Locked On Patriots - Daily Podcast On The New England Patriots - Front and Center: Bob Socci Recaps the New England Patriots Wild Week — 3/19/2021

Episode Date: March 19, 2021

It has been an action-packed week in Foxboro. The New England Patriots have added a number of key free agents to the fold for the 2021 season, and have bid farewell to some, as well. Joining host Mike D’Abate is THE Voice of the New England Patriots, Bob Socci. The duo discuss the return of David Andrews, the retirement of Patrick Chung and prognosticate on the potential for the 2021 Patriots. Mike also provides his thoughts on the signings of DE Montravious Adams, K Nick Folk and ILB Raekwon McMillan.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.Join our Bracket Challengehttps://fantasy.espn.com/tournament-challenge-bracket/2021/en/group?groupID=3624947 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

You are Locked On Patriots, your daily New England Patriots podcast. Part of the Locked On Podcast Network, your team every day. Hello to all of you Foxborough faithful. You are now locked in to the Lockdown Patriots podcast. It is Friday, March 19th, 2021, and the New England Patriots just keep on making moves, including bringing back a beloved and familiar face. Today we discuss those moves and more 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. Thank football and Foxborough. It is Friday, Patriots Nation. And thank you for joining me here today on the pod to help close out the week in style. I'm 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 because it's your team every day, that means your questions, your comments, your feedback, always welcomed, very much appreciated.

So share that feedback, send it to the internet by reaching out to me and following me on Twitter at MDABATEFPC. And while you're out there giving the weekend nod and saying, how you doing, to the Twitterverse, please be sure to follow the Lockdown Patriots account as well at L-O underscore Patriots. Pats fans, saying that it's been a busy week in Foxborough really doesn't even begin to scratch the surface. Since Monday at around noontime Eastern, your New England Patriots have been by far the busiest team when it comes

to signing free agents. I know, that sounds weird to say. It sounds weird to hear. It's just against the grain for the way business is done in Foxborough. Everyone seems to be saying that. Oh, the Patriots are spending so much more money than they've ever spent before. We've never seen Bill Belichick operate like this. That's true and that's false to some regard.

Where those statements are true is that the New England Patriots are definitely signing more in terms of volume and even marquee names when it comes to free agents than they have in quite some time. Just when you think they might be done, you put your phone down for a break, you get a notification that the Patriots have made yet another signing. That's definitely the definition of uncharacteristically aggressive. Yeah, they're spending a little bit of money, maybe giving some of these free agents a little more money than most people thought they were going to get. But one thing that I don't think enough people are looking at, and I really want to give

a well-deserved shout out and the highest possible praise to my good friend, the Pat's Cat, Miguel Benzon, for amazing work this past week. He pointed out in his Twitter feed just yesterday, and I thought it was worth sharing with all of you today, that the way these free agent contracts are being worked out and constructed by the New England Patriots is not anything new. In this regard, it's business as usual in Foxborough. Most of these contracts are backloaded.

The money is spread out over a number of years. The initial cap hit for a lot of these contracts is really not that extensive. And at the end of the day, they're manageable contracts, meaning that if the Patriots decide that they may want to move on from some of these players in another couple of years, it doesn't paint them into a corner. It allows them flexibility, and that is very much Patriot-like. Over the course of the last few days, I've been amused by a lot of the local

and national talking heads that are taking a lot of delight in poking fun of the moves the Patriots have made over the last couple of days. It's very common to see tweets out there saying, no one's ever spent this much on free agency and won a Super Bowl. It doesn't mean anything to win the offseason. Look, Patriots fans have been guilty of that too. Teams that go out, spend an awful lot of money, don't have much to show on the field. But what makes this different is first, we haven't seen Bill Belichick spend this kind of money in

quite some time. Throughout his tenure here in New England, Bill has been known to be able to find the right players at bargain basement prices, have them come in, the ability to chase a ring, play alongside Tom Brady, play under Bill Belichick, and be able to perform at a high level. But a lot of the reason why Bill Belichick needed to shop at bargain prices is because he simply didn't have the cap space available to do what he's doing this offseason. He's investing in the team and he's investing in it smartly. The Patriots had a lot of positions of need, not just the quarterback position, not just the wide receiver position.

The Patriots had a need at tight end. They had a need at linebacker. They had a need at offensive line. I had a need at linebacker. They had a need at offensive line. I'll get to the good news on that in a minute, folks. And they also had a need on the front seven when it comes to the defense. Take a look at the signings the Patriots have made. They've addressed all of them, and they've addressed them with solid players, versatile players, and players that can come in and make an immediate impact. If you look at that and still want to criticize Bill the GM for making dumb moves, well then maybe you're just not paying attention. But to each his own,

everyone has a right to their opinion. I've given you mine, and at the end of the day, I think it's going to shake out that Bill Belichick and the New England Patriots made these moves not to win the offseason, but to win on the field, this season, during the season, and into the postseason. And with the roster that the Patriots are putting together, I think that's a very realistic goal for 2021. And as Thursday gave way into Friday, the Patriots continued to make smart moves. On Thursday afternoon, it was first reported by ESPN's Adam Schefter that former Packers defensive end Montrevious Adams reached an agreement with the Pats on a one-year deal worth up to $2.5 million.

