Locked On Patriots - Daily Podcast On The New England Patriots - Locked On Murph Tuesday: Patriots QBs, Julio Rumors and A Look Ahead to Minicamp — 6/1/2021

Episode Date: June 1, 2021

The New England Patriots are still in the mix of teams that are reportedly interested in WR Julio Jones. However, the Atlanta Falcons’ asking price might be a bit steep for the Pats. Joining host Mike D’Abate is fan-favorite Thomas ‘Murph’ Murphy. The duo discuss the latest on Julio Jones, whether there is a budding ‘quarterback’ controversy in New England. Lastly, they take a look ahead to Patriots mandatory minicamp, set to begin on June 15th.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. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

You are Locked On Patriots, your daily New England Patriots podcast. Part of the Locked On Podcast Network, your team every day. Hello to all of you, Foxborough faithful. You are now locked into the Lockdown Patriots podcast. It is Tuesday, June 1st, a new dawn, a new day, and a little Lockdown Murph Tuesday 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. Locked On Patriots is presented today by RockAuto.com.

Amazing selection, reliably low prices, all the parts your car will ever need. Visit RockAuto.com today and tell them Locked On sent you. Greetings and salutations, Patriots Nation, and thank you for kicking off your abbreviated work week here with me on the pod. My name is Mike DeBate, your host of the Locked On Patriots podcast, which of course is a proud part of the Locked On Podcast Network, your team every day. And folks, because it's your team every day, that means your questions, comments, and feedback are always welcomed and very much appreciated.

So share that feedback. Send it to the internet by reaching out to me and following me on Twitter at MDABATEFPC. And while you're doing some Tuesday traveling through the Twitterverse, please be sure to follow the Lockdown Patriots account as well at LO underscore Patriots. Patriots fans, after an off day in observance of the Memorial Day holiday, Lockdown Patriots is back at it on Tuesday. And even though we like to start the week off in style here on Locked On Patriots with a little hashtag Locked On Murph Monday, fear not. Our good green friend is here today in the hot seat.

It's hashtag Locked On Murph Tuesday. And the Count of Murphy Fisto himself is here to provide his wisdom and counsel on the latest when it comes to the Julio Jones trade rumors. We'll also be talking about the most recent developments when it comes to the Patriots and phase three of their offseason workout program. I'm talking about OTAs and a lot is being made out of the performance of the quarterbacks, notably Cam Newton and rookie QB Mac Jones. Is there a budding controversy on our hands, or is it far too early to determine which quarterback has the upper hand of winning the starting job?

Some more opt to believe the latter rather than the former, but we will get my good friend's thoughts on the subject when he joins me here in just a moment. Last but certainly not least, mandatory minicamp in Foxborough is coming up June 15th through the 17th at the practice fields adjacent to Gillette Stadium. That's the first time that the roster in its entirety, with the exception of those players that might be excused from minicamp or those that might be holding out for contractual purposes, and that really is going to be the first telltale sign of the type of team the Patriots might be fielding. What has Murph sharp eye, both on the offensive side of the ball and on the defensive side

of the ball? It's never too early to look ahead, and that's exactly what we'll be doing today when it comes to mandatory minicamp. So an action-packed agenda and a lot to discuss. You might even call it a monster agenda. And that's good, because when Murph is here, there's always a lot to talk about, and it's always a lot of fun. But before my good green friend joins me here on the hot seat, you might notice in our discussion

today that we did mention now former Patriots running back Rex Burkhead. At the time Murph and I spoke, Rex had not officially signed on the dotted line yet. But by now, we all know that Rex is headed to Houston. The man I love to affectionately call Touchdown Osiris Rex will now be running for the Houston Texans in 2021. Rex now becoming the 14th expatriate on GM Nick Casario's Texans roster. On the offensive side of the ball, that also includes wide receivers Brandon Cooks, Dante Moncrief, tight ends Ryan Izzo and Paul Quisenberry,

those two are for you, Claire, plus lineman Marcus Cannon, Yelda Frohold, Jordan Steckler, Cole Toner. The familiarity continues on the defensive side of the ball as well. Linebackers Derek Rivers, Kamu Grugier-Hill, Keon Crossan at the cornerback position, as well as safeties Terrence Brooks and A.J. Moore Jr. Now you add Rexon to that mix, and all of a sudden, the Houston Texans start looking like Patriots West. But even though Rex was coming off of season-ending surgery in December,

