FanHouse JamesSanders

Because the NFL season never ends, we present our 2009 Offseason Roadmaps for front offices to navigate through the summer.

Even though they lost franchise quarterback Tom Brady to a knee injury in Week 1, the Patriots managed to finish with a rather impressive 11-5 record in 2008. Impressive because they did so with a quarterback (Matt Cassel) that hadn't started a game since he was a senior in high school.

In most years, an 11-5 record is a lock for the NFL's postseason, but the Patriots became the first team since the 1985 Denver Broncos to miss the playoffs with such a mark. They already started the offseason by placing the franchise tag on Cassel, and it remains to be seen if they intend to trade him off to the highest bidder, or keep him around is a rather expensive insurance policy.

When the Patriots signed John Lynch a few weeks ago, it wouldn't have been crazy to think that the Patriots found themselves a useful role player that could contribute something positive for ten-or-so snaps a game.

After all, it wouldn't have been the first time the Patriots picked up a once-great player off the scrap heap and found something they could use, much as they did with Corey Dillon, Rodney Harrison, and Junior Seau. Only natural to assume they would hit on another one with Lynch.

Turns out, that's not happening. At least not right now. The Patriots today released the former pro-bowler, according to the Patriots blog at the Boston Herald. However, Head Coach Bill Belichick isn't ruling out Lynch returning to the team at a later date.

Here's what Belichick offered on Lynch: "It goes without saying but John is an all-time great safety, one of the league's classiest professionals and his elite play speaks for itself. As has been the case in other situations, I would not rule anything out down the road.

Training camps are underway, the NFL season is right around the corner, and to get you ready for 2008, FanHouse previews all 32 teams, "heat index" style. We'll rate each club in 10 categories on a scale of 1 to 10, high score wins.

Quarterback: All Tom Brady, all the time. Honestly, he's got it all: a rocket for an arm, Madison Avenue good looks, dreamy eyes (that's what the ladies say, anyway), a few Super Bowl rings, Hall of Fame career, lingerie model girlfriend. He's living the American dream, and as he goes, the Patriots go. Unfortunately for New England, he hasn't played a snap this preseason, and as a result, the Patriots' offense has gone from a battleship that bombed opposing defenses into submission, to a rowboat missing an oar, aimlessly spinning in circles. A healthy Brady is the key to the season, because if the two Matt's (Cassell and Gutierrez) can't get it done in fake games, what's going to happen if they face defenses that have actually game planned and are trying to stop them? Brady will play on one leg, if he has to. Heat Index: 9