FOXBOROUGH, Mass. — Fast-hit ideas and notes across the New England Patriots and NFL:
1. All about QB: Former Patriots linebacker Rob Ninkovich, who nonetheless resides in Massachusetts, has been tuned in to native sports-talk radio during the last week. He is famous how the overall fan and media response to the Patriots’ strikes within the first week of free company have been destructive.
Ninkovich, who has seldom hesitated to criticize his outdated group in his former position as an ESPN analyst, views it a bit in another way.
“I hear folks saying they’re re-signing all these guys and so they have been 4-13 final 12 months, so why would they do this? To me, the blokes they focused and introduced again, I feel they’re key items. They usually’re getting guys out of the constructing they suppose are the rationale they have been a four-win group,” he stated.
“However the greatest factor to me is that it doesn’t matter what they did, it is the draft that’s going to make or break their offseason. This might be a house run. On the identical time, the scary half is that in the event that they draft a quarterback at No. 3, and he isn’t the man, they’re in main bother.”
Ninkovich succinctly sums up why director of scouting Eliot Wolf, who has the ultimate personnel say within the first 12 months of the post-Invoice Belichick period, is among the many NFL executives with the brightest highlight shining on him.
The underside line: If Wolf and the Patriots’ teaching and scouting staffs in the end have conviction in a quarterback at No. 3, they need to race their card as much as commissioner Roger Goodell on April 25, after which have offensive coordinator Alex Van Pelt and quarterbacks coach T.C. McCartney instantly put a developmental plan in place for him.
Many assume the selection could be between LSU’s Jayden Daniels and North Carolina’s Drake Maye if the Bears choose Southern California’s Caleb Williams at No. 1. Michigan’s J.J. McCarthy, Washington’s Michael Penix Jr. and Oregon’s Bo Nix are additionally among the many highly-rated QBs with first-round potential, with one NFL govt predicting that McCarthy and Penix may go larger than some presently anticipate.
Ninkovich remains to be finding out the quarterbacks and is open to a number of situations for the group, together with buying and selling down and/or selecting a prospect at a unique place.
One week into free company, Ninkovich sees some constructive indicators for the Patriots, however believes all the pieces is secondary to what’s to come back.
“I just like the strikes throughout the board, nevertheless it’s the draft, and what they determine at quarterback, that may in the end decide how the group comes collectively and in the event that they’re trending in the appropriate course,” he stated.
2. Ridley reax: Receiver Calvin Ridley, who selected to signal a four-year, $92 million take care of the Titans over presents from the Jaguars and Patriots, shared perception into his decision-making course of on Friday. He stated it was his hope to return to Jacksonville, however when issues weren’t understanding, the Titans had the mixture of cash and on-field parts he was searching for — which included a receiver in DeAndre Hopkins to play reverse of and assist carry out one of the best in him.
No disgrace for the Patriots, who have been aggressive with their pitch, nevertheless it’s reflective, partly, of the fact that the highest of the receiver depth chart contains JuJu Smith-Schuster, Kendrick Bourne, DeMario Douglas, Tyquan Thornton and Jalen Reagor.
One motive the Patriots have been sizzling on Ridley — he totaled 768 yards on passes thrown outdoors the numbers final season, which was the fifth most within the NFL. In 2023, the Patriots ranked second to final within the NFL in receiving yards on passes thrown outdoors the numbers, based on ESPN Stats & Data. New England’s 1,581 receiving yards on passes thrown outdoors the numbers final season was greater than solely the Jets (1,515).
One NFL govt acknowledged the Patriots’ want, but in addition famous how the 29-year-old Ridley wasn’t at all times project sound in Jacksonville whereas viewing him extra as a stable receiver than a top-tier possibility.
Calvin Ridley stated he’s enthusiastic about becoming a member of a group that’s attempting to be good. However he admitted he actually needed to stick with the Jaguars. However the cash with the #Titans was good so he got here. pic.twitter.com/Hi8PJr1ptD
— TURRON DAVENPORT (@TDavenport_NFL) March 15, 2024
3. Patriots’ method: The most frequent query from underwhelmed social-media followers during the last week has been, “What’s the Patriots’ free-agent plan?”
