Spotlighting The Patriots Issues At Wide Receiver

Patriots Lack Wide Receiver Depth

Via 985The Sports Hub

The New England Patriots have a really weak wide receiver group heading into the season. With Julian Edelman out the first four games of the season, It will be up to Chris Hogan and a bunch of average receivers to step their game up. Danny Amendola had 659 yards last season and two touchdowns. That is more than the current receiving core today, excluding Julian Edelman. Phillip Dorsett had zero touchdowns and just 194 yards last season. Chris Hogan had five touchdowns and 439 yards. Cordarrelle Patterson had zero touchdowns and 309 yards. Riley McCarron was on the practice squad.

This maybe the second weakest group of receivers Tom Brady has had in his career, only behind the 2006 team with Reche Caldwell and Jabar Gaffney.

The Patriots Worked Out Eric Decker

Via Heightline

The Patriots worked out Eric Decker on Monday. Decker had 563 yards and one touchdown last season for the Tennesse Titans. The Patriots also placed Jordan Matthews on IR today after a hamstring injury he suffered at Sunday’s practice.

It’s worth noting there are a few examples of receivers Belichick has brought in who haven’t worked out. Case and point – Chad Ochocinco’s dismal 2011 season. Ochocinco couldn’t get a handle on the offense after all the hype over the summer. Eric Decker could be in line for a similar showing if he makes the team. The lack of depth at the position is a problem, especially during the first month of the season.

Would Dez Bryant Help/Hurt The Team?

Rumors are flying that the Patriots may take a look at Dez Bryant. Would he be helpful or hurtful to the team? He would be a great add because of his production on the field, but not for the drama that comes with him. There would likely come a point where he’ll be complaining he doesn’t get the ball enough.

The Patriots have enough distractions surrounding their team. They really don’t need anymore, so perhaps it would be best to stay far away from Bryant. Eric Decker might be the best option for Brady to throw to at the beginning of the season.

Patriots Player To Watch This Season: Phillip Dorsett

Leave a reply

As the 2018 NFL season quickly sneaks its way upon us, there are many questions surrounding the 2018 New England Patriots and some glaring holes some see in our roster. Sure, the Patriots do play in a weak AFC East and will more than likely win the division and get a bye into the playoffs. But there is one group of guys that I think need to step it up the most. No, its not the defensive unit, even though last year they were more than suspect. This year it is the WR core who will need to step up and fill the voids left by Julian Edelman (serving a 4 game suspension for PED’s) and Brandin Cooks (traded to the Rams).

The Deepest Hole In The Roster

With the Patriots, one spot on the field that is constantly in question is defense, especially now under Coach Belichick and first year coordinator, Brian Flores. Sure, Malcolm Butler left and signed with Tennessee. But again, the position to watch on the field early on is the WR position and how some of the new faces will mesh with Tom Brady. With a banged up WR group before the season even starts, there is one name I think will play a huge role this season on the offensive side of the ball…..Phillip Dorsett.

photo credit – youtube.com

Young and Hungry

Phillip Dorsett may not be a household name yet. But this is a guy who was a late first round pick with great speed and tremendous upside coming out of The U. Unfortunately, he wasn’t able to really get it going in Indianapolis, which lead to a trade to the Patriots. Dorsett ended up appearing in 15 games with the Pats in 2017 and now has a full year and offseason learning the playbook and becoming more familiar with Tom Brady and Josh McDaniels and their tendencies.

Dorsett is only 25 years old and brings a tremendous amount of talent to the table for this Patriots offense. This is a guy known for his speed, the ability to catch and hold onto the football, and also his footwork – with or without the ball. From an outsider standpoint, we should look for Dorsett to fill the void left by Brandin Cooks as a fast, deep threat down the sideline. Also look for him to get a ton of slot work early in the season, with Edelman being sidelined for 4 games.

photo credit – stampedeblue.com

Prediction

Phillip Dorsett’s career high in receptions is 33 in 2016 with the Colts. But after a full season in 2017, plus an additional off-season and training camp learning the playbook and working more closely with Brady and McDaniels, I would expect him to reach a career high in every category across the board. We can also look for Dorsett to make an impact in the kicking and punt return game.

