2021 Patriots News

[Southieinnc]

Patriots want to win!

"Players who show up to voluntary workouts will have an advantage, which is huge for the Patriots, who are looking to get back on track next season."

“Significant group” of Patriots showed up for first week of offseason program

 

[Yankee Traveler]

This is good.

 

[BigKen]

NBC Sports Boston (NESN) saysd that more players showed up than the Patriots expected. Apparently, no one counted and no ne seemed to care about those that didn't show up.

Cam and Stidham were both there and we'll never know how things were. No media was allowed other than some video and still shots on day two.

All we can hope for is that the guys who were there had a chance to bond a bit and get to know each other better than was allowed last year.

 

[Southieinnc]

NBC Sports Boston (NESN) saysd that more players showed up than the Patriots expected. Apparently, no one counted and no ne seemed to care about those that didn't show up.

Cam and Stidham were both there and we'll never know how things were. No media was allowed other than some video and still shots on day two.

All we can hope for is that the guys who were there had a chance to bond a bit and get to know each other better than was allowed last year.

Good news on any count.....

 

[BigKen]

Dale Arnold

@DaleEArnold
·
10h


What I’ve been told, by a reliable source —-
@Patriots are working on a new contract for Jimmy G that could lead to a deal with @49ers
Same source who correctly told me Tom Brady had signed with @Buccaneers.
Doesn’t mean it will get done, but they’re working on it.





https://twitter.com/DaleEArnold

 

[BigKen]

I've known Dale since 1976 when he was the radio voice for the Maine Mariners hockey team.

He was with WEEI for just over thirty years and he retired in March 2021.

He rarely writes or tweets about anything unless whomever he got it from is someone he trusts.

 

[BigKen]

NFL draft rumors: Trading up is not the only move the Patriots are exploring​

Related: The Patriots are casting a wide net at the quarterback position
By Bernd Buchmasser@BerndBuchmasser Apr 29, 2021, 5:00am EDT

Photo by Maddie Meyer/Getty Images

Coming off an uncharacteristically aggressive free agency period, the New England Patriots appear to have set themselves up nicely to make a trade up the board in the first round of the draft. The target for such a move would likely be a quarterback, with Ohio State’s Justin Fields seen as a possible candidate.
New England has indeed explored trading up, with the Atlanta Falcons and Carolina Panthers both having engaged in talks earlier this week. The belief is that the Patriots also contacted other clubs ahead of them to get a feel for the market and how the board might fall not just at quarterback but other positions as well.
Moving up is not the only move head coach/general manager Bill Belichick and his team have explored, though. The Patriots, as first reported by Mike Giardi of NFL Network, have also worked the phones about possibly moving back from the 15th overall selection.

The club trying to cover all its bases and set itself up for every scenario should not be seen as a surprise. In case a move up the board does not materialize, or the Patriots do not like the value if they are on the clock at No. 15, trying to gain different assets in a trade down also makes sense — something Belichick himself pointed out earlier this month.
“Who do you move up for? Who do you take if you stay and what players are on the board? If players are on the board that you feel like don’t add a lot of value or maybe they’re not the kind of fit for your team that you’re looking for in that particular situation, then maybe you say, ‘OK maybe we consider moving back,’” he said during his annual pre-draft press conference.
“Now you can only move back if somebody else wants to move up so ultimately you have to be ready to pick but sometimes.”
The rumor mill also continues to run in regards to a potential trade for San Francisco 49ers quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo. New England is seen as the only realistic suitor for the 29-year-old, and has indeed shown some level of interest in him earlier during the offseason. There also was a report by NESN’s Dale Arnold on Wednesday that the team would be “working on a new contract” with Garoppolo to eventually set up a deal.
However, the belief at the time is that no move between the two sides is imminent and that no such restructure is currently in the process. While the Patriots are monitoring the situation and not categorically ruling out a trade for Garoppolo, he is in the same basic boat as the moves mentioned above: New England is doing its due diligence in order to be ready for whatever may or may not happen in the first and subsequent rounds of the draft.
A lot of things can and will happen over the next few hours and days, but one thing is certain. Belichick and company want to be prepared for every eventuality — whether it is a realistic quarterback target slipping into their range, or bringing back Garoppolo to compete against Cam Newton, Jarrett Stidham and Jake Dolegala.

