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Breaking down the Patriots 2019 schedule

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As the Patriots began OTAs last this week their 2019 schedule was released. When you break it down it looks a far easier task than last year. Similar teams, but those teams have become weaker with off season moves. This means once again the Patriots should be in the playoffs for a record breaking 16th season.

The Patriots will open their season at home to the Pittsburgh Steelers on Sunday Night Football. The change comes as the NFL have chosen to start the season with a Thursday Night Football game between the Chicago Bears and Green Bay Packers. This is as part of the NFL 100 promotion celebrating the leagues 100th season.

The steelers are a much different looking side as they have been in the past. A literal off-season from hell for Mike Tomlin and his coaching staff. After Le’Veon Bell chose to sit out the entire 2018 season, he moved on to the NY Jets, and star WR Antonio Brown forced a trade to the Oakland Raiders. In the past this has been a crucial fixture in deciding home field advantage for the playoffs. But this year it may be nothing more than a game the Patriots win on their way to another playoff appearance, while the Steelers could miss the playoffs for a second year running.

The AFC East

There’s the usual 6 games in the division against the Jets, Dolphins and Bills. The Jets on the surface have gotten stronger with the offseason signing of running back Le’Veon Bell. Sam Darnold, heading into a second season, should show signs of improvement at QB after a full season leading the offense.

The Bills are very much the same as last year. A few new signings in Cole Beasley from the Cowboys and Frank Gore from the Dolphins will add weapons for Josh Allen. He will be the starting QB for the Bills again this season.

Finally the Dolphins round out our division. However, with former Patriots defensive coach Brian Flores taking over, their focus isn’t so much on winning this season. They are focused on tanking for the number 1 draft pick in 2020 to hopefully draft Alabama QB Tua Tagovailoa. A campaign the fans and local media are calling #TankforTua. So although normally a tough game in the heat, this year the Pats could get the win down in Miami.

Looking at the division again this year, the Patriots should be confident in grabbing 6 wins from 6. Though I could see the Jets stealing the win in week 7 on Monday Night Football. Miami could be a tough game down there. But this year, with the way Miami will be setting up to tank, we should come away with the win.

The Tough games

Looking at the schedule there are a few potential tough games that I can see the Patriots losing. The Patriots will welcome the Cleveland Browns to Gillette in week 8. The new look Browns aren’t going to be the push overs they have been in the past. With a potentially good QB at the helm, and some very good weapons out wide like Odell Beckham Jr and Jarvis Landry to partner an already good established Tight end in David Njoku. They also have a good running attack with Nick Chubb and Duke Johnson Jr. One of the saving graces for the Patriots is that the Browns will be coming to Foxboro, a place were not a lot of teams come and win.

In week 11 the Patriots travel to Philadelphia for a big game against the Eagles. This is a team that I think poses the greatest threat to the Patriots for a loss. They are hard to play in Philly. They have a very good QB in Carson Wentz when healthy, some good wideouts having added Golden Tate to that depth chart, and a very good TE in Zac Ertz. But their defense is something the Patriots can and have exploited in the past, like Super Bowl LII.

The last of the potential tough games for the Pats is week 14 when the Chiefs come to town. A team that doesn’t seem to fear coming to Gillette stadium as we saw week 1 in 2017. The night the Patriots raised their 5th championship banner. The Chiefs will be a different team than that of 2018.

While Pat Maholmes is showing signs of greatness, they are already without Kareem Hunt, who was cut after an off-field incident. They may well be without Maholmes main strike weapon Tyreek Hill after his own off-field indiscretions. They’ve lost some main parts on the defense as well. Releasing safety Eric berry and LB Justin Houston, along with trading defensive end Dee Ford.

Potential Challenges

One game that may challenge the Patriots is the week 9 game away to Baltimore. While the Ravens aren’t what they used to be, they still have a good defense that may challenge the Patriots. They also have an enigma at QB with Lamar Jackson. While his passing game isn’t the best, he has the ability to extend the play with his legs and can break through for big chunk plays, or touchdowns in the redone.

This season will see somewhat of a marquee match up for the Patriots if for nothing more than TV ratings. The Dallas Cowboys come to town for the 1st time since 2015 in week 12. The Patriots also haven’t lost to the Cowboys since 1996 in a game that ended 12-6. While it will rate well throughout the country, this is a game the Patriots will expect to win. But it could be the type of game that exposes the Pats, especially since Ezekiel Elliot’s running game could cause problems for the defense.

