The New England Patriots will soon embark on their quest for a seventh championship, but obtaining another trophy won’t be easy. New England has one of the most talented rosters in the league, but they’ll need their star players if they’re to repeat as champions. Without further ado, here are the top 10 most important New England Patriots entering the 2019 season.
10 Most Important New England Patriots
10. James White
It’s odd for a running back to crack a list like this in 2019, but that’s just how good James White is. A running back in name only, White is one of the most reliable and productive receivers in New England’s offense. White had a fantastic season in 2018, recording career-highs in receptions (87), receiving yards (751), carries (94), rushing yards (425), and combined touchdowns (12).
The Patriots offense has always featured a reliable pass-catching back out of the offense. From Kevin Faulk to Danny Woodhead, Shane Vereen, and now White, New England always incorporates a running back capable of moving the chains and beating linebackers in the open field. With New England’s tight ends and wide receivers fielding some question marks, White could be asked to help move the offense on a regular basis.
9. Michael Bennett
The Patriots lost a key piece of their defense in Trey Flowers but effectively replaced him with former Philadelphia Eagles’ defensive end Michael Bennett. Flowers was one of the best and most important members of New England’s recent defenses, and the last two Super Bowls would not have been possible without his contributions.
Fortunately, Bennett has what it takes to play the Flowers role. The three-time Pro Bowler has been one of the better defensive ends in football ever since entering the league and should adequately fill Flowers’ void. The only reason he’s not higher on this list is that the 2019 Patriots have their best edge depth in years. Between Bennett, Chase Winovich, John Simon, and Deatrich Wise, this team should be able to set the edge and get to the quarterback.
8. Shaq Mason
When your starting quarterback will be 42 years old in Week One, you need to make sure that you have a strong offensive line. Fortunately for the Patriots, they have arguably the best guard in the league in Shaq Mason. Mason has steadily improved his play in each and every season and finished 2018 as the top-ranked guard, per Pro Football Focus.
The rest of the AFC East have loaded up along the interior defensive line. The New York Jets, Buffalo Bills, and Miami Dolphins used their first-round picks to draft pass-rushing defensive tackles Quinnen Williams, Ed Oliver, and Christian Wilkins, respectively. Mason has the skills to shut down anyone in the league and he’ll need to be at his best to keep Tom Brady upright and healthy.
7. N’Keal Harry
Josh Gordon is suspended and Demaryius Thomas probably won’t be healthy for the start of the season. Ready or not, here comes N’Keal Harry. The Patriots selected the wide receiver in the first round of the 2019 NFL Draft and will need the rookie to contribute immediately. Julian Edelman is as reliable as they come, but the rest of the wide receiver depth chart is filled with question marks.
Harry is a fantastic talent, but talent isn’t always enough in Foxboro. The first-year receiver will need to develop a rapport with Brady and see the field exactly as he sees it. This isn’t easy for anyone to do, and Harry’s wide range of outcomes makes him one of the biggest X-Factors on the roster.
6. Dont’a Hightower
Needless to say, the New England Patriots longtime defensive leader is one of the most important players on the roster. While he may not be the force he once was, Dont’a Hightower is still one of the most important New England Patriots.
One season after playing in just five games, Hightower managed to play in 15 regular season games and all three postseason contests. Hightower once again came up huge in the Super Bowl, recording two sacks, three quarterback hits, and two tackles-for-loss. The linebacker started off slow in 2018 but returned to form as he knocked off the rust from his season-ending injury. After finishing the year healthy, he should remain one of the top players on New England’s defense.
5. Kyle Van Noy
Dont’a Hightower is the bigger name, but Kyle Van Noy may have usurped Hightower as the top linebacker on New England’s depth chart. Van Noy initially joined the Patriots at the 2016 trade deadline and has been one of the best bargains in the NFL over the past few seasons. Van Noy started a full 16-game season for the first time in his career, recording 3.5 sacks, 92 tackles, 10 quarterback hits, and five tackles-for-loss. He turned his play up to another level in the postseason, recording three sacks, four quarterback hits, 18 tackles, and two tackles-for-loss.
What makes Van Noy so irreplaceable is his ability to line up all over the formation. Throughout the season, New England has utilized Van Noy as a middle linebacker and an edge defender. He plays both positions at a high level and is developing into one of the teams’ biggest leaders. New England has always been defined by strong linebacker play, and Van Noy could be poised to carry that legacy for the next few seasons.
4. Isaiah Wynn
Isaiah Wynn has yet to play a meaningful NFL snap, and yet he still manages to be the fourth-most important player on the roster. As previously mentioned, Tom Brady is entering his age-42 season and New England needs the offensive line to be at it’s very best. Left tackle is the most important position on the offensive line, and Wynn is projected to be the Week One starter.
In many ways, failure is not an option for Isaiah Wynn. While the former first-round pick possesses considerable upside, the Patriots don’t have any encouraging backup plans. Should Wynn not be ready for the job, the Patriots would have to turn to Cole Croston or injured third-round rookie Yodny Cajuste. Both options are undesirable and Wynn’s performance will go a long way in determining the ultimate success of the 2019 Patriots.
3. Stephon Gilmore
Stopping the pass is the key to success in today’s air-oriented NFL. Having an elite cornerback can completely change the effectiveness of defense, and there aren’t many cornerbacks better than Stephon Gilmore. The former Buffalo Bill is coming off the best season of his career, recording 20 pass breakups, two interceptions, one sack, and 45 tackles. He earned First-Team All-Pro honors for his work and ended the year with a game-clinching interception in Super Bowl LIII.
All six of New England’s Super Bowl championship rosters have featured an elite shutdown cornerback. Ty Law won the first three, Darrelle Revis broke the 10-year championship drought in 2014, and Malcolm Butler had a fantastic season in 2016. Gilmore was obviously huge for the 2018 Patriots, and he’ll need to replicate that performance if New England wants to repeat as champions.
2. Julian Edelman
With Rob Gronkowski retired, Super Bowl LIII MVP Julian Edelman is the only player on the roster who knows Tom Brady’s mind inside and out. These two read defenses as one and destroy the league with an efficient quick passing attack. Edelman is one of the best route runners in the league and is borderline uncoverable when he’s at his best.
The wide receiver position is filled with high-ceiling, low-floor players like Josh Gordon and Demaryius Thomas. Brady will need a reliable target to keep the offense moving, and nobody is more valuable in the passing game than Edelman. Nobody, that is, except…
1. Tom Brady
Duh. It’s no surprise that the greatest quarterback of all time is the most important player on the roster. While he’s not the quarterback he once was, he’s still one of the best passers in the league. Brady is coming off a championship season in which he completed 65.8% of his passes for 4,355 yards, 29 touchdowns, and 11 interceptions. The interception total was the highest since 2013, but a good portion of those interceptions wasn’t his fault.
If the unspeakable happens and Brady goes down, the season is over. Brian Hoyer cannot carry this team to a championship and Jarrett Stidham isn’t ready to be a starter. Even at an advanced age, there’s nobody more valuable to the Patriots than their six-time Super Bowl champion quarterback.
Honorable Mentions: Devin McCourty, Patrick Chung, Ja’Whaun Bentley, Lawrence Guy, Joe Thuney, David Andrews, Marcus Cannon
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