The New Guys in Town

It was like nothing was happening and then all of a sudden I could barely keep up…

 

There are probably more moves coming but I'm going to catch up on the moves so far, in no particular order…

RB Donald Brown – An insurance policy for Dion Lewis. If Lewis has to start the season on PUP the Pats could need another back who can catch passes out of the backfield. He's more likely a backup to James White than a replacement for Lewis. Glass half empty? There's probably a reason Brown hasn't got a lot of wear on the tires. Glass half full? Not a lot of wear on the tires. Brown doesn't need to be the answer at running back and that's good because he probably isn't.

DE Chris Long – We're all hoping Long can help out as situational pass rusher. Think Andre Carter or Mark Anderson. We'd all be happy with that, wouldn't we? Of course we would! Jabaal Sheard will start alongside Rob Ninkovich and maybe Sheard slides inside with Long taking over the edge on passing downs. Glass half empty? Let's hope Geneo Grissom and Trey Flowers are ready to push Long for playing time. Glass half full? Belichick knows how maximize a player's strengths and Long can still get after the quarterback.

DT Frank Kearse – No lie, losing Akiem Hicks hurts. The word on the street is the Patriots liked what they saw in Kearse during joint practices with Washington last year. Um, okay. Assuming Dominique Easley can play 16 for the first time in his young career, Kearse only needs to be DT4. Glass half empty? What's the over/under on when Easley goes on season-ending IR? I'm betting the under. Glass half full? I hear the Patriots really liked him in joint practices with Washington last year.

LB Ramon Humber – Hey, he only has to be better than Dane Fletcher. Glass half empty? Got to hope he's better than that. Glass half full? He can't help but be better than that.

WR Chris Hogan – This guy is like straight out of central casting for the Patriots. Played lacrosse in college. Can line up outside or in the slot. Plays on special teams. More than a few Pats fans have punched Danny Amendola's one-way ticket out of town given Hogan's profile as a younger, taller, more athletic version of Amendola. You could also look at Hogan as having a similar profile to Wes Welker. Like Welker, his former team couldn't figure out how to maximize his talents, in part due to their lack of Tom Brady at QB. I'd like to have Amendola, too, but I suspect that will come down to market economics. Glass half empty? Hogan makes us think Belichick gave up on Brandon LaFell too soon. Yeah, I don't think that's going to happen. Glass half full? Hogan turns out to be a younger, taller, more athletic version of Amendola.

OG Jonathan Cooper – First round bust or late bloomer? I guess we'll find out soon enough. Hey, the Pats need help on the offensive line, don't they? You didn't think they were going to overpay for Evan Mathis, did you? Glass half empty? Hey, we got that 2nd round draft pick, too. Glass half full? Dante Scarnecchia helps Cooper realize his 1st round potential.

LB Shea McClellin – First round bust or late – hey, where have I heard that before? Like Cooper, McClellin is another former 1st round pick who failed to live up to expectations with his former team but unlike Cooper, McClellin seemed to have finally found his way after moving from DE to OLB to ILB. Glass half empty? The Pats would've been better off with James Laurinaitis. Glass half full? McClellin is a younger, more durable Jerod Mayo.

TE Martellus Bennett – I'm hoping this turns out like the Corey Dillon pick up. Dillon didn't just burn bridges on his way out of Cincinnati, he blew them up with tactical nukes. Bennett seems merely quirky by comparison. Still, neither Bennett or Dillon before him looked like the prototypical Patriot before they came to Foxborough. Dillon, of course, quickly became a folk hero; Clock Killin' Corey Dillon. If Bennett and Rob Gronkowski in two tight end sets should wreak havoc on NFL defenses. Add Michael Williams in three tight end sets and defenses will be forced to put eight in the box and crush it in the running game. And we know how good Tom Brady is in play action. Bennett could easily be the straw that breaks the rest of the NFL. Glass half empty? Bennett fails to recapture his pro bowl form and fails to click with Brady. Glass half full? Bennett, Gronk, Julian Edelman, Dion Lewis/James White, Chris Hogan, Danny Amendola (maybe) and Keshawn Martin (remember him?) with Brady pulling the trigger.

Okay. Nobody wins the Super Bowl in March. Still, it's hard not to like the upside with the new guys. Jonathan Cooper has got to have a chip on his shoulder and he's going to have the best offensive line coach in the NFL to help him make the Cardinals regret letting him go. Martellus Bennett has to know this is his first best shot at a ring. Shea McClellin doesn't have to be Pigskin Jesus anymore; he just has to do his job and Chris Hogan does look like a next gen Wes Welker. Getting 6+ sacks out of Chris Long would just be jimmies on the sundae.

And you know Belichick may still have a move or two up his sleeve (are they shopping Amendola?), not to mention 11 picks in the draft.

The season can't start soon enough.