There’s quite a buzz around Foxboro as the 2019 NFL season approaches.
The New England Patriots will enter the new campaign as reigning Super Bowl champions, and they’re poised to make a serious run at a second consecutive Lombardi Trophy. The Patriots, obviously, will be led by 42-year-old Tom Brady, but their collection of up-and-comers will have an opportunity to be difference-makers as well.
Colin Cowherd, for one, is awfully intrigued by New England’s young talent. Not only the handful of rookies set to make an impact in Year 1 but also the crew of 2018 draft picks who lost their debut campaigns due to injury. So when “The Herd” host was tasked Monday with summing up the Patriots in three words ahead of the 2019 season, he focused on the franchise’s youth movement.
“Patriots: somehow getting younger,” Cowherd said on FOX Sports 1. “Yes, Brady turns 42, but Gronk (Rob Gronkowski) retired. Not only will their first five draft picks this year play — they drafted not only talent, but need — but three of their top four draft picks last year, very good players, got hurt. They will have an infusion of eight young players joining what was a Super Bowl-winning team. I really think — and (Bill) Belichick has told friends this — this will be his youngest, most talented and athletic team in the last several years. Yeah, Brady’s old, but he’ll be surrounded by some really talented youth.”
You can go right down the list to back up Cowherd’s point. N’Keal Harry very well could be No. 2 on New England’s wide-receiver depth chart in short order, while Chase Winovich should be able to provide a pass-rushing boost to a unit that lost Trey Flowers in the offseason. Last year’s first-round pick Isaiah Wynn appears to be receiving every opportunity to win the starting left tackle job, and second-year linebacker Ja’Whaun Bentley is in line to have a critical role on defense after an eye-opening start to his rookie season.
The Patriots, as most teams do, will lean on their veteran core when the going inevitably gets tough. But it’s New England’s wave of promising, young players that could take the team to the next level in 2019.
