Locked On Patriots - Daily Podcast On The New England Patriots - Friday with Fox: Cam Newton, Mac Jones and the 2021 New England Patriots Schedule — 5/14/2021

Episode Date: May 14, 2021

In addition to Tom Brady’s return to Foxboro on October 3, the New England Patriots face several intriguing matchups in the upcoming 2021 season. Joining host Mike D’Abate is Tanya Ray Fox of FS1. The pair discuss the level of difficulty of the Pats schedule, the hype surrounding Brady and the Bucs vs. Bill and the Pats, and whether Cam Newton or Mac Jones should be New England’s quarterback this season.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 “LOCKED15,” and you’ll get 15% 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.NugenixText now, and they’ll include a bottle of Nugenix Thermo, their most powerful fat incinerator ever with key ingredients to help you get back in shape, absolutely free! Text DRAFT to 2-3-1-2-3-1 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 into the Lockdown Patriots podcast. It is finally Friday, May 14th, 2021. And because it's Friday, why not make it a Friday with Fox 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. And remember that weekends are a great time to catch up on podcasts. So after you listen to today's episode of Locked On Patriots, check out NFL analyst

Brian Peacock and former NFL scout Matt Williamson as they host Locked On Peacocks and Williamson every Monday through Friday. Brian and Matt give you the national perspective all around the NFL, covering all the latest news and insight on every team, every draft pick, and every move around the NFL. Get your picks, previews, and much more every weekday with the Peacock and Williamson podcast, part of the Locked On Podcast Network. Subscribe wherever you get your podcasts. Greetings and salutations, Pats fans, and thank you for joining me here to close out the week in style on 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, your comments, your feedback are always welcomed and very much appreciated. So share that feedback, send it to the internet by reaching out to me and following me on Twitter at M-D-A-D-A-T-E-F-P-C. And while you're out there giving the weekend nod and saying, how you doing, to the Twitterverse, please be sure to follow the Locked On Patriots account as well at L-O underscore Patriots. Patriots fans, the 2021 NFL D draft is long since in the books.

The 2021 NFL schedule has been released. And with a rookie minicamp starting today that is close to the media, but very much open to your newest New England Patriots, it's the perfect time to start looking ahead to the future of this franchise. 2021 is going to be a big year. A few big dates circled on the calendar. And as big of a happening as it is, I'm not just talking about October 3rd.

A lot of great dates coming up on the Patriots' regular season schedule. It's only natural to look up and down that schedule, start to prognosticate where the Patriots might pick up wins, what might be potential losses, but most importantly, who's going to be on the field? Who's going to be leading this team into battle? Do the Patriots have a potential quarterback controversy on their hands? I know, just the concept seems a little odd. On one hand, you have

a former league MVP, a quarterback that nearly led his team to a Super Bowl title, a savvy veteran who's basically seen it all, done it all in the league, and, oh yeah, a guy that just happens to be the incumbent quarterback on this staff, the same quarterback that led this team just one year ago. On the other hand, a rookie with a lot of promise, a lot of potential, a lot of hype, but has yet to take an NFL snap. Take the names and the circumstances out of this, and you would say I'll go for option A any time. But it's not exactly that

easy. But that is the potential decision that needs to be made by Bill Belichick and the Patriots brain trust when it comes to starting quarterback Cam Newton or rookie quarterback Mac Jones. And so many fans and media members out there have strong opinions on the subject. And the great thing about these opinions is there's generally no right or wrong answer. I don't care what the media or anyone else will tell you, you're never wrong for having an opinion. Does that mean that your opinion will come true? Absolutely not. But you're not wrong for having it. And ultimately, if you're true Patriots fans, you're rooting for Cam Newton to have a good season.

You're rooting for Mac Jones to have a good season. If you're rooting against either one, again, everyone has a right to their opinion, but maybe, just maybe, you're more of a fan of individual players than you are of the actual team. Whoever wins the job out of camp is the one that will deserve it, and that should be good enough for any Patriots fan. Luckily for us here on the pod, my guest today has some strong opinions on the subject, and she's here to set the record straight when it comes to Cam Newton, Mac Jones, the return to Gillette Stadium of Tom Brady, and the Patriots' 2021 schedule overall.

That's right, FS1's own The Incomparable, Tonya Rae Fox joins me here today on The Hot Seat, and my good friend and I will be discussing all of those subjects, and also keep a sharp ear out for the end of our discussion, where Tonya will drop some interesting and exciting news about her own podcast, the Almost Shameless podcast. Folks, Fridays with Fox are always some of my favorite opportunities to hit the microphone. Always look forward to talking football with Tanya.