My Prediction

When I look at the schedule for 2019, I honestly can see the Patriots going 15-1. That loss most likely being against the Eagles in week 11. Obviously, with the way the team is presently constructed, a lot of work through the draft and trades is needed to build a roster to compete like last year’s. Never the less, they have Tom Brady. And while last year wasn’t his best, the Patriots adapted to play a style to suit the roster they had.

Obviously they could lose more than the 1 game I have picked. An unexpected loss at Washington or the Texans wouldn’t surprise me. One thing is for sure, after last season, and the panic from media and fans alike during the pre-season, I put my trust in the coaching staff lead by Bill Belichick to deliver a roster or game plan capable of making it to another Superbowl in 2019, continuing this amazing dynasty that is heading towards its 3rd decade. Unbelievable.

For the record Prediction: 15-1(loss to Philly)

Jamie Brown

Rodney Harrison deserves to be inducted into the Patriots Hall OF Fame

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Rodney Harrison would get my vote for Patriots Hall Of Fame

Rodney Harrison was a huge asset to the Patriots defense. The two time Super Bowl Champion played 63 games for the Patriots, starting 62 of them. In the nine seasons with the Patriots, he recorded 12 interceptions, had 412 combination tackles, and 312 solo tackles. Harrison is one of those Patriots who came up big in big spots on the defensive side of the ball. When people think of those early 2000 Patriot teams on defense they think of Ty Law, Teddy Bruschi, Mike Vrabel, Ted Johnson, and Rodney Harrison. Harrison was on the Super Bowl XXXVIII, and Super Bowl XXIX winning teams.

Rodney Harrison has two Super Bowl rings

One of the greatest moments of Harrison’s career came at the end of Super Bowl XXXVIII. He would break his arm during the Panthers last drive, instead of coming out of the game he went back in on the very next play. On the next play, he made a tackle making his broken arm even worse. That was the Rodney Harrison that people loved the toughness he showed. After the game, Harrison thanked Belichick for believing in him. The only down moment was the David Tyree helmet catch in the Super Bowl against the Giants. Other than that he had a great career with the Patriots

Another great moment for Harrison was when he intercepted Donovan McNabb in Super Bowl XXXIX on the final drive to seal the win and the Patriots third Super Bowl. He deserves that red jacket with the other Patriot greats. However so does Richard Seymour and Mike Vrabel who are also Patriots Hall Of Fame candidates this year. Out of those three, I would pick Harrison as he wasn’t traded away like Seymour was to Oakland or Vrabel was to Kansas City. It seemed like Vrabel and Seymour left on bad terms but are now fine with Belichick. Harrison, however, has always been a Belichick favorite and should get the fans vote.

Alex Guerrero thinks Brady can play until 50

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Could Tom Brady play until the age of 50?

EAST RUTHERFORD, NJ – NOVEMBER 27: Tom Brady #12 of the New England Patriots celebrates with trainer Alex Guerrero after defeating the New York Jets with a score of 22 to 17 at MetLife Stadium on November 27, 2016 in East Rutherford, New Jersey. (Photo by Elsa/Getty Images)

The question remains can the greatest quarterback play until he’s 50? Brady is playing until 45. He’s confirmed that numerous times. But his trainer Alex Guerrero sees the quarterback playing until 50. Even if Brady was able to, there’s no way Gisele would allow him to keep playing past 45. He’s accomplished so much more than anyone, but the winning never gets old. He cemented his legacy with winning his fifth Super Bowl, and the sixth was just gravy. Just this week he posted to social media a picture of him taking confetti from the Super Bowl out of his helmet. He then wondered if he kept confetti from past Super Bowls. He keeps trolling the NFL, and it’s glorious.

The no drama offseason

This off-season is a lot quieter than last year. Also there’s a lot less drama. Brady and Belichick seem to be on the same page about doing what’s best to win now. They don’t want to plan for the future too much when they both have limited years left realistically. Brady doesn’t need high talent to be successful, just look at the no names they have singed this year. His current receiving crew makes last years look great, and it was average.

