The New England Patriots have been so good for so long that they almost have to be an aging bunch, don’t you think? But in fact just the opposite is true. A recent post on Pats Pulpit revealed this team has just a handful of starters over 30.

Head Coach Bill Belichick is not only a master on the field on game days, but he’s mastered the art of knowing just when to churn through his roster, replacing the aging ones just in time to make sure he gets something for them in return.

There will be challenges in 2013, with a lot of turnover on the wide receiver front, several new additions on defense and reported issues in the recovery from 2012 injuries of tight end Rob Gronkowski. But Belichick’s roster management skills and, of course, the ageless Tom Brady ensure that this team should remain right among the AFC’s top teams during the upcoming season, says Rich Hill, managing editor of Pats Pulpit.

Zoneblitz: New England won another division and went to the AFC Championship, but couldn’t quite make it all the way to the Super Bowl. How would you assess the 2012 season?

Hill: Honestly, Patriots fans are spoiled. Everyone was disappointed by the result, but for some reason it didn’t feel gut wrenching. The Patriots were just beaten by the Ravens. No bizarre plays, no bad calls, they were just beaten and beaten soundly. So the ending, while not what we were hoping for, wasn’t as bad as the prior season’s.

As for the year on the whole, it was very up-and-down. Losing to Arizona and Seattle on some last second plays were some of the lows, as were missing Hernandez early on and Gronkowski late in the year. Still, there were a lot of bright spots. The emergence of Stevan Ridley as a top running back in the league was a pleasant surprise, while Chandler Jones and Dont’a Hightower put together solid rookie seasons (while providing entertainment during draft night). Devin McCourty found his rookie form, while the mid-season trade for Aqib Talib was another shock to everyone.

Overall? Can’t complain about another top four finish by the Patriots.

Zoneblitz: Wes Welker, Brandon Lloyd and Danny Woodhead are gone and word is leaking that Rob Gronkowski may be having some issues with his arm injury, do you have any worries about the offense?

Hill: As long as Tom Brady is at the helm, I can’t be too concerned. Losing Welker was definitely a hit as the offense will be losing half a decade of chemistry with Brady’s favorite target. That said, Danny Amendola should be able to provide quality snaps with a more versatile skill set. If Amendola can remain healthy, I wouldn’t be surprised if Patriots fans will have moved on from Welker by mid-season.

The potential of losing Gronkowski hurts the offense as well as Brady had his worst games of the year with Gronk on the sideline. Still, Jake Ballard could provide better depth than Daniel Fells, while Gronk still has a chance to take the field.

As for Lloyd and Woodhead, I won’t be too broken up. Lloyd had a successful year, but he was definitely replaceable. Donald Jones, a draft pick, can absolutely replace and maybe even surpass Lloyd’s production. Woodhead was a huge find by the Patriots, but Shane Vereen will most likely be expected to replace his production, which I believe he can, while Leon Washington can add another dimension as well.

The offense might take a couple of weeks to gel, but it’s still far from complete and the team still has some of the best talent in the league.

Zoneblitz: Tom Brady has been so good for so long. What’s your sense for how much longer he’ll keep playing and does Ryan Mallet look like a quarterback of the future or a trade chip?

Hill: Ryan Mallett will most likely be a trading chip, so I’ll put that out there first. I expect the Patriots to try and showcase him during the preseason in order to increase his stock- and at the very least, give him snaps in case he ever actually needs to play. They’ll most likely try to flip him for a second or third round pick in the off-season as Brady will be here for another half decade.

Brady’s not going anywhere.

Zoneblitz: This team has dominated the AFC East (16-2 against division foes over three seasons) for so long it’s easy to think it must be an aging group, but a recent post on your site reveals that just a handful of starters are over 30. How has this team managed to stay so competitive while also maintaining a relatively youthful roster?

Hill: Bill. Belichick. He has done such a good job of knowing when to let players go, while cycling in some youthful players at the bottom of the roster. Of the expected starters, only Brady, Logan Mankins, Dan Connolly, Vince Wilfork, and (sort of) Adrian Wilson will be over the age of 30. Belichick has done a great job of recognizing the core unit on the team and, when the time comes, grooming the young leaders of the future.

In fact, this off-season has been a lot of “finding the youth” as the Patriots have turned in their older players (Welker, Lloyd) for newer models (Amendola, Jones). The hope is that Brady can play with the same unit for the rest of his career and it looks like he just might be able to do so.

