Locked On Patriots - Daily Podcast On The New England Patriots - Free Your Mind Friday: Patriots Chat with Murph - 3/6/2020

Episode Date: March 6, 2020

After a week-long roller coaster ride of media coverage on the Tom Brady saga, host Mike D’Abate welcomes fan-favorite Thomas Murphy to talk the ‘ebb and flow’ of Brady coverage. The pair also discuss the Patriots potential approach to free agency and the 2020 NFL Draft.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Hello to all of you Foxborough faithful. Welcome to Free Your Mind Friday here on the Locked On Patriots podcast. Your daily dose of news, notes, and analysis infused with the occasional opinion on your six-time Super Bowl champions, the New England Patriots. My name is Mike DeBate. I am 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 because it's your team every day,

that means your questions, your comments, your feedback are always welcomed and always appreciated. Please feel free to reach out to me and follow me on Twitter at M-D-A-B-A-T-E-F-P-C. And while you're out there roaming around on that Twitterverse, please be sure to follow the Locked On Patriots account as well at L-O underscore Patriots. Patriots fans, we have made it.

It is finally Friday, and it has been an interesting week here in Foxborough to say the least. Starting with last Saturday's lip-reading fiasco, to the conversation that didn't go so well on Wednesday, and all of the speculation in between running right up until the very moment that you are listening to this podcast. That's because every day since January 5th, which was the day after the New England Patriots ended their 2019 season, the story of the day has been Tom Brady.

And each and every day this week here on the Locked On Patriots podcast, we've talked about all of the stories that swarmed around social media this week. But as we approach the weekend, I think you're all looking forward to a little break from the monotony. If I'm being honest, I am too. And apparently Tom is too. From what Tom told Dana White earlier this week, he, Giselle, and the family are planning a little vacation, and I think it's coming at the right time for everyone.

So because we live in hope, and that hope is making us hopeful that we can take a little break from this this weekend, I'm still not liking the odds on that one. However, because we want to clear our heads from all of this, that's why I'm labeling today's edition of Locked on Patriots to be Free Your Mind Friday. And because you're probably sick of hearing just my voice on this subject, I thought today I would do my part to help you free your mind and bring in a straightforward, no-nonsense,

and hard-hitting opinion. One that'll paint the town green, if you will. That's right, folks. No weeks off for my guest today. I am honored to end what has been a great week here on the Locked On Patriots podcast by welcoming in my good friend, my brother, if you will. Thomas Murphy brings a dose of his big green wisdom and counsel, and he's got some strong opinions on all the news surrounding Tom this weekend.

Also, I'll get Murph's thoughts on the Combine, his early assessment on how the Patriots might approach free agency, and what the impending CBA vote may do to impact the Patriots' ability to sign their own players, as well as some that are out there on the open market. Murph and I have been chomping at the bit to hit the microphone together to talk about everything that happened in the week that was here in New England. So sit tight, folks. Murph will be joining me here shortly as we help to enlighten you on the very latest from Patriots Nation and do our best to help free your mind on this Friday episode of the Locked On Patriots podcast.

However, before I do that, you might recall from the closing moments of yesterday's episode of Locked On Patriots that I announced what will be a nearly week-long interactive initiative in which you, any one of you, the listeners out there of Locked On Patriots, will be given the chance to play draft analyst when it comes to what the New England Patriots might do in the upcoming 2020 NFL Draft. That's right. Instead of beware of the Ides of March, we're going to be aware of the mocks of March, as in mock drafts. I know this has been a very popular segment in the past here on Locked On Patriots when my predecessor Mark Schofield was hosting the show. Mark truly did an amazing job with this segment, and if I'm being painfully honest here, folks,

he's probably forgotten more about draft strategy than I will ever learn. But I also assure you that I'm not too shabby on the subject either. So starting this coming Monday, March 9th, we're going to open up the Locked On Patriots general manager machine. And with Monday being Mock Draft Monday, our friends at thedraftnetwork.com will not be the only ones that will get a chance to prognosticate on what your New England Patriots might do with the 23rd pick.

