Locked On Patriots - Daily Podcast On The New England Patriots - A Tale of Two Kyles: Van Noy, Rudolph on the New England Patriots Radar? — 3/3/2021

Episode Date: March 3, 2021

The New England Patriots might be in prime position to get a jump start on building their 2021 roster. On Tuesday, it was reported that TE Kyle Rudolph and LB Kyle Van Noy were about to be released by their respective teams. As the Pats have needs at both positions, it might be smart to consider signing either or both players. Joining host Mike D’Abate is Clare ‘ClazzyClare’ Cooper, as they discuss the pros and cons of adding two Kyles to the roster in 2021.Support Us By Supporting Our Sponsors!Built BarBuilt Bar is a protein bar that tastes like a candy bar. Go to builtbar.com and use promo code “LOCKEDON20” and you’ll get 20% off your next order.BetOnline AGThere is only 1 place that has you covered and 1 place we trust. Betonline.ag! Sign up today for a free account at betonline.ag and use that promocode: LOCKEDON for your 50% welcome bonus.Rock AutoAmazing selection. Reliably low prices. All the parts your car will ever need. Visit RockAuto.com and tell them Locked On sent you. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

You are Locked On Patriots, your daily New England Patriots podcast. Part of the Locked On Podcast Network, your team every day. Hello to all of you Foxborough faithful. You are now locked in to the Lockdown Patriots podcast. It is Wednesday, March 3rd, 2021. And today we bring you a tale of two Kyles here on your daily home for news notes and analysis, infused with the occasional opinion on your six-time Super Bowl champions, the New England Patriots. Happy Hump Day, Patriots Nation. Thank you for joining me here

on this Wednesday episode of Locked On Patriots. My name is Mike DeBate, your host of the Locked On Patriots podcast, which of course is a proud part of the Locked On Podcast Network, your team every day. And folks, because it's your team every day, that means your questions, comments, and feedback are always welcomed and very much appreciated. Share that feedback, send it to the internet by reaching out to me and following me on Twitter at MDABATEFPC. And while you're out there doing some Wednesday wandering through the Twitterverse, please

be sure to follow the Locked On Patriots account as well at LO underscore Patriots. Pats fans, you heard me introduce today's episode as a tale of two Kyles. And yesterday, to open the show, we started with some breaking news surrounding the Miami Dolphins' apparent decision to release former Patriots linebacker, and apparently what's going to be former Miami Dolphins linebacker, Kyle Van Noy. And Kyle was a very well-loved former Patriot. A lot of us in the fan base, myself included, were not happy to see him depart in 2020 and head down to South Beach. But

after only one year into a four-year, $51 million contract, Kyle Van Noy once again may find himself a free agent, and the rumor mill is churning that he may end up coming back up here to Foxborough. It makes sense for both sides, but it might not necessarily be a great idea for either side. And today here on the pod, we'll talk about the potential fit of Kyle Van Noy into this Patriots organization, why it's a good move for the Pats, and why they may choose to stay away this time. But after all, today's episode is not just a tale of one Kyle, it's a tale of two Kyles. And just shortly after I recorded yesterday's Locked On Patriots, news broke that another high-profile NFLer, appropriately and ironically named Kyle as well, was going to find himself

a free agent. Tight end Kyle Rudolph of the Minnesota Vikings was being released by the team, and this was definitely a blow to Vikings fans everywhere. Rudolph had been a member of the team for 10 years, one of the more prolific tight ends in Vikings history. And much like Kyle Van Nooy down in Miami, this was not a release that was predicated on performance. This was a cap casualty. The Vikings stand to save $5.1 million against the cap by releasing Rudolph.

And as a result, Kyle is on the search for a new team. Well, it just so happens that our favorite team up here in Foxborough has a need at the tight end position and Rudolph is a name that's been linked to the Patriots in the past. In fact just a couple of years ago the Pats tried to trade for Kyle Rudolph's services. Might they be able to snag him now that he's a free agent? Well there are rumors out there that Kyle would be open to signing in New England and I for one think this would be a pretty good move but if we're going to talk tight ends, there is only one source that we could possibly go to that could lend the wisdom and counsel that we need today.

