Locked On Patriots - Daily Podcast On The New England Patriots - Is Cooper Kupp the New England Patriots Holy Grail? Pats Free Agency Favorites, Moves to be Made?

Starting point is 00:00:00 Might Cooper Cup be the holy grail of the New England Patriots receiving room in 2025? Stick around, you're about to be locked in to the Locked On Patriots podcast. You are Locked On Patriots, your daily New England Patriots podcast, part of the Locked On Podcast Network, your team every day. Hello to all of you, Foxboro faithful, and thank you once again for making Locked On Patriots a daily part of your New England Patriots coverage. I'm your host, Mike DeBate, and I cover your New England Patriots for the Locked On Podcast Network, so reach out to me. Let me know what's on your mind on X at MDABATE NFL.

Starting point is 00:00:45 And while you're out there showing some love to Lockdown Patriots, social media style, follow our account there as well at LO underscore Patriots. And of course you can find me where the skies are blue over on blue sky at MDABATE NFL dot B sky dot social. That's fans after an explosion on day one of the NFL's negotiation period to kick off 2025 free agency Your New England Patriots took a little bit of a step back and a little bit of a rest on day two No transactions to speak of but I have it on good authority that the brain trust over at One Patriots Place in Foxboro Were busy at work getting ready for the official start of the 2025 NFL season.

Starting point is 00:01:26 4 p.m. Eastern Wednesday, March 12th is when all of these unofficial assignees become officially official. Which one of the moves that the Patriots made was your favorite? Not necessarily the biggest, not necessarily the most popular, but your favorite among the moves the Patriots have made so far. We're going to discuss that point today. We're also going to point to where the Patriots need to go from here. Because for as many roster deficiencies as the New England Patriots filled on Monday, there are still some glaring holes on this roster that need attention. And of course, to kick everything off, we're going to be talking about arguably the Patriots'

Starting point is 00:02:02 biggest need, but definitely their most high profile need could soon to be former LA Rams wide receiver Cooper Cup fit the bill. But we're going to discuss that and kick off today's show in just a moment. And I say we because joining me here today on the airwaves is the only man with a reason, the wisdom, the counsel and the level-headed approach we need heading into the start of the 2025 season. and the level-headed approach we need heading into the start of the 2025 season. And that is my good friend, columnist extraordinaire with patsfans.com, another amazing Patriots podcast, Patriots 4th and 2. My good buddy, Steve Ballastrieri. Steve, welcome back to Lockdown Patriots by Zone.

Starting point is 00:02:36 Oh, my pleasure. It seemed like we hadn't done this since yesterday. Yeah, absolutely. Yesterday, I had the great fortune of having the script flipped on me. I was the subject matter expert. I like to say that. I really wasn't, folks. When you're in a room with Steve Balustrari and Derek Havens, you're really not the subject matter expert, but they did pull upon my wisdom and counsel. I'm forever grateful to them for that. If you haven't had the chance to check that show out yet, please do so wherever you get your podcasts and add Patriots 4th and 2 to your daily rotation. You will not regret it. One of the great listens out there in Patriots Nation and Paisan, we find ourselves in unique territory. The New England Patriots spent an awful lot of money on Monday trying to upgrade this roster. A lot of the big high

Starting point is 00:03:25 ticket profile signings that they made were on the defensive side of the ball. But Patriots still have a large void at left tackle. They still have a major need when it comes to the wide receiver position. We're going to talk about left tackle in just a moment, folks. Let's talk about the wide receivers. And Steve, there are still a number of receivers left on the market. You might say that the market has yet to be set. This is usually a position that takes a little while to get going. Once the first domino falls, then all the agents see what the receivers are signing for, the price goes up, teams get concerned, I don't want to say desperate, but they get concerned and they'll up the ante and then you start to see these dominoes fall. Well, the Patriots are in on rumors anywhere from Amari Cooper to Stefan Diggs. They could sign these guys at any time, but one player that I think is worth watching heading into Wednesday's 4 p.m. kickoff time for the start of the 2025 league year is soon-to-be-former L.A. Rams wide receiver Cooper C Cooper Cup. Now we've talked about Cooper and we've talked about his