Throughout the weekend, keep a sharp eye on the Locked On Patriots Twitter account, because it will be prompting you, all of our listeners here at Locked On Patriots, to send in your prediction of what the Patriots might do with that first round pick. Because it's still early on in the process, folks, for Monday's exercise, we're going to assume that the Patriots have kept the number 23 pick. If draft day trade strategy is your thing, don't worry. We're going to get a chance to flex that muscle soon enough. But again, keep an eye on the Locked On Patriots Twitter account all weekend long

because it will provide the details on how you can submit that pick along with your explanation of why it's the best fit for the New England Patriots. As for me, I'll be reviewing your submissions and then in turn, with your permission, I'll be happy to share your submissions right here on the Locked On Patriots podcast on Mock Draft Monday. As I stated yesterday, I cannot wait to begin this exercise. I hope that you'll find it fun and informative. I'm very much looking forward to hearing your thoughts on what the Patriots might do in the upcoming draft.

And again, folks, I do have big shoes to fill here. Mark did a tremendous job with this segment, and I will do my best to get it right in his honor. So be aware of the Mock Drafts of March starting this Monday, March 9th. And to help prepare you for that exercise, we're going to free your mind here on this Friday. In just a moment, my good friend Thomas Murphy will join me here on the microphone, and we'll talk NFL Combine, Patriots Free Agency, and of course, Thomas, Edward, Patrick, Brady Jr.,

and his future in New England coming up right here on the Locked On Patriots podcast. Pats fans, it has been a week of madness in Patriots Nation, and I truly wanted to give my guest today the week off. But you know what? The lure of having him grace the Locked On Patriots airwaves with his wisdom and counsel was just too great to pass up. When you've got the greatest fireballer of all time warming in the bullpen, you make that call and you do not hesitate.

That's right, everybody. Your favorite and mine, my benefactor in this business, the legend Thomas Murphy is back here on Locked On Patriots. Thank you so much for joining me today, Don Murph. Welcome back. Oh, no, thank you for having me, man. I appreciate any call to the bullpen. You know, I'm right up there, and I'm here for you.

Go ahead, Skip, give me the ball, and let's fire. Absolutely. And more devastating than the Mariano Rivera cutter is your wisdom in council, my friend. Everybody knows it's coming, but they're still wowed by it and they're still amazed by it each and every time you bring it. Now, all actuality, folks, you know, I love having Murph on the show and I don't think it's any secret that we have a great time when we share the microphone, but this man is always there for me every single day, every single moment, and I can't thank him enough.

So if I do get gushy at times about him, it's with a lot of good reason. He is a great man, and I wouldn't be where I am today without him. So I personally appreciate you, my friend, and thanks again for coming on. And it comes at such a great time, doesn't it, Murph? Because this has been a really, really rough week in Patriots Nation. I don't think I'm overstretching my boundaries by saying that. This has been a tough one. But,

you know, we did order you an embroidered director's chair, by the way. It is on order. It is coming in. You'll be getting it. We got the big green letters. It is. You're going to absolutely love this thing. And because you're not just a guest, you are familia. And, you know, big green letters. It is. You're going to absolutely love this thing. And because you're not just a guest, you are Familia.

And, you know, sometimes you need that family perspective. Is it more of a tall one? Okay. It is. It's the tall one, yep. We even got your own megaphone coming with it. So, you know, all the benefits of being a director are going to be yours in short order, my friend. But, you know, I did – can never be good enough, my friend. But, you know, I did... It can never be good enough, my friend,

as far as I'm concerned. But, you know, I needed that Familia perspective today, Bud, so I'm so glad that you joined me today here on Free Your Mind Friday, I'm calling it, on the Locked On Patriots podcast. And, you know, we're going to talk a little calm today. We have to. We're contractually obligated, actually,

to talk Tom Brady each and every day here. But we're going to let that simmer a little bit first. And the NFL Draft Combine is in the books. It's a favorite week of yours, a favorite week of mine. A little bit this week, definitely last week, I've hit on some of the highlights and some of the things that I've loved most about watching the Combine. Last week when we spoke, we talked some quarterbacks and the skill position players that caught our eye, but the weekend brought out some pretty impressive prospects on the defensive side of the ball. You've been very vocal about the Pats being best suited by going offensive line early in the draft. I agree with you completely, but if they do switch gears, as we know Bill has a tendency to do, and they do go defense.

Is there anyone that you watched last weekend that caught your eye that could be a really good fit here in the Patriots system? Wow, that's a really, really good question. And, yeah, there is. And I knew you'd have a good answer. There's a lot of fantastic guys out there. Derek Brown at Auburn, but we all know that he's probably going to go way before the Patriots are able to draft.

The Kinlaw, the kid out of South Carolina, I like a lot. He's a senior. He's a captain. He's not really comparable to anybody that we've had in this system. He's not really comparable to anybody that we've had in this system. He's fast. He takes up a lot of space. And, I mean, at 6'5", 324, what more could you ask for? I mean, this dude's bigger than Vince Wilfork.

