Josh McDaniels – The Beantown Briefing

Cam & the Pats rush past Miami!

TEAM	1	2	3	4	T
MIA	0	3	0	8	11
NE	0	7	7	7	21

The Patriots started off the post-Brady era with a win, as they knocked off the Miami Dolphins (0-1) with a 21-11 victory in an empty Gillette Stadium. Cam Newton made his heavily anticipated debut as the team’s quarterback, and was efficient as both a rusher and a passer. In addition, Bill Belichick’s defense came to play, as they were able to mostly shut down Miami’s offense throughout the game.

Here are some takeaways from this Week 1 contest.

1. Cam and the offense had their way

As I mentioned in my preview for this game, the biggest question mark for the Patriots was definitely Cam Newton’s health and effectiveness, as we hadn’t seen him in action for almost a year. Newton didn’t disappoint, as he had 230 total yards, including 2 rushing touchdowns. He was a decisive rusher, and most surprisingly, he didn’t shy away from contact, with a clear highlight being his second touchdown, where he got hit hard by a Dolphins’ defender as he crossed the goal line. After two decades with a immobile quarterback, it was fascinating to see the designed runs cooked up by Josh McDaniels, which varied from option runs to simple draws.

Furthermore, Newton’s passing was crisp, and apart from a couple of drops and pass breakups, he was accurate with the football. It was encouraging to see him build a rapport with Julian Edelman (5 receptions for 57 yards), N’Keal Harry (5 receptions for 39 yards), and James White (3 receptions for 30 yards). The trio will need to step up throughout the season for the team to have success getting the ball down the field. Unfortunately for Harry, he had a crucial fumble into the end zone which ended a great drive in second half, and breathed new life into Miami’s comeback attempt. More than anything else, Bill Belichick values protecting the football, so I’m sure that he let the second-year receiver know that mistakes like that won’t be tolerated in the future.

I believe that the offensive line had a great game, as they were able to protect Newton (he was only sacked 2 times), and clear lanes for the team’s running backs. It was encouraging to see David Andrews return to action after missing last season, and it was clear that having him back helped anchor the offensive line. The team’s running backs (along with Newton) collaborated for 217 yards on the ground, setting a record for a Patriots’ season opener. After struggling for most of last season, Sony Michel showed some burst, although he only netted 37 yards, to go along with a touchdown. The biggest surprise from the running back room had to be undrafted rookie J.J. Taylor, who showed his ability to be a power runner despite his shorter stature, as he totaled 28 yards off of 4 carries.

All in all, having a versatile quarterback such as Newton helped change the pace of the Patriots offense, as they’re definitely more versatile than they’ve been in the past. However, it’s important to note that they will probably switch things up as they get through the season, as it’s not sustainable to have Newton rush 15 times per game.

2. The secondary led the defense once again

The last time these two teams met, Miami had their way against the previously impervious Patriots’ secondary, as they were able to drive down the field at will to win the game. Yesterday was a different story, as the Patriots were able to force Ryan Fitzpatrick into throwing three interceptions, with Stephon Gilmore, Adrian Phillips, and JC Jackson responsible for the turnovers. Apart from some mental errors that extended drives due to penalties in the second half, it’s hard to be mad at how the Patriots’ secondary played yesterday. However, they’ll have to be better as their competition becomes tougher.

The Patriots’ defense was much better against the run, as they held Miami to 87 yards as a team, with crafty veterans Matt Breida (5 carries for 22 yards) & Jordan Howard (8 yards for 7 yards) accounting for less than 30 yards combined. My only complaint is that that they struggled to contain Fitzpatrick coming out of the pocket, as he picked up a few first downs, and even scored on a two-point conversion.

To sum up their defensive performance, I was impressed by the way they locked up a sneaky good Miami offense, but there are definitely kinks to be worked up as the season progresses.