Now, Monte Adams has had some difficulty with injuries in the past, but he's a pretty solid defender for Green Bay. He's also very versatile. He's the type of player that can play the edge. He can also slot in and play the interior of the defensive line. With the status of Lawrence Guy right now unknown, the Patriots can use as much help and as much depth at that position as possible. Very low risk, potential high reward. I like the Adams signing. But the Patriots weren't done yet. They wanted to bring back a familiar face, a face that a lot of fans were hoping to see come back. Now, don't worry, folks, I'm getting to that one in just a minute. But this

one is definitely no less impactful. And that is the return of kicker Nick Folk to New England, who agreed to a one-year deal with the Pats worth $1.225 million guaranteed. Folk was one of the Patriots' most reliable, and maybe you can make the argument, best offensive players in 2020. He showed that he could kick for power, he showed that he could kick for distance, and accuracy has always been a strong suit of his game. With a lot of uncertainty surrounding the Patriots' kicking position, Roberto Aguayo and Justin Rohrwasser on the practice squad, the Patriots needed stability,

and they bring back Nick Folk for one more season. Definitely a great move. The folklore continues in New England. Sorry, folks, I had to get in at least one dad joke. It's the weekend, I know. But all kidding aside, great move for the Patriots to bring back Nick Folk. Also on Friday, Patriots making a move to shore up the linebacking core as well.

Raekwon McMillan, formerly of the Miami Dolphins, most recently of the Las Vegas Raiders, signs a one-year contract that was first reported by the Athletics' Ben Standick. And on its face, this is a good signing. McMillan comes in having experience playing for Brian Flores in Miami. He's a very good tackler, very adept at playing on special teams. He did so in Miami, did so in Las Vegas. And McMillan has always been the type of player that seems like there's a lot of talent lurking below the surface.

I'm not sure how this is all going to work out for the Pats, but this one has the potential to be an under-the-radar steal. Keep a sharp eye on Raekwon McMillan. I like this signing. Similar to Adams, there is some injury history there, suffering both ACL and hamstring injuries at various points throughout his career, but this could also end up being a good signing for New England if some of the breaks they're hoping go their way end up doing just that. And last but certainly not least, the one you've all been waiting for, one that I'll admit I got wrong. And quite honestly, I haven't been this happy to be wrong in quite a while.

Despite several indications to the contrary, the New England Patriots on Thursday evening reached an agreement with their center, their captain, David Andrews, reportedly coming back to the Patriots on a four-year deal. Andrews returned first reported by NFL Network's Kim Jones. Field Yates of ESPN would later reveal that Andrews was indeed signing a four-year deal to remain in New England. And no matter how you look at it, from a logistical standpoint, a football standpoint, a personal standpoint, David Andrews just simply belongs in New England. Something just felt wrong as I took the microphone a couple of days ago to talk about him in a past tense when it came to the Patriots and his impact on the franchise. Personally, I'm ecstatic that this move happened. David is a pillar in the community,

he's such a presence in that locker room, and he is a true fan favorite and deserves all the accolades that the fans give him. But putting all that aside, David Andrews coming back to this team not only strengthens the offensive line, it puts them in a category that might end up being one of the best in all of football. Think about it for a second. Andrews in the middle of that offensive line. On the left side, you have Michael Wainu. You have Isaiah Wynn.

On the right side, you have Trent Brown. You have Shaq Mason. Now, for depth pieces, you've got the newly acquired, reacquired by the way, Ted Karras, Justin Heron, Corey Cunningham, Yodney Kajust. The possibilities are endless for the Patriots offensive line, and if they can stay healthy, and believe me, I hate saying that as much as you do, but assuming good health for the Patriots offensive line, I believe this is going to be one of the deepest and most productive offensive lines in the NFL. Size, speed, veteran leadership, youth, the Patriots have it all, and they can put a number of combinations out there. They're going to be a lot of fun to watch, and whether it's Cam

Newton or someone else quarterbacking the New England Patriots in 2021, whoever that person is is going to get stout protection each time they place their hands under center. So folks, there's your daily dose of what the Patriots have been up to for the last 24 plus hours when it comes to free agent acquisitions and re-signing their own players. And throughout the week, we've done our best here on the pod to keep you updated on all the moves coming in and out of Foxborough, my thoughts, my opinions, and also getting the great insight from some of the great guests that I've had join me here on the pod. And today on Locked On Patriots, we continue that trend, closing out the week in style by recapping the week's events with the voice of the New England Patriots.