Phillip Dorsett will be the surprise X-Factor on this Patriots offense in 2018 ….. here is my prediction for Phil:

700 yds

5 TD’s

45+ receptions

60+ Targets

Jordan Matthews Placed On IR (@Pr1m3_Kyr1e)

Leave a reply

On April 5th, Jordan Matthews signed a one year deal with the Patriots. He was expected to be a versatile wide receiver who could play on the outside and in the slot. However, he suffered a significant hamstring injury today in practice. It was first reported that the team released Matthews. Just hours later, Field Yates reported that Matthews was placed on IR.

The Thin Get Thinner

The Patriots wide receiving core has been thin throughout the offseason. Danny Amendola signed with the Dolphins and Brandin Cooks was shipped to Los Angeles. Also, Julian Edelman will be suspended for the first four games of the season. Matthews was expected to be the second wideout on the depth chart behind Hogan. Now, guys like Kenny Britt, Phillip Dorsett, Braxton Berrios, and Riley McCarron need to step up. Also, Sony Michel, James White, and Rex Burkhead will have to be a big part of the offense, not only on the ground but in the passing game.

The Patriots can not afford another injury. Brady does not have as many targets as is, so injuries to Gronk, Hogan, or a running back would be detrimental to the team. When Julian Edelman comes back, he will have to return to old form, but injuries and age put that into question.

Every year, the biggest question mark in terms of health is Rob Gronkowski. He has missed 26 regular season games over his eight-year career, but is arguably the greatest tight end of all time when healthy. A possibility is to sign Eric Decker or Dez Bryant. This could help, but they are both veterans well past there primes.

The Extent of the Injury

There are many types of hamstring injuries, but it’s safe to assume that it was at least a grade three muscle tear because it was described as significant. These can take anywhere from weeks to months to heal. Hamstring injuries can linger and take a long time to heal, but it is unlikely that it would keep him out for the entire season until he was placed on IR. As mentioned, the Patriots receiving core is very thin and they need bodies.

Even though these concerns are lingering, we should still remain confident in the Patriots. Belichick, McDaniels, and Brady are undoubtedly the best coach-coordinator-quarterback combination in the league. You could even argue they are the greatest trio of all time. Tom Brady has been known to make the most of his receivers. He has had success with stiffs such as Austin Collie, Kenbrell Thompkins, and Reche Caldwell.

Bill Belichick is capable of finding a late round draft pick, undrafted player, or free agent turning them into a valuable player. Players such as Jacob Hollister, Cody Hollister, and Braxton Berrios are not being thought of much right now. However, with Belichick coaching and Tom Brady throwing the ball, these names could definitely develop into important pieces on this team. Josh Mcdaniels is one of the best coordinators in the league. He will draw up good game plans that involves all of his players’ strengths.

The bottom line is the Jordan Matthews move to the IR is depleting and unfortunate. But if anyone can find a way around it, it is the Patriots.

Fantasy Draft Day Recap

Leave a reply

IT’S THAT TIME OF YEAR

Well folks, can you believe it? The Draft for the inaugural Boston Sports Extra Fantasy Football took place in July! Setting records as the earliest recorded draft for a fantasy football season and somewhat last minute in the grand scheme of things. We’d been ‘umming and ‘arring for weeks without a hint of anticipation until suddenly, with minor amounts of warning, it was decided: “draft tonight, who’s in?”

“Andy had an amazing draft, one for the ages.”

Nine-thirty was the agreed time until it was moved to 2145 so people could trade their draft picks. Though when nobody managed to do that in the allotted time, it just meant we got to go bed later for no good reason. I’m a firm believer that when the universe gives you last pick, you just suck it up and play the best you can. Then when you finish with a losing record, you can just blame the draft position! Imagine the embarrassment of trading up and still being rubbish. It was a Snake Draft, putting extra pressure on the No.1 and No.12 picks as they get a quick turnaround, then a long gap to restock on ice cream and, for this Brit, make another cup of tea.