Alex Guerrero’s access to the Stadium is still limited, but players can go to TB12 for treatment if needed. Guerrero is blowing smoke talking about Brady playing until he’s 50. He knows when Brady will hang it up, and his main focus will be on his TB12 brand. He still has a good four years left unless there’s a major drop off. I don’t see him hanging it up in the next two years. All he cares about is winning, he doesn’t care if its Chris Hogan out there, or Bruce Ellington, as long as they can help the team win they’ll be fine. Brady will not play until 50 though. His kids are getting older and he probably wants to spend more time with them he’s already accomplished being the greatest of all time.

Potential Patriots: AJ Brown

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1996 was the last time the Patriots drafted a receiver in the first round.

Terry Glenn, a 5ā€™11, 195 pound, Ohio State prospect, was selected with the seventh pick in the 1996 draft and went on to catch 90 passes for 1132 yards and 6 touchdowns.

Mutual Interest

Now, the Patriots are reportedly eyeing an Ole Miss prospect and he is eyeing them right back.

AJ Brown, a 6ā€™0, 226 pound receiver of Ole Miss has already met with the Patriots and has briefly referenced his wish to land in New England on his Twitter account.

Brown communicating his interest in playing in New England with none other than Tom Brady himself.

Combine and Traits

Brown ran a 4.49 forty-yard dash, benched 19 reps on the bench and had a 36.5 inch vertical leap in the NFL combine in Indianapolis.

His good athletic ability and good size is just a small part of the picture with AJ Brown.

Brown demonstrated that he is not only a talented big slot receiver at Ole Miss but also an excellent playmaker.

When watching AJ play, it is not hard to realize that he was actually the best receiver at Ole Miss.

However, he constantly found himself overshadowed by this mystical creature of sorts named DK Metcalf.

Metcalf will be long gone before our 32nd pick in the draft, however, Brown should be available.

If this is the case, the Patriots should immediately jump to pick a receiver in the first round for the first time in 23 years.

The Kind of Player He Is

He may not exactly be the best at getting separation at the next level, which is something Belichick looks for. However, Brownā€™s physicality and pretty good speed allow him to win battles for the ball when covered.

Brown is a quick processor, has a high football IQ, and should have the smarts to grasp a playbook that others have struggled with in the past.

Could Help Heal Some Wounds Caused By Gronkā€™s Departure

Having a smart target on the field will be beneficial to the Patriots offense with Gronk leaving for retirement. Gronkā€™s smarts was one of his most valuable traits and drafting a young, big, chain-mover would help alleviate that pain.

Best Receiver in the Draft

After extensive research, I am convinced that AJ Brown has the potential to be the best receiver in this draft.

AJā€™s real competition will be Hakeem Butler out of Iowa State. A familiar face to Brown, DK Metcalf out of Ole Miss, will also challenge this title.

Evaluation

Brown has a proven track record to as a powerful runner with great vision, great blocking, and good elusiveness.

Brown can easily adjust to the football on the ground or in the air. He can catch in traffic. He can run good routes.

Brown really does not possess many weaknesses in game film.

Besides the questions of being able to consistently separate, Brown is a very strong prospect.

He could end up being either the second or third receiver in the Patriots offense. A trio of Edelman, Brown and hopefully Josh Gordon would be very strong.

Boldin Comparison

Comparisons to Anquan Boldin are pretty reasonable and realistic. Those who have said so made sure every knew Brown has more speed than Boldin ever did.

AJ Brown is a safe pick. He can be a leader for the team and a primary target for Brady and predecessor quarterbacks. Cross your fingers that AJ Brown slips to the 32nd spot in this monthā€™s draft.

Bill Belichick doesn’t seem to be retiring anytime soon

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Bill Belichick looks like he’s coaching for at least five more seasons

What a difference a year makes. This time last year there was speculation that Belichick was on his way out after Josh McDaniels came back as offensive coordinator. It seemed like Belichick was grooming him to be the next head coach sooner rather than later. However, things changed once the season started. The Patriots finished 11-5 and won the Super Bowl. Now a year later people have the total opposite mindset. Belichick is going nowhere. I even wrote that Belichick could be on his way out when they traded everyone in the off-season to let McDaniels have somewhat of a new team. Boy, was I wrong.

Brady will retire before Belichick retires

Brady has said repeatedly he’s playing until 45. Belichick, however, has only said he doesn’t want to coach into his 70s. Could it be possible he does coach into his 70s? I do think he will out last Brady and coach into his early 70s because he loves the game so much. Even at the owners meetings he’s always looking at ways to improve the game. He’s so passionate about the game that I really don’t see him retiring anytime soon. When he’s had enough he will hang it up. But I do believe he’d want to coach a season or two without Tom Brady.