And in just a moment, we will talk schedules, quarterbacks, and ghosts of Patriots past when this Friday episode of the Locked On Patriots podcast continues. Locked On listeners, we've all heard the phrase often imitated but never duplicated. It's a part of the sports fans lexicon. And that's because only the best athletes and sports teams can provide you with the best possible moments. And in that vein, the only ones who could provide the best healthy, low-calorie, and delicious treats to satisfy all of your snacking needs are the ones who provided the best in the first place. That's right, folks, I'm talking about Bilt Bar, because no one can do it like they do it.

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That's promo code LOCKED15 for 15% off your next order at BiltBar.com. Patriots fans, as I've been saying all week long here on the pod, we haven't even chipped the tip of the iceberg yet when it comes to the Patriots fans, as I've been saying all week long here on the pod, we haven't even chipped the tip of the iceberg yet when it comes to the Patriots offseason. Draft implications, schedule implications, all of those have been covered here on Locked On Patriots. And again, we will continue to cover those today because here on the pod, to help me close the week in style

and continue our deep dive into the Patriots' fate is one of my personal favorites here on the pod, and I know she's one of yours as well. Someone that is the best at providing spot-on insight with razor-sharp wit. You know her great work from platforms such as USA Today, NFL Network, NBC Sports Boston. I could keep going on and on, but we only have a certain amount of time on the show. She is currently providing amazing expert work for FS1, and her podcast, The Almost Shameless Podcast, is sincerely and highly recommended by yours truly. She's also going to drop some interesting news about that today here on the pod.

Twitter, get this woman a blue checkmark. Please do it now. It's the right thing. It's the just thing. It's the weekend. We need to make this happen. The incomparable Tanya Ray Fox is back here on Locked On Patriots. Thank you for joining me today, my friend.

Thank you for having me as always. And I know that Fox on Friday's listeners know I always, I like to start my Fridays with you on the pod. I have my coffee in hand, as I always do. And, you know, we do our little pre-show chat. I told you that I'm, like, exceptionally excited today to get the chance to do All Patriots on, like, a Real Patriots podcast and, like, dig in. And I couldn't be more thrilled to be doing that with you specifically. So thank you once again for having me on.

Oh, you never have to thank me. It's always my honor. Always my pleasure, Tanya. Froxton on Fridays is one of the staples here on Locked On Patriots. It will always be that way. And again, folks, hashtag verify TRF. I'm not telling you because, you know, I believe it should happen. I'm telling you because it should happen. Again, like I said, it's the right thing. It's the just thing. It needs to happen. So let's get that hashtag viral over the weekend, folks. And again, I thank you for your compliment. And it's equally my honor, more of my honor to host you here. So that way we can close out the weekend style here on Lockdown Patriots. Tanya, the Pats 2021 schedule was

released earlier this week, and we've all reviewed the schedule obviously the big ticket games on the list cleveland browns dallas cowboys tennessee titans uh cam's homecoming to carolina to take on the panthers and of course the defending super bowl champions the tampa bay bucks and of course the division games they're tough too uh led by two matchups with the defending afc east champion buffalo bills tanya when you look at the Patriots' schedule, as I know you have, what do you believe to be some of the toughest tests for the Pats? What's your early outlook on some of these games and what the Patriots can be expected of in 2021? So, first of all, drawing outside of a few obvious games that are going to be incredibly tough,

the Buccaneers game will be probably the most nerve-wracking and, you know, difficult to win on the field game that the Patriots have played in a long time. Like, it's like a mind warp of genuinely genuinely I can't believe we're living in a world where this is happening where Tom Brady is wearing that stupid buck uniform coming from Tampa to come play in Gillette it's a totally alternate universe we're coming off of a pandemic you know fans will finally be it's just really wild I think we need to, like, step back and give ourselves a little bit of a break as fans, as media, as, you know, however you identify with watching, you know, the Patriots and the NFL, how truly bizarre this process has been. You know, like, last season was such a blur because of the situations we were dealing with as a country and as a planet

and then you know so it's like we're finally readjusting to normality and we get shoved into this alternate universe of Brady coming to New England and swearing off against all his old teammates and his coach and looking at those banners that he won for 20 years. And it's truly bizarre. So I just want the listeners to understand that if you have complicated feelings about this, I don't mean complicated in the way where you're like, I want Brady to lose. I want the Patriots to win. I hope Belichick shows him.