Starting point is 00:04:28 prowess as a receiver here many times on Lockdown Patriots whether it be when the Rams are coming to town and when the Patriots are headed out to LA Cooper is always one to watch if he's on the field and healthy We talked a little bit about him a couple of weeks ago when rumor had it that the Rams were going to be making him available for trade, whether or not the Patriots should throw their hat into the ring and try to acquire him. Now, teams have been reticent so far to take on that $20.5 million cap hit that's going to come with trading or his contract. They don't want to pay that $12.5 million guaranteed that the Rams are owing him on the current deal. So because of that, you're not seeing teams line up to try to work that 12.5 million guaranteed that the Rams are owing him on the current deal. So

Starting point is 00:05:05 because of that, you're not seeing teams line up to try to work something out. So word has it coming out of Los Angeles right now that if they can't work out a deal by 4 p.m. on Wednesday, they're going to release him, meaning Cooper Cup is available to the masses out there. And Andrew Callahan of the Boston Herald had an interesting report on Tuesday afternoon stating that if Cup does get to the open market and he is indeed released the Patriots may be more interested in signing him in that fashion than they are in giving up any type of capital to get him. Word has it that the Pats are being very guarded about dealing any of their draft capital. They want to try to keep as much of it in-house as they possibly can. So

Starting point is 00:05:47 my question to you Steve is if indeed the Patriots are willing to sign Cooper Cup if he becomes a free agent, what does it mean for the Pats in the short term and do you think this could have any long-term implications for the building of a new offense with Drake May at the helm and guided by Josh McDaniels? Well, I think it would have, it would have, obviously, short-term, absolutely, it would have, you know, it would be a great factor in the offense getting turned around. You know, in Andrew's piece, I mean, he makes the great point, you know, because everyone keeps saying, why don't they just pony up a seventh round draft pick and bring in Cooper cover, then you don't have to, you know, compete for his, his services. Well, I think you hit the nail on the head, right? Right at the beginning when you said, you know, he has a 20 million dollar contract for 2025 upcoming. So that would preclude teams from wanting to pull the trigger. Whereas, you know, if he hits free agency, maybe you give him a two or three year deal. And you know, maybe that third year is a avoidable type of thing

Starting point is 00:07:07 Which seems to be the norm these days But would he fit in the Patriots absolutely He's that short to intermediate guy I think that you know would be a great value to this team and I think that would be of great value to this team and I think Josh McDaniels would definitely be able to pull that out of him. Is he a number one receiver anymore? I don't think so. However, the biggest value I think that he's able to get, he's able to be productive and at crunch time. That's the big thing with him. When games are on the line, he always seems to be productive and at crunch time. That's the big thing with him. You know, when games are on the line,

Starting point is 00:07:47 he always seems to be at his best. And the thing I go back to, what would make him most attractive to the Patriots is the culture, right? Mike Rable's trying to bring to this football team. And what did he say in his, I think it was his introductory press conference where he said, we want effort and finish.

Starting point is 00:08:11 And, you know, Kump has been a, I think a five or six time captain of the Rams. He brings that every day when he comes to work, that effort, that finish, he would immediately upgrade the team, both on the field and in the locker room. Again, is he a number one guy? No, but he would immediately become a leader

Starting point is 00:08:35 in the clubhouse as well as on the field. And he's gonna bring you that effort and finish mentality. I think that the wide receiver room was really lacking in a year ago. Plus the fact that he would immediately become the best wide receiver on the Patriots roster. I think you could point to the same kind of, like we talked about yesterday, the same kind of intangibles, that effort and finish,

Starting point is 00:09:03 the guy they signed yesterday, Mack Collins. They're bringing these lunch pail guys in, you know, like, that are gonna, you know, check the EU at the door, they're gonna come in and work hard. And they're gonna give you the very best that they can every day. And I think that is the most important part of bringing in a guy like Cox. Absolutely. And there is something awfully familiar about this. I kind of feel like Biff and back to the future part too,

Starting point is 00:09:35 watching it and saying, something really familiar about all this. It really is, it harkens back to the early days of the Bill Belichick era here in New England, bringing in guys like Roman Pfeiffer, bringing in guys like Brian Cox, bringing in guys like Mike Vrabel who were not coming in with any ego attached to what they were doing. They wanted to be here for one reason and one reason only because they felt like they were a part of building something special. And this to me is where Cooper Cup may have

