite Stephon Gilmore. However, that need was a little overblown among Patriots fans due to how ugly the Super Bowl was. Yes, Eric Rowe struggled against Philadelphia Eagles receiver Alshon Jeffery, but once he switched off him he had a really good game.

The front seven and poor coaching decisions were the main reasons the defense played so poorly, so signing a top-tier cornerback wasn’t a necessity. If New England could get players to fix their front seven, then a typical number two cornerback would easily suffice in the secondary.

What Jason McCourty Brings

He’s not a superstar along the lines of Aqib Talib or Richard Sherman, but McCourty is still a quality starting NFL cornerback. Initially selected as a sixth-round pick in the 2009 NFL draft, McCourty has carved out a nine-year NFL career as a defensive back.

While the Cleveland Browns were terrible in 2017, McCourty was not. He had moments where he looked like a true number one cornerback, and finished the year as the 27^th ranked cornerback in the league, per Pro Football Focus. By comparison, Malcolm Butler finished the year ranked 51^st among cornerback. If McCourty can have a similar 2018, the Patriots should have one of the better cornerback duos in football.

Additionally, McCourty’s style of play is a perfect fit for the New England Patriots. McCourty is at his best when he’s playing press coverage, which perfectly aligns with what Gilmore excels at. When Gilmore and McCourty, the Patriots can run tough, physical man coverages and don’t have to worry about the corners getting beat off the line.

Lastly, McCourty does the little things well. Just like his twin brother and teammate, Devin McCourty, Jason McCourty is a great tackler. He’s not afraid to play the run, lower his shoulder and do the dirty work. Some cornerbacks shy away from making tackles, but McCourty is not one of them. Nobody values fundamentals more than Bill Belichick, which just gives McCourty more value on the Patriots.

Money Talks

While it would have been great to see Sherman, Talib, or Trumaine Johnson in a Patriots uniform, it would have taken a lot of money to make that happen. Per @patscap, The Patriots currently only have a bit over $21 million in cap space. Signing any one of those players would have taken up a sizable portion of that cap space.

Instead, the Patriots got the significantly cheaper option of Jason McCourty. McCourty only has a $3.6 million dollar cap hit in 2018. This minimal hit on the salary cap means that the Patriots got a good player without sacrificing roster depth.

Additionally, it cost nothing to get McCourty. The Patriots swapped their late sixth-round pick for the Browns early seventh. That small drop in draft positioning makes it such that the Patriots got McCourty essentially for free.

Had they signed a free agent, this would not be the case. Currently, New England will probably receive two third round compensation picks and an additional sixth rounder for the departures of Solder, Butler, and Lewis. If the Patriots had signed a free agent cornerback, that would affect their compensatory pick formula.

Obviously, there’s no way to know how much a free agent cornerback would have affected New England’s compensation picks, but now there’s no need to worry about that. Free agent signings are the only factors that play into the compensation formula. Since McCourty was acquired via trade, he has no effect on how the compensation picks are determined.

Cover image courtesy of NBC Sports.

The Boston Red Sox Don’t Need a Lefty Reliever

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The regular season hasn’t begun yet, but new Red Sox manager Alex Cora is already making sweeping changes within the organization, specifically with the bullpen. Cora recently announced that he has considered the idea of going with an all-righty bullpen, which would be a major shift in the typical team-building philosophy. However, Cora’s unconventional thinking is exactly what Boston needs. The Red Sox don’t need a lefty reliever, and Cora should be credited for his outside thinking.

Lefty Relieve: The Boston Red Sox Don’t Necessarily Need It

The Current Bullpen

The top of the bullpen is set. The depth…not so much

Image credit: SI.com

Barring injury, three of the bullpen roster spots will belong to Craig Kimbrel, Carson Smith, Matt Barnes, and Joe Kelly. Assuming Tyler Thornberg won’t be ready for the regular season, that probably leaves three remaining spots in the bullpen.

The contestants for those spots are Heath Hembree, Brandon Workman, Robby Scott, Austin Maddox, and Brian Johnson. Of those five, Scott and Johnson are the only lefties. Johnson can be taken out of the equation, as injuries to Steven Wright and Eduardo Rodriguez thrusted him into the starting rotation. Essentially, Scott is the only lefty option for the bullpen.

What Does Robby Scott Bring?

2017 was Scott’s first season consistently in the majors, and served as the teams primary lefty arm in the bullpen. Scott got plenty of playing time, appearing in 57 games and pitching 35.2 innings. While he’s only been in the majors one year, there’s plenty of data and tape to determine what kind of player Scott is.

On a positive note, Scott was highly effective against lefties. His sidearm delivery naturally works well against left handed hitters, and Scott was very reliable against left handed hitter. In 20.2 innings, Scott held lefties to a slash line of just .119/.224/.303.

