Locked On Patriots - Daily Podcast On The New England Patriots - For the Wynn? New England Patriots Face Tough Decisions on the Offensive Line — 5/31/22

Episode Date: June 1, 2022

As the New England Patriots return to the practice fields for the second week of OTAs, they face a number of questions on their offensive line. Joining host Mike D’Abate is Thomas ‘Murph’ Murphy of E2G Sports. The duo take a deeper look at the possible fate of left tackle Isaiah Wynn and the potential of rookie linemen Chasen Hines and Andrew Stueber. They also offer their thoughts on the return of cornerback Malcolm Butler and the role of linebacker Josh Uche.Find and follow Locked On Patriots on your favorite podcast platforms:Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/locked-on-patriots-daily-podcast-on-the-new-england/id1140512627 Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/1c5ZxFmwg3WbfxAU3tR5Ve?si=k196wH-yRqifUcQQz8SjIQStitcher: https://www.stitcher.com/show/locked-on-patriots And follow host Mike D’Abate on Twitter, where he’ll be sharing the latest news about the New England Patriots and talking with fans.On Twitter: @mdabateNFLSupport 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 “LOCKED15,” and you’ll get 15% off your next order.BetOnlineBetOnline.net has you covered this season with more props, odds and lines than ever before. BetOnline – Where The Game Starts!Rock AutoAmazing selection. Reliably low prices. All the parts your car will ever need. Visit RockAuto.com and tell them Locked On sent you.Blue NileMake your moment sparkle with jewelry from Bluenile.com, and LOCKED ON SPORTS listeners get $50 off purchases of $500 or more using code LOCKEDON.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Pats fans, your New England Patriots are back on the practice field. Second week of OTAs kicking off in Foxborough this week. Isaiah Wynn, Josh Uche, Malcolm Butler are just a few of the Patriots we're going to be keeping our sharp eye on as the Patriots get ready for the 2022 NFL season. I'm Mike DeBate, joined by the legendary Thomas Murphy. You're about to be locked in to the Locked On Patriots podcast. You are Locked On Patriots podcast. 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,

and thank you once again for making Locked On Patriots a daily part of your New England Patriots coverage. Once again, folks, Locked On Patriots, free and available on all platforms. Sorry about the camera snafu there, folks. But again, we bring you the good, the bad, and the ugly here on Locked On Patriots. We're bringing you the good over on that side of the screen, the bad and the ugly right over here. But bottom line, it is Locked On Patriots.

And today's episode is brought to you by the great folks over at bet online bet online has you covered this season with more props more odds and more lines than ever before bet online where the game starts speaking of starting week two of ota's kicking off this week in foxborough hope you all had a great holiday weekend a memorial day weekend the bats are back to work on Tuesday, May 31st, and we're back to work here on Locked on Patriots. And joining me here on Tuesday, which

really kind of feels like a Monday, is our good friend, the man who Mondays were created for here on Locked on Patriots. I can now add Dancing Destroyer to the list of his growing nicknames. The Count of Murphy Fisto himself, the Green King of Sting, the Master of Disaster himself, the legendary Thomas Murphy,

legendary columnist extraordinaire for E2G Sports. Thank you for joining me today. Thank you for coming to me in friendship, Don Murph. Oh, always my pleasure, Michael. You guys caught me chair dancing there. I love the Lockdown theme. Absolutely. It really is. I mean, people love the theme. That's why they tune in to

the beginning part of the show. It's not to hear me open that. The theme is better than the Friends theme, okay? I really don't know why it's not a top 10 on the Billboard, you know, 100 or something. It's fantastic. But it's good to be back here. I not a top 10 on the billboard uh you know 100 or something it's fantastic but it's good to be back here i was a little worried with the with the uh all the parade action and everything going on yesterday that you were just going to skip over me but i gotta gotta know

said can you do tuesday murph hell yeah i could do tuesday i could do tuesday thursday whenever you need me man i'm here you can't kick off the week unless it's Locked on Murph Monday. And I know it's a Tuesday, folks, but it's a Monday feel. And it's Locked on Murph Tuesday, Locked on Murph Monday. However you want to view today, we're Locked on Murph today here on Locked on Patriots, and we're

better for it. But it's always, always interesting times in New England, no question about it. Patriots kicking off week two of OTA in Foxborough. A lot of stuff going on. A lot of, you know, just a lot going on with the Patriots in terms of coverage. We've got Isaiah Wynn's name being mandated about when it comes to trade rumors. A lot of people wondering about Malcolm Butler at the cornerback position.