Zoneblitz: While the Pats still seem to be the team to beat in the East, how are they primed against the rest of the AFC contenders at this point and what must the team do to contend for another deep playoff run this season?

Hill: The top contenders they have to watch out for are the same as last season- Peyton Manning and the Broncos, the Ravens, the Texans, and, to a lesser extent, the Steelers, the Bengals, and the Colts. The AFC East doesn’t really have many clear challengers, although there’s plenty of time for one to emerge, so the road goes through Baltimore and the other division leaders.

The Patriots have been eliminated the past few years when physical defenses have been able to knock around the interior receivers of the offense- and that just stops any possible offense. This off-season, Belichick has made a point of getting bigger and more physical on offense so they can fight back against the physical defenses- not coincidentally, Baltimore, Denver, Houston, Pittsburgh, Cincinnati (and in a grander scheme, the 49ers and the Seahawks).

In order to make their mark, the Patriots have to find their outside receiver who can attack defenses and keep routes open for those underneath.

Zoneblitz: Last year we discussed some of the issues the Patriots had on defense. How do you think the team addressed those holes last season and what do you think the strengths and weaknesses are on that side of the ball right now?

Hill: We pointed out that the 2011 Patriots struggled to stay healthy in the secondary and were forced to piece together a gum-and-string defense out of whatever pieces were healthy. While injuries still hit the defense, they made a mid-season trade to acquire Aqib Talib which absolutely shored up the back-end of the defense – and while Talib wasn’t fantastic, having another solid body on the field allowed the defense to play with some consistency. Oh, and as for McCourty being burned by a lack of a safety last year? He was moved to safety for 2012 and was one of the best in the league.

A current weakness has to be in the middle of the defensive line as the Patriots have no real stars to play defensive tackle next to Vince Wilfork. The Patriots have struggled to generate consistent pressure for many years now and, while their switch to the 4-3 has helped, there’s still plenty of improvement to be made. If the Patriots can find a defensive tackle who can generate pressure next to Wilfork, the defense will definitely see an improvement.

A strength has to be the consistency as the team is returning every single starter from last season. While some might not remain starters (Steve Gregory might be replaced by Adrian Wilson, and Kyle Love will definitely rotate with Brandon Deaderick and Tommy Kelly), the whole defense is still intact. That should go a very, very long way with the preparation and the wrinkles the defense can throw on the field.

Zoneblitz: Who on the roster could you see having a breakout season in 2013?

Hill: On the offensive side of the ball, I see Ryan Wendell garnering more national attention. He was one of the best run blockers in the league in his first year as a starter and now he’ll have a pair of healthy guards to play with. As he enters his contract year, I see Wendell making a big statement.

On defense, I see Devin McCourty breaking out (again), but this time at the safety position. He’s been shuffled back and forth between positions for the past few seasons, but he should be penciled in as the starting free safety from week 1. Give him a full season playing behind Talib, Arrington, and Dennard, and I think he’ll be one of the league leaders in interceptions and will be his normal stellar contributor in run defense.

Zoneblitz: What do you think of the Patriots free agency moves thus far and how would you like to see the team approach the draft and the remainder of free agency?

Hill: The Patriots have been very aggressive this free agency, which I think is a good thing. They know they were short on draft picks so they went after a number of top free agents to solidify their roster. Not only did they bring back their top five positional prospects (Sebastian Vollmer, Aqib Talib), but they brought in some depth at positions of need (defensive tackle: Tommy Kelly, Armond Armstead; wide receiver: Danny Amendola, Donald Jones). A lot of their signings went under the radar, but that’s just solid roster management by the Patriots.

Heading to the draft, there’s still a hole at wide receiver and defensive tackle – two positions I expect them to address in the first two rounds. The defensive tackle position falls off after the first round, so I would expect the Patriots to go after Sylvester Williams of North Carolina or Kawann Short of Purdue. The depth at wide receiver is much greater, which would leave a top prospect available when the Patriots are expected to draft in the second.

For the rest of free agency, I expect them to stay relatively quiet, making some small depth pick-ups as they try to find the right 53.

Zoneblitz: Is there anything you would like to add?

Hill: Let’s hope for health and another successful year!

Follow Rich Hill on Twitter at: @Rich__Hill
Follow Pats Pulpit on Twitter at: @patspulpit
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