On the negative side, Scott struggled mightily against righties. While his aforementioned sidearm motion made him a nightmare against lefties, righties ate his motion up. In 15 innings against righties, Scott gave up a far less impressive slash line of .241/.323/.494.

Basically, Scott showed that he has the potential to be a good lefty-only bullpen arm. While there’s certainly value in that type of player, he’s basically only good for one batter a game. The league has steadily evolved to the point where the bullpen is more important than it’s ever been. It’s not uncommon for the bullpen to be utilized the first second a starter starts to struggle, so teams need guys that can go longer in games than just one batter.

With that in mind, the Red Sox still need somebody that can consistently get lefties out. The top bullpen options, like Kimbrel and Smith, can get anybody out, but what of the other guys? Can any of Workman, Hembree, or Maddox consistently get lefties out if they need to?

The Non-Robby Scott Options

Could Austin Maddox be the bullpen’s secret weapon?

Image credit: WEEI

If Cora’s looking for a righty that can get lefties out, he may look towards Austin Maddox. Maddox, admittedly, has a very small sample size against lefties, but he has promise. Maddox only faced six innings worth of lefties last season, but he held said hitters to a .280/.280/.440 slash line. That’s pretty promising, especially considering he does his best work against righties.

Scott could only face one or two batters at a time, whereas Maddox could go as long as he needed to. Sending Scott to Pawtucket allows the major league bullpen to remain fresher, longer, and it might not cause a drastic drop off in performance against lefties.

Additionally, Cora has stated that he believes in putting his best pitchers in during the games biggest moment. In previous years, former manager John Farrell had always reserved his best bullpen arms for the very end of the game. While that’s great in theory, there’s no point having your best arms available late if you’ve already blown a lead.

Cora has already announced that he won’t shy away from using his best arms in the biggest moments. Perhaps, instead of turning to Robby Scott or Robby Ross Jr. to get a lefty out in the sixth, Cora will turn to Carson Smith. There’s enough talent in this bullpen for one of the other relievers to handle later innings, so Cora shouldn’t shy away from using his best arms when the game matters most.

What to Expect on Opening Day

At the end of the day, Scott will still probably end up on the Opening Day roster, and frankly, that’s probably the right move. Maddox has a very limited workload, and he should probably get more time to develop in Pawtucket. Chances are the three final bullpen spots will go to Hembree, Workman, and Scott.

However, the fact that Cora is looking at unconventional ways to make the best team possible is fantastic news for the Red Sox. The game of baseball is constantly evolving, and you can’t afford to fall behind the curve. The previous Red Sox administration relied too heavily on outdated thoughts and ideas, and it’s a breath of fresh air to see new, out of the box thinking.

Cover image courtesy of WEEI.

Richard Sherman and Aqib Talib Were Luxuries, Not Necessities

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It’s no secret that the New England Patriots need a second cornerback in free agency, and it looked like two perfect targets could fall into their lap. Longtime stars Aqib Talib and Richard Sherman were both available, yet the Patriots couldn’t acquire either. While having one of those two on the team certainly would have made the team better, it’s not the end of the world that the Patriots didn’t get them. Richard Sherman and Aqib Talib were luxuries, not necessities, and the 2018 Patriots can build a great defense without them.

Richard Sherman and Aqib Talib Were Luxuries, Not Necessities

Where the Secondary Currently Stands

The secondary has some pretty good talent in it

Image credit: CBS Sports

The second cornerback position is in something of a flux, but the rest of the starting secondary is in great shape. Stephon Gilmore proved to be one of the best free agent signings in recent Patriot history, and Devin McCourty and Patrick Chung are among the best at their position. Add in Duron Harmon coming off the bench, and New England should boast one of the better secondaries in football, regardless of who lines up opposite Gilmore.

With that in mind, the Patriots don’t need a superstar at the second corner position. Should they choose to spend big, Los Angeles Rams cornerback Trumaine Johnson is the best guy on the market. He’s younger than both Talib and Sherman, and is roughly the same caliber of player.

However, the Patriots will likely go the cheaper route, which means they’ll probably target players like Jacksonville’s Aaron Colvin or Indianapolis’s Rashaan Melvin. Colvin was mostly utilized as a slot corner because he was buried behind the best cornerback duo in football, but he’s performed well when he’s been called upon. Despite his bad 2015 cameo with the Patriots, Melvin actually has two good years of film from 2016 and 2017 with the Indianapolis Colts. His market seems small, so he could be a good buy low option for New England.

More Pressing Defensive Needs

Dont’a Hightower’s return will help the defense, but it won’t fix every issue

Image credit: CBS Boston

It’s no secret that the defense wasn’t great last season. While it wasn’t as bad as the Super Bowl made it look, it was one of the weaker Patriots defenses in recent years. This was due primarily to the front seven.