Josh Bucce, a lot of people wondering about. These are just some of the topics we're going to cover today. But before we get really into the thrust of what we're going to be talking about today, which is one of Murph's favorite subjects, folks, and that's offensive line. Bill Belichick addressed the media before Tuesday's OTA session got going. We had the opportunity to ask him some questions. Bill was very complimentary about the Celtics appearance in the NBA Finals and folks if you are a fan of locked on Patriots I guarantee you you will be locked on and hooked to locked on Celtics the great John Corrales my

um colleague here at locked on does great Celtics coverage for Boston Sports Journal definitely smash the subscribe button to Locked on Celtics. He'll keep you updated. He'll keep you ready to go no matter what you need in terms of Celtics coverage. So definitely please be sure to do that. But Bill showing solidarity for Boston teams. He's getting it going. Even dropped a little support for Danny Woodhead.

Yeah, little Danny Woodhead shout out. Who continues to try to qualify for a spot in the U S open. Danny doing well, Bill did say though, that, you know, he's just giving him as well, which is not giving him any pointers. He says, if he relies on me, he'll be in a lot of trouble, which goes to show you what Bill thinks about his golf game. But you know what, if there's a windmill involved, but if, yeah, exactly. Yep. That's it. Yep.

They hit it up the hill into the little castle we're good but um bottom line uh you know we don't worry about bill belichick's golf game we worry about his game on the field and uh bill was questioned a little bit uh you know this morning about some of what he expects to see in week two uh talked about scheme fits talked about scheme installations and those things are going on right now. Obviously, Mac Jones, you know, is going to be a big part of that. Bill said this is the time of year where they do this. So you can expect, you know, some growth out of Mac. He's going to have, you know, the microscope on him the next couple of days, especially heading into minicamp next week.

But Murph, he did mention specifically two players, Malcolm Butler at the cornerback position. Bill was very complimentary about Malcolm, said that he looks like the Malcolm of old, the way he was playing when he was here previously. You know, did make the mention that, you know, he compared him. And I thought this was an apt comparison to players that had to opt out in 2020 and then came back, you know, in the 2021 season. Coming back, getting his legs back, but still looking like he's got a lot to prove on the football field. Also mentioned Josh Gucce in terms of some of the, you know, linebacker prowess that we're seeing, the young linebackers coming in. I forgot who it was that tried to compare him a little bit or made the comparison to Dante Hightower.

And Bill kind of stopped him short, saying that, you know, it's tough to compare to Dante, one of the great linebackers, one of the greatest linebackers ever to play here, meaning in New England, hell of a big compliment. So those are the things that I think Bill has his eye on or that the media has his eye on. But bottom line, we want to hear what you have your sharp eye on, Murph,

because this is Locked on Murph Monday. Are these some of the storylines you'll be watching for or what else could you possibly have in terms of, you know, what the Patriots should be watching for this week during OTA? Yeah, that's definitely going to be on my radar this week. Everything that we're just talking about right here. But I mean, there are some other stories going on. What's happening with Isaiah Wynn?

Is he missing because of, you know, we're looking for a new contract or is it injury related? We're really not sure. That's something that is right there on the tip of my tongue. You know how I love the motor that drives the boat. And, you know, what's going on there? Who's going to be running with the first teamers? You know, that is something that is, you know, paramount in my thinking. Any of these rookies that, or guys that are coming back, who is looking more adept on the field in their second year, guys like John O. Smith and of that nature, are they ready to take that next step now that they have a year under their belt in the Encyclopedia Britannica that I have dubbed the offensive? Honestly, folks, you walk into some of these rooms and it does. It looks like a 1973

Encyclopedia Britannica of playbooks that these guys have to get down. So you wonder, you don't wonder once you've seen these things, why these guys just might not be quite up to speed when they're first brought in here. Yeah, absolutely. Such a great and that goes on both sides of the ball. Oh, it absolutely goes on both sides of the ball. And, you know, you look at what Belichick is able to install and how he's going to install it. You're hearing a lot more, and I'm glad that we're hearing this a lot more about some of the coaching staff and some of the players that are going to be playing for these coaches. And that ultimately, and I wrote about this for Sports Illustrated last week,

stating that the buck still stops at Bill Belichick's desk. He's still the guy that straws the drink, still the straw that stirs the drink like you eloquently put. And I think that's a good way to put it. Look, bottom line, you can get all of the offensive, defensive assistants in a room, be able to cultivate. That definitely helps the staff, and no one's downplaying their importance. But ultimately, when you have a guy like Bill Belichick in the decision maker's chair,

he's going to take that pressure off. And he's going to make sure that his word is the final word and his is going to be the accountable word. And I think that's a big part of the new coaches coming in and being able to acclimate into the system. Right. The same can be said for the players. You know, we can talk all we want to about guys like Usha making that next level jump.

