FOXBOROUGH, Mass. – There is little that is familiar about the state of the New England Patriots in this training camp. They aren’t the “defending” anything. They are the “reigning” nothing. There is no ongoing string of success to try to extend.
But that doesn’t mean this edition of the Patriots is uninteresting or irrelevant. Far from it. They’re still the Patriots. And Bill Belichick is still their coach.
“Ever since I’ve been playing this game,” said tight end Jonnu Smith, one of the prominent players added during an uncharacteristic free agent spending spree this offseason, “there’s been a certain standard here.