But like where it's genuinely kind of like we're where you're generally kind of, like, not looking forward to it or you feel like it's going to be a bit of a weird journey while you get there, like, don't feel weird about that because it's truly bizarre. There are not many fan bases in any sport for any team in the world that have ever gone through something this bizarre, for him to come back to Gillette as the reigning Super Bowl champion with another team. So I'm going to say that is probably one of the hardest games the Patriots have ever played. That will be one of them. Absolutely. I think you said it perfectly. I liken it to a parent trying to watch both of their children go one-on-one in a

matchup where you have mixed feelings. You love love them both you want to see them both do well but ultimately one has to win in this situation it's probably a bad comparison because if you're a Patriots fan and you root for the laundry as opposed to the player then your allegiance is going to be with the flying Elvis logo the team wearing blue um on on on that night on October 3rd your allegiance is going to be with the New England Patriots. It doesn't necessarily mean that you want to see Tom's head get driven into the field, which I know some Patriots fans out there are actually doing. Believe it or not, this actually is a thing.

We see it on social media of pictures of Tom flat on the ground and saying, oh, soon this is going to happen. Come on, guys. Dial it back a little bit. Take a look at what's happened over the course of the last 20 years. To not give Tom Brady his just due for that is really disingenuous of a fan base that maybe is not as much of a fan of the team as you are of the player. And that's totally fine if that's what you're into but someone that's more of a fan of tom brady the player obviously is going to be looking uh you know toward the uh

the buccaneers and they're going to be looking toward them in this game as well i can't even imagine the atmosphere that it's going to be on gillette stadium on that sunday night you talk about electricity you can as the great great gorilla monsoon would say you can cut it with a knife that's exactly how it's going to be it's going to be a happening it's going to be there's no way that that game is it means it's going to break uh you know some good sunday night records for nbc and week four that's for sure i think everybody is it's not this is not just a patriot and bucks fan thing or brady versus belichick thing like all all of the NFL and fan bases, you know,

across the country are going to be tuning into that game because it has such relevance. Like this is such a unique situation. And so I really hope that both teams go into that game 3-0. I, like, obviously I want the Patriots to go into that game 3-0. But I want, I think it would be just, so perfect for them to go in undefeated in week four and battle it out. And I think that the likelihood that that happens is pretty high

because it's Dolphins, Jets, Saints. And while I 100% respect the Dolphins, I think that they're a really, like, unfinished product at this point. It's very hard to predict exactly what the Dolphins are going to look like. And, you know, they've done a lot of roster overhauling and made some kind of like puzzling decisions with, you know, their captains and things like that. It's clear that Flores is doing something very specific with the team, but how it's going to work on the field in a week one situation, it's hard to tell. And then you get Jets and Saints back to back. I don't I think those games are very winnable for obvious reasons. And so there's a strong chance that the Patriots go into that game 3-0. And, and then I mean, looking at the rest of the season, like, you know, drawing, like, their biggest competition is mostly going to be the Bills. And then, you know, there's obviously, like, the Cleveland Browns game

is going to be, you know, depending on how things go with them, like, they're just such a talented roster. And the Patriots have lost to the Browns when they weren't talented. So, you know, there's certainly, you know, a few, a few trap games in there. But if things are doing, you know, there's certainly, you know, a few trap games in there. But if things are – you know, this all obviously comes down to whether or not the offense and Cam Newton get it rolling. But if they do, if this team's legit, like even if they're a few – even if they're just a little bit better than they were last year, I think based on this schedule, they're in a pretty good spot. I agree with you.

Listen, I went on Locked On Live with Ross Jackson and Cody Rourke, who host the national podcast here on the network, on Wednesday night when the schedule was released. And that very question was put to me. And they said, what do you think is a realistic ceiling for the Patriots? And I said, I really don't think that double-digit wins are beyond this team's realm. And I know some of my colleagues in the media are kind of chastising me for that a little bit and saying that I'm looking through things with a Foxborough filter. But you look at the schedule and you look at what the Patriots can do, I do believe that they have a chance to win

most of the games that they're in simply because I think they've made some improvements in their offense. I think they've filled some holes and I think they will be better offensively this year than they were last year. And we'll get into some of the reasons why in just a moment, but it really begins and ends with the improvements that Bill Belichick made on the defense. This team had two big difficulties last year, setting the edge, stopping the run. They've loaded the middle part of that interior of the defensive line. That will help with run defense. They've done a great job of bringing in edge rushers, either resigning them, drafting them, or bringing a couple in via free agency that are going to help the Patriots defend against

the run by setting the edge adequately and then pinning their ears back and getting after the quarterback this is a stronger linebacking core and I still think they have enough pop in that defensive backfield to be able to defend with anyone so you look up and down the schedule uh starting with the 31st really starting in your neck of the woods in Los Angeles, facing my old mates up there with the Chargers and the second-year sophomore sensation in Justin Herbert, I think that's the toughest part of the Patriots' schedule because you're looking at two back-to-back road games, the Chargers on the 31st, the Panthers on the 7th,

