Biggest remaining needs for each AFC East team

New England Patriots – Pass rushers

Once again, the Patriots lost several key contributors from the previous season and we are talking about how they won’t be able to recover from all of them. That is until they step back out on the field and are in the AFC Championship Game, which they are pretty much in every year. Even after trading away Brandin Cooks and letting Danny Amendola walk in free agency, this roster has several capable receivers, which is all Tom Brady needs to move the ball down the field.

With the draft pick they acquired from the Rams, they replaced left tackle Nate Solder with Georgia’s Wynn. While I thought he wasn’t long enough to stay on the outside, he has amazing feet and gives them what they need in their quick-rhythm passing offense. Their 31st overall pick Sony Michel has a chance to be a special, Alvin Kamara-like dual-threat out of the backfield. Defensively, they are coming off one of their worst performances in the Super Bowl, when they gave up 41 points to a backup quarterback and now they are without defensive coordinator Matt Patricia.

With Jason McCourty teaming up with his brother, this secondary looks more than formidable and they get their leader in Dont’a Hightower back from injury. The pass rush however, still isn’t where it needs to be. Free agent Adrian Clayborn had a breakout season in 2017 (even though half of his sack production came in one game against a backup tackle, who was left on an island for some reason) and Trey Flowers is one of the most unknown stars of this league.

He has position flexibility and can be disruptive along the defensive line. Deatrich Wise saw quite a bit of game-action last season and Derek Rivers is a guy, who I was really high on in last year’s draft, coming out of Youngstown State. So there is some talent. Still, other than Flowers they don’t have a proven guy at getting after the passer. They need someone else they can count on to put on the heat, no matter where from.