Tag Archives: NEW ENGLAND PATRIOTS

Danny Amendola is a Miami Dolphin

EAST RUTHERFORD, NJ – NOVEMBER 27: Danny Amendola #80 of the New England Patriots in action against the New York Jets during their game at MetLife Stadium on November 27, 2016 in East Rutherford, New Jersey. (Photo by Al Bello/Getty Images)

Danny Amendola is now a Miami Dolphin. All the loyalty to the Patriots was just all talk and at the end the NFL is a business. Amendola will sign a two year deal worth $8.25 million and $12 million with incentives. Danny Amendola really played great in the playoffs. He got the nickname Danny ‘Playoff’ Amendola because of his clutch performance when the games mattered the most. The Dolphins just traded Jarvis Landry to the Cleveland Browns to make up for it. Why not get Amendola?

HOUSTON, TX – FEBRUARY 05: Danny Amendola #80 of the New England Patriots scores a touchdown against the Atlanta Falcons during the fourth quarter during Super Bowl 51 at NRG Stadium on February 5, 2017 in Houston, Texas. (Photo by Patrick Smith/Getty Images)

Amendola played in 69 of 80 regular season games with the Patriots. In 13 playoff games Amendola scored six touchdowns. In the playoffs Amendola had 709 yards. This does hurt the Patriots’ offense though. The Patriots have Julian Edelman coming off an injury, and who knows how long he will be back to normal. We still don’t know if Rob Gronkowski is playing for the Patriots next season or retiring. The Amendola loss is pretty big as he was Brady’s target this season. The top receivers right now on the Patriots are Chris Hogan, and Brandin Cooks. Also they have Malcolm Mitchell coming back.

HOUSTON, TX – FEBRUARY 05: Danny Amendola #80 and Julian Edelman #11 of the New England Patriots warm up before Super Bowl 51 against the Atlanta Falcons at NRG Stadium on February 5, 2017 in Houston, Texas. (Photo by Al Bello/Getty Images)

Amendola told Bryant University at the end of February “I’m a free agent this year, so let’s say—the unknown. We’ll see what happens. I definitely want to be here. To tell you the truth, I don’t want to leave. But it’s a business. I’ve learned that.” Clearly a business choice for Amendola his loyalty to the Patriots was not making him stay there. He wanted to be there but wanted to make more money somewhere else. He knows the Patriots are cheap and will do anything to make more money. With Amendola making a business decision, the Patriots will now have to look at adding a receiver for next season. The Dolphins will never beat the Patriots in the division though.

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

Patriots Acquire DT Danny Shelton from Browns

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Danny Shelton to the Pats

Cleveland’s fire sale shows no signs of ending. Earlier today John Dorsey and the Browns agreed to send defensive tackle Danny Shelton to the Patriots, per ESPN.

The Browns made headlines yesterday after their new GM Dorsey made three blockbuster trades. In the past 24 hours, Cleveland has jump-started their roster by bringing in Jarvis Landry, Tyrod Taylor, and Damarious Randall. The Browns’ front office is going all out to make moves in their pursuit to change their status in the NFL from chumps to champs.

Updated via @FieldYates and me: Browns trade Danny Shelton and a 5th round pick in '18 for the Patriots’ 3rd l-round pick in '19. And there it is, the fourth Browns’ trade in less than 24 hours. https://t.co/MQ6Qc8Dmha

— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) March 10, 2018

The Patriots are bringing in Danny Shelton in pursuit to fix their pass rush woes. With Alan Branch out of the picture after the team denied his option, Shelton can carve his way into a starting role. In his three seasons in the NFL, Danny Shelton has 128 tackles (71 solo) and 1.5 sacks. He started for the Browns for 44 of the 46 games he was active. According to Pro Football Focus, Danny Shelton has a grade of 81.5, ranking in the upper percentile of defensive tackles. He is a huge value acquisition for the Patriots, considering that he only has a $3.7 million cap hit for the 2018 season. Shelton is the run-stuffing tackle that New England needs to correspond with their pass rush. He can be the support the defensive line needs to be able to get to opposing quarterbacks more often.

Courtesy of 247Sports

Cover image courtesy of waitingfornextyear.com.

