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2009 Team Report: New England Patriots

Quarterbacks

Starter: Tom Brady
Backup(s): Kevin O'Connell, Matt Gutierrez

Starting QB: The Patriots' 2008 season took a turn for the worst in their first game when Tom Brady tore his ACL and was lost for the season. Brady posted 50 TD passes the year before and led New England to a record-setting 589 points scored. With Brady shelved due to his knee injury, the Pats were forced to turn to a backup for an extended period for the first time in the Brady era. Matt Cassel answered the call and put up some impressive numbers later in the season. New England felt confident enough in Brady's recovery and outlook for 2009 that they traded Cassel in the offseason. Brady will again be transitioning after the loss of another offensive coordinator, but that has not been much of an issue in the past. If Brady is healthy and returns to form, the Patriots have once again stocked the talent pool with a plethora of weapons and an intricate playbook to utilize them. With Brady out of the picture last year, the Pats relied on the run more than they did in season's past. It's unlikely the Pats will be looking to chase scoring records again, instead opting to keep Brady upright and on the field. The offense should be more balanced this year. Even so, Brady should be one of the most productive quarterbacks in the league and leading a Super Bowl caliber team.

Backup QB: Kevin O'Connell and Matt Gutierrez remain unproven commodities - much like Cassel was last year. The two have combined for seven career passing attempts. The Patriots have explored veteran free agent options since Brady got hurt but have not pulled the trigger on any of them. At the very least, the team can breathe a little easier with the knowledge that it is possible for a backup to succeed in the Patriots' offensive system. There was a point early last year when Cassel struggled and O'Connell was rumored to have been placed on a fast-track to start later in the season. New England remains confident in O'Connell's long-term NFL potential and would probably turn to him if needed. The Pats could still add a veteran quarterback if the price is right and if he seemed like a good fit and a quick learner.

Running Backs

Starter: Fred Taylor, Sammy Morris
Backup(s): Laurence Maroney, Kevin Faulk, BenJarvus Green-Ellis
Fullback(s):

Starting RB: Just to clarify, the most likely outcome in terms of the New England backfield is a running back by committee approach. So no matter who gets tabbed as a starter, Fred Taylor, Sammy Morris, Laurence Maroney, and Kevin Faulk should all see a decent sized piece of the action. The Pats are notorious for developing custom game plans and schemes based on their opponents, meaning that any of the backs could be the flavor of the week and see more action than the others. They have already shown that some weeks they could abandon the run almost entirely. Taylor comes to town after one of his least productive seasons, due partly to nagging injuries. His YPC fell below 4.0 for only the second time in his 11-year career, prompting his release by Jacksonville. Morris has been very productive with the Pats, maintaining a 4.6 YPC and scoring a TD every other game on average.

Backup RBs: Maroney has struggled to stay on the field and has missed 18 games over the past three seasons. He went on a tear late in the 2007 campaign but for the most part has been a 12-carry per game back. Faulk remains a magician in getting seemingly impossible first downs and is still a threat in the receiving game. Green-Ellis did fairly well when his number was called last year (based mostly out of necessity), but he likely will not see much action given the stable of veteran backs. The Pats had only one player with over 100 carries in 2008 (Morris with 157), yet they still ranked sixth with a stout 2,278 total rushing yards. Given that whatever they did last year worked effectively, there's little incentive for New England to due much differently.

Fullback:

Wide Receivers

Starters: Randy Moss, Wesley Welker, Joey Galloway
Backups: Greg Lewis, Brandon Tate [R], Sam Aiken, Matt Slater

Starting WRs: Randy Moss and Wes Welker comprise one of the most formidable receiving tandems in the league, with Moss the deep threat and Welker the underneath water bug that frequently moves the sticks. Moss set a league scoring record in 2007, and Welker has had over 110 receptions in back-to-back seasons as a Patriot (joining Cris Carter and Jerry Rice as the only receivers to accomplish that feat). With Brady leading the offense again, Moss should return to uber-elite status and see his numbers improve from 2008 (although expecting a return to his 2007 totals would be asking a lot). Welker has had at least five receptions in 29 of 35 games with New England, and there is no reason to think that his targets or receptions will drop off much as he has become a steady contributor to the offense. Joey Galloway comes to town for what should be his final rodeo, and with so many other receiving threats, he may have enough in the tank to put up respectable WR3 numbers a la Donte' Stallworth or Jabar Gaffney the past few seasons. New England frequently utilizes a spread offense, multiple receiver sets, and the shotgun, so Galloway should see a lot of time on the field.

