Now that the Tom Brady era is over in New England, it’s time for a new chapter to begin. This marks the first true test of how Bill Belichick can restructure his team. Currently, the organization owns twelve picks in this year’s draft. The question is .will they select a quarterback or roll the dice with Jarret Stidham this season? The experts predict the team will choose AJ Espensea of Iowa with the first pick. Other analysts have Belichick moving up and taking quarterback Jake Fromm of Georgia. In any event, Thursday marks a new beginning for the New England Patriots. In this post, we will examine three reasons why the 2020 draft is the most important in Patriots history. Why The 2020 Draft Is The Most Important In Patriots History The Greatest Quarterback In History Left You could say that Tom Brady was the best bargain on the market this offseason. The owner of six Super Bowls Is now a Tampa Bay Buccaneer. Relying on Jarret Stidham could prove to be disastrous, On the flip side, many players say that Stidham is more than capable. With Brian Hoyer, as his back up only time will tell. With a minimal receiving group the Patriots will struggle. Too Many Holes To Fill The days of the Patriots putting up 40 points in order to win are over. The team will have to grind it out with an aging roster. If key veterans can stay healthy the Patriots may surprise people. Veteran Julian Edelman is 34. Tight end Ben Watson retired as Rob Gronkowski. Relying on Matt Lacosse will not cut it. Therefore, expect Belichick, and the Patriots to be very active on draft night. Toughest Schedule in The NFL With Tom Brady departed, the club has one of the tougher schedules in 2020. Dates with Kansas City and San Fransisco are two. An improved Bills team twice. Plus Seattle and Denver are reasons to be skeptical. Also leaving were Kyle Van Noy and Elandon Roberts. Look for a lot of new faces next season. The Future Look for the Patriots to select AJ ESpensea with their first pick. The team needs to focus on its front seven. With twelve picks look for Belichick to draft either Nate Stanley of Iowa or Cole McDonald of Hawaii. The year 2020 shall be one of the challenging in recent memory.
Why The Patriots Need To Focus On Defense in This Year’s Draft
With the upcoming NFL draft weeks away, the Patriots need to focus on defense in this year’s draft. In this post, we will focus on three areas the team needs to focus on defense in the upcoming draft.
Why The Patriots Need To Focus On Defense In This Year’s Draft
Mass Exodus Of Defensive Players So far this offseason, several key members have left. Leaving for fresher pastures were Kyle Van Noy, Elandon Roberts, Danny Shelton, and Duron Harmon have moved on. Succeeding them will not be easy. Overall, the Patriots were the number one ranked defense in the NFL last season. Head coach, Bill Belichick signed Beau Allen, and Adrian Phillips this past offseason. Allen will be an upgrade over Shelton. Adrian Phillips led the Chargers last year in tackles. He will be an upgrade over Duron Harmon.
Add Depth To The Front Seven New England holds the 23rd pick in the first round. Depending on who is available a quality pick would be middle linebacker Zach Baun of Wisconsin. Baun is known for his versatility. He is both an excellent pass rusher and can drop back and cover. A J Espensea of Iowa would be a perfect Patriot fit. His mammoth size 6’5″ tall and 280 lbs. is what the Patriots look for. In three years at Iowa, Espenesa finished with 61 solo tackles and 40 assisted tackles plus one touchdown. Belichick has close ties with the head coach. KirkFerentz. A sleeper in the draft is Oklahomas linebacker Ken Murray. Murray 6’5” tall and 250 lbs is regarded as a third_ down linebacker. In three years at Oklahoma Murray finished with 325 tackles and 9.5 sacks. He also set a school record for making 28 tackles in one game. Need To Get Younger Devin McCourty, Stephon Gilmore, and Donta Hightower are all over thirty. Hightower is at the end of a four _year deal. A deal that pays 35,000,000 dollars. Stephon Gilmore signed the most lucrative deal in Patriot history. Devin McCourty agreed to a two-year extension this offseason. All three are valuable assets to the Patriot’s success. Last season the team had the number one defense in the NFL. If the team hopes to be in the playoff conversation the defense will be a huge factor. The Upcoming Season With the dramatic departure of Tom Brady, Patriots fans are bracing for the best. The Patriots have one of the oldest rosters in football. Relying on Jarrett Stidham to take over will take time. If the Patriots hope to win another Super Bowl it will be done with defense and exceptional coaching.