If it's tight endage, it means the Countess of Clas herself. My good friend Claire, Clazzy Claire Cooper, will join me here today on the hot seat. And, you guessed it, we'll be talking tight endage. Why Kyle Rudolph is the right fit for the Patriots, And, you guessed it, we'll be talking tight endage. Why Kyle Rudolph is the right fit for the Patriots, possibly at the right price, and to be the right mentor for the young players that the Patriots have on the depth chart. But Claire's knowledge is not just limited to tight ends, folks. We're also going to talk about the other Kyle. Hence the name, A Tale of Two

Kyles. We're going to be talking Kyle Van Noy. Even though most of the fan base is clamoring for Kyle Van Noy to return, there are some reasons to believe that this may not be the hand-in-glove fit that everyone thinks. Claire and I have some thoughts on that subject, and we'll share those with you today. So an action-packed episode talking potential offensive bolstering with Kyle Rudolph at the tight end position, and the return of a familiar face on defense when it comes to Kyle Van Nooyen. It's a tale of two Kyles Wednesday when the Locked On Patriots podcast continues. But first, Locked On listeners, football might be over, but the NBA, college basketball, and the NHL are all in full swing.

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Bet online, your online sportsbook experts. LockedOn listeners, we're covering everything you need to know about the New England Patriots, but what about the rest of sports? Now, the LockedOn Podcast Network has you covered there as well with LockedOn Today. Hosted by the great Peter Bukowski, it has all the sports news you need every morning in under 20 minutes. Subscribe to the Locked On Today podcast wherever you get your podcasts. Patriots fans, if you are a fan of Locked On Patriots, then it's probably a pretty safe assessment that you're also a fan of my guest today.

I know I am. Her wit and wisdom are a staple here on the pod. And hers is a voice and an accent that I know you all know well. And if you don't already, folks, you soon will. A true rising star in Patriots media. And I don't say that lightly. From West Midlands in the UK, the UK correspondent of Patriots 4th and 2, the third voice on One Patriot's Place,

the newest special contributor to Pat's Propaganda, and of course, a special contributor and columnist and a colleague of mine at Full Press Patriots, where she also hosts her brand new own Patriots podcast, A Claire Perspective. It's my honor, my privilege, to welcome the countess of Klaas herself. Claire, Klaasie Claire Cooper Cooper comes to Lockdown Patriots today.

Thank you, Claire, so much for joining me today from across the pond and welcome back to Lockdown Patriots. Hi, Mike. You're very welcome. I mean, it's going to be a bit of tight ended, so, you know, it's slightly my specialty. Slightly? I would say you're becoming a full-fledged specialist. Claire, you know I always love sharing the microphone with you, no matter what the topic, even if it's not involving football. It's always a blast when we have conversations. You know that.

But when the topic of the day is the tight end position, like you just said, well, that means we have to have you on. In fact, I'm working on my colleagues at Locked On to make it a contractual obligation that when tight ends are a frequent topic of conversation, you have to be somehow involved. And Claire, I know there was some exciting news for you on

Wednesday morning, so try to control yourself. Deep breaths. Breathe in. Breathe out. That's's it that's right just calm it right down um folks i'm sure you all know what we're talking about and i'm referring to the fact that on tuesday the minnesota vikings informed tight end kyle rudolph that he was going to be released by the team after 10 years in min. Definitely not a production release. This is purely a case of a cap casualty. The Vikings are going to gain approximately $5.1 million in cap space as a result of this release. Claire, the Patriots need tight end help. We know that. We've talked

about that several times. The Patriots have also shown major interest in Kyle Rudolph in the past. They actually tried to trade for him as recently as just a couple of years ago. I was in covering those rumors, and I remember how serious they were coming out of the Patriots' camp. They also have approximately north of $63 million available in cap space. And Doug Kyatt of Nessun, who you and I both know, reported on Wednesday that Rudolph might have interest in signing in New England. Well, folks, as you can tell,

I like this idea, but Claire loves this idea. Countess, please, enlighten us as to why Kyle Rudolph would be a good fit in New England. Okay. Well, I'll just take it down a notch and i'll keep it calm i mean if some butts and candy and nuts would i take um you know hunter henry over

rudolph then yeah pretty much i mean we've all been a little bit giddy wanting hunter henry but it would seem that he's wanting a really top price although he's great i mean is he really worth it would the Patriots really get their value out of him like you said there's this interest with Karl Rudolph and there was previously so let's sort of like deep dive into that really he's 31 as you said 10 seasons in the NFL according to pff.com 2020 saw him having 35 targets, 28 receptions, 334 receiving yards and only one receiving touchdown, just under 12 yards per reception. But the thing is, the Vikings aren't much of a throw in the ball much anymore. I mean, and if they're running the ball, his blocking must be up to scratch again according to pff on twitter um he's actually had 200 catches