Belichick will have to find the next quarterback after Brady retires. Which means he’ll have to either draft or trade for a decent back up soon. He drafted Jimmy Garoppolo but then traded him because Brady isn’t even close to falling off a cliff. Belichick seems to be going into this season just like he does every other season. He does what’s best for the team at that time and people can question all they want but he knows what he’s doing. Belichick isn’t retiring anytime soon.

The best of Rob Gronkowski on and off the football field

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Rob Gronkowski announces retirement from the NFL

Via Sports Illustrated

Rob Gronkowski was drafted 42nd overall in the second round of the 2010 NFL Draft by the New England Patriots. Later that summer, he signed a four-year contract worth $4.4 million. In 2010 Gronkowski played in all 16 games, catching 42 receptions for 546 yards and 10 touchdowns. From the beginning, people were talking about how much value Gronkowski could bring to a team. The 2011 season was his best one, having 90 receptions for 1,327 yards and a career-high 17 touchdowns. Throughout his nine years with the Patriots Gronkowski had 521 receptions for 7,861 yards and 79 touchdowns. As he announced his retirement from football on Sunday night lets look back at the greatest of Rob Gronkowski on and off the field.

Lets start in the beginning of his career in 2011. He was a year into the league and already making headlines. It was week 14 of the 2011 season the Patriots were on the road against the Washington Redskins. Brady had himself a day throwing for 357 yards and three touchdowns. The Patriots won 34-27. But this would be Gronkowski’s stand out game. He set a record that day for most touchdowns catches in a single game by a tight end. The standout play was when Gronk was carrying two defenders on his back without going down.

Gronkowski loves to party. If there was one guy on the Patriots you had to party with it would probably be Gronk. From the dancing on stage, to partying hard after a Super Bowl, the 6’6″ giant is the life of any party he attends. However, when it came down to business he knew it was time to focus. What makes Gronkowski great is he knows there’s a time to party and time to be serious. At this Super Bowl Parade maybe in the back of his mind, this was his last ride so he thought he go all out. Well, he did from drinking beer to drinking wine, to catching beers from fans.

Gronk will be remembered for his leadership and playmaking

Gronkowski had great leadership in the locker room being a role model for his teammates. He and Brady had great chemistry and he always came up big when he was needed the most. Whether it was blocking or making a big play they knew they could count on Gronk. He also did a lot in the community for charity work. He’s the founder of the Gronk Youth Foundation, which inspires youth to reach their maximum potential through sports education, community, and fitness.

Gronkowski had lots of memorbale moments

After the Super Bowl loss to the Philadelphia Eagles he was contemplating retirement. But decided to come back and play at another shot at winning the Super Bowl. Gronk caught three touchdowns this season, and had 47 receptions for 682 yards. The last catch of his career came in the Super Bowl down the sideline to set up the game-winning touchdown by running back Sony Michel. His leadership and playmaking will be missed. But he is without a doubt a first ballot Hall Of Famer, and a three-time Super Bowl Champion.

Will Grier, WVU quarterback with Gilette Stadium in the background.

Patriots Latest Moves and Rumors 3/23

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Let’s take a look at the latest some Patriots moves and rumors that were surfacing this week. Belichick and the Patriots have been pretty quiet this offseason. However, a few stories this week could help shape this team for next year and years beyond.

Move: The Stephon Gilmore Contract 

Stephon Gilmore and Tom Brady on the field after the 2018 AFC Championship game.

Thursday, the Patriots reworked Stephon Gilmoreā€™s contract for 2019. 

Gilmore, who was originally scheduled to have a cap hit of $14,837,500, saw $8.5 million dollars worth of his contract get converted into a signing bonus. 

Doing this frees up $5.67 million dollars for the Patriots in cap space. The current cap for the Pats is now $8,332,763. 

This move should not be the only one for the Patriots as more money will need to come their way. The Patriots still have key free agents like Stephen Gostkowski and Chris Hogan, who remain unsigned. 

The Patriots also must compensate for the projected $8,970,997 dollars it will take to sign all their draft picks. 

With their cap as it is, expect the Patriots to move some money around with players like Devin McCourty, Tom Brady, and maybe even Rob Gronkowski, Dā€™onta Hightower, and Lawerence Guy. 

