Tag Archives: NEW ENGLAND PATRIOTS

Brady Breaking Records: 2018 Edition

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In what is becoming one of my favorite training camp rituals, I am checking out what records the New England Patriots quarterbacking legend, Tom Brady can break in the upcoming season. And let me tell you they are dwindling fast. It is refreshing to take a moment and look at all he has accomplished and the few things he has yet to do in order to prepare myself for those inevitable “Tom Brady is not the greatest quarterback ever” arguments I’ll find myself in.

 

While he won’t break some of Favre’s more dubious records like most interceptions thrown and only has an outside chance at some of his longevity records. He will probably lose out to the younger Brees on the pure volume statistics when they both decide to retire. He owns virtually every quality and frequency record for the postseason and Super Bowl already.

 

Without further ado, let’s get into some milestones that we hope Tom Terrific jumps over this season.

Career Passing Touchdowns (including postseason)

 

Peyton Manning sits at the top with 579. Who is nipping right at his heels? Tom Brady, 559, thank you very much. So a mere 20 touchdown passes from the best quarterback in the game and he will have thrown more touchdowns than any other quarterback ever. Let that sink in. A sixth round pick that’s had to fight for everything he’s had in the game will now be sitting at the very top. He is a little further away from the regular season record and he’s currently tied with Drew Brees at 488. Peyton Manning’s mark is 539 so the likelihood of Brady passing for 51 touchdowns to tie and pass Brees are much slimmer.

 

Career Passing Yards (including postseason)

 

Brady just needs less than 3000 yards to break Manning’s record of 79,279 total career passing yards. And Tom Brady could be playing for several more years!! This will be a mark that may be unbreakable. Brees will pass Manning for regular season yards thrown this season and Brady doesn’t have a shot at passing them both this year. He will join the 70,000 regular season yards club this season as the fourth member.

 

Pro Bowl Selections

 

For as meaningless as playing in the  NFL’s All-Star Game is the selections are a good indicator of ability and popularity. If and when he gets his 14th selection he will move into a logjam with Manning, Merlin Olsen, Bruce Matthews, and Tony Gonzalez. Put that one down for the 2019 season for him to break.

Bonus: How many of those 13 Pro Bowls did Brady actually play in? Just twice!!

 

Fourth Quarter Comebacks and Game Winning Drives

 

Peyton Manning:

45 Fourth Quarter Comebacks,

56 Game-Winning Drives

 

https://www.pro-football-reference.com/play-index/comeback.cgi?player=MannPe00

 

Tom Brady:

42 Fourth Quarter Comebacks,

53 Game-Winning Drives

 

https://www.pro-football-reference.com/play-index/comeback.cgi?player=BradTo00

 

This is is from Pro Football Reference. And it is a little tricky to nail down the exact number. But Tom Brady is close. Within two or three of each and he should have a chance at passing him this year or next. Listen for announcers to be using stats like these as the season moves on.

 

Here is a great Reddit thread of all the records that Brady owns currently

https://www.reddit.com/r/Patriots/comments/7qee4l/i_could_not_find_a_comprehensive_tom_brady_record/

 

I can’t wait for the 2018 NFL season. To be able to witness the quarterback of my favorite team on the cusp of breaking these records and hopefully to be able compete for another Championship. I am enjoying each and every game because we may not be getting many more if them. Go Pats!

 

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
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Can The Red Sox Get To 116 Wins?

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While the Red Sox have an unprecedented 85-35 win loss record, can they catch up to a record only two teams have ever achieved before?

116 wins, something only two teams have ever won that many games in a single season. The 2001 Seattle Mariners and the 1906 Chicago Cubs. The only difference… the 1906 Cubs played 152 games that year. This 2018 Red Sox team currently holds a .708 win percentage, however, there are still 42 games to be played.

The path to 116

With 42 games left in the regular season, the Red Sox would have to go 31-11 to finish the season. With 7 games against the Indians, 6 against the Yankees, and 3 against the defending champs as the hard part of the remaining schedule. Can this team achieve a .739 winning percentage during the last stretch? It’s definitely up for debate.

Who can help?

The numerous games with teams such as the Tampa Bay Rays, Baltimore Orioles, and Toronto Blue Jays should be a promising sign, as long as they don’t lose easy games. Although there will be more frequent rest periods, ( including innings limits for starters), Alex Cora will still manage this team to be more competitive and hungry than the game before.

