PATRIOTS FANTASY NEWS

March 1, 2006 5:00 PM ET

For the first time in three years, the NFL season did not end with Bill Belichick hoisting the Lombardi Trophy and the Sports Guy pounding out a 16,000-word ode to Tom Brady; wait, Sports Guy did that anyway. The Patriots battled through their usual assortment of injuries, riding Brady for much of the season as they coasted to the AFC East title. Forced to the road in the conference semis, they made several un-Patriot-like mistakes and didn't get any help from the zebras to end their hopes of a three-peat (copyright Phil Jackson).

So, is this the beginning of the end of the dynasty? Again this offseason, Belichick's coaching tree has been pruned, as defensive coordinator Eric Mangini is now running the Jets. Several key cogs might not be back next season, including two-time Super Bowl hero Adam Vinatieri, top wideout David Givens, and two of Brady's five figurative metaphors. Has it been a nice run? Or, quite frankly, is Brady all they need?

Needs
For the Patriots, the biggest need the last few seasons has been quality health coverage for the squad. The secondary, which was held together with paper clips and baling twine during the 2004 Super Bowl run, was once again bitten by the injury bug, and the offensive line dropped metaphors at a rate that would make Dennis Miller proud.

That said, you don't look at the Patriots' roster and see any gaping holes. The brain trust of Belichick and personnel wizard Scott Pioli continues to field a tight 53-man roster that makes use of every available possibility.

The team's primary offseason roster concern will be depth—specifically, some younger talent they can groom to take over for veterans who may be moving on. With Doug Flutie approaching mandatory retirement, the Pats may need to find some veteran insurance for Brady, who was banged up much of the season.

Running back depth is also an issue, as the team ran through multiple primary ball-carriers with Corey Dillon sidelined. Heath Evans is an unrestricted free agent and may not be back, and Dillon himself isn't getting any younger.

The biggest need area on the offense is wide receiver, where four of the team's top six players are UFAs—including Givens, who is young enough and talented enough that someone may throw a ton of money at him to be their go-to guy. While Troy Brown, also a UFA this season, opted for the local discount in hopes of adding another ring to his collection, that's not a given for… uh, Givens. With only Deion Branch and Bethel Johnson under contract for next season, the Pats could find themselves very thin at this position when the free agency dust settles.

There's little need to add tight end talent, though Christian Fauria is also a UFA, as the Pats have spent first-round picks on the position two of the past four seasons.

The Pats' offensive line depth was tested last season by a series of injuries, and while they weren't an abject failure their level of play was not World Championship-caliber. With guard Steve Neal and tackle Tom Ashworth eligible for free agency, expect Pioli and Belichick to devote resources to this area as well.

Belichick blamed the lack of a collective bargaining agreement and the uncertain future it provides for the Pats' decision not to franchise kicker Adam Vinatieri. He could still return to the only team he's known, but clutch kickers are a valuable commodity for teams chasing a Super Bowl title and if a team backs up the Brinks truck to Vinny's doorway he may find it tough to say no.

Defensively, the entire starting unit and most of the key reserves are under contract. However, linebacker Willie McGinest's $8.3 million cap hit—including a $3.5 million bonus due in March—might be more than the Pats are willing to pay. The team also needs some younger depth behind its veteran linebackers, and as they've demonstrated each of the past two seasons you can never have enough warm bodies in the secondary.

Salary Cap Situation
The Patriots are hovering right around the proposed $95 million salary cap; it's unlikely they'll be a major player in the free agent market, but with a couple restructurings and a release or two they'll be able to afford what little help their roster requires.

Unrestricted Free Agents
QB Doug Flutie, FB Heath Evans, WR David Givens, WR Troy Brown, WR Tim Dwight, WR Andre' Davis, TE Christian Fauria, C Ross Tucker, G Steve Neal, T Tom Ashworth, LB Matt Chatham, CB Hank Poteat, CB Artrell Hawkins, CB Chad Scott, S Michael Stone

Restricted Free Agents
None

Free Agent Signings
None.

The Draft
Despite drafting near the end of the round on a regular basis, the Patriots continue to pluck talent from the draft. Last year, their top six picks stuck on the roster, and eight of 10 players drafted in 2003 remain as well. The Pats have also steadfastly refused to draft out of positional desperation, and you can't argue with the results.

The Pats won't have the last pick in the first round this season; in fact, they'll make the 21st selection for the third time in five years. And with the talent pool loaded at both linebacker and defensive back, the Patriots have options. Gather a dozen draft experts and they'd be unable to reach a consensus on whose name Paul Tagliabue will call when the Pats' turn rolls around. Most believe the Patriots will go defense, with the potential list of candidates including Alabama linebacker DeMeco Ryans, USC safety Darnell Bing, Clemson cornerback Tye Hill, and Penn State cornerback Alan Zemaitis. Good luck guessing what Belichick will do; he'll probably stun everyone and take a kicker.

Let's assume for a second the Patriots do go with a defensive player in the first round; they could still go with a defensive player like corner Richard Marshall of Fresno State (a veritable feeder program for the Pats over the past few seasons), Iowa linebacker Abdul Hodge, or Miami corner Kelly Jennings. Or, this draft also being reasonably deep on the offensive line, they could groom a metaphor such as Texas tackle Jonathan Scott.

Clearly, the Patriots have plenty of options and there's simply no arguing with the track record of their personnel department. They may go off the board and surprise with their picks, but odds are those folks will be wearing a Patriots jersey when the 2006 season kicks off.

Injury Watch
Brady appears to have recovered from offseason hernia surgery; he was back playing golf and breaking hearts within a week. Dillon nursed various injuries all season long, but there's no indication he won't be ready for the start of offseason workouts. Most of the New England secondary finished the season on injured reserve, with the most notable being Rodney Harrison, who blew out three ligaments in his left knee in late September. He's spending the offseason at the team's complex and hopes to be ready for the start of the 2006 campaign, which is good news for Pats fans because when the injury happened there was talk Harrison's career could be over. Several other Patriots may have suffered significant injuries that warrant mentioning here, but the organization is so tight-lipped when it comes to disseminating injury information that we haven't heard about them yet.

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