and only two drops since 2017 i mean there's some tasty statistics there if i can say it some so excited people just can't you did well it's okay i just can't help myself folks that was tasty statistics and i like it i like that that's good you know i like my alliteration that had a deliberative quality to it claire i like it that's the new drop the tasty statistics i mean he's six six two six five pounds i mean there's not some bad measurements there either i mean come on no there is an injury worry 2014 and 2017 he suffered with an ankle sprain and i know that the end of the 2020 season he was out on IR with a foot injury so there is you know there's those concerns there he could be a cost-effective

veteran perhaps a good role model for Asiasi and Keane and as much as I'm loathe to admit it because I do in fact adore Ryan Izzo I know shock and awe here people i adore ryan iso rudolph is an upgrade okay not as much as some people think um when iso went out on ir the general o-line blocking did decrease iso was a decent member of the team but i digress i don't need any more iso hate mail so anyway rudolph isn't for the future bye he's got plenty of miles on him, but I'm sure he's a few more. He has a few more left. And I mean, a year in New England would definitely be fun, if only for me, to be honest with you. I mean, you know, slightly personal there.

He's a bridge guy, there's no doubt but with things like with people like Henry and Smith and maybe even Everett being possibly more preferable Rudolph may be way more cost effective in getting these young guys that we've already drafted great and then possibly retiring leaving plenty of cap space on the table for all the other holes that the Patriots have at the moment I think that's excellent and I agree with you. And I'm so glad that there were a few points that you made that I really want to expound upon, because I think you've hit on a number of great points as to why Kyle Rudolph would be such a good fit here. First of all, cost-effectiveness. Folks, I understand the Patriots have north of $63 million in cap

space. Everybody's saying, oh, well, they need to spend it. You know, go out there and put it to good use. Take it out for a spin. You haven't had this much space in a while. Well, the Patriots also have to be frugal and they also have to be smart in the way they spend it. You can't just throw money at a target because you have the money to throw getting into a bidding war just to get someone services. If you feel that someone can do the job as effective or maybe even more effective than a more expensive option, you're going to take that option every time. And I do think Kyle Rudolph has that ability. No one has been a bigger proponent of bringing Hunter Henry here to New England than myself. I absolutely would love to see Hunter Henry here. I covered the guy when

I was covering the Chargers. There have been some that have been beating that drum quite often. Our good friend Evan Lazar of CLNS Media has mentioned him several times. He's also done a nice chronicle lately on Jonu Smith. You mentioned Everett as a possibility, Mark Schofield, and I talked a little bit about him over the weekend. But Kyle Rudolph is one of those guys that does still have a lot left in the tank at 31. I'm glad you mentioned that his 2020 season did have a statistical drop off. And it was because of Minnesota's ability and Minnesota's desire to run the football more. Yeah. Kyle Rudolph can still do it at a high level folks. You mentioned, you know, the, the season that he had last year, but he is a two-time pro bowl selection. Uh, his best season came in 2016, caught 83 passes, 840 yards, seven touchdowns there. Then you go back to 2019, just one year removed from last year, 64 passes caught 634 yards,

four touchdowns. And, you know, I mean, you look at what he's able to do. I'm sorry, those were his 2018 stats. In 2019, 39 passes for 367, six touchdowns. So he's still capable of putting up numbers at a high level. The one thing that I love about Rudolph, and the one thing that I don't think he gets enough credit for, and you touched upon this, was he's a very effective in-line blocker. 6'6", 265, he's a big guy. You're not going to have difficulty moving him around. So he can get in line and he can block for the run. He can block for the pass protection. And I think he

adds a lot. I really do think he adds a lot. You mentioned that he's an upgrade over what the Patriots have on their roster right now. And I know, I know you love you some Ryan Izzo, and believe me, I don't have as much Izzo paid as a lot of my colleagues do throughout the Patriots beat I know there's a lot of vitriol thrown at his way but I really think Ryan did the best he could last year and I think he did an effective job blocking he's not going to be a prolific receiver but he can get open and make catches when he needs to it would help if the quarterback threw to him, to be fair. Sorry to interrupt you. It would help if he had a quarterback that would throw the ball.

