Patriots Offseason

The New England Patriots have had an interesting offseason. No surprise there. Bill Belichick and the boys often move to a different beat. Far more often than not it works. The Patriots didn't do much in the first week of the NFL's spending season. That changed in the second week with the addition of the following players.

TE Martellus Bennett: Trade Bears
RB Donald Brown: FA Chargers
G   Jonathan Cooper: Trade Cardinals
LB Ramon Humber: FA Saints
DL Frank Kearse: UFA Redskins
DE Chris Long: FA Rams
LB Shea McClellin: UFA Bears

In a year in which the Patriots were robbed of their first round pick as a result of Roger Goodell's random and sometimes tyrannical pattern of punishment it's a little interesting to note that four of the above were selected in that round. Donald Brown, Jonathan Cooper, Chris Long, and Shea McClellin were all first round picks of their original teams. The most significant might be Cooper and McClellin. Neither really found a home with the team that drafted them. Cooper was a top-10 pick of the Cardinals in 2013. He was considered by just about everyone with an opinion as one of the safest picks in that draft. He just never seemed to fit in the offensive line plans of the Cardinals after excelling in a spread zone scheme in college at North Carolina. A series of leg injuries after arriving in the NFL certainly didn't help his learning curve. The offense of the Patriots and the coaching of line guru Dante Scarnecchia should help Cooper make the impact in New England that he never had a chance to make in Arizona. He just has to stay healthy. As for McClellin, I'm not so sure that the Bears could ever decide what they had in the former Boise St. defensive end. He was a terrific pass rusher in college but he didn't/doesn't quite have the size to do that full-time in the NFL. He had to learn the linebacker position. Instead of concentrating on just one of those positions he was moved around. A coaching change and the resulting scheme change didn't help. His arrival in New England brings about another coaching/scheme change. McClellin has hybrid-linebacker/end skills and Belichick and defensive coordinator Matt Patricia have shown a willingness, even an eagerness, to find a place for hybrid players. The Patriots created a need for a defensive end when they traded Chandler Jones for Cooper and a second-round pick. Long was signed to fill that need. He may no longer be the dynamic pass rusher that Jones has become but Long has been an effective, and sometimes great, football player for a while. He still has some football in him. I really like the line combo/rotation of Long and Jabaal Sheard. Brown fits the mold of a versatile back that the Patriots have a history of coveting. He also provides insurance if Dion Lewis has any setbacks in his recovery from an ACL injury.

Then there's the addition of tight end Martellus Bennett. Pairing Bennett with Rob Gronkowski should be deemed illegal before they are even allowed on the same field. Having to tangle with one 6'6" 270 lb athletic tight end with Tom Brady throwing the ball is a nightmare for a defense. Having to tangle with two is going to keep defensive coordinators scrambling. If Bennett is motivated for 16+ games the 2016 Patriots offense could be as scary as the 2007 Patriots offense featuring Randy Moss. Perhaps not as explosive but as difficult to contain.

The New England Patriots should never have lost their first round pick. It was a trumped-up punishment for a trumped-up, and very questionable offence. Adding some former first round picks,and a former second in Bennett, doesn't really make up for the loss of the pick but they are still very interesting additions. Bill Belichick will find a place for them.