Within the minutes earlier than Tom Brady’s statue was unveiled in entrance of a sea of New England Patriots followers outdoors of Gillette Stadium, group proprietor Robert Kraft acknowledged the sobering actuality that the franchise has confronted within the years because the legendary quarterback left in 2020.
“Since Tom’s departure, we have been reminded simply how troublesome it’s to win within the NFL,” mentioned Kraft.
He is not incorrect. Within the 5 years post-Brady, New England has endured 4 beneath .500 campaigns and is extra not too long ago seeking to claw their means out from the NFL basement with back-to-back 4-13 seasons.
Whereas dropping the best quarterback of all time actually will go away a dent in your group, it wasn’t the one cause for the Patriots’ plummet. The membership’s lack of ability to replenish the roster through the NFL Draft has hamstrung them, notably on the offensive aspect of the ball. However issues could also be trying up in that division.
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Brent Brookhouse
This offseason, New England deployed large assets into bettering the expertise, which included using its first two picks on the 2025 NFL Draft on key figures on offense. With their first choose, they added LSU offensive deal with Will Campbell after which used their second rounder on Ohio State working again TreVeyon Henderson, and certainly one of their third rounders on Washington State wideout Kyle Williams. After all, it is early, however these two did appear to provide rapid dividends within the group’s preseason opener towards the Washington Commanders.
TreVeyon Henderson, RB
Draft choice: Second spherical (No. 38 total)
For those who did not know who Henderson was earlier than kickoff, you discovered rapidly. The thirty eighth total choose took the opening kick of the sport — his first contact within the NFL — 100 yards to the home for a landing, giving New England as quick a 7-0 lead as you may hope for.
Whereas Henderson actually confirmed that he generally is a menace within the kick return recreation with that dazzling landing, it is within the backfield the place the Patriots arguably want him essentially the most. For years, New England has lacked true explosiveness offensively, and Henderson flashed his dual-threat skill as each a rusher and pass-catcher out of the backfield.
Whereas taking part in with the starters — together with Drake Maye — Henderson rushed as soon as, however for 18 yards (extra on that beneath within the Campbell part) and caught all three of his targets for 12 yards. That features a reception across the line of scrimmage from Maye, the place Henderson shed one would-be deal with after which lowered his shoulder to realize further yards after selecting up the primary down.
Henderson will seemingly have a task as a pure rusher, however it’s as a receiver the place he could shine brightest. Josh McDaniels, who has returned to the franchise this season because the offensive coordinator beneath first-year head coach Mike Vrabel, has a historical past of using his backs within the passing recreation.
Throughout his first stint holding the OC title for the Patriots, Kevin Faulk averaged 49.3 receptions per season. Over his second stint (2012-2021), the likes of Shane Vereen (averaged 52.6 receptions per season from 2013-2015) and James White (averaged 64.8 receptions per season from 2016-2020) had been key items to Tremendous Bowl-winning offenses. Henderson might be the subsequent to fall in that lineage with the added upside of his dashing skill, and Friday’s debut flashed the preliminary indicators of that.
Will Campbell, OT
Draft choice: First spherical (No. 4 total)
Henderson will seemingly be the headliner from New England’s preseason opening win over Washington, however do not sleep on Will Campbell. He is unquestionably a very powerful rookie the Patriots are ushering in, as he is earmarked to be the membership’s beginning left deal with after being the fourth total choose final spring.
Bear in mind once we mentioned we would get again to Henderson’s 18-yard rush? Nicely, that was largely because of Campbell opening up an enormous gap for his fellow rookie, exhibiting his velocity working out to dam Commanders cornerback Noah Igbinoghene into subsequent week.
Halfway via the primary quarter, Campbell additionally had one other Commanders defender skating backwards on a brief run by Rhamondre Stevenson.
To be honest, it wasn’t good for Campbell. He was a part of one of many lowlights of the evening for the Patriots, permitting Drake Maye to get sacked because of some poor communication with fellow rookie Jared Wilson, and the second-year quarterback then fumbled the soccer.
Once more, that felt like extra of a psychological blunder by Campbell/Wilson relatively than being overpowered, and it was additional compounded by the miscue from Maye. All-in-all, it was a robust debut for the presumptive Week 1 blindside deal with.
Kyle Williams, WR
Draft choice: Third spherical, No. 69 total
You could be scratching your head right here when you’re merely trying on the field rating. Williams completed with zero catches on the evening, however that does not inform all the story from his debut. The Washington State product was getting open, however the ball merely wasn’t discovering him. And we imply OPEN.
On the finish of the primary quarter, Williams cooked his defender on the line of scrimmage, which ought to’ve arrange a walk-in landing, however the throw from Joshua Doubs was behind him, and the ball fell incomplete.
On the drive earlier than halftime, Williams was tormented by one other poorly positioned ball. He cleanly beat nook Bobby Price deep up the suitable sideline, however Doubs’ throw was quick and practically picked off. Had the ball hit Williams in stride, it is probably a runaway landing.
So, whereas the stats do not present it, Williams’ separation that he confirmed on Friday reveals us that the massive performs are on the horizon, particularly when it is Maye throwing him the soccer.