There's that little tidbit just to add in there. I'm glad that you added that in because that is a tidbit that really may affect the Patriots' ability to be able to bring in a top-flight tight end like a Hunter Henry. He's gone on record by saying that he's going to be seeking a big-time contract, and you can make the argument as to whether or not he'd be worth it uh depending on the price i'd be willing to go maybe north of what the market value is for an average tight end i don't necessarily know if i'd go to the top of the market for hunter uh but i would be willing to maybe go a little bit above uh the the equator on trying to get him in here but at the same time hunter henry's going to want

to play with a prolific top flight quarterback. Folks, we don't know if the Patriots are going to have a prolific top flight quarterback on roster this year. The only ones that are available are right now Russell Wilson, Deshaun Watson, Dak Prescott. I don't see any of these three being an option for the Pats. So that's a big reason why I think a guy like Rudolph, who might be willing to come here regardless, would be such an attractive option. And he brings a veteran presence with him.

You mentioned bringing him onto the roster. How much of an impact do you see him having on guys like Devin Asiasi and Dalton Keene? From what you've seen in Rudolph and from what we've talked about, do you think that he'll be a positive influence on them and maybe the ideal fit considering that Kyle Rudolph could come in and really provide not only tutorials on how to be a good receiving tight end but also on how to block oh yeah no doubt I mean the key thing there is bringing in a blocking tight end because although obviously yes Izzo I still think that he did quite well but we haven't got that number one versatile tight end because although obviously yes Izzo I still think that he did quite well but we haven't got that number one versatile tight end and that we need that we miss that we had that in Gronk

obviously I'm not saying Kyle Rudolph is Gronk don't get me wrong but we we miss that key element of the Patriots set up we really do and I think bringing somebody in who is such a veteran he has got 10 seasons like you said he's still got some mileage on him he's a big guy and I just think that is what we need and because he's got all that experience it's just perfect that he can like throw that through to the guys that we picked up in the draft and maybe actually help the team develop them in a way that we've missed out last year in the 2020 season not really having I mean the only really experienced tight end player that they had in 2020 was Izzo and with all due respect he's still a young guy and you know he's still on his rookie contract and stuff and he also didn't play himself because of injury.

So I know Matt Lacoste was on the roster, but with him being up to now, obviously he's not in the team. So we had these new guys that we said, you know, why aren't they doing anything? And you just think maybe they just didn't have that key backbone of someone with plenty of experience, with plenty of versatility at the tight end position to just really inject it into

the team so in all fairness I'm getting really quite excited about the prospect of him he is only like we've said like we've touched on he's a he is a short-term option just because of his age and his injury he you know he's already been in the league for 10 seasons you don't imagine that he's going to go that much further he He might, don't get me wrong, I'm not trying to shoot the guy down before he's even started, but you know, you don't see that it's going to be a long term. So it is sort of one of those stopgaps that ultimately a lot of the fans sort of probably don't want because we're sort of trying to do this, rebuild the team for the future, bringing in a guy that we know isn't going to be with us for very

long you sort of oh is it really worth it but I think it is as I said it injects that experience that knowledge that confidence in the position he knows that he's a good tight end you know they know he's a good tight end and to have somebody like that to bring it in, I just really think it can just maybe pull it together. And it might really just make such a massive difference for Asi, Asi and Keane on the field. And we might actually see them at their full potential just because they've got this experience and confidence to refer back to. Without question. Absolutely. experience and confidence to refer back to without question absolutely and a veteran presence at the tight end position is something that the patriots did not have this year at a high level like you said ossy ossy keen both rookies uh both look like they really needed some developmental help out

there iso himself is still finding his footing as a pro he's still learning the game as well so to put that on him and say well well, Izzo could have been their mentor. I've seen that thrown around social media. I think that's kind of ridiculous. I think the kid had all to do. I think the kid had all to do to learn the position and be the type of tight end the Patriots were counting on him to be. Lacoste opting out did hurt them a little bit. He's got a little bit more experience.

But ultimately bringing in someone like Kyle Rudolph really, I think, would be a huge addition to the 90-man roster. Lacoste, by all indications, should be back this year because of the opt-outs. It looks like he'll be opting back in, whether he's with the Patriots or not. That's another story, but his contract does toll. The Patriots would have to release him. Probably not much of a cap savings there. You have to wonder what they'll do. But I'd be all for Kyle Rudolph coming here to New England. He's available to sign before free agency. Officially begins on March 17th. So keep a sharp eye out there, folks. Oh, I am.