With MVP candidates Mookie Betts and J.D Martinez still staying hot at the plate, is there any wonder to how this team became so amazing? We cannot forget to mention David Price, Xander Bogaerts, Chris Sale, and all of the other guys who keep this team competitive. This team really has adapted the New England Patriot way of next guy up mentality. They way Boston sports has evolved into team equality has been astonishing to see.

What are the odds?

While finding the exact odds are improbable, they do have some numbers on their side. Out of their remaining schedule, 24 of the games are at home,  while owning the leagues best home win loss record. The team has a 9-1 record throughout their last 10 games. They have never lost more than three games consecutively all season long.

No matter what happens a strong playoff run looks imminent. as long as the team comes out of the regular season as injury-less as possible, I and fellow members of Red Sox nation can sleep well at night.

What do you think?

Comment,share,tag,tweet,like, and follow to let us know what you think! Let your opinion be heard.

Training Camp Breakdown: Patterson shines/Injuries Occur

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Training Camp has been in full swing for just about a week now for almost every team. The HOF game was last night, and it finally feels like football’s back. So naturally, just like anybody else in the New England area who loves football, you visit training camp. It was a cloudy day filled with much overcast, but still, hundreds of fans attended. People had signs, footballs, and even shoes being ready to get signed while they watch the Pats. There were many things I noticed and had stuck out during my few hours at the Patriots’ practice.

Spotlight Players in the Starting Offense

One of the first things I wanted to look at was how this offense is looking. After losing key pieces like Solder, Amendola, and Lewis, I know the Pats would be changing personnel around. Well at first glance, it’s very apparent that they haven’t lost a beat. Trent Brown, the NFL’s own version of “The Mountain”, was holding his ground. The 6’8″ lineman was holding his blocks against a Patriots D-line that looks greatly improved.

More shining stars on this offense were wideouts Phillip Dorsett and Cordarrelle Patterson. Dorsett is looking like a brand new wide receiver after a disappointing first season in Foxborough last year. He caught numerous passes from Brady in coverage during 11 on 11 drills and it felt like he was rarely off the field. Patterson, however, is even more of a pleasant surprise to see him working with the 1’s in training camp. Another previous first-round pick who’s had trouble producing is trying to turn that around. When the Patriots initially traded for him, it appeared his role was special teams only. Now in August, it looks like Belichick has taken a liking to him. Patterson was lining up on the outside in numerous plays from walk-through plays to full on 11 on 11’s.  It appears that this speedster is going to be doing a lot more than just fielding punts and kicks in the near future.

Other Position Battles Heating Up

See the source image

Photo Credit: NESN

Besides the new faces on offense trying to get the coaches attention, there are plenty of other players vying for that 53 man roster and furthermore starting spots. Some of the most interesting things noticed throughout the practice. Eric Rowe and second-round pick Duke Dawson have been fighting for that second cornerback spot. As of now, Rowe is seeming to have the edge lining up in the second spot opposite of Stephon Gilmore. Dawson, however, hasn’t disappeared as he’s locking players down as the nickel cornerback currently.

Even special teams have competition on both ends. We’re seeing players like Rex Burkhead compete with the likes of Edelman and Patterson to return kicks this year. Even if we flip to the other side one of the underrated position battles has been Ryan Allen and rookie punter Corey Bojorquez. Ryan Allen has always been a consistent punter in the league; but obviously, if the Patriots have been keeping two punters so far, they wanna see who comes on top.

Quick Injury Update

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Photo Credit: MassLive

With all these practices starting again comes padded practices. With padded practices, unfortunately, comes injuries, and the Patriots have already had a few. Jordan Matthews was one of the most notable ones, and the Patriots even had to release him the other day. Rookie running back, Sony Michel, and starting tackle, Marcus Cannon, left practice early with injuries. It’s unknown exactly what injuries these are; but three days later, they’re still kept from practicing. Good injury news though is wideout, Kenny Britt, is finally practicing even if it’s scaled back for now.

Training Camp is always an exciting time for fans, reporters, and even the players. Football is just gearing up for the season, and the Patriots are in full swing. After only a week of practice, so much has happened to New England’s team. As the preseason continues to roll out Boston Sports Extra continue to provide updates and thoughts on everything Patriots!