Many expect Gostkowski to be back and Hogan looks more likely to return by the day. The Patriots will need at least 6 million in cap for those two signings alone. 

Expect them to restructure some contracts, resign some players, and trade a couple of draft picks. 

Rumor: Patriots Schedule Meeting With WVU Quarterback Will Grier 

Will Grier playing Texas Tech during his time at West Virginia.

The Patriots lack of attention to the quarterback position in this year’s draft might hint what they have planned for next yearā€™s.

Although, one quarterback prospect who they have scheduled a meeting with is former West Virginia quarterback Will Grier. 

Grier, who was in the Heisman conversation for a brief time last year, seems to be moving up draft boards each day. 

After his very impressive pro day, several teams have called to meet with him. 

In fact his pro day was so impressive that he has potentially moved up into late first-round consideration. 

Grier makes sense as a potential fit in the Patriots system. In addition, some other quarterbacks that scouts think could come to New England are Daniel Jones of Duke, Brett Rypien of Boise State, and Ryan Finley of North Carolina State. 

Rumor: Stephen Gostkowski Resigning Reports

Stephen Gostkowski waiting on bench with the Patriots.

It seems inevitable that the Patriots and veteran kicker Stephen Gostkowski will reach an agreement to reunite. 

Now it appears that after the readjustment of Stephon Gilmoreā€™s contract that the Patriots now have the money to resign their long-tenured kicker. 

Tom Curran reported on Thursday that the Patriots and Gostkowski are making progress and are actively talking about a return. 

Curran also reported that other teams are interested in Gostkowski. Almost any team would kill for a kicker like Stephen. Although, Gostkowksi’s interest in other teams seem very small and he obviously holds the Patriots as his top destination. 

Gostkowski will be entering his fourteenth year in the NFL and will not consider retirement at this time. 

Most expect Gostkowskiā€™s contract number to be in the $3mil to $4mil range. 

Losing a kicker like Gostkowski would obviously be bad news for New England. Replacing his production would certainly not be an easy task.

The Patriots will always be the best at what they are good at: Winning!

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Free Agency in the NFL had a big first day

Via NFL.com

Free agency started in the NFL today, and the Patriots subtracted instead of adding. They did trade for defensive lineman Michael Bennett on Friday from the Eagles, but lost Trent Brown and Trey Flowers yesterday. On the first day, it was the Lions making moves, while the Patriots lost some defensive playmakers. However, because of their success, they can add and subtract all they want, because as long as Belichick and Brady are on the team they make the Super Bowl year after year.

The Patriots seem to still make Super Bowl’s with average talent and make them great

The Patriots for some reason bring in average talent and turn them into elite players. It must be the winning style and how Belichick coaches. Also with the way Brady prepares and takes the game seriously. Even though they finished the regular season 11-5, they still went on to win the Super Bowl. Proving Belichick can be on a island during free agency, while other teams are singing players, and the Patriots will still make the Super Bowl. It does sound arrogant, but it’s a known fact when nobody can stop them in the playoffs.

Everything Belichick does is part of what is best for the team. From trading players, to benching Malcolm Butler in the Super Bowl, Belichick because of his success can do no wrong. When we look back at a year ago there was no talk of the Patriots ever making a Super Bowl again in the Brady Belichick era. Once again with no good receivers, and Edelman coming back from an injury and suspension. The defense was questionable, and there was a lot of Rob Gronkowski drama.

They’ve earned everything they have. Belichick makes sure the players put in the work day in and day out. Belichick isn’t known for giving raises, he only cares about winning championships. Trey Flowers, Trent Brown, Danny Amendola, they can go get their payday on other teams. But when it comes to playoff time they’ll be on the couch watching their old team the Patriots making a run at another Super Bowl title.

Potential Patriots: Dreā€™Mont Jones

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The combine has officially ended and now everyone can start to get a better sense on where each player will land in the draft. The value that a scout should hold in the combine is an age old debate that should be left for another time.

Not a good day for Mr. Jones

Dreā€™Mont Jones was on my mock draft and big board before the combine. Jones, the Ohio State product, dramatically underwhelmed scouts and evaluators. However, that could be a good thing for Patriots fans, as Dreā€™Mont could now slide further down draft boards.

Sliding down mock drafts

Before the combine, Dreā€™Mont had some saying that the Patriots would pick him with their 32nd selection. Now, it seems more likely that he will be available for one, if not both, of their second round selections.