Because this one could get, this one could, well, we know Claire is keeping a sharp eye. We're keeping both sharp eyes out there. Believe me. And, you know, I got a funny feeling I'll be among the first to know when Claire has some sort of radar with tight ends. She'll be ready to go on that one. But in all actuality, folks, definitely keep a sharp eye out because this signing may get wrapped up and it may get wrapped up pretty quickly. And who knows, maybe it will be here in New England. Claire, no question about it. You have an expertise in tight endage, as you like to say. Today, you continue to prove why. And I truly do mean that. I know I have a lot of fun at your expense, but I have the utmost sincere respect for your ability to break down the tight end position and all of football.

You do that each and every time you take either to the pen or to the microphone. You have the knowledge. And I'm so happy that you joined me here today. But I titled today's episode affectionately, Claire, A Tale of Two Kyles. And in just a moment, Claire, classy Claire Cooper herself and I will talk about another Kyle that suddenly finds himself available on the open market. Old friend Kyle Van Noy, now formerly, or expected to be formerly, of the Miami Dolphins, is out of a job in Miami, and a Foxborough reunion might make sense for both sides. But is it really a good option for either side? Claire and I will tackle this topic when the Locked On Patriots podcast continues.

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Patriots fans, Clazzie Claire Cooper herself, my good friend Claire, the Countess of Claz herself, joins me here today on the pod. And Claire, we talked some tight endage earlier. I really like that term, by the way. I'm so glad that you put that into the lexicon of Patriots Nation. It really is. It's great. I can't get enough of saying it, and I know you love it, too. We've talked about the possibility of adding Kyle Rudolph to the tight end depth chart.

And with some very effective breathing exercises, Claire was able to calmly make her case for Kyle Rudolph to come to New England. And I think you made a good argument. And I say that sincerely. I think you really did make a very good argument. I would love to see him come here. I don't know. We might have missed an opportunity. Today's episode is titled The Tale of Two Kyles.

You know, maybe we should have mixed in a third. If the Pats wanted to aggressively pursue Florida's Kyle Pitts via the draft, it could have been a tale of three Kyles. We'd have been here all night, folks. That could be. That's a conversation for another day at this point, I think. And you know what? We'll save some draft tight end talk for the next time you join me here on the pod. So let's stick with the two Kyles for today.

And if I'm being honest, Kyle Rudolph's release was surprising, but it wasn't shocking. Minnesota needed cap space. Rudolph had been mentioned in trade talks before. So again, it was surprising, but it didn't shock me that they were going to part ways with their prolific tight end of 10 years. But the other release that hit the airwaves on Tuesday did shock me. And that was Miami's release of Kyle Van Noy. I'll be honest, I did not see this coming. One year into a four-year, $51 million contract with the Miami Dolphins. Again, folks, it was a cap casualty.

Kyle had a pretty good statistical season down in Miami. But now that he's out of a job, the rumor mill is really churning on a potential reunion between Kyle Van Noy and the New England Patriots. I tweeted about it yesterday. Just about everyone connected with the Patriots had something to say about this. And the consensus is that a reunion does make sense for both sides. But, you know, Claire, it doesn't necessarily mean that it's a great idea. And I know that you have some thoughts on this. So, first of all,

how surprised were you by Kyle Van Noy's release? And do you think it's in Bill Belichick's best interest to bring Kyle back to the Foxborough fold in 2021? Well, Mike, I'm going to have to like play the bad guy here. I think we're going to have to kind of be, you know,

bad cop, good cop on this song because I don't really, I don't really think, I mean, I was really surprised uh like a lot of people he played one less game in miami in 2020 than he played in new england in 2019 but his stats were generally better now i'm not quoting specifics i'm just quoting a general overall so it is puzzling why the why the fins were so ready to let him go but like you said cap casualty

hip injury might that be more of an issue than than we realized and they're saying that kind of thing but obviously ultimately five-year deal as you sorry four-year deal as you said probably more of a cap casualty than anything else I mean at 29 he's he's not old obviously but from a linebacker perspective uh you could argue that he is especially if he's he's not old obviously but from a linebacker perspective uh you could argue that he is especially if he's suffering with the hip injury now if it's and if there's any persistency i know he was seen on social media to say that you know he played through it and that kind of thing i'm not denying he's good he was a captain and a leader as he also liked to stay on social media and he but he didn't leave leave New England under the best cloud.

