2. Patriots somehow get even better
The New England Patriots won Super Bowl LI and somehow got significantly better on paper entering the 2017 NFL season.
In free agency, they added cornerback Stephon Gilmore, defensive end Lawrence Guy (underrated signing), Rex Burkhead and Andrew Hawkins. They also retained cornerback Malcolm Butler and linebacker Dont’a Hightower while adding receiver Brandin Cooks, tight end Dwayne Allen and defensive end Kony Ealy in trades.
For many NFL fans, these moves prompted an even deeper level of respect for what Bill Belichick continues to do on a yearly basis. For others, they generated a slightly different response.
How I feel when teams keep making trades to improve the Patriots #NFLFreeAgency pic.twitter.com/yIgUmfZY7Q
— Kevin Hall (@KevinHall192) March 11, 2017
So much can and will happen between now and Super Bowl LII in Minneapolis. But on paper, it’s hard to imagine another team in the AFC taking down these Patriots, who appear destined to make another appearance in the big game.