And that's somebody that could entice Bill if he fell down. And, you know, there's an edge guy or two. Espinoza, the kid from Iowa, I like a lot. But, you know, there's, God, Clavon Chasen. He's another edge guy that could bring in. But I really think that it's more the interior line, and there's guys like Neville Gallimore from Oklahoma that could be there when the Patriots are picking.

And other than that, we're talking about guys that are going to be in the second round or even later. And right now it's a little difficult to map this stuff out because the Patriots simply do not have a second-round pick right now. Right. Absolutely. And because they don't have a second-round pick, I think it's so difficult to portray

how they might be able to be top-heavy in this draft, meaning getting top-flight talent. They may have to take flyers on guys in lower rounds. And because of that, we may not be able to see the true potential right away. But the Patriots have a knack of being able to pick these guys out of essentially out of obscurity i think that's a little bit probably maybe flowery language for me to use on my part right now but at the same time i do believe that they have the talent to be able to do it and they have the wherewithal to be able to do it to recognize that talent right uh you mentioned a few guys. You mentioned Epineza, and to me, from Iowa, he reminds me a lot of a Trey Flowers type.

He's a good, solid rusher. I think he's a hand-and-glove fit for the type of system that the Patriots employ when it comes to the pass rush. He's quick off the block. He's got a really good opportunity to be able to block guys out. I love his ability to be able to defend against the run. I think that's a big key for him, and that may be something that the Patriots have an eye on. Our good mutual friend Evan Lazar turned me on to Epinezzo last week, and I really

watched him very closely this weekend, and he had a very good combine. So I think he's done a lot to maybe increase his draft capital. We mentioned guys on the line, on the defense. You mentioned Chason and a few of the others, Kinlaw, those types of players. On the secondary, I've been vocal about the fact that the Patriots don't really need to look for help right now with the cornerback position. That's a position they're pretty well stacked. So naturally, that's probably where a bill is going to go in the first round. No, just kidding.

Of course. But in that case, I'm thinking... Damon Arnett out of Ohio State, and Bill will take him in the first round, even though he should go in the third. That's what's going to happen. And we're all going to be scratching our heads, as I said to Kevin Grigian earlier this week. We're all going to be wondering why we bother doing this each and every year because it's not an exact science for any team, but most of all for the New England Patriots.

But I think the safety position is intriguing, and guys that I've had my eye on for the last couple of days now, and really the last week or so heading into the Combine, Xavier McKinney out of Alabama, Antoine Winfield Jr. is somebody that I looked at. Grant Delpit was somebody that I thought could be a good fit as well. Could the Patriots theoretically be looking to that position, especially if there's any doubt in their mind that Devin McCourty might return to the Patriots, and knowing the injury history and some of the issues that Patrick Chung has had over the years,

could they look to that position to upgrade quickly in the draft? They really could, and this is a year that it could happen. When everybody else is out here chasing offensive, skilled guys that we talked about last week, grabbing that wide receiver, grabbing that one or two tight ends that are in the draft that they think are going to be able to help them. There are some guys that will fall and will be really enticing to Bill. Davis, the kid out of California, I like him a lot. He's 1-2-0-2. Antoine Winfield Jr., he's somebody that is more of a second-round pick,

but I think that is somebody that could do well in this system. I don't want to hear it, people. Don't come at me. He's 5'9", Murph. I don't care. He plays football, and he plays it really well. Terrell Burgess is another name that you could hear if the Patriots get up into the second round or if he falls a little bit.

It is a top-heavy draft for these guys that I think would help immediately. Grant Delpit, the kid out of LSU, I would do literal handsprings if he got here. I love the kid. But I don't think he's going to do that. But then there's a drop-off from him to the Davises, the Burgesses, the Winfields. These are guys that are going to be able to step in and could understudy for a year.

And we all know how Bill loves to redshirt freshmen, could understudy for a year, get a little bit of game time under their belts, and then step in the year after. It really is depending on what happens with McCourty and what happens with Chung. Chung had a really bad season last year injury-wise. Don't take me out of context there, ESPN. I know you do all the time, but he did. He was injured the entire year.

