New England Patriots 2020 offseason: Team has botched things so far

New England Patriots team-building and injuries

Offseason team-building determines the success or failure of a team the next season. But even a great job in those phases can be derailed by injuries. Injuries are the great equalizer.

Injuries hurt the New England Patriots dearly last season on offense. The offensive line took a lot of hits. David Andrews serious situation and the injuries to Isaiah Wynn and to a lesser extent Shaq Mason were huge obstacles, and truly terrible in-season trades did nothing really to alleviate them.

Also, the wide receiver corps had injuries. Major ones. As well as a lack of talent. They just weren’t that good. An injury to Mohamed Sanu, a good acquisition actually, was ruined by a dubious coaching decision. Rather, a pitiful coaching decision.

Sanu was called upon to return a punt last season. He’s not a punt returner. He wrecked his ankle and was ineffective for the entire rest of the season.

In addition, he had to ultimately have surgery on the said ankle and is only now beginning his rehab thereon. Will he be able to play effectively for the Patriots this season? Who knows.

Sanu’s silly injury is reminiscent of the decision in which New England’s coaches put their great defensive end Richard Seymour (now a Patriots Hall of Famer and hopefully an NFL Hall of Famer in the future, as well) in the game to block as a fullback. Seymour wrecked his knee on what was probably the last of those foolish plays and was never the same again.

In addition, in-season trades last season failed miserably to rectify problems in the offensive line that were very costly. Building depth in the off-season is essential.

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The Patriots added depth late in the draft to the offensive line, but it was the skills positions that need to be addressed more urgently.  They failed to address those needs.