Backup WRs: New England acquired Greg Lewis from the Eagles mostly for receiver depth. That and he played very well against the Patriots over the years. Brandon Tate was a first-round talent who fell into the third round due to injury. He probably will miss most if not all of the season and will most likely have to wait until 2010 to be able to contribute, perhaps taking over for Galloway down the road. Sam Aiken had eight catches for 101 yards last season and has seen more action on special teams. Matt Slater appears to be predominantly a kick returner and is another special teams guy. Lewis will likely see the most playing time of the reserves in four-wide formations. It remains to be seen well Aiken or Slater would do in larger roles, as they have not been in on many offensive plays to date.

Tight Ends

Starters: Ben Watson
Backups: Chris Baker, Alex Smith, David Thomas

New England had high hopes for Ben Watson since he entered the league several years ago, but he's struggled to produce, stay healthy, and hold onto the football. His numbers dipped to 22 receptions, 209 receiving yards, and two TDs, leaving him as an after thought in the Patriots offense for most of the season. Considering that more than a third of that production came in a single game against the Jets, Watson's fantasy owners were left holding the bag for most of the season. With 2009 a contract year for Watson, he will need to revert back to his 2006 form if he wants to stick in New England. With Watson's production on the decline, the Pats brought in Chris Baker from the Jets to give their TE production a boost. But Baker's totals last year were even worse than Watson's, even though he's shown flashes of being a reliable receiver when given a chance in New York. The Patriots also consummated a trade with the Bucs for Alex Smith. Smith has seen his annual reception total drop each year since he entered the league in 2005. David Thomas has been considered a deep sleeper the past two years but has not seen the ball very often. It's unlikely the Pats will roster four tight ends, so one of them will probably be shown the door. Considering that the Patriots have been using the tight end spot less and less the past few years, there are several players fighting for limited targets this year.

Place Kicker

Stephen Gostkowski : As a rookie in 2006, Stephen Gostkowski hit 20 of 26 (76.9 percent) on field goals and 43 of 44 on PATs, although two of the missed field goals and the missed PAT were blocked. In 2007 he hit 21 of 24 (87.5 percent). He once again hit 3 of 5 on 40+ yard field goals. After finishing 19th in kicker scoring in 2006, the Patriots jumped back up to second last year thanks to their record setting number of touchdowns. Last year he made 36 of 40 (90.0 percent) field goals, and the Patriots once again ranked second in kicker scoring. Gostkowski has done very well on kickoffs, averaging 64.6 yards with 12, 15, and 17 touchbacks. The Patriots back-to-back Top 5 finishes in kicker scoring is uncommon. Of the teams that achieve that the last two decades, only a third of them remained there the following year.

Kick and Punt Returners

Kick Returners: Matt Slater, Kevin Faulk, Laurence Maroney, Brandon Tate, Sammy Morris, Wes Welker, Terrence Wheatley, Julian Edelman

Even though Ellis Hobbs is gone, the Patriots as usual have a vast array of experienced options for the kickoff return game. WR Matt Slater scored 3 TDs on 34 kickoff returns for UCLA in 2007. His 29.0 yard average ranked 12th in the NCAA. As a rookie in 2008, he averaged only 14.1 yards on 11 returns later in the year. Versatile RB Kevin Faulk had an impressive year in 2002 (27.9 avg., 2 TDs), although his numbers have since dropped off (2 returns, 18.0 avg. last year). RB Laurence Maroney was the starter the first part of 2006 (28 returns, 28.0 avg.), and might end up back in that role this year. RB Sammy Morris is a potential backup/upman (2 returns, 18.5 avg.). WR Wes Welker handled almost all of the returns for the Dolphins from 2004 to 2006. Last year with the Patriots he had one return for 26 yards. CB Terrence Wheatley averaged 24.8 yards on 37 returns for Colorado in 2007. The wildcard is third round draft choice WR Brandon Tate, depending upon his recovery from a torn ACL. He racked up 2,688 yards on kickoff returns during his college career at North Carolina and scored three TDs. Rookie WR/QB/RB Julian Edelman out of Kent State has practiced on kickoff returns.