he's still going to be a formidable running back, and the Patriots will miss his presence. Rex was always a factor on the field when he was healthy. He was always in the position to score, and everybody will always remember exactly how indelible Rex was to the Patriots going en route to a championship in Super Bowl 53. The AFC championship game that year against the Kansas City Chiefs in Kansas City might have arguably been Rex's finest hour as a New England Patriot. Here in New England,

he always gave a 110% effort, was always effective on the field. Unfortunately, health always seemed to be a problem for Rex Burkhead as long as he wore a Patriots uniform. But he seems to be healthy now, and all of us here in Patriots Nation wish Rex Burkhead the very best of health and success in Houston. But the Patriots won't exactly be hurting at the running back position. In fact, they have a pretty crowded depth chart when it comes to the offensive backfield. Damian Harris, Sonny Michel, James White, Brandon Bolden, J.J. Taylor, Tyler Gaffney,

and Ramondre Stevenson, the rookie taken in the fourth round of the 2021 NFL Draft out of Oklahoma. Is running back the positional grouping that will have both Murph and my sharp eye when it comes to mandatory minicamp later this month. That's just one of the questions that my good friend and I will answer today when this Tuesday episode of the Locked On Patriots podcast continues. But first, Locked On listeners, Credit Karma has always been there to help you make better financial decisions, and now they want to help even more.

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Amazing selection, reliably low prices, all the parts your car will ever need. rockAuto.com Patriots fans, it is Tuesday here on the pod, and usually our guest today helps us bat lead off each and every week. That hasn't changed, because even though it is Tuesday, it still has a Monday feel to it on this holiday week. We still need the green wisdom in council,

and it is still that time again, because he's here and he is ready to roll. Your favorite and mine, my benefactor in this business, the only guest on this pod with his very own branded hashtag, the Count of Murphy Fisto himself, the legendary Thomas Murphy is back for his weekly appearance here on Locked On Patriots. Thank you for coming to me in friendship and for joining me today, Don Murph. Always my pleasure, bud. Always my pleasure. Thank you for the sit down.

Always, my friend. Always. Anytime you come and join me here in the Locked On studios, it feels familiar. It's home. It's family getting together. Two guys getting together to talk and ball. You can't ask for better than that.

And, you know, we always make Mondays fun, but again, it's Tuesday. Shortened, like a Monday on this shortened holiday week. Hashtag LockedOnMurfTuesday. That's the biggest trending hashtag out there is LockedOnMurfMonday. Maybe we can get LockedOnMurfTuesday

to be the second biggest because usually you're here to help us bat lead off, but you're still here to help us bat lead off today and you know what murph it's groundhog day again we're still waiting for the julio jones trade even though it's common knowledge out there that no trade is really going to be announced until tomorrow j June 2nd. Theoretically, we might hear rumblings, leaks, and stuff of news on the 1st, but this won't be made official until the 2nd when that cap savings kicks in and it's mutually beneficial for teams to complete this deal. I digress, though. It's still out there.

And Murph, we are hearing that teams are offering first-rounders. We're hearing of other teams that are in the mix now. Over the weekend, we heard about the Seattle Seahawks throwing their hat into the ring in this discussion. But I'm asking you as a favor. I am coming to you today in friendship, Don Murph. Save us from the hot takes. Save us from the quote-unquote fans with sources. But what are your thoughts on the Julio Jones situation as we sit here today?

I've never wished for June 3rd more in my entire life. I want it to be over. I'm sure everybody in Atlanta wants this to be over because there's no saving the situation, and there's no bringing him back. The bottom line is that if they're asking for a first-round pick, the Patriots aren't going to bite on it. It's just not going to happen.

I don't know why Seattle is in on this. I don't think they have a first-round pick until 2030. There are other people out there saying it could happen for a second round pick and, and I, I would, I'd give up a second round pick if, if we got Atlanta to eat some of the money. And I say, we meaning, you know, Bill Belichick, uh, if, if that happened, I'm all in. I'm still not enamored with giving what could possibly be, realistically, folks, a top 20 pick in next year's draft. I hate to put a damper on everything, but right now that's kind of what it looks like.

