How New England Patriots can become a contender again
The New England Patriots post-Tom Brady are also-rans in the NFL. They are trying desperately to regain the ability to contend post-Brady and so far have been a lackluster team struggling to make the playoffs never mind contending for a Super Bowl trophy.
Frankly, the very thought of that potentiality is a huge joke both in New England and in the greater NFL community. The Patriots are also-rans in the NFL and now are trying desperately to regain the ability to contend.
For two decades under the inimitable Tom Brady, the team owned the AFC East and the AFC for about half that time and were the kings of the NFL. Oh, how the mighty have fallen.
After foolishly kicking the greatest of all time to the curb, Patriot majordomo Bill Belichick has been scrambling to try to build a team to at least be a playoff participant if not a true contender.
He has failed. In three seasons post-Brady, he has made the playoffs once, and gotten blown out in that one game by Buffalo.
So, absent the retirement of Belichick, how might, just might the New England Patriots again possibly become a contender?
New England Patriots need to be bold
The New England Patriots post-Tom Brady is like a fish out of water. They have been essentially floundering since they inexplicably and inexcusably sent Brady packing while he was still a top NFL performer.
Belichick has never been a top NFL player personnel person, far from it. His drafting has been largely poor and on some positions, e.g. wide receiver and cornerback positively dismal.
All of the time during the team’s “dynasty”, Belichick was the beneficiary of Brady’s brilliance. And ergo, he kicked the essence of his success to the curb. Go figure.
So how can this ego-centric personality actually get back to prominence in the NFL? Well, the simplest solution is to go ahead and trade for Lamar Jackson. Instantaneously, that makes the Patriots a contender once more as three top Patriot former players have suggested.
Don’t hold your breath, Patriot Nation, not happening. BB is too stubborn. So how else might this floundering franchise regain its prominence?
The first way is to draft well. Now, this is asking a lot of a franchise that is among the worst in the NFL perennially. They way overdraft players and out-and-out just blunder on others. Belichick is among the worst general managers in the entire NFL. So how can they rebound?
New England Patriots need to create a template for victory
The Patriot’s offensive line in 2022 was terrible. With an immobile Mac Jones or Bailey Zappe at the helm, they need a great O-line. Jones is a huge question mark.
They have done little in free agency to rectify the situation. With two immobile quarterbacks in their current stable, not remedying this situation will doom them to possibly last place in the AFC East.
In the draft, they need to draft offensive linemen early and often. That being said, the next priority has to be wide receiver. With their third and plus picks, they need to draft several WRs to provide a boost to the lackluster group on hand.
Then, they need to add a number of cornerbacks and two tight ends to the mix. Their cornerback situation is OK but needs competition. Tight end, they have average Hunter Henry and Mike Gesicki. They need to add one solid TE to the mix, at least one.
Overarching all of the above is the need early in the draft to add one or two top offensive tackles. This is not a suggestion. It’s an absolute necessity. Their tackle situation stinks, even after adding mediocre talent to the position.
In addition, the team needs one or two additions to the poor defensive line. Older, unproductive DLs won’t a contender make.
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These are a few suggestions. The best thing this team could do is to trade for Lamar Jackson who makes them an instantaneous contender. They won’t, because that’s who they are.
They still think they are at the top of the NFL. Unfortunately, without Tom Brady who made up for all their personnel deficiencies, they are not. It is what it is, depressing.