McGrone seems to be the big, you know, player that everybody has their eye on and wants to see what he can do. Absolutely. This is his rookie season, essentially. So we want to see what the kid can do and why we're hearing so much hype about him. I can tell you, he looks like he's worth some of that hype. And I think it's early to put a lot of that pressure on his shoulders and say, you're going to come in and be the savior of a linebacking core, like Belichick said today, that still

has the specter of Dante Hightower hanging over. And by the way, Belichick was asked point blank, would you welcome Dante Hightower back through that door? Of course, in Bill Belichick true Bill Belichick fashion he just kind of smirked and says yeah we're just going to talk about the players that are here so right maybe that's still in the works folks it's still interesting that Dante is out there hasn't been signed by another team what that leads me to believe is that Dante will only be back with the Patriots. I don't think he's going elsewhere.

If he did, he would be elsewhere by now. I think this is whether or not he still wants to continue to play or whether or not the Patriots want him back and how that's going to move forward. So we'll continue to keep our eye out. Yeah, I believe that people have called. The people have called, and Dante has hung up the phone. He said, thank you very much, but Las Vegas is not for me.

Did I say that? And a few other places have called from within the division. We all know how division rivals like to pick a veteran's mind on the playbooks and things like that. But no, if he plays, it's going to be here, and it's going to be his decision. I think Bill would welcome him back with open arms. I think Dante would understand that his role would be not what it has been

in the past, but it would still be a significant role here. And I think at this stage of his career that's that's the way to go right i i agree with you and look whether he does walk back through that door whether dante has played his final down uh his impact on this team will still be felt red jacket right away feel terrible for anybody that's been waiting for their red jacket for years the the second that he's eligible he's going to get his red jacket and uh he should he should probably get a yellow one yeah i agree and you know like look bottom line the yellow one i think may be a conversation for another day i happen to believe that he does

deserve one but i think you're probably going to find a lot of people that'll argue the contrary to that right and i can't necessarily negate it. But Red Jacket, I don't think there's any question. I think he flies right through the doors of the hall at Patriots Place, sponsored by Raytheon Technologies. Like, oh, I dropped that in? We're good at dropping those things in, Murph. But all kidding aside, he really is someone that has had an impact on this linebacking court.

You look at guys like, you know, Anthony Jennings. You know, you look at guys like, you know, Anthony Jennings, you know, you look at guys like Josh Gucce that have had the opportunity to practice with Dante, learn from him, but also someone like a Juwan Bentley, who's really shadowed Dante Heidenhauer. And that's what I really believe that Malcolm Butler is back here for, to mentor younger players, to do his time on the, don't get me wrong, I don't think any of these young kids are going to springboard over him on the on the depth chart right away. But he he's a man that was brought back in here as a mentor, as somebody that can teach the young, young guys in this defensive backfield, you know, the wise, the wherefores.

And, you know, that that first critical step that you have to take to be successful here. And I think Bill touched on that during his presser today, saying that he looks good. He looks like the man that was playing ball here when he was here. And we all know that that got him paid a lot of money. It did get him paid a lot of money. And, you know, I think in a lot of ways, I'm glad you mentioned that because I think it's important for patriots fans media members us you know to really i think temper those expectations um malcolm butler does not have to be the malcolm

butler bowl the pro bowl all pro caliber corner that he was when he was here exactly mike giardi said this very eloquently on your show one patriots place and that was i think that was a great drop in he doesn't have to be the malcolm old all he has to be is Malcolm of 2020 and the Patriots have themselves a pretty solid player that can beef up that zone coverage that they had difficulty with last year and mentor guys that were brought in here to maybe play that role in the future maybe a Jack Jones could be a you know future outside corner help Jalen Mills along I think as well for someone that showed some promise last year but really could make that next step i think malcolm is ready to do that and i think that he'll be a player that i'll be watching very closely during mini camp coming up and throughout the

week here go for it jonathan jones is back absolutely all right there's another there's another great player a great mentor and somebody you know, when everybody's out there screaming about the playoff losses to the losses, the playoff loss to Buffalo and the late season, you didn't see Jonathan Jones on the field then. No, you absolutely didn't. He is back, and there is going to be, you know, hell to pay. There will be a record. There will, absolutely.

