Now that minicamp is in the rearview, the quiet time of the offseason has arrived. There has been a lot of high-profile turnover on the Patriots, from the coaching staff to players like defensive end Trey Flowers and tight end Rob Gronkowski.
The Patriots rarely leave themselves vulnerable to roster holes and their strength lies within the middle of their roster. At multiple positions, there is depth that allows the team to seamlessly fill any offseason losses. Now is a perfect time to take a look at which Patriots players could have the patented breakout year in the upcoming season.
1. Ryan Izzo, tight end
Despite a handful of offseason additions, the tight end position for the Patriots continues to look like a work in progress. The team drafted Izzo in the seventh round of the 2018 draft and he was beginning to shine during training camp last year. Throughout the summer, it appeared Izzo could push Dwayne Allen for his roster spot as the dominant blocking tight end next to Gronk.
Unfortunately, he ended up on injured reserve before things really got going for him. If Izzo can move past his injury and up the depth chart, he could provide some welcome stability to a position that needs it badly.
2. J.C. Jackson, cornerback
After a remarkable 2018 season, Jackson is a player to watch this summer and into September. If he can continue to ascend as a strong and effective playmaker across from Stephon Gilmore, the Patriots could have one of the strongest cornerback pairings in the league.
Bill Belichick spoke highly of Jackson last season, highlighting some of his strengths off the field that could propel him into a bigger spotlight this season:
“If he makes mistakes, try to correct it. He works at it, usually shows some improvement in that area, go on to something else. But, his durability, his consistency and just being out there every day practicing, doing things, getting corrected, getting better, working on them the next day. I mean, that’s really how you improve. So, practicing and being durable and being consistent, it goes a long way.”
With another offseason in Foxborough and all of the rookie speed bumps ironed out, Jackson has the opportunity to solidify a starting role on the defense.
3. Derek Rivers, defensive line
Rivers has been a popular choice to break out since he was drafted in 2017. His career got off to a rocky start with a torn ACL as a rookie and a slow start last season left him unable to break through a deep group of players on the defensive line. Coach Belichick expressed positivity when discussing Rivers last season.
“He’s worked hard every day. Last year we had a ton of injuries at that position. This year we’ve been totally healthy there so the opportunities, well we have more people for the same number of opportunities, but last year was a totally different situation so it couldn’t be more different from year to year. When he’s had an opportunity, he’s done well with it, both in practice and in games. I think he’s got a really good future. I’m glad we have him. He could be a good player. I think he is a good player, it’s just kind of a little bit of a situational thing right now.”
The injury is behind him and the stability at the edge position is more open-ended now that Flowers has departed. The skills and athleticism are there, now Rivers needs to show he can be an effective player on the field.
4. Ja’Whuan Bentley, linebacker
Bentley was beginning to blossom on the field last season until he suffered an injury against the Detroit Lions in Week 4. Fast forward to now and Bentley is healthy and ready to compete for a role in a deep linebacker group. Despite the number of new bodies at the position, Bentley should be able to step in and pick things up from where he left off.
The team loved his intelligence and leadership, as he even sported the green dot on his helmet signifying the coaching staff’s trust in him. Just look at how highly his fellow linebackers spoke of him following his season-ending injury and it is obvious the team sees big things on the horizon for Bentley.
5. Braxton Berrios, wide receiver
Berrios was another member of the Patriots 2018 draft class that finished the season on IR. Now that he is healthy again, Berrios has the opportunity to secure himself some targets from Tom Brady. The wide receiver position is unsettled outside of Julian Edelman and N’Keal Harry, leaving plenty of holes to be filled on the depth chart. Following practice recently, Berrios told NESN of the progress he made behind the scenes last year.
“Honestly, I learned a lot,” Berrios said. “I grew a lot in all phases of being a football player and being a person and just meshing with everybody in the building. I got so much better from then to now overall just knowing everything — learning everything, let’s put it that way. … (But) I don’t take any of the knowledge for granted. I still study like everything is brand new.”
Berrios would add a weapon to the slot, but it would also be huge for him to show some ability on punt returns. If Berrios can shine this summer, he could provide a potential replacement for Edelman somewhere down the road.
6. Isaiah Wynn, offensive line
The final player on this list is one who has some rather large shoes to fill at the left tackle position. With the departure of Trent Brown and Nate Solder before him, the Patriots need to lock down one of the most important positions in football. The team is earmarking Wynn to fill that void and he certainly showcased everything he has to offer last offseason before suffering a torn ACL. Back in May, offensive line coach Dante Scarnecchia offered some insight on Wynn as the offseason continues on.
“I went back over all of training camp and looked at everything, and this guy is a really good football player. He’s done a great job. We are going to let the process go forward and as soon as he can get out there, we’ll get him out there. What he’s doing right now is all tied to his health. He’s getting better and all of that. That’s a process and it’s going really well.”
With the tutelage of Scarnecchia and support from a strong offensive line group, Wynn should be able to shine protecting Tom Brady’s blindside.
