FanHouse MikeWright

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.

New England Patriots:

Questionable - Safety Rashad Baker (hand), tight end David Thomas (foot) and defensive end Mike Wright (knee).

Probable - Quarterback Tom Brady (right shoulder).

Could Brady's shoulder really be barking, or is that just another one of Bill Belichick's mind games? You'd think the media would be all over that story if it was anything significant, but the buzz around Brady's shoulder has been quiet.

New York Jets:

Questionable - Running back Thomas Jones (calf), cornerback Andre Dyson (foot), cornerback Justin Miller (thigh), guard Brandon Moore (shoulder) and safety Eric Smith (thigh).

Probable - Tight end Joe Kowalewski (finger), quarterback Chad Pennington (pelvis), defensive tackle Dewayne Robertson (knee), wide receiver Chansi Stuckey (knee) and running back Stacy Tutt (foot).

Although he's listed as questionable, Thomas Jones is expected to start against New England today. That's great news for the Jets, who will need a solid rushing attack this afternoon. Unfortunately, the news in the secondary isn't as promising. Even if Dyson, Miller and Smith play, they will not be 100%.