Starting point is 00:10:01 interest. And directly from Andrew's piece, he did say that he's intrigued by what's going on in the Wingman right now. Definitely likes Drake May as a prospect, thinks that it would be interesting to play for him. His curiosity is piqued by possibly playing for guys like Mike Vrabel and Josh McDaniels. Thomas Brown is a guy he has familiarity with from their time as player and coach together. So there is a lot right there to build on to if you're a Patriots fan and you're looking for Cooper Cup to come in. I do agree with you. I don't believe he's necessarily a No. 1 right now, not because of the talent, but simply because of injury has plagued him for a number of

Starting point is 00:10:40 years now. And you want to talk about reliability and keeping him on the field. But if he's healthy, if you try him out there with the current cast of characters that the Patriots have in the wide receiver room right now, I think he's your number one. I do. I really do because of the fact that he brings more talent, more experience, uh than maybe anybody on this roster right now. I'm not talking raw talent. I'm talking on field savvy. There is a difference, folks. Cooper Cup has got it because of the experience that he has. Once again, give him an opportunity to reunite with Kendrick Bourne. I'm loving that option. Look, bottom line, if you look at what

Starting point is 00:11:17 the Patriots are building, and to me this is the greatest argument for bringing in Cooper Cup, the Patriots simply don't have anyone on this roster right now with the training and the ability to beat man coverage consistently. The Patriots were torched last year when it came to that. Man coverage ate this team alive when you talk about defensive strategy to shut down this Patriots offense. Cup can help there. He can definitely be a guy that will be able to do that. And again, you mentioned the mentorship, the leadership. Not only do I think that would be good for Drake May, but I think it would also be good for the young receivers on this roster. Have them learn from a guy that has not only gotten the ring, but also gotten the bag, as our good friend Murph likes to say. Free agents love to come in, they either want to win a ring or get a bag. Cooper

Starting point is 00:12:05 Cup has got both. So his next stop is going to be all about comfort. It's going to be where he wants to be. And it's going to be a place I think where he can come and have a lot of fun playing the game of football. I'm venturing to guess New England is a great spot to do that. Yeah, absolutely because you know, I think you know when I Think it was Andrew that quoted him that yeah he was intrigued by what's going on because with Mike Vrabel in they're trying to build something and Vrabel, you know has been stressing the culture aspect of Team building and you know, I think that's what appeals to a guy like Kupp because again, you're talking about a multi-year captain,

Starting point is 00:12:50 a guy whose, his work ethic is beyond question. And I think at this stage of his career, like Murph said, he's already had the bag, he's already had the ring. Now, you know, maybe the in the twilight years of his career, he wants to be a part of building something special. And, you know, maybe he feels like with Rayval, Drake May, you know, at the helm working with Josh McDaniels, I mean, that's going to be in, you know, working with McDaniels as an offensive coordinator, I think is going to draw some people in, you know,

Starting point is 00:13:31 maybe not right away, but it's going to happen. And I think that he could really help out in that aspect where, you know, I think he would be, he would be a great fit with Josh McDaniels. And the fact that, you know, I think him and that, you know, I think he would be a great fit with Josh McDaniels. And the fact that, you know, I think him and that, you know, Matt Collins, like, they bring that kind of mentality where they're gonna, you know, go all out every day. And they're, you know, guys who have a lot of experience.

Starting point is 00:14:00 And I think they're going to elevate the rest of that room. And as we saw last year, again, you know, that wide receiver room was kind of fractured last year now, you know, Kendrick Bourne will be a year past his rehab, so we hope to see him back to his normal self and we'll have to see how that all works out. to get him back to his normal self and we'll have to see how that all works out but I think uh bringing in a cup again, he's not going to be that 1500 yard,

Starting point is 00:14:34 you know, season type of guy but if he can give you 70 catches, 800 yards, we'll take that. Absolutely. Well, anyone looking for maybe that speedy weapon downfield, maybe the Patriots dip into the draft, maybe they do put some of that remaining cap space to work, stole a lot of talent out there on the offensive side of the ball that the New England Patriots could procure by a pure free agency. We're going to get into that in just a moment, but Steve and I are

Starting point is 00:14:57 going to take a little trip back in time a couple of days and we're going to talk about an explosive Monday, a red letterletter date in the history of these new New England Patriots under Mike Vrabel, Ryan Cowden, Elliot Wolf, a lot of marquee signings on Monday. However, which were the favorite moves of Steve and myself? What were your favorite moves? Well, we're going to reveal ours in just a moment when this episode of the Locked On Patriots podcast continues, a proud part of the Locked On Podcast Network, your team, every day. This show is sponsored by BetterHelp. Taking care of your mental health

