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Patriots Ready to Bounce Back to Super Bowl

The 2017-18 season ended in dismay for a Patriots team that fell prey to the Eagles in the Super Bowl. Recovering from a massive loss is never easy, but when you are the Patriots, you become quicker to adapt. The first question faced by the team was the mindset of Tom Brady and Rob Gronkowski. Both players toyed with the idea of retirement following the Super Bowl. For Brady, who just turned 41, the idea of retirement was quickly faded due to his interviews that showed he still had some years left in the tank. Gronkowski followed suit and both players reported to camp within the necessary time frame.

Some of the most interesting headlines for the team are coming within the receiving corps. The team lost Brandin Cooks, they will play the first four games without Julian Edleman, and they just released Malcolm Mitchell. The biggest concern will Cooks was contractual obligations. He is past the rookie minimums and would be requiring some heavy cash heading into the future of NFL contract obligations. The team decided to end that discussion before it formed steam, allowing Cooks to sign elsewhere. The Edleman suspension is a blow to a team who lives in the slot position. Malcolm Mitchell never returned to form. An injury caused him to miss the entire 2017 season and he hasn't contributed to the team since their last Super Bowl victory. This leaves the team will a slew of guys with concerns. The two bright spots are the return of Chris Hogan and the recent signing of Eric Decker. Both players are healthy and ready-to-roll this season. Kenny Britt is still battling a major injury, leaving many to question if he'll make the cut. The team also has a few make-or-break guys in Phillip Dorsett and Cordarrelle Patterson. It is now or never for these guys as both have shared experience across different facets of receiving positions.

One of the most exciting bits of information was tailored to the defense. Devin McCourty now gets to play and learn aside his brother, Jason McCourty. The team acquired McCourty from Cleveland, creating a reunion of talents that haven't gotten to play alongside one another for quite some time. This was not a sentimental move, rather is helps boost the morale and chemistry on the defense. All acquired in the trade with the Browns was big defensive lineman, Danny Shelton. Shelton affords the team the ability to strengthen their outside rush attack. Working primarily from the nose position, Shelton cam plug up holes quickly and reduce downfield penetration from backs. The signing of a seasoned Adrian Clayborn also bodes well for a strengthened defensive line.

The team also picked up a wildcard piece in the draft. In terms of fantasy football, the name Sonny Michel is probably late-round at best on draft boards. Belichick's way at the running position has always confused fantasy owners. One trend has remained consistent: he does favor the younger talent. Michel has a diversified playing style and can be featured on all downs. If you are looking for a late-round stash or someone to dig you out of a hole come late-season playoff push, Michel can be that guy. Decker should also be high on your radar given the position he is being forced into, especially if he comes at a discount.