AFC CHAMPIONSHIP: Some Patriots could be departing after season

This postseason could be the last in Patriots uniforms for several players and a coach or two.

KANSAS CITY, Mo. – The more things change, the more they stay the same.

The names and personnel decisions may be different but as the Patriots prepared to play in an eighth straight AFC Championship game Sunday night, they were looking at a potential final outing for several players and a coach or two.

Only a year ago, the pending departure of defensive coordinator Matt Patricia to the Detroit Lions and offensive boss Josh McDaniels to the Indianapolis Colts loomed over the Patriots’ run through the playoffs. After a crushing loss in the Super Bowl, Rob Gronkowski surprisingly floated the possibility of retirement and defensive back Malcolm Butler’s fate was sealed after not playing a single defensive down.

Fast forward to Sunday's AFC title game against the Chiefs at Arrowhead Stadium. McDaniels is still calling the plays for the Pats after leaving the Colts at the altar last February. The assistant coach now slated to be on the move is Brian Flores, who is expected to be named the head coach of the Miami Dolphins.

Gronkowski is still with the team, although an NFL Network report Sunday claimed he will again contemplate retirement whenever the Patriots’ season ends. A jump to the WWE or an acting career could be his next move, according to the report. Gronk as an action hero? We shall see, especially since he’s owed one more year on his contract at nearly $12 million.

Gronkowski said this week that he can only marvel at the success he’s had with the Patriots over his career.

“When you’re a young buck, really young, you feel like you’re going to be here for a little while,” he said. “I would say now, seeing everything, seeing how fast it goes, you know how much work it takes to put in to get to this level. As you get older, you’ve got to put more work into it to get this far, to get to this stage, to get to the championship game. You feel like when you get to these games you feel all that work you put in. You feel accomplished when it happens.”

The team’s crop of pending free agents is a large and talented one. Coach Bill Belichick and the front office have a host of major decisions to make, on both sides of the ball.

Besides the uncertainty around Gronkowski, the bulk of the talent in the passing game could be on the move as well. Receivers Chris Hogan, Cordarrelle Patterson and Phillip Dorsett are all able to jump as unrestricted free agents.

On the offensive line, perhaps the best pickup of last offseason is also a free agent. Trent Brown, the massive (6-8, 380 pounds) left tackle who’s enjoyed a strong season protecting Tom Brady’s blind side, could look to move. He played for the relative bargain price of $1.9 million this season.

The free agents on defense are among the team’s best players and provide loads of quality depth. The key performer is Trey Flowers, the left end who is a budding star. He led the team with 7.5 sacks and is clearly a building block for the future, but will be in line for a significant jump from his current $2-million contract. Fellow defensive linemen Malcom Brown and Danny Shelton are also unrestricted and almost certainly won’t be asked back.

In the secondary, the deals for Jason McCourty and the injured Eric Rowe are both up. McCourty has proven to be a solid dime defender, but may not be in line for a multi-year deal. McCourty replaced Rowe, who has missed the bulk of the season with a groin injury.

The team’s specialists are also in line for new deals. While Stephen Gostkowski ($5 million) is one of the highest paid kickers in the NFL, he’s showing no signs of slowing down after hitting 49-of-50 extra points and 27-of-32 field goal tries. In his 13th season at 34 years of age, Gostkowski should be kept around for at least a few more years.

Punter Ryan Allen enjoyed another strong season (45.1 yard average) and is the 11th highest paid punter in football.

The biggest drama will certainly revolve around Gronkowski. If he is wrapping things up, the 29-year old will present a remarkable, nine-year career to the Hall of Fame voters. Gronk entered Sunday night tied with John Stallworth (12 TDs) for second all-time in playoff touchdowns, trailing only Jerry Rice (22). If he could muster three receiving yards against the Chiefs, Gronkowski would become the only tight end in history to surpass 1,000 yards in the postseason.