Patriots Player To Watch This Season: Phillip Dorsett

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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

Tom Brady – The Ultimate Fighter

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Tom Brady is ready to embark on his next challenge this September. He will have to overcome many different obstacles along the way. This is nothing new to Brady though; he’s been fighting his way toward greatness his entire life and it won’t change in 2018.

FROM THE BEGINNING 

Courtesy of Sports Illustrated

His fight for football greatness began in high school, where Brady wasn’t good enough to be the starter on a winless team that had zero touchdowns. He eventually got the starting job as a junior and held it until he graduated. Brady wasn’t getting much attention from colleges during his senior year, so he made highlight tapes of himself to send to schools he wanted to attend. Tom’s tapes worked, as many different colleges around the country started showing interest. Tom decided on the University of Michigan, which again led Brady into another battle he would have to fight. Starting his college career, Tom was once again a backup for 2 years. It’s hard to believe now, but the GOAT was seventh on the Wolverines depth chart at one point. He continued his hard work, eventually moving up the depth chart-only to have to share time with Drew Henson.  Brady was still fighting for his position, leading his team to multiple comebacks, earning the nickname of the Comeback Kid along the way. He won the Orange Bowl in Tom Brady fashion, leading his team back from two 14 point deficits. Sound familiar, Patriot fans?

TOM TAKES HIS TALENTS TO THE PATS

Courtesy of the Boston Globe

After fighting his way through high school and college, Tom’s professional start would be more of the same. With his combine performance not going over well with scouts, he had to sit and wait while 198 other players were drafted ahead of him. His deeply ingrained work ethic helped him move up the Patriots depth chart from number four to Drew Bledsoe’s backup. After Mo Lewis knocked Bledsoe out, Brady’s hard work was about to pay off. He saw his opportunity and would fight harder than ever to not be a backup again. Five Super Bowls and three MVPs later, Tom Brady is now fighting against something that has never been defeated.

FATHER TIME

Brady has been beating Father Time for a few years now, winning SBs at ages 37 and 39. He was MVP of the league at 40 while breaking his own SB records. It seems to be pushing it, right? Well not for this guy. He’s always found a way to beat whatever was in front of him. Brady’s turning 41 in August. With no Julian Edelman for a month, a whole new cast of teammates, and nature doing its thing, this will be Tom’s biggest fight. I expect the same results from the man who can’t seem to lose. We have been and are watching the greatest QB and fighter the NFL has ever seen. Brady will not stop until he gets what he needs, and that’s the next ring. Brady’s on a mission for more SBs, and we get to watch history. Make no mistake about Tom Brady; he wasn’t handed anything. He’s earned it.

Dr. Robert Leonard’s Celebrity Bartending Event: Sights and Sounds

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Yesterday morning I had the privilege of receiving an invitation to Dr. Robert Leonard’s Celebrity Bartending Event. I immediately cleared my schedule, donned my favorite sport jacket and tie, grabbed a close friend of mine, and shipped up to Boston. After the rush hour traffic, flash flood warnings, and $28 parking garage fee, we arrived in Boston’s Seaport District. Leonard Hair Transplant Associates’ event was held at Del Frisco’s Double Eagle Steakhouse, where a few big names were slated to attend.

The headlining athletes there were former Patriots Wes Welker, Rob Ninkovich, and Sebastian Vollmer, former Celtic Brian Scalabrine, and former Bruin Lyndon Byers. They are all close with Dr. Robert Leonard and have received hair treatments from him personally.

Arrival

We arrived in the Seaport District at around 4:30 PM, just as rush hour traffic in the city was really picking up. We found a convenient parking garage nearby where I could keep my old 2002 Toyota Highlander for a few hours. By judging the other vehicles nearby I could tell that the Seaport District doesn’t mess around.

We made our way across the street to Del Frisco’s, which was extremely upscale and had beautiful dark decor. The event was held by the bar upstairs, which featured a stunning panoramic view of the bay and the city to our left. Even with the rain it was a nice backdrop to have.

As we were standing in line to check in and I was in the middle of realizing how much of a poor college student I am, a familiar face passed by and into the VIP area. It was Wes Welker, who I’ve only seen on TV before. Then Brian Scalabrine followed in suit. Then came Rob Ninkovich and Sebastian Vollmer. Ninkovich turned to me and said “looking good”. Well, he said it to the general vicinity of where I stood, but wouldn’t it be cool if he said it to me?