New England’s front seven struggled getting to the quarterback. They finished the year ranked seventh in sacks, but most of that was due to the coverage from the secondary. The Patriots had one of the worst average sack times in football, and they didn’t possess enough pass rushing options. Opposing teams typically focused on taking away Trey Flowers, and nobody else could step up. Losing star linebacker Dont’a Hightower hurt too.

The Patriots only have so much cap space and resources, so this is where the main focus should be. There are several good fits on the market, and it would be a surprise if New England didn’t invest a high draft pick into a linebacker and/or an edge defender. They’ve already solved the interior run problem by trading for Danny Shelton, but he won’t help the pass rush.

If New England can find one or two players capable of getting to the quarterback, it won’t matter who the second cornerback is. Think back the Seattle Seahawks’ famous “Legion of Boom” from 2013. They had a star linebacker, a ferocious pass rush, and three superstars in the secondary. The second cornerback, Byron Maxwell, wasn’t anything special, but he didn’t have to be because the rest of the unit was so good. The 2018 Patriots defense won’t be as good as that generational unit, but they’re built similarly.

The Biggest Necessity

Yes, the front seven needs help, but there isn’t one specific player that can fix that. Several key players like Dont’a Hightower and Derek Rivers are returning from injury, and New England has a series of high draft picks to use. Their biggest priority isn’t even on the defensive side.

Longtime left tackle Nate Solder is hitting free agency, and the Patriots cannot allow to let him go. Solder is one of the 10-15 best left tackles in the league, and has been paramount to keeping Brady healthy these last few seasons. With the quarterback now 41, Solder has never been more valuable.

The market behind Solder is abysmal. Solder’s the only starting caliber tackle available in both free agency and the draft. This makes for a great situation for Solder, but a bad one for New England.

Solder is likely to receive offers for more than what he’s probably worth. He’s going to get paid like a top-five tackle, even though he’s not quite that type of player. New England has to match those offers. Yes, they would be overpaying, but the cost of letting him go is just too high. If it means the Patriots can’t afford Johnson or Bills linebacker Preston Brown, then so be it.

Everybody asking for Belichick’s head for missing out on Sherman and Talib need to calm down. Both players would have helped for the right price, but neither one was a necessity. The biggest issues for the Patriots right now are re-signing Solder and fixing the front seven. Belichick has already started to fix the run defense with the Shelton trade, and free agency hasn’t even started yet. We’re a long way from Week One, and there’s still plenty of time to build a roster.

Cover Image Credit: CBS Sports

The Eduardo Rodriguez Breakout Season

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The Boston Red Sox rotation, when healthy, is one of the best in the league. Chris Sale is one of the top five starters in baseball, and David Price, Drew Pomeranz, and Rick Porcello are all above average at their respective spot in the rotation. However, there is one X-Factor in the rotation that could truly send this group from great to elite. Eduardo Rodriguez has flashed talent since entering the majors in 2015, but has struggled with consistency. Now in his fourth major league season, here’s what needs to happen for the Eduardo Rodriguez breakout season to become reality.

The Eduardo Rodriguez Breakout Season

Start Healthy and Stay Healthy

The first jersey Rodriguez wears this season shouldn’t be a Boston Red Sox one

Image credit: Portland Press Herald

E-Rod is expected to miss the start of the regular season, but it’s not all bad news. Rodriguez has begun throwing bullpen sessions off the mound, and could be ready to return as soon as mid-April. This is ahead of the initial recovery date, which is obviously good news.

However, Alex Cora and the Red Sox need to be smart about bringing E-Rod back. His off-season knee surgery was mostly seen as a maintenance work, but he’s had knee injuries before. The Red Sox need to be sure not to bring him back into the rotation before he’s ready to go.

He’s been rushed back too early before, and the results haven’t been great. E-Rod went through a different knee issue in 2016, and came back a bit earlier than he should have. The 2016 rotation was something of a mess at the time, so it’s understandable why then-manager John Farrell wanted E-Rod back as soon as possible.

Learning from History

However, learning from history shows patience is the best course. E-Rod made his 2016 season debut on May 31^st, and after six starts he held an ugly 8.59 ERA. He gave up four or more earned runs four times, and only made it out of the sixth inning twice.

The Red Sox demoted Rodriguez to Pawtucket to fix his mechanics and get healthy. He returned three weeks later looking like a completely different player. Rodriguez made fourteen starts and recorded a 3.24 ERA after that demotion. He was one of the best pitchers on the team and should have started in the playoffs against the Cleveland Indians.

Brian Johnson is currently scheduled to take E-Rod’s spot in the rotation. It will be tempting for Cora to get Rodriguez back in the rotation as early as possible, but he needs to be smart. Rushing E-Rod is a short sighted move that will only make the team and Rodriguez worse in the long run. Get him healthy, and let him dominate.