As we discuss the flurry of free agent moves made by the Pats this past week, we'll get Bob's thoughts on the return of David Andrews, his lasting impressions on now-retired Patriots safety Patrick Chung, and of course, what all of these moves mean for putting together a roster for 2021. As we look at the various additions and subtractions that the Pats have made over the course of the last week, is the picture starting to become clearer about what the 2021 New England Patriots will look like. So sit tight, folks. Settle in as Bob Sose, the voice of the New England Patriots, joins me here to discuss the 2021 incarnation of the New England Patriots by taking a look back at the week that was here in Foxborough. This and more when the Locked On Patriots podcast continues.

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Bet online, your online sportsbook experts. Locked On listeners get all the sports news you need in under 20 minutes with the Locked On Today podcast. Host Peter Bukowski updates you on the latest news in every major sport with the help of our local experts. Follow the Locked On Today podcast wherever you get your podcasts. Patriots fans to say it's been a busy week in New England just doesn't really do it justice. The Pats taking that uncharacteristically aggressive approach to free agency to a level

that very few of us expected. And today on Locked On Patriots, we're going to try to pull it all together for you. A voice to unite the nation, so to speak. And what better voice to lend than the most recognizable in the Patriots fan base? Since April of 2013, this man has masterfully handled the play-by-play for your New England Patriots. Since joining the Pats broadcast, he and former Patriots quarterback Scott Zolak have called so many great and memorable moments, including three Super Bowl championships. He's one of the most acclaimed professionals in the business, and on a personal level,

I can tell you he's one of the best guys you'll meet in this or any industry. I'm always beyond honored to welcome my guest today, the voice of the New England Patriots, Bob Sose. Bob, thank you for joining me today. Welcome back to Locked On, Patriots. Well, Mike, thank you for having me. I always appreciate the glowing introduction, although I think you are, as you usually are, very generous today, overly so, but I do appreciate it nonetheless. It's good to be with you. It is great to be with you. It is great to be with you. It's great to join another Paisan on St. Joseph's Day.

But all kidding aside, my friend, Bob, it's been a week in Foxborough, but it's no question about it. You know, free agency opened up. The floodgates open up. Apparently, so did the team's wallet. If you listen closely closely you can almost hear pink floyd's money being blared from the gillette stadium sound system a lot of signings a lot of figures being thrown around a lot of expectations uh the patriots are restocked hopefully they're reloaded for the 2021 season for the first time in a long time bill belichick spent now some will

make the argument that the Patriots overspent. But, Bob, you and I have been around the team, you much more so than I. But we've been around the team for a number of years. And when you look at the logistics of a lot of these agreements that they've made over the course of the last week, these deals are backloaded. It spreads the cap hit, provides the team with flexibility. Really not new when it comes to Bill Belichick and the Pat's front office this is how they structure contracts usually in my opinion the big difference here is the volume it's considerably higher than we've seen in last few years so Bob when you look

back at this week in retrospect how surprised were you in the Patriots approach to this offseason and how impressed were you by the moves they made? Well, Mike, I think, you know, there's a lot there to dissect, and on the surface, I'm very impressed and surprised, I think, as you said, because of the volume, in particular, the immediate statement that the Patriots made, and signing not one, but two of the tight ends at the top of the list of coveted tight ends in this free agency market. I thought that, for example, Hunter Henry might be out of their reach, but they were willing to set the market at that position, first with John U. Smith, of course, on the first day, and then with Hunter Henry on the second day, even before free agency began, of course, we learned of their signings during the legal tampering period. And that was a bit surprising to me because I was looking at the list of potential players

the Patriots might get. And I'm thinking, you know, maybe Gerald Everett is more in their range, but they were willing in this marketplace with these free agents becoming available in part because of this confluence of factors, cap coming down, a lot of teams up against the cap after the shortfall in revenues last year, of course, precipitated the first fall in a decade or so in the salary cap. Then you have the fact that a lot of guys that were available were out there on the market because their teams could neither resign them or a lot of teams just could not compete for their services to drive up the price of those players. So I think the market was right for the Patriots in their position with all their salary cap room to really go in and invest to a large degree. But as you said, I didn't expect the kind of volume and the kind of flurry that we got right out of the gate. I thought some of the signings were especially interesting for good and reasons that are yet to be determined. You know, I think Matthew Judon has real potential

in the defense. When you think about him and assuming that Dante Hightower comes back off the opt-out and has an impact, and now with Kyle Vannoy in the fold, that position looks so much different today. That defense looks so much different today. That defense looks so much different today than it did at the end of last year. But then you look at the wide receivers they signed, and Nelson Aguilar is a guy who I think accomplishes certainly one of the things they need out of that position, and that's a guy who can run down the field and present a threat to opposing defenses. But he does have, you know, an inconsistent career, and in particular, you're going to get some drops with him.

