The Patriots are the defending Super Bowl champs and are the favorites to win it all again this season. Nonetheless, there are a ton of question marks surrounding this team as we inch closer to the regular season opener against the Steelers in 27 days. Here are a few players that are currently in the mix to contribute and a couple that aren’t here now but could be key late in the fall.
Braxton Berrios
Despite being a sixth round pick and having spent last season on the injured reserve list, many are penciling Berrios as the next Wes Welker or Julian Edelman (an undersized slot receiver that the rest of the NFL once dismissed).
Berrios had a strong performance last Thursday night against the Lions as he hauled in three catches for 45 yards, but he was outshined by undrafted rookie free agent Jakobi Meyers – who caught six passes for 69 yards and a pair of touchdowns.
The wide receiver position is a large concern for the Patriots, but Berrios will still have to scratch and claw just to make the team this year. Meyers, Demaryius Thomas, Phillip Dorsett, Maurice Harris, Ryan Davis, Dontrelle Inman, Gunner Olszewski and Damoun Patterson are all options to make the 53-man roster for Bill Belichick.
Gronk
Until Gronk appears on WWE television or signs a movie deal, there will be great speculation that No. 87 is going to come back to the Patriots at some point this season.
He played catch with Brady last month, his agent Drew Rosenhaus has said multiple times that he wouldn’t be shocked if Gronkowski returns to football this year, and his pro wrestling buddy Mojo Rawley told CBS Baltimore last week that Gronk is currently “doing nothing,” and “staying off of television to heal up.”
The Patriots have a history of bringing back or bringing in veterans in November or December as we’ve seen it over the years with the late Junior Seau, James Harrison and Michael Floyd.
Tom Brady
Not sure you’ve heard, but Brady is now 42-years-old.
We all know Brady is Superman, but at some point he is going to break down. Like, for realz. If Brady’s play starts to noticeably slip this season, that combined with his strange contract situation that played out last week – could turn ugly. Two years ago, internal drama seemed to have cost the Patriots a Super Bowl ring as they narrowly fell to the Eagles. That bubble burst on gameday in February 2018 with all of the Malcolm Butler stuff.
Yeah, the Pats were just a play away from winning that game, but even the biggest Patriots honk would have to admit that some of that locker room uneasiness played a factor in the biggest game of that season.
Josh Gordon
Gordon recently applied to be reinstated by the league and he’s got a decent shot to get the OK from old buddy Roger Goodell. The NFL has eased its stance on players using marijuana and the green stuff has most always been what Gordon has gotten in trouble for.
Gordon signed a free agent tender with the Patriots in April, and he could be right back in the mix at some point this fall if he gets the green light from the powers that be in the league office.
Demaryius Thomas
Thomas is still recovering from a torn Achilles from last December, and it’s likely that he starts the season on the Pats’ reserve/PUP list. There were hints last year that Thomas still has big games left in his tank as he had a 105-yard receiving day against the Jets in October and a two-touchdown performance against the Titans in late November.
Perhaps we could see Thomas, Gronk and Gordon all come back late in the year, which would give the Pats an entirely different look on offense.