OK, so Bill probably doesn't really give a fudge about that. But, I mean, it can leave a nasty taste in some of the fans' mouths, particularly. Ultimately, the Patriots have got some stock of young linebackers. We've got Winovich, Uche, Jennings, Therese Holt, you know, to name the really younger ones. And as much as having a steady hand and experienced hand such as Van Nooy to help guide them, do they really need that now? Do we really need to think about spending the money to bring him back? The Patriots have got a lot of holes to fill, a lot of positions to reorganize. And although, I mean, I'm one of them completely, as fans, we adored the boogeyman, really.

Is re-signing someone like Van Noy actually more of a step backwards? There were some that will argue that it is more of a step backwards. To play devil's advocate, I'm going to argue, for example, that it may not be a step backwards. And I'm going to give you three reasons why I think bringing back Kyle Van Noy should make some sense to the New England Patriots and why I think that they'll be in on him, which is what I tweeted yesterday. I know a lot of people may have misinterpreted my tweet to say that I'm all for bringing him back. That's not necessarily what I said, folks, but I think the Patriots will be in on him. And here are the three reasons why. First of all, I think Kyle can still play the game. There's no question about it. He might be, you know, a little more battle

tested now, but he appeared in 14 games for the Finns last year, six sacks, two forced fumbles, and two recoveries. Something that I think speaks very well of him is that he was named as a team captain in Miami before he even took a snap this is without the benefit of a full off season to get Houston and acclimated to his new team I think that showed a lot of faith and I think that showed a lot of ability to be able to lead on the field and not just lead with the example that he sets in making plays it's also being able to be a mentor to the younger players on the team.

So adding someone like him in New England could be a huge benefit for someone like a Kyle, but excuse me, for someone like a Josh Uche, someone like an Amber Jennings, even guys like Chase Winovich, uh, Therese Hall, you mentioned as well. These are young linebackers that are still finding their way in the NFL. Having Kyle Van Noy there to mentor these guys, I know Winovich did have the opportunity to play alongside him in 2019. But in 2020, those three especially could really benefit from a guy like Kyle Vannoy. The second is that even though you've mentioned that treasure trove of linebackers that the Patriots have, young talent, they still need help on the front seven. This was

a unit that really struggled last year. They did have difficulty setting the edge. They had difficulty stuffing the middle, stopping the run, then being able to stack the box. Someone like a Kyle Van Noy changes the complexity of the way the Patriots are able to do that. That 3-4 scheme that they have, and even switching if you want to a 4-3, Van Nooy is versatile enough to be able to be effective in both of those. So he could offer tremendous help in that area with having the versatility to help the Patriots linebacker group, not just on the ball, but off the ball as well, knowing where guys need to be. That's an area where they struggled.

The last is that the Patriots do have the wherewithal to be able to withstand a contract to bring Kyle Van Noy back in. North of $63 million in cap space, all of a sudden, you're not cap strapped any longer. You can go a little bit of the extra mile to maybe show him a little extra love that you wouldn't be able to if he hit the open market under normal circumstances. You don't have to sign him to a vet's minimum. Kyle's going to have options out there. So for those reasons, I do think that Kyle Van Noy would make sense for the New England Patriots.

And that's why I think the Patriots will take a look at it. And I wouldn't be completely opposed to bringing him back. I think it might be actually a good idea. I don't think it's a great idea. So ultimately, I'm going to side with you. I know a lot of people are looking at that and going, you're just saying the guy's praises. You went into all of that and now you're going to backpedal. Yeah, that's right. I'm going to backpedal. I'm siding with the countess here because she made an excellent couple of points. One is that the Patriots do have wherewithal to be able to stuff the linebacker position or fill it, not using someone like Kyle Van Noy.

They have the ability to make acquisitions in the draft. Steve Balistrieri, our good friend, joined me here yesterday on the pod, and we talked about Dylan Moses at the linebacker position. This is a kid that plays with a lot of energy, a high motor, very much like a young Kyle Van Noy. Jordan Reed of the Draft Network described this kid as a heat-seeking missile. And if you can hone that in and have someone like Dante Hightower, who is coming back this year, folks, and for everyone that thinks Hightower's got nothing left in the tank, I'm telling you, watch him on the field this year, watch him in practice.