It happened in Philadelphia, but he had a good year last year, right up there among the league leaders in yards per reception and yards per target. But the details of that contract surprised me a little bit just in terms of how high they went, especially because, you know, again, he was one of the first wide receivers signed, along with Kendrick Bourne. And we had other receivers, as we talked, for example, like Kenny Galladay still out on the marketplace, you know, in what was a deep receiver class.

So I think you have to look at all the players that they signed individually when it comes to their contracts. I think collectively, generally speaking, though, the Patriots help themselves immensely and I think what I take some assurance in is like you said the structure of the contracts are designed so that they don't really feel the impact number one on their salary cap this year that with the backloaded contracts when the revenues rise and now the television details have been released and we know that the league is going to go to a three-game preseason 17--game regular season schedule. So the revenues are going to spike and the salary cap is going to be back up where the players would like it to be, where their agents would like it to be. And I think we'll find that the Patriots are at least well positioned

for the future, the next couple of years. And beyond that, these are ascending players. These are young players coming off their first deals for the most part. These are guys that I think can come in here with specific roles. There's no doubt about it. Talking about the receivers, Aguilar and Bourne, they fit certain niches within the offense. It isn't that they just went out and signed two receivers. They've got guys who do very different things

and kind of complement one another and provide what they haven't had the last couple of years, generally speaking. Absolutely. Spot on analysis. And I completely agree, especially in terms of the players that the Patriots have targeted, specific areas of need that they went after and tried to backfill with the best possible fit for their system and the best possible fit for their wallet that they could. Obviously, they spent big at the tight end position. No one's going to question that. But you mentioned Aguilar and you mentioned Bourne.

I think good complementary pieces, guys, that are versatile. A lot of people forget that Nelson Aguilar spent a lot of time playing out of a slot in Philadelphia. He's going to be used here, I think, primarily as someone that can be a deep threat. He was last year in Las Vegas. But he's versatile enough to be used here I think primarily as someone that can be a deep threat he was last year in Las Vegas but he's versatile enough to be able to play with and Bourne has very sure hands again something that the Patriots I think are going to need this year at the wide receiver

position you mentioned Matt Judon maybe one of the more under the radar favorite signings of mine because of the versatility he can provide on the edge rush. And with the deflection now of Adam Butler to Miami, the additions of guys like Henry Anderson, Devon Gottschall, are coming up big, and the Patriots are going to need some help in the middle part of that interior of the defensive line. Bob, no question about it, plenty of big news out of Foxborough this week. We've hit on a few, but the big news of the day, the last 24 hours here in Foxborough, is obviously the return of David Andrews. We all heard the news just before 10.30 p.m. on Thursday.

All I could think of was the Godfather Part 3. Just when we thought he was out, they pulled him back in. I love this move for so many reasons. You've been around David since you joined the team in 2015. I've had the chance to cover him for the past couple of seasons here in New England. His return has the fan base really excited, rightfully so. All the love that David gets from the fans is so well-deserved, not just for what he does on the field, but what he does off the field as well. And from a football standpoint, Bob, this really is a great move for the Patriots.

It really solidifies their offensive line in so many ways. That's one of the more formidable units now in the NFL. If it wasn't already, it definitely is now. But this move even has an impact on how the Patriots might approach the rest of the off season as well. So in your opinion, could the re-signing of David Andrews be one of their most important moves they've made this year? Mike, I think when you look at free agency,

and we've heard this from people like Scott Fioli in recent weeks and others. I think we had Andrew Brandt, for example, on our Sunday morning football show, the show that Ted Johnson and I co-host on Sunday mornings, and he echoed the point. The first priority, right before free agency begins, is to take care of your own players. And that's a piece of it. And I'll give you an example from 2017. Much of the news about the Patriots offseason centered around the signing of Stephon Gilmore. Also important in that period was the fact that the Patriots re-signed Dante Hightower. And so I think when you look at this free agent class, you have to include the players that they

have retained, including Dietrich Wise, but especially David Andrews. And I think also reacquired like Ted Karras, you bring another quality guy, tough, smart, offensive lineman with some guard center versatility, guy who's going to be a great hit in that locker room. Once again, it'll be seamless for him and adds to the depth that you need up front. And when you look at Andrews, it's the player and it's the person, and it's the position. So for the Patri and it's the position so for the Patriots you know they have now I think six seven guys that give them quality depth now that's assuming that Trent Brown shows up in the spring and in training camp as more the player that the Patriots had back in the 2018

season than the player who was with the Raiders the last couple of years, that he's back in shape, or at least working toward getting in the kind of shape he was in in 2018, and is healthy because he's had a lot of injury problems the last couple of years, as we know. And the same thing goes across the board for all those guys. David has had some health issues the last couple of years, and it's a position where the Patriots have been impacted, as we've seen in years,

when they've been unable to field the same five guys on the field on a regular basis. You look at Isaiah Wynn, for example. There's another guy in injury history. So for me, it's really important that they have depth and they have versatility on the offensive line going into the spring and approaching training camp. They now have that.