Many anticipated extra, maybe as a result of head coach Jerod Mayo had beforehand stated they might “burn some money” to herald expertise. Whether or not the Patriots’ method will show to be the appropriate one is truthful to debate, and my opinion is summed up this fashion — they’ve a number of holes to fill, a few of their finest gamers had contracts expiring, and in the event that they did not make it a precedence to re-sign them they might be digging themselves a fair deeper gap as a result of it is unrealistic to suppose extra of a free-agent splurge on others would instantly treatment all their points. In order that they needed to work arduous principally simply to remain in impartial.
As Invoice Belichick used to say, the team-building course of continues over the course of the 12 months and so they nonetheless have A LOT of labor to do, which is predicted to incorporate beginning extension talks with promising fourth-year defensive deal with Christian Barmore.
4. Judon’s deal: When the Patriots restructured outdoors linebacker Matthew Judon’s contract final August, which decreased his 2024 base wage to $6.5 million as a few of his cash was moved into 2023, it set the edges as much as return to the negotiating desk this offseason.
Now, with the primary wave of free company over, it opens a window for the edges to work towards a decision, which they’ve begun to preliminarily discover. Judon’s return from a torn biceps that restricted him to 4 video games final season provides a layer to any discussions, because the group will possible need to defend itself with incentives that reward Judon for being on the sector.
5. Hooper report: What are the Patriots getting in nine-year veteran tight finish Austin Hooper, who they signed to a one-year take care of a base worth of $3 million?
One NFL supply intimately conversant in him stated: “He is not a ‘Y’ that you simply’d constantly placed on the road and ask to dam, however extra of a conventional ‘F’ kind receiving tight finish — a place blocker at finest, and extra again facet of the runs. You need to be sure to’re not placing him on a defensive finish an excessive amount of; he isn’t a road-grader however he’ll compete. He is higher as a blocker than what that they had final 12 months in [Mike] Gesicki, who was actually extra of a receiver than a decent finish. He does have the power to get open, with first rate pace and arms.”
6. Takitaki intel: Linebacker Sione Takitaki, who inked a two-year take care of a base worth of $6.6 million and most worth of $10.2 million in New England, had grown right into a group chief and signal-caller throughout his five-year tenure with the Browns. Wolf, the Patriots’ director of scouting, was one in every of Takitaki’s greatest boosters when working for the Browns and a main motive the group chosen him within the third spherical of the 2019 draft.
One scouting report from a personnel govt conversant in Takitaki’s type of play described him as “lively, not the quickest, however sees the sport fairly effectively; versatile, can rush and blitz — a really stable third or fourth linebacker.” Takitaki had a possibility to return to Cleveland on a one-year deal, however the Patriots’ willingness to decide to a two-year pact contributed to his resolution to depart.
7. Gibson’s skillset: Patriots offensive coaches had recognized former Washington operating again Antonio Gibson as a prime goal, along with his pass-catching and route-running potential prime belongings. That highlights, partly, how the brand new regime was searching for extra of a distinction between prime operating again Rhamondre Stevenson and his backup than that they had final season with Ezekiel Elliott. One NFL govt noticed worth within the signing so long as Gibson picks up the offensive system and exhibits the power to move defend — which will be difficult to challenge.
8. Commerce deadline/emergency QB: The NFL’s annual assembly begins Sunday, March 24 in Orlando, and 7 groups (Steelers, Browns, Lions, Jets, Eagles, 49ers, Commanders) have recommended a change to the league’s bylaws relating to the commerce deadline, based on a league supply. Final season, the commerce deadline was after Week 8 video games, and the aforementioned golf equipment are proposing to push it again both by one or two weeks.
The Payments are additionally proposing a bylaw change that might enable a quarterback to be elevated from the observe squad for a sport, after which be listed because the third/emergency quarterback. Beneath the present guidelines, a 3rd/emergency quarterback designation is barely allowed for quarterbacks on the everlasting 53-man roster.
9. They stated it: “I feel I might commerce down and take one of the best participant, non-quarterback. I do not suppose this roster is ready to take a quarterback. There are too many holes.” — ESPN analyst Dan Orlovsky, on Tuesday’s NFL Stay program, relating to the Patriots and the No. 3 choose.
10. Do you know: Quarterback Jacoby Brissett is ready to grow to be the thirtieth participant to have no less than two completely different stints with the Patriots since 2000, assuming he’s on the 2024 opening-day roster and seems in a regular-season sport.