X's and O's: Patriots have a heavy lift, starting with QB, after season

kAm~7 4@FCD6[ :E’D ?@E 2?J 7C2?49:D6] xE’D E96 r@=@DDFD @7 u@I3@C@F89] xE’D s2CE9 w@@5:6]k^Am

kAmx C6>6>36C HC:E:?8 2 4@=F>? :? a_`_ D2J:?8 E96 !2EC:@ED H6C6 A6??J H:D6 2?5 A@F?5 7@@=:D9 E@ A=2J 92C532== :? 4@?EC24E E2=<D H:E9 #2?5J |@DD 2?5 E96? E@ A2CE H2JD H:E9 9:> 2 >@?E9 :?E@ E96 42>A2:8?]k^Am

kAmx DE:== E9:?< x 925 2 D6>3=2?46 @7 2 A@:?E] }6H t?8=2?5 =@DE E@ E96 y6ED :? E96 A=2J@77D E92E J62C] qFE E96J 5:5 8@ `c\a 2?5 ]]] J@F <?@H E96 DE@CJ]k^Am

kA 4=2DDlQE?4>D\:?=:?6\=:?<Qmk2 9C67lQ9EEADi^^3F772=@?6HD]4@>^E?4>D^2DD6E^65:E@C:2=^5`a444ha\ce`7\``63\gcd_\ef7g72d`d6chQm%C6 (9:E6 7F=7:==:?8 q:==DV 6IA64E2E:@?D – 2D FDF2= – :? H2<6 @7 ?6H 4@?EC24Ek^2mk^Am

kAm%92E H2D E96 =2DE E:>6 x 4C:E:4:K65 q:== q6=:49:4< :? AC:?E 7@C 9:D >2?286>6?E] q6=:49:4< >2<6D A6CD@??6= >:DE2<6D[ =:<6 6G6CJ3@5J] qFE E96 !2EC:@ED’ @C82?:K2E:@?2= 32EE:?8 2G6C286 :D C6>2C<23=6]k^Am

kAm%9FD[ E9:D :D ?@E 2 4@=F>? HC:E:?8 @77 E96 !2EC:@ED]k^Am

kAmqFE >2?[ q6=:49:4< 92D 2 962GJ =:7E E9:D @77D62D@? E@ @G6C92F= E96 C@DE6C E92E H:== E2<6 E96 7:6=5 282:?DE E96 q:==D @? |@?52J ?:89E]k^Am

kAm“q:== q6=:49:4< :D 92C5=J 6G6C H:E9@FE A@E6?E:2= 2?DH6CD E@ 2 AC@3=6>[” t$!}’D {@F:D #:55:4<[ H9@ H:== 96=A 42== |@?52J’D E6=642DE[ D2:5 62C=:6C E9:D J62C]k^Am

kAmw6C6’D 2 D9@CE DF>>2CJ @7 E96 3:8 :DDF6D 724:?8 E96 !2EDik^Am

kAmkDEC@?8m"F2CE6C324<]k^DEC@?8m %96 !2ED H:== A:4< 23@FE `dE9 :? E96 5C27E] %96C6 AC@323=J H:== 36 7:G6 E62>D A:4<:?8 29625 @7 E96 !2ED E92E ?665 2 BF2CE6C324< Wy6ED[ y28F2CD[ !2?E96CD[ u2=4@?D 2?5 }:?6CDX 2?5 >2J36 D:I Wq62CDX] xE’D 62C=J E@ 7@C642DE] r=6>D@?’D %C6G@C {2HC6?46 2?5 ~9:@ $E2E6’D yFDE:? u:6=5D D66> DFC6 E@ 8@ `\a] }@CE9 s2<@E2 $E2E6’D %C6J {2?46 2?5 q*&’D +249 (:=D@? 2C6 8@@5 36ED 7@C E96 E@A `_] %92E =62G6D p=232>2’D |24 y@?6D 2?5 u=@C:52’D zJ=6 %C2D< 2D 42?5:52E6D 7@C }@] `d] |2J36] }6:E96C @?6 @7 E96> :D 2D 8@@5 2 AC@DA64E 2D qF772=@’D y@D9 p==6? @C |:2>:’D %F2 %28@G2:=@2]k^Am

kAm%96 @E96C @AE:@? :D E@ =2?5 2 G6E6C2? 42DE@77[ =:<6 E96 }:?6CD’ y:>>J v2C@AA@=@] q:==D |27:2 H@F=5?’E =@D6 D=66A @G6C y:>>J v]k^Am

