Just after winning Super Bowl 53, the New England Patriots superstar tight end, Rob Gronkowski, announced his retirement from the NFL after putting up Hall of Fame numbers for the Patriots in his very short nine-season career. The Patriots would address the gap on its roster by acquiring Matt Lacosse from the Denver Broncos, but you can never replace the production and presence in the locker room that was left behind by Gronkowski.

The Patriots always seem to do more with less. Whether it be after losing Corey Dillon, Randy Moss, Deion Branch, Wes Welker and now Gronkowski, New England's next man up mantra really seems to keep them consistent contenders in the NFL.

New England's beloved QB Tom Brady is now 42 years old and in a contract year. Brady recently signed a contract with the NE Patriots extending his contract to 2021.

The Patriots also lost some major contributors via free agency this season, Trey Flowers to Detroit and Trent Brown to Oakland. Stand out receiver, Josh Gordon, is also seeking reinstatement to the NFL league office after being suspended indefinitely due to substance abuse.

With all of the question marks on this roster, Bill Belichick may have his work cut out for him this season. Belichick though feels that this is his most athletic and versatile team in years.

Despite these questions, there is one thing we do know. The Patriots will win the AFC East, and be in contention to win their NFL record seventh Super Bowl title. As long as the Belichick-Brady era is still intact, the Patriots will always have a shot. Their level of execution and preparation is unprecedented in the NFL. In a league with a hard salary cap and player movement meant to create parody in the sport,

Brady still has his favorite target on offense, Julian Edelman, and after winning yet another Super Bowl and seemingly winning the battle against previously unbeaten Father Time, my money is still on the New England Patriots.

Whether you love the Patriots or hate them, you still must acknowledge that you are witnessing greatness and a level of excellence that will never be repeated.

Tune in this Thursday to NFL on Fox at 7:30 p.m. Eastern to watch the Patriots open up their preseason schedule against the Detroit Lions to see how they will fill out the roster for this upcoming year and attempt to fill the void left by the absence of Gronkowski.