Familiarity with Schiano

The idea of drafting Dreā€™Mont with a second round draft pick would certainly be worth the Patriots while. Dreā€™Mont was a dominant force at defensive tackle during his time at Ohio State. With Greg Schiano, one of his former coaches, becoming the defensive coordinator for the Patriots, trying to recreate some of the success he had with Schiano would make a lot of sense for the Patriots.

What makes Dreā€™Mont Jones so good?

Dreā€™Mont made a career at Ohio State for getting into the backfield quickly
  • Great physical traits that should translate well to the pro level
  • Good jump off the ball, quickly fires into gap
  • Disruptive interior force, can rush the inside of an offensive line well
  • Quickly gets into the chests of offensive lineman
  • Good athleticism
  • Good hands and footwork
  • Finds success by getting upfield quickly
  • Has worked with Greg Schiano before and the familiarity from both sides would benefit each other and the team
  • Strong pursuit
  • Head fakes and jab steps help him get into backfield
  • Has potential to be a strong three down starter in the three technique
  • Demonstrated good ability to turn corners with dropped shoulders
  • A difficult player to move off the ball
  • Displayed good run defense

The negatives in his game

Some of his negatives can be corrected but might take a bite into his game. Jones definitely has to improve on his size. He weighed in at 6ā€™3, 295lbs at the combine.

Although that may sound like a lot to some, he could stand to benefit from a few more pounds. A couple fast food trips would not hurt Jonesā€™ draft stock, but might hurt his quickness and pass rush abilities that really make him who he is.

Another problem for Dreā€™Mont can stem from his pad level at times. Some issues with winning battles against offensive lineman stemmed from his size and his pad level. This combo sometimes made Jones susceptible to losing one on one matchups against blockers. Which if a lineman could be quick enough to beat Jones and overpower him, Dreā€™Mont was virtually removed from the play.

Jones can still be a very good player

Dreā€™Mont Jones seems to be worth a second round pick and could provide a lot of value to a Greg Schiano defense. Although Dreā€™Mont does have some negatives, if he takes enough time to focus on himself and his craft, some of those problems can be minimized.

If it worked for Gerald McCoy, could it work for him?

The size versus speed debate on whether Jones should value one over the other will be a tough one that will probably follow Jones throughout his career. One of the better defensive tackles in the league, Gerald McCoy has faced similar struggles throughout his career. If Jones can duplicate the path that McCoy took and work on his craft in this very familiar system to him, Jones can be a very good Patriot for many years to come.

Could Martellus Bennett return to the Patriots?

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Martellus Bennett hinting about a return to the Patriots?

With free agency starting next week the Patriots are already looking ahead to 2019. With them winning the Super Bowl they are weeks behind the rest of the league with getting ready for next season. The Patriots have to go into this offseason with the notion of needing a backup quarterback. They also don’t know the status of Rob Gronkowski. If he’s coming back I think it’s because he wants to play with Tom Brady. The Patriots are releasing tight end Dwyane Allen, who was really productive with his time with the Patriots. In his two seasons, he only had one touchdown and 113 receiving yards. As for a former Patriot, Martellus Bennett, there could be a possibility for a return to the Patriots.

It would be great for Bennett to come back to the Patriots

https://twitter.com/MartysaurusRex/status/1101191020883005440?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw%7Ctwcamp%5Etweetembed%7Ctwterm%5E1101204901626081281&ref_url=https%3A%2F%2Fnesn.com%2F2019%2F03%2Fdevin-mccourty-reacts-to-martellus-bennett-joking-about-return-to-patriots%2F

Bennett was way more productive than Allen on the Patriots. In his two seasons, he had seven touchdowns for 754 yards. Bennett wants to be on a winning team, and when Gronkowski comes back they’ll be set at the tight end position. Brady had better chemistry with Bennett than with Allen. Also, with Gronkowski always injured you need someone more reliable than Dwyane Allen at tight end.

Bennett just wants to win, and what better team to do that on than the Patriots. He can also be clutch in big game moments when a play needs to be made. Tom Brady will be 42 when the season starts and needs veterans around him. He doesn’t need players that won’t give him production. Allen was a good blocker but nothing else. Bennett can both block and gain yardage. Bennett wasn’t really a standout until he got to New England and got his chance to be on a winning team.