May 22, 2013
The New England Patriots got some bad news earlier this week when it was announced that star tight end Rob Gronkowski needed his fourth forearm surgery. The oft-injured Gronkowski could be a doubt for training camp, but there are generally greater concerns about his ability to stay healthy after injuries have derailed each of his last three postseasons.
Gronkowski’s injury worries combined with the departure of top wide receiver Wes Welker this season has led many to question whether quarterback Tom Brady and the high-powered Patriots offense can be successful again in 2013. Perhaps that elusive fourth Super Bowl title for Brady and head coach Bill Belichick will just never come.
The problem with those suggestions is that they ignore exactly how good the best head coach and best quarterback in the NFL are. There’s little doubt that Welker and Gronkowski are excellent players with great skills. However, Welker and Gronkowski were no apart of any of New England’s Super Bowl victories. They were pivotal players on teams that have come just about as close as any team can come.
The Patriots have already set about re-tooling their receiving option core. Danny Amendola has some injury question marks, but he has very similar upside compared with Welker and is a little younger. Brady is the type of quarterback who should maximize Amendola’s skill set just as he has done so many players before him. Gronkowski’s talent sometimes leads people to forget just how good New England’s other tight end, Aaron Hernandez, is and Hernandez has a pretty similar skill set to ‘Gronk’.
Meanwhile, Julian Edelman figures to be a more highly used receiving option this season and should pick up some of the receiving slack and a host of new additions including Mike Jenkins, Lavelle Hawkins and Mark Harrison will be worked into the mix.
The reality is that Belichick and Brady will find a way to adapt. The way in which Welker is discussed suggests that this is the only offense that Brady has effectively run. The fact is that Brady was a hugely successful quarterback before Welker came to New England. He will find different players to hook up with and he will do so successfully.
There is no greater adapter than Belichick, who really is a football mind of unprecedented capacity. He will work with Josh McDaniels to produce an offense that runs beautifully with this group of players, which is definitely talented enough.
If the 2012-13 playoffs are any indication then expect running backs Shane Vereen and Stevan Ridley to be significant factors popping up in both the rushing and the passing game.
New England will win their division and be a serious Super Bowl contender again this season. Anyone expecting an injury to Gronkowski and the departure of Welker to derail them is engaging in nothing more than wishful thinking.