And they have a guy at center in Andrews who's been a team captain, who's been a fabulous anchor on that offensive line and a quarterback of that offensive line. And again, that I always point to to me is the best illustration of just how important he is making the calls on the offensive line and keeping everybody in that group on the same page is the 2018 AFC championship game out in Kansas City. The offensive line played nearly flawlessly in that cauldron against the Chiefs, and David Andrews

played a big part in that. I compare that to what we saw, for example, back in 2015 in the AFC championship out in Denver, when the Patriots offensive line for much of that game was overwhelmed with a different center, interestingly enough, same class as David or maybe a year before David, Brian Stork. Andrews has been invaluable in terms of his leadership as a team captain, as you mentioned. He's been such a great ambassador for the team as well. Someone who's given a lot of himself to the community.

Very happy about that. I said to myself, assuming that there was a real strong chance that the Patriots were going to lose Joe Tooney, and they did, obviously, a great deal, that I wanted to see Andrews come back and that had to be a priority. But then when I saw the signing of Ted Karras and a return of Andrews was in doubt, I said to myself, well, at least they got a quality guy like Ted who's been in David's shoes before playing that center position for all of 2019. And to make matters better instead of worse, they signed both. They get Karras back on a one-year deal, and they bring back Andrews on a four-year deal.

And that's also a testament to, Mike, just how much he loves being in New England. I was really impressed with how honest he was a couple of weeks ago in a podcast appearance with Tom Curran discussing how much he loved New England. And even toward the end, he did a recent media availability with media at the end of the season. And when asked about the possibility of hitting free agency, he was open and honest. i'm not sure his agent appreciated all that honesty but yeah he he said how much he loved new england and that this was home and he mentioned how his parents were business people and he's not really a business person but yeah i think he was just looking to be happy and remain a patriot and he you know it works out well for him he gets a four-year deal it works out well for the pats yeah it truly does one of those rare circumstances where it is a true win-win for

both sides and i'm glad that you mentioned ted karras as well because it adds depth it adds a quality guy like you said a versatile lineman that can play so many different types of positions now all of a sudden you're looking at isaiah winn Michael Wainu, Trent Brown if he comes back to form and also Shaq Mason a lot of depth pieces as well Yodney Kajust, Corey Cunningham, Justin Heron there is a lot of options now that the Patriots have on this offensive line and one thing we've seen in the course of the last few seasons is depth on the O-line is so important to a team's success the Patriots are well suited in that in that area, especially as they have to put it on. You can never have enough.

Excuse me, Mike. I'm sorry. You can never have enough. Look what happened to the – look at what the Chiefs have had to do and what they experienced in the Super Bowl for the most recent example. Absolutely. And they proved it by going out, not only coaxing Kyle Long out of retirement, but also getting one of our beloved offensive linemen, Joe Tooney.

It's a well-deserved big contract going to play for a great organization and an organization that is still poised for a lot of success. So wishing Joe Tooney well. But obviously the big news here in New England is David Andrews coming back. I think we're a little happier about that one. But we wish them all the best. Those guys put their heart and soul on the field every single day, and they really, really play hard every time out,

and it's always great to see their efforts rewarded on the field. Patriots fans, I know you are enjoying the amazing insight of Bob Soce bring such a unique perspective to Patriots Nation the way only he can. But folks, we are not done yet. In just a moment, Bob Sose and I will discuss the retirement of Patrick Chung, as Bob shares his thoughts on a Patriot that will be missed both on and off the field. And to bring it all home, I'll get Bob's early thoughts on the type of Patriots team that we might see out there in 2021.

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Bob Sose joins me here today on Locked on Patriots, truly closing out the week in style here on the pod. And Bob, in the previous segment, and I mean that in every sense of the word, he's a dapper dresser and even a better guy. Bob, in the previous segment, we talked about the various moves made by the Patriots throughout the past week. And we took some time for some David Andrews appreciation. We're all excited for the new arrivals here in Foxborough but there have been some tough departures and on Thursday morning we learned that Patrick Chung would indeed be retiring from the NFL 11 seasons on the field

two tours of duty here in New England a great career overall Bob you've had the chance to watch Pat's career evolve on the field as well as off the field. When you look at his career as a whole, what are going to be your lasting memories of Patrick Chung in a Patriots uniform? Well, Mike, before I answer that question, I've got to tell you right now, unshaven as I am, I'm in an old pair of running shoes, gray baggy sweatpants, an old sweatshirt, and a t-shirt. I don't know how much style there is right now talking to you. I hope there's a little substance to go with it. I guarantee you can pull it off.