Starting point is 00:15:35 can feel like a big investment, but it's just as important as taking care of your body. Traditional in-person therapy can cost anywhere from $100 to $250 per session, but with BetterHelp, you can save up to 50% per session. BetterHelp offers a flat fee for weekly online therapy sessions, making professional support more accessible and affordable. With over 300,000 therapists and over 5 million people helped, it's the world's largest online therapy platform. Therapy isn't just for tough times. It's a great tool for learning coping skills and setting

Starting point is 00:16:11 boundaries. BetterHelp makes it easy to fit therapy into your schedule, whether you're working, parenting, or always on the go. Your well-being is worth it. Visit betterhelp.com Your well-being is worth it. Visit betterhelp.com slash Locked On today to get 10% off your first month. That's Better Help. H-E-L-P dot com slash Locked On. Patriots fans, thank you once again for joining us here today on Locked On, Patriots. As we continue to dissect the Patriots' pursuit of free agents in 2025. The negotiation period is just about over. The New England Patriots set to enter the 2025

Starting point is 00:16:53 NFL League year at 4 p.m. on Wednesday, March 12th, along with the remaining 31 teams in the NFL. The Pats got off to a hot start on Monday, nine moves in total from Sunday night to Monday evening, eight of which will involve new players coming into Foxborough. Tuesday, a little bit of a slower do's day for New England, but still a lot going on behind the scenes, which should lead to an exciting Wednesday. In fact, as you're viewing this right now, Cooper Cup may be on his way to New England. The Patriots may have already signed a couple of free agents at Wide Receiver that may be solving all your problems and answering all your questions.

Starting point is 00:17:33 Maybe they took a dip into the left tackle position. These are still moves that are yet to be made and Steve and I are going to give our opinion on those in just a moment. But for a moment, my friend, my Patriots by Zon Steve Valestrieri of PatsFans.com, take a little trip back in time with me, a few hours, not long, just a couple of days, to Monday. Monday evening, you're sitting there watching the list of Patriots moves, transactions that were reported, and you look at Milton Williams at the top at the defensive tackle position, Carlton Davis coming in to help shore up that secondary. Got Morgan Moses coming in to help provide some veteran leadership to that

Starting point is 00:18:11 offensive line. We mentioned them before, Mac Collins coming in to add a bona fide football player to that wide receiver group, something that group needs desperately. All of these moves will have implications on the Patriots season, some of which got their share of media coverage Obviously Milton Williams being the marquee signing of the day Carlton Davis a cut below that he got a lot of press as well But just because they're the most high profile doesn't necessarily mean they're your favorite I love asking you this question because not only do you take the reasonable approach?

Starting point is 00:18:43 But you see things us mere mortals don't see a lot of times when you look at the list of transactions start to finish, but which was your favorite and why? Well, I'll tell you right off the bat, I like deciding with Robert Spillane. Again, you know, he's, he's one of those guys that total effort all the time. 158 tackles last year for the Raiders. 10 tackles for loss.

Starting point is 00:19:12 So you know he's one of those guys that fits that downhill penetrator, aggressive in run support. That's what Mike Frebel is looking for, right? I mean, absolutely. I think he's going to be a tremendous addition to this defense, and I think he's going to fit in really well with what they're trying to build here. I really like that move, but my favorite has to be, and you've got to love Boston Sports Radio. They're signing guys that fit the bill, right? You know, they're filling needs.

Starting point is 00:19:53 Carlton Davis, to me, was a tremendous signing because now you have actually two number one corners. Right. You know, Christian Gonzalez, Carlton Davis. I mean, you've got to love that, right? the the the the the the

Starting point is 00:20:19 the the the I'm not sure if you can hear me. I'm not sure if you can hear me. I'm not sure if you can hear me. I'm not sure if you can hear me. I'm not sure if you can hear me. I'm not sure if you can hear me. I'm not sure if you can hear me. I'm not sure if you can hear me.

Starting point is 00:20:38 I'm not sure if you can hear me. I'm not sure if you can hear me. I'm not sure if you can hear me. I'm not sure if you can hear me. I'm not sure if you can hear me. You know, I thought he was like that guy that he was the hot name Everybody was looking for in the Patriots were able to reel him in and I absolutely Loved this move because it's immense, you know What we've all been saying that they're gonna be more aggressive They're gonna be penetrating because Milton Williams isn't a two gap read and react Right offensive lineman. He's he's firing off the ball and he's going to try to penetrate.