Statistical Leaders:

Patriots

Passing: Cam Newton – 15/19 for 155 yards
Rushing: Cam Newton – 15 carries for 75 yards, & 2 touchdowns
Receiving: Julian Edelman – 5 receptions for 57 yards
Defensive: Adrian Phillips – 9 total tackles

Dolphins

Passing: Ryan Fitzpatrick – 20/30 for 191 yards, & 3 interceptions
Rushing: Myles Gaskin – 9 carries for 40 yards
Receiving: Devante Parker – 4 receptions for 47 yards
Defensive: Jerome Baker – 16 total tackles (including 1 sack)

Bonus:

1. New uniforms!

It was great seeing the Patriots debut their new uniforms, which looked great under the September sun, although it wouldn’t be a bad idea to introduce silver or white pants.

2. Artificial crowd

The artificial crowd noise concocted by the NFL left a bit to be desired, as it definitely didn’t sound like a real crowd was in attendance, but I’m guessing that it will be improved as the season goes on.

3. Post game tussle

Cam Newton and some Miami defenders got into it after the game ended, with Newton insisting that they tried to yank one of the chains around his neck. Newton mocked them after the game on his Instagram, although two Dolphins chimed in to say that they didn’t want his “weak” chain.

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Cam Newton (@cameron1newton)

What’s next?: The Patriots head out west to Seattle to take on Russell Wilson & the Seahawks (1-0) on Sunday Night Football.

Can the new look Patriots exact revenge on Miami?

In the NFL, it’s common knowledge that you’re not entitled to anything. If you want to put your team in a good position to succeed in the playoffs, you need to show up when it matters. Unfortunately for the Patriots, they didn’t seem to get the memo last season, when they unexpectedly dropped their regular season finale to the Miami Dolphins at home. That loss prevented New England from securing a first round bye, and forced them to host Tennessee for a Wild Card game that ended up being Tom Brady’s last game as a Patriot.

A lot of things have changed since that matchup in December, from the pandemic, to the vast exodus of veterans from the Patriots roster during free agency. A win tomorrow won’t change the result from that Week 17 contest, but it would help set the tone for a wildly different season with Cam Newton under center.

With that being said, here’s what to look forward to during this Week 1 matchup.

1. What will the Patriots’ offense look like?

New England’s offensive struggles throughout the tumultuous 2019 season were well documented, as it quickly became evident that receivers other than Julian Edelman consistently struggled to get open against man coverage. Other than letting Phillip Dorsett walk & releasing Mohamed Sanu, Bill Belichick didn’t do much to overhaul the wide receiver corps, which means that the Patriots will be relying on Edelman, N’Keal Harry, and Jakobi Meyers to carry the load. Personally, I’m excited to see what newcomer Damiere Byrd can bring to the table, as his pure speed could help open things up down the field. Due to the strength of Miami’s secondary, I’m pessimistic about the Patriots’ chances of winning one-on-one matchups against Dolphin defenders. However, the addition of rookie tight ends Devin Asiasi and Dalton Keene could help lighten the load for the team’s wide receivers, as they are definitely miles better than the team’s putrid tight end room from last season. Based on what we’ve heard from training camp, both Asiasi & Keene are dynamic, but the learning curve for rookie tight ends is typically steep, so it will definitely be a storyline to follow.

After a stellar rookie season, Sony Michel struggled mightily during the 2019 season, as he had a tough time getting started behind a patchwork offensive line. Luckily for Michel, starting center David Andrews is returning to action, after missing the entire 2019 season due to blood clots in his lungs. Andrews was a key anchor for the offensive line that dominated opponents during the Patriots’ last run to the Super Bowl. Michel had a leg injury that sidelined him for most of training camp, but when he returned, it was reported that he was quicker and more agile than the last time we saw him. As always, the Patriots will turn to the reliable duo of James White & Rex Burkhead to supplement Michel, with the two veterans also playing an important role in the passing game as well. The most intriguing member of the running back room has to be Damien Harris, who had a strong training camp until he suffered an untimely injury that will sideline him for at least 3 weeks.

