By: Declan Flavin | Follow me on Twitter / X @FlavinDeclan
All it took was a bronze model of Tom Brady and a 100-yard kickoff return touchdown to get everyone a little too excited about the upcoming season. Regardless, this season should be a fun one with a reestablished culture and a seemingly talented draft class.
Last year was simply another year of barren talent and a rocky plan for the future, but there is finally a semblance of a bright horizon for this franchise. Going forward, there are certain aspects to prioritize from a viewing perspective to determine how this team holds up to league standards. These traits were simply nonexistent last season, and the challenge will be to deliver them with the incoming talent this team may have.
Explosiveness
Nothing like a kickoff return touchdown on the first play to highlight exactly what this team needs this season. The explosiveness needed for big plays on this team has been lacking for longer than many have realized.
The quality NFL teams turn a 100-yard football field into a basketball court, while the Patriots in recent years have turned one football field into five. Explosiveness is needed beyond simply being the optimal outcome of a play; it also scrambles the mind of a defensive coordinator. If a team does not offer any sudden threat to throw off the defense, the defensive plan does not have to account for unpredictability and can impose itself on the offensive unit.
Separation
Somewhat connected to this element is the separation created by the receivers, which has been another problem nagging the Patriots for years. Since Julian Edelman’s departure, there has not been a consistent separator for a Patriots quarterback to throw to.
Kendrick Bourne has been somewhat reliable, but quality separators can get open when it really matters, and the Patriots have not been as effective in close games recently. Now that DeMario Douglas is in a fitting slot position and Kyle Williams has already shown strong first moves off the line, this issue looks like it can finally be addressed. A player like Efton Chism will be valuable as well if he makes the team and can provide depth should Stefon Diggs need the help.
Cohesion
Cohesiveness along the offensive line is desperately needed, especially in the second year of a rookie quarterback. Will Campbell and Jared Wilson already appear to be making good progress on this, so the goal will be to keep it going.
There will undoubtedly be some swapping of linemen in and out at times, but the Patriots appear to want to keep things fairly consistent compared to last season in terms of the starting five. Obviously, picking a highly touted lineman like Campbell will help, but his sacrificial attitude should be what unites the line. Beyond the need to maintain this newfound accountability, the offensive line in particular could use more desperation and trust.
There have perhaps been fragments of these elements scattered throughout the post-dynasty years, but not nearly enough to be competitive. Having Mike Vrabel and Josh McDaniels specifically to address these needs is simply ideal.
These are coaches who have proven success in both regular seasons and playoff games, and that is what can put the pieces together. Fixing these offensive-oriented team issues will make the collective unit appear significantly better to the rest of the league.
Flavin Media 
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