Let the Festivities Begin 

Backtracking to reality, the setup for the event was very nice. There was a secluded area of the restaurant for the event itself. The celebrities roamed around to make small-talk with a few of the  bartenders as people checked in. Hair specialists, business-people, and fans all gathered together in the same area and began to converse. It seemed like everyone knew just about everyone. A man my friend and I met told us how him and Dr. Leonard are good friends and he and his daughter get together to attend his events often. The fact that so many people knew each other is what made the event so friendly and inviting.

On one side of the room photographers set up a wall where you can have your picture taken with Scal, Welker, Ninkovich, and Vollmer. Obviously my friend and I couldn’t pass that up. I was able to remain professional as I approached them, but it just felt surreal. Scal was the first one to warmly greet me and shake my hand, and Wes was right behind him. Ninkovich and Vollmer were a little timid but were still extremely polite. It was a little ironic to see two towering football players be so quiet. It was also nice to see that I was taller than at least one guy in the picture. To put things into perspective, I’m 6’0″.

They all told me that they liked my palm tree bow tie.

After everyone became settled, servers set up tables of some really great food. There were steak sandwiches, smoked ham, cheese and fruit- anything you’d see from an upscale steakhouse. It was my first taste of the high life in my very young career. Everyone was very nice, and the food was even nicer.

Taking over the Bar

Around 6:00 PM, the celebrities tried to exhibit their best bartending skills. People were joking and conversing with the former Boston athletes as they attempted to make their orders. Brian Scalabrine claimed his own side of the bar and told shouted to everyone in the area that he had them covered. Sebastian Vollmer really got into his role as well, finally coming out of his shell.

https://twitter.com/MikeClementBSE/status/1019646949228711937

https://twitter.com/MikeClementBSE/status/1019647218935123969

“RUM?”- Scal

A huge thank you to Boston Sports Extra and Leonard Hair Transplant Associates for inviting me to this great dinner event. My friend and I had a great time meeting some of the athletes we grew up watching and spending time at such a great restaurant in Boston. This was truly a once in a lifetime experience.

Patriots Training Camp Preview: Tight Ends

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There are many different players on this Patriots team compared to last year. New England acquired four guys from trade, fifteen from free agency, and nine from the NFL Draft. They also lost nine players from trade and free agency and had three players retire.

In this new series, I will be looking at every player from each position leading up to training camp. For this installment I will talk about the tight ends. The tight end position has been very valuable for the Patriots since Belichick took over. They became the first team to use three tight end packages and move tight ends to wide receiver slot. This past year they gained two tight ends from free agency and added one through the draft.

Rob Gronkowski #87 (2010-Present):

Gronk is considered the best tight end in the NFL, and has been for most of his NFL career. He is entering his ninth season for the Patriots after being drafted in the second round. Rob has proven to be great, but has also had some major injuries along the way. He has not played in 16 regular season games since the sophomore season. There were murmurs of Gronk retiring after New England’s loss in the Super Bowl against Philadelphia. It escalated all the way to the Patriots exploring trades for Rob. However, Gronk will be a Patriot for the upcoming season.

Rob has shown on the field why he is so good. In Gronkowski’s rookie season he had ten touchdowns. He then followed up with an outstanding second year showing with 18 TDs, 90 receptions, and 1,327 yards. He broke the single season touchdown record by a tight end in NFL history en route to becoming a first team All-Pro. 2012 and 2013 was where Gronk missed a lot of time, participating in 18 games over the two-season span. He then came back in 2014 and 2015 with 1000+ yard seasons and 23 combined touchdowns. In 2016 he missed a lot of time again due to injury and only played in eight games. Gronkowski last season had a healthy year with him seeing the field for 14 games. He hauled in 69 receptions, 1084 yards, and eight scores.

https://twitter.com/Patriots/status/945006630113984512

Gronkowski will need to be a major piece for the Patriots offense if they want to win another Super Bowl next year. Gronk needs to stay healthy for the season, especially with Edelman’s pending PED suspension. Rob will make it to the Patriots roster, no doubt.

Dwayne Allen #83 (2017-Present):

Dwayne Allen is entering his seventh season in the NFL and his second with the Patriots. The Pats acquired Allen via trade in the 2017 offseason to help with the loss of Martellus Bennett. The Pats have a history of bringing in veteran backup tight ends to fit their offense, and that is what Allen was supposed to be.