You'll make it stylish. We got that up there on social media. Put that on Instagram, folks. Bob will make that outfit stylish. We'll have it ready to go. It'll be alongside Bill's hoodie in New England Patriots fan folklore.

But thank you for your honesty and your candor. I do appreciate that. I will note that I've got a Navy sweatshirt. But anyway, when you ask about Patrick Chung, we talked a little bit about guys coming back like Trent Brown and Ted Karras a bit earlier.

Well, Patrick Chung is an example of someone who in his second stint as a Patriot, it seems to me, having only called his games during this second go-round with the Pats, completely changed the narrative on his career and the way people view him as a player with that second opportunity. And Bill Belichick, a couple of years ago, even admitted that he probably made a mistake in what he was asking Pat Chung to do when they drafted him initially out of Oregon in 2009 before he returned following the one-year stint with the Eagles in 2013. And Patrick Chung, in his second opportunity with the Patriots, was used in a different way, in fact, times three.

He was used deep. He was used in the slot. He was used as a box safety, and pound for pound demonstrated that he is as tough as any player in the Patriots locker room, any player in the league, I think. As a guy that became, I think, a few years ago, one of the first of the hybrid type safety linebackers that we see now on the field almost constantly. And we're seeing more and more of the Patriots when you look at some of the guys that actually were in his stead, for example, like Kyle Duggar and Adrian Phillips. And even Jalen Mills kind of played that role a little bit with the Philadelphia Eagles.

But in Pat Chung, you got somebody who was on the field all the time for the most part, was playing a very physical position with a lot of aggressiveness and physicality, prevented plays, made plays. He made plays. One of the games that I think about with him at his best was actually a season where the Patriots did not reach the Super Bowl. It was against the Chiefs in the divisional round of the playoffs, I think in 2015, when he really manhandled Travis Kelsey early in that game. And probably it was a wake-up call for Kelsey, too, at that point in his career. But Chung really covered him like a blanket and, you know, was very physical with him at the line of scrimmage. And Pat was good against the run. Pat was good against tight ends in particular.

But what he was asked to do in his variety of roles and playing substantial snaps at all of them, and at the same time playing a very high percentage of snaps on special teams on all the different special teams units, he was invaluable on the field. And he emerged as a leader in the locker room, eventually became a captain for this team. He's got a very interesting personality.

He's a bright guy, and he's, of course, of Jamaican descent. And, you know, he's somebody that I don't know too well. I have seen him periodically off the field, and I've grown to really like him a lot and appreciate what he brings to the Patriots as a player. And like I said, as a person that I think maybe is hidden from public views, he's quiet at times when it comes to some of his media appearances, but at other times, of course, he's very outgoing.

And he's done some cooking events for charities. He's done music events, trying to get kids involved in music as a form of education. So he is somebody that, again, has been very involved, and I would say evolved as a patriot over the course of the last seven years or so. That being said, I think there were signs in 2019 that he was clearly closer to the end and starting to wear down because his numbers on special teams went down. They were using him a lot less on special teams. And it seemed like, just anecdotally, it seemed more often

he was rising slowly from the turf and being beat up. And when he opted out and later announced that he would be coming back on social media, I had to wonder, what will his role be? How much of an impact will he be? In fact, on Wednesday before he announced his retirement, I was on an appearance at Buffalo with Steve Tasker and Chris Brown with the Buffalo Bills radio crew. And they asked about the opt-outs. And I said, you know, the one guy that I expect to have an impact,

should he return, is Dante Hightower. I said, Chung is an interesting one to me because I don't know how much is left there. And, you know, apparently he felt like he'd had enough. But, you know, he goes out, as he said, I'm a patriot until I die. But he goes out as somebody that, you know, I think will remain a fan favorite for a long time because people do appreciate all that toughness and the grit. We've seen it from his teammates as well,

the kind of respect that he engendered in that locker room from his teammates on social media. So it's a substantial loss in a lot of ways. I think the one thing about it, though, is that the Patriots seem to be pretty well stocked with guys that can offset, if not inherit, that role altogether with the aforementioned Kyle Duggar, you have Phillips. You know, they have some guys that I think are very versatile in the secondary. And Belichick, you know, certainly has a lot of depth there.

