Ten’s a lot but let’s take a stab at it because there are certainly a handful of players that need big years to take the Pats to the next level.
1. Jamie Collins – Let’s just get him out of the way first because he’s everyone’s breakout player this year. Collins is what every current NFL team needs, super athletic linebackers who can deal with the ever-growing array of big tight ends and slot receivers (usually outside receivers lining up in the slot). Collins very well could find himself a prototype the rest of the league tries to fill this year. I expect him to do just about everything – coverage, blitzing, stopping the run.
2. Dominique Easley – Simply put, the Patriots haven’t had an interior rusher close to Easley since Mike Wright circa early 2010. This is another necessary player for a modern NFL team – chaos causer inside. You can get by with space eaters but if you can’t collapse the pocket just about every QB in the league will step up and complete a pass. Easley has the chance to make the entire front seven better on passing downs, something they desperately need, especially on third down.
3.Devin McCourty – Some might say he broke out last year, but now with this deep secondary around him and quality pass rushers in front of him, McCourty should cement his place as a top back end safety this season.
4. Sealver Siliga – Maybe this is a little too bold, but I think there’s a chance that Siliga eats into a lot of Wilfork’s traditional snaps this year. He really needs to if we’re going to get a few more years out of Wilfork. Siliga was impressive in camp before getting injured. But he has the perfect body type for the middle of this defense and I think he will prove he’s Wilfork’s heir apparent this season.
5. Alfonzo Dennard – Despite the presence of Brandon Browner I still think Dennard will see plenty of snaps this year, and with Revis/Browner/Arrington/McCourty in the secondary, Dennard should be a frequent target of the opposition. He’s my favorite to lead the team in interceptions this season.
6. Bryan Stork – Maybe this is a pick made more with my heart than my head but Stork could singlehandedly improve the offensive line in the middle – something it badly needs. Stork has the size, strength and tenacity to deal with the bevy of interior rushers the Pats will face this season. I think he overtakes Ryan Wendell by November and doesn’t give up the position for the next 5-10 years.
7. Aaron Dobson – It was a small sample size but seeing Dobson’s size and speed in the final preseason game has me excited about his prospects this season. If he can truly become the field-stretch (aka deeeeeep threat) the Pats need, the Pats offense could hit 2007 level.
8. Shane Vereen – It’s all about health. If he stays healthy Vereen will enter the conversation as the top pass-catching back in the NFL.
9. Tim Wright – Wright is a perfect fit for this offense and it was immediately clear why the Pats coveted him. Defenses will have to pick their poison with the Pats’ offense, but I think Wright could be the guy that causes the most matchup problems, just like Hernandez did.
10. Tom Brady – He wasn’t elite last year, right? This year he’ll be elite.