Allen started his career in Indianapolis as the Colts’ third-round pick in 2012. His rookie year he had 45 receptions, 521 yards, and three TDs. The next year he missed almost entirely due to a knee injury. He came back in 2014 where he had 395 yards and eight scores. In his last season with the Colts he played all 16 games and had 406 yards and six scores. The Patriots traded a fourth-round pick to Indy for Allen and expected him to be the solid backup tight end that Gronk has always had. Allen’s season was ultimately a disappointment with him catching only ten passes for 86 yards and a TD.

https://twitter.com/CaseyBake16/status/929906514898407424

Dwayne is coming off an awful season for the Pats and will need to show something off big in training camp, or else he might not make the roster.

Troy Niklas #86 (2018-Present):

Troy Niklas was signed by the Patriots in the 2018 offseason. He signed a one year deal worth $940 thousand. Niklas has been primarily a blocking tight end in his career, which is why the Pats brought him in. He will be entering his fifth season in the NFL and his first for the Patriots.

Niklas’ first full NFL season came in 2015 where he played in 16 games and had four catches, 33 yards, and two TDs. He missed 13 games in 2016 due to injury. Troy had 11 catches for 132 yards and one score in his last season for Arizona.

Even though Niklas’ stats don’t look appealing, he has been on an NFL roster for his whole career due to the fact he has been a successful blocker. Troy will still have to fight in training camp to make the roster, but he has a good chance to make it.

Jacob Hollister #47 (2017-Present):

Hollister is entering his second season in the NFL and the Patriots. He was an undrafted free agent signing out of Wyoming after the 2017 NFL Draft. He played a larger role than a lot of people expected out of him last year.

Jacob played in 15 games last year for the Patriots. He had four catches and 42 yards last year. He also showed how good he was at catching the ball in preseason where he had 12 catches for 146 yards and a TD. Hollister only played one playoff game and he had one catch for a yard.

https://twitter.com/FilthyHits/status/895853246752804864

Jacob Hollister exceeded expectations last year when he played in 15 games. He definitely has a good chance of making the roster for the upcoming season as long as he does well in training camp.

Will Tye #82 (2017-Present):

Will Tye will be entering his first full season for the Pats and his fourth in the NFL. He was acquired by the Patriots in October of 2017 after being cut by the New York Jets. He did not play for the Patriots in 2017 and was placed on the practice squad for the remainder of the year.

Tye had his most success for the New York Giants. In his two-year stint with the Giants he had 90 receptions, 859 yards, and four TDs. He then was claimed by the Jets, where he only played three games and had four catches for 38 yards.

https://twitter.com/NFLonLive/status/676595952933838848

Will has been an extremely good blocker and has played a lot of fullback because of it. If Tye can return to his form from his Giants days, he will have a shot at making the roster.

Ryan Izzo (Rookie):

Izzo was the Patriots 250th overall draft pick in the 2018 NFL Draft. He was a four-year player at Florida State University.

Ryan was more of a blocker than a pass catcher in his college career, with him not having more than 320 yards once in a season. His senior season consisted of 20 receptions, 317 yards, and three TDs. In total, he left college with 54 receptions, 761 yards, six scores, and 29 games under his belt.

Izzo will have a very unlikely chance to make it to the active roster next year. His only hope will be making the practice squad.

Shane Wimann (Rookie):

Shane Wimann was picked up by the Patriots as an undrafted rookie out of Northern Illinois. He had a solid career for NIU where he played 31 games.

Wimann is also a dominant blocker like many of the tight ends the Patriots have. He hasn’t been to special in the pass game with only 65 receptions, 635 yards, and 17 TDs. Shane is a big man though coming in at 6’4″ and 260 pounds.

Shane will have to show something in training camp if he wants to make the practice squad over guys like Izzo.

The Patriots have a lot of new faces at tight end this year which will make it hard to narrow it down for the 53 man roster.

Trent Brown: Who Is This Guy?

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The Belichick strikes again!

The chicken littles came out when in force when Nate Solder left the Patriots in free agency. “How could they let him go”, and “No one on the team can replace him.” Sprinkle in a couple “You gotta protect Tom Brady!”

His Plan

So what does he do? Does he overpay for some of the other departing free agents in a panic? Does he sign marginal free agents in hopes that they stick? No, he waits. And he waits. Then when the moment and the situation is right, he strikes! Selecting Isaiah Wynn to join the team and recently resigned LaAdrian Waddle. Ok, the littles got a little quieter. “But, he’s a rookie” and “He should play guard,” joined the chorus.