We're talking another top 20 pick, and I don't know if I'm giving that up for a guy with bad hamstrings and on the wrong side of 30. Let's put it that way. Yeah, I think on the wrong side of 30 is a little more of a concern. I mean, I know that there were hamstring problems

last year with Julio. A lot of people were pointing to that. Prior to that, he was pretty durable. So, I mean, we're talking about a wide receiver that isn't riddled with injury history all across the board. We're being fair to Julio on both sides of the ball. But I think you make an interesting point. It's the investment, the return on investment that the Patriots would be getting to give up that kind of capital. And right now it's looking like if Atlanta is indeed getting offers for first-rounders.

And, folks, we don't know if that's the case. That's no disrespect to any of, you know, reporters or any of the media members that have reported that. I think they're being fed information. They're reporting what they're being told. But at the same time, you have to wonder, you know, how much posturing is really going on in the front office of the Atlanta Falcons. Maybe some of the teams that are involved, maybe some teams that aren't involved that just want to kind of throw things out there

and see if it drives up the price on certain teams and get them to bite on something that may have been theirs for a little bit less. But it's part of the way the game is played. One thing that is part of the way the game is played, too, is rumors, the endless rumors that we've heard. I agree with you. I'm still more pessimistic than optimistic that this deal gets done.

Again, 24 hours, 48 hours from now, I may be eating those words. And Julio Jones may end up being here, actually spotted at Logan Airport. You know, not really just, you know, the fake, you know, meme file out there. Not just the Hertz guy. Exactly right. I mean, not just the hurts not just the hurts guy exactly right i mean not just that or anything like that you know we may be seeing a lot of the belichick walking meme and things of that nature when you see those on social media it elicits a response and that's exactly what it's designed to do but at the same time if julio is brought in here to new england it will

be a happening there's no question about it The expectations for this team will skyrocket a lot higher than they are right now. And as they say in Spider-Man, bud, and I'm sorry to quote that, I don't have an incredible Hulk quote waiting for me here. I'm going to kick myself later for this. But with great power comes great responsibility, and that will allow the Patriots to be in the discussion, I think, for contending in the AFC. But they're going to have to back it up,

and they're going to have to back it up and they're going to have to be a big part of their play on the field is going to have to be a big part of that. And ultimately, you know, Murph, you can add all of the pieces around these players that you want to add. You can add all of the skill position players that you want. If you don't have solid quarterback play it's not going to matter we've talked about this several times and that leads me quite nicely into my next you know question because until when and if the julio jones trade is completed he's not a new england patriot just yet but there were several members of this roster that appeared on the practice fields adjacent

to gillette stadium last week for phase three of OTA. Those are continuing this week. And Murph, the lion's share of attention is always going to be on the quarterback position. And we heard several of our colleagues in the media, some that we consider close friends, compare and contrast what we've seen on the field from the quarterbacks, particularly Cam Newton, Mac Jones, even a little Jarrett Stidham thrown into the mix there too. But Mack has looked impressive thus far, according to those that have been in attendance. He's making reads. He's making anticipatory throws. He seems to be learning the playbook well.

He's gaining a pretty good reputation and a pretty good rapport with his teammates. But it's also evident that Cam is looking a lot more comfortable out there as well. He seems to be making completions a little bit easier, noticing that the mechanics, the throwing motion, they look more sound this year. His footwork seems to look a little bit better. Buddy, we talked about this a little bit yesterday on One Patriot's Place with you, Steve, and Claire, but I want to turn the tables a little bit and absorb your wisdom and counsel on this. My opinion is I think it's great that the quarterbacks are looking good in OTA.

