Top questions as team prepares to open camp
FOXBOROUGH, Mass. — It’s the most wonderful time of the year.
No disrespect intended toward the late, great Andy Williams, but for football fans far and wide, this is the holiday season.
Training camps are opening across the country, and the sound of cleats clicking and clacking and the smell of fresh-cut grass trigger memories of past glories and spark thoughts of future successes.
There’s a heap of queries and intrigue coming out of Foxborough, so here’s a look at some of the top storylines to follow as the Patriots look to rebound from last season’s 7-9 record:
Who’s the quarterback? If minicamp was a harbinger, then the competition to be the leader of this offense should be exciting. The first dozen or so training camp practices will be key to setting the tone for the team and establishing a pecking order among the field generals.
Cam Newton sits atop the depth chart until somebody can knock the former MVP off that most coveted perch. He’ll face challenges from Mac Jones, Jarrett Stidham, and Brian Hoyer.
Newton had a very strong spring and even bounced back from a bit of adversity when he tweaked his right thumb during an OTA session but recovered to be a full participant in minicamp.
As always, Newton brought the enthusiasm during the sessions, but he also brought a renewed
sense of energy with his play.
He acknowledged his 2020 struggles — both physical and mental — but appeared more comfortable running the show and throwing the ball during the workouts media were allowed to attend.
If he’s fully healthy — his throwing motion last season suggested his shoulder may not have been 100% — and can bond with new tight ends Hunter Henry and Jonnu Smith, Newton will be a much different quarterback this time around. It’s his job to lose and he will not give it up without a fight.
Jones also had a very impressive spring. He’s a smart-cookie rookie who threw the ball decisively and accurately and didn’t seem at all fazed by the often-intense coaching thrown his way during individual and team drills. Not a big surprise considering where he played, and who he played for, in college.
Coming from Alabama, the transition to a similarly structured environment (and football hotbed) in New England will not be a hard one.
Jones is clearly the quarterback of the future, but he has the physical skills and mental makeup to make a push to be the quarterback of the present. He will be tested daily in camp, and the joint practices against the Eagles and Giants
How’s Mac Jones looking?
will be particularly telling about where he is in his development. They will be beneficial in any case.
There will be secondary QB competition, with Stidham and Hoyer battling for a backup spot, which could be No. 2 or 3 depending on how things shake out between Newton and Jones.
What happens with Stephon Gilmore?
The perennial Pro Bowl cornerback skipped mandatory minicamp, which cost him $93,085. However, he reported when other veterans did so this past week, which is an encouraging development. He would have been subjected to $50,000 daily fines that can no longer be forgiven under the collective bargaining agreement. If you sit, you pay.
He suffered a partially torn quadriceps in Miami in Week 15 last year and is on the physically-unable-to-perform list. He can come off at any time.
Gilmore is due $7 million in salary this season (it’s closer to $8 million if all incentives are hit) and is looking for a salary bump. He has not expressed a desire to be traded.
Where does N’Keal Harry stand?
Currently at the back of the line. The former first-round receiver is at a crossroads as his third season begins. He is ready to report to Foxborough but also is seeking a fresh start somewhere else after requesting a trade through his agent.
It’s an awkward position. For everybody.
Asking for a trade publicly hurts a team’s leverage when it comes to negotiations with possible trade partners. Teams naturally will lowball their offers, figuring they are dealing from a position of strength.
Harry, who has 45 career catches, is behind Nelson Agholor, Kendrick Bourne and Jakobi Meyers on the depth chart.
How good can this defense be?
Elite.
The pocket pressure created by the revamped front seven was exceptional during minicamp. It came from every direction and from every player. Every quarterback felt the heat and suffered claustrophobia as the defenders continually took away their time and space.
Without pads or contact offensive linemen and running backs (who would normally pick off blitzers) were at a severe disadvantage, but this was still an impressive performance by the defense, which often let the offense know it.
Returning leaders Dont’a Hightower and Kyle Van Noy made their presence felt, jumping from spot to spot and creating havoc. Josh Uche and Matt Judon likewise were extremely active.