He has some other issues that are going on. There are other guys in the defensive backfield that, you know, have other things happening. So, no, I could definitely see them going safety. This is a – I don't want to say a deep draft at safety but i do want to say it's it's a it's a draft where you are going to see a lot of guys come into the league and stay in the league for a very long time i agree with your assessment there on the safety class and i really think that's a microcosm of how this draft really is shaping

up as a whole, with the exception of maybe some of the edge class on the defensive side of the ball. Obviously, on offense, it's a very deep class when it comes to the wide receivers, but I think there's a lot of top-heavy talent and then a significant drop-off when it comes to a lot of these positions, and I think that safety is definitely one of them. Tight end is another one that comes to mind, and I do agree. I think if the Patriots do decide to go defense, I think it'll probably either be on the edge or at the safety position early on, but again, without the second-round pick, it's going to be difficult for them to do that. Bill may need

to do some maneuvering around, and that leads me very nicely into my next question for you, Bud, because the draft is not the only way the Patriots are going to be able to build this 2020 roster. They have to look at free agency, as any team does. And they have a lot of free agents that they haven't even really addressed a whole lot yet. And that's part of the Patriots' MO. They're not really vocal about their plans. They never have been. They never will be. But one of the big reasons why I think they've been maybe even a little more quiet on that front right now than in recent years is because of the uncertainty surrounding the CBA. Now, that document, the 456 page document, by the way, has been delivered to the NFLPA. By all accounts, that was done on

Thursday morning. We await the final tally, but if this CBA is approved, and I'm going to ask you to take Tom out of the equation for just a moment because it's a Brady in a little bit. Does it really make that much of a difference in the Patriots' approach to free agency? Because we've heard a lot of conflicting reports on this. If it does, who does it benefit the most in terms of Patriots free agents? This is a returning to Foxborough. Wow. I'm sorry, Mike. That's a really great question. I'm not sure who it helps and hurts the most in all of this. There are guys that we know are not coming back. You know, the Van Nuys of the world are just not coming back.

And I'm really not sure. I think you might have stumped me. Stumped the Burp on a Friday. Yeah, on a Friday, man. I mean, we can talk about the guys that the Patriots are targeting, you know, that are out there, but I'm not sure that there's anybody else on this other than Devin McCourty, as to who is really teetering on help and hurt with this CBA. Because we all know the way the league has it measured out, you can't sign anybody with serious signing bonuses and move that bonus money down the line. So, yeah, that's basically it.

It's McCourty that is sitting there and waiting for this. Actually, I don't think I stumped you at all because that's exactly the answer that I was looking for and exactly where my mind was headed when it comes to this. So don't beat yourself up. I think you answered the question perfectly. I do believe it benefits Devin McCourty, and I really don't think it's that much of a big deal for most of the Patriots free agents that aren't named Tom Brady. And I think obviously with Brady, there is a little bit of a motivation to see what the CBA is going to offer because it's going to determine how they're going to be able to, or if they're willing and still able to offer Tom that second year. I think that's the sticking point right now.

Again, we'll get into Tom in just a second, but I think this may affect them more in terms of outside free agents. You take a look at a guy like Austin Hooper. If the Patriots have a little bit more money to play with when it comes to the cap or they're able to utilize multi-year deals more to their advantage, all of a sudden a guy like Hooper becomes a much more attractive option where if they're operating under the current CBA and their current cap restriction, I don't think they're able to sniff Hooper.

I think he's going to be a very tough sign for them because he's going to be priced out of the market. Another guy that I don't think it affects all that much, and I did receive the question earlier, which was one of the reasons why I asked it today, was about Joe Tooney. I don't think that even with a CBA adjustment, I think Tooney's in line for such a big payday, I don't think the Patriots are going to be able to match it. It's true. I would love to see them get something done with Tooney. I think everybody would.

I just don't see it happening. I don't see them throwing even a franchise tag on him for a year at the prices that we're talking about. It's just too much money spent at that position. I don't want to go back to the draft, but Ruiz is out there, people. Ruiz is out there. He's my binky this year. He really is. He really is.

You made me a fan. You have made me an unabashed fan. Anybody that has listened to Locked On Patriots the last two weeks has heard me gush openly about Cesar Ruiz. Rest assured, my friend, I always give you proper credit for that because you're the one that really kind of turned the corner when it came to that. And you got me on that bandwagon, and it's one that I'm happy to ride. It's a fun bandwagon.

We got beer. Bring friends. Absolutely. Beer and brats, and we're all set, and we're ready to go. I'm sorry, go ahead. Yeah, I mean, other than that, it's mostly people that are outside of

the program that this will help the most. The Tyler Eiferts of the world, if Bill decides to do that, something of that ilk. I don't see this as a domino keeping or letting somebody else go.