I think it’s obvious that the biggest question mark surrounding the Patriots right now has to be the health & effectiveness of Cam Newton. Due to a lack of preseason games, we haven’t seen Newton in action for almost a year, which means that his running ability (which typically energizes an offense) is an unknown for now. Hence, we don’t know how comfortable Newton will be scrambling around the pocket and line of scrimmage tomorrow. Most importantly, it’s interesting to wonder if he’ll still initiate contact with defenders, which was a big part of his game back in Carolina. That being said, the mystery around Newton’s game could actually be a boon for Belichick and Josh McDaniels, as Miami’s head coach Brian Flores won’t know exactly what he’s dealing with. Most analysts have said that they expect McDaniels’ plan for Newton to be similar to Norv Turner’s short passing game from Newton’s stellar but injury plagued 2018 season, which actually seems to suit how the Patriots’ receivers play, as they’re definitely more effective across the middle of the field.

All in all, I’m excited to see how the post-Brady Patriots’ offense looks with a more mobile quarterback in Cam Newton, whose strengths may help cover the warts at wide receiver and other skill positions.

New England Patriots Practice — FOXBOROUGH, MA – AUGUST 26: QB Cam Newton, left, and Julian Edelman work out during a drill at the training camp. The New England Patriots hold practice training camp at Gillette Stadium in Foxborough, MA on Aug. 27, 2020. (Photo by John Tlumacki/The Boston Globe via Getty Images)

2. Can the defense deliver?

One of the biggest storylines of the offseason was the news that several Patriots veterans, including key leaders Dont’a Hightower and Patrick Chung had decided to opt out of the 2020 season due to concerns surrounding COVID-19. The absence of these two important defensive contributors will undoubtedly cast a spotlight on younger players on the defense, and test Bill Belichick’s confidence in them.

It may be hard to take the Dolphins’ offense seriously with 37 year old journeyman QB Ryan Fitzpatrick under center, but as the Patriots learned last year, he can hurt you when it matters most. Fitzpatrick’s top two weapons in Devante Parker & Mike Gesicki were key contributors during that December loss, and will likely be an important part of Miami’s game plan tomorrow. Uncharacteristically, Stephon Gilmore struggled mightily covering Parker, so I have to imagine that the reigning Defensive Player of the Year is salivating at the opportunity to exact revenge by locking up Miami’s top receiver. Due to the loss of Patrick Chung, it’ll be interesting to see how the Patriots decide to match up against Gesicki, but I wouldn’t be surprised if their top pick Kyle Dugger is given the assignment due to the success he had during training camp. Having Devin McCourty in the back end will be as important as ever, due to his effectiveness as both a player and a leader. New England will also have to deal with Preston Williams & Jakeem Grant, but I’m confident that the rest of the secondary will be able to limit their effectiveness.

However, the team’s defensive line and linebacker corps are much more of an enigma. The defensive line struggled to stop the run throughout last season, with the Wild Card game being a clear example, as Derrick Henry accumulated 182 rushing yards for the Titans. Other than adding veteran DT Beau Allen, the Patriots mostly stayed pat at the position, which means that Lawrence Guy and a slew of younger players will be tasked with playing much better against the run this season. Tomorrow’s game will be a tall task, as Miami has one of the fastest running backs in the league in Matt Breida, and a bruising rusher in Jordan Howard.

Dont’a Hightower’s decision to opt out dealt a devastating blow to the team’s linebacker corps, as he was a steadying force in the middle of the field. Luckily, the Patriots went into April’s draft with the goal of improving at linebacker, due to the departures of Jamie Collins, Elandon Roberts, & Kyle Van Noy (the latter two players signed with Miami). This led to the team drafting Alabama LB Anfernee Jennings & Michigan LB Josh Uche, who should help add versatility to the position behind three-year veteran Ja’Whaun Bentley. New England will also rely on Chase Winovich and John Simon to set the edge, and get after Fitzpatrick.

The Patriots had one of the NFL’s best defenses last year, so it will be intriguing to see how the retooled lineup looks tomorrow against a Dolphins offense that gave them fits last season.