Dante is very self-aware, one of the more self-aware ballplayers I've ever seen. If he did not feel he had anything to contribute on the football field this year, he wouldn't be coming back. Dante's been very smart. He's made his money. He knows how to invest. He wouldn't be coming back unless he felt he could make a difference. So take that for what you will for anyone that thinks that Dante Hightower is over the hill and doesn't have anything left. He's going to be

better this year and he's going to make that team better. But one point that I didn't hear you mention, or if you did forgive me if I'm wrong, but he's going to have other suitors. Kyle Van Noy is not going to be exclusively the property of the Patriots. The Pats are not the only team that's going to have interest in him. There are going to be other teams that do have interest in him and I'm going to name them in just a moment and we'll go into that. But before we continue that discussion, when you look at the possibility of bringing in someone on the defensive side of the ball, Claire, and I know, I know you're a tight endage expert, but you've a very good uh football expert over the course of the last few months and uh and i respect your uh your opinion very much on this um do you see the

patriots coveting a veteran more if they don't use kyle vannoy or do you see them coveting someone more in the draft should they get younger or should they go for those middle of the road type veterans that bill belichick loves so much see this one's tricky because like you said the middle of the road ones of what coach bill likes so much so immediately that's going to be sort of probably more what he he looks at doing i think ideally youth this team is in sort of rebuild mode as people sort sort of say, that kind of thing. There's all different, like, you know, terminologies and stuff. But I think putting youth into the team, putting energy into the team, we need to start getting back to we're building the next dynasty.

And the only way we're going to build the next dynasty is with the guys that are going to last the dynasty and I do think that putting some youth in there putting particularly if there's a guy like you said I mean you know I've made it known I've never shied away from the fact that I don't know much about the draft I don't have a lot of access so I don't know a lot about the up-and-coming stars I just know bits and pieces that I see but if you've got a guy like that who as you said, is a young Carl van Nooyen, I mean, how can you sort of shy away from wanting that than, you know, the one that's already been in the league for a while? And yes, he is. He's a traditional patriot. You know, he's been in the system. He excelled in the system when he came over from I think it was Detroit, wasn't it? He excelled in the system. So, you know, that's was Detroit wasn't it he excelled in the system so

you know that's why there's so much to argue for your side of the perspective initially but I just think getting a younger guy in like if there's someone sort of that's similar that's got this explosiveness you know I'm really into that that that you know that's what I'd be looking that's what I'd be hoping for not really saying that that's what they're going to do i don't know but yeah if i was personally picking i think i'd be grabbing somebody you know definitely stooping someone up out of the draft like that yeah absolutely and again steve balistrieri and i yesterday talked about dylan moses out of alabama and his ability to be able to get after the quarterback, his versatility in being able to play in both a 4-3 and even a 3-4 type. He's the type of guy that can stuff the run,

but he's very good at being able to get to the passer and could be a weapon in blitz situations. So I like that argument. And I do think that it fits right into what the Patriots' philosophy is. And I know a lot of the fan base wants the marquee name out there. They hear Kyle Vannoy. They remember how good he was for the Patriots in 2019. They remember the good times.

They recognize the name and they want to gravitate toward the name. But the Patriots are more than just one or two players away from Super Bowl contention, folks. I say this all the time. It pains me to say it because I want them back in the big game. But the Patriots are still rebuilding. And if you're going to reload or rebuild, you're better off trying to get younger at these positions, especially on defense, mold these guys into what you need them to be. The mentor ship of people like Patrick Chung, Dante Hightower coming back this year is going to give you that

mentoring presence that you didn't have in 2020. So even if you think those players are not going to give you a whole lot on the field, they're going to give you a whole lot on the practice field and in the locker room. And that, to me, is where a younger player might be a better investment than Kyle Van Noy. And I did touch upon this just a few moments ago, folks. Teams are going to want to sign Kyle Van Noy that are not the New England Patriots. Teams that are in contention or maybe making that move toward contention. The Baltimore Ravens is one of them that I'm surprised a lot of people aren't talking about.