which could end up being Cam's homecoming into Carolina. Health, all things considered, that will be his homecoming into Carolina, you know, health, all things considered that will be his homecoming. Then you've got the Browns, the Falcons, a lot of 28 to three jokes will be made there, but then you get the Tennessee Titans and the Buffalo Bills. So that's a pretty strong stretch, not to mention that the Patriots don't have a bye week until the 14th week. That's a gauntlet. That is a real hard grind grind 13 weeks straight going back and forth and you know traveling in between that's going to be difficult for them so that bye week coming at week 14 maybe is formidable of an opponent that the Patriots may face all year having to go 13

straight weeks without a break um I love it I gotta say I love it though I I there's something about that like like you said when you describe it as a gauntlet and how difficult it's going to be for them to make it to that week and stay healthy and all that stuff. There is a level of adversity there that this team, with a lot of players who are looking to have their breakthrough season, they're coming to be coached by Bill Belichick. There's guys like Devin McCourty and Matthew Slater

who are on the back end of their careers. We see, you know, the light at the end of the tunnel here who are like, it's just there's something about that adversity. And like, if we make it here, if we can make it to week 14, we get our rest and you give us one month of just destroying whoever's in our path on the back end. Like, we've got something going here. And, you know, obviously the Bucs had that late bye last year.

It, you know, worked out well for them. I'm not comparing the two situations, but you can – it can create a different kind of momentum as you head into that back month of the season. And so, like, I really do feel like there's something to be said for just making it through that toughest stretch and then taking a breather and I mean let's let's just break it down real quick right if they have if let's say they lose three division games you know let's say they lose both their games to the Bills and and they lose game to the Dolphins I don't I think they're going to probably beat the Bills in one of their matchups this season. I do think that they came so close last year. I think there's a chance that they could beat the Bills.

I don't think it's insane. I'll give the Bills both games and a loss to the Dolphins because you know what always happens. There's three losses right there. You want to go through the roster and take three more? Okay, I'll give you chargers.

I'll give you that they lose. I'll give you chargers. I'll give you falcons and titans, just off the top of my head. They're six losses right there. Now they're 11. What is it? I'm trying to do the math now.

It would be 11 and 6. 11 and 6. 11-6. I don't think that's crazy. No, I don't think that's crazy either. And that's exactly the record that I actually predicted earlier this week with the lockdown live, guys. I did predict 11 wins. And I said, you know, they could go as high as 12 if the Patriots are able

to steal one against the Buffalo Bills or if maybe the Chargers game goes their way. Don't forget, this is a team last year that went into Los Angeles, albeit without fans, albeit, you know, Herbert being a rookie quarterback. But the Patriots really dominated with a lesser defense, in my opinion, and maybe even lesser weapons on offense. So these games could go either way. I don't look at any game on the schedule. And there are very few times where I've been able to say this, especially in the last couple of years, where I look at this and I say, this more probable than not. Sorry, folks, I hate using that term. This more likely than not. I won't use more probable than not. We got to retire that phrase because it just brings up bad deflategate vibes. But in any case, I don't look at this schedule and say there is a much more likelihood that they lose this game than win it. Maybe you could say the Tampa Bay Buccaneers because they're the defending Super Bowl champions.

They're a better team from start to finish. I don't think anybody's going to deny that. But the Patriots are going to be up for this game. If you don't think Bill Belichick is going to have this team ready to go on that night, it's probably a difficult or a slippery slope for you to walk. I'm not saying that they're going to win, or I'm not saying that Tampa Bay is not the better team, but Patriots are going to make that competitive. I can't imagine them getting blown out.

I think that would be the ultimate slap in the face uh to uh to bill uh and the other franchise and i just can't imagine them them doing that as much as bill is going to tout this is just another week and tanya you know it's coming i'm waiting for those press conferences you know we're just we're focused on this week focused on the books doesn't matter who's coming back you know tom's a good quarterback we'll be ready we are you already know the sound bites are already going to be there bill has this one circled and we know he does and it doesn't make him any less of a coach it doesn't make him any less of what he is he's a human being at heart and i think this is going to be interesting to see how he harnesses that energy and puts it into preparing his players on the field uh you actually just got me excited for that game.

That sort of like haunted me for the last, you know, few days. And like now, now I actually feel a little excited and feeling like, you know, being able to see that battle, there is something so unique about these two minds, the greatest coach and the greatest quarterback, actually the battle that they're going to have against each other. And the fact that he is a defensive coach at the end of the day really does – it is the cherry on top of this, like, entire Sunday. You got me pumped.

