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The ongoing rampage of the coronavirus pandemic has already forced NFL players to opt-out of playing in the upcoming 2020 season. Unfortunately, the reigning AFC East division leader New England Patriots were one of the severe casualties. A handful of the team's most experienced veterans recently backed out and opted to err on the safe side amidst these hard times.
Seven Patriots players have already pulled out of playing football in September. This includes fullback Danny Vitale, guard Najee Toran, safety Patrick Chung, offensive tackle Marcus Cannon, linebacker Dont'a Hightower, rusher Brandon Bolden, and wideout Marqise Lee. More players could possibly follow suit since the pandemic is showing no signs of slowing down.
Prior to the wild offseason that it has been so far, several Patriots have also packed their bags and went to join the opposition. Linebacker Jamie Collins led the team in tackles and sacks in 2019, but went on to sign with the Detroit Lions. Defensive back Duron Harmon also went to Detroit via trade, and defensive tackle Danny Shelton signed there in free agency as well. They will be joining former Patriots defensive coordinator and current Lions head coach Matt Patricia in the team's rebuilding campaign.
Former Patriots linebacker Kyle Van Noy, who led the team in quarterback hits in 2019, signed with the Miami Dolphins, as did fellow Patriots linebacker Elandon Roberts. They will play for another former Patriots defensive coach in Miami head tactician Brian Flores.
With a couple more months before the season kicks off, the Patriots still have a lot of soul searching to do. The biggest question marks heading into their campaign is the vacant starting quarterback slot, with the 2015 NFL MVP Cam Newton and incoming sophomore Jarrett Stidham vying for the position. The success of the offensive line will hugely rest on the shoulders of the chosen starting playmaker come Week 1.
Luckily for New England, the other key pieces of their team are still in the conversation of playing in the upcoming season. These include veteran wide receiver Julian Edelman, defensive ace Stephon Gilmore, left guard Joe Thuney, and safety Devin McCourty among others.
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The Patriots are fortunate to have been placed in an underperforming AFC East division. The only real threat among their counterparts is the Buffalo Bills, who ended their 2019 season with a 10-6 record and placed second in the division. Meanwhile, the New York Jets and the Miami Dolphins are still on their rebuilding phases and are far from posing a challenge to the Patriots.
Even with a depleted roster, the team can still work their way through the season and clinch the division. By finishing with a good record, they can still snag a playoff seat and possibly surprise some teams along the way, similar to how the upstart Tennessee Titans ended their campaign last season.
The next man up is certainly the trend for the Patriots in the upcoming season. Belichick's unheralded bench coup will try to fill in the starters' vacated shoes and aim to impact the game beyond expectations.
If we know anything about the six-time Super Bowl champion coach Bill Belichick, it's that anything he touches can turn into gold. Developing a 199th pick in Tom Brady into arguably the best quarterback to have ever played the game of football is a testament to Belichick's ability. Challenged with a depleted rotation, he is once again put in a similar situation and we will have to wait and see if we can witness Belichick's magic in 2020.