It doesn't mean that the Patriots aren't waiting for it to happen so that they can maybe try to do some things. But I just don't. Other than McCourty, I'm really not sure where their priorities are going to lie right now. It all goes down to the first domino, and that first domino is Tom. And we've talked before, it's which came first, the chicken or the hen? Who's going to blink before the other? Will free agents come here when Tom is not here?

Or will Tom, and meanwhile Tom is not here? Or will Tom, you know, and meanwhile Tom is sitting there saying, I want a legitimate tight end. I don't want somebody that I could have gone to high school with out here to depend on. I need this. I need one more person. That's all he's asking for, is one more weapon that he can use in a versatile way.

So it's going to be really hard. It is. This is a really difficult free agent season for the Patriots. And we can talk about bringing in guys via the draft at skill positions, but they just don't come in here and excel right away. It's very rare. And when it does, they usually end up with knee problems and have to ride off into the sunset with their single Super Bowl ring.

Yeah, absolutely. And of course, you know, Murph, we all know we're talking about Malcolm Mitchell and the promise that he showed early on. And it is sad that he wasn't able to see that career through fruition because he, to me, had all the markings, the intelligence, the route running, the ability, the hands, the speed. He had all the tools, and it is definitely disheartening that he wasn't able to make more out of it.

But I completely agree with you. If they're going to get that piece that's going to put them over the top at the offensive skill position, I don't think it's the draft where you look for that. I don't think that's the type of immediate... If you want to bring Tom back, that's not the type of way to do it. You need someone that's going to be able to come in here with the seasoning

and the ability to fit into a system that is maximized to be able to showcase their talent. Of course, we teased about all all on the podcast without getting your thoughts on the latest segment in the Tom Brady soap opera. Tom's return and or departure really this week has had more ups and downs than the Twilight Zone Tower of Terror at Disney's Hollywood Studios.

I mean, it's been up and down all week long. He's leaving. He's not. The team doesn't want him. Now the team's trying to trade for offensive help to make him stay. It really does make your head spin. And that's just some of the story. But if you were to make an educated guess at this point,

how much of what we're seeing right now is genuine frustration from both sides? And how much is actual posturing by using the media as the conduit to kind of bring a lot of this out? What would you say is really happening right now as we move toward that quote-unquote deadline of March 16th where Tom wants to have a decision made so that way he can test free agency or that he can just, you know, pack up his bag and move back into the suite that he supposedly vacated at Gillette Stadium a couple of months ago. I think Don Yee is playing this immensely well. He's out there using Tom to drum up interest in places that he now, that the Patriots should fear that he would want to go, the Tennessees, the San Francisco's, things of that nature.

But in the end, I really don't think it's about money. I think it's about the length of the extension. I think it's, they're, both sides are, you can't really say that because Tom's never done this before. He's never, you know, there's a lot of people out there saying, what has happened to Tom Brady? Well, you know, Tom Brady's a free agent. He's never been a free agent before. So yeah, we'll do some FaceTiming thing with an old friend, which I still think is tampering. I don't care how old of a friend you are. You're now the head coach of somebody else,

and you shouldn't be calling guys that are not free agents yet. But it's being played well by both sides. And it's really, on the Patri Patriot side, it's status quo. When have you ever heard anything coming out of Gillette as to, you know, well, we are really interested in this person, we need to bring this person back, or it's all over with for us and we have to get this done. This is our number one priority. Now, I think personally that that would be a much better PR move if they did do that. And to a certain extent, Kraft is saying that,

but nobody else is. And that's just the way it goes. Bill has a game plan for everything. I mean everything, people. He goes in and he knows what he wants. He knows what he feels is appropriate for you to play in the system as it goes for a contract and how long it is, how much money it is. And if you don't want it, okay, we'll wish you the best and go do better somewhere else. They've done it time and time again. And they've told people in the past to go out, see what other people have to offer you,

come back, and we'll let you know if we're going to match it. Bill does not like to haggle over money. This is what I feel you deserve in this system. This is what I feel that we can pay you and still be able to do the things that we need to do at other positions, take it or leave it. It sounds really cold, but, I mean, for Christ's sakes, it's worked for 20 years. One of the reasons that it's worked for 20 years is because of Tom Brady.