You sold me on this matchup. Do I think the Patriots are going to lose? Yes. Do I think it's going to be a really fun game that makes people say, like, damn, like that was one of those games I don't want to forget? I think that's going to be a really fun game that makes people say like, damn, like that, that was, that was one of those games. I don't want to forget. I think that's going to happen too. So you told me Mike, you told me. Well, see, that's good. I think it's, it's the voiceover Tanya, you know,

like the world where the greatest defensive mind of all time takes on his greatest offensive pupil, you know, really, I mean, it's, it's, I can actually see this come into fruition right now. So we've got a ways away well over 100 days till this one, folks, but it's going to be a happening and it's going to be a lot of fun. And it'll be fun to break down all of the Patriots games this year on the schedule because there are 16 other games other than just the Buccaneers game in October 3rd. And bottom line, Tanya, it's always

a blast when you join me here on the pod because, you know, whether we're reviewing the schedule, whether they were talking about Tom and Bill and the back and forth there, you're only as good as how you play on the field. And Bill Belichick will be the first to admit that. In just a moment, folks, Tanya Rae Fox and I will discuss the new look Patriots roster. And my good friend will tell you, as only she can, on why she believes the Patriots would be best at signal caller with a familiar face as opposed to a new one. What do I mean by that? We'll find out when this episode of the Locked On Patriots podcast continues. Locked On listeners, get all the latest news, odds, and info for all of your sporting needs,

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Patriots fans, the incomparable Tanya Ray Fox joins me today on Locked On Patriots, Friday with Fox to close the week in style here on the pod. And Tanya, this segment may be the most anticipated segment of the week, maybe for the last couple of weeks, really, maybe since the draft that we've done here on Locked On Patriots. And we went through the schedule. We went through some early predictions. But you and I both know that the Patriots are only going to be taken as far as their talent on the field and on the sidelines will take them. Coaching, talent on the field, it's a common denominator, and it's a team effort. Cam Newton signing with New England, or re-signing with New England, I should say,

in my opinion, seemed to indicate that the team was ready to move forward with him in the driver's seat at the quarterback position for at least the 2021 season. It's only a one-year deal, very little guaranteed money, low-risk contract for the Patriots with a very potential high reward. And Cam signing this deal tells me that he's betting on himself as well he's looking at this and saying i know i can be better than how i was in 2020 don't judge me on a microcosm of a season where there were a lot of reasons why he struggled i think he's out to prove it this year and i think he's motivated to do so what this contract also told me though tanya is that the patriots were likely to dip into the quarterback well in the draft.

And bringing in someone that could learn from Cam, develop, become the quarterback of the future, ultimately that person was Mac Jones out of Alabama with the number 15 pick. The pick that I actually nailed on the ultimate mock draft here on Locked On Patriots. Sorry, folks. I can't stop saying that because I was just surprised that I had it 100% right the Patriots stayed at 15 and they drafted Mac Jones but you know Tanya Cam struggles last season have given his detractors ammunition and we've seen it on social media basically his detractors will say anyone would be better than Cam at quarterback. You and I both know that's completely untrue. But Cam did struggle last season at times.

That is also true. And you know the chirping is going to start. As my bud Doug said yesterday here on the pod, it's going to start the first time Cam goes three and out. Here's my opinion. I like the Mac Jones pick. I think he has potential, especially with Josh McDaniels. I think Josh can mold this offense into one that works well with Mac's strengths.

Having spoken and having read the work of my good friend Mark Schofield over the last week, I'm not as sold that this is as cookie cutter of a mold as bringing Mac in, plugging him into a perfect system for him. I think this is the perfect place for him to be able to develop and the perfect place for him to be for an offense to be suited to him. I think this is the perfect place for him to be able to develop and the perfect place for him to be for an offense to be suited to him. But the Patriots offense is going to have to evolve as well. For those reasons, I think Cam Newton is the better fit for the New England Patriots this year, especially on how they're predicated on the offense this year, running the two tight end sets, keeping the ball coming out of the backfield, having wide receivers that are versatile in their roles and can give you either production on the outside or production

in the slot. I think Cam is the better choice this year, assuming health, which we always assume health. I also look at it as saying that Mac Jones coming in may be the perfect fit for this team long term. I don't necessarily believe that they were just complacent to take Mac wherever he fell. I think they read the market a little bit, but I also think they had a grade on this kid and they weren't going to go above and beyond to draft him when they knew the likelihood of him being there at 15 was there. If he was off the board, so be it. I think the Patriots would

have just, you know, regrouped and done what they did. But at the same time, they were glad Mac fell to them. Tanya, I trust your insight, your analysis as much as anyone in this business. And you've been pretty vocal on this, your reaction to the Mac Jones pick, what it means for Cam Newton. And am I being naive and saying that the Patriots still got their guy at 15, even if they weren't willing to trade up for him? Yeah, so I think when it comes to the Cam versus Max conversation, you start with that exact question, which is, did Belichick have his heart set on Max Jones being the future of the Patriots, that quarterback, is he willing to invest in it on that level?

