Caldwell, who was killed in a Florida shootout in June, had one of the best fact seasons for the Patriots in the days of Bill Belichick. Who else is on this list? Here’s a writer’s catch, with help from Ohrnberger and former linebacker Matt Chatham
Some basic rules:
- This is the Belichick era, which means from 2000 to 19.
- Players like Martellus Bennett, Andre Carter and Donte ‘Stallworth are not included as they left and returned later, even if it was just for a cup of coffee. This list is strictly for one-year-old players.
1. Darrelle Revis
The gold standard. His 2014 season was the best punctual year for any defender in the history of the franchise.
“The first word that comes to mind with Darrelle is” control, “” said Chatham. “He joined the league in 2007 as a teammate in New York, and what struck me immediately about him was how he made it stand out for another guy who is running a course .
“He just had a talent, an instinct, an ability to sense and anticipate what the other guy was doing and to react in an unusually quick manner. There were rarely situations where he needed to panic or rush to get back on track on a route.
“And he brought that to New England in 2014 with one of his best seasons as a pro. He stopped for a quick year and did his job at such a high level that he earned a nod from the first All-Pro team, as well as a ring, this is the pinnacle of the game at a player. “
2. Trent Brown
The big man. Regular and soft-spoken, Brown was rock solid at left tackle for New England in 2018, and cashed in appropriately when all was done, to move on to the Raiders.
“Brown’s character, injury history and abilities were all in question before playing with the Patriots,” said Ohrnberger. “He played one season with New England and then signed the richest contract an NFL offensive lineman has ever signed.
“So how is it going? Two words: Dante Scarnecchia.
“If you are coachable and talented, Scar will make you better. Scarnecchia has an incredible capacity for motivation, especially with young, malleable talents. “Dante is a good coach” is like saying “the Grand Canyon is a big hole”. The statement is far from the magnitude of the environment. “
3. Cordarrelle Patterson
Patterson provided an energy drain as a kicker in 2018, bringing some of the production to a position that had been inconsistent for the Patriots for a long time. He was also an offensive chess player, winning a few meters in a part-time relay as a ball carrier and wide receiver.
“In 2018, Patterson was used to his full potential,” said Ohrnberger. “When you describe a player as an athlete, or if you describe a player as being without position, it often has a negative connotation. This was not the case for Cordarrelle Patterson as a patriot.
“He was a perfect ‘gadget’ for a game plan infraction; he was a ball carrier, he was a catcher, he was dressed in windows, he was a chameleon. “
4. Bryan Cox
The veteran linebacker set the tone for the 2001 team. During Brady’s first career start against mighty Peyton Manning and the Colts, Cox dealt hell to receiver Jerome Pathon who started the defense for New Brunswick. England and relaunched this magical season. A leader in the locker room, he is an underrated but important part of this list.
“Bryan’s stop at Foxborough was aimed at bringing leadership, bluster, tenacity and confidence to our linebacker room,” said Chatham. “It’s not that he didn’t already have that, but the addition of Cox just took him to another level.
“I will never forget the tenacity it took to continue taking the field with a broken foot during this championship race, a great example. This sacrifice is something I have remembered throughout my career whenever I have to find a way to play in the event of an injury.
“There were a lot of huge personalities and ego on this defense, but it worked brilliantly. Bryan was the perfect addition to an already solid mix. “
5. Brandin Cooks
He posted formidable numbers in 2017 – 65 catches, 1,082 yards, 7 touchdowns – as part of an elite offensive. But a few occasional difficulties and a head injury in Super Bowl LII pushed him a little on this list.
“If Randy Moss taught us anything that we didn’t yet know about Brady during his successful tenure with the Patriots, it is that when paired with a receiver at real speed, the dominance is truly limitless,” said Ohrnberger.
“As a burner, Cooks took on this long-sought-after deep threat role – and shone. There have been only two receivers in the history of the Patriots who have already had over 1,000 receiving yards in one season and averaged more receiving yards than Brandin Cooks (Terry Glenn in 1999 and Stanley Morgan in 1986).