Injury Report:

Patriots

Yodny Cajuste (knee) – Out
Gunner Olszewski (foot) – Out
Dalton Keene (neck) – Questionable
Cassh Maluia (knee) – Questionable
N’Keal Harry (shoulder) – Questionable
Chase Winovich (shoulder) – Questionable

Dolphins

Clayton Fejedelem (pectoral) – Doubtful

Bonus:

1. New uniforms!

Tomorrow’s game will mark the debut of the Patriots’ new uniforms, which are primarily based on the team’s popular Color Rush uniforms which were worn from 2016 to 2019. Interestingly, this will be the first time the team wears the combination in a non-prime time game.

Dev new unis 2020 — (Photo via the New England Patriots)

2. Fans in the stands?

Due to COVID-19, the Patriots will not have fans in Gillette Stadium throughout September. New England has been provided with a recorded track of artificial crowd noise which will be filtered throughout the stadium.

Prediction: Patriots 23, Dolphins 14

Here are my picks for the rest of the NFL’s Week 1 slate (apart from Thursday’s opening game).

Jets at Bills: Bills

Packers at Vikings: Vikings

Eagles at Washington: Eagles

Browns at Ravens: Ravens

Colts at Jaguars: Colts

Raiders at Panthers: Raiders

Bears at Lions: Bears

Seahawks at Falcons: Seahawks

Chargers at Bengals: Chargers

Cardinals at 49ers: 49ers

Buccaneers at Saints: Saints

Cowboys at Rams: Cowboys

Steelers at Giants: Steelers

Titans at Broncos: Titans

A SUPER Move?: Cam Newton signs with the Patriots!

2020 has been a strange year to say the least, with the NFL being no exception. Tom Brady’s decision to leave the Patriots back in March (with Rob Gronkowski joining him soon after) was surreal, and so was Cam Newton’s departure from Carolina, after 9 seasons with the Panthers. After being linked to the former MVP for over 3 months, the Patriots finally pulled the trigger on signing Newton, as they locked him up on a one year incentive-laden deal.

Former NFL MVP Cam Newton has reached agreement on a one-year, incentive-laden deal with the New England Patriots, league sources tell @mortreport and me.

Newton now will step into the mix to try to help replace former Patriots’ QB Tom Brady.
— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) June 28, 2020

Here’s what the signing means for the different parties involved.

1. The Patriots

Losing the GOAT was always going to be a challenge for the Patriots, as it’s hard to replace 20 years of sustained excellence. Due to the fact that the Pats opted to pass on free agents such as Jameis Winston and Andy Dalton, many believed that the team was comfortable with the idea of moving forward with second year QB Jarrett Stidham, but certain outlets such as ESPN and Bleacher Report refused to allow the possibility of Cam Newton fade away, due to their constant discussions on why he would be a good fit for the team.

Signing Newton gives the Patriots a dynamic athlete at quarterback, which is a sharp contrast to their previous starter, and also puts them in a win-win situation. If Newton plays well and exceeds his minimum contract, the Patriots got a bargain at the game’s most important position, and if he performs poorly (or gets hurt), they can move on from him without any financial burdens. At the end of the day, this shouldn’t be viewed as an indictment against Stidham, as the Patriots would have been foolish to pass on a former MVP at such a cheap price. As several people in the league have mentioned, you can never have too much talent on your team.

josh-mcdaniels-bill-belichick — (Photo via NESN)

2. Cam Newton

For better or worse, Cam Newton has been one of the most polarizing players in the NFL over the past 9 years, due to constant controversy surrounding his larger than life image and on-field demeanor. As someone who’s watched him with a neutral eye during this period, I’ve always felt like the negativity associated with him was unfair, as he has never done anything to indicate that he’s a bad locker room presence or an unmanageable diva. In addition, it’s hard to look past his great work with the community in Charlotte, with a particular emphasis on the children in the area.

Getting back to Cam Newton the football player, he’s been fantastic when healthy, with his 2015 season standing out as pure dominance. Due to Newton’s enormous stature and status as a dual-threat QB, he’s accumulated a great deal of injuries over the years, with a devastating shoulder injury in 2018, and a Lisfranc (midfoot) injury in 2019. The latter injury forced him to sit out 14 of 16 games last season, and led to his release in Carolina. Newton’s injury history resulted in a lack of interest around the league, and led to him being willing to take such a steep discount to play for Bill Belichick and the Patriots.

