Welcome to New England Patriots Training Camp 2020: The COVID-19 Edition

Saturday, August 15, 2020

John Crowe, Sports Contributor

 

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Coach Bill Belichick

Things surely are different this season as the pandemic from the coronavirus continues to grip the World. The Patriots were hit the hardest so far as eight Patriots have already opted out of playing the 2020 NFL season. Dont’a Hightower, Patrick Chung, Marcus Cannon, Matt LaCosse, Danny Vitale, Najee Toran, Marqise Lee and Brandon Bolden have all chosen not to play. That’s a league-high, but on the other side of the coin, the Pats currently have no players on the active COVID-19 list.

Whether it be having a new child in the family as Hightower does or being at risk due to a pre-existing condition like Cannon, who has battled non-Hodgkin lymphoma, it's a decision that doesn't come lightly. It’s also a decision that now can’t be reversed after the NFL’s self-imposed deadline of earlier this month.

Add in the fact that either Cam Newton and Jarrett Stidham will be the new starting QB for New England now that Tom Brady, the man who held that position for the last 20 seasons, is now in Tampa Bay with the newly unretired Rob Gronkowski and things really look like a new start. Newton is now the face of the franchise after being signed to a one-year deal back in June (GoLocal Prov). Plus, let’s not forget all the free agents and trade chips that have left town - Kyle Van Noy, Phillip Dorsett, Nate Ebner, Jamie Collins, Ted Karras, Elandon Roberts, Danny Shelton, and Duron Harmon. Pats Nation is now left to wonder if the team is still the beasts of the AFC East.

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The question moving forward is where does this leave head coach Bill Belichick and the 2020 Pats? Does "In Bill We Trust" win out again and does the dynasty coach have another rebuild in him? With Newton healthy and the starter, it makes things easier. Without a healthy Cam, it's Stidham making his first start at QB, not exactly a fact that makes your football heart all warm and fuzzy my friends!

And speaking of the head coach, how is Belichick handling all the changes this season including those brought on by COVID-19?

“Yeah, well, we'll just take it as it comes. Each step of the way I think maybe a little bit different and require a little bit of thought and possibly creativity,” said Belichick in his press conference on August 7th according to the team’s website.

With no off-season camps, the 2020 season truly begins with training camp and the lack of a preseason. The NFLPA and NFL agreed to cancel all preseason games after initially saying teams would play two games to get ready for the regular season that begins on September 10th with the defending Super Bowl Champion Kansas City Chiefs hosting the Houston Texans. Up until this week, it’s just been a couple of a weeks of strength and conditioning for all teams. That changed on Wednesday with the first of actual practices that are now spread out over two fields to comply with the NFL’s social distancing policies. It’s called phase 2 with no pads and mostly just drills, but at least there’s some actual football work being done. Of course, the biggest glimpses we are getting of those practices are from the Patriots social media channels, like this video from Twitter posted on Thursday as the practices are still closed to the public and media.

Already we are getting reports that Newton and his energy is really captivating his new teammates. Mike Giardi of the NFL Network reported after Wednesday’s first practice.

“I've talked to a handful of players...Cam brings energy. He's already the show," said Giardi on the NFL Network.

That news alone is a far cry from where the Patriots left off last season as Brady’s demeanor on and off the field wasn’t exactly “positive,” amidst reports that he had already checked out while seeking his new adventure which we now know is with the Bucs.

So, the Patriots have a few weeks until the team’s season opener in Foxboro September 13th against the Dolphins to cut down from its current 80 players down to 53 plus its practice squad. Just this week, New England added running back Lamar Miller, formerly of the Texans who are coming off a missed 2019 season with a torn ACL. His addition could be simple depth for Sony Michel, who’s coming off his own knee procedure and is currently on the team’s Physically Unable To Perform (PUP) list. It also could be a move to improve the new offense which will include a much different running and passing presentation with two mobile quarterbacks in Newton and Stidham. Miller has experience with DeShaun Watson in Houston. Mobility, RPO’s and flexibility is something that offensive coordinator Josh McDaniels hasn’t had to deal with in his tenure in Foxboro with a Brady-led, quick-passing approach fully entrenched. It will be interesting how much diversity will now come and if the complaints that the young players couldn’t pick up the Brady offense will go by the wayside with a simpler approach. Time will tell on that.

As for who leads that offense, Newton, again, if healthy, is clearly the front runner. But. for the first time in 20 years, there is an actual competition about to take place. But that’s not the only question to the offense. Will Julian Edelman be healthy enough? Or maybe Mohamed Sanu. Will N'Keal Harry step up in year two along with Jakobi Meyers? And how about those young tight ends? The last time there were two budding TE's in Foxboro was Gronk and Aaron Hernandez. This time, it's rookies Devin Asiasi and Dalton Keene.

Then there’s the offensive line. Center David Andrews returns after taking off the 2019 season due to blood clots. Joe Thuney is back on the franchise tag, but will it be at on the left side to team with oft-injured tackle Isaiah Wynn or moving over to right guard with Cannon out.

Who plays linebacker for this team? Aside from the physical nature he brings, Hightower was the brains of the front seven defensively.  Now as part of the front seven, it’s Lawrence Guy, Adam Butler, and John Simon upfront with JaWhaun Bentley and Chace Winovich at linebacker. Interestingly, the Pats unofficial depth chart lists a blank spot at one LB spot. At least there's still experience in the secondary with Stephon Gilmore and the McCourty twins along with newcomer Adrian Phillips, who comes over from the Chargers.

Heck, the Patriots even have a new kicker, Justin Rohrwasser from Marshall to replace Stephen Gostkowski.

The good news, if there is any, is that the Patriots now have $32 million in cap space, according to CapSpace on Twitter. Could there be a Jadeveon Clowney in the Foxboro future? Or will the Pats just keep the dough and sign their own free agents to be in 2021. There is room to make some moves.

So, while there's all this movement with the players on the field, the fans may not even be in the stands to watch. At best, depending on what the state of Massachusetts allows, there could be about 14,000 fans in Gillette Stadium cheering (or not). Gamedays in Foxboro and around the league will surely be strange as MLB, NBA, NHL, MLS and PGA Tour fans have already found out.

In the end, I think we've seen the end to the Patriots being Super Bowl contenders. Now, they are back to being in the mix to win the AFC East along with the Bills, Jets, and Dolphins. Hope to make it above .500 with a killer schedule that includes the likes of the NFC West (49ers, Seahawks, Rams, and Cardinals) along with the Ravens, Chiefs, Texans and Chargers. Then, maybe catch fire for a playoff run.

If nothing else, it will be different. Time for New England to feel like the rest of the NFL has felt for the past two decades. Optimism instead of certitude, certainly a strange but new reality for the Patriots.

And in 2020, after six months of the COVID-19 pandemic, we ALL should be used to a new reality, right?

 

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