The New England Patriots might have won the Super Bowl last season, but they could face an uphill climb to get back there again in 2015. The Patriots let go of several key defensive players while others come off injuries which is putting focus on free agency heading into training camp. NFL.com believes that New England could still be eyeing a few offensive playmakers to get points on the board while Tom Brady prepares to sit out four games.
There are still several playmakers on the open market that would be willing to sign for cheap and New England would be wise to take a good look. According to the Boston Herald, with Jimmy Garoppolo preparing to make his second start of his NFL career, having as many offensive weapons is a priority. Julian Edelman is not a downfield threat while Brandon LaFell has not looked the part either. Danny Amendola is inconsistent while LeGarrette Blount will miss the first game of the season for a suspension. So who could the sign?
According to ESPN.com, Reggie Wayne is on the short list of options moving forward. Mike Wells of ESPN.com is reporting that there is interest in Wayne who only plans on playing one more season in the league. Of course Wayne wants that last season to be a with a contender and the Patriots certainly fit the bill of that category. Wayne would sign a veteran's minimum contract which could be appealing for New England. Wayne would be a solid veteran in the huddle while being a downfield threat if he is healthy.
The running back game in New England has some question marks as no one really knows the real position of players like Jonas Gray or James White who saw a brief period of action last year. Travaris Cadet looked strong at times with the Saints while Brandon Bolden returns looking for playing time. None of those players are a home run hit and New England could look at players like Chris Johnson or Pierre Thomas who are waiting for a phone call.
The Patriots focus at the moment is the question regarding Brady and whether or not he will be active sooner rather than later. The team is awaiting the NFL ruling on his appeal of the four-game suspension. It was reported that the news was supposed to drop a week ago, but Brady is still waiting. Edelman told the media that the quarterback is not happy about the issue.
"He's fired up -- we'll say that. You don't want a mad Tom Brady, and he's a little ticked off," Edelman said, via ESPN.com. "I'm not really thinking about that right now. I have 10 more days to get ready for camp, and I'm going to worry about what I can do to put myself in the best situation to help this team. Whatever happens, it happens. I'm sure our coaches will have their thing and have us prepared either way."