New England Patriots 50 most important players and coaches in 2017

16. RT Marcus Cannon

Again, offensive linemen are extremely important. Cannon will remain a starter and will lead the way for plenty of long runs for New England in 2017.

15. FS Devin McCourty

DMac is the ultimate Patriots player. It can be argued that he’s a top 5 safety in the NFL and in 2016 McCourty was again tremendous. He tallied 64 tackles to go along with his forced fumble, a fumble recovery, and an interception.

14. WR Julian Edelman

Julian Edelman is no longer the No.1 receiver, but he is, of course, a Brady favorite at all times. In 2016 Jules caught 98 balls for 1106 yards. He should see an increase from his 3 touchdowns with Brandin Cooks demanding a ton of the defense’s attention.

13. DE Trey Flowers

Trey Flowers took a huge step forward last season with 7 sacks in 16 games. He came on strong later in the season, so a 10 sack season could be possible for Flowers in 2017. He is absolutely locked in as the starter this season on the edge.