When the season begins, many eyes will be on the New England Patriots as usual.
Only this time it will be to see how 2015 NFL MVP Cam Newton replaces three-time MVP and six-time Super Bowl champion Tom Brady as a quarterback.
Newton is far from the only player facing great shoes to fill this season, as a series of trades, free-agent signings, and withdrawals opened up some huge holes in jobs that had been star-filled for years.
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Not surprisingly, part of the main focus is on the quarterback with Teddy Bridgewater in charge of replacing Newton at Carolina after the 2011 No. 1 pick had a nine-year career as a starter for the Panthers.
Philip Rivers started 224 consecutive regular-season games for the Chargers before leaving to sign with Indianapolis as a free agent. The Chargers will now turn to veteran Tyrod Taylor or first-round rookie Justin Herbert to take over the trusty Rivers.
Brady had the longest career of all moving QBs, taking over as a starter with the Patriots a decade before Newton made his debut in 2011. He started 283 regular-season games in that span, missing just 15 games in 2008 with an injury. on the knee and four more due to suspension at the beginning of the 2016 season.
But he was unable to reach an agreement with New England and signed as a free agent in Tampa Bay, clearing the way for Newton’s arrival.
A three-time Pro Bowl team who was the league’s best player in 2015, Newton remains the NFL’s all-time leader in touchdowns running for a quarterback. He’s been hampered by shoulder and foot injuries in the past two seasons, but it should offer a different look than the one Brady made more stationary in the past two decades.
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“I am never shocked at anything we do as a Patriots organization,” defender Devin McCourty said last month on the podcast featuring his twin brother and fellow Patriots Jason. “I feel like everything we do is always in the process of thinking about trying to win and win championships. I think that’s what it’s about, trying to improve the team. It never surprises me when we’re trying to do that. “
Here are some other situations where some high-profile stars will have to be replaced in their old houses this season:
GREAT GAME RECEIVERS
Two of the most prominent non-QBs to change teams came in exchanges in March, when Houston dealt with DeAndre Hopkins to Arizona and Minnesota by sending Stefon Diggs to Buffalo. That left big holes for Texans and Vikings.
Houston tried to fill that gap by trading with the Rams for Brandin Cooks. While Hopkins has been one of the league’s most prolific catchers in recent years, Cooks is coming off one of his least productive seasons with just 42 sacks for 583 yards while dealing with a couple of concussions.
The Vikings were younger to find Diggs’ replacement, recruiting LSU’s Justin Jefferson in 22nd place overall to team up with Adam Thielen. Jefferson had 111 catches for 1,540 yards and 18 touchdowns last season.
IN THE TRENCHES
Two of the most trusted offensive linemen of the past decade abandoned him this offseason with eight-time Baltimore Pro Bowl guard Marshall Yanda and six-time San Francisco Pro Bowl tackle Joe Staley each retiring.
The Ravens will have open competition to replace Yanda with free agent DJ Fluker, mid-round recruits Tire Phillips and Ben Bredeson, and returning players Ben Powers and Patrick Mekari, all in the mix.
The Niners stumbled upon a perfect replacement for Staley when they were able to trade for seven-time Pro Bowler Trent Williams of Washington after a long contract engagement. Williams has played for 49ers coach Kyle Shanahan, and he should be able to make a seamless transition for defending NFC champions.
DEFENSIVE PUBLICATIONS
Two of the game’s best defensive players in recent years must also be replaced.
The five-time All-Pro and 2013 Defensive Player of the Year Luke Kuechly retired at age 28, leaving a big gap at linebacker in Carolina. The Panthers signed Tahir Whitehead after he was cut after two less than impressive seasons with the Raiders.
Denver must replace cornerback Chris Harris Jr., who became one of the game’s best slot defenders during his nine seasons with the Broncos. Harris signed with the rival division of the Chargers. Bryce Callahan, who missed last season with a foot injury, will be counted in the slot, while AJ Bouye was acquired from Jacksonville to bolster the exterior.
RUN TO THE DAYLIGHT
Todd Gurley was supposed to be the base of the offense for the Rams when he signed a four-year, $ 60 million extension with Los Angeles in 2018, after winning the Offensive Player of the Year award the previous season. But Gurley was cut this offseason before that extension was even activated.
Gurley ran for 857 yards, the lowest run last season, but still leaves a gap in a team that relies heavily on running game and action-game passing.
Second-round rookie Cam Akers and 2019 third-round pick Darrell Henderson will likely share the burden of the race, along with Malcolm Brown.