Yeah, there's no question about it. And that really, really i think is something that is very very strong uh you know when it comes to uh this uh patriots defense and you know the team as a whole and that's what ota are really all about folks it's about team building it's about scheme installation it's about getting back on the field and bill belichick said it best it's great to see these guys back out there they're making progress they're getting better but you still have to keep at it and that's something that they will do. And speaking of which, Murph, that leads us very quite nicely into our primary topic of the day. And that is

the offensive line. And conspicuous by his absence last week, Isaiah Wynn's been drawing an awful lot of criticism. He's also been drawing an awful lot of speculation could win be seeing his final days in a Patriots uniform well yeah you can talk all you want to about cap savings and being able to dump a guy that has had his issues staying on the field but when he's on the field he's pretty damn good can you replicate what he brings to you on the field with the guys that you currently have on your roster Patriots are apparently trying to do that. Will they do it? That's a matter for us to discuss in just a moment.

And we will when this episode of the Locked On Patriots podcast continues. But first, folks, great time to be a sports fan, Murph. The NBA Finals ready to roll. NHL playoffs right there in the thick of things. You've got the third leg of the Triple Crown coming up. Major League Baseball. All different kinds of ways to maximize your sports knowledge and maybe make a little more on it.

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about the trends and the action. BetOnline, where the game starts. Patriots fans, the legendary Thomas Murphy of e2gsports.com joins me here covering the patriots covering the red sox all things boston sports his word is gospel and i definitely take it to the bank each and every time and murph we talked a little bit in the previous segment about some of the stories that are starting to make the rounds when it comes to week two of patriots ota in foxborough dante hightower potential return uh whether josh uche and some of these linebackers are starting to make the rounds when it comes to week two of Patriots OTA in Foxborough. Dante Hightower potential return, whether Josh Uche and some of these linebackers can make the next step. Talked a little bit about Malcolm Butler, but we all know that one of your favorite subjects here on Locked On Patriots

or any Patriots media realm is to talk about the offensive line and Murph it's always interesting to talk O-line because it's I don't want to say a a polarizing subject when it comes to the New England Patriots but they've had their issues you know teams have attacked their offensive line in certain ways and you know anytime Mac Jones finds himself under pressure you hear the O-line is trash but anytime he's able to complete a pass downfield you hear about how great the O-line is doing it's a thankless position you're either the top of the heap or you're the bottom of the barrel one guy that's finding himself in those crosshairs right now is Isaiah Wynn and look I was as surprised as anyone Evan Lazar and I discussed this on Friday here on Locked On Patriots

about Isaiah not being present for the start of OTAs. It was a little bit surprising to us because we heard reports that he was working out at Foxborough in the late winter, that there was a certain expectation that he would be there, and then he wasn't last week. So with practices scheduled to kick off this week we're hoping to see Isaiah on the field and at the time that you're listening to this it may be well known that he is on the field and all is forgiven or it might be well known that he's not on the field and

that this may be contractual or there might be something different going on behind the scenes but the one thing that I know Murph is that the more time that isaiah winn misses on the field the more opportunity he gives to the patriots to look at guys like a justin heron so look at someone like a yadni kajus to look at someone like the rookie lineman that the patriots have brought in jason hines and also andrew stuber and we're going to discuss the rookies in a little bit but i wanted to get your take on the whole Isaiah Wynn situation because some of the fan base seems ready to just jettison him off and they don't have a problem with him leaving. But the problem that I have is when he's healthy,

one of the better left tackles in the conference, and you can't necessarily just replicate that just on a whim. No. You see things us mere mortals don't see when it comes to the offensive line your thoughts on isaiah win were you surprised he wasn't there last week what are your thoughts on him moving forward in a patriots uniform i was surprised that he was not there last week especially after the the reports that we all heard that were true that he was here working out during the off season, late in the winter. I don't want to throw this in the contract ring. I really don't,

but it has to be there in the back of your mind. When you're somebody like Isaiah, who's had the injury problems that he has, you, you kind of, you know, you want a little security. Isaiah loves playing here. I don't think he wants to go anywhere else. And so, yeah, that's a possibility. But like I said, we don't know if physically he's just not ready to be here.

