New England Patriots
Offense: The 2013 iteration of the Patriots will look significantly different that 2012. The team's top two wide receivers (Wes Welker, Brandon Lloyd) are gone, tight end Rob Gronkowski is still recovering from another surgery on his arm, and Aaron Hernandez was released after his arrest on murder charges. Tom Brady is still running the show, and the team did sign receiver Danny Amendola to help fill the void left by Welker's departure. Julian Edelman will need to improve this season as well, as he will likely start opposite Amendola.
The offensive line returns it's entire starting lineup from last year, but will need to see continued improvement from third-year tackle Nate Solder, who is Brady's blindside protector. The running game will likely see more work this year, as Stevan Ridley and Shane Vereen will get an increased workload due a somewhat depleted receiving corps.
Defense: The defense was in the bottom 1/4 of the league in yards allowed, but racked up 20 interceptions last season (5th in NFL). The team also racked up a respectable 37 sacks last season, with Rob Ninkovich (8) and rookie Chandler Jones (6) pacing the team. New arrival Tommy Kelly should help bolster the interior of the line, which was stingy against the run last season. The linebacking corps appears to be solid once again, with Pro Bowler Jerod Mayo and Dont'a Hightower anchoring the unit. The secondary is largely the same, though Adrian Wilson could push Steven Gregory for playing time at strong safety. The team will also rely on second-year cornerbacks Alfonzo Dennard and Ras-I Dowling to develop, as Patriots cornerbacks were prone to getting burned in 2012.
Impact Free Agent: Wide receiver Danny Amendola. The loss of Wes Welker was a devastating blow, and that was prior to the issues for Gronkowski and Hernandez. While he has similar short-area quickness and yards-after-catch ability, Amendola has had issues staying healthy throughout his career, and has some big shoes to fill.
Impact Rookie: Wide receiver Aaron Dobson. Dobson, the Patriots' second-round pick, has put up solid numbers in the team's last two preseason games. He also has the size (6'3, 204) to profile as an outside receiver, opening up underneath routes for YAC machine Amendola.
Player to Watch: Defensive end Chandler Jones. Jones had a solid rookie season, and appears to have added some bulk to his frame. If he can become more solid against the run, Jones may be able to vault himself into a Pro Bowl-caliber defensive end in 2013.
Record: 11-5 (1st in AFC East)
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