LA Chargers 2020 opponent preview: New England Patriots
By Jason Reed
New England Patriots’ key additions and subtractions:
Additions:
Obviously, the biggest addition for the team this offseason is the one that just happened. While there was speculation that the team really believed in the unproven Jarrett Stidham, that all seemed like a ploy to get a high pick in the 2021 NFL Draft.
Newton is still a big question mark but if anyone is going to unlock his full potential then it is going to be Bill Belichick and Josh McDaniels. Don’t be surprised if Newton looks like a top-10 to top-15 quarterback in 2020.
Aside from Newton, the team brought in some decent players but nothing that is going to revolutionize the team. That includes former Charger (and special teams All-Pro) Adrian Phillips, former Jaguar Marqise Lee and former Buccaneer, Beau Allen.
Personally, I do not love who the Patriots got in the draft and the Pats haven’t had a great recent history in drafting.
Subtractions:
The biggest subtraction is obviously Tom Brady but it might not even end up being a subtraction. I do not think it is absurd to say that it is possible that Newton is better for the Patriots in 2020 than Brady was in 2019.
However, the team did some playmakers on the defensive side of the ball. Jamie Collins and Danny Shelton joined former defensive coordinator Matt Patricia in Detroit while Elandon Roberts and Kyle Van Noy joined former linebackers coach Brian Flores in Miami.
Knowing Belichick, he will maximize the most out of what he has (he still has some solid playmakers, including Defensive Player of the Year, Stephon Gilmore) and we will probably see Adrian Phillips turn into an exceptional player, which will be painful.