And to me, the way Belichick operates, it's a hard question to answer straight up because I don't think Belichick will ever look at a college quarterback and say, that's the guy. Like, I need to get that guy. He's the guy I want. I mean, if you land an Andrew Luck or we'll see what happens with Trevor Lawrence, if you land an Andrew Luck or, you know, we'll see what happens with Trevor Lawrence.

If you land these sort of generational guys who've been being watched since they were 15 years old or who have, like, obvious first-round pick once every decade type guys, sure, maybe Belichick would go up and get those guys from, like, pick three if he could. But other than that, I just, I think when you land the jackpot the way that he did with Tom Brady and, you know, and you hit on guys like Jimmy Garoppolo and, you know,

and Jacoby Brissett and he's like, guys who kind of work in the NFL, like even if they're not superstars or whatever, but they become starters and they're serviceable, even like a Matt Cassel or whatever, and you do that over and over again in the second and third rounds of the draft for 20 years, it becomes, and you see guys like Russell Wilson and even Patrick Mahomes, who should have been drafted so much higher. It's so easy to sit back and say, if i'm gonna get the guy i'm gonna

get the guy but i'm not selling out for it because this is as much of a gamble as you know putting it putting 500 on block in las vegas this is so hard to predict so i'm gonna find guys i like it if i can get them at a place where like i don't have to sell out for it, great. And I think that's what he did with Mac. I think he wanted Mac. I think he was happy he got Mac. But do I think that he was in that room saying, we just got the future of our franchise? Absolutely not.

I do not think that for a second that when he drafted Mac Jones, he thinks this is 100% going to be my guy. He had the number 15 pick. Instead of trading down from it, he was like, I'll use it. I'm going to use it. I have it. And that's the best way to approach this, in my opinion. So to me, Mac Jones is the least exciting player of those top guys in terms of feeling,

but he's also probably got the highest floor as well, which means he's least likely to completely bust because of the system he comes from and because of the type of quarterback that he is. If they need him to start sooner, he can. He's probably the most equipped to do that. It's like the higher floor, lower ceiling situation with Max, you know, based on everything we know right now. However, having said that, you know, whatever optimism you want to have about what Max could

be in this system, what he could be with Josh McDaniels and how he could fit in this offensive system, which I agree could really work. There is never, you can never draw a line between a quarterback who showed a ton of potential at the most dominant college dynasty of the last, you know, 25 years and then say, that's a guy who should get a start over a veteran, former MVP, former Super Bowl contending quarterback if he's healthy. Like, you have to remember that the idea that anyone is better than Cam Newton couldn't, that could, there's nothing more spoiled.

There's nothing more myopic than saying something like that. There are so many situations that the Patriots could have found themselves in where they were relying on a rookie coming out of an offense that would have carried you or I behind center. I'm not saying that Mac isn't talented, but the idea that he could come in and be better than somebody with Cam's entire resume, with what he's done his entire career, beginning in college all the way through, Cam's done what Mac has yet to do. He's done all of the things that everybody thinks Mack might be able to do, maybe down the road. Cam has done it over and over and over and over again, every time.

He wasn't the star. He lost the job. He had to move on because Tim Tebow was the star. He goes, he wins a national championship. He wins a Heisman. He comes into the NFL and wins offensive rookie of the year. He wins an MVP. He plays in a Super Bowl every single time. Everybody telling him he's not good enough. He's basically a running back. He's not a good enough passer. He's not accurate enough. So why on God's green earth would I believe the people saying that now again about Cam Newton? I'm not ready to, I just, there's too much history of Cam Newton saying, why won't you believe in me? And proving people wrong. And if he wants to do that for the Patriots, and he wants to help them get over this hump,

and help bring along Mac Jones, who absolutely needs a year, just like every rookie quarterback should always get their year on the bench, then we should consider ourselves not only lucky, but genuinely excited to watch that come together. There should be no, the idea that you would be rooting against that, to me, means you're not really a fan of watching football. You're not really a fan of watching the Patriots succeed. You're a fan of getting what you want in some sort of narrow version of,