They're losing Matthew Judon in free agency. They could use a veteran, versatile linebacker and playing already on a very good defense with a team that's going to be an instant contender this year. That can't be ruled out. If they want to show interest, Kyle Vannoy may have great interest's going to be an instant contender this year, that can't be rolled out. If they want to show interest, Kyle Vannoy may have great interest in going to Baltimore. Another team that may not be in immediate contention, they may find themselves in that Patriots mode,

but there's New England ties there, is the New York Giants. And don't forget, Joe Judge is the former special teams coach, worked with Kyle an awful lot, had a lot of great things to say about Kyle Van Nooy when he was here. I think he called him once, quote, a ball of energy. That could be a fit as well. So ultimately, Claire, I think you've made a convincing argument. You've convinced me. I was like-minded with you anyway. I hope you don't mind me playing devil's advocate for a little bit, but I think you made a pretty good argument.

And at the end of the day, folks, I would definitely not be opposed to bringing Kyle Van Nooy back in. I enjoyed covering him during his time up here in New England. I think he brings a lot to the table. And if he is to come back, I'd welcome him without any question. But if you're asking me if I believe that the Patriots should absolutely do all they can to sign Kyle Bannoy, my response to that would be no. I think there's a certain limit that you would have to cap it on. And at the end of the day, we may end up reaching that limit because I think he's going to have a lot of other suitors out there that aren't named just the New England Patriots. Claire, what can I say? You bring a level of class to Lockdown Patriots. You are indeed the countess of class and you do bring that to the table. But the knowledge that you bring and the just the personality and everything that you bring to the table makes you one of our favorite guests here. You're a part of the Lockdown family now. You know that. Folks, please, by all means, Claire is doing some amazing work as of late for a number of different platforms.

I am honored to be able to share the microphone here with her on Lockdown Patriots, but she's also a colleague of mine at Full Press Coverage Patriots. And you've got a lot more new avenues to take us down than you did the last time you joined us here on the pod please enlighten our listeners where they can find your great work and what you have coming up with in the coming days and weeks here uh in patriots media my friend oh thank you so much mike it's always so much fun to come on here with you it's so much fun and you often often let me talk tight ends so it's like give me a bit of free reign and i love it absolutely love it it. So thank you so much. Well, yeah, as you mentioned, a couple of new opportunities have blessed me and opened up for me.

You know, I just, more avenues to talk tight-ended really. I mean, you know, come on, what can be better? But it's recently been announced that I'm going to be a writer for patspropaganda.com started by Mike Dussault. As you mentioned, I write my column, A Claire Perspective for FPC Patriots on fullpresscoverage.com. You'll find me most weeks hanging out with Thomas Murphy and Steve Balistrieri, friends of the Lockdown Podcast on One Patriot's Place.

And then, of course, another new thing for me is there's A Claire Perspective, the podcast edition uh the first episode dropped around the podcast networks last week so you know if you fancy seeking me out you'll find me around a bit and folks let me tell you every single one of those from the great work that I know Claire is going to do for Pat's Propaganda a great blog that really did the Patriots so muchots so much justice throughout the years under Mike's great leadership. Now Tom has taken it over and they continue to do phenomenal work. Of course, I'm partial to the work that Claire does at FTC Patriots simply because

I get to look at it, I get to edit it, and I get to cultivate it. But believe me, Claire is one of those few writers that I get to put the red pen away and I get to really enjoy what she does and read it from a fan perspective, not just an editor's perspective. And from a podcasting perspective, she's done a great job with a Claire perspective. And I highly recommend that, folks. Subscribe, download, wherever you get your podcasts. You definitely won't regret it. You'll enjoy it each and every time you listen. Countess, once again, thank you so much. The next time we're going to talk tight endage,

maybe a little bit of draft tight endage, we'll definitely drop you a line. We'll have you back here on Locked On Patriots. You're always welcome. You're part of the family now. And I, for one, cannot thank you enough for joining me today. Stay safe and well. And we look forward to talking ball with you again very soon thank you so much Mike thanks everyone for

listening thanks for having me just like that Patriots Nation we are more than halfway through your work week but fear not because there's still plenty more Patriots coverage to come so to ensure that you do not miss a single second of the action, download and subscribe to the Locked On Patriots podcast on platforms such as Radio.com, Spotify, Google Podcasts, Apple Podcasts, wherever you get your podcasts. Just make sure that you are staying locked in to Locked On Patriots. Once again, my name is Mike DeBate.

I thank Claire, Clazzy ClaireCooper for her time, her insight, and her appearance on today's pod, but most of all, I thank you so much for listening and for continuing to make Locked On Patriots a daily part of your New England Patriots coverage. Until tomorrow, Foxborough faithful, stay safe, stay well, continue to be the change you wish to see in the world. Have a great day, everyone.