Use the Slider

When it’s working, Rodriguez has one of the best sliders in baseball

While getting E-Rod fully healthy rests primarily on the training and coaching staff, E-Rod needs to make sure he’s smart with his pitch selection. Rodriguez is a three-pitch pitcher, and can be unhittable when all three are working. His fastball is his main pitch, and he has a nasty change up. However, it’s his slider that makes him deadly.

When Rodriguez doesn’t trust his slider, his pitches become predictable. Hitters can sit on the fastball and change up, and those pitches alone aren’t good enough to consistently get guys out. That’s not to say that E-Rod can only get guys out with the slider; he’s had good games rarely throwing it. Last season against the Baltimore Orioles, E-Rod pitched six shutout innings while throwing his slider just 5.6% of the time.

However, a lot of E-Rod’s bad starts have one thing in common: the absence of the slider. In 2017, Rodriguez had six starts in which he pitched fewer than six innings and gave up four or more earned runs. His slider use was under 10% in four of those six starts.

Looking at the data, most of E-Rod’s noted inconsistency comes from starts where he doesn’t use his slider. When healthy and not using his slider, his good versus bad starts are split roughly 50/50. When he’s healthy and able to keep batters guessing, he almost always puts up quality starts.

What to Expect This Year

I’ve admittedly been high on Rodriguez ever since his 2015 debut, but this should be his breakout year. Rodriguez has been in the majors long enough that Alex Cora should know the best way to use E-Rod. He’ll know that E-Rod needs to get his slider working. He’ll know that rushing E-Rod back to replace Brian Johnson is a bad idea.

It wasn’t that long ago that E-Rod was one of the top prospects in baseball, and he’s still just 24. He won’t ever threaten Sale for the ace position, but there’s no reason to think that he can’t push for the second or third spot in the rotation. Regardless of where he ends up in the lineup, he should push the unit over the top. Sale, Price, Pomeranz, Porcello, and a healthy Rodriguez should be nearly unhittable. Combine that with a strong offense and bullpen, and these Red Sox should be very hard to beat this season.

Cover Image Credit: NBC Sports

New England Patriots Free Agency Wish List

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NFL free agency is set to begin on March 14^th, and the New England Patriots should be active in the market. Despite making it to the Super Bowl, this team has several roster spots that need replacing or upgrading entering 2018. Additionally, they also have several key free agents entering the market. Without further ado, here is the New England Patriot free agency wish list:

New England Patriot Free Agency Wish List

Re-sign Nate Solder

Bringing Nate Solder back should be the Patriots top priority

Image credit: Boston Herald

If the Patriots accomplish nothing else this offseason, they must accomplish this. Nate Solder is one of the top ten or fifteen best left tackles in the league, and his presence is crucial on this team. Quarterback Tom Brady isn’t getting any younger (probably), so keeping Brady upright should be the teams number one priority.

It won’t be cheap to acquire Solder, but the Patriots can’t afford to be stingy. Solder is easily the best left tackle on the market, and the NFL Draft is expected to be poor on starting-caliber tackles. This gives Solder all the leverage to break the bank, as teams won’t hesitate to pay for the most important position on the offensive line.

Not only is Solder one of the best left tackles around, but the drop off behind him in talent is staggering. Were Solder to leave, the next man up would be 2017 third round pick Tony Garcia. Garcia missed his entire rookie season with a blood clot issue, so it’s anyone guess how good he will be in 2018.

New England should also look into bringing back Cameron Fleming and LaAdrian Waddle. While neither is a starting caliber player, both are more than capable of filling in during an injury and playing adequate football. With right tackle Marcus Cannon’s injury history and the violent nature of the offensive line position, the swing tackle position is highly important.

Address the Running Back Position

The Patriots have quite a few players hitting free agency that New England would love to have back. Running backs Dion Lewis and Rex Burkhead were both valuable contributors to the 2017 Patriots, and would certainly be welcome back on the team.

However, the Patriots shouldn’t overspend on either player. Lewis is reportedly fielding three-year, $18 million dollar offers. If that report is true, Lewis would rank among the top ten highest paid backs in football. Lewis is a phenomenal talent, but his injury history makes him not worth that type of money.

Burkhead’s market is more unclear. While he is reportedly receiving interest around the league, there’s no way he’s receiving a contract similar to Lewis. It’s more likely that his offers are more in line with his actual worth, since he’s not coming off the career year Lewis is. Of the two running backs, Burkhead is the one more likely to return.

New England would have no need to sign another running back should one of those two return to New England. However, should New England miss out on both, there are a few interesting options around the league. They probably wouldn’t spend top dollar to sign anyone like San Francisco 49ers running back Carlos Hyde, but there are a few good potential free agent bargains.

The biggest running back bargain could be Dallas Cowboys running back Alfred Morris. He probably wouldn’t cost much to acquire, and has a history of success. Prior to joining the Cowboys, Morris was the lead running back for the Washington Redskins. He broke the 1,000-yard mark in three of his four years there. He didn’t do it in Dallas, but that was because he was backing up one of the best running backs in football in Ezekiel Elliott.