Patriots were the only team to make an offer to Cam Newton. But there as one other team that checked in with him.

🎧: https://t.co/DNOemoWSA9 pic.twitter.com/skg5oN6fun
— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) June 29, 2020

Cam Newton has a great chance to reestablish his value in the league, with a strong 2020 season giving him the opportunity to cash-in prior to 2021.

The potential success of this signing is contingent on Newton’s health, as a healthy Newton should run away with any sort of QB competition in training camp. If he’s able to learn the team’s playbook and return to his 2018 form, the Patriots should be a force to be reckoned with in the AFC. Personally, I’m interested to see how the offense will adapt with Newton at the helm, as Bill Belichick and Josh McDaniels love to be malleable, and having a lethal option at QB would give them an opportunity to overhaul the offensive game plan if they choose to do so.

Will the Pats continue to be a source of turbulence for the Jets in Foxborough?

It has been nearly 10 years since the last time the New York Jets (0-2) won a game in Foxborough, as the Patriots have utterly dominated their long-time rival during their recent matchups in Gillette Stadium. Week 3 won’t be any easier for New York, as they bring an injury-riddled roster to the home of the champs.

Here are some things to consider entering this game.

1. What will the offense look like without AB?

Much of the conversation surrounding the Patriots’ offense in recent weeks was about the addition of mercurial wide receiver Antonio Brown who made his debut for the team during last week’s blowout victory against the Dolphins. However, due to Brown’s decision to send intimidating text messages to a woman accusing him of sexual misconduct, the Patriots opted to part ways with him on Friday.

Brown getting released just 2 days prior to the game likely throws a wrench into Josh McDaniels’ offensive game plan, as he’ll have to adjust the formations and sets he would’ve called if Brown was on the field. I’d expect McDaniels to focus on three receiver sets using Julian Edelman, Phillip Dorsett, and Josh Gordon. The Pats’ rushing attack will likely be less effective on Sunday, as they’ll be missing their lead blocker, fullback James Develin who won’t be playing due to a neck injury. Another key issue will be depth on the offensive line, due to injuries sustained to Isaiah Wynn and Marcus Cannon.

If the offensive line is able to keep Tom Brady upright, they’ll give the Pats a great chance to win this game.

pats receivers pw3.jpeg — (Photo via the New England Patriots)

2. Will the defense finally give up a touchdown?

The Patriots’ defense has been on a remarkable stretch over their last 3 games, as they haven’t given up a touchdown since the AFC Championship Game against Patrick Mahomes and the Chiefs. Remarkably, they also haven’t given up a touchdown to the Jets in Gillette Stadium since October 2015. The Jets will be playing without their starting quarterback Sam Darnold due to his bout with mononucleosis. Instead, they’ll be going up against third-stringer Luke Falk who will be making his first career start. The Pats are definitely aware of the danger Le’Veon Bell presents as a rusher and a pass-catcher, which means that their linebacking corps will likely be tasked with covering/shadowing him. Stephon Gilmore and the secondary will need to neutralise Jameson Crowder, Robby Anderson, and the rest of New York’s receivers.

Bottling up Bell, clamping down on the receivers, and pressuring Falk will put the Pats in a great position to emerge victorious.

pats defense pw3.jpg — (Photo via Getty Images)

Injury Report:

Patriots

James Develin (neck) – Out
Shilique Calhoun (not injury related) – Questionable
Marcus Cannon (shoulder) – Questionable
Ryan Izzo (calf) – Questionable
Matt LaCosse (ankle) – Questionable

Jets

Sam Darnold (illness) – Out
Jordan Jenkins (calf) – Out
C.J. Mosley (groin) – Doubtful
Demaryius Thomas (hamstring/knee) – Doubtful
Quinnen Williams (ankle) – Doubtful
Kelvin Beachum (ankle) – Questionable
Josh Belamy (shoulder) – Questionable
Trenton Cannon (ankle/hamstring) – Questionable
Steve McLendon (hip) – Questionable
Rontez Miles (hip) – Questionable
Ty Montgomery (not injury related) – Questionable
Kelechi Osemele (knee) – Questionable
Brian Poole (groin) – Questionable
Brian Winters (shoulder) – Questionable

Prediction: Patriots 35, Jets 9

Here are my picks for the NFL’s other Week 3 contests.

