NFL Breakdowns: New England Patriots

KEY ADDITIONS
Player, Pos., 2009 Team
Alge Crumpler, TE, Tennessee
Damione Lewis, DT, Carolina
Marques Murrell, LB, N.Y. Jets
Gerard Warren, DL, Oakland
KEY LOSSES
Player, Pos., 2009 Team
Chris Baker, TE, Seattle
Jarvis Green, DE, Denver
Chris Hanson, P, Free agent
Junior Seau, LB, Retired
Shawn Springs, CB, Free agent
Adalius Thomas, LB, Free agent
Benjamin Watson, TE, Cleveland

NEW ENGLAND IN THE DRAFT
Rd., Player, Pos., Ht., Wt., College
1. Devin McCourty, CB, 5-11, 193, Rutgers
2. Rob Gronkowski, TE, 6-6, 264, Arizona
2. Jermaine Cunningham, OLB, 6-3, 266, Florida
2. Brandon Spikes, LB, 6-3, 249, Florida
3. Taylor Price, WR, 6-0, 204, Ohio
4. Aaron Hernandez, TE, 6-2, 245, Florida
5. Zoltan Mesko, P, 6-4, 240, Michigan
6. Ted Larsen, OL, 6-2, 304, NC State
7. Thomas Welch, OL, 6-6, 307, Vanderbilt
7. Brandon Deaderick, DE, 6-4, 314, Alabama
7. Kade Weston, DT, 6-5, 317, Georgia
7. Zac Robinson, QB, 6-2,, 214, Oklahoma State

Offense:
The Patriots have one of the scariest pass offenses in the league. Tom Brady is great, he's a winner, he's a top 2 QB in the league and he can win games by himself. Who he's throwing to is Randy Moss, Wes Welker, Julian Edelman and Aaron Hernandez. If Moss doesn't pull shit and if Wes Welker is healthy look for Brady to put up some absurd numbers. I think Aaron Hernandez will be a great check down player for Brady and have himself a very strong rookie campaign. Their RB situation gets a little sticky which we seemingly say every year. Lawrence Marony, Fred Taylor, Sammie Morris, Benjarvis Green- Ellis and Kevin Faulk are going to be the men who carry the ball and non of them are good, or given the opportunities to produce consistently. Lawrence Maroney is the guy everyone is giving the nod to and I just don't see him handling it. He's been given every chance and failed, what tells you this year wil be any different? Plus one this that is overlooked is the loss of Logan Mankins who's a top guard in the NFL, missing him will absolutely make number 12's jersey get dirty and that's not a good thing.

Defense:
The defense this year will be called a bend but don't break offense headed into the year, and will be called a bottom 4 when the year is over. I'm more then concerned with this defense who seemingly has one player in Vince Wilfork. Their D line is headed by Wilfork and he's flanked by Mike Wright, Ty Warren, And Ron Brace. None of those guys will be able to get pressure on opposing QB's. I don't care if you have Champ Bailey and Darrell Revis as your CBs, if you don't get pressure on the QB, they would look bad. Their linebackers are also a question mark, they are led by Jerod Mayo, Rookie Brandon Spikes, Gary Guyton, and Tully Banta Cain. The key to this is Mayo, if he can shake off the inconsistency probably caused by injuries, he can make up for the others. Their secondary is really the thing that makes me want to cut myself. Darius Butler, Jonathan Wilhite, Devin McCourty, Terrence Wheatley, Brandon Meriweather, and James Sanders is who they are relying on to make stops on opposing WRs and that's a scary thought. Already with a lack of a pass rush the Patriots are asking this group to perform miracles. Their only playmaking secondary player was Leigh Bodden and he's gone for the year, so this isn't going to be fun.

Overall:
Tom Brady wins this team 8 games and that's where it stops. 8-8.