Punt Returners: Wes Welker, Kevin Faulk, Brandon Tate, Joey Galloway

Although Wes Welker handled both return roles for the Dolphins, his strength was punt returns. He has handled the majority of the punts for the Patriots the last two years (24 returns, 9.9 avg. in 2008). Kevin Faulk led the team in 2004 (20 returns, 6.7 avg.) and in 2006 (31 returns, 10.6 avg.). Last year he averaged 13.2 yard on 10 returns. Brandon Tate scored a punt return TD in each if his last three years of college. He was averaging 22.6 yards on punt returns last year before getting injured. WR Joey Galloway has been practicing on punt returns. He has a 9.6 yard career average, although most of the returns occurred earlier in his career. The Patriots slipped to 12th in fantasy returns in 2007 and 11th last year, after having ranked 5th in 2006.

Offensive Line

Projected Starters: LT Matt Light, LG Logan Mankins, C Dan Koppen, RG Steve Neal, RT Nick Kaczur
Key Backups: G/T Russ Hochstein, T Sebastian Vollmer [R], G Rich Ohrnberger [R], T Ryan O'Callaghan

The Patriots offensive line may be the best in the NFL, and with two draft picks this season, they are also planning for the future. The starting unit is deep, talented, experienced and has played together for years. Expect more of the same this season as the Patriots offensive attack welcomes back Tom Brady. Also, Brady's cerebral game will help this group with their pass protection as he is adept at avoiding sacks.

Team Defense

Despite finishing in the top half of the league in nearly every important defensive category, the Patriots once again spent both dollars and draft picks to improve on defense. All the faces will be new at corner where veterans Shawn Springs and Leigh Bodden will be joined by second round pick Darius Butler as the Top 3. First round pick Patrick Chung is an intimidating SS in the Rodney Harrison mold and should claim that job by during camp. Another new starter will be at OLB where there is a 3-man competition to replace Mike Vrabel. This may be the one kink in the Patriots armor as they have no proven replacement. Last season's third round pick Shawn Crable spent the season on IR with a shin injury while Pierre Woods and Tully Banta-Cain are career backups with limited potential. The club made a run at Jason Taylor but lost out to division rival Miami and the loss of third round LB Tyrone McKenzie to an early knee injury just adds to the concern at LB. New England is very deep in the secondary and second round pick Ron Brace adds quality to an already deep DL. If they can find an answer at LB and stay healthy there, this perennial Top 10 fantasy defense should be right there again.

Defensive Line

Starters: RDE Richard Seymour, LDE Ty Warren, NY Vince Wilfork
Backups: DE Jarvis Green, NT Mike Wright, NT Ron Brace [R], DT Myron Pryor [R], DE Darryl Richard [R]

Starting DL: Richard Seymour has always been known as a dominant player, but his production is often limited by the Patriots scheme. Although he has battled injuries in the past, he looked quicker in 2008 and put up his best fantasy numbers since 2003. Ty Warren has outproduced Seymour frequently in the past but his tackle and sack numbers appear to be on the decline. He was banged up last year and recorded just 8 solo tackles in his last 5 games. Vince Wilfork is one of the best 3-4 NTs in the league and he is also entering the final year of his contract. He may not get enough sacks to be valuable in some scoring systems, but his tackle production has remained very consistent.

Backup DL: Jarvis Green could be considered a 4th starter on the defensive line because he sees a lot of time at DE when the Patriots use a 4-3 front, but his sack total dropped way off in 2008. Mike Wright has been the primary backup at NT and also played well in place of Ty Warren late last season. The Patriots drafted Ron Brace, a big run-stuffing tackle out of Boston College, in the 2nd round to prepare for the possibility of losing Wilfork in free agency next year. The Patriots added some additional depth for the defensive line with two late-round picks in Myron Pryor and Darryl Richard. Pryor was a 4-year starter at Kentucky but also had some injury problems, while Richard looks to be a smart player who will compete for a backup job at DE.

