This is probably the easiest thing to answer and yet the most nonchalant answer at the same time. However, it's true and it really cannot be disputed.
The first thing needed for the Patriots offense is to address the quarterback one position. Cam Newton was a good runner but he honestly wasn't a top 32 passer. Cam's completion percentage was bailed out by his pass catchers ability to catch the ball anywhere near them.
His decision making and ball placement were just plain bad. It wasn't covid and it wasn't the playcalling. McDaniels brought out the option runs into the offense to adapt the system to Cam Newton. The team even tried to work on Newton's mechanics to help with his accuracy.
Newton still throws to his pass catchers bubbles Instead of to them and he does not seem to understand timing routes. He is a throw it up for grabs, deep ball gunslinger and that is not the Patriots offense.
The team is not built to be a high risk, high reward passing game; they are not built for Cam Newton. The Patriots rely on accuracy and with how Cam Passes, nobody can deny that's not him. This is the best Newton can run the Patriots "Air West Spread" offensive system, even after they modified it for him.
Everyone can pretty much agree that 2019 was a bad year for the Patriots passing game. Brady had one of his worst completion percentages and one of his highest interception years. That was an average Cam Newton year in Carolina, minus 400 yards passing and plus 400 yards rushing. 2020 is a down year for Cam.
Newton has never had weapons, that was his defense coming to New England. Newton still doesn't have weapons and what he does have is still elevating him. Sure he'd be a better quarterback if he had a tier better weapons, that is true for every quarterback but the don't have the cap and have too many needs to get enough weapons to make Newton good. A true number one, might make Newton average at best.
The second thing needed are upgrades at positional coaches. Quarterback coach Jedd Fisch is gone and the Patriots cannot seem to develop wideouts or tight ends. Let's be real, It doesn't matter how good the talent is coming out of the draft, if the coaches cannot develop them.
Sure incoming talent could be better than what's on the roster but it's still the coaches' jobs to improve the players and not just hope the talent is good enough on it's own to improve the roster.
Since Edelman is still on the team, let's go back to 2009, the year he came out of the draft and see how many tight ends and receivers the team has taken and developed.
WR: Brandon Tate, Julian Edelman, Taylor Price, Jeremy Ebert, Aaron Dobson, Josh Boyce, Jeremy Gallon, Malcolm Mitchell, Devin Lucien, Braxton Berrios, N'Keal Harry
TE: Rob Gronkowski, Aaron Hernandez, Lee Smith, AJ Derby, Ryan Izzo, Devin Asiasi, Dalton Keene
Of those 17 guys maybe 5 at most were able to be developed and 4 of those 5 came between 2009 and 2010.
The Patriots have been successful at bringing in sustainable free agents, thus it falls on to their ability to develop and not their ability to scout. Which is something I have been saying all season.
The third thing the Patriots offense needs are up grades with their pass catchers. The guys they got are doing their best but they struggle to get separation. It doesn't help their production that when they do manage to get open, Newton cannot get them the ball and part of their inability to get separation is on the coaching but there is still room for upgrades.
Marquis Lee will be returning but that's not enough and there's no guarantee that he will be the guy, not to mention his injury history. The Patriots don't need a true number one. They need a solid group of pass catchers. Instead of a true number one at receiver, bring in two or three number twos that cost the same as one number one.
The Patriots also don't need a top tier number one at tight end. Ryan Izzo is a solid number two. The Patriots need a lower tier number one tight end, who is still a serviceable tight end one ranked between fourteen and twenty four.
Most teams only have one, maybe two good coverage defensive backs. Again a solid unit that the ball can be spread around to in the Patriots system is more valuable than one player.
If the Patriots spend all their cap on one number one and that one player goes down and the team is back to where it started but with less money. It's easier to replace a cog than it is to replace the entire engine.
When it comes to the offensive side of the ball, it's hard to argue with what I wrote. There maybe other things the offense needs to improve on, like play calling but these are the top three needs.
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