BREAKING DOWN THE ROUNDS

The first round went as expected, even after a brief argument on group chat about OBJ being overrated:

1 Le’Veon Bell, Pit RB

2 Todd Gurley II, LAR RB

3 David Johnson, Ari RB

4 Antonio Brown, Pit WR

5 Ezekiel Elliott, Dal RB

6 Dalvin Cook, Min RB

7 Saquon Barkley, NYG RB

8 Alvin Kamara, NO RB

9 Julio Jones, Atl WR

10 Leonard Fournette, Jax RB

11 Odell Beckham Jr., NYG WR

12 Kareem Hunt, KC RB

Don’t worry, I’m not going to take up your time with every subsequent round. Some key things to note, however:

Justin caved in R2 and picked up the Gronk, we can’t blame him but there’s always the niggling feeling that overconfidence will indirectly lead to a serious injury. Larry Fitzgerald keeps defying the years by joining Gronkowski in R2.

In R3, DK had stolen Joe Mixon from me, and it also featured the first QB pick: Aaron Rogers! We don’t know what Mike was thinking but maybe, since he’d picked up Davante Adams in the previous round, he wanted to make sure somebody would be throwing him the ball. Reality and fantasy can get blurred on a frantic Monday night. More over-reliance on tight ends here too as Ertz and Kelce were claimed. I used my No. 36 pick on Derrius Guice which I wasn’t a fan of because I’m not sure how to pronounce it.

SLEEPER PICKS?

R4 was notable for the first daring selection of a Patriots running back, and it was the rookie! We all hope Sony Michel is a breakout star, I just hope that happens next season when he’s on my roster. More heartbreak for my Carrboro Wookies in R5 when JuJu Smith-Schuster is picked right before my turn! Snatched away by the cruel hand of fate. In other news, James showed strong confidence in Deshaun Watson.

R6 had nothing of any importance, save my selection of the mighty Greg Olsen. The highlight of R7 was seeing Kyle take Sammy Watkins prompting our league manager to utter “that’s a terrible pick,” which did make me laugh. I put my faith in Jules Edelman despite the suspension, then trackpad over enthusiasm left me with Kelvin Benjamin for the start of R8, when I really wanted Alshon Jeffery to add my list of unavailable players. R8 was noticeable for the first Defense pick! Congratulations to Matt and let’s hope his faith in the Jags does him proud. He became the first to complete his starting lineup by taking Greg the Leg in R9, getting all his ducks in a row.

R9 was also the round of the Js, with Jamaal W, Jimmy G, Jordy N, Jeremy H, and Jack D all finding homes. I finally got QB nerves and took Big Ben, not just because we share the same first name. R10 saw the return of Andrew Luck. Criminally LeGarrette Blount arrived in R11 with the 122nd pick. Did nobody remember the TD machine he is? Myself included hence I settled for Chris Carson and a bag of optimism at 132.

GARBAGE TIME

Our sensible members (time will tell) filled their rosters with RBs and WRs and saved the last 2 rounds for D/ST and K. Nobody expected anybody to take a punt on Dez Bryant but that’s what happened in R14! He’s nestled between the Chargers and the Broncos for the 169th pick: how the mighty have fallen! The pick of the night and the one that raised the biggest smile was R16, 184th: Johnny Football!. You’ve got to love the faith shown by some, or in this case, one.

At the time of writing the chat is awash with trade talk. “I really believe we have the best roster in the league,” said Jack. “The team is currently trying to add Johnny Manziel to round out their already deep roster.” I can only hope (being happy to wait until the season starts to decide if my players are crocks or not) that all trades are met with tragic misfortune, leaving me with a smug smile.

Vive le Fantasy!

