New England Patriots: The Aftermath

The Patriots almost made history in 2007 after finishing the regular season 16-0.

If they had only burned more time off the clock, if they had only made those last few stops, if only they..., the ifs are endless.

The Patriots are one of the most successful teams in NFL history, but that game slipped through their fingers. 

With the beginning of the off-season, it starts all over.

The Pats are back at 0-0 along with all the other teams. The question is, can they do it again? This time of the year, this "off-season" as it's called for most teams, should be referred to the "aftermath" for the Pats.

They have let many free agents leave, some of who are young free agents. Eugene Wilson is not a big concern, but I feel that they may regret the loss of Randall Gay. Gay was begining to blossom into a good young corner, and was someone I wanted to see stay in the system.

They also lost some leadership without Troy Brown, Junior Seau (as of now), and Kyle Brady. Asante Samuel developed into a very good corner, but showed that he was in it for the money.

It's not all bad, though, they have begun picking up the pieces.

Arguably their most important free agent, Randy Moss, has resigned. Interestingly enough, the character-conscience Pats signed Moss around the same time that his lawsuit was dropped. Moss and Brady should be a good combo for years to come.

They have also brought in free agents like Tank Williams. Veteran presence is big in New England and look for further signings of veterans.

As far as the draft goes, the final step in the aftermath, their pick in the draft will likely be a safe one. It would be out of character for them to chose a high-priced linebacker or running back, (not that they need one), with the seventh pick.

They may choose to trade it to acquire more picks. I see them taking a linebacker anyway, especially if there is a good linebacker/defensive end still available.

There is talk that Chris Long may still be around, and, although he may be high priced, he would be Bill Belichick's dream. A strong defensive lineman who can step back and play some linebacker alongside some of the best veterans in the league.

Once the mini-camps are done and the season starts, they will figure out what they have and put the pieces back together. They have a strong foundation and should keep building on it.

The league is built on competitive balance, and for a team to win three Super Bowls, with three different teams, they must have something figured out.

Brady and Belichick are working with Scott Pioli, and look for them to keep up the good work. They still have their leaders, and they will lead their team through the aftermath, and into the cold days of December.