How the ‘Patriot Way’ Handles the NFL Draft

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All eyes are fixated on top prospects as the 2018 NFL Draft draws closer by the day. Big names like Saquon Barkley and Baker Mayfield headline almost every mock draft. A sea of cameras trail the NFL’s next most promising players. From now until April 26th, all that the media can do is sit and wait to see where college football’s brightest stars will land. From here on in they can only add to the hype and hysteria that surrounds NFL front offices.

The media in the past has brought forth stars like Carson Wentz into the light. Yet, they have done their fair share of over-hyping players. Teams like the Browns have fallen prey to such deception in the past. Though top prospects are always slated to stardom by the media, no one knows how things will play out. Because of this promising prospects can turn a team sour as easily as they can improve them.

A Good Magician Never Reveals Their Secrets

Since the dawn of the NFL, we have seen teams’ success waver over time The 1970s Steelers ruled the league with an iron fist, as well as the Cowboys in the 1990s. Since then, those teams have been remnants of their old selves. We’ve seen flashes of their former prosperity, but they have never fully returned to it.

In comes the 21st century Patriots. Since 2000 New England has made the Super Bowl eight times, more times than they have missed the playoffs (three). The only remaining figures from their Super Bowl run in 2001 are Robert Kraft, Bill Belichick, and Tom Brady. So comes the question that is lodged in the brains of fans, media members, and even front office executives: how the hell have the Patriots been elite for so long? The answer is simple, but at the same time it is not. The “Patriot Way” is what makes this team so special.

Like the 31 other teams in the league, the Patriots build for the future through the draft. The words “Patriots” and “rebuilding” have not been in the same sentence for quite some time. They have never needed to undergo a full rebuild that we see so often in the league. They haven’t needed to wipe the slate clean and start anew like the Browns have needed to do so many times in the past decade. Instead of starting completely over the Patriots slowly upgrade themselves with young prospects. All these microscopic changes over time fail to turn any heads because every team does the same. This whole process is not anything new, it’s the way that the Patriots execute it that makes it work. They bring prospects in to be the future, as any team.

Courtesy of SB Nation.

The Patriot Way

But why is it that New England’s prospects are different from anyone else’s? If anything, shouldn’t they be not as good due to the Patriots consistently having low draft picks due to their success? On paper that is true, but New England has a divergent way of bringing rookies up into the league.

Coach Bill Belichick hates the noise that the media emanates. Especially when they try to act like they know football. He refuses to buy into the hype for most top prospects. He does not look at prospects for their talent, but instead how they can help the Patriots. The bottom line is that football is a team sport, and though Tom Brady is talented he cannot win on his own. Thus, the Patriots’ mantra is “do your job”. Flashiness and highlights will only get you noticed by scouts. But, Bill Belichick is willing to pass up on anyone that cannot put their team ahead of themselves.

While the cameras surround prospects slated to be first round pick, Belichick takes the road less traveled. He scouts players that are overlooked by everyone else. Why? Because they are willing to give their all to play football. That kind of fire is what is wanted in New England. Lower draft picks will fight for their career, no matter what it takes. Tom Brady, Julian Edelman, and Elandon Roberts are a few examples of players taken on the back end of the draft. They fought tooth and nail to even be drafted, and that discipline and determination helped them become the starters that they are today.

That same principle goes for those who go undrafted. A whopping eighteen Patriots appearing in the Super Bowl back in February went undrafted. The most famous of them all is Malcolm Butler, who set a precedent around the league to not underestimate undrafted rookies. Every player starts their career the same way. Whether it is a DI or DIII school, players all must play at the collegiate level before going pro.

Courtesy of NBC Sports.

One Man’s Trash

The New England Patriots are successful because they know what it takes to win. Sometimes a team-first attitude is more important than talent. The Patriots bring in players who are widely disregarded and convert them into key role players. All these players share one common thing: they want to prove that they can play. With determination like that anything is possible. The “Patriot Way” is not a saying, it’s a mindset. Former Patriot Kevin Faulk learned about this approach during his career in New England. In an article for The Player’s Tribune, he writes,

“The Patriot Way ain’t about nothing but winning, man. That’s it. See, Coach Belichick is the kind of guy who doesn’t care what you do on your own time. He wants you to know football and he wants you to come to work every day and do your job to the best of your ability. Anything else, he doesn’t really care.”

It might be wise to watch the undrafted pool in April, because Bill Belichick could find himself a new shiny player to electrify his team with.

