Yes, Darrelle, the Patriots were this close to winning the AFC a year ago and getting to a seventh Super Bowl of the Tom Brady era. And yes, you can help them win the AFC and the Super Bowl in 2014.
The addition of Darrelle Revis certainly makes the Patriots a better team. Aqib Talib, who served as the team's top cover cornerback after the Patriots traded for him in November 2012, was a very good player and he will certainly help the Broncos improve their defense but Revis is the better player of the two.
Revis is the best cover cornerback in the NFL. He is the rare talent in the NFL that can line up across from the opponents top receiver and basically remove that player from making an impact for the entire game. I am very excited to see how Bill Belichick can employ Revis and build a defense around his talents.
Revis alone will not get the Patriots a fourth Lombardi Trophy. The Patriots still have needs to address on both sides of the ball if they are to win another championship.
On defense, bolstering the pass rush is a must. Chandler Jones is emerging as an elite defensive end and Rob Ninkovich is also a good player but to beat elite quarterbacks - like Peyton Manning - the Patriots will need more than just those two players. If Tommy Kelly comes back next season (he is a possible candidate to be cut to create salary cap space) he will help with getting to the opposing quarterback but even that won't be enough. Candidates in free agency include Jared Allen and Julius Peppers, two former All-Pro players who might be willing to take a little less money at this stage of their careers for the chance at a Super Bowl ring.
Another area of need on the defense is at linebacker. Jerod Mayo will be back from injury and both Dont'a Hightower and Jamie Collins have flashed potential in their young careers but adding quality depth at the position is a must. Wesley Woodyard of the Broncos was in for a visit yesterday and would provide a good coverage linebacker for passing situations.
Lastly, the secondary still needs help. Revis' presence makes for an instant upgrade but there is still room to improve, especially at safety. Free agent Brandon Browner is in for a visit today and although he's a cornerback, he could easily slide over to safety and at 6-4, 225 pounds would provide an intimidating presence in the middle of the field.
On offense, the Patriots need help at offensive line, depth at tight end, and need to solve their problems at wide receiver. They likely won't spend too much on the line and instead will look for bargains in free agency and late in the draft. Tight end will likely be addressed in the draft as well as the expected return of Rob Gronkowski will lead to an immediate upgrade at the position.
At receiver, the team is reportedly still negotiating with Julian Edelman. Edelman emerged as Brady's top target in 2013 and it would be nice to see Brady be able to build on and improve that relationship in 2014. The expected development of 2013 rookies Aaron Dobson, Josh Boyce, and Kenbrell Thompkins should also help as will a healthy season from Danny Amendola. Free agent targets could be Steve Smith, cut by the Panthers today, and Hakeem Nicks, who would give Brady a big target on the outside.
No comments:
Post a Comment