Tom Brady’s top 10 weapons in Patriots offense

Tom Brady’s career with the New England Patriots remains historic as the team prepares to honor the legendary quarterback in the season opener on September 9 at Gillette Stadium. 10 against the Philadelphia Eagles.

Brady had many great offensive weapons during his time in Foxborough. From pure outside receiver to technician in the slot, No. 12 has a plethora of playmakers.

Who stands out among the best players Brady has ever had?

Let the debate begin.

Here are Tom Brady’s top 10 weapon power rankings in the Patriots offense.

1. Rob Gronkowski
No player has had as much of an impact on Brady as Rob Gronkowski in nearly a decade.

The 2010 second-round pick gave Brady an elite big-body target who could line up almost anywhere on the field. There were regular-season moments when he would physically overpower defenders in the open field and score spectacular touchdowns.

The tight end has scored at least 10 touchdowns in five of his first six NFL seasons. Gronkowski also had four 1,000-yard seasons as the centerpiece of the offense. A four-time first-team All-Pro selection, a five-time Pro Bowler and the 2014 AP Comeback Player of the Year, his regular season resume speaks for itself.

However, postseason performance had a significant impact on this list. When Gronk is healthy, he is an absolute force in the playoffs.

In the 2014 AFC Divisional Round, Gronkowski returned for two touchdowns against the Baltimore Ravens, controlling the middle of the field for 108 yards.

The Denver Broncos were unable to contain Gronkowski on multiple playoff occasions. In the 2011 AFC Divisional Round, he caught 145 yards and completed three touchdowns. Four years later, in the 2015 division championship game, the Patriots tight end put the team on his back in the fourth quarter with a monster fourth-down conversion and then ran into the end zone A late score tied the game within a two-point conversion for New England’s victory.

When the lights were brightest, Gronkowski still left his mark, catching three of Brady’s touchdowns during his Super Bowl career with New England. (He scored two more in the Super Bowl as a Tampa Bay Buccaneer).

Even if he didn’t find the end zone, Gronkowski still made a huge impact, with his diving catch in Super Bowl LIII helping the Patriots drive home a sixth win. Buddy Trophy.

Like some of the pass catchers on this list, the moments that made Brady better with Gronkowski will fade into the pages.

The bottom line for Gronkowski, the top player on the roster, is simple: He truly dominated the game as a tight end and performed consistently for the Patriots. Had he been healthier, New England might have added more titles.

2. Randy Moss
The Randy Moss era with Brady at quarterback felt like it passed in the blink of an eye. If only it lasted longer. They only played 40 games total, but they were truly memorable.

When the elite receiver arrived in Foxborough before the 2007 season, Brady was already an above-average passer with three Super Bowl rings and unparalleled clutch genes.

What he lacks is a true elite threat to take his game to a whole new level. Moss did just that.

During their historic partnership in 2007, Brady set a then-NFL record with 50 touchdown passes and won his first MVP award. Moss set a single-game scoring record in 23 of those games, including eight games with multiple touchdowns and four touchdowns in a game in Buffalo when the Patriots led the Bills by 56 points.

Fans will remember Super Bowl XLII, immortalized in the Patriots’ 18-1 loss. What people might forget is that this legendary duo stepped up in the fourth quarter in what could have been another Super Bowl rally for the Patriots. Brady gave the Patriots the lead on a slash to Moss with 2:42 left, and a few minutes later the New York Giants had a “helmet catch” from David Tyree and Plaxico Burr. Reis’ buzzer-beater miraculously won the game.

Brady suffered a season-ending ACL injury just minutes into 2008, and the two had to wait a year to get more production. By the way, Moss also had 1,008 receiving yards and 11 touchdowns from Matt Cassel that year.

In his long-awaited return in 2009, Moss once again took the NFL by storm with 1,264 yards and a league-leading 13 touchdowns.

In 2010, New England traded the frustrated Moss to the Minnesota Vikings, and the league ended after just four games.

Brady is already a great quarterback. Moss made him an all-time great.

3.Julian Edelman
Julian Edelman worked hard for years to earn Brady’s trust in New England. When he got it, the former Kent State quarterback never looked back.

Edelman spent four years with the Patriots in various roles before becoming the true No. 1 target in 2013 with 105 catches for 1,056 yards.

Since then, the Californian has become more and more connected, with the No. 12 always finding the No. 11 and finding his place in big situations.

Edelman might be the player on this list who has the biggest playoff impact. Only Jerry Rice had more receiving yards in the playoffs, and Edelman secured all of his numbers.

