The NFL season is just around the corner. That means that training camp is in full swing and joint practices are starting up. The New England Patriots open up their 2018 title defense with a preseason game this week against the Detroit Lions. With the Patriots and Lions getting their join practices underway, let’s take a look at a few story lines to look at this week.
Bill Belichick vs. Matt Patricia
This is a classic case of the teacher versus the student in a head to head matchup. We all know that Matt Patricia was the defensive coordinator for the Patriots for two of their Super Bowl runs. Then in the 2018 off-season when the Lions came calling, Patricia took the head coaching job. Keep in mind, the Lions finished 6-10 in Patricia’s first season at the helm. Oh and by the way, his first win was against the Patriots. It’s going to be interesting to see how the dynamic pans out for these two former colleagues. Will Matt Patricia be smart and not tell Bill Belichick any secrets? Will Belichick see something in Patricia’s system that he could use for his own benefit? We’ll see once the week unfolds.
Jarrett Stidham
This is more of a headline that I’m interested in seeing unfold. Jarrett Stidham is the Patriots 4th round selection out of Auburn University. People aren’t paying too much attention to him. Tom Brady obviously signed his extension through 2021 yesterday, and Brian Hoyer is the backup. But, nobody is giving Stidham much of a chance. Think about this for a second. He was a First Team All-SEC quarterback in 2017, and played in arguably the best conference in College Football. Stidham also threw for 36 touchdowns in his two seasons with the Tigers. Could Belichick be getting Stidham ready for the future? Maybe. It will be interesting to see how Belichick utilizes Stidham throughout the preseason.
The Wide Receiving Core’s Health
One of the big questions of the entire off-season has been the Patriots wide receivers. Will they be healthy enough to be ready for the season as perform? Well right now, Julian Edelman is out with a hand injury. Demariyus Thomas has the questions of coming back from an Achilles injury. A guy like Braxton Berrios is on the fence for just making the Patriots roster. This team needs some healthy bodies at wide receiver, and they need them quickly. With a retired Gronk, the wide receivers will be depended upon more than ever for Tom Brady.
In Conclusion
There is a lot to look at between these two teams. The Patriots always win the AFC East with relative ease. The Lions are competing in a tough NFC North division with Green Bay, Chicago, and Minnesota battling it out every season. The Patriots do not play the Lions this upcoming season. Plus, there was a time last season where the Patriots lost in Detroit and people thought the Patriots were done. Maybe Belichick and company want a little payback for last season. Well…maybe not because it’s preseason. But football is back and it’s time to get technical once again. Cue up NFL RedZone!
Training camp has opened and the season is fast approaching. The 2018 Patriot draft class has some good, some bad and some incompletes. This sophomore snapshot gets you caught up ready for your first preseason game.
The Good
Aug 9, 2018; Foxborough, MA, USA; New England Patriots linebacker Ja’Whaun Bentley (51) tackles Washington Redskins running back Byron Marshall (34) during the second quarter at Gillette Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Paul Rutherford-USA TODAY Sports
The biggest surprise from the rookie draft picks came from an undrafted defensive back! A day two talent that fell due to off the field questions and some poor testing shined for the Patriots. As part of the top rotation in the backfield he has impressed with his speed and physicality, even against bigger wide receivers and tight ends. His aggressiveness caught up to him and he began acquiring penalties in the playoffs, and his usage began to dip. Has a real shot at taking the next step and being the number two option at cornerback, opposite Gilmore on game day.
Ja’Whaun Bentley
When training camp broke in 2018, the defense looked like it had a new wrecking force playing at linebacker. In the first three games he amassed more statistics than most rookie linebackers do all season. He collected a single interception, pass defensed, tackle for loss, and a QB hit. Bentley also had nine solo tackles and five assisted tackles. A torn biceps landed him on injured reserve prior to week 4, otherwise the Bentley legend could have grown. He goes into 2019 being the top option behind Dont’a Hightower and Kyle Van Noy. While he does have some competition from Elandon Roberts and reacquired Jamie Collins, he easily could never leave the field.
Trent Harris
What does a team do when a pro bowl defensive end leaves in free agency? You have his replacement ready to go the next year. Most expect Dietrich Wise to step in take the next step. I for one am jumping on the Trent Harris train for this. His impressive preseason in pressuring the quarterback, and season long stint on the practice squad, will prepare him for a bigger role on the defense for the 2019 campaign. Don’t be surprised when you hear his name called again and again this year. The time is ripe for the next great defender on the Patriots.
The Bad
Sep 30, 2018; Foxborough, MA, USA; New England Patriots running back Sony Michel (26) and running back James White (28) warm up before the start of the game against the Miami Dolphins at Gillette Stadium. Mandatory Credit: David Butler II-USA TODAY Sports
Duke Dawson
What does it mean when a team gives a prospect every opportunity to get on the field and make an impact and he can’t even be active for a game? I don’t know either, but it’s not good. Numerous reasons conspired against the highly-touted second round pick. A hamstring injury landed him on the injured reserve at the beginning of the season. But unlike most of his fellow rookies, the Patriots used one of its IR activation spots on him. He could never crack the game day roster the rest of the season due to a healthy secondary that was playing well. With that disappointment behind him he needs to be ready and compete for playing time. Cutting Dawson prior to opening day is unlikely, anything else can happen. Change of scenery trade, another IR stint, or being inactive all season will be extremely negative to his career path. No one wants to see another Ras-I Dowling or Cyrus Jones happen.