you know, the reality that you're looking for. You're not really looking at what the best situation is for the Patriots because if you were, you would see that Cam Newton is such a blessing to the team. And I know that sounds like propaganda, but like when I tell you the Patriots would have been below irrelevant without him last year, I sit in production meetings and national television shows every day. No one cared about the Patriots if it weren't for Cam Newton, especially while Brady was on his way to winning a Super Bowl. He's a superstar with a resume as long as anybody's in the NFL,

and I'm done listening to people whine about it. You know, you're absolutely right. And, look, you have a sympathetic ear here because I've been on the Cam train since the moment they've signed him. And, look, i'll be the first to admit when you hear about some of the things that went on in carolina you hear about character issues things is he really dedicated to what he needs to do is he going to come in here healthy enough to be able to lead this team you have question marks absolutely but i bought into the pedigree and when i looked at what cam brought to the table not just on the

field but also in the locker room being an inspiration to a lot of his teammates being a good soldier you know coming in playing his assignment as assigned those things were absolutely a breath of fresh air for me his accountability with the media and his willingness to work I think the perfect person to come in and take the ball from a guy like Tom Brady, especially in the first season after Brady's departure, is someone like Cam. And I think he played the role admirably. Am I going to sit here and say that he was a perfect player on the field? Absolutely not.

Neither you nor I would argue that point. There were moments where throws did look difficult. There were moments where he did hang on onto the ball a little bit too much. There were times where he did look like he was a little bit out of his element. You're talking about a player that missed a great deal of time leading into his signing with New England, signed here very late in the month of June, was not able to really get a good portion of training camps, OTAs, learning the system. I know some people will roll their eyes and scoff at that, but I can tell you it's a big deal to come in and to learn a complex offense like New England without having that much lead time or really a lot of ability

to be able to get to know his teammates. And also let's talk about COVID interrupting his rhythm a little bit. I'm not saying COVID put him into a fog or anything like that, although I think some residual effects may have been felt, but it threw off his rhythm. It was coming off of a game that he looked very comfortable running this offense against the Seattle Seahawks, and I think a lot of people forget that. You can make light of it all you want to and say,

oh, well, anybody can run or do what he was doing. It's not that big of a deal. I think a lot of those people are trying to take away from what Cam Newton could do on the field. That's why I believe with an upgraded tight end core, and I said this from the day that they signed both Hunter Henry and Jonu Smith, that automatically elevates Cam's game. Now, all of a sudden, he's got that red zone target in janu uh that he's able that he did not have last year somebody that can go up make contested catches in the end zone come down with it and be that type of target even someone who can run the jet sweep we didn't have that last year with new england now we do have someone with janu's size strength and veteran

savvy to be able to do it and a route runner in Hunter Henry, who's as good as anyone running routes in the league. I scouted this kid from the time that he was a rookie with the Chargers organization. I'm really looking forward to seeing what Cam can do with this tight end set. Running backs, Damian Harris is going to have a stronger year. The more and more footage I see on Ramondre Stevenson. I'm really liking this pick. And I think this kid has an opportunity to be someone here as well. I think Sonny Michel is going to elevate his game. He knows that he's either playing for his contract here in New England or elsewhere.

I expect him to be elevated. And the wide receivers, I think, are going to be better this year than what Cam had last year. A lot of people are pointing to he doesn't have Julian Edelman. We didn't have Julian Edelman for the majority of 2020. So Nelson Aguilar, Kendrick Bourne, guys coming in like that, give him the threat that he necessarily didn't have last year. So I'm in agreement with you, and I know you've taken a little bit of dirt on the uniform when it comes to that, but I'm so glad that you articulated your position because that's

exactly how it was meant that's exactly how I know you meant it right from the get-go and I think you're spot on in your assessment it doesn't necessarily mean that you're not happy for the Mac pick or that you're against Mac Jones or you chose a side and you drew a line in the sand and oh I'm pro-cam I'm against Mac you can be for the both of their success you can think that Mac has a chance to be the quarterback down the line for the Patriots, but also know that Cam is their best bet in the short term. And I think that's where Patriots fans need to come together. And I think that's how it's going to play out on the field.

Yeah, I think, and I want to make it clear, like, if Cam's not healthy, if he just doesn't have it anymore, if his body doesn't have it anymore, then that's going to show out in camp and preseason. And if Mac wins that job and they need him to start, then Mac is who should be behind center. Then that's who should have the job. It's not what I'm rooting for because rookie quarterbacks benefit so much from a year on the bench.