And maybe that's the reason that we haven't seen him. It would be nice if we saw him this week and going forward and put this to bed. The last thing I know you're biting to ask is, is Isaiah going to be traded? I don't see that happening. I just don't see the depth on this line right now that Isaiah would be jettisoned and the work put on somebody. I don't think Trent Brown wants to be moved back over to the other side. I think he'll do it if he's asked. But, no, I don't think he's going to be moved on from. I think they'll get a contract done, and, you know, it won't be a monster deal because as much as we like or dislike Isaiah Wynn,

he is probably a top half left tackle in the entire NFL. We're talking somebody that between 13 and 15 or 17, he's one of those guys. And those guys get paid a lot of money. And I understand that it could upset some people that he's making this much money with the amount of time that he misses. And, you know, this is a tough game, especially for a big guy, folks. And when you're carrying around that kind of size, you have problems with your knees, you have problems with your ankles. I have them now and I didn't play, I didn't play college ball.

Okay. I only played high school ball. Um, it's, that's just the way it is, but no, I don't see him moving on. Um, I don't think Bill would get, uh, an offer for him that would be significantly better than he would get as compensation. I agree with you. I do agree with you. I think moving on from Isaiah is awfully risky. And look, I know there are the financials, and I'll discuss the financials in a moment, thanks to our good friend, the Patscap,

who is always right on the money, right down to the penny. The man is the Wizard of Benzana. There's just no other way to put it. Yeah, I'm meeting with the Pope this week to get him his sainthood, get him canonized. It's got to happen. I've sat on these airwaves several times where when I'm in the room with Miguel or I'm ready to record a podcast, I really feel like I'm sharing the microphone with a financial Mozart. I mean, really, I mean, that's what the paint, the picture he's able to paint and the way he's able to do it. It really is. It's like composing an orchestra. It really and is it's not easy the patriots are not a organization that is very

forthcoming with a lot of this information it's a lot of digging a lot of uh you know um i don't know i have no idea how he does it but he does it so well he really does he absolutely does and the financials do make sense from a trade perspective. But here's where I think the Patriots trying to trade Isaiah Wynn goes off the rails and where I think the Patriots are better off keeping him in the Foxborough fold. I know there were issues last year, some difficulties down the stretch that he had. I don't think people are so much upset with Isaiah Wynn, the player as a whole and what he does on the field it's the fact that he's had difficulty seeing the field right so conditioning becomes a big part of this and maybe maybe Isaiah is doing his own rehab at this point OTAs are voluntary

folks so we can't sit there and say like how dare he not get on the field there and have this exactly and have this outrage about him not being there. How often do you go into the office for nothing? Absolutely. Yeah, it's true. Evan, I, and Murph have all said we were surprised by Isaiah not being there because he is one of these players that is considered someone that has surrounded himself with trade rumors and things of that nature. So it is difficult in that regard to not see him out there and working. But again, we don't know why. So there could be a number of reasons why maybe it is health related. Maybe it's family related. Maybe

there's special circumstances to speculate on something like that right now is very difficult. If he's not there next week for mandatory mini camp without a valid reason right then all of a sudden then you're looking to talk about then we have something to talk about and we saw this last year with stephan gilmore you know i mean that was the biggest uh you know question coming out of that is where's where's stephan and that ended up you know going away that i didn't think it was going to go but you know obviously unfortunately it was indeed the case but here's where isaiah really needs to make the strides and this is exactly what we saw from him last year i thought he had some problems initially pushing out of his stance he looked a little bit hesitant to do that and at times that's

where he was beat and that's where you saw some of the difficulties isaiah win look at the tape from him when he was at georgia the tape on him when he was at Georgia the tape on him when he's playing at his highest level in New England he's an aggressive pass protector but I thought he was a little bit slower getting into position last year especially when Patriots want to employ some of those scheme pressures I think he's capable of riding that ship with some practice and with some dedication but I think he really needs to get back to that strike first approach that he has in the past and also in the run when he does that you know you really you want to get to the pass rusher before they hit their stride and i think he was a step too slow doing that

