Picking their title pedigree
Pats made popular adds
Opposing teams don’t seem to think the Patriots foundation is cracking. They’re still trying to find or build that special something Bill Belichick’s team has had for nearly two decades.
Just look at the Dolphins. They blew up their team, believing it needed different leaders, a fresh mindset and a new culture in the room. Jarvis Landry, Ndamukong Suh, Mike Pouncey, Lawrence Timmons and Julius Thomas were all sent packing.
So who’s helping the Fins bring a better, more professional locker room vibe? Who is going to get the Dolphins over the hurdle and teach them how to win?
Danny Amendola, for one. Head coach Adam Gase is hoping the former Patriots receiver, who signed a two-year, $12 million deal, not only helps boost the Dolphins offense but also provides the blueprint on how to win.
“We’re excited to bring a guy like that in our locker room. He’s going to help all our young guys especially,” Gase said during the NFL coaches’ breakfast last week. “It’s a similar experience that I’ve been through before, when we brought Wes (Welker) to Denver.”
Welker arrived in Denver in 2013, the same time Amendola landed in Foxboro. The Broncos had a young group of wide receivers Gase felt could use some schooling by a “true professional.” The Broncos didn’t win a Super Bowl with Welker there, but eventually got over the hurdle.
“When Wes came in, he changed our culture and our environment. He’s part of the reason we had a big swing there,” Gase said. “Those guys saw him practice, they saw him playing in games. They saw the way he did things in meetings and in the locker room. He was a big reason a lot of things changed there. Danny has the same personality traits. I think a guy like Ryan Tannehill is going to benefit a lot by being around a guy like Danny.”
As opposed to a guy like Landry, or whoever else was cast out.
That’s all well and good. Having better character guys in the room should help, especially guys who know what it takes to win. (The Dolphins also added running back Frank Gore, a Super Bowl runner-up with the 49ers in 2013 and left guard John Sitton, a winner with the Packers in 2011.)
And it’s not a bad idea to do whatever they can to emulate the Patriots formula.
Gase wants to see more energy, and more professionalism both in the locker room and on the field.
“I know it’s going to be different,” he said. “So, I mean, we’ve got different animals. You’ve got some alpha dogs running in there. You’ve got some guys that are going to go in there and they’re not going to accept a lot of the bull that’s gone on in the past. So, we’ve got the right guys for what we’ve been looking for.” Maybe so.
But the Dolphins, along with others who’ve tried to capture some of the Patriots magic by adding former players to the mix, are still missing the biggest ingredient of all. Winning in the NFL is about execution on the field. It’s about not making mistakes during the key moments.
Most important, it’s also about having a great quarterback.
Is Tannehill anywhere close to being Tom Brady? That’s the most significant element that’s been missing from the Dolphins.
Or how about the Texans? They’ve had a coaching staff filled with coaches mentored by Belichick. They’ve also signed plenty of players, Vince Wilfork chief among them, who exude professionalism and know what it takes to win championships.
Even with all that, have the Texans consistently executed on the field in the big games? Or, until drafting Deshaun Watson, have they had an elite quarterback help them make a legitimate run?
Watson, who turned their offense into a juggernaut before his season-ending knee injury last year, makes them contenders. He’s the real key.
While Bill O’Brien feels he’s chasing Jacksonville in the division, having a healthy Watson gives him an edge. Because ultimately, along with their defense, that will separate the Texans in the long run.
“I love coaching this team,” O’Brien said. “I really like our staff and these players. I think we’ve developed a bond over the years with the guys we’ve had. Now, we’ve added some players that we really feel good about.
Tyrann Mathieu is one . . . he’ll start at safety, but his versatility really appealed to us. So I’m really excited.”
O’Brien pretty much knows all the Patriots secrets. So does Mike Vrabel.
Vrabel and Titans GM Jon Robinson didn’t hesitate in grabbing Malcolm Butler and Dion Lewis in free agency. They join ex-Pat
Logan Ryan, who arrived last season. The new Tennessee coach loves his additions for obvious reasons, but also knows the Titans success hinges on the further development of quarterback Marcus Mariota.
Vrabel has placed that development in the hands of former Rams offensive coordinator Matt LaFleur, who was behind the best NFL seasons of Jared Goff, Matt Ryan and
Robert Griffin III previously.
So grab all the former Patriot players you want and hope some of the magic dust rubs off, but winning still comes down to the same elements. Either you make the plays during the big moments, and have that special quarterback leading the charge, or you’re going to keep blowing it up like the Dolphins.
Bills hoping to build
The Bills don’t want to resemble the Dolphins, making the playoffs under a new head coach his first year, then dropping off.
Gase led the Fins to a 10-6 record in 2016, earning the franchise’s first playoff berth since 2008, but was 6-10 a year ago. Sean McDermott got the Bills into the playoffs last season with a 9-7 record, snapping a 17-year drought.
“Every year’s a new year, every team’s a new team because the personalities are new,” McDermott said at the NFL meetings. “We have to go back and re-establish who we are, what we’re all about, and how we want to win games. That’s part of building a team every year, and part of building a culture that’s a winning culture.”
Don’t sleep on McCarron
A player to keep an eye on during the Patriots early camps? Riley McCarron.
The receiver, who will be entering his second NFL season, spent most of the 2017 season on the practice squad. He had been with the Texans for training camp and the start of the year, but was released from Houston’s practice squad. The Pats, who saw McCarron when the teams got together in August for joint workouts, quickly snagged him.
Following the Super Bowl loss, they re-signed the wideout/punt returner. His skillset is similar to Amendola, who was lost in free agency.
“That was a tough one when we lost him. We thought he had a future with us. I think very highly of Riley,” O’Brien said during the NFL meetings. “He’s very quick, very smart ... I feel like he can play. He’s a versatile guy. I don’t think there’s any doubt he can play in this league.”
The tough part will be making the 53-man roster, with Julian Edelman, Chris Hogan, Brandin Cooks, Cordarrelle Patterson, Malcolm Mitchell, Kenny Britt and Phillip Dorsett on the wide receiver depth chart. But there’s nothing like having a healthy competition for jobs.
Clayborn impressed
Falcons coach Dan Quinn worked the past three seasons with Adrian Clayborn in Atlanta. He had great things to say about the defensive end, who signed a free agent deal with the Patriots.
“What do I really respect about him? His toughness,” said Quinn. “This is a really resilient man. And pass-rush wise, he’s a real physical guy.”
Quinn also talked about Clayborn’s selflessness.
“Part of his role this year was to bring Tak (McKinley) on board, because he was playing the same position as him,” said Quinn, “And by no means was he standoffish to him. That goes to show the type of player he is.”