---

1. 
   Trey Lance gave a perfect answer when asked about speaking with the Patriots
2. 
   Clearing up seven misconceptions about the Patriots and the 2021 draft

 

[redseat]

Dale Arnold
@DaleEArnold
·
10h


What I’ve been told, by a reliable source —-
@Patriots are working on a new contract for Jimmy G that could lead to a deal with @49ers
Same source who correctly told me Tom Brady had signed with @Buccaneers.
Doesn’t mean it will get done, but they’re working on it.





https://twitter.com/DaleEArnold

I don't want Jimmy G but it is pretty clear BB does

 

[Southieinnc]

Clear as mud!

 

[BigKen]

Rodgers wants out.

Green Bay is listening.

Niners are offering #3 and the Golden Gate Bridge.

Of course BB has supposedly kicked the tires and has the dipstick in his hand.
I'm not sure about bringing a 37 year old aboard this train.

 

[nefansince75]

Rodgers wants out.

Green Bay is listening.

Niners are offering #3 and the Golden Gate Bridge.

Of course BB has supposedly kicked the tires and has the dipstick in his hand.
I'm not sure about bringing a 37 year old aboard this train.

Maybe if we're on the clock with #15 and the prime juicy targets are gone.

 

[BigKen]

They forgot the zero.

 

[cheerupcharlie]

Patriots declined Michel's 5th year option. Did exercise Wynn's.

 

[NWPATSFAN]

FB Jakob Johnson doesn't count against the 90 man roster because he came in through the International Pathway Program. So NE still has 8 spots to fill. Bring in a kicker and punter.

 

[Yankee Traveler]

Thank you Jason McCourty. Have fun in South Beach.

I will for ever appreciate your time with the Pats for this one play.

 

[Yankee Traveler]

Thank you Jason McCourty. Have fun in South Beach.

I will for ever appreciate your time with the Pats for this one play.

I could not find a vid of only Jason....

 

[nefansince75]

Thank you Jason McCourty. Have fun in South Beach.

I will for ever appreciate your time with the Pats for this one play.

That was a classic "cheer for two birds getting hit with one stone" play. Certainly JMc deserves all the credit for making up for a blown coverage... And the other guy certainly showed why the Pats traded him away...

 

[BigKen]

Do the Patriots need another wide receiver? Should the Patriots get another wide receiver via trade or or bring in an available wide receiver?

The Patriots currently have six open roster spots and $15.5 million in cap space, per Miguel Benzan, or @PatsCap on Twitter. This is their current wide receiver depth chart:
Nelson Agholor
Jakobi Meyers
Kendrick Bourne
N’Keal Harry
Gunner Olszewski
Kristian Wilkerson
Isaiah Zuber
Tre Nixon
Devin Smith

It’s solid at the top there. Agholor caught 48 passes for 896 yards with eight touchdowns last season. Bourne caught 49 passes for 667 yards with two touchdowns, and Meyers caught 59 passes for 729 yards with no touchdowns in 2020. There are many stronger starting wide receiver corps in the NFL, but all three players are coming off of career seasons, so perhaps there’s an upward trajectory to follow there.