Personally, I would give Tom Brady a 20-year, $200 million contract. And guarantee all of it. We'll have to ask Miguel if that's legal or not. But other than that, that's what I would do, because this man has earned every freaking dime. And if he's going to play one year or two years or three years, he should get about $200 million for doing it. Well, I'm locked on Patriots here yesterday. I opened up the mailbag, and that was one of the questions,

is what is your free agent priority? And absolutely, I answered the question by dancing around it and saying a whole bunch of names. And, of course, you closed the question out by saying that Tom Brady is their free agent priority. It all begins and ends with him. And there really isn't anything I wouldn't do to get the guy back. So we're like-minded when it comes to that. I'm glad that you mentioned Don Yee and how this is playing out. And the fact that Brady has never been a free agent before, I think that's something that people need to remember. This is a new process

to him, but it also doesn't mean that he doesn't know how to play the game, folks. And it's not that Tom is turning heel. I've heard a lot of people say that, to use a wrestling term, like, oh, he wants to portray himself as being the bad guy or the good guy. There is

no bad guy here. There is no good guy. There are two sides that are coming together that are strong-minded in what they feel is in their best interest, and it's a matter of it coming together. I still, at the end of the day, believe the two sides will come together because I think it's in the other's best interest to be able to do it. At the end of the day, I think Tom realizes that his best chance to win is in Foxborough. I think Bill Belichick realizes that his best chance to win is having Tom under center

as his quarterback next year. It's a matter of the two sides giving a little to get a lot, and I hope cooler heads prevail, but we'll see, my friend, and we're getting closer to that March 16th deadline, so hopefully we don't have too much more of the he said, she said back and forth that's just plagued all of us here in the media, all of the fans, and really everyone in the NFL right now. I'm really going to enjoy Tom's vacation. Absolutely. Please, go with Gisele, go to Brazil, go anywhere.

Go jump off cliffs and have some fun. Don't break a hip or anything, but I mean, you know, go because it is, it's getting really tiring. And I think, you know, that the way this whole issue has been covered by local sports talk radio is just insufferable, and it's made it even more tense and more divisive towards the fan base in the way that they're looking at this entire situation. Like you said, there is no bad guy in this. There is no dark side. There is no light side.

It's just two people that are at a crossroads right now and they have to figure out if they're going to go on the same path for a couple more years or not. And there you have it, folks. There is no dark side. There is no light side. Here on the Locked On Patriots podcast, there is only a green side. And you heard it today. My good friend Thomas Murphy joining me. Murph, the wisdom, the counsel, you heard it today my good friend thomas murphy joining me murph the wisdom the council you brought it you blew it away and you struck out the side and i could not be happier that you joined me today i could not be more grateful uh once again folks you should be already i know you

are but i'm going to remind you anyway because this man is that damn good for any of our new listeners follow murph on Twitter, at TeamMurph207. The columns, including the monster keys during the season, proudly found on DieHardBostonSportsFans.com. Never miss an episode of this man, along with another good friend of mine, my paisan, Steve Balistrieri. They co-host the One Patriots Place podcast.

It's my favorite podcast in Patriots Nation. Thanks again, my good man. Honored, humbled, always by your presence. Always, anytime, even if I'm with the Pope. Actually, I won the battle between myself and the Pope. I don't know if that's comforting or not. I don't know if God will smile down on me for that. But you know what?

In your eyes, that definitely makes me feel good. So on that note, thank you, my friend. Have a great weekend and enjoy. And you know we'll have you back on here soon. You too, bud. And so, Patriots fans, we put a cap on the week that was here in Patriots Nation. It may have been a crazy week when it comes to news surrounding your New England Patriots this week, folks.

But we got through it and we live to fight another day. I thank my good buddy Thomas Murphy for his time, his insight, and his appearance today on the Locked On Patriots podcast. Also, once again, I want to thank Ian Glendon of Full Press Coverage and Karen Garigian of the Boston Herald joining me earlier in the week as well. And last but not least, a huge Locked On Patriots thanks to Maggie, Matt Inkster, Claire Cooper, hey girl, and the Pats cap himself, Miguel Benzon, for submitting great questions for

this week's Twitter Thursday Mailbag episode of Locked On Patriots. As for me, I will be back on Monday to continue to bring you the latest news notes and analysis from Foxborough and the draft prognostications of our resident expert from the draftnetwork.com as well as all of your submissions. As always, please be sure to join me each and every day here on the Locked On Patriots podcast. Subscribe and download via your preferred podcast provider. Once again, I'm Mike DeBate.

I thank you so much for listening today and for staying locked in to Locked On Patriots. Have a great weekend, everyone.