kAm“%96 !2EC:@ED 92G6 A=2J65 E96 =@?8 82>6[ G2=F6 82>6 36EE6C E92? 2?J@?6 @G6C E96 A2DE a_ J62CD[” #:55:4< D2:5]k^Am

kAm%96 E:>6 7@C E96 G2=F6 82>6 :D @G6C 2E BF2CE6C324<] %96 !2ED D@>69@H ?665 2 DEF5 E@ 4@>A6E6 H:E9 qF772=@ 2?5 |:2>:]k^Am

kAmkDEC@?8m$<:== A@D:E:@?D]k^DEC@?8m %96 !2ED 2C8F23=J ?665 EH@ DE2CE:?8 C646:G6CD 2?5 2 36EE6C }@] ` E:89E 6?5] u@C>6C=J F?5C27E65 y2<@3: |6J6CD 92D A=2J65 H6== 2?5 >:89E 36 2 D6CG:4623=6 A@DD6DD:@? C646:G6C] u@C>6C }@] ` }’z62= w2CCJ :D?’E E@@ AC@>:D:?8 27E6C EH@ D62D@?D] x?;FC65 yF=:2? t56=>2? H:== 36 bd 2?5 >:89E 92G6 A=2J65 9:D =2DE 82>6 7@C E96 !2ED] %96J 92G6 EH@ C@@<:6 E:89E 6?5D[ 3FE ?6:E96C =@@<D DA64:2=] %96J 92G6 E96 H@CDE %t AC@5F4E:@? :? E96 }u{ C:89E ?@H]k^Am

kAmkDEC@?8muC@?E D6G6?]k^DEC@?8m %96J ?665 2 DEF5 E@ 2?49@C E96 7C@?E D6G6?[ 6:E96C 2 7F==\E:>6 5676?D:G6 6?5 @C DE2CE:?8 @FED:56 =:?6324<6C – D@>6@?6 2E E96 r92?5=6C y@?6D =6G6=] *@F?8 6586 CFD96CD r92D6 (:?@G:49 2?5 y@D9 &496 >:89E 56G6=@A[ 3FE ?6:E96C D6ED E96 6586 FA E@ E96 q6=:49:4< DE2?52C5]k^Am

kAmkDEC@?8m$64@?52CJ]k^DEC@?8m %@A 4@C?6C $E6A9@? v:=>@C6 2?5 DE2C 7C66 D276EJ s6G:? |4r@FCEJ 92G6 2 J62C E@ 8@ @? E96:C 4@?EC24ED] |4r@FCEJ H:== 36 bc ?6IE D62D@?] w6 H:== 36 2 3:8 =@DD] y]r] y24<D@? :D C625J E@ 36 E96 }@] ` 4@C?6C] qFE E96J H:== ?665 E@ 7:?5 2 DE2CE:?8 4@C?6C D@>6H96C6 E@ 5676?5 E96 q:==D 2?5 s@=A9:?D[ 3642FD6 v:=>@C6 H:== 36 8@?6 27E6C a_a`]k^Am

kAm}6H t?8=2?5 86ED 324< D@>6 8@@5 A=2J6CD H9@ @AE65 @FE 5F6 E@ E96 A2?56>:4] %9@D6 :?4=F56 =:?6324<6C s@?E’2 w:89E@H6C[ E24<=6 |2C4FD r2??@? 2?5 D276EJ !2EC:4< r9F?8[ H9@ H:== 36 bc ?6IE D62D@?]k^Am

kAmk2 9C67lQ9EEADi^^HHH]DA@EC24]4@>^Q E2C86ElQ03=2?<Qm%96 !2ED 4FCC6?E=J 92G6 E96 E9:C5 >@DE 42A DA246 7@C a_a` 2E Seh >:==:@?[ 244@C5:?8 E@ $A@EC24]4@>]k^2m }6H t?8=2?5 42? 7:== D@>6 3:8 9@=6D :? 7C66 286?4J] w@H6G6C[ }6H t?8=2?5 ?6G6C 92D 366? 2 3:8\DA6?5:?8 7C2?49:D6] xE H:== 36 G6CJ :?E6C6DE:?8 E@ D66 9@H >2?J 3:8\>@?6J 7C66 286?ED E96J AFCDF6] %96 AC6DF>AE:@? :D E96J 2C6 ?@E 8@:?8 E@ 8@ @? 2 8:2?E DA6?5:?8 DAC66]k^Am