Follow Mike Clement on Twitter: @MClementMedia.

Cover image courtesy of USA Today.

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

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

Nobody Likes the Atmosphere at One Patriot Place

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Gronkowski on His Way Out?

(Pittsburg, PA, 12/17/17) New England Patriots tight end Rob Gronkowski celebrates as he leaves the field after an NFL football game against the Pittsburgh Steelers at Heinz Field on Sunday, December 17, 2017.Staff Photo by Nancy Lane

Rob Gronkowski was a huge asset in the second half of the Super Bowl. But rumors swirled when after the Super Bowl that Gronk was going to evaluate his future. Rob Gronkowski is rumored to be interested in the WWE, XFL, and movies.

Tom E. Curran from NBC Sports Boston said last night that Gronkowski was unhappy playing for the Patriots in 2017. Gronkowski almost retired at the start of Training Camp last season. He trained with Alex Guerrero, Brady’s trainer who was removed from the locker room and the sidelines. Tom Brady was the only player allowed to be treated by Guerrero in a separate room at Gillette Stadium. The rest, including Gronkowski, had to physically go to TB12 at Patriot Place to be treated.

Gronkowski can’t be himself either, like with the touchdown celebration earlier in the year. He said he wanted to talk about it, but “we’re told we can’t talk about celebrations”. The one he was talking about was when he was carrying Brandin Cooks on his back after a touchdown. Let’s face it- the atmosphere on the Patriots is centered around one person: Tom Brady. That has pissed off Belichick, who sat Butler in the Super Bowl and forced to trade Garoppolo. Gronkowski is mad he can’t train the way Brady is being trained. He has to walk to make an appointment at TB12.

Big Name Players Backing Their Teammates

Via SI.com

All of the big name players backing Malcolm Butler’s Instagram post about him missing meetings and curfew on Super Bowl week. Hightower, Brady, and Gronkowski all liked on Twitter or Instagram. That is a clear shot at Belichick and the atmosphere.

Brady Is Bigger Than the Team

Do you really think Brady is going to let Gronkowski, his only weapon in the red zone, just go to the WWE? I don’t think so, just like he didn’t let Josh McDaniels walk to the Colts. If Gronkowski moves on from the Patriots, there will be with a 41 year old quarterback who’s playing like he’s 30, Julian Edelman, who’s coming back from injury, Danny Amendola, and no big guy Gronkowski at tight end. The injuries for Gronk are only a small part of why he’ll step away. Most of it is because he can’t be himself.

Cover image courtesy of NBC Sports.

Draft Profile: Kyle Lauletta, QB at Richmond

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After trading Jimmy Garoppolo, it seems the Patriots might try to find their quarterback of the future. A potential prospect could be Kyle Lauletta, who is a 6’3” 215-pound quarterback out of Richmond. Lauletta was relatively unheard of until he threw for 198 yards and three touchdowns to be the MVP of the Senior Bowl. He received a 76.6 overall grade for his performance by Pro Football focus, second only to projected Top-10 pick Josh Allen.

Many NFL experts believe that he can be Tom Brady’s next heir. “Lauletta starred in the Senior Bowl last week, and I’m not the only draft analyst who came away from the game thinking he’d be a fine fit for New England,” NFL.com draft analyst, Chad Reuter writes. An article published by CBS sports says that Lauletta checks the boxes for things that Belichick loves and could be his perfect quarterback.

Stats

In 2017, he had 3,737 yards, 28 touchdowns, and completed 64.9 percent of his passes. Lauletta ranked 5th in total yards and 3rd in yards per game in the NCAA. He also ended up being Richmond’s all-time leading passer with 10,465 yards.