Build Depth at Linebacker

Preston Brown could carry on the annual tradition of the Patriots taking the Bills best players

Image credit: The Buffalo News

As currently constructed, the Patriots are paper-thin at linebacker. They have a legit star in Dont’a Hightower, a good number two linebacker in Kyle Van Noy, and not much else. Linebacker was an issue all season for the Patriots, especially when Van Noy couldn’t play.

There’s two steps to fix this. First, the Patriots should re-sign Marquis Flowers. Flowers had something of a breakout season in his first year in New England. Injuries forced the career special teamer into the starting defense, and he ended up making a name for himself. He’s a great pass rusher and can hold his own in coverage, albeit that isn’t his strength. He doesn’t have the same ceiling, but he has a skill set very similar to that of Jamie Collins. He should only get better as he gets more reps, so bringing Flowers back should be of utmost importance.

Flowers alone won’t fix this. New England should also look into bringing over a run stopping linebacker, and the best fit would be Buffalo Bills free agent Preston Brown. Brown led the league in tackles during the 2017 season, and would be a perfect fit in New England.

Brown’s not great in open space, so he would fill in as the middle linebacker. This frees up Hightower and Van Noy to play on the edge, which suits their skills better. This defense would be hard to run against with Van Noy and Hightower handling edge duties and the reigning tackles leader in the middle of the defense. Add in Flowers as an off the bench pass rusher, and now the Patriots have four linebackers capable of making big plays.

Find a Second Cornerback

Let’s face it- Malcolm Butler is as good as gone. It was a great tenure that ended on an incredibly low note, but New England needs to move on. Looking around the free agent market, there’s quite a few players that could immediately help.

The Patriots already have one high-priced cornerback in Stephon Gilmore, but there’s talk they could go that route again. If they do, they should look at Los Angeles Rams cornerback Trumaine Johnson. Johnson played the previous two seasons under the franchise tag, and is a match for what New England’s scheme.

Johnson is better playing press coverage, but is certainly capable of dropping into zone and performing well. In many ways, he’s a mirror of Gilmore, albeit not quite as good. Combining those two with Devin McCourty, Patrick Chung, and Duron Harmon would give the Patriots one of the best secondaries in the league.

There’s also been talk that the Denver Broncos could release former Patriot Aqib Talib. While New England shouldn’t trade for him, they should definitely take a look if Denver does release him. Talib was the biggest factor in solidifying the defense in 2012 and 2013, and was an incredibly valuable member of the team. He’s not quite what he was, but he’s still one of the better corners around. He and Gilmore would arguably be the best cornerback tandem in football.

If New England wants a more cost-effective option, the best choice could be Kyle Fuller. Fuller will have a market, but not as big a one as the previous two. Fuller can play a variety of coverages and should fit in New England’s defense. He’s not a superstar like Talib or Johnson, but he doesn’t need to be. The rest of this secondary is so good that all New England needs is an average second corner to succeed.

Cover Image: Masslive.com

What If Another Starting Pitcher Gets Hurt?

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It’s only spring training, but the Boston Red Sox starting rotation has already has its injury woes. Last week, manager Alex Cora announced that both Eduardo Rodriguez and Steven Wright were not likely to be ready for Opening Day. To make matters worse, Drew Pomeranz recently left his first spring training appearance with forearm tightness. Pomeranz says he’s fine, but what if another starting pitcher gets hurt? Do the Red Sox have the depth to handle such an injury?

What If Another Starting Pitcher Gets Hurt?

This article may read like an overreaction, simply because Pomeranz said he’s fine. There’s no reason to doubt him, so right now he probably is. However, Pomeranz has a history of arm injuries and fatigue, so it’s still worth looking at what the Sox would do without him. Right off the bat, it seems like the Sox have two main options: stay the course or sign a free agent.

Option One: Stay the Course

As things currently stand, the Red Sox will need one of Brian Johnson, Hector Velasquez, or Roenis Elias to take the fifth spot in the rotation. Each one has their pros and cons, but the Red Sox can likely survive in spite of the spot starter.

If the Red Sox need two spot starters, this task becomes considerably harder. Pomeranz isn’t a Cy Young caliber pitcher, but he’s leaps and bounds better than Johnson, Velasquez, or Elias. More pressure would fall on the offense, as they’d probably have to bail out the pitching to an extent two out of every five games.

Johnson and Velasquez both have proven that they can keep the Red Sox in games, so having both in the rotation wouldn’t be the worst thing in the world. However, relying on two minor league caliber pitchers isn’t ideal, and the Red Sox will likely check out the open market.

Option Two: Sign a Free Agent

Jake Arrieta is a free agent, but probably won’t be a Red Sox

Image credit: NBC Sports

The Red Sox organization is very adamant about staying under the luxury tax, which means Jake Arrieta will not be a member of the team. Boston has roughly $8 million dollars to spend before hitting the luxury tax threshold, and Arrieta won’t sign for that.