Veteran Free Agent Eric Decker Worked out for the Patriots

Leave a reply

Pats Work Out Decker

Yesterday, the Patriots brought in veteran wide receiver Eric Decker for a visit.

Decker was notably a part of the record-breaking 2013 Broncos offense. Since then, he has played for the Jets and Titans. Most recently, he recorded 54 catches for 563 yards and a touchdown in a short stint in Tennessee.

Eric played under McDaniels in 2010 when he was head coach of the Broncos. Recently, Decker expressed interest in becoming a Patriot in a recent interview with Sirius XM radio.

“I think the Patriots would be a good fit and being drafted by Josh McDaniels in Denver,” he said. “I talked with New England last year during the free agency process in June. That is always an option that I would definitely love to entertain.” (Bleacher Report)

Decker would be providing serious help to an injury-filled wide receiver corp. Malcolm Mitchell, Kenny Britt, and Jordan Matthews are all banged up. Because of Edelman’s suspension, signing him certainly isn’t out of the question.

If Decker has a good training camp, don’t be surprised if he starts opposite of Chris Hogan with Phillip Dorsett manning the slot.

Making the Case: Charlie McAvoy’s Importance to Boston

Leave a reply

Over the last two years the Bruins have seen the highly anticipated debuts of multiple prospects. Talented forwards such as Jake DeBrusk, Danton Heinen, and Ryan Doanto made their mark last season. The season before saw the debut one of the most hyped prospects with the Bruins facing injuries in the playoffs. That player is Charlie McAvoy, and he is expected to lead the Bruins’ next core. McAvoy has appeared in 81 NHL games, including the playoffs over the last two seasons. He has already shown that he is one of the best young players in the NHL and the most important player on the Bruins roster.

College Days

The Bruins drafted McAvoy 14th overall in the 2016 NHL Draft out of Boston University. In two seasons as a Terrier he had eight goals and 43 assists. During the 2016 season he became the first BU defenseman to lead the team in points and assists since Matt Gilroy did in 2009. McAvoy was not just impressive on the college level. While playing for team USA, he led all-USA defenseman in points, goals, and assists during the 2014-2015 season. His smooth skating and play making ability were on display which is what makes him unique. Going into the draft he was one of only two U.S. hockey players to receive an A rating.

AP Photo/Michael Dwyer

McAvoy Makes His Debut

Charlie McAvoy was the most hyped Bruins prospect in recent memory. He made his NHL debut during the 2016-2017 playoffs as both Torey Krug and Brandon Carlo were injured. In six games he had three assists, including two on the powerplay. The Bruins showed their faith in him by placing McAvoy on the first powerplay unit. He did not seem overwhelmed by the playoff stage and the expectations surrounding his debut. McAvoy did not look like a rookie but a seasoned player. This created even more excitement for the 2017-2018 season as he was one of the main reasons the Bruins made it such as close series.

Photo Credit: Maddie Meyer/ Getty Images

His First Full Season

In McAvoy’s first full season he had seven goals and 25 assists. On the powerplay McAvoy had two goals and five assists. In 12 playoff games he had five points including his first career playoff goal. McAvoy was paired with Chara on Bruins top defensive unit and they became one of the most formidable pairings in the NHL. McAvoy is the best player on the Bruins roster because of how he affects the ice on both ends. He shows a poise that is rare for someone of his age. He has drawn high praise for his offensive capabilities but showed improvement defensively under Chara’s guidance. No other Bruins defenseman has his ceiling or affects the game in both ends. He will only be better next year and assuming McAvoy stays healthy he should set career highs in goals and assists. With Chara set to retire soon, McAvoy will assume his spot as the Bruins top defenseman and he will be critical to the Bruins success for years to come.