Sony Michel
I debated placing Michel in the incomplete. He ultimately lands in the bad due to the chronic nature of his health problems and the competitiveness of his position. Michel had a very good rookie year and a perfect postseason run on the way to a Super Bowl ring. How could six regular season touchdowns, six postseason touchdowns and over 1250 rushing yards land him in the bad? Two knee surgeries, two knee injuries and multiple missed games and practices will do it. The Patriots also drafted a potential backup/replacement in Damien Harris. This is in addition to returning running backs in Rex Burkhead and James White. All of this paints a clouded picture of the second year back’s future.
Danny Etling
Oh Danny boy! I wish things could be turning out differently. When the Patriots drafted Jarett Stidham in the fourth round, Etling’s path to a regular season spot became nearly impossible. He spent his rookie season on the practice squad. The plan is to compete with veteran Brian Hoyer for the backup spot. Winning that battle is becoming imperative post-draft. The Patriots will likely carry three quarterbacks on the active roster this year, as stashing Stidham on the practice squad is very risky. This would make Etling’s potential spot on there that much more unlikely. I hope he can make it. If not we’ll always have the fourth preseason game.
The Incomplete
Georgia offensive tackle Isaiah Wynn (77) looks to block Florida defensive lineman Cece Jefferson (96) in the first half of an NCAA college football game, Saturday, Oct. 28, 2017, in Jacksonville, Fla. (AP Photo/John Raoux)
Isaiah Wynn
The New England Patriots have had an uncharacteristic period of instability at the important left tackle position recently. In 2017 Nate Solder was the starter, in 2018 it was Trent Brown. There will be a different player protecting Tom Brady’s blind side in 2019. The favorite is the second year player from Georgia. This could be more of a rocky transition than with Brown. Wynn is coming off one of the worst injuries in football. The torn Achilles he suffered in the second preseason game is reportedly healed as he avoided the PUP list to open camp. Is he suitable for the left tackle position in the NFL? As long as Tom Brady is back there and Dante Scarnecchia is teaching the group they will be ready on game day.
The Injury Squad
When you have a team that finishes the season as the second seed and dominates the playoffs enroute to a third Super Bowl appearance in four years you could expect some contribution from its rookies. This is a team that saw five of its rookie picks hit the IR before the season began. Included were Braxton Berrios, Christian Sam and Ryan Izzo. All are expected to hit the ground running and make some noise if they want to secure their roster spots this season, and the years to come.
Heading into the 2019 season, the New England Patriots have a serious depth problem at wider receiver. This could open the door for Braxton Berrios.
Last season, Jordan Matthews, Eric Decker, Kenny Britt and Corey Coleman were all brought in to help Tom Brady. Unfortunately for the Patriots, none of them worked out. Matthews and Britt sustained hamstring injuries in training camp and were released. Eric Decker decided to retire.
The current crop of wideouts is very similar to last year. Brady will have the ageing Julian Edelman, although he continues to defy the odds. He also has Phillip Dorsett, a player who Brady appeared to go cold on during the season. The Pats let him go to free agency before bringing him back at a reduced salary. Bruce Ellington was brought in through free agency, but he won’t be a go to receiver for Tom Brady. Josh Gordon is another option for the Patriots. However, he is subject to a potential suspension and may not play until mid-season at the earliest.
The lack of depth at WR opens the door for Braxton Berrios, a player drafted in 2018. Braxton was drafted out of the University of Miami in the 6th round (pick 210 overall). Once drafted he was compared to Danny Amendola, and was viewed as a replacement if Amendola left in free agency. And he did, signing a 2-year deal with the Miami Dolphins.
It was reported after Danny was released from the Dolphins this offseason, both the Patriots and Amendola were interested in reuniting. Instead Amendola signed a 1-year deal with the Detroit Lions. A move that won’t have concerned the Pats front office and coaching staff too much with a ready-made replacement waiting in the wings.
During the 2018 training camp, Braxton suffered an undisclosed injury and was put on IR prior to the regular season. Obviously, a slight setback for the young wide receivers’ career, but the signs are obvious as to what he will add to the Patriots offense in 2019. He is a slot receiver, but can get down the field if needed, particularly in the Red Zone. He can create separation from defensive backs, and has the speed to turn a small 5-yard pass into a 60-yard touchdown.
His UM career was full of highlights. As a junior he saw action mainly as a punt returner, and had 12 returns for 178 yards and 2 touchdowns. As a senior he started all 13 games. He had 55 receptions for 679 yards and 9 touchdowns, including a 21-yard TD pass in a big win over their rivals Florida State, who UM beat for the first time since 2009.
Berrios scores his 1st of 2 touchdowns against fierce rivals FSU Photo Credit; Miami Herald
When you look at the depth chart, and how hard they went after players like Adam Humphries, Cole Beasley and Golden Tate, they obviously realize how dire the situation is at WR. In the draft I would expect them to address this situation with at least 1 of their 12 draft picks. But on the plus side they have a young talented wideout waiting in the wings to showcase his skills on the big stage. I’d expect to see him getting a lot of reps during training camp, and to get a lot of time on the field during the pre-season.