It's always nice when they come out, they're throwing the ball sharp and it gets the fans excited, gives the media something to write about. But something people need to keep in mind when it comes to OTA, there are no pads, there are no contacts,

they're throwing with almost no resistance. Murph, in your opinion, should we be buying into the hype here regarding a potential quarterback controversy in 2021? No, there's no controversy. This job is Cam Newton's until he loses it, and he hasn't done anything to lose it as of yet yet and how could he like you say we're not even in shells out there this is um this is uh the week where we we we try to figure out who's wearing what number and right now uh we've got a quarterback wearing number 50 and and said mac jones people people try to read into who gets so many snaps, who's taking snaps when and where. The most interesting part of this past week or five days has been throwing balls

into a bucket in the end zone out of the quarterbacks. That's it. It's very nice to hear that these guys look like they know what they're doing out there. It's nice to hear that these guys look like they know what they're doing out there. It's nice to hear that Mac Jones is pouring over the playbook. But what else is anybody going to say? Now he's sleeping in meetings. Stop reading into everything. Enjoy what you're reading, and hats off to the people that are reporting these things, but it really does not mean that much.

And it isn't going to mean that much until we get into mandatory stuff in a very short while. Absolutely. And that does lend us quite nicely into what we're going to be talking about in the second segment, which is mandatory minicamp. But I completely agree with you on this. But yeah, there is no quarterback controversy look it was common knowledge heading into this season that this was going to be cam newton's job to lose and whether he was going to be competing with someone else that was going to come in a possible veteran maybe that was going

to push him we heard all the rumors circulating before the draft is it going to be jimmy garoppolo is it going to be marcus mariot? Is it going to be Marcus Mariota? We heard a lot of these names thrown around about possible trade targets for the Patriots. Even free agent targets like a Ryan Fitzpatrick, we heard, could be a possibility to come in here. Once Mac Jones was drafted, then it became pretty obvious that the Patriots wanted to roll with Cam for this season until he proved he couldn't do the job and then hand the reins over to Mac in a perfect world the Patriots would like to do that most likely next season at the earliest

in giving the keys to the kingdom to Mac Jones and see if he can carry the ball at the same time right now what you're looking at is I think a quarterback non-traversy I really don't see Mac Jones coming in doing well and i want to credit matt chatham on that i got that from him so i do not want to steal that or take credit for that the word non-traversy is something i picked up from matt chatham so matt if you're listening and i know he does from time to time thank you very much for that because i love it and i keep using it they call you the professor for a reason that's one of the big reasons why. But in any case, I do see that, you know, Mac playing well on the field is only good for the Patriots. He's not poised to leapfrog Cam Newton right now, unless Cam Newton comes in during mandatory minicamp,

during training camp, during the pads being put on into preseason and shows that his mechanics are either so poor or so inept that he's not able to run this offense, then you will see Mac Jones. And only then will you see Mac Jones. But in my opinion, I don't think that's going to happen. So folks, let's roll with it. Let's see what happens. But it will always be interesting in Foxborough.

It always is. And, you know, but that's why we seek your wisdom and counsel here on Locked On Patriots, because when things get interesting, we need a wise and considerate man to kind of give us the information we need and the opinions we need, whether we want to hear them or not. You tell it like it is. And with OTA beginning to wind down, as I said before, now, folks, we're going to turn our attention to mandatory minicamp. Here are my good friend's thoughts on what to watch for on both sides of the ball in New England when the Lockdown Patriots podcast continues. Lockdown listeners,

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voluntary and people can come and go, this will be our first chance to see the roster in its entirety. Well, I guess at least close to it, minus anyone that's excused or minus anyone that, dare we say it, is holding out. There are a lot of new faces on this team, some familiar ones coming back into the fold. Let's start on the offensive side of the ball, bud. Who specifically could be a player, Brandon Bolden, or it could be a unit that's going to have your sharp eye, that's going to be under that Murph microscope

as the Patriots begin mandatory minicamp later this month. Sorry for the red there, man. I couldn't help it. I had to take it. Not at all. Not at all. I really loved it. The, um, the, the person I'm going to be watching closely is, is, um, a familiar name, somebody that has been here for a very long time and somebody that, that we all know is, is a key component to this, um, to this Patriots team, not just the defensive unit, but it's Donta Hightower. There was an issue as to whether or not he was even here this week. Somebody put out a picture

saying, well, there he is. He's right there, and don't worry about it. But there were a lot of talks that Donta might still walk away. I don't think that that's going to happen. But I want to see after a year off, a year of healing up, a year away from the game as to how he takes to getting back into pads and into the flow of the system here. Is that burn and desire still there? Does he look like he's better for his time off or worse for his time off? That's the thing that I'm going to be watching closely.