For more Bruins news follow @JamieGatlin1217 on twitter

New Look Red Sox Primed For Playoff Success

Leave a reply

The MLB trade deadline finally came to a close, but not before many moves were made. Sellers like the Orioles, Marlins, and Rays all cleaned house. Buyers such as the Dodgers, Braves, and Diamondbacks also made some key moves. As far as the Red Sox go, I’m here to explain what exactly they did and didn’t do, and what this means going forward.

WHAT THEY DID

The first trade for Steve Pearce was a great one. In Boston so far, he’s hit .333 with a .921 OPS. He touts a very reliable bat and can hit anybody, especially lefties. The Nathan Eovaldi move was another good one. It provided needed depth for the rotation. Eovaldi is no ace, but certainly someone with good stuff who can give you a reliable outing quite often. He has high velocity and good movement on his pitches. This only adds to an overall solid rotation.

With Pedroia likely out for the whole year with his nagging injury, second base was a big hole for this team. Dombrowski cleaned that up by acquiring Ian Kinsler from the Angels. This move gives Cora more flexibility as far as how he wants the lineup and the infield to look every night. He can work with guys like Devers, Nunez, Holt, and of course Kinsler. He’ll be able to swap and platoon guys on a nightly basis.

David Price, who was a teammate of Kinsler’s in Detroit, said Kinsler was the closest teammate he’s had to Pedroia. That is definitely news you want to hear. The thing I love most about this trade is the fact that he is another old teammate who used to play with three guys on this current Red Sox team; David Price, J.D. Martinez, Rick Porcello, and Ian Kinsler all played together on the 2014 Detroit Tigers. They are all teammates on a winning team here again, which will hopefully work in the Red Sox favor.

WHAT THEY DIDN’T DO

The move that everyone wanted Dombrowski to make was for a reliever. This Red Sox bullpen hasn’t been the most reliable this year. It’s definitely their weak spot, if they have one. Unfortunately, this was the move Dombrowski wasn’t able to pull the trigger on. Zach Britton, a guy rumored around the Red Sox, never had a chance to end up in Boston. In fact, they didn’t have enough for any reliever, with their farm system being too depleted at the moment. Although it might be a little concerning that the front office didn’t make a move for a bullpen arm, there is a reason they held back.

Recently, Tyler Thornburg has started to look like what he’s expected to be. Another man named Ryan Brasier has jumped into the spotlight as well, posting an ERA south of 1.00 in ten innings. Although he isn’t proven, he’s been pitching very effectively in his role ever since being called up to Fenway. You also can’t forget the Sox have one of the best closers in baseball, Craig Kimbrel, along with Matt Barnes, who has been much better lately. Come playoffs, a few starters will be relegated to the ‘pen as well, adding even further insurance late in games.

Where This Leaves Them

All in all, Dombrowsi was able work out some deals that will only prove to be positive. Let’s keep in mind that the Red Sox team has the best record in all of baseball. They were great to begin with, and these moves can only make them more dangerous.

Your 2018 Patriots Predictions

Leave a reply

The 53-man roster prediction is a masochistic exercise. You can spend hours poring over the charts, historical position numbers, contracts and cap hits. In the end Bill Belichick will do what he feels will help the 2018 Patriots the best to win football games. Stop me if you’ve heard that one. Without any further delay, and before anyone else gets cut, I’ve went position by position and given a short explanation of my thought process.

Quarterback

Tom Brady, Brian Hoyer, Danny Etling (PS)

Cuts: None

This is the easiest position group to project. The Patriots will want to keep Etling in some capacity as he continues to progress.

Wide Receiver

Chris Hogan, Jordan Matthews, Phillip Dorsett, Matt Slater (ST), Cordarrelle Patterson, Julian Edelman (SUS), Braxton Berrios, Kenny Britt

Cuts: Malcolm Mitchell, Riley McCarron, Devin Lucien, Paul Turner

This is the perfect Patriot group of wide receivers. A quiet group of overachievers or veterans looking to prove themselves and get a chance at a ring. The Edelman suspension will give someone a four-week extension on their NFL career. The punt returner battle will determine the bottom of the depth chart as Berrios and McCarron battle it out.

