Light a fire: These Patriots have something to prove

Fourth in our series looking ahead to the opening of Patriots training camp July 26.

Just about every player on every NFL roster would tell you he feels as though he has something to prove in 2018. But some may experience that feeling more strongly than others.

For the Patriots, there are some obvious choices for this category. Players like Trey Flowers, Shaq Mason, Danny Shelton, Malcom Brown, Phillip Dorsett and Eric Rowe are all coming to the ends of their rookie deals and could be in line to make some serious cash depending on their performances this fall. Stephen Gostkowski and Ryan Allen (who will be competing with undrafted rookie punter Corey Bojorquez in camp) are getting to the ends of his deals as well. Will their individual games show signs of a major uptick this summer?

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Of course there are those who belong to the coming-back-from-injury crowd. Something to prove? You bet. Derek Rivers tore his ACL last summer and never got a chance to show what he could do as a pass-rusher coming out of Youngstown State. He'll have another shot in camp. Cyrus Jones' season was over before it started last year as well. Now in his third year, he'll have to prove he can contribute either defensively or in the kicking game to earn a roster spot. Julian Edelman, Dont'a Hightower, Malcolm Mitchell, Marcus Cannon, Vincent Valentine, Nate Ebner . . . even Jordan Matthews, who had an injury-riddled season in Buffalo in 2017, can be counted among those who are looking to regain their form as they head into another season.

The final category of players who will likely have a fire lit under their keisters this summer? Those who simply didn't live up to expectations in 2017. Dwayne Allen and Mike Gillislee, for instance, may still be better players than they showed last year. Now is their opportunity to prove it.

And then there's that Tom Brady fella. Remember him? He may have less to prove than anyone who's ever played the sport. His career speaks for itself. Obviously. Still, he missed every voluntary practice over the spring and many are wondering about his buy-in, about just how close he may be to the end. Even for those folks, the assumption seems to be there will be little visible drop-off as a result of the workouts he missed. But given the approach Brady has taken for much of his career, he may feel as though he'd like to prove to people he can attend the practices he wants to attend, spend time with his family, address his other business ventures, and still be the best quarterback in the league. Would that surprise anyone?