Starting point is 00:21:09 He's going to try to, uh, disrupt everything in the backfield. And I absolutely love this. Um, you know, uh, we've been talking on our podcasts on Patriots fourth and two for years that we've wanted them to be more aggressive, you know, get to a more aggressive front, penetrate, disrupt at the at the line of scrimmage. And I think this is going to really help them do that. In fact, you know, you and I were talking yesterday, right? If Christian Barmore's health issues are behind him this upcoming season, you know, you pair him and Milton Williams in the middle.

Starting point is 00:21:53 Man, you're talking about two guys that can really get after the passer. And that will help your edge rushers get home and get the sacks because quarterbacks, you know, as we all know, that pressure right up the middle, that's the hardest to get away from. And if in the pocket, they don't have that area to step up and that's where your edge rushers come in. I think this was a huge move for the Patriots

Starting point is 00:22:21 and I'm really happy for it. And it seems like Milton Williams is pretty happy too because he had a ring struck back up into it. Absolutely. I mean, I don't see how anyone could look at the Milton Williams signing and find fault in it unless you're looking at it purely from a financial standpoint. And I mean, obviously, if you're looking at $26 million a year, you're looking at over $60 million guaranteed, $104 million in total. Those are high totals for a guy that hasn't played 50% of the snaps in a season to date. However, as we pointed out in our discussion yesterday on Patriots 4-2, this is a player,

Starting point is 00:23:00 Steve, that has continued to increase his snap level each and every year. And when you're playing alongside bonafide pass rush studs, such as the laundry list of high level defenders that the Philadelphia Eagles put out there every day, it's no wonder that the snap counts are going to be low because there's only so many snaps to go around in that defense. So now with Milton kind of getting the spotlight on him, he's the guy here in New England, I think you're going to see that continue to go up. The 40 quarterback pressures, once again, that's four more than the past than the previous two years combined in 2022 and 2023. So you're seeing that progression and him kind of working his way up to an elite level in this league. But again, I think

Starting point is 00:23:45 you hit on it very well. If Barmore is in the lineup, that's an elite front seven, that's an elite defensive front. If Barmore for some reason is not in the lineup for a part of the year or is going to have difficulty coming back, you have the guy now that can help take that pressure off of the pass rush. And I think right now this is, I think it's a dream scenario for Milton Williams to come in here to New England. So really, the only drawback is whether or not you believe the Patriots overpaid. Other than that, this is everything they needed in this defense. And I think it really lends to what the focus is for Mike Vrabel and Terrell Williams and the fact that they targeted someone like a Milton Williams, they saw he was ready to go to Carolina and they weren't willing to let that happen. That goes to show you how much they coveted this guy and how much he fits their future plans heading into this season. I'm going to stay on the defensive side of the ball, and it's a guy that you just mentioned a few moments ago, and that's Robert Spillane. I think Spillane may be my favorite signing of Monday. It was the first one that was reported. And the reason why I love this one is not so much

Starting point is 00:24:49 for the on-field prowess that he gives you. He's not the best coverage guy in the world. I think he is very good with sideline to sideline speed, very good against the run. And I think that he can be an asset in that department. But the leadership ability and the old school vibes this guy gives off in terms of that Smash Mouth type of player that Patriots may not have had in a while here in New England, to me speaks volumes

Starting point is 00:25:14 about the type of culture they're looking to build. In speaking with several Patriots players last year off the record. One of the first things that I heard from a lot of the defenders on that team was lack of structure, lack of leadership and virtually no communication. And that's a problem for a defense, especially a defense that was so predicated on all of those for so many years when Bill Belichick had control over this defense. I think they're going to try to get back to that. And I think Spillane is a guy that can absolutely do it. He's a multi-year captain in Las Vegas.