“The Pats exchanged a first round for the cooks; it was worth it. “
6. Brandon Browner
Browner was perhaps the perfect # 2 corner for Revis in 2014, serving as a physical complement to Revis’ smoother style.
“While Revis was on the other side, monitoring the widest receptors, Browner was on the other, bringing a rare size and physical appearance,” said Chatham.
“This particular combination of top cover corner and top length and strength corner is something you very rarely see on a single NFL lineup, but the Pats have had this rare opportunity for this incredible 2014 season.”
“Browner’s size and tackle was a boon to a defense that could be so difficult to move against the ball. Browner could easily be mistaken for great security, but he brought versatility and complementary play at a great price in a championship team. You can’t beat this. “
7. Ted Washington
In 2002, the Patriots had all kinds of problems to stop the race. Once they arrived in Washington before the start of the 2003 season, they had no more problems. It was not the only reason, but it was not by chance.
The 6 foot 5 inch, 365 pound Washington never seemed to really appreciate his time in New England, so it was not a big surprise to see him pass after a year.
“Ted is just a rare human being,” said Chatham. “Before Vince Wilfork, there was Big Ted. Building. Sometimes just play with the guy in front of him.
“The Patriots have had a glimpse of a year of the incredible advantage of having this kind of dominant game in the middle of your defense. I’ve often wondered if Big Ted’s revealing performance this season motivated Bill Belichick to go after Wilfork in the draft. “
8. Reche Caldwell
In 2006, he became one of the eight players who led the Patriots to receptions while Brady was under the center, joining stars Troy Brown, Deion Branch, Julian Edelman, David Givens, Rob Gronkowski, Wes Welker and James White.
9. Brandon Lloyd
In 2012, the staggered Lloyd – a favorite of offense coordinator Josh McDaniels when the two were together in St. Louis – had 74 catches for 911 yards and 4 touchdowns.
“Cultural shock,” said Ohrnberger. “You have to be EXTREMELY productive for the Patriots to endure any distraction in the locker room, so it wasn’t going to work in the long run.
“Lloyd helped New England to the AFC championship as the second leading receiver on a prolific attack, but inconsistencies on and off the field resulted in Lloyd’s release.”
10. Mark Anderson
The very definition of a situational pass crusher, Anderson finished the 2011 season with 10 bags. He signed a $ 20 million, four-year contract with the Bills after his year with the Patriots, and had only one bag in five games with Buffalo before calling it a career.
“The guys who rush over the number of bags are obsessed,” said Chatham. “Going to the quarterback is the mindset of many defensive endings in the NFL.
“Anderson stopped in New England and had a double digit shopping season. I am not a Patriots historian, but I safely suspect that this did not happen before Mark, and you are unlikely to see that again. “
11. Chris Long
Like Cox, Long is on this list because of his value as a teammate and as a trusted veteran determined to win, as well as having a knack for making a big game at the right time. Cox touched Pathon in that 2001 game, while Long delivered a key game in Super Bowl LI. He signed with the Eagles and won another title the following season.
“Chris was a highly respected player in the league before stopping in New England, and there was speculation when he signed on where exactly he was in his career at the time,” said Chatham.
“But he showed that he could still be a very disruptive edge player, a guy who could reach the quarterback in the biggest spot, and be a model teammate despite having a different rotating edge role than the one he was used to it. “
12. Brian Waters
Waters arrived in New England eight days before the opening game in 2011, went from left to right and started each game for a team that made it to the Super Bowl. He finished with a nod to the Pro Bowl, the last of his career.
“I remember attending meetings, marveling at the ease with which he learned the playbook and the ease with which he successfully completed the blocked passes – which helped Tom Brady to pitch for the highest number of career passes and the second highest number of TD passes in his career, “said Ohrnberger.
“Waters was a real pro. He just parachuted and had a Pro Bowl season; it made it easy – which the best often do. “