last year that's something that he needs to work on when he does that and i think that is fixable then you're going to look at a guy that I think can provide some adequate if not stellar protection for Mac Jones this year and that left tackle position is so vital when you're protecting a um a guy's uh blind side especially a quarterback like Mac that has that pocket presence uh and needs that time in the pocket to be able to complete his passes so from a logistical standpoint i could definitely see his point i did want to mention the finances before i let you come back on this the finances is what may tip the scales in favor of moving on from him because you know a trade creates just over 9.5 million dollars in cap savings but that's presuming that a player with at least an $895,000 annual salary

will take his place on the top 51 list. If you cut him, you only get that 895K savings. So you're not going to see Isaiah Wynn cut folks. I think that's pretty safe to say. If a team comes in with a big time offer, then the Patriots may consider themselves willing to move on and then they may entertain a trade idea, but I think it would have to be an extremely high package. Based on those figures, Murph, are you still pretty confident that he hangs around or will the Patriots move him for the right price? I am, but I definitely think that Bill would move him for the right price. It's just what bill considers the right price

is it a second round pick is it you know um a third and a fifth uh things of that nature there's also a thing that that if you trade win he would have to sign an extension somewhere to get all that savings i read i forget where i i read that go back and listen to Miguel. Don't listen to me about that, folks. Excuse me. But no, I don't think that that amount of savings is what Bill is looking for. Otherwise, they wouldn't have picked up the option. Yeah, agreed. I don't think they would have picked up the option as well. And I know that a lot of people are saying, well, the picking up of the option ensures that he'll be here for this year. It doesn't always do that because of the amount that the Patriots could save in trading him. I think they would for the right price. I agree with you.

But I think that price is going to have to be fairly high. It's like Denver wanted to give up one of their second-round picks for him, something like that. If the Raiders wanted to do the same, Seattle is really strapped for an offensive tackle. They could come up and bomb something out there. They've gone – or even the Rams. We know the Rams are not married to

any of their their picks also i've heard some dallas talk and yeah but but it's it's yeah it's it's you would have to come up with something serious to get my attention and you would have to come up with something really serious to get Bill's attention. Bill's been caught with his pants down before at offensive line and depth, and he's not going to let that happen again. That's why you see so many. There's 47 freaking offensive linemen on the roster right now, and the other room that's crowded is the running back's room because these are places that have bitten Bill in the backside in years past. And I don't think he's going to let that happen again this year.

No, definitely not. And again, I mean, you move on from players and you mentioned depth. Justin Heron seems to be the hot name that people are throwing around right now because he took the left the right tackle position and then you moved Trent Brown last week over in drills uh to the left tackle position I know the Patriots love Justin her own I've talked to you know the guys that we've talked to our sources have confirmed that and really you don't need a source to confirm that you can see it from what they do on the field the question is do they like him as a full-time starter and that is the question right now there is from what you saw last year on the field that's a tough leap of faith to make i'm not saying justin can't do it because he may come into camp and really look

impressive but based on what you've seen so far it's awfully difficult to think that justin can come in and fill the shoes left behind by trent brown at right tackle and that trent is going to be willing to and well you made this point just earlier that he's going to be willing to move over and be that left tackle that he was a couple of years ago when he was protecting tom brady's believe me it's a lot of moving parts different animal over there on the left side absolutely mentally and physically that's why so many guys that you know no i'm good over here on the right i really am you know and then there's centers like me who are just stuck in the middle with you folks um you know and and it's it is i i can't see it happening especially with the um with the lack of

a fullback on this team this year this is something that a lot of people aren't talking about. The Patriots like to go three offensive tackles in their jumbo packages, and you're going to see that a lot more this year with the lack of a fullback and who's going to fill that role. It's just another question that would have to be answered before week one, and I don't think that Bill wants to you know bill wants to get into you know answering other questions for himself for the team absolutely without any question and that is exactly the question that the new england patriots offensive coaching staff matt

patricia going to be very heavily involved in that because he's going to be working closely with the o-line but ultimately this coaching staff needs to make that determination. And folks, another determination that the Patriots may have to make is some of the younger offensive linemen on the roster and how they factor in to the Patriots' plans for 2022. The Pats potentially have two diamonds in the rough that they picked up in the late rounds, Jason Hines out of LSU and Andrew Stuber out of the University of Michigan. Which of those players has the chance to not only stick on the 2022 53-man roster, but also make a pretty big impact? Murph's got his points.