Strengths

Great accuracy (had improved every day in Senior Bowl practices in Mobile)
Quick release and great mechanics (always has one smooth motion, no matter how far downfield the throw is)
Able to go through his reads quickly and find the open man
Great pocket presence and footwork (looks like an NFL veteran out there…)
Can throw accurate passes on the run and under pressure
Has decent athleticism
Has toughness required to take NFL hits (former lacrosse player)
Shown ability to make clutch red zone throws (example in Senior Bowl where he was able to make tight window passes after escaping pressure)
Ability to extend plays
Ability to adapt to new playbooks (played under 4 offensive coordinators in his 4 years at Richmond)
Great leader (double majors in business and leadership) and competitor

Photo Credit: Getty Images

Weaknesses

A bit of concern for his ACL tear
Arm strength (needs to put a lot of air under the ball to hit downfield targets)
May get panicked by pass rush and look for a way out too quickly
Can throw balls with a high trajectory that allows safeties or corners to catch up with receiver
Decision making not perfect

Comparison

Lauletta is like a more athletic Jared Goff. They both have similar builds and playing style, although Lauletta uses his feet a bit more. Goff, the first pick in 2016, made a sophomore leap due to new coaching. I feel that Lauletta is a lot like Goff coming into the NFL- promising but with a few downfalls that can lead to bad play. With the right coaching, Lauletta would be able to excel by taking advantage of his strengths to make plays… just like Goff did.

Photo Credit: Richmond.com

Conclusion

Kyle Lauletta has all the tools he needs to be an NFL caliber quarterback. He can be a great pick for the Patriots and can develop under Tom Brady to become a superstar in the next few years.

Positions the Patriots Need to Evaluate over the Offseason

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The Patriots fell just short of their sixth Super Bowl trophy against the Eagles. They have a stacked team, but they could definitely use some upgrades. Here are four positions or groups of positions that the Patriots need to evaluate over the offseason.

Tight End

Rob Gronkowski has been the best tight end in the NFL since 2011, but retirement rumors have been swirling due to injuries. Gronk was extremely valuable to the Patriots this season. The offense averaged 19.5 points per game in the two games he did not play. In the other 14 games he played in, the Patriots averaged 30 points per game. If the Patriots lose Gronkowski, then the offense will take a big fall. Backup tight end Martellus Bennett could also retire, and Dwane Allen and Jacob Hollister were ineffective in the passing game. The free agent tight end pool is weak and the tight end draft class is similiar, so Bill Belichick needs to have a plan.

Left Tackle

All of the positions on the offensive line have been very good since Dante Scarnecchia came out of retirement. He has been able to get the best out of players such as LaAdrian Waddle and Marcus Cannon. However, Nate Solder’s contract is up and it is rumored that he might leave. Belichick could move Waddle over to left tackle, but that would leave Cam Flemming and Cole Croston as the backup lineman. Croston did not play in his rookie season and Flemming has not been good lately. Belichick could explore the free agent market or draft class to find a replacement. The list of free agent left tackles includes Greg Robinson, Chris Clark, and Donald Stephenson.

Front Seven

The Patriots’ defense was the reason why they did not win the Super Bowl. Almost all of the positions on defense struggled throughout the season. They did not get pressure with their front four, which allowed opposing quarterbacks to have field days against the Patriots. New England ranked 31st in rush yards per attempt because they gave up 4.7 yards per run. They were poor with and without Hightower, so it is hard to rely on him to come back and change everything immediately. The Patriots have slow linebackers who cannot cover running backs or cause pressure. Belichick needs to draft or sign a fast linebacker that can get to the quarterback and keep up with running backs. He also needs to draft or sign a lineman who can get pressure and help with the running game.

Cornerback

With Malcolm Butler set to leave, the Patriots need to find a replacement for him. Jonathan Jones, Cyrus Jones, and Eric Rowe are not good replacement options. Aqib Talib, Richard Sherman, and Marcus Peters have all been rumored to be cut or traded in the offseason. The Patriots will be spending a lot of money at corner if they sign one of them, considering how much they are paying Gilmore. However, the Patriots have not had dominate corners since Revis and Browner in 2014. They won the Super Bowl with Butler and Logan Ryan two years ago. Stephon Gilmore is great, but they can not win with one dominant corner. Super Bowl 52 is a perfect example of that because Gilmore was great, but Rowe, Bademosi, and Jones did not step up in Malcolm Butler’s “absence”. Belichick must recognize that and spend money and/or picks to get another shutdown corner.

Cover image courtesy of USA Today.

The New England Patriots Aren’t Going Anywhere

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The New England Patriots just lost Super Bowl 52, 41-33, to the Philadelphia Eagles. A mix of uncharacteristically poor coaching and terrible defense proved to be too much for quarterback Tom Brady to overcome, and the Patriots left Minnesota empty handed. The bad news is that the Patriots lost. The good news is that they’ll be back soon. The New England Patriots aren’t going anywhere, and should even better in 2018.