Yeah, absolutely. So well said. And look, all over this defense, I really cannot wait to take a look at what this defense looks like on the, on the field, the rebuilt interior of that defensive line. Again, we talked about this a little on one Patriots place,

whether it be Devon Godshaw coming in, whether it be someone like a Henry Anderson coming in to help anchor that Lawrence guy coming back into the fold. That was a huge, you know, signing. How does Dietrich wise look setting the edge now with those competent pieces in the middle to be able to clog the middle of that interior? How does he

be able to set the edge? Chase Minovich getting into a little bit more of his own and coming into his own a little bit. Guys like Matthew Judon coming in. Kyle Van Noy coming back into the fold in Foxborough and how he's going to change the complexity and helping the Patriots efficiently run that 3-4 set that they ran so well in 2019. And then, of course, you know, you look at the return of Dante Hightower. That's a huge part of what this team does. And he is such an indelible part of the middle of that linebacking core, being able to direct traffic, be the quarterback of that defense. I just can't wait to see what he can do with all these pieces this year and still seeing what he has left in the tank. And I know a lot of people out there are wondering whether or not he's going to come back.

I have not heard anything to the contrary of the point that he is planning on playing in the league this year and planning on playing for the Patriots. So, again, we all reserve judgment to be wrong. I'm not dispelling anyone's reports, but I'm just saying I haven't heard it and I'm counting on him being out there on the field. And I, for one, hope so because Dante has always been one of my favorite guys on this team, both from a coverage standpoint and also from a fan standpoint. I love to see what he can do.

Well, we flipped the script a little and we kind of went defense first, but with offense now on the offensive side of the ball, and I did cough random Bowling's name folks, just to give you a little bit of background on what I did there and ribbing a little bit, but there's a lot of intriguing options and a lot of intriguing spots on offense too, that I think are going to intrigue folks not just at the quarterback position not necessarily just at the wide

receiver position if in fact Julio Jones is here for man you know mandatory minicamp it's a possibility at least at the time we're recording this podcast but there's so much that's happened to this offense whether it be the tight end position, the running backs may look a little bit different. The offensive line is rebuilt and retooled. What about this offense is going to intrigue you as we look toward the entirety of this roster, taking the field from mandatory minicamp? How we're going to use the new weapons that are at tight end. A little shout-out to Clazzy Clear there. I really can't wait to see these guys on the field and how Bill is going to utilize them. Who is going to be the primary blocker? Who is going to be busting up the seams?

Things of this nature. That's really intriguing to me. Also, taking a look, of course, at the running back position, how Sony and Damian and our newest running back are going to work out there. We all know that Brandon Bolden is number one on my depth chart, but I want to see how those snaps are taken care of. There's a lot all over this offense. So much has changed, and yet I want to see how much stays the same. Great point. Very, very good point.

And again, we talked about this a little on One Patriot's Place. Folks, if I'm hyping it, it's simply because it was great. All of your favorites in one spot at the same time, whether it be Murph, whether it be Steve, whether it be the Countess of Clas herself, Claire Cooper, we're all in the same chat building, I guess, at the same time, all sharing the same studio. And we talked a little bit about how the two tight end set just does not improve the tight end position. It improves the runners.

It improves the offensive line because the blocking is more sound. There are more bodies to be able to absorb some of those hits. It opens things up for play action. It opens things up for the jet sweep and it opens things up for the runners to be able to run the ball effectively out of the backfield, whether it's Damian Harris, whether it's Sony Michelle. And I'm glad that you mentioned Sony still as a part of this team. It really drives me crazy that some people are so quick to give up on this kid uh if in fact he's a part of a trade package is something that's above my pay grade i can't control that but if he's here folks it's because the patriots believe he can be an effective runner and i still think he can be i think there's a lot left in the sony michelle tank but remandre stevenson is someone that could benefit from

having that two tight end set he's theson is someone that could benefit from having that too tight end set. He's the type of back that could line up and head out into the, from the backfield and catch a pass or two and extend plays with his legs. He can get you four to five yards on the ground or two to three yards on the ground in the red zone to be able to pummel through to the, to the, the touchdown end zone.