I've got mine. And we're going to discuss those in just a moment when this episode of the Lockdown Patriots podcast continues. But first, Lockdown Patriots listeners, in this competitive business environment can you afford to have a portion of your workforce just sitting around doing nothing no not good business why should your building be any different catalyst power would like to lease that empty rooftop from you to build a large solar array generate a brand new revenue stream without lifting a finger or being responsible for the installation or

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Go to catalystpower.com slash locked on patriots to learn more patriots fans we're about to bring it all home here for you today on locked on patriots it's hashtag locked on murph tuesday with a monday feel to it the legendary thomas murphy joins me here today from e2gs sports.com covering the pats the socks and all of your new england sports and murph in the previous segments we talked a lot about otas we talked a lot about players that you have your eye on but we really focused on the offensive line in the previous segment specifically isaiah winn isaiah winn is a grizzled veteran on that offensive line right now entering his fifth

season in the league fifth year option picked up but the patriots have some good young talent along this offensive line we mentioned justin arone in the previous segment uh you you know talk about guys that have come in michael wayne who obviously going to be a big part of their plans this year uh players like yadni kajust who are trying to come into their own. Will Sherman, who we didn't see last year, trying to go from the practice squad. University of Colorado lineman trying to earn a spot on the 53-man roster. But Patriots had a couple of diamonds in the rough along that offensive line in the later part of the draft. And I know there are definitely guys that could make an impact this year as well from the undrafted rookie free agents

that might be a conversation for another day but we'll focus on the latter part of this draft right now chasen hines out of lsu and andrew stuber out of the university of michigan lots of like with both of these guys they played on accomplished offensive lines in college football, protected the quarterback well. When you look at both of these guys, Murph, when you look at Hines and you look at Stuber, who brings the more interesting skill set to the table? Who has a chance to be the bigger impact player this year in 2022? I'm going to go with Andrew Stuber simply for the conversation that we just had. We all know that Hines

is a versatile athlete. He's somebody that can come in here and definitely turn a few heads on plays. But you just drafted a first-round guard where the holes are. And when you look at But you just drafted a first-round guard.

Where the holes are, and when you look at how this roster is constructed right now, contract-wise, I believe that Stewart is the man that could come in here and wiggle his way onto the roster. I'm not sure that he's going to play a significant part if all these other parts are in place, but better safe than sorry. And I just like the tools and the skill set that he brings. You know, he's a massive man at 6'6", at 325, and he could probably put on another 30 pounds and not, you know, he, he's, he's a massive man at six, six at three 25, and he could probably put on another 30 pounds and not, you know, blow his breakfast.

Um, he, he had a fantastic three cone time, a great shuttle. Uh, he's got a, uh, uh, a fantastic broad jump. Broad jump is something that's kind of important people for, for us, big fat guys, um, in getting out and, and making that first hit with what Michael was talking about a little bit earlier with when it is a significant thing. I just think Stuber's the man. He's patient in pass protection.

He sees the field really well. He understands his position. And you can tell that in watching film. I went back and I watched a lot of film of him. I didn't watch a lot of film of Michigan this year, and that was bad on me. But I see him effortlessly passing off stunts at the line. He stays square with his hands and pass protection and does a nice job at the aiming points to get good fits

and close space on double teams. This is a good football player, and I'm not trying to run down anybody else that we're going to talk about right now, but I think he's the man. Yeah, I've been very impressed by what I've seen with Stuber. I'm actually very surprised he lasted as long as he did on the board in this draft. I thought he would go in the fifth round. I really did. Yeah, I think fifth or sixth is definitely a good wheelhouse for him.

I'm surprised to see him in the seventh. But look, bottom line, I think where Stuber comes off as having maybe the upper hand here is the Patriots, I think, are going to be looking at a more specialized player at his position. And I think Stuber is that. I love Jason Hines. I love the versatility that I see from him. He can play at all. And he said it from his own mouth. He spoke to the media shortly after being drafted. He said it. He said, look, it's not up to me. I played center. I played

guard. I played tackle. I'll play wherever these guys want me to play. And honestly, I think he can be good at any of these positions. Stuber, I think, comes in with a little bit more specialization in his craft. I think that speaks well to him. i think the patriots have some guys on this roster right now that are true dedicated swings we mentioned our own in the previous segment i think garone can be one of those guys that can play all over the offensive line i think the patriots would like a rookie that can come in and do that bottom line though i really i like what i see from both of these guys i think the patriots have to do whatever they can to keep both of them around whether it be uh one of them

