I have to start off with a salute to Rob Gronkowski, hanging up the cleats after spending nine seasons as a 6 foot 6, 269 pound battering ram that catches footballs. The man will live forever as one of, if not the greatest tight-ends to ever play the game.

Now, on to the rest of this organized chaos that is the Patriots offseason. Offensive lineman Trent Brown, the largest player in the entire NFL (6’8, 359LBS), just signed the largest contract ever for an OL with the Oakland Raiders. Trey Flowers is reuniting with his former defensive coordinator Matt Patricia in Detroit. DB Eric Rowe has gone to sign with the Dolphins. The reunion with Danny Amendola wasn’t meant to be either, as he will be joining Trey Flowers in a Lions uniform. Defensive end Adrian Clayborn was released, leaving some people scratching their heads, as he proved to be a major factor in the Super Bowl. It’s also looking like Cordarrelle Patterson and Chris Hogan might not return, and Dont’a Hightower might prove to be too expensive. That’s a lot to wrap your head around as a New England fan. However, fear not, as this is exactly the type of offseason Bill Belichick is used to, and prepared for.

Bill Belichick has proven time and again that he doesn’t need big name players to be successful. He will sign players he knows will be willing to work as hard as he needs them to, aren’t expensive, and will build a system around them. And once those players have done their part and ask for multi million dollar contracts, he lets them sign with another team that will pay them that absurd amount of money, and starts this process all over again.

The Patriots recently re-signed WR Josh Gordon, a player that everyone thinks is either at risk of a suspension, or won’t live up to his full potential. But Gordon has expressed his desire to stay in New England, stay clean, and will continue to work on his mental health. All good signs. Josh Gordon is a dangerous threat on offense, and if he’s happy and healthy, that’s plenty for Tom Brady to work with.

New England also signed defensive lineman Michael Bennett, a possible replacement for Trey Flowers. Bennett has shown season after season he can get quick, hard pressure on the opposing quarterback, and disrupt offenses well.

Following the news of all of these offseason losses, the Patriots signed a flurry of names that might go over some of New England faithful’s heads, wondering who these players are, and why they aren’t names like Odell Beckham Jr. or Antonio Brown. To be clear, both of those guys are enormous personalities, and Bill Belichick just won’t work with that. But like I said before, Belichick has shown year after year that he doesn’t need the big name players or the first round draft picks to be successful.

Belichick’s not worried, Brady’s not worried, I’m not worried.

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