Locked On Patriots - Daily Podcast On The New England Patriots - LOCKED ON PATRIOTS- 3/22/17- A Possible Revis Return To New England, Belichick Breaking Down Film With Vandy Linebacker, & Judge Richard Berman Gets Some Relief

Episode Date: March 23, 2017

Chris Simoneau, Patriots Insider for Scout.com, discusses an interesting array of topics on today's show. #patriots Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Today's show is sponsored by Talkspace, the online therapy company. For a fraction of the price of traditional therapy, you can pick an experienced licensed therapist you relate to and feel comfortable with. Each and every therapist has at least a master's degree and has completed over 3,000 hours of supervised work. To match with a perfect therapist, go to Talkspace.com forward slash boom. And to show your support for this podcast, use code boom to get $30 off your first month. That's boom.

Talkspace.com slash boom. B-O- $30 off your first month. That's BOOM. Talkspace.com slash BOOM. B-O-O-M. Good evening. I'm Chris Simino, Patriots Inside of a Scout.com, and also your host of Locked on Patriots, your source for everything Patriots. Today is Wednesday, March 22, 2017. We're going to get you guys updated on the latest Patriots news and notes. We're also going to take a look at some remaining free agents on the market,

specifically at running back and a couple of receivers we want to talk about too. Guys that we think would be a fit with the Patriots, and considering the healthy amount of cap space that they have, could be a lot of the free agent pool. Like we said in our last show, we're going to get started pretty soon with our college prospect breakdown, so the fun doesn't stop here. We're going to move on right after free agency, right into the college stuff,

so it should be pretty fun. Looking forward to all that tomorrow. Not quite there yet, but we will be tomorrow. We want to stick with free agency for now just because the Patriots are not quite done yet. We'll talk a little bit here on the Malcolm Butler situation non-stop just from different radio shows and I know other