maybe uh you know foxborough flu i don't know you know we'll see we'll see what happens there's a very expanded um practice squad this year and i wouldn't be surprised if if either of them were put on it i i think they could both be slid in there um but i i really do i think stuber's the guy that that could make the squad it's just i would rather have um the the master of one trade than the jack of all right now yeah absolutely i really would yep and i think that that really speaks well of stuber because i think stuber holds up a little bit better in holding his frame but one thing that worries me with jason hines right now and again i don't see this as a long-term problem this is something he can correct folks this is not an insurmountable

not a we need a bigger boat type thing when it comes to, uh, uh, to Jason Hines, but holding his frame upon contact was something that he struggled with a little bit at LSU. Jason Hines is very good when he's aggressive and he can get out in front of, uh, you know, you know, pass protection and be able to ward off some pass rushers that are coming at him even in the run game. But when he has to hold his frame and really fight for the stalemate that's when he gives up his guard a little bit that's when he gives up his block and if that's the case that's going to be problematic for a young quarterback like Mac Jones that you're trying to keep upright you want to get stalemates part of what your job is as an offensive lineman is not always to win your battles it's to draw it's to tie you know the old saying Murph par sometimes is good enough to win yeah well in this case par is good enough to win and i think that might be where andrew

stuber is able to hold up a little bit better as a pro right now and maybe take the opportunity to develop chase and heinz a little bit but i'll tell you i really love what these two kids bring to the table i would love to see them both on the offensive line for the Patriots someday. I'd really love to see Hines alongside Michael Wainu. That's a pretty impressive big time duo and emphasis on the word big. You know, this kid, this kid is, you know, six, three, three 27. You know, I mean, you know, it's definitely going to be interesting to see these guys. Yeah. And then Wainu is six, four'4", 350. So, you know, all kinds of good stuff coming for the New England Patriots on the offensive line. And ultimately, we'll see. We'll see what this team brings to the table.

Murph, what can I say? It is always my honor, always my privilege when the Don stops by here to check on things here on Locked On Patriots. Offer his wisdom and counsel. We come to you in tribute. We always come to you in friendship. And, you know, you're always welcome in the home of Locked On Patriots for a cup of coffee. No, no, no, no, no bonus data type thing going on here.

We don't have to beg you for your friendship because we offer it and we get it in return. Before I let you go, my friend, please let everyone know where they can find you, what they can expect from the great pen, the great voice of Thomas Murphy at E2GSports.com. One Patriot's Place, just anything that you've got going on, we want to absorb it. Yeah, One Patriot's Place, we had a great episode that we taped today. Michael Hurley of CBS Boston stopped in. That was a fantastic show. He gave us 30 minutes of

his time before he had to run out and check out this press conference. Of course, E2G Sports, I've got an article out this morning on the dreadful freaking homecoming of the Red Sox. God, I'm sorry. I'm really sorry.

And of course, you can follow me on the Bird app at Team Earth 207. There's no plus there. I'm not sure why there's a plus here. There's no plus there. Just Team Earth 207 and you can see what I'm up to and keep track of our summer baseball.

Absolutely. I'll be doing some more football stuff in the coming weeks as we have actual things to talk about and not speculation. The plus is there, folks, because it's plus-level coverage. It is above and beyond anything that you'll get anywhere else. You like how I did that, Bud? Yeah, it was pretty. I only say it because I believe it.

A little brilliant. All kidding aside, no, folks, definitely check out. I know it's tough times with the Boston Red Sox right now. Focus on the Celtics, but I still believe the Sox are going to right the ship. They're going to get things taken care of. But you know what? Bottom line, anything and everything coming from the Boston sports realm, from this great man, definitely check it out,

as well as all of the great content that you'll see anywhere on E2GSports.com. Bottom line, folks, we appreciate you all here at Locked On Patriots. Thank you for taking the time out of your daily busy schedule to make Locked On Patriots a daily part of your New England Patriots coverage, but also your first listen each and every day. Remember, Locked On Patriots is free and available on all platforms, so download, subscribe to, and follow the Locked On Patriots podcast platforms such as Spotify, the Odyssey app,

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So please continue to stay safe, stay well, be the change that you wish to see in the world. I wish you nothing but a great, healthy, happy day. And we look forward to bringing you the coverage right again here next time on Locked On Patriots. Thanks again.