New England Patriots: 6 Players Facing Make-or-Break Seasons
The New England Patriots are one of the most competitive teams in the NFL, and have been so for over a decade. Regardless, there are always players who will have something to prove.
Every year is different. Last year's All Pro could be just the next in a history of many who have simply failed to live up to expectations.
To keep their critics quiet, these players can't afford to have a bad season this year.
Erik Frenz is the co-host of the PatsPropaganda and Frenz podcast. Follow Erik on Twitter @erikfrenz.
Ron Brace
1 of 6
After a heavily criticized rookie year, Ron Brace really made strides in 2010. In fact, he nearly sealed up a starting spot on the defensive line. Nearly.
Brace needs to continue to take those strides forward in 2011. There is a lot of promising talent behind him on the roster, and they're eagerly awaiting their opportunity to make an impact.
Personally, I see him as more of a run-stuffing left end than a pass-rushing right end, but those defensive linemen in the 3-4 tend to be more or less "space eaters" anyway.
At 6'3" and 329 pounds, Brace can certainly do that. He'll need to stay in shape also, having missed the first few days of training camp due to failing his strength and conditioning test.
Brace still has a lot to prove, but he can make a case for himself with a strong outing in 2011.
Darius Butler
2 of 6
He had an up-and-down rookie year, with more ups than downs. To follow that up, he had an up-and-down sophomore year, but this time with more downs than ups.
It started against the Jets, when Braylon Edwards had his way with Butler on five catches for 45 yards and a touchdown.
Butler was pushed into the slot in favor of Kyle Arrington getting the starting nod. Butler continued to have flashes of brilliance followed by a quick flame-out.
Ironically, it ended on a bad note to Edwards on a long pass down the left sideline in the playoffs.
Tully Banta-Cain
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Banta-Cain was the Patriots' leading pass rusher in 2009 with 10 sacks. In 2010, he saw his role diminished somewhat to pass rush specialist, and saw less time on the field. He only had five sacks last year.
The Patriots signed him to a very nice three-year extension in 2010, so they will probably be looking for more out of Banta-Cain. He is being paid far too much to be just a mentor.
At this point, though, he is what he is: A solid pass rusher in the sub package, who can play a little in the base 3-4 if need be.
The question is, how economically sound is it for the Patriots to keep him around in that role? And will they be looking to replace him in that role with a younger guy like Markell Carter or Eric Moore?
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Brandon Tate
4 of 6
Tate's make-or-break season may be more in the eyes of the fans than Patriots management. He may have spent his entire rookie season on injured reserve, but the fans will only remember that he was drafted in 2009 and has yet to deliver.
This being his third year in the system, many are expecting a break-out season from him. It is, however, just his second full year on the field.
Remember, receivers don't often make a big impact in their first year, which was essentially last year. Still, Tate had some spectacular catches, and totaled 24 catches for 432 yards and 3 touchdowns.
The Patriots offense is lacking a deep threat, and many are hopeful that Tate will emerge as the next go-to receiver down the field for Tom Brady. He flashed that at times last year, but also dropped some passes.
Comcast SportsNet's Tom E. Curran has said that Tate was only thrown the ball on plays that were meant to go to him. ESPN Boston's Mike Reiss has pointed out that Tate only caught 56 percent of balls thrown his way.
He'll need to prove he's got what it takes to start consistently, and to do that, he'll need to learn the system deeply and stop dropping balls.
Wes Welker
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Pro Football Talk's Gregg Rosenthal wonders aloud if the Patriots and Welker are headed for a "contractual mud wrestle" while Comcast SportsNet's Tom E. Curran chimes in with a reminder that Welker dropped 13 passes last year.
In what was a transition year for the offense with the trade of Randy Moss, Welker's stats dropped across the board.
It's important to remember, though, that Welker's 2010 season began just eight months after an ACL tear ended his 2009 season. The fact that he was even playing is just slightly less of a miracle than the fact he was productive in his time on the field.
But he doesn't have time to waste. Welker is set to become a free agent in the 2012 offseason, and a quick turnaround is important for his future in the NFL.
With the leaps and bounds improvement that Brady made from '09 to '10, Welker might be able to do much the same.
Quite simply, though, he'll need to get back on a hot track if he wants to remain in a Patriots uniform in 2012.
Brandon Meriweather
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Call him a ballhawk. Call him a headhunter. Call him the most polarizing player on the Patriots roster.
Some, Darren Sharper included, call him one of the best safeties in the game. Others, fans and analysts alike, say he's not even the best safety on his own team.
He may not have started every game for the Patriots last year, having missed a few starts in favor of James Sanders. ESPN Boston's Mike Reiss points out, however, that he started in over 80 percent of defensive snaps last year.
Like it or not, it's safe to say that Belichick likes having Meriweather on the field. If Belichick didn't, I don't think he'd put Meriweather out there so much.
But nothing says "make or break" quite like "contract year." There have been some off-field concerns for Meriweather involving a shooting at a club in Miami, and though he was cleared of any legal charges, he must walk the straight-and-narrow or face the possibility of being cast off by the Patriots in free agency.
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