Patriots To-Do List: Coach Bill Belichick's 5 Next Moves
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The New England Patriots were inches away from catastrophic dysfunction ... and yet inches away from making the playoffs.
We'll look at this as "glass is half-full'' and simply say that the Pats have some AFC East catching up to do this offseason.
Here's the five spots where coach Bill Belichick can start getting busy.
1 - About that "dysfunction.'' ... We've seen some "listicles'' in which the Pats' priority is "wide receiver'' or whatever other position. But frankly, this team could have three Jerry Rices at wide receiver ... and if the offensive coaching staff is backbiting at one another and the most important offensive players spend much of their time cussing out the bosses or rolling their eyes at the bosses?
New England will never win.
This is Job 1. By far.
2 - The "Sky's the Limit'' version of Mac Jones. Did the second-year QB take a leap forward? Or even a step forward? If the answer is "no'' (and it is), that's completely on Belichick.
It's OK to hire your buddy, your crony or even your kid. But if your hire gets in the way of your first-round QB? It's not just the QB who will regress; it's the entire organization.
3. A No. 1 wideout. Jakobi Meyers helped himself right into free agency. Good. But New England has long been devoid of a true Pro Bowl-level receiver. The DeAndre Hopkins trade idea is fun ... except maybe to Hopkins himself, given that his New England supervisor would be ex-Texans boss Bill O'Brien, the new coordinator in Foxboro.
The Brandin Cooks idea? Maybe easier for all to swallow.
4. The tackle shuffle. All three top guys Isaiah Wynn, Conor McDermott and Trent Brown are in a state of flux. Belichick needs some Draft Day help here.
5. A defensive dynamo. We've seen the arguments for a top-grade cornerback and we get it. But we'll argue in another direction: The Pats need a defensive dynamo, a top-grade anybody. ... because all the "anybodies'' are links in a chain.
A star corner? That would help the pass rush. Another pass-rusher? That would help the secondary.
Pick No. 14 in the first round is early enough to not bother "drafting a position.'' Belichick must instead "draft a player'' - and ideally a "dynamo'' who helps right away to help New England speed away from "dysfunction'' and "almosts'' and "inches'' and back to the playoffs.
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