Last week: 9-6

Dolphins at Cowboys: Cowboys

Bengals at Bills: Bengals

Lions at Eagles: Eagles

Falcons at Colts: Falcons

Raiders at Vikings: Vikings

Ravens at Chiefs: Chiefs

Broncos at Packers: Packers

Panthers at Cardinals: Panthers

Giants at Buccaneers: Buccaneers

Saints at Seahawks: Seahawks

Texans at Chargers: Texans

Steelers at 49ers: 49ers

Rams at Browns: Rams

Bears at Redskins: Bears

Will the Patriots finally overcome their struggles in South Beach?

Even though the Patriots were dominant during their Week 1 rout of Pittsburgh, they should be extremely cautious entering tomorrow’s divisional matchup against the lowly Miami Dolphins (0-1), due to their historic struggles in Hard Rock Stadium. The Patriots have lost 5 of their last 6 games in Miami, with their last win coming in 2016.

Here are some things to consider entering tomorrow’s game.

1. Who will win the matchup between Josh McDaniels and Brian Flores?

The Dolphins defense was dreadful against Baltimore in Week 1, as they surrendered 59 points to the Lamar Jackson-led Ravens. Most surprisingly, Jackson threw for over 300 yards and 5 touchdowns, and was able to silence his critics who felt that he would never succeed as a passer in the NFL. Due to Baltimore’s performance, most pundits expect the Patriots to light up the scoreboard in Miami, which is a claim I am skeptical of. Don’t get me wrong, adding Antonio Brown to the offense that scored 33 points against the Steelers should make Patriots fans excited about playing a dreadful Dolphins defense, but there is one key factor that cannot be ignored. Miami’s new head coach is Brian Flores, who was a member of the Pats’ staff from 2004 to 2018, including one season as the team’s primary defensive play-caller. Flores was the architect (along with Bill Belichick) of the game plan that limited the Rams to 3 points in Super Bowl LIII, and clearly has a great understanding of the way Josh McDaniels, Tom Brady, and the offense operate. Belichick and the Patriots have always struggled against his ex-pupils, which makes this matchup even more intriguing.

I wouldn’t be surprised if Brady and the offense have a great performance, but the presence of Brian Flores on the other sideline may make this matchup tighter than people expect it to be.

tb vmiami p.jpg — (Photo via Getty Images)

2. Can the Pats’ defense shut down Miami’s offense?

It wasn’t pretty the last time the Patriots’ defense took the field in Miami, as they gave up a 69-yard multi-lateral touchdown to Miami on the last play of the game now known as the ”Miracle in Miami”. The defense has clearly improved since that fateful day in December, becoming more stout against both the run and the pass. On the other hand, Miami’s offense had a terrible outing in Week 1, as they only mustered 10 points against the dominant Ravens defense. Both Ryan Fitzpatrick and Josh Rosen struggled at quarterback, with the Dolphins rushing attack also being rendered non-existent. Once again, the Patriots’ effective performance against Pittsburgh doesn’t necessarily guarantee an easy win against Miami, due to the fact that their former wide receiver’s coach, Chad O’Shea, is now the Dolphins’ offense coordinator. O’Shea’s familiarity with the Patriots’ system may enable him to find some chinks in their armor, which is something Belichick and Jerod Mayo will need to be cognizant about.