Tight Ends

Rob Gronkowski, Jacob Hollister, Dwayne Allen

Cuts: Will Tye, Ryan Izzo

I am reluctantly placing Allen in the final roster. I still believe he will adjust his contract before camp is done. A $5 million cap hit is much too much for ten catches, 86 yards, and one touchdown. Despite his excellent blocking abilities, you can find that for much less and allow the development of younger guys.

Running Backs

Rex Burkhead, James White, Sony Michel, Jeremy Hill, Brandon Bolden, James Develin (FB)

Cuts: Mike Gillislee, Ralph Webb

Another position group in which the pecking order is fairly well established. White, Bolden and Develin all have important roles. Burkhead and Michel figure to split the bulk of the carries. The only battle here is who will secure a big back role, if there is one.

Offensive Line

Trent Brown, Isaiah Wynn, David Andrews, Shaq Mason, Marcus Cannon, Cole Croston, LaAdrian Waddle

Cuts: Joe Thuney (Trade), Nate Theaker, Jason King, Matt Tobin, John Ulrick, James Ferentz, Luke Bowanko, Ted Karras, Brian Schwenke

My first shocker! Trent Brown is looking to lock down the starting left tackle role with his impressive blend of size and speed. I can’t see Thuney holding off Wynn as the left guard. That makes him a viable trade target. A few of these guys will also be in line for practice squad spots.

Defensive Ends

Adrian Clayborn, Trey Flowers, Deatrich Wise, Derek Rivers, Eric Lee

Cuts: Keionta Davis, Frank Herron

This could be a scary rotation. All of these guys bring some serious pass rushing abilities. Eric Lee is one of the last guys in, so he has to make some noise in order to grab his spot.

Defensive Tackle

Danny Shelton, Malcolm Brown, Lawrence Guy, Vincent Valentine

Cuts: Adam Butler, John Atkins

Another talented position group. Running against these guys just got a lot harder with the addition of Big Danny Shelton. Not a lot of rushing abilities which is why it’s a little light in terms of numbers for me.

Linebackers

Dont’a Hightower, Kyle Van Noy, Harvey Langi, Marquis Flowers, Christian Sam, Elandon Roberts

Cuts: Geneo Grissom, Nicholas Grigsby, Ja’Whaun Bentley

With injuries last year Van Noy had to assume a lot of different roles and played a ton of snaps. They rewarded him with a contract extension. Roberts was another player affected by the injuries last season. I think he would have been a reserve or even cut last season and is on the bubble again. Speed on special teams gives Christian Sam the nod over Bentley.

Safeties

Devin McCourty, Patrick Chung, Duron Harmon, Nate Ebner

Cuts: Damarius Travis, Jordan Richards, A.J. Moore, Eddie Pleasant

Normally the Patriots go much heavier at safety. Given the talent at cornerback and linebacker I think that changes this year. And I hope, hope, hope that Richards is not included in the final roster this year.

Cornerbacks

Stephon Gilmore, Eric Rowe, Jason McCourty, Jonathan Jones (PUP), Cyrus Jones, Duke Dawson, J.C. Jackson

Cuts: Jomal Wiltz, Ryan Lewis, Brandon King, Keion Crossen

A very versatile and competitive group. New “DC” Flores will have many chess pieces to craft the perfect coverage schemes. If Cyrus Jones does net get on the field and prove himself, he will lose his spot to Crossen or another returner.

Special Teams

Stephen Gostkowski (K), Joe Cardona (LS), Corey Bojorquez (P)

Cuts: Ryan Allen

A real live left-footed punter battle! Like a rare unicorn they will fight it out. Ultimately Bojorquez has to show better leg strength that can offset any learning curve to upset Allen.

There you have it folks! Undoubtedly this will crumble and collapse at the next Patriots practice and I will question life. But it is a fun exercise into a deep dive of a complex process. Be sure to comment and tell me how your favorite player is definitely making the roster.

