The New England Patriots are heading into the 2020 NFL season with an unfamiliar look to their roster. First and foremost, the departure of Tom Brady in free agency caught many by surprise.
After 20 seasons with the Patriots, Brady will begin a new phase in his career with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. On the other hand, New England is focused on replacing Brady with the quarterbacks they currently have on the roster.
Besides Brady, New England’s defense saw a massive overhaul, with Kyle Van Noy, Jamie Collins, Danny Shelton, and Elandon Roberts all signing elsewhere in free agency. Seeing the number of players to leave the Patriots this offseason, they’ve seen a drop-off in expectations next season.
Similar as always though, New England will take a ‘next man up’ approach and Bill Belichick will be focused on winning football games. With that in mind, let’s take a look at four players that must step up for the Patriots in 2020.