8 Patriots who need to step up in Tom Brady’s absence

Without Tom Brady, a few more Patriots will take on larger roles.

N’Keal Harry

Harry had a disappointing rookie season after being the first, first-round wide receiving the Patriots have selected during Belichick’s tenure. A lot of that stems from the injury that caused him to miss the majority of the season. He never got the opportunity to learn and grow within the offense, and by the time he came back, there was no time to catch up.

This season, if healthy, Harry can finally become the red-zone threat the Patriots have been missing without Rob Gronkowski. Harry’s size should make him a prime candidate for jump balls and fade routes. Being that solid, big-bodied receiver may take some of the responsibility off of the tight end group that’s still looking slim.