 

Then Friday morning of the draft, news broke that the Patriots traded with the San Francisco 49ers to acquire right tackle Trent Brown. The internet was abuzz with the new look of the Patriots offensive line and what the position coach, Dante Scarnecchia, was going to be working with in training camp. So, who is Trent Brown? Is he going to protect the blind side? Why was he traded? Will we be hearing his name in February as a starter in the Super Bowl or a surprise cut in August?

The Man

Trent Brown was one of those nondescript draft picks, number 244 in the seventh round. If there were any remarks about the developmental prospect, it centered around how large he was for a player. 355 pounds of a tackle is both a blessing and a curse. While the weight will help to anchor and provide blocking power it can also lead to sloppy technique and lack of conditioning. His college career also was that of a young man still learning. He played at junior college Georgia Military College before enrolling at Florida. Brown would start at both tackle and guard before entering the draft in 2015

His Path

Proving that everyone’s football journey is different, Trent Brown actually started the last two games of his rookie season. He followed that up by starting all sixteen games in his sophomore season. This is an accomplishment for any player, let alone a seventh-round pick.

His Game

Are the Patriots getting a raw prospect that uses his bulk to overpower smaller opponents? If anything, the opposite. While his run blocking could use some refinement and improvement, his pass blocking is near elite. PFF graded his injury-shortened 2017 at 86.0, good enough for third on the year. Only Joe Thomas and Jason Peter graded out higher. Good company.

His Future

And consider this widely circulated quote from Von Miller. “He’s the best right tackle in the National Football League. And he may even be a top-five tackle, period, in the National Football League. There’s not another tackle who’s that tall, that big and can move the way he moves.” I’ll take it.

 

So how did the Patriots manage to score such a prize? For merely moving back two rounds they have a mountain of a man that could become an elite left tackle for the best quarterback in the NFL. The dreaded regime change. Kyle Shanahan took over the 49ers before the 2017 season. There were some rumors about toughness and ability to play through injury that will have to be monitored. The biggest factor to me is that Shanahan likes to move his tackles and guards around. Pull them for blocking assignments and get them to the second level. And while Brown is very athletic and agile for his size it still is difficult for a man his size to do the things Shanahan asks of his linemen.

 

Don’t think the Patriots acquired damaged goods or a disgruntled player. Think that they are getting a superb pass blocker that is an ascending player. If he wins the left tackle or right tackle job or some other combination of personnel, he will make his presence known.

Patriots Training Camp Preview: Quarterback

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With Patriots training camp approaching on July 26th, there are many different players on this team from last year. The Pats acquired four guys from trade, fifteen from free agency, and nine from the NFL Draft. They also lost nine players from trade and free agency and had three players retire.

In this new series, I will be looking at every player from each position leading up to training camp. For this part of the series I will talk about the most important position on the field: Quarterback. Quarterback has been the most consistent position for the Patriots since 2001. Ever since Tom Brady got his first start in 2001, the Patriots had only had four Quarterbacks start for them (Bledsoe, Cassel, Garoppolo, Brissett). The Patriots are bringing in three QB’s to training camp this year.

Tom Brady #12 (2000-Present):

Tom Brady is entering his 19th season for the Patriots where he has had a very successful career. He is a 5-time Super Bowl Winner, 3-time NFL MVP, 4-time Super Bowl MVP, and 13-time Pro-Bowler. Brady for his entire career has had 66,159 pass yards, 488 TD, 160 INT, and a record of 196-55-0. One of Tom’s MVP’s seasons came last year where he amassed 4,577 pass yards, 32 TD, and 8 INT.

He led the Patriots all the way to the Super Bowl where the ultimately came up short to the Eagles. Tom has been one of the main reasons as to why the Patriots are consistently in the Super Bowl.

Brady, who will be 41 at the start of the season, has shown no signs of slowing down yet. Expectations for him are still very high. Every year, it is expected that the Patriots will win a Super Bowl and it is expected that Brady will lead them there.

The verdict is that Tom Brady will 100% be on the Patriots 2018 roster.

Brian Hoyer #2 (2009-2011, 2017-Present)

Brian Hoyer was the Patriots backup QB for the last half of the 2017-2018 season. He began his season in San Francisco where he started six games. Hoyer went 0-6 in those six games and had a stat line of 1,287 pass yards, 5 total touchdowns, and 4 INTs. He ended up getting released by the 49ers after San Francisco traded for former Pat’s QB Jimmy Garappolo.

