Around this time last season, people were ready to close the curtains on the New England Patriots’ dynasty. Rare fractures within the mystique of the most successful franchise in NFL history could be seen in the aftermath of an ugly Super Bowl LII loss in which coach Bill Belichick mysteriously benched cornerback Malcolm Butler.
However, it is a proven fact that winning solves every problem, and there has never been a better winning combination than Belichick and quarterback Tom Brady. A new year brought about another opportunity for the pair to prove the historic run hadn’t ended.
It also delivered the galvanizing moment of Brady leading a “We’re still here” chant among the Patriots faithful at a rally ahead of Super Bowl LIII.
That devastating loss to the Philadelphia Eagles to end the 2017 season turned into a renewed focus as the Patriots plowed through the Los Angeles Chargers, Kansas City Chiefs and Los Angeles Rams to capture their sixth Lombardi Trophy. Another year of sensationalized media attention on their impending doom became the impetus for their success.
The headlines could be much different in 2019 as the Patriots prepare to defend their throne and capture an unprecedented seventh Super Bowl title. Everything starts from scratch in less than two weeks, when the Patriots reprise their role as the hunted.
Here are five of the biggest storylines headed into training camp:
‘Tom vs. Time’ watch continues
The “Tom vs. Time” storyline has been played out like an episode of “Days of Our Lives,” but everyone knows the inevitable cliff talk will resume for Brady once training camp begins.
Never mind the fact that he outgunned Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes twice in the 2018 season, including on the road in the AFC championship game. Those phenomenal feats will somehow get tossed aside for juicier sound bites of how a soon-to-be 42-year-old quarterback shouldn’t be competing at an elite level in the NFL.
That essentially means Brady will once again be performing under a magnifying glass with every interception and missed throw weaving into the same misplaced narrative. Father Time might be undefeated, but he also hasn’t fought anyone quite like Brady.
Is Rob Gronkowski really retired?
Gronkowski appears hell-bent on trolling people about a potential return from retirement for as long as they keep asking. I wouldn’t expect anything less from the fun-loving former Patriots tight end, who still has the media and fans eating out of the palm of his hand.
During an appearance on the “The Rich Eisen Show,” Gronkowski joked that Brady should “call” when he gets to the playoffs. Not long after that segment, Pro Football Talk reported a source close to Gronkowski claiming there is a 40 percent chance he returns to the team at some point in the season. Then there was the impromptu practice at the UCLA campus in which Gronk met up with Brady to catch passes.
There’s plenty of smoke to assume there could be some fire, especially if the Patriots struggle offensively during the season. The team opted to pass on adding a replacement in a 2019 NFL Draft stocked with plenty of talent at the tight end position. Even with the return of Ben Watson, the Patriots still have a massive void at tight end that Gronkowski could instantly fill if he chooses.
Will Josh Gordon’s suspension be lifted?
The Patriots are moving on with business as usual, but there simply is no ignoring the elephant in the room: the status of former All-Pro receiver Josh Gordon’s indefinite suspension.
He signed his tender in April, making him available to the Patriots if he is given the green light by the league. There has been very little information emanating from the league regarding the situation, aside from previous comments made by commissioner Roger Goodell during a press conference at the NFL’s annual meeting.
“I think I said this a couple months ago,” said Goodell, per ESPN’s Mike Reiss. “The first thing right now is the focus on Josh himself as a young man and what he needs to do to get his life on the right track. That’s what our focus is. We have resources supporting that, and that’s our hope — to make sure he gets on the right track. Once he gets on the right track, we’ll get to that place (football return). But I think right now, he has had a complete focus on, ‘I have to get myself all cleared in the right place before I can get back on the field.’”
The return of Gordon would be a major boost for the Patriots after losing Gronkowski. Before the suspension, Gordon led all receivers for the team, including Super Bowl LIII MVP Julian Edelman, in 2018 with 720 receiving yards. That sort of dominant presence on the outside, along with Edelman, N’Keal Harry, Demaryius Thomas and Phillip Dorsett, would give the Patriots one of the most versatile receiving corps in the league.
How steep is the learning curve for N’Keal Harry?
The rookie made Patriots history before stepping on the football field, becoming the first receiver to be drafted in the first round by the Patriots in the Belichick era. That feat alone comes with added pressure and unrealistic expectations.
Harry is undoubtedly a talented prospect, but it also isn’t likely for him to pick up the Patriots offense on the fly and rack up 1,000 yards receiving in his first year in the league. It’s going to take time for him to get acclimated to the speed of the NFL, along with learning the ins and outs of the Patriots’ offensive system, while developing chemistry with Brady.
With Gordon out, Harry should see plenty of one-on-one matchups with first-team All-Pro corner Stephon Gilmore throughout training camp.
Can the Patriots defense pick up where it left off?
There is plenty of talk of Brady and the Patriots offense and not enough talk about the defense. It’s the same defense that shut down quarterback Jared Goff and the high-flying Rams offense at Super Bowl LIII. It’s the same defense that shut down Mahomes and the unstoppable Chiefs offense in the first half of the AFC championship game.
Sure, Trey Flowers is no longer with the team, but an argument could be made that the team upgraded by adding three-time Pro Bowler Michael Bennett at defensive end. Not to mention the already talented defensive backfield getting what could be a massive upgrade with the addition of rookie second-round draft pick Joejuan Williams and the return of 2018 second-round pick Duke Dawson.
The Patriots will also have arguably the best linebacker corps in football with Dont’a Hightower, Kyle Van Noy, Jamie Collins and Ja’Whaun Bentley. Worrying about Brady’s offense might be the least of the problems for opposing teams.