Linebackers

Starters: OLB Adalius Thomas, ILB Jerod Mayo, ILB Tedy Bruschi, OLB Pierre Woods
Backups: ILB Gary Guyton, ILB Eric Alexander, OLB Tully Banta-Cain, OLB Shawn Crable, ILB Tyrone McKenzie [R]

Starting LBs: Adalius Thomas was one of the biggest free agent signings the Patriots have made in recent years. While he is a versatile player with double digit sack potential, he'll be 32 years old when the upcoming season begins and could also see more attention now that Mike Vrabel is gone. The Patriots had a long history of not drafting any linebackers early in the draft, but that all changed last year when they selected Jerod Mayo with the 10th overall pick. He became an instant starter, recorded 100 solo tackles, and was named NFL defensive rookie of the year. Tedy Bruschi is 36 years old and figures to return for what may finally be his last season. As the starter, he will likely continue to see most of his playing time on early downs since he no longer has the quickness to stay on the field in passing situations. The Patriots traded Mike Vrabel to the Chiefs this offseason so that will create a big hole in their linebacker group. The favorite to fill that role right now is Pierre Woods, a former special teams standout who put up an impressive 11 tackles and a sack in his first career start against the Jets last year.

Backup LBs: Gary Guyton joined the Patriots as an undrafted free agent last year and emerged as the top backup at ILB. He has an ideal combination of size and speed and will likely push for more playing time in relief of Bruschi. Eric Alexander has provided depth at ILB and contributed on special teams player for several years. Tully Banta-Cain returned to the Patriots after spending the past two seasons with the 49ers and will likely contribute as a pass rush specialist. Shawn Crable was a 3rd round pick a year ago who the Patriots kept inactive for the first half of the season before placing him on injured reserve, but he could compete with Woods for a starting job. The Patriots drafted Tyrone McKenzie in the 3rd round this year to provide depth inside but he suffered a torn ACL in minicamp and will miss his rookie season.

Defensive Backs

Starters: SS James Sanders, FS Brandon Meriweather, CB Leigh Bodden, CB Shawn Springs
Backups: S Patrick Chung [R], S Brandon McGowan, S Tank Williams, CB Darius Butler [R], CB Jonathan Wilhite, CB Terrence Wheatley

Starting DBs: The Patriots appear ready to enter the 2009 season without long-time leader Rodney Harrison. After learning behind Harrison for years, James Sanders took over the starting SS job last year and played well although his production wasn't too exciting. Brandon Meriweather is a former 1st round pick who emerged as the starting FS last year. He's an intriguing fantasy option due to his impressive range and playmaking skills, and he also saw the biggest boost in production once Harrison left the lineup last season. Leigh Bodden was one of the best cover corners in the league during his time with the Browns but he struggled in 2008 after a trade to the Lions. He is a physical corner who is expecting to have a big season after signing just a 1-year deal with the Patriots. At 33 years old, Shawn Springs is reaching the age when he might have to consider a move to safety but he will provide some much-needed experience to the Patriots secondary. Springs has had trouble staying healthy over the past few years, but he is still a physical presence who should perform well.

Backup DBs: The Patriots spent their highest draft pick on Patrick Chung, a physical safety who projects as the eventual starter at SS. Brandon McGowan was signed from the Bears, where he made 9 starts in 2007 and looked like a promising fantasy option until losing his starting job midway through the preseason a year ago. Tank Williams is a big run stuffing safety and former starter with the Titans who has spent more time injured than healthy over the past few seasons. The Patriots traded away starter Ellis Hobbs to the Eagles on draft day but will fill his spot with Darius Butler, one of the best corners in the draft who will likely compete for the primary nickel back job right away. The Patriots can also probably expect bigger contributions from last year's draft picks Terrence Wheatley and Jonathan Wilhite. Wheatley was a late 2nd round pick who played in the 1st 6 games before suffering a season-ending wrist injury. Wilhite was taken in the 4th round and wound up starting 4 games at the end of the year.

Last modified: 2009-06-19 11:51:08