Starting point is 00:25:50 People that I've spoken to that cover the Raiders are very upset that this guy is no longer going away, be wearing silver and black. They loved what he brought from a leadership perspective. I think Mike Vrabel saw this. I think maybe he saw a little of himself in Robert Spillane, the type of style that they play, that no-nonsense, I'm going to hit you in the mouth and you're going to get nothing and like it type attitude. And I think

Starting point is 00:26:12 that's going to give a little more attitude to this defense. But this guy is an excellent communicator, a great teammate. The players around him love playing with him. So this automatically, I think, elevates the Patriots to a level they didn't have in 2024. And I think it gets back to something you were saying earlier about motivating the players around you. I think it's going to give a wake-up call to this linebacking corps right now. Jawan Bentley was out nearly the entire season last year. He's going to come back. He's been a star in this defense for quite a while, but it's going to be a new style. How's he going to assimilate in? Is Jelani Tavae going to be able to respond to a more specialized role? Because if he's sticking around, I think that's what it's going to be. You're not going to see him have the freedom that I think you've seen him have in previous

Starting point is 00:26:58 seasons. So a lot of question marks right now. Spillane comes in and I think helps to lend some stability. And I think it also puts these guys on notice. If you're not going to perform, we're going to bring in guys that will. I think that a lot of that is going to give some healthy competition to this defense this year. So those are the reasons why I love the Spillane side. it speaks to the culture, right? This is what Vrabel's trying to build. And it harkens me back, even though they're completely different players in situations, 2014, the Patriots bring in Brandon Browner. And he brought that physical, no BS, right, style and he started it off right away. I remember Derek Havens, Russ Goldman,

Starting point is 00:27:50 and I were down at training camp, and we were right down on the field, right in front of situation. They were playing some goal line, where the defensive backs the first two days hadn't been, you two days hadn't been You know Hadn't been very physical and everyone including us we were writing about hey You know the wide receivers look good and blah blah blah well

Starting point is 00:28:17 First play they they throw a bubble screen to Kimbrough Tompkins I remember we all remember Kembrell. And Brandon Browner picked him up and threw him like a sack of mail to the ground right in front of us. And everybody there at training camp went, oh, you could hear that influx of breath. And I remember that happening.

Starting point is 00:28:41 And we could hear what Brandon Browner is saying. And he was like, like yeah we haven't touched you the first two days and he goes right about this and I remember that changed everything. That Patriots secondary turned into a very fearsome group that year and not surprisingly they won the Super Bowl that year. Yeah, exactly. Funny how that works, huh? You got a little bit of physicality, a little bit of energy injected into the lineup, and all of a sudden, everyone starts to elevate their game. It brings everyone up to that next level.

Starting point is 00:29:15 Yeah, that's what these signings, I think, are going to do. I think they were very good, very strategic moves with guys that have that type of attitude, that type of never say, dive, never quit. That's something you didn't see on this team last year, for various reasons. And I think they needed to get back to it. And I think Spillane brings that. He brings that element, right? He wears the eye black all over the place, right? He looks like he's ready to rip somebody's head off. And, you know, I think, like you said, they were kind of lacking that last year. The one guy I thought that brings that consistently was Jibril Peppers. And for various reasons, he was missing a lot last season. And I think it's important for them to get that kind of, you know, attitude back. Hey, you come in my area of the field and you're going to be in the cold tub tomorrow

Starting point is 00:30:13 morning. Right. Exactly. You heard Mike Vrabel say in his introductory press conference that he did believe that defenses should be feared. When you come into an opponent's house or they're coming into your house, you should be fearful of playing that defense. I think the Patriots are on the cusp of realizing that dream. So Steve, it's fun going back in time and talking about favorite signings, but the New England Patriots still have a lot of work to do. A big hole to fill at left tackle and arguably a

Starting point is 00:30:40 lot of work to do in building this wide receiver core, even if they take our advice from the first segment and sign Cooper Cup. Patriots still have a lot of work to do in this area, folks. We're talking next steps for your New England Patriots when we wrap up our discussion right here on the Locked On Patriots podcast, a proud part of the Locked On Podcast Network, your team, every day. Locked On listeners, March Madness is here, and FanDuel is giving you the chance to get in on the action like never before. Right now, new customers can get $200 in bonus bets when your first $5 bet wins. That's 200 extra bucks to use on everything from buzzer beaters to Cinderella stories and even who's cutting down the nets. I've got my eye on

Starting point is 00:31:29 a few underdogs this year and FanDuel makes it easy to back them with spreads, totals, and game prompts. And the FanDuel app is simple to use. When I win, I get paid instantly. No waiting around. So visit FanDuel.com and get in on the College Hoops action all tournament long. FanDuel.com. Patriots fans, thank you once again for joining us here today on Locked On Patriots as we continue our delve into free agency week, the kickoff of the new league year in 2025 for the NFL, most importantly for your New England Patriots.

