New England Patriots 5 most dangerous weapons entering 2019 season

Ranking five of the New England Patriots most dangerous weapons entering the 2019 NFL season.

Following a Super Bowl victory, the New England Patriots didn’t make waves in free agency.

As is typically the case, the team actually lost some top performers from the 2018 Super Bowl-winning team.  Top defensive lineman Trey Flowers took his talents to the Motor City and Tom Brady’s blindside, Trent Brown, scored a massive deal with the Oakland Raiders.

To add insult to injury, tight end Rob Gronkowski called it quits just weeks before the 2019 NFL Draft.

Of course, the “In Bill We Trust” mantra echoed even more as the offseason progressed.  The team didn’t bring in any high-priced free agents, but they did trade for Michael Bennett, re-signed a couple key players and scored a solid grade in the draft.

One of those draft selections, N’Keal Harry, was named as the team’s most dangerous new addition according to Bleacher Report.  That sparked a ranking of the New England Patriots most dangerous players not named Tom Brady.

The compilation of players includes players on both sides of the ball.  While some noteworthy players may be excluded, these five players have a chance to make a serious impact in 2019 based on their role and what they bring to the table athletically.

5. N’Keal Harry, WR

Based on size and athletic ability, I have to agree with Bleacher Report that N’Keal Harry is the team’s most dangerous new weapon.

Not since the days of Randy Moss has Tom Brady had an outside target at the wide receiver position that will go up and get the ball over defenders.  Okay, I take that back.  The team had Josh Gordon for the majority of the 2018 NFL season, but that was a work in progress.

With Harry, Brady has a chance to work with him and build a repertoire before the season even begins.  Without Rob Gronkowski, the almost 42-year-old quarterback will rely on the big target out of Arizona State which could make for a special rookie season.

Another thing to like about Harry is he recognizes what he needs to do to expand his game and is doing so in OTAs by learning how to run routes from Patriots veteran wide receiver Julian Edelman.

"“I’ve seen myself improve on route-running already within the first three days,” Harry said during OTAs.  “So I’m just going to keep listening to him and keep that same approach and same mindset coming into practice every day.”"

Running routes is what Josh Gordon eventually did before he was suspended and with a similar body type and skillset, N’Keal Harry can be a special force as the 2019 NFL season progresses.

4. Michael Bennett, DE

More than production, New England Patriots defensive end Michael Bennett will bring attitude to the defensive line.

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With 9.0 sacks and 34 combined tackles last season with the Philadelphia Eagles, the 33-year-old Bennett still has something in his tank and could have an effective season with the Patriots.

What makes Bennett a dangerous weapon on the defensive side of the ball is his power combined with his solid play against both the run and attacking the quarterback. After losing the much younger Trey Flowers to free agency, the Patriots must believe Bennett can fill that void since they rewarded him with a restructured contract that will give him more money.

The team is also hoping he takes young pass rushers like Deatrich Wise Jr., Derek Rivers and third-round pick Chase Winovich under his wing and show them how to dominant offensive lines.

In all, Bennett has an opportunity to more than duplicate the 9.0 sacks he recorded with the Eagles last season.  If he is an eruptive force along the defensive line, he will open up opportunities for the New England Patriots linebackers to make plays.

In that, his presence alone makes him a dangerous threat, especially playing under Bill Belichick.

3.Julian Edelman, WR

Thirty-three years of age and Julian Edelman is still one dangerous dude on the football field.

The last time we saw Edelman was in Super Bowl LIII where he took home the MVP award with a performance that saw him catch 10 passes for 141 yards in the team’s 13-3 victory.

It capped off another stellar postseason run by Edelman who was absolutely dominating in the Patriots AFC Championship victory over the Kansas City Chiefs.  In fact, with his performance, Julian Edelman secured himself as the team’s most important player offensively.

Notably, the Patriots have won Super Bowls in Edelman’s last two healthy seasons.  While the team did get back to the big game after he suffered a season-ending injury in 2017, Edelman’s presence would’ve made Tom Brady even more effective in the team’s loss to the Philadelphia Eagles in Super Bowl LII.

Although he is getting older, Julian Edelman will enter 2019 fully healthy, a new two-year contract extension and with even more of a chip on his shoulder.

"“I’ve been blessed and fortunate to attain and reach a lot of my dreams, but I still have a lot of other things that I want to go for,” Edelman said following OTAs last Thursday.  “Got a big chip on my shoulder still, and I look forward to coming out here and contributing to the team and working hard each day, helping younger guys.”"

Perhaps, the next thing he has left to prove is that he is Hall of Fame worthy.  If he keeps finding ways to get open in big games, he may just prove that he is to anyone who is arguing otherwise.

2. Stephon Gilmore, CB

While Julian Edelman was named Super Bowl LIII MVP, a lot of people feel a defensive player should’ve taken home the honor.  One of those players was cornerback Stephon Gilmore, who basically sealed the 13-3 victory over the Los Angeles Rams with a late fourth quarter interception.

After struggling through most of the season in 2016, Gilmore has been worth every bit of the $65 million contract he signed during the first moments of NFL free agency back in 2016.

As one of the team’s two All-Pro selections in 2018, Gilmore has become the lockdown corner Bill Belichick loves to anchor one side of the field.

In fact, Stephon Gilmore has been ranked as the top cover corner for 2018 by Pro Football Focus.

He also scored the lowest catch rate in coverage amongst NFL cornerbacks with 44.0 percent of targets caught.  Still, Gilmore hasn’t gotten the recognition he deserves as a top 2 or 3 cornerbacks in the league.  A reason for that is his quiet style.  He doesn’t do a lot of talking, he just does what the coaches tell him to do.

In Belichick’s system, that makes Gilmore a very dangerous player and watch for him to cement his status as the league’s best coverage corner in 2019 now that he is completely comfortable anchoring the secondary.

1.   Sony Michel, RB

It’s been quite a while since one could say that a running back was the most dangerous weapon for the New England Patriots.

The fact that Sony Michel nearly produced a 1,000-yard season as a rookie despite missing a few games says something about his maturity as a player and the team’s commitment to the run midway through the season.

With Rob Gronkowski retired and question marks in the receiving depth chart, the Patriots will commit to the run even more in 2019.

As a player who can play all three downs, Sony Michel has the chance to become a dynamic player within the Patriots offense.  Not only can he be a lead back, but he has yet to showcase his pass-catching ability yet.

Sure, the New England Patriots have players like James White, Rex Burkhead and third-round pick Damian Harris who can share the load both rushing and catching the ball out of the backfield, but Michel is the one player who can take it to the house from anywhere on the field.

As long as he is healthy, Michel should improve in 2019 continuing the momentum he gained from his productive and impressive postseason as a rookie.

With Tom Brady approaching middle age, Sony Michel may become the New England Patriots offensive player with the ball in his hand the most.  That makes him a very dangerous man.