kAmkDEC@?8mq:==’D 7FEFC6]k^DEC@?8m q6=:49:4< EFC?D eh :? pAC:=] w6 92D b`_ H:?D 2D 2 9625 4@249[ 4@F?E:?8 A=2J@77D[ H9:49 :D }@] b 2== E:>6] s@? $9F=2 :D }@] ` 2E bcf] v6@C86 w2=2D :D }@] a 2E bac] $@ q6=:49:4< H@F=5 ?665 ;FDE EH@ >@C6 D62D@?D E@ A2DD w2=2D] w6 H@F=5 ?665 2E =62DE 7@FC >@C6 D62D@?D E@ A2DD $9F=2[ 2?5 E92E AC6DF>6D 96 4@F=5 86E h[ h[ `_ 2?5 `_ H:?D WH9:49 H@?’E 36 62DJX]k^Am

kAmq6=:49:4< W]efgX 2=C625J 92D 2 36EE6C H:? A6C46?E286 E92? 3@E9 $9F=2 W]eedX 2?5 w2=2D W]ef`X[ 2=@?8 H:E9 6G6CJ @E96C 4@249 :? E96 E@A bd @7 E96 42C66C H:? =:DE] |2?J 4@?D:56C 9:> E96 8C62E6DE 4@249 :? 7@@E32== 9:DE@CJ] qFE >2?J 8C62E 4@2496D 2E 2== =6G6=D 92G6 2 92C5 E:>6 92?8:?8 FA E96 9625D6E] w2=2D 2?5 |2CG {6GJ 6249 4@24965 E@ 286 fa] $@ 5:5 v6@C86 p==6?] q6=:49:4< :D 2 8C62E DEF56?E @7 7@@E32== 9:DE@CJ] !2DD:?8 w2=2D 2?5^@C $9F=2 H@F=5 36 D:8?:7:42?E E@ 9:>] u6H 2C6 AC:GJ E@ 9:D A=2?D[ 2?5 x’> ?@E DF886DE:?8 E92E H@F=5 36 9:D AC:>6 >@E:G2E:@? E@ <66A 8@:?8] }6G6CE96=6DD[ :E’D 62DJ E@ :>28:?6 9:> 4@249:?8 2E =62DE EH@ >@C6 J62CD]k^Am

kAmkDEC@?8m+63C2 C6A@CE]k^DEC@?8m %96 q:==D 2C6 E96 D64@?5 >@DE A6?2=:K65 E62> :? E96 }u{ Whe A6?2=:E6DX[ 369:?5 @?=J pC:K@?2 W`_bX] %96 !2EC:@ED 2C6 E96 =62DE A6?2=:K65 WdaX]k^Am

kAmkDEC@?8m$E2ED 7@C E96 C@25]k^DEC@?8m %96 q:==D 2C6 }@] b :? E96 }u{ :? =:>:E:?8 @AA@?6?ED’ <:4<@77 C6EFC?D[ 9@=5:?8 7@6D E@ 2? 2G6C286 5C:G6 DE2CE @7 ab]g] |62?H9:=6[ E96 q:==D’ 2G6C286 5C:G6 DE2CE 27E6C <:4<@77D Waf]`X :D E9:C5 36DE :? E96 =628F6] ]]] u@C H92E6G6C C62D@?[ E96 !2EC:@ED 92G6 925 EC@F3=6 :? $@FE9 u=@C:52] (:E9 =2DE H66<’D =@DD E@ E96 s@=A9:?D[ }6H t?8=2?5 :D h\`a 2E |:2>: F?56C q6=:49:4<] ]]] r2> }6HE@? D:>A=J 5@6D?’E =@@< C:89E[ 2D 2?J@?6 H9@ H2E4965 E96 |:2>: 82>6 D2H] w6 92D 8@?6 `f DEC2:89E 82>6D H:E9 ;FDE @?6 E@F495@H? A2DD @C 76H6C[ E96 =@?86DE DEC62< k2 9C67lQ9EEADi^^HHH]6DA?]4@>^?7=^E62>^0^?2>6^?6^?6H\6?8=2?5\A2EC:@EDQ E2C86ElQ03=2?<Qm:? E96 }u{ :? E96 =2DE a_ J62CD[ 244@C5:?8 E@ t$!}’D |:<6 #6:DD]k^2m ]]] }6HE@? :D @?6 @7 @?=J 7@FC "qD H9@ 92G6 DE2CE65 2E =62DE `b 82>6D 2?5 A2DD65 7@C 7:G6 %sD @C 76H6C] %96 @E96CDi %C6?E s:=76C W`hhdX[ |:<6 {:G:?8DE@? W`hfgX 2?5 y@6 u6C8FD@? W`hfbX] u6C8J 925 7@FC 2D 2 C@@<:6 :? ~]y] $:>AD@?’D a[__b\J2C5 CFD9:?8 D62D@?]k^Am