All photos courtesy of Getty images unless noted otherwise.

Be sure to check out other great articles for all your favorite Boston sports teams on Bostonsportsextra.com

Follow me on Twitter @ALykins32

The #NERevs Should Make Diego Fagundez The Captain

Leave a reply

Ok, here’s a take you probably haven’t heard before. The Revs are struggling and need to look toward their leaders. They need someone to step up as a leader in this crucial part of the season. Diego Fagundez may only be 23 years old, but he’s a club veteran. Whether you want to believe it or not, he is the longest tenured active player on the team. Claude Dielna came into the season as the captain, but it has been shuffled around since. It seems Brad Freidel has finally lost faith in him after he gave the armband to Andrew Farrell instead of Claude against the Redbulls. So why should Diego be the one to take on the role as captain?

Tenureship

(Photo by Bob Kupbens/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)

While having a long tenureship alone isn’t a reason to be captain, it provides a backbone for leadership. For one thing, Diego played with Shalrie, Reis, Davies, Jones, and others, all of whom have possessed great leadership qualities. Over the years, you have to assume some of their qualities rubbed off on him. Furthermore, Diego is a constant starter on this team who continues to prove himself on and off the field.

Leadership

While Diego has only ever been given the armband once, it was one of his best games of the season. It was on June 13th against the San Jose Earthquakes and he scored a goal of the year candidate. It clearly seems that Diego gets an added confidence when he wears the armband. As he is the Number 10 for the Revs, it’s essential that he is at his best so that he can be the playmaker he needs to be for the rest of the team. We only have a small sample of how he plays with the armband. But, I think it’s worth giving another chance. So far, the Revs have given the armband to seven different players throughout the season. Claude Dielna has underperformed with it, so it’s time to find someone who plays consistently when wearing it.

Familiarity

Coming into the season, Diego had spent at least one full season with 12 of the 26 players on the revs roster. Diego, for the most part, is familiar with the Revs team and is a veteran player. While other players have a similar resume, Diego has the tenureship others do not. While he isn’t the oldest, one might assume that a lot of players in the locker room look up to him and count on him as well.

Belichick: Drafting The Next Quarterback Who Will Never Start For Him

Leave a reply

Did Bill Belichick Draft The Next Quarterback For The Patriots?

Via The Kicker

Just like Theo Epstein in baseball, Bill Belichick could’ve been the first coach ever to draft two quarterbacks to have Hall of Fame careers. Epstein built a team with the Red Sox and won the World Series in 2004, erasing an 86 year curse. He then went to Chicago and built a World Series team there, erasing a 108-year curse. Belichick drafted Brady in 2000 and has won five Super Bowls with him. Belichick then drafted Jimmy Garoppolo and saw the same attitude Brady had when he arrived in Foxborough: the willingness to be the best he can be, no matter what. However, Brady saw that coming from a mile away and was having no part of it.

Trading away Garoppolo must have been really hard for Belichick. The head coach wanted Garoppolo to be the next starter. When he was forced to trade him, it clearly upset him to no end. Reports were that he texted Garoppolo after every win in December. Garoppolo is who Belichick wanted to be Brady’s successor. If Tom Brady keeps winning, it helps Belichick’s legacy, but the same canbe said for Garoppolo. Even if Brady does badly, Belichick still wins because he wanted to move on from Brady in the first place. Either way, Belichick can’t lose and he’ll always win.

Belichick Thinks Garoppolo Will Have Success

People will argue that without Brady, Belichick would be nothing. However, we have to give credit where credit is due. Belichick is the one that drafted Brady and saw something in him 18 years ago. The same mentality should apply to Garoppolo. Belichick will watch Jimmy G grow as a quarterback from afar and be maybe become one of the best in the league.

Tom Brady’s drive to keep his job was a win for himself. Brady has done so much for the organization in these 18 years. It truly is amazing. However, Garoppolo will always be the quarterback Belichick wanted and will never start for him.