Alex Cobb and Lance Lynn are the only other solid starters left on the market, but both would likely force the Red Sox to exceed the luxury tax. If they do that, they’ll drop ten spots in the upcoming MLB draft. Additionally, both players have received qualifying offers, which means signing one of those two would make the Sox forfeit their third highest draft pick.

Depending on how desperate the Red Sox are, they might bite the bullet and sign one of those three regardless. However, if the Red Sox truly want to stay under the luxury tax, they’d have to get creative.

Getting Creative

Clay Buchholz would be the return nobody asked for

Image credit: ESPN

The Red Sox could look into acquiring former Sox John Lackey and Clay Buchholz, but both guys have their limits. Lackey is 39 and coming off one of the worst seasons of his career. He’s openly debated retirement before, and might not have anything left in the tank. As for Buchholz, the Red Sox should avoid him at all costs. Red Sox Nation was on that roller coaster for the better part of a decade, there’s no need to get on that ride again.

Kyle Kendrick is also an option, albeit a very low upside one. The Red Sox thought enough of him to bring him in last year, but he woefully underperformed. In a year where the Red Sox constantly needed a spot starter, Kendrick was unable to step up. He fell behind Johnson and Velasquez on the depth chart, but he does have a record of major league success. If the Red Sox believe last year was a fluke, then perhaps they’ll bring him back.

There aren’t many good options outside the organization, but one player they could check out is Brett Anderson. Anderson once had a very promising career, and was actually traded to the Colorado Rockies for Pomeranz back in 2013. He had success with the Oakland Athletics and the Los Angeles Dodgers, but injuries have limited him. He’s only pitched 66.2 innings since 2015, and he hasn’t looked that great in any of them. Still, the Sox could kick the tires to see if there’s any magic left in the 30-year old.

Which Option Is Best?

Truthfully, the best option is to stay the course. Getting creative is asking for trouble, as all of those options are high risk. The need for starting pitching depth isn’t large enough to justify the cost of Arrieta, Cobb, or Lynn. Having two spot starters in the rotation isn’t ideal, but this Red Sox team is built well enough to survive. As long as the starter can keep the game competitive for the first five innings, the rest of the unit should be able to pick up the slack.

Cover Image: SI.com

The Other Ends of the New England Patriots Dynasty

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Bill Belichick’s cold-hearted business moves have turned the New England Patriots roster against him. Quarterback Tom Brady’s advanced age may mean that New England just wasted their last legitimate shot at a Super Bowl. A star player who was crucial to the teams recent run of success might not be back next year. Do these sentences describe the 2017 season, or the 2003, 2012, and 2013 seasons? The New England Patriots are at something of a crossroads, but they’ve been here before. Let’s take a look at the other ends of the New England Patriots dynasty.

The Other Ends of the New England Patriots Dynasty

2003: Lawyer Milloy Is Released

Lawyer Milloy in a Bills uniform still haunts the Patriots to this day…right?

Image credit: Boston Globe

The Patriots Dynasty initially ended before it was a dynasty at all. Coming off the heels of a disappointing 9-7 season, Bill Belichick did the unthinkable just days before the 2003 season opener. Longtime Pro Bowl safety and team captain Lawyer Milloy was released in order to generate cap space. Belichick felt that his current group of safeties was good enough to make Milloy expendable.

What Belichick didn’t consider is how this move would undoubtedly sink his team. Milloy was picked up by the Buffalo Bills, who beat the living tar out of the Patriots in Week 1. New England lost 31-0, and the Patriots season was over after just one week. The players hated their coach, and there was no way to fix this broken team.

The Patriots won the Super Bowl that year, and finished with a league-best 14-2 record.

2009: New England Gets Killed by Baltimore in the Playoffs

The 2009 Patriots were a flawed team, which Belichick knew during the season. However, the clock had officially run out on the Patriots dynasty at the end of 2009. The Baltimore Ravens slaughtered the Patriots, 33-14. This was Brady’s first year back from his 2008 ACL injury, and he looked like he lost something.

This was arguably the weakest of all the Patriots teams, but the Ravens loss truly showed how doomed the Patriots franchise was. Longtime stars Tedy Bruschi, Rodney Harrison, Richard Seymour, and Mike Vrabel, just to name a few, were gone. Belichick clearly wasn’t able to adapt to a new core group of players, and all hope was lost.

The Patriots have won a minimum of 12 games in every season since 2009. Tom Brady has played better since 2009 than before it, and New England built a new core around Julian Edelman, Rob Gronkowski, Devin McCourty, and Dont’a Hightower.

2012: Another Super Bowl Loss to the Giants

Super Bowl 46 was the last great chance the Patriots had of winning a Super Bowl with Tom Brady and Bill Belichick. Despite having a terrible defense, Brady, Gronkowski and Wes Welker led an offense that was hell-bent on finally winning ring number four.