In 2015, he returned from a foot injury against the Kansas City Chiefs after missing nearly two months and had 10 100-yard carries. Three years later, at Arrowhead Stadium, Brady hit two 3-and-3s to Edelman in overtime to help the Patriots reach their third straight Super Bowl. Edelman seized the opportunity with 10 more receptions and 141 yards, helping New England beat the Los Angeles Rams 13-3 to win the Super Bowl MVP award.

His acrobatic catch in Super Bowl LI that capped a 28-3 comeback remains one of the greatest catches in the history of the game. Edelman continued to work hard for Brady and his teammates, especially in Super Bowl 49, when he made a series of big catches in critical moments, including one with two minutes left in the game. , Brady won his all-important fourth Super Bowl, scoring the game-winning score. The Seattle Seahawks defeated the Seattle Seahawks 28-24.

Edelman is as clutch as they come. His chemistry with Brady became unparalleled and helped the New England quarterback lead the second half of the dynasty.

4. Wes Welker
In the simplest way, Wes Welker set the standard for players like Edelman and solidified the position as a highly valuable aspect of New England’s Brady-era offense.

Moss would also be a standout in the historic passing attack in 2007, however, he wasn’t the only first-year Patriots player to perform well that season.

Welker caught the first of Brady’s 50 touchdowns in that game and created mismatches every week as a true route technician. The former Miami Dolphin had 1,000-yard games in five of his six seasons in New England and led the NFL in receptions three times during that span.

His loss in the fourth quarter of Super Bowl XLVI with the Patriots leading may leave a small mark on how he’s perceived in New England. Regardless, Welker has been Brady’s favorite target during their years together.

5. Troy Brown
Finding areas of football where Troy Brown didn’t have an impact is going to be a very difficult exercise.

The current Patriots receivers coach is a solid offensive player. In 2004, he played cornerback. He returned the kick. Brown is a quintessential Patriot with a “do your job” mentality.

Brown became a better safety when Brady was a starting quarterback in the NFL. He’s been helping his quarterback make big plays. In Super Bowl XXXVI, his catch-and-run assist set up Adam Vinatieri’s game-winning field goal, helping the Patriots win the franchise’s first championship.

Brown made another game-saving performance in the 2006 playoffs when he forced a fumble on Marlon McCray’s interception return. The Patriots retained the ball and beat the San Diego Chargers 14-2 on the road. The game was won.

Brown is not an elite receiver, but Brady’s early career would have been very different without him.

6. Dieng Branch
In two separate stints with the Patriots, Branch provided a consistent playmaker for Brady.

The Louisville native was named MVP of Super Bowl XXXIX with an incredible 11 catches and 133 yards receiving performance.

After heading to Seattle, Branch returned to the Patriots in 2010 when Brady needed help after Moss left. Branch contributed to the team’s 14-2 record and helped Brady win the MVP in his second season.

Branch became another target that really made Brady better.

7. James White
First running back on the board!

In a series of receiving backs, White helped Brady transition into the third back position. He also scored a touchdown in all three games in the 2017 playoffs.

For White, his peak performance in the Super Bowl came when the Wisconsin product might have had enough reason to steal the game’s MVP honors from Brady.

A major contributor, White set a Super Bowl record with 14 receptions for 110 yards and three touchdowns, including the game-winning catch in overtime.

The Patriots would never have won the most impressive game of Brady’s career without James White’s legendary performance.

8. David Givens
The Notre Dame product only played five NFL seasons and never put up big numbers.

All he did was catch the ball as Brady passed it and score a touchdown in seven straight playoff games.

A key receiver in Brady’s early years, Givens scored touchdowns in both Super Bowls 37 and 39.

9. Chef Blanding
For a player who only spent one season with Brady, Brandin Cooks made quite the impact.

The young receiver brings speed and a deep threat to Foxborough that Brady hasn’t had in years since being traded to the New Orleans Saints.

Cooks had a stellar season in New England during the 2017 season, catching 1,082 yards and seven touchdowns. His most memorable touchdown was an impressive athletic toe score in the final seconds of a win over the Houston Texans at Gillette Stadium.

Cooks’ performance in the 2017 AFC Champions League was also underrated. In the fourth quarter against the Jacksonville Jaguars, when Brady led the Patriots back from a 10-point deficit with stitches on the thrower, Cooks stepped up and finished 6 key catches for 100 yards.

Although Cooks left Super Bowl 52 after Malcolm Jenkins suffered a head injury, Cooks did more for Brady in his only season with New England. this.

10. Kevin Faulk
As the second running back on his roster, Faulk also helps Brady get out of the backfield, especially as a steady target on third downs.

Faulk scored valuable touchdowns during his New England career, earning him a spot in the Patriots Hall of Fame. In 2006, he scored a touchdown in the AFC Wild Card Game win over the New York Jets and in the 2007 season in the Invincible Bowl when the Patriots defeated the Indianapolis Colts Score the winning goal.