Starting point is 00:32:08 And joining me here to lend the wit, the wisdom, and the level-headed reason that we need here to break down a lot of the moves the Patriots have made and those still yet to come is my good friend and Patriots' Python, Steve Valestrari of Pat'sFans.com. Steve, we talked in the first segment a little bit about Cooper Cup and by the time our audience is viewing this podcast, Cooper Cup may either be in a different uniform or he may be here in New England. I do believe that regardless of the outcome when it comes to Cooper, Patriots still have a lot of work to do to upgrade this receiver room. And if there is a knock on the moves that they've made thus far, it's the fact that maybe they haven't addressed arguably their

Starting point is 00:32:49 two biggest needs. Receiver and of course I believe to be their biggest need, a left tackle. A starting caliber left tackle that can come in and provide protection for Drake May's blind side. Are you in agreement that these are the two priorities for the Patriots over the course of the next couple of days, or do you believe that they're better off looking to other positions, filling these and looking to those two specifically to be filled by the draft? You know, you still have to kick the tires on any players that are out there that you believe can help you in those two premium positions that you mentioned. You know, obviously the draft is coming and they will obviously address those during the draft. However, you know, you don't want to have to rely on the draft if there's somebody that can help you and Specifically and left tackle look they they missed out on a couple of the guys that they really wanted

Starting point is 00:33:55 specifically Ronnie Stanley But you know, he decided to stay in Baltimore and you know, that's the players prerogative to do that one guy and you know, that's the player's prerogative to do that. One guy, you know, well, a lot of people mentioned in Cam Robinson, the one guy I would kick the tires on and hear me out on this. I

Starting point is 00:34:19 know he's old. He's not the player that he was when he was with the Cowboys and they're Tyrone Smith, Trion Smith. You know, he still got that. He's, he's, he's not the athletic player. He was, we all know that, but, um, he still got that technique and granted, you know, he's had some injury issues, but I would bring him in as a stopgap measure, still draft a guy high, but that way there, you're not forcing a rookie to step right in

Starting point is 00:34:50 to left tackle in the NFL, right? He can learn from a guy like Smith. And actually you elongate Smith's career because maybe if he's a part-time player and you're gradually working a rookie left tackle in, that way there, you keep the veteran for maybe another year where he wouldn't have that. And at the same time, your rookie can transition into an NFL left tackle and you're setting yourself up for, you know, you obviously have that extra guy. So in case of injury or whatnot, you know, you have that base covered. And that's why I would like a guy like Smith because

Starting point is 00:35:42 I'm not as interested in Cam Robinson. I know he has worked with Doug Morrone in the past and that may be a factor. But, uh, I think at this stage in time, even though he's a, he's older, I think Smith is still a better player than Robinson. And I think, you know, you sign a guy like him, you still draft a left tackle really high. Right. But, you know, it kind of, you know, helps that that interim out and, and now your base is covered going into the draft and you can look for the guy that you really want. Without question, I don't think you're off base at all. I was coming into our discussion today with the intention of mentioning Tyron Smith because I do believe that this guy still has a tremendous

Starting point is 00:36:31 amount of experience and really I think a fair amount of skill to lend to a team that's looking for a stopgap option. And look, Smith's detractors are going to say that he can't do the job the way he used to. Maybe there's some truth to that. Maybe there is some decline in his skill set. But I always look at how these guys perform when they need to perform at their highest. Look at Week 9 last year against the Houston Texans. He's going up against Will Anderson and Daniel Hunter. Those are two of the best in the league at being able to disrupt the life of opposing quarterbacks. Smith posted a clean sheet, zero pressures against either one of those pass rushers. That to me says this guy still has some stuff left in the tank. He's got enough skill to be able to shut that down, but even if you're

Starting point is 00:37:17 starting to head into the decline, he still has enough experience and enough on-field savvy to get the job done. What better way to bring in a left tackle by the draft and have him learn from one of the best in the business throughout the course of his career. Steve will throw in a Godfather reference. We haven't done that yet today. If the Patriots new rookie left tackle needs any help, who's a better Consolidated than Tyron Smith. I think the Patriots could really benefit from bringing in someone like that. So to me, I think this is a move that you can make. If the price