At the same time, I feel like the Patriots’ defense will have the ability to dominate this game if they continue to smother the opposing offense’s weapons, while applying effective pressure on the quarterback.

pats d vs miami 17.jpg — (Photo via NBC Sports)

Injury Report:

Patriots

Marcus Cannon (shoulder) – Questionable
Matt LaCosse (ankle) – Questionable
Brandon Bolden (hamstring) – Out

Dolphins

Charles Harris (wrist) – Questionable
Trent Harris (foot) – Questionable
Bobby McCain (shoulder) – Questionable
Daniel Kilgore (shoulder) – Questionable
Reshad Jones (ankle) – Out
Albert Wilson (hip/calf) – Out
Walt Aikens (shoulder) – Not listed

Prediction: Patriots 27, Dolphins 14

Here are my picks for the NFL’s other Week 2 games (excluding Thursday Night Football)

Cardinals at Ravens: Ravens

Chargers at Lions: Chargers

Colts at Titans: Titans

49ers at Bengals: Bengals

Jaguars at Texans: Texans

Vikings at Packers: Vikings

Cowboys at Redskins: Cowboys

Seahawks at Steelers: Steelers

Bills at Giants: Bills

Chiefs at Raiders: Chiefs

Saints at Rams: Rams

Bears at Broncos: Bears

Eagles at Falcons: Eagles

Browns at Jets: Browns

An Opportunity in the Making?

Ever since the Patriots traded Jimmy Garoppolo to the 49ers in October 2017, there has been rampant discussion about how the team planned to find the successor to Tom Brady. Many analysts believed that the Pats would take a close look at the QB prospects during the months leading up to April’s draft, as Brady isn’t getting any younger. A recent development with the QB situation in Arizona could end up changing the Pats’ plans in April.

In short, it’s becoming increasingly possible that the Cardinals may choose to move on from their 2018 first round pick, Josh Rosen, who had a disappointing rookie campaign after being drafted tenth overall from UCLA. Ironically enough, Arizona’s new head coach Kliff Kingsbury said that he would draft Oklahoma QB Kyler Murray if he had the first pick of the draft, back when he was the head coach at Texas Tech. This is now the situation Kingsbury finds himself in, as the head coach of the team with the first pick and with Murray entering the draft. Analysts believe that Rosen is not a natural fit for Kingsbury’s Air Raid style of offense, with Murray being an ideal fit with his combination of athleticism and playmaking ability. Although Kingsbury has said the right things in public, Arizona’s GM Steve Keim sparked speculation regarding the team’s plans in April, when he said that Rosen was their QB “for now”.

This could serve as an opportunity for the Patriots, who were reportedly interested in Rosen leading up to the 2018 draft. It’s also important to consider that Rosen is likely better than most if not all of the quarterbacks in this draft class, which would mean that the Pats would most probably have to give up at least a first round pick in order to entice Arizona. Notable quarterbacks traded in recent years, such as Garoppolo and Teddy Bridgewater (who were both on expiring contracts) netted second and third round picks, respectively. Oddly enough, the Eagles netted a first rounder and a fourth rounder in 2016 from the Vikings in exchange for Sam Bradford. Hence, I would expect Arizona to not really consider any offer from the Pats if it didn’t include at least one mid-round pick packaged with the 32nd overall pick. Bill Belichick and the front office could probably afford to give up a mid-round pick, with their war chest including two second rounders and three third rounders. Another interesting angle to acknowledge is the fact that Kliff Kingsbury was Tom Brady’s backup during the 2003 season, and reportedly still has a good relationship with both Brady and Belichick. Maybe the Pats will be able to use that relationship to their advantage.

I truly believe that adding Rosen would be advantageous for the Pats for a number of reasons. Due to their recent victory in Super Bowl LIII, the Pats have the last pick in the first round, which would make it hard for them to draft a top QB prospect without moving up the round via trade. Hence, the Pats would likely be giving up a similar package in a hypothetical trade for Rosen. Also, Rosen could move past his disappointing rookie campaign, similarly to the Rams’ Jared Goff and Chicago’s Mitch Trubisky, who both took a step forward due to a coaching change and the addition of a strong supporting cast. Rosen could get both if he was traded to the Patriots, as he would be learning from Josh McDaniels, with solid pieces such as Sony Michel and Julian Edelman on the offense, who would likely take some pressure off of him. It would also be hard to undersell the benefit of playing behind Tom Brady, due to his work ethic and preparation.

If the Patriots were to trade for Josh Rosen, I think it would set them up wisely for the future.