It has already been an eventual offseason for the New England Patriots which will make for a pretty interesting training camp for five players in particular.
It seems like Bill Belichick’s decision to sit Malcolm Butler in Super Bowl LI was decades ago. Although we never got a real answer as to why he was benched, the New England Patriots have been the talk of the off season.
Whether it was Rob Gronkowski retirement talk or future rumblings regarding Tom Brady and Alex Guerrero, there hasn’t been a boring moment if you are a Patriots fans.
That’s not even including Julian Edelman’s four-game suspension for testing positive for an unknown substance.
While those stories will probably bleed into the 2018 NFL season, there are a few new additions to get excited about.
Headlined by first-round pick Sony Michel and free-agent defensive end Adrian Clayborn, the Patriots have upgraded at a couple positions and have weakened at some others.
That will lead to a few interesting position battles once training camp begins. Along with some of the off-the-field drama, the productivity of the players on the field will be the storylines worth watching the most.
In all, the most eventual offseason in recent team history will lead to an eventual training camp as well.
Here are five player storylines worth keeping an eye on when the New England Patriots put on the pads again come late July.
Malcolm Mitchell
After missing the entire 2017 season with an undisclosed knee injury, New England Patriots third-year wide receiver Malcolm Mitchell is one of the main players to keep our eye on in spring training.
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Following a very productive rookie season in 2016, the Georgia Bulldogs alum left fans with high expectations following his role in the team’s historic Super Bowl LI victory over the Atlanta Falcons. It wasn’t just his ability to make clutch plays, it was how he gained trust from Tom Brady as his rookie year progressed.
Unfortunately, all of the hype surrounding Malcolm Mitchell halted during the preseason last season. Due to a knee injury, Mitchell was placed on injured reserve with an ability to come off IR during the season. Although he appeared healthy, Mitchell was never activated the rest of the season, which leads to this upcoming season.
Will Malcolm Mitchell be ready to go to start the 2018 NFL season?
That will be a main question and storyline to watch this summer. While Mitchell has said he is healthy, the fact that the team is handling his health with caution is an area of slight concern. There is more concern that the knee could be a chronic issue that may keep Malcolm Mitchell off the field more than he is on the field.
If healthy, we all have seen how effective he can be. If health is an ongoing issue, the New England Patriots may have to think about moving on.
J.C. Jackson
J.C. Jackson who?
The undrafted rookie cornerback out of the University of Maryland was the surprise of OTAs and minicamp and will be a player to keep an eye on come training camp.
Starting opposite Stephon Gilmore, Jackson saw quite a few snaps against the New England Patriots first offense in 7-on-7 and 11-on-11 drills. Already on a similar path as the now departed Malcolm Butler, Jackson is a player coming in with more upside.
Projected as a fifth or sixth round pick in the 2018 NFL Draft, J.C. Jackson is one of those players who could very well be a steal. The talent is there and so is his competitive nature. After opening eyes by making some nice defensive plays against veteran receivers such as Chris Hogan and Cordarrelle Patterson, one thing has become known about this unknown player and that is he will compete.
"“It turns on your competitive light and [gets] your competitive level up, too,” Jackson said following minicamp in early June. “Those guys are great and they have been in the league a long time. It is a good feeling and I love coming out here and practicing with those guys.”"
Will J.C. Jackson continue to open eyes during training camp and into the preseason? If the minicamp sessions are any indication, he’ll be a factor in the competition at cornerback to make the 53-man roster. If his confidence matches the talent that made him a top recruit in the nation coming out of high school, the New England Patriots may have themselves a find.
Whatever the outcome, this will be one of the stories to pay attention to come late July.
Malcom Brown
Considered the team’s best defensive tackle in 2018, Malcom Brown is a player who typically slides under the radar.
Drafted in the first round of the 2015 NFL Draft, Brown entered the league with expectations of filling the void left by Vince Wilfork. While he has had his moments, he hasn’t been consistent up until last year.
So, why is he a storyline to watch?
With the amount of depth the New England Patriots have at the defensive tackle position, Brown will be in a competition to keep his role as a starter along the defensive line. That, combined with the fact the team did not pick up his 2019 fifth-year option, could indicate a surprise trade prior to the start of the 2018 season.
While it appears the team’s decision not to pick up the option was based on the size of the salary cap hit, the Patriots might need to see Malcolm Brown prove it for another season before trying to lock him up long-term.
However, with the addition of Danny Shelton and the return of Vincent Valentine –both potentially cheaper options – Brown could be expendable as the team would look to get something now instead of losing him via free agency in 2019.
Still, it will be intriguing to see how Malcolm Brown performs during training camp. If Shelton or another player leap frogs him in number of defensive snaps, Brown could be a player on the move.
Julian Edelman
Back in April, the storyline would’ve been whether Julian Edelman can make it back from his torn ACL and be just as effective as he was prior to sitting out the entire 2017 season.
While social media posts and observations of the 32-year-old wide receiver indicate that he will, a four-game suspension handed down by the NFL has changed the direction of this particular storyline.
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Nailed by the league for use of an unknown substance, Edelman recently lost his appeal challenge the four-game suspension. Now, the team is faced with filling the void left by Edelman in the first four games of the season.
This wouldn’t have been as challenging if Danny Amendola stuck around, but with him gone, Patriots offensive coordinator Josh McDaniels has to find another option. It doesn’t have to be another receiver, but the team certainly has many candidates to choose from.
If a healthy Malcolm Mitchell returns and is as good as he was during his rookie campaign, that will help Tom Brady tremendously. Of course, he will have Rob Gronkowski in the mix. Chris Hogan will be an x-factor, but a player such as Jordan Matthews, Phillip Dorsett, Braxton Berrios, Cordarrelle Patterson or Riley McCarron will really have to step up.
Veteran receiver Kenny Britt could also step up to fill some of the void left by Julian Edelman. That, of course, will depend on how well he buys in and what type of chemistry he forms with Brady.
Overall, the story will still be focused on Edelman’s health, but who can step up and replace some of his production will be the larger story.
Rob Gronkowski/Tom Brady
You have to lump the New England Patriots two best players together for the top storyline heading into training camp.
As one goes, the other will go either negatively or positively for the Patriots. With both Tom Brady and Rob Gronkowski apparently at a rift with the team during and following the Super Bowl LII loss to the Philadelphia Eagles, the attitudes both players take into training camp will be an indication as to how committed they are for the 2018 NFL season.
Whispers of retirement has echoed around both players this offseason. But, contracts have appeared to be key motivations for those rumors. If Brady can get his extension and Gronkowski get the kind of money he deserves as a top tight end in the league, then expect both players to be all in.
However, if the money situation lingers, the microscope will continue to be placed on their relationship with Bill Belichick. What’s dissected could distract the team enough to have an impact on the 2018 season.
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So, while the prediction is that the New England Patriots will be fine (as they typically find a way to be), overall success will hinge on how these two players approach the season.