Unfortunately, Eli Manning and the New York Giants stood in their way. For the second time, Manning stole a win from Brady with a last second scoring drive, and didn’t leave enough time on the clock for Brady to answer.

This was it. Tom Brady, now age 35, would never have as good a chance as this to win a Super Bowl. Sure, he could still be carried to one by a great team, but his days of single-handedly willing teams to championships were over. A lot needed to break right for New England to be in Super Bowl 46 to begin with, so realistically this was the best shot. Maybe he’d play in another, but most likely, Brady’s career will end with three rings.

Brady’s been to the AFC Championship Game every season since 2011. He’s gone to the Super Bowl an additional three times, winning two of them.

2014: The Kansas City Game

Tom Brady, alone on the bench, clearly realizing he’s reached the end of the road

Image credit: Boston Globe

On the heels of a relatively rough 2013, Brady and the Patriots stumbled out of the gate in 2014. They lost to the Miami Dolphins in the season opener before winning two ugly games against the Minnesota Vikings and the Oakland Raiders.

New England limped into Kansas City, and this game was over before the first snap. Kansas City was in complete control from the opening whistle, and the Patriots were beat in every single facet of the game. Brady in particular had a bad day, as the age 37 quarterback threw two interceptions and showed his age.

The dynasty was officially over. After not winning a title in ten years, Tom Brady never would again. He was old, slow, and no longer had his magic. Even the team around him wasn’t at an elite level. Injuries had sapped away what made Gronkowski special, and the Patriots just weren’t good anymore.

Since then, the Patriots have been to three of a possible four Super Bowl, winning two. Tom Brady has won regular season MVP once and Super Bowl MVP twice. The Patriots won an average of thirteen games over those four seasons, and the offense has always been in the top five of just about every major category.

2018: Internal Tensions

Make no mistake, there certainly are issues that need resolving at 1 Patriot Place. There’s a very real tension between Patriots owner Robert Kraft, head coach Bill Belichick and quarterback Tom Brady. Is it as big a deal as the media made it out to be? Probably not, but there is certainly a rift between the trio.

Compiling onto this is the uncertain status of Rob Gronkowski. The star tight end is openly contemplating retirement. His body has been through a lot during his eight NFL seasons, and it’s understandable if he doesn’t want to do it anymore. He was reportedly unhappy throughout the duration of 2017, and his thoughts about retirement date back to training camp.

This is a lot for a team to overcome. The three most important people to the success of the franchise are at odds, and there’s a very real chance they lose one of their best players this offseason. It won’t be easy to overcome, but the Patriots have done it before. Brady and Belichick both love winning too much to let any off-field drama stop them from tearing it up on the field. Gronkowski leaving would make the team worse, but this offense would still be brimming with talent.

Despite all forecasts of doom, this is not the end for the Patriots dynasty. As long as Belichick is still the coach and Brady is still the quarterback, New England will remain the team to beat in the NFL.

Cover Photo Credit: NJ.com

Can the Red Sox Win with Spot Starts?

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Starting pitching is one of the most injury-riddled positions in baseball. The throwing motion itself is inherently unnatural, so injuries plague the position. Last week, Red Sox management announced that both Eddie Rodriguez and Steven Wright are unlikely to be ready for Opening Day. This means the Sox will be relying on spot starters entering the season, which begs the question: can the Red Sox win with spot starts?

Can the Red Sox Win with Spot Starts?

How Long Will They Need Him?

This article isn’t going to be about who the spot starter will be – that’s already been analyzed here – but more about how the team around him will perform. E-Rod’s offseason knee surgery has been public news for a while, and he’s expected to be back in early to late May.

Wright, however, seems to be further along than E-Rod. He’s already been throwing off flat surfaces, and is expected to transition to throwing off a mound within a week. Knee injuries are tricky, but let’s conservatively assume he’ll be ready in a bit under two months time.

With that conservative estimate, the Red Sox will likely need to use their fifth starter for three or four trips through the rotation. Let’s take a look at what those starts might look like.

First Run Through Rotation: the Miami Marlins

Whoever the fifth starter is won’t have to worry about Giancarlo Stanton…yet

Image credit: New York Times

The Red Sox begin their season with six straight games, so the spot starter will be needed early. However, his first start will be against arguably the worst team in baseball.

The Miami Marlins are a certified mess. The team is under new ownership and is in full rebuild mode. After finishing 2017 with an underwhelming 77-85 record, the Marlins have gotten considerably worse. They sent away National League MVP Giancarlo Stanton as well as All-Star caliber players in Dee Gordon and Marcell Ozuna, just to name a few.

This team is so talent-barren that the Pawtucket Red Sox could probably beat them. It really doesn’t matter if Brian Johnson, Hector Velasquez, or a random fan in the stands is the starting pitcher. The Red Sox are winning this one.