Yeah, without question. So well said. And in your own words, you know, through Twitter, pound for pound, nobody in the NFL tougher than Patrick Chung. And I think a lot of ways that toughness, that perseverance that you saw on the field, but also off the field as well, taking that second duty in New England to really embrace the role that he was born to play, a stronger safety, someone that really grew into his skill set with the help of the coaching staff, Bill Belichick, putting him in the right position, obviously. But, you know, Patrick Chung took that chance and he took it as well as anyone. And that's something that really, I think, can help define his legacy here in New England.

Well said. Great insight, Bob. Last but certainly not least, before I let you go for the day, my friend, the roster for the 2020 New England Patriots, 2021 New England Patriots is starting to take shape. And both you and I know that it takes a great deal of time to really discover how effective a team is going to be on the field, regardless of how good they may look on paper, way too early to make those types of calls. So I'm not going to call this a hot seat, bud.

But all of us who cover the team, whether it be as a beat writer, an analyst, or cover them on the periphery, they can try to formulate an idea based on what we see. And we're all trying to do that right now. You've seen several contending teams, some of them championship teams, from inception to fruition. When you look at how this roster is coming together, I'm not going to ask you for predictions on conference records, win records, divisions, like I said, way, way too early for that. But when you look at how this team is coming together, are you starting to see the seedlings of what the 2021 New England Patriots might look like, or is it still far too early for that? Yeah, you know, Mike, it's far too early in

my mind. You know, I've been one of those people who have reminded others over the course of the last six, seven years, nobody wins the Super Bowl in March. And, you know, the March champion often is on the outside in January, looking at everybody else in the playoffs, or it seems that way to me. When I look at the Patriots that I've covered from inception to conclusion, seven of those eight teams had a common denominator that this team won't have. That's Tom Brady, quarterback. And so much will hinge on that position. They have definitely fortified a number of positions, and they are a much improved team on both sides of the ball. They're going to stay strong on special teams, you have to presume at this point. Resigning Nick

Folk, as well as the addition or the retention of Bethel, along with Cody Davis, to go with Matthew Sledder, who we're expecting to come back for at least one more year for this team. So I think you look at them overall, they're a much better team today than they were just over a week ago. But the question remains at quarterback and Cam Newton, if he's the quarterback improve enough with all the help around him to get them where they want to go. It's going to be better, but will it be good enough?

And if it's not Cam Newton who comes in and competes for the job and ultimately claims the job for the Patriots, I think that really determines how far they go. And, of course, there's always the variables, as is the case with every team in the NFL, with regard to health. But I think for this team, you know, they may need to add at a couple of positions. I would think running back is an area where we're going to have to look for

somebody over the course of the next few days to come into New England or perhaps come back. Maybe Rex Burkhead still available coming off the torn ACL. As we're talking, you know, James White is an interesting case to me, but they've shown interest in some backs like Fournette and Carson early in his free agency period. So, you know, perhaps that they're still hunting for another player to add to that room. I look at the defensive line and Lawrence Guy, as we talk, his status is unknown to me right now. That's a guy that I thought was a priority sign for them.

We'll see what happens. I think that overall, though, they're in a much better place than they were a little over a week ago. They're also not playing the first-place schedule. They are going to play the South Division out of the NFC, which means, of course, a meeting with the aforementioned Tom Brady and company, the defending Super Bowl champions. But I thought the degree of difficulty last year with the travel on the schedule and, of course, all the COVID-related issues were definite factors in the team season.

That being said, though, I think they were a 7-9 football team. You are what your record says you are. And with this particular team, they could be a lot better than that. But it hinges on a pretty big if at one position and a few others at some other spots. Well said. Well, well said. And again, folks, taking that long-term, level-headed, methodical approach is, I think, a great way to approach this offseason. Again, it's good to get excited and you should be excited on all of the acquisitions that the Patriots have made.

It's an exciting time. Anything that can rejuvenate or inject some optimism into the fan base is always welcomed and always appreciated, but it is a little bit too early. Pump the brakes a little. Let's take a look and see how this team. I'm sorry. I was just going to say,

Mike, if I can quickly add, I'm sorry to interrupt you. You know, the one of the things you have to look at too is the other teams around the Patriots because the Buffalo Bills have done a wonderful job. I think I'm very impressed by how they have retained their players. Not only for this year, they're really in good shape for the next couple of years.

And with Emmanuel Sanders, that's another, that's another guy who can help them. He looked like he could still play last year for New Orleans. I think, you know, with the Dolphins, it's been interesting. They haven't spent like some expected them to thus far in free agency. But, you know, the Jets have made some moves that I think help them a lot. We're going to see what they're going to do with that number two pick, whether they do draft a quarterback or not.