Everybody knows that. And being able to learn behind somebody like Cam Newton, who has such a grip on the locker room and who has such a good routine and rhythm with those coaches would be a huge for both of them. But let's be honest, if he doesn't have it and Mack wins that job, then that's who should be the quarterback. I just think that that's worst case scenario, considering all of the options.

And, you know, like you said, having these tight ends and everything else, like this is a guy who – we all remember Greg Olson's career. This was his quarterback. We all remember early Christian McCaffrey. This was his quarterback. Like, you know, like you said, always assuming help. Always assuming help with Cam Newton. We know what he can do with these kinds of weapons,

and especially the tight end position, like the kind of stuff that they can run with Cam Newton, and especially if they get their fullback going again. There's a lot here that's going to look so different from last year. I know people are so stuck on it, but I beg you, listen to me and Mike and just have a little bit of optimism in some capacity. Absolutely. And believe me, this is coming from someone that has sung the praises of Mac Jones since he was drafted, even beforehand, you know, scouting him and looking at the potential fit. You know, I definitely looked at him as saying someone that I would not be disappointed if the

Patriots walked away with at the end of the 2021 NFL draft. But I've also, you know, been on record by saying, I believe Cam is the guy this year. And I think that would be the Patriots ultimate scenario. Cam having a healthy 2021 and a productive 2021 and then seeing what Mac and Cam are going to do maybe next year or if the Patriots decide that they're that the Mac may be ready at this point and Cam decides that his future is in another NFL uniform so be it but for this season I do think that's the best case scenario and I always love that we have the opportunity to kind of discuss that flush it out a little bit and uh you know give our opinion uh to the fan base regardless of what they do with it is really up to them and everyone has a right to their opinion and i will never sit here and chastise anyone for

feeling a certain way uh as long as they're respectful of others and as long as they respect others opinions you have the right to feel whatever way you wish but you know necessarily i don't think that patriots fans have to worry about this line in the sand quarterback controversy i think this is going to be a smoother running quarterback room than a lot of people feel this year and really it's because of cam newton and the ability he has i think to be that magnetic force that so many people love to play with you saw it last year with the guys he was in the locker room with in 2020, and I think that continues this year into 2021. Tanya, it is always, always a pleasure, always an honor for me to share the microphone with you each and every Friday that you choose to come and grace us with your presence, and you've done that once again. Before I let you

go, my friend, I know you have some interesting information on your podcast, the Almost Shameless podcast, so have at it. Please let our listeners know what they can expect from the great opinion, the great voice of Tanya Marie Fox within the coming days and weeks. Yes. So Almost Shameless has been on a bit of a forced hiatus, but we will be coming back, and it is in the works. I won't say exactly what company but i am going to be

pairing um up with a company who's going to be hosting the podcast it's going to have its own platform to be on it's giving it a little boost you know finally maybe get some advertising in there and really get it on to a little bit of a bigger platform and and some and so we're going to be uh you know starting out at once a week again and then potentially ramping up from there. So that should be fleshing out over the next – probably won't start this week. It'll be the week after. So in the next two weeks, we'll be getting that relaunched on the new platform. It'll still be almost shameless.

And when I can actually, like, announce exactly who I'll be joining up with, I'll let everybody know. But just keep an eye out for that because I'm excited about that. And I think it's just in time. You know, summer's coming up. We'll have some good, you know, NFL preview stuff and all of that. Well, maybe I'll bore you with some Red Sox and Celtics if they force me to. Who knows what the Bruins will do.

It will still be very Boston-centric. So, you know, I'd love to have an opportunity to be covering a pretty deep Bruins playoff run. So we'll see what goes there. And, yeah, keep an eye on that. Absolutely. And congratulations on that. I, for one, cannot wait for the listen. It's always been one of my favorites, and it'll continue to be.

And you continue to take it to new heights, my friend. Thank you so much for dropping by the pod today, helping me close out the week in style. Can't wait to talk ball with you again here soon on Locked On Patriots, but in the interim, continue to stay safe and well. And again, we'll talk to you very soon here on Locked On Patriots. Thanks a ton, Tanya. Thank you, Mike. We'll talk soon.

Just like that, Patriots fans, we tie a bow on the week that was here on the Locked On Patriots podcast. But even though we might take a little break for the weekend, there is still plenty of Patriots coverage to come. So to ensure that you do not miss a single second of the action, follow and subscribe to the Locked On Patriots podcast on platforms such as the Odyssey app, Spotify, Apple Podcasts, Google 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 my good friend Tanya Rae Fox 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 Monday, Foxborough faithful, stay safe, stay well, always be the change you wish to see in the world. Have a great weekend, everyone.