Second Run Through Rotation: Not Needed

Five games later, the Red Sox are scheduled to play the New York Yankees. The Yankees are the primary threat to the Red Sox chances of winning the AL East, and every game matters. However, even though the Yankees are five games later, the Sox don’t necessarily have to pitch their fifth starter.

The schedule gets a bit easier after starting the season with six straight games. The Sox have April 4^th off, and then play every other day until facing the Yankees on April 10^th. The Sox are currently set to have David Price, Drew Pomeranz, and Rick Porcello pitch in the three-game series against the Tampa Bay Rays.

Team ace Chris Sale is scheduled to pitch the final game of the six-game opening stretch on April 3^rd. This leaves Price, Pomeranz, and Porcello to handle the Rays. Thanks to the rest days, the Sox could skip the fifth starters turn in the rotation altogether.

This will almost certainly happen, as doing this wouldn’t force Sale to throw on short rest. On the contrary, Sale will actually be on a full week of rest due to all the days off. The Red Sox will have their top three pitchers set to face the rival Yankees, and it would be foolish to play a spot starter over Sale, Price, or Pomeranz.

The Next Two Runs Through the Rotation

Following their cozy stretch of three rest games in three days, things get hectic for the Red Sox. Boston’s set to play in 13 straight games, starting with their series against the Yankees. This type of run is very abnormal for April, and the spot starter will certainly be needed during this run.

It’s tough to imagine Wright being out any longer than the fourth run through the rotation, so this should be the last time the spot starter is needed. As things currently stand, the fifth starter is set to face the Baltimore Orioles and the Los Angeles Angels.

While neither one of these teams is in the elite level of, say, the Houston Astros, both teams are certainly capable of beating Boston. Each team boasts a solid group of talent led by one superstar. The Orioles have Manny Machado and the Angels have Mike Trout. Both players can dominate the best of the best, never mind the likes of the spot starters.

That being said, don’t chalk these two games up as losses. All three potential spot starters have shown that they can keep games competitive, and that’s all they need to do. As long as they don’t get shelled, the Red Sox team around them could easily be enough to steal a few wins.

Just Make It to the Bullpen

Craig Kimbrel should remain one of the best relievers in baseball

Image credit: SI.com

The spot starter won’t be asked to pitch a no-hitter, just to make it through the fifth inning. If they can hold opponents to three or four runs through five innings, then they’ve done their job. The Red Sox bullpen can take it from there, and they should be hard to hit.

While they don’t have the depth they had late last season, this Red Sox bullpen should still be one of the best. For the early innings, Matt Barnes has shown he can be a good bridge arm, so long as the pressure isn’t high. Nobody knows what roles Joe Kelly and Brandon Workman will have, but they’ve both proven capable of shutting down top talent with their fastballs. While he’s normally not an inspiring option, Heath Hembree is actually surprisingly amazing in April. Since 2016, he’s only allowed two earned runs in 21.2 innings.

If those four can make it to the eighth inning, Carson Smith and Craig Kimbrel can easily handle the rest. Smith looked like a difference maker in the eighth inning last season, albeit in minimal appearances. If he can build on his successful end to 2017, the Red Sox will have a great setup man.

And of course, Kimbrel will handle the ninth. One could argue that Kimbrel is the best closer in baseball. He certainly was last season, posting an absurd 126 strikeouts in 69 innings. He probably won’t be that good this year, but he’s still poised to be a top-five closer in baseball.

A Stronger Offense

Of course, the Sox had a great bullpen last year, but still weren’t always able to overcome sub par starts. This was mostly due an underwhelming offense. The Red Sox offense didn’t live up to its potential due to key injuries and underperformance by other players. Of course, David Ortiz‘ absence was a big part of last years limited offense.

Those problems should be a thing of the past. There’s no fully replacing David Ortiz, but the Red Sox have found their next big power bat in J.D. Martinez. That alone will give the Red Sox a better chance at coming from behind, but he won’t be the sole fix for the offense.

Hanley Ramirez battled through a shoulder injury all of 2017, and his health should be a huge boost for the roster. Mookie Betts and Xander Bogaerts should bounce back from down years, and Andrew Benintendi and Rafael Devers should only get better in their second years. This probably won’t be the best offense in the league like it was in 2016, but it could easily be a top five unit.

Not the End of the World

Obviously, it’s never ideal to lose two starting pitchers before Opening Day. However, the Red Sox have built a strong roster that’s capable of handling those types of losses. They don’t need the spot starter to be great, just serviceable.

It’s not crazy to think that the Sox could pull off a win in two or even all three of the spot starter’s appearances. In years past, that wouldn’t have been likely. This year, thanks to a great four-man rotation, a strong bullpen, and a talented lineup, it can certainly be done.

Cover image courtesy of Florida Today.