But I think they've had a good period as well in free agency. They've gotten some players that, you know, I thought might be on the Patriots radar, like Keelan Cole, for example, and Corey Davis. And then I look at the rest of the conference, and I don't think the Chiefs are going anywhere. You know, they're going to be strong. As we said, they had an offensive line that was really hit hard by the injuries that tackle in the post

season, but they're a lot better on the interior. It seems to me right now, or at least if Kyle Long and Joe Tooney, you know, play up to their past. Yeah, without question. And there is a lot of competition and that is the other aspect to remember. And I'm so glad that you mentioned that Bob, because not only is it early to determine how this Patriots team will gel, what type of production they'll get out of the quarterback position, but also the level of competition they're going to have to play up to. Buffalo Bills aren't going anywhere. You mentioned the Kansas City Chiefs. A lot of talent in the AFC still.

And the Patriots will be a little more in the mix than they were last year, I believe. But at the same time, there's still a lot to compete with. And you give that level-headed approach to our fan base. And I, for one, could not thank you enough for that because I think that's the perfect way to segue into our weekend. And, Bob, what can I say? Thank you so much for taking time out of your busy schedule to join me today. You personify class in every sense of the word, my friend,

professionally, personally. I humbly thank you for all the continued support of me and of Locked On Patriots throughout the last few years. Folks, be sure to catch Bob alongside Scott Zolak for the call each and every Patriots game day on 98.5 The Sports Hub. Also, be sure to catch him every Sunday morning, 8 to 10 a.m., the Sunday football show on 98.5 The Sports Hub, hosted by Bob and former New England Patriot Ted Johnson. And before I let you go today, my friend, please enlighten our listeners on where they may continue to find some of the other great work that you do throughout the season as we march toward 2021.

Yeah, again, we're continuing our Sunday morning football show through the draft. Ted Johnson and I, 8 to 10 a.m. on that H5 SportsHub. You can listen live or you can listen on the archives. We've had some great guests thus far over the course of the last couple of weeks. We had Charlie Weiss talking about Matt Jones and Cam Newton and other quarterbacks. Last week we had Andrew Grant giving us, I think, a good primer on free agency with regards to the salary cap. We've got a lot of good local beat reporters as well, Phil Perry and Paul Prillo,

I believe, are going to join us this Sunday from 8 to 10 on 98.5 The Sports Hub. Again, if you can't listen live, it's available on Apple Podcasts as well as our 98.5 The Sports Hub site and app to download. You can also find my podcast, The Gridiron, and beyond the Apple Podcasts as well as the 98.5 The Sports Hub site. And I try to do some different things. Sometimes it's more beyond than on the grid, Ian. And, you know, in the last few weeks,

I had a chance to talk with NFL executive Vanessa Hutchinson, who's part of the Women's Careers in Football Forum. And really some interesting stuff there about Bill Belichick and Mike Vrabel, Bruce Arians, some of the coaches who've gotten involved in recent weeks and months in opening doors for women in the game of football at every level, really in every role. And then beyond that, Matt Dolofa and I from 985 Sports Hub website

chatted most recently about some of the free agency moves, kind of covering the same ground that you and I have. Absolutely. That's on Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, the station website as well. Absolutely. And folks, again, anything that Bob puts his voice to, his name to, I cannot recommend highly enough. It's always top-notch content. He gets some great guests because he's a great man and people will gravitate toward that.

And again, what can I say? I thank you for joining me here today on Locked On Patriots. Until the next time we speak, my friends, stay safe, stay well. And we hope to have you back here before the start of the 2021 season to get your thoughts on what this team may look like in Foxborough this year. Until then, my friend, thank you once again. Mike, I look forward to it. Thank you so much.

Anytime, my friend. Thank you. And so Patriots fans, we put a bow on the week that was here on the Locked On Patriots podcast, and it has been an action packed week in Foxborough. A lot of comings and goings. And I know we've had a lot of new listeners this week. For those of you that have put your faith in me and invested your time to listen to Locked On Patriots as a part of your daily New England

Patriots coverage, I could not be more appreciative or more thankful. I hope that our coverage here along with the podcast have lived up to your expectations. Again, always feel free to share your feedback with me at MDABATEFPC or the show directly at LO underscore Patriots. I would always love to hear what you think. And as always, folks, keep a close eye on the Patriots activities throughout the weekend, and here on Locked On Patriots, we'll continue to bring you the

very latest. And of course, we'll be right back here on Monday with a little hashtag LockedOnMurf. So to be sure that you do not miss a single second of the action, subscribe to the Locked On Patriots podcast on platforms such as the Radio.com app, Spotify, Google Podcasts, Apple Podcasts,

wherever you get your podcasts. Just make sure that you're staying locked in to Locked On Patriots. Once again, my name is Mike DeBate. I thank Bob Sose for his time, his insight, and his appearance on today's pod. But again, my heartfelt thanks to all of you for listening today and throughout the week, 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.