New England Patriots Offseason Panic Mode 2021 Edition

The New England Patriots had probably the worst season they’ve had in a long while. It says a lot about the team, however, as they finished 7-9 and missed the playoffs. They’ll have plenty of cap space to work with but have plenty of holes to fill. Why are the Pats in Panic Mode going into this offseason?

Quarterback

Cam Newton wasn’t the player he used to be this season. While there are a few able bodies who could come in and be the bridge to the future, bringing in an aging vet to stall would kick the can down the road yet again. They need a pretty solid strip-down and rebuild this offseason and if they don’t find the right mix of veteran talent and rookie potential they’ll struggle again next year. Even if they can land a QB in free agency he won’t come cheap. They’ll either get a free agent that will cost top-dollar to make them competitive or have to spend draft picks to trade for young but proven talent.

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Bill Belichick

While he’s one of the winningest coaches in NFL history, his time is coming to an end. While they have a potential successor in house, that doesn’t mean he’ll be around forever either. If the Patriots are looking for Josh McDaniels to eventually take over it will need to be soon. If it isn’t, he’ll get another shot elsewhere and won’t be around to pass that torch.

Playmakers

New England has had more success than any other team in terms of the next man up. Unfortunately for them, the players who are playing above their spot on the depth chart aren’t the ones who make the big plays anymore. Their production is better than expected but that doesn’t mean they should be handed a starting spot. The Pats need to go out and get their playmakers in free agency and make sure they buy into the “Patriot Way”.

Keeping Up With the Division

Buffalo ran away with it. Miami kept pace. The only divisional team that did worse than the Patriots this season, was the New York Jets. The Bills are young and tough to beat. The Dolphins have talent, picks, and moxie. Plenty of free agents will want to be in New England to play for a legendary coach, but their rebuild might be more than a one and done. Can they bring guys in who don’t expect to go out and win in their first season?

New England was far from being a failure this season, but their dynasty isn’t getting any younger. The core that won them all the championships is now gone and they’ll need to find the next wave to get them back on track making the 2021 offseason their most important one in recent memory.