3-Wide: How will the Patriots' season finish with Brady no longer suspended?
3-Wide is a weekly feature in which theScore's NFL editors debate the hot topics around the league. Grab a cold towel and brace for hot takes.
How will the Patriots' season finish with Brady no longer suspended?
Dan Wilkins: Tom Brady's four-game "Deflategate" suspension was nullified by a U.S. District Court judge on Thursday, tentatively clearing the Patriots' star quarterback to play for the entire 2015 campaign. Barring a successful appeal by the NFL, Brady will again lead his team back to the postseason. Concerns in the defensive backfield will see New England come up short of another Super Bowl title, however, as a matchup with a top offense in the divisional round will send the club home early.
Arun Srinivasan: The annulment of Brady's suspension changes the equation entirely, as I wrote before that the Patriots would miss the playoffs. Brady finished last season in elite form and there's been little indication that he'll be declining any time soon. That said, the AFC East became a lot more competitive and the Patriots may struggle to replace its starting cornerback duo from last year, Darrelle Revis and Brandon Browner. New England will make it back to the playoffs, but will be ousted in the wild-card round.
Caitlyn Holroyd: The Patriots have gone 2-2 or worse to start a season six times in the Belichick-Brady era, and three of those times resulted in a Super Bowl championship. While New England should have been able to go at least 2-2 without Brady, having him back for a full season certainly helps the team's Super Bowl odds. The Patriots will make it to the big game, but they'll miss out on hoisting the Vince Lombardi Trophy for the second consecutive year.
Which team would benefit most by signing Fred Jackson?
Srinivasan: Atlanta selected Devonta Freeman and Tevin Coleman in consecutive years, hoping that one of them would emerge as the team's running back of the future. Both players fought off injuries and neither player appears to be ready to become a feature back. With the Falcons looking to capitalize on an anemic NFC South in head coach Dan Quinn's first season, Jackson is a ready-made starter who can be utilized very effectively as a receiver. While Jackson wouldn't be promised a long-term future, he'd certainly aid a Falcons team in desperate need of a capable starter.
Holroyd: The Patriots have LeGarrette Blount – who's suspended for Week 1 – and Jonas Gray as their big backs, with James White, Dion Lewis, and Travaris Cadet competing to be the primary pass-catching back. There's also Brandon Bolden, but his main contribution is on special teams. Jackson would provide the Patriots with a good mix of both roles, as he caught a career-high 66 passes for 501 yards last season with the Bills. He's also a favorite of head coach Bill Belichick.
Wilkins: With a significant groin injury sidelining Arian Foster for an extended period of time to start the year, the Texans should be among the most aggressive teams in bringing Jackson aboard. Even when Foster returns to the lineup, which reportedly could be at some point in the first half of the year, his long history of soft-tissue injuries makes it necessary for Houston to have another capable running back on the roster.
Which veteran player is in danger of being cut?
Holroyd: Now that the Buffalo Bills' starting quarterback competition has been settled, it looks like Matt Cassel may be the odd one out. Rex Ryan said he plans to keep three quarterbacks on the roster, but with a cap hit of $4.75 million, Cassel would be a pricey backup. That money and roster space could be better spent on another position.
Wilkins: The Seahawks will be looking to settle Kam Chancellor's contract situation before the regular season gets underway, and it would be no surprise to see the team part with a veteran player to create the necessary salary cap space. The team already cut Tony McDaniel, but Brandon Mebane – a consistent contributor on one of the league's most dominant defenses over the past few seasons – and his relatively expendable contract could force Seattle to make another difficult decision.
Srinivasan: Hakeem Nicks once was one of the league's rising talents, but after the 2011 season, he devolved into a shell of a player he was once was. The Titans are largely devoid of talent but stockpiled receivers in recent years, and the 27-year-old is likely fifth on the depth chart at the end of the preseason. It's a shame Nicks didn't remain a star, but the one-time Super Bowl champion will be fighting for his professional career over the next few days.