After getting released by the 49ers, the Patriots signed him for the rest of the season due to only having one QB on the roster. This would be the second stint in New England after being drafted by the team in 2009. Hoyer was part of the 2011 Patriots that went on to win the AFC Championship. Brian has only appeared in eighteen games in his four years with New England with him, and a stat line of 328 pass yards, 1 touchdown, and 1 INT.

Once he left the Pats in 2011, he had a very solid few seasons in Cleveland. In his first year for the Browns, he started three games and went 3-0 with 615 pass yards, 5 TD, and 3 INT. He then started 13 games for Cleveland where he had a record of 7-6 and 3,326 pass yards 12 TD, and 13 INT. His next season would come in Houston under his former offensive coordinator, Bill O’Brien. He had his best statistical season where he had a record of 5-4, 2,606 pass yards, 19 pass TD, and 7 INT. This would be his last season in Houston though. He then had an uneventful season in Chicago and then went to San Francisco.

Brian Hoyer is a very solid option as a backup quarterback to Tom Brady. He has been in the league for a long time and has some quality experience as a starter. Overall, Hoyer will most likely be the backup to Tom Brady for the upcoming season.

Danny Etling (Rookie):

With the 219th pick in the NFL Draft, the New England Patriots select Danny Etling, QB, LSU. With all the rumors going around about the Patriots selecting a quarterback early to be the predecessor to Brady, they waited all the way until the seventh round. Etling was kind of a surprise pick with him not being rated higher than a lot of undrafted QBs.

Etling started his college career at Purdue where he appeared in thirteen games over the span of two seasons. In those thirteen games, he had 2,490 pass yards, 16 pass TD, and 12 INT. He would then transfer to LSU where he played two seasons. Over those two seasons, he played 24 games and had 4,586 pass yards, 27 pass TD, and 7 INT. His senior season at LSU was his best season in college. He appeared in thirteen games and threw for 2,463 pass yards 16 pass TD, and 2 INT.

Danny Etling, 23, will most likely be a project for the Patriots. He will not be a quality backup right away, but he has potential. I believe the Patriots will keep Etling on the practice squad on the upcoming season to learn from Brady and Hoyer.

The position of quarterback for the Patriots has always been the most consistent since Brady took over, and not much looks to change this year.

 

Trade Options: Defensive Superstar in New England?

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Zach Martin got paid. He signed a six-year, $84 million extension, which includes $40 million guaranteed. This eclipses another guard signing earlier in the spring, when Andrew Norwell signed with the Jaguars for 5 years on a $66.5 million contract. These now set a precedent on the market for this position in free agency this year. Shaq Mason is on the final year of his contract, and there is a good chance the Patriots won’t pay him. Another important fact of note is that Joe Thuney is coming off of foot surgery heading into the season. Let’s look into potential players the Patriots could target via trade if they decide to trade either of these players. These may be unlikely, but it’s fun to think about!

*Note – These do not take cap values into account.

Carlos Dunlap

Carlos Dunlap Pittsburgh Steelers v Cincinnati Bengals

The Bengals need offensive line help badly, considering more of their offensive game is slowly centering around Joe Mixon. The Patriots clearly need a more consistent pass rush, which was evident in the Super Bowl. Both Mason and Dunlap are in the final years of their contract. It’s a win-win.

Earl Thomas

Earl Thomas

There have been numerous rumors about the Seahawks looking to trade Earl Thomas. While it’s wishful thinking, the Patriots could package either guard with a high pick to get him. The Seahawks do need the help at offensive line, and Patriots fans would be happy seeing Jordan Richards off the roster.

Chandler Jones

Chandler Jones Tennessee Titans v Arizona Cardinals

*Cue music* Reunited and it feels so gooood…

Having Chandler Jones back in New England would be amazing. He is a proven all-pro player that came out of our system. If the Patriots could work around how much he costs, Jones will be a valuable help to the young New England pass rush. Additionally, Arizona would love more protection for their promising rookie and injury-prone veteran.

Thus…

All of these players would be an absolutely amazing help to this already revamped defense. It will ultimately come down to the cost of the players. However, if the Patriots absolutely love one of them, they won’t stop short to get him.

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