It drops off after Bourne, though. Harry has yet to prove himself in two NFL seasons. He caught just 33 passes for 309 yards with two touchdowns last season. Olszewski is primarily a punt returner with seven career receptions for 96 yards with a touchdown. Wilkerson and Zuber are intriguing developmental players but are clearly unproven. Nixon was a seventh-round pick, and Smith hasn’t played in an NFL game since 2019.
If Agholor, Bourne or Meyers got injured, Wilkerson, Zuber, Nixon or Smith would be a lock to make the roster. There’s some potential, and they’re all intriguing players, but you don’t necessarily want to put yourself in that situation entering training camp.
Adding another veteran wide receiver would make sense. Larry Fitzgerald, 37, is still out there, though there’s a question of whether he’d want to sign with New England. And what does he left in the tank? He caught 54 passes for 409 yards with one touchdown last season. Golden Tate, Chad Hansen, Dede Westbrook, Kenny Stills and Alshon Jeffery are also available. None would be locks to make the roster, but they would provide more depth.
Now, for a more exciting option:

Is Julio Jones still a possibility for the Patriots to trade for, or do they not have the salary cap to make such a move? #MailDoug
“Possibility” is a relative term. The Patriots could make it happen, but it would take some post-acquisition cap maneuvering to have money left over for the season. New England still has over $15 million in cap space, and Jones’ cap hit in 2021 would be $15.3 million. The Patriots could convert that base salary into a signing bonus to make it all work relatively easily.
If the Patriots acquired the 32-year-old, it would probably push them into being legitimate Super Bowl contenders. If they can make it work, they should do it. But if Jones is available, he’d probably have plenty of suitors, likely driving up the trade price tag. He’s not worth a future first-round pick, but maybe a third or conditional second would do it.
I had other Patriots fans asking if New England should trade cornerback Stephon Gilmore for Jones. Dealing a draft pick — to keep the 2021 team strong and together — is the better short-term option.

 

[NWPATSFAN]

Do the Patriots need another wide receiver? Should the Patriots get another wide receiver via trade or or bring in an available wide receiver?

The Patriots currently have six open roster spots and $15.5 million in cap space, per Miguel Benzan, or @PatsCap on Twitter. This is their current wide receiver depth chart:
Nelson Agholor
Jakobi Meyers
Kendrick Bourne
N’Keal Harry
Gunner Olszewski
Kristian Wilkerson
Isaiah Zuber
Tre Nixon
Devin Smith

It’s solid at the top there. Agholor caught 48 passes for 896 yards with eight touchdowns last season. Bourne caught 49 passes for 667 yards with two touchdowns, and Meyers caught 59 passes for 729 yards with no touchdowns in 2020. There are many stronger starting wide receiver corps in the NFL, but all three players are coming off of career seasons, so perhaps there’s an upward trajectory to follow there.

It drops off after Bourne, though. Harry has yet to prove himself in two NFL seasons. He caught just 33 passes for 309 yards with two touchdowns last season. Olszewski is primarily a punt returner with seven career receptions for 96 yards with a touchdown. Wilkerson and Zuber are intriguing developmental players but are clearly unproven. Nixon was a seventh-round pick, and Smith hasn’t played in an NFL game since 2019.
If Agholor, Bourne or Meyers got injured, Wilkerson, Zuber, Nixon or Smith would be a lock to make the roster. There’s some potential, and they’re all intriguing players, but you don’t necessarily want to put yourself in that situation entering training camp.
Adding another veteran wide receiver would make sense. Larry Fitzgerald, 37, is still out there, though there’s a question of whether he’d want to sign with New England. And what does he left in the tank? He caught 54 passes for 409 yards with one touchdown last season. Golden Tate, Chad Hansen, Dede Westbrook, Kenny Stills and Alshon Jeffery are also available. None would be locks to make the roster, but they would provide more depth.
Now, for a more exciting option:

Is Julio Jones still a possibility for the Patriots to trade for, or do they not have the salary cap to make such a move? #MailDoug
“Possibility” is a relative term. The Patriots could make it happen, but it would take some post-acquisition cap maneuvering to have money left over for the season. New England still has over $15 million in cap space, and Jones’ cap hit in 2021 would be $15.3 million. The Patriots could convert that base salary into a signing bonus to make it all work relatively easily.
If the Patriots acquired the 32-year-old, it would probably push them into being legitimate Super Bowl contenders. If they can make it work, they should do it. But if Jones is available, he’d probably have plenty of suitors, likely driving up the trade price tag. He’s not worth a future first-round pick, but maybe a third or conditional second would do it.
I had other Patriots fans asking if New England should trade cornerback Stephon Gilmore for Jones. Dealing a draft pick — to keep the 2021 team strong and together — is the better short-term option.