Starting point is 00:37:48 is right, do it. Yeah, I think so too. And that way there, again, you know, you're, you're setting yourself up for the long term, right? Smith obviously helps in the short term, but now you're drafting a guy and now he's not being thrown to the wolves on day one. You know, he could learn from Smith. And again, Smith might be your starter at the beginning of the year, which is great. Right. And then, you know, Ed, he's a veteran who's been around, so he might need to catch a rest couple of series that do you work in your rookie? I think that's the way to do it. And, you know, for them, obviously Smith, even in his declining years is a step up from what they had a year ago, just like, you know, Morgan and, uh, you know, so

Starting point is 00:38:41 you're helping yourself immediately there and your protection of Drake May is Obviously going to be better. So that will help your wide receivers your running backs your tight ends the whole you know the whole system would be better and You know then you still draft somebody and you go from there I think that's the I think that should be the way they approach this now, whether or not you said if Smith up for this, we don't know. But it would be. Prudent for them to kick the tires on this.

Starting point is 00:39:21 Yeah, I think so, if they haven't done so already. And again, we know a lot of negotiations, a lot of discussions were being had behind the scenes on Tuesday, just because the Patriots were not active in announcing any moves does not mean they weren't active trying to make them happen. I do have it on good authority that that brain trust up at one Patriots place were hard at work trying to make things happen. So maybe Smith was one of those couldn't get confirmation on that folks, but you have to believe that if it wasn't, they're trying everything that they can in the next 24 to 48 hours to upgrade that position. Steve,

Starting point is 00:39:55 I think we'll wrap it up today in the manner in which we began. And that is the receiver position, whether or not the Patriots decide to dip their toe into the Cooper Cup pool, either at 4 PM Eastern on Wednesday or before that, the Pats clearly need some veterans in that receiver room that are going to come in and they're going to help this team move forward. There are a number of guys out there on the market right now. Amari Cooper, Stefan Diggs. These are names as of right now, at the time Steve and I are recording, these names are still available right now. They haven't signed on the dotted line anywhere. So in your estimation, my friend, is there anyone out there in the receiver market, a solid free agent addition to this squad?

Starting point is 00:40:38 Yeah. And again, if they sign Cooper Cup, I mean, we'd like, you know, the leadership he brings. Obviously there's injury concerns. I think Amari Cooper is kind of almost in the same boat. You know, he's been a very, uh, he's been a very productive guy, but he's on the downside of his career. Um, but again, even if they sign one of these guys, I'm not a fan of bringing in Stefan Diggs. I'm afraid that you know, bringing him into that wide

Starting point is 00:41:14 receiver room. I mean from a production standpoint, I think he's outstanding but he would he's outstanding, but he, he's more of a me type of guy rather than us type of guy. And I'd be kind of leery about putting him in that room. That's why I think Cooper, uh, Amari Cooper or Cooper cup, uh, would be better in that aspect. And you're still going to have to draft a guy. So, um, you know, preferably like, say for instance, if they would sign Cooper Cup today, you know,

Starting point is 00:41:52 then in the draft, you have a couple of tall, big receivers on the roster now, I would go for speed because that would be one thing you're lacking, right? Is that breakaway speed? So there's guys like that in the draft. And we'll have to see how it goes. But that would be my plan. You know, a perfect day today would be the sign Smith at left tackle, Cooper Cup at wide receiver.

Starting point is 00:42:19 And now you're looking to the draft and now we're going to hit the ball out of the park, right? Hopefully. Absolutely. Steve, what can I say? You always bring the wisdom, the counsel, the wit, and the level-headed reason that we need here on Locked On Patriots. Whenever we start to get a little overzealous, a little overconfident, a little worried, you have a way to take us down to exactly where we need to be in Pat's Nation. And I always thank you for that because you're always there for the handoff whenever I need you.

Starting point is 00:42:49 In the meantime, on behalf of my good friend Steve Ballastrari, I'm Mike Debate reminding all of you to stay safe, to stay well, to be the change you wish to see in the world. Have a great day everyone and we'll see you back here again tomorrow on Locked on Patriots.

Locked On Patriots - Daily Podcast On The New England Patriots - Is Cooper Kupp the New England Patriots Holy Grail? Pats Free Agency Favorites, Moves to be Made?

There aren't comments yet for this episode. Click on any sentence in the transcript to leave a comment.