The New England Patriots had high expectations in 2019 when it became clear their defense was one of the league’s best. The offense seemed to have impressive firepower, too, when the Patriots put together receivers Josh Gordon, Antonio Brown and Julian Edelman. It seemed like the right group to cope with the departure of Rob Gronkowski.
While the defense put together an impressive season, the offense did not — and Brown and Gordon didn’t stick around for long. A number of players fell off through the course of the 2019 season, and if New England is to sustain its successful run, it will need better production out of its stars. So here’s a look at six players who regressed in 2019, but should be better in 2020.
1. Sony Michel, RB
This prediction is more about Josh McDaniels and Bill Belichick than it is about Michel. The Patriots running back was pretty bad in his second season with New England. He averaged just 3.7 yards per carry. Belichick tried to sugarcoat the season for Michel. The young running back tried to stay positive. And though he struggled, the team stuck with him through 247 carries (and not enough good ones). All the while, running back Damien Harris, a 2019 third-round draft choice who was apparently too good to pass up, stayed on the bench. So the Patriots trusted Michel to improve in 2019. It didn’t really happen. They’ll probably trust him to improve in 2020, in part because Belichick invested a first-round pick in Michel. The coach (and GM) really wants the running back to succeed.
2. Shaq Mason, OG
3. Marcus Cannon, OT
A part of Michel’s struggles came as a product of the struggles on the offensive line. No one on the line was downright bad. But everyone played worse than they did in 2018 when they powered the team to a Super Bowl win over the Los Angeles Rams. In particular, Cannon and Mason can — and should — do a better job in 2020. The next quarterback won’t be as quick a processor as Brady (who might be the quickest in the NFL). Michel will need better running blocking and the next QB will need better protection.
These two veterans on the offensive line need to find their previously exceptional standard of play, which should be challenging considering the retirement of offensive line coach Dante Scarnecchia. But Belichick will find a way.
4. Ja’Whaun Bentley, LB
Bentley’s regression seemed mostly to come from a lack of opportunity. New England was stacking its linebacker group with versatile defenders with years of experience. The Patriots gave a lot of snaps to Dont’a Hightower, Kyle Van Noy, Jamie Collins and John Simon. That didn’t make for much work for Bentley, who proved briefly in his rookie season that he was capable of holding down the middle of the defense.
With Van Noy, Collins and Elandon Roberts gone, the Patriots may use Bentley more in 2020. The problem? He’ll have to get past veteran Brandon Copeland and rookies Josh Uche and Anfernee Jennings on the depth chart. It’ll be a crowded group again. But this time, Bentley will have the advantage of experience.
5. Patrick Chung, S
Chung was not a Pro Football Focus favorite in 2010, in part because of a number of tough losses in coverage. Chung’s job is difficult, with so many responsibilities. He’s too small to play linebacker, but he’ll crowd the line of scrimmage anyway as if he was one. He’s also much smaller than the tight ends he covers, but that’s the nature of his position. But he looked like he couldn’t quite keep pace in coverage, even though his run-stopping duties continued to be solid. New England may have added veteran Adrian Phillips and rookie Kyle Dugger, a second-round pick, as contingency plans, if Chung can’t improve. And though he’s 32 years old, Chung should be fine in 2020 with an offseason to heal and refocus on the fundamentals.
6. Deatrich Wise, DE
The Patriots switched their defensive scheme from a 4-3 in 2018 to a 3-4 in 2019. It didn’t really suit Wise. He’s a lanky defensive end, whose frame works in a 4-3 defense, which he gets help from four defensive down-linemen, including two defensive tackles. But in a 3-4 defense, Wise got additional attention from offensive linemen, and wasn’t big enough to hold down his spot on the line. As a result, he played just 22% of defensive snaps. Perhaps with an offseason to put on weight and learn that new position, Wise might find himself more comfortable on the edge.