The only fear I have is injury. Otherwise I maintain this WR group is adequate to get the job done. I'm more worried about the QB postion. I'm not spending on a Julio Jones if Cam can't hit him when he's wide open. Stid and Jones are unknowns.

Don't forget we have two dynamic TEs now. Which if Jones gets the nod would play large on short quick passes. Also White, Harris or possibly Stevenson out of the backfield.

Having said that, I'd take Julio @ the right price and QB situation. Not trading a 1st nor Gilmore for him though.

 

[YankeeRebel]

Do the Patriots need another wide receiver? Should the Patriots get another wide receiver via trade or or bring in an available wide receiver?

The Patriots currently have six open roster spots and $15.5 million in cap space, per Miguel Benzan, or @PatsCap on Twitter. This is their current wide receiver depth chart:
Nelson Agholor
Jakobi Meyers
Kendrick Bourne
N’Keal Harry
Gunner Olszewski
Kristian Wilkerson
Isaiah Zuber
Tre Nixon
Devin Smith

It’s solid at the top there. Agholor caught 48 passes for 896 yards with eight touchdowns last season. Bourne caught 49 passes for 667 yards with two touchdowns, and Meyers caught 59 passes for 729 yards with no touchdowns in 2020. There are many stronger starting wide receiver corps in the NFL, but all three players are coming off of career seasons, so perhaps there’s an upward trajectory to follow there.

It drops off after Bourne, though. Harry has yet to prove himself in two NFL seasons. He caught just 33 passes for 309 yards with two touchdowns last season. Olszewski is primarily a punt returner with seven career receptions for 96 yards with a touchdown. Wilkerson and Zuber are intriguing developmental players but are clearly unproven. Nixon was a seventh-round pick, and Smith hasn’t played in an NFL game since 2019.
If Agholor, Bourne or Meyers got injured, Wilkerson, Zuber, Nixon or Smith would be a lock to make the roster. There’s some potential, and they’re all intriguing players, but you don’t necessarily want to put yourself in that situation entering training camp.
Adding another veteran wide receiver would make sense. Larry Fitzgerald, 37, is still out there, though there’s a question of whether he’d want to sign with New England. And what does he left in the tank? He caught 54 passes for 409 yards with one touchdown last season. Golden Tate, Chad Hansen, Dede Westbrook, Kenny Stills and Alshon Jeffery are also available. None would be locks to make the roster, but they would provide more depth.
Now, for a more exciting option:

Is Julio Jones still a possibility for the Patriots to trade for, or do they not have the salary cap to make such a move? #MailDoug
“Possibility” is a relative term. The Patriots could make it happen, but it would take some post-acquisition cap maneuvering to have money left over for the season. New England still has over $15 million in cap space, and Jones’ cap hit in 2021 would be $15.3 million. The Patriots could convert that base salary into a signing bonus to make it all work relatively easily.
If the Patriots acquired the 32-year-old, it would probably push them into being legitimate Super Bowl contenders. If they can make it work, they should do it. But if Jones is available, he’d probably have plenty of suitors, likely driving up the trade price tag. He’s not worth a future first-round pick, but maybe a third or conditional second would do it.
I had other Patriots fans asking if New England should trade cornerback Stephon Gilmore for Jones. Dealing a draft pick — to keep the 2021 team strong and together — is the better short-term option.

Well I do not see any high quality WRs on the roster. Meyers is a fan fave but hardly a great WR, Bourne is unproven and more a ST guy, Agholor had a nice season but again not a top tier WR in the NFL. Harry has bust written on him, if he can't prove his worth this year then I suspect the Pats are done with him.

We still lack a true #1