The New England Patriots Aren’t Going Anywhere

Internal Stars Return

Tom Brady’s Favorite Target Will Be Back in Action in 2018

Image credit: Boston Herald

The Patriots made it to the Super Bowl in spite of two of their best four players missing the season. Wide receiver Julian Edelman tore his ACL in the preseason, effectively ending his season before it began. While Edelman is 31, there’s no reason to expect anything less than a full comeback.

The silver lining to tearing his ACL in the preseason is that his gives him a full calendar year to get healthy. The typical ACL recovery timeline is roughly 6-9 months, so Edelman should be a full go by the 2018 regular season. Edelman’s rehab, as far as we know, is moving along without any setbacks, and he even said that he believed he could have played Super Bowl 52 were he were eligible.

The Patriots will also be getting their best defensive player back in Dont’a Hightower. Hightower played in just five games all season, with his last appearance coming in Week Seven. While linebackers like Kyle Van Noy performed admirably in his absence, there’s no overstating how much Hightower means to this defense. He’s the de-facto do it all linebacker, capable of rushing the passer, stopping the run, and dropping into coverage. It’s no coincidence that the Patriots won the two Super Bowls he played in, but lost the one he didn’t.

Role Player Reinforcements

Malcolm Mitchell’s Presence was greatly missed in 2017

Image credit: Bleacher Report

Additionally, the Patriots will be getting some minor reinforcements with the return of Malcolm Mitchell. Like Edelman, Mitchell missed the duration of the season. While he won’t have Edelman’s impact, he does offer something that none of the other receivers do. Mitchell plays bigger than his size, and is able to win tough, contested passes on the boundary. He showed he’s more than capable of being a reliable intermediate option, and his presence should open up a whole new dimension to the Patriot offense.

With Edelman running his famous option routes and Mitchell a threat on intermediate passes, who covers Brandin Cooks? Cooks had a great 2017 despite being the teams best receiver, and thus facing the best opposing defenders. Teams won’t be able to lock in on Cooks with a healthy Edelman, Mitchell and Rob Gronkowski on the field. Gronkowski is mulling retirement, but that felt like a reactionary statement after a long, grueling season. Until he officially says otherwise, expect him to be playing in 2018.

Additionally, the Patriots will be getting their top draft picks back for 2018. Third round rookies Derek Rivers and Antonio Garcia missed the entire 2017 season with injuries, and should be able to bring a huge boost to the 2018 roster. Rivers in particular should be a big piece in aiding a weak front four, and Garcia could earn the backup tackle role with both Cameron Fleming and LaAdrian Waddle free agents.

You can bet on if you think the Patriots will keep on winning this season and you can find the most updated NFL betting lines from BetQL.

Several Early Draft Picks

The Patriots became AFC Conference Champions with minimal help from their rookie class. The Patriots traded their first rounder in 2017 for Cooks, and only drafted four players. Of those four, only Deatrich Wise made the opening day roster.

That will not be the case this season. The Patriots will have their own first and second round picks this season, along with a high second rounder acquired from the San Francisco 49ers. While one of those picks will likely be used to draft Brady’s eventual successor, the other two should be ready to contribute immediately. Having two high level rookies should be an instant help for a team that historically does well in the draft. Even if Belichick trades one of those early picks, the longtime coach has a knack for finding stars in the mid to late rounds.

Tom Brady Is Still Here

This is really all that matters. As long as Brady looks like Brady, the Patriots will continue to win. Brady is getting older, but there’s no reason to think he’ll be dropping off anytime soon. In his age 40 season, Brady led the league in passing yards en route to winning MVP honors. And while he didn’t win the Super Bowl, he was the only reason it wasn’t a blowout. Brady threw for 505 yards and three touchdowns, setting several passing records along the way.

This team will still be good even assuming the worst case scenarios. If Gronkowski does retire and the 2018 draft is a bust – both of which are unlikely events – the Patriots should still win the AFC East pretty handily. Brady’s done far more with less than whatever the 2018 iteration of the team will be, and he will continue to do so.

The Patriots may be down, but they don’t stay out. They’re the best run organization in sports, led by the best quarterback in history and one of the best coaches. They won’t lose focus, and next year at this time they’ll be in the thick of yet another title chase.

Cover image courtesy of NJ.com