The New England Patriots have one of the best teams in professional football. A complete makeover was not needed with this roster, and no makeover occurred in the offseason.
Notable Change #1:
The Patriots lost one of their most high-profile players this offseason, and what’s more is that they lost him to a foremost competitor in the American Football Conference. Wes Welker, the possession receiver who lined up in the slot in most formations and became a devastatingly effective third-down option for quarterback Tom Brady, went to the Denver Broncos to join Peyton Manning. New England fans will not love Welker as a result, but this is a slightly more complicated situation than it might seem at first glance. Welker dropped a pass that likely would have enabled the Patriots to defeat the New York Giants in Super Bowl XLVI in February of 2012. Ever since that mistake, Welker never seemed to fully recover. His 2012 regular season was spotty, and he continued to stumble in moments when his team could have used a higher level of competence. A strained relationship formed between Welker and the fans in New England. This departure hurts the Patriots not necessarily in itself, but because the one team that finished above the Pats in the AFC in 2012 (Denver) is the team that will now employ him. Had Welker gone to San Diego or Tennessee or some other mediocre club, this would not be a hardship for the Pats. Welker in Denver, though, is a problem, and it will be fascinating to see if Welker gains emotional fuel from the fact that he will be competing against New England in 2013. Keep an eye on that subplot as the season unfolds in September.
Notable Change #2:
With Welker out of the picture, the Patriots needed to find a replacement, and they snagged Danny Amendola from the St. Louis Rams. Amendola is skilled and productive, without question. Working with Tom Brady in the Pats’ offensive system could very realistically unlock all of Amendola’s talents and lead to a big breakthrough campaign. However, Amendola has a history of injuries – he has not been able to establish himself as one of the NFL’s more durable receivers. Health is always a question mark in the NFL, given the violence that is inherent to the sport. Wellness, though, is particularly relevant in Amendola’s case, and how he manages his body through the 2013 season will have a lot to do with the Patriots’ fortunes on the field.
Notable Change #3:
When New England acquired Tim Tebow, the move seemed to be of minimal importance. However, when Patriots tight end Aaron Hernandez ran into trouble with law enforcement (he will remain entangled with legal troubles for the foreseeable future, probably to the extent that he is not allowed to play NFL football in 2013, if not longer…), the presence of Tebow on the roster acquired a new level of significance. We’re at a point where Tebow could very well spell Hernandez on a (higher) percentage of plays as a tight end or hybrid back, especially in third and medium-range down-and-distance situations. If Tebow proves to be a valuable fill-in for Hernandez, it would be one of the biggest stories of the 2013 NFL campaign.
Click here to get a full list of NFL futures for the 2013-14 NFL season.
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