So in that respect, it really does open up an awful lot. I share your curiosity on that. My eyes are going to be on the running back position. I really am looking forward to seeing how they're going to be able to utilize that position because there has been little turnover. Most of the primary players are still in effect. Rex Burkheadhead it's looking

likely that he's probably has moved on from new england i'd be surprised to see him return unless he just doesn't get an offer out there and he's able to come back on a very cheap deal with new england and they decide they need a depth there but uh guys like jj taylor are going to be under the microscope this is going to be a very interesting core of runners and i really want to see the impact that the two tight end sets are going to have on this running back core and of course we haven't even mentioned he's going to have a much bigger year in 2021 than he had in 2020 james was targeted so often as a primary focus of this offense because of it there was always a guy on him there were times where james white was double teamed because people were worried about the effect that he could have and what he

could do in the open field catching the ball out of the backfield he's not going to have that this year you have to dedicate those sources to a john who smith or a hunter henry or dare i say a number one wide out like a julio jones even if they don't have julio nelson agalor kendrick bourne these guys are going to um command somebody to cover them. And let's not forget Jacoby Myers in the slot either. He was very effective in that role as almost the number one. Imagine what he can do when he doesn't have to worry about lining up against some of the elite corners or the elite defenders in this offense.

This offense could be a lot better than people think it is. But again, it all comes back to quarterback play, and we'll see what we have there. Mandatory minicamp should be telltale, and it should tell a big tale this year in Foxborough. Buddy, what can I say? You'll lend the wisdom and counsel like no other. You're familiar here on Locked On Patriots. You always have been, always will be. From the bottom of my heart, I thank you for joining me today and for always being there for me whenever I need you, buddy. Folks, you should already be following this man, but for any of our newer listeners, please follow my good friend, the Count of Murphy Fisto himself on Twitter at TeamMurph207. The content that this man puts out on E2G Sports is always point,

click, and learn material. He's doing a lot of work when it comes to Major League Baseball right now, even some minor league ball. I strongly encourage you to check it out because it's great and you're always going to love it. Never miss an episode of One Patriot's Place, especially this week's episode, folks, for personal reasons. But seriously, it's always a great listen, whether it be with Murph, our great mutual friend Steve Balistrieri,

and, of course, the Countess of Klaas herself, Claire Cooper. Buddy, thanks again. Honored and humbled, as always, by your presence. Always my pleasure to be here. Monday, Tuesday, Friday, Sunday after Mass, I will be here for you, my friend. Thank you so much. You hit on every point that I could possibly make. Yes, folks, come on over to E2G, and that's where I'm parked

now. You'll get my monster keys over there once the season starts, and I will be writing some Patriots content over there, not just MLB, because like I say all the time, baseball is my wife, but the NFL and the Patriots are my mistress, and I just can't say no to them. And on that note, we will adjourn today. All kidding aside, buddy, I like the analogy. It really is good, and yeah, good stuff, bud.

So until next week when we resume our normal Monday slot here on Locked On Patriots with you, stay safe and well, bud. week when we resume our normal Monday slot here on Locked On Patriots with you. Stay safe and well, bud. We look forward to a little more hashtag Locked On Murph coming up very soon on the pod. Thanks again today for joining me, buddy. All right, Mike. Thanks for having me. Just like that, Patriots fans, because it's an abbreviated work week, we're almost halfway through it.

But we are just scratching the surface when it comes to coverage of your New England Patriots right here on the Locked on Patriots podcast. So to ensure that you do not miss a single second of the action, subscribe to, follow, and download Locked on Patriots on platforms such as the Odyssey app, Spotify, Google Podcasts, Apple Podcasts, wherever you get your podcasts. Just make sure that you are staying locked in to Locked On Patriots. Once again, my name is Mike DeBay. I thank my good friend Thomas Murphy for his time, his insight, and his appearance on today's pod.

But most of all, I thank you so much for listening and for continuing to make Locked On Patriots a daily part of your New England Patriots coverage. Until tomorrow, Pats fans. Stay safe. Stay well. Be the change you wish to see in the world. Have a great day, everyone.