The Patriots have had a more than interesting off-season first losing the GOAT with Tom Brady heading to Tampa Bay and the team recently signed former MVP Cam Newton.
Even without Brady, the team has the best odds to win the AFC East, which they have won for 11 straight seasons.
Odds to win AFC East: +100
Odds to win AFC: +700
Odds to win Super Bowl: +1700
Key Additions: Cam Newton was signed to an incentive-laden one-year deal and the former MVP only played in two games last season.
The team signed QB Brian Hoyer for his third stint with the Pats and they picked up a couple of WR’s in the oft-injured but talented Marqise Lee and Damiere Byrd.
New England used their two third-round draft picks to nab a couple of tight ends in Devin Asiasi and Dalton Keene.
Key Losses: Well, not much besides the greatest player of all time in Brady, who guided the team to six Super Bowl wins.
Interesting that the last time the Pats did not win the AFC East was in 2008 when Brady missed the season with a knee injury suffered in Week 1.
Longtime and more than steady K Stephen Gostkowski is gone and his fill-in due to a hip injury in Nick Folk is as well. Fifth-round draft pick Justin Rohrwasser will man the kicking duties.
Season Preview
For the first time in two decades, Brady will not be under center for New England.
Newton has looked healthy in videos posted in the off-season and he may battle with second-year Jarrett Stidham for the starting QB job.
However, if Newton is healthy and picks up the system he is likely the Week 1 starter.
The Pats lacked weapons last season with 2019 first-round draft pick N’Keal Harry injured much of the year and mid-season addition Mohamed Sanu also hobbled.
They are back and healthy, the team signed two WR free agents, and Julian Edelman is coming off a career-high 1,117 receiving yards last season.
All of the RB’s from last season return in Sony Michel, James White, Rex Burkhead, Damien Harris, and Brandon Bolden. Michel led the team with 912 rushing yards but only averaged 3.7 yards per carry.
White is a solid pass-catching back that ranked second on the team last season with 645 receiving yards.
The Pats’ offense has talent, but the injury issue is a big question. Sanu and Harry need to show they are legit and can Edelman shine again without the GOAT under center?
Obviously, the big question for New England is can Newton or Stidham get it done replacing a legend?
Defense Ranked #1
The New England defense was the top-ranked unit in the league last season, but it helped they had a weak schedule early in the season.
Still, the D is still a great one and a balanced one and last season four players had at least 5.5 sacks.
The Pats have a tough early part of the season with two of their first four games against the Seahawks and Chiefs and both of those games are on the road.
Not only that but they face the 49ers in their sixth game and the Ravens three weeks later.
Prediction: The Patriots have the big question mark at the QB position and a tough schedule but still have a solid ground game and a great defense.
I think Newton will be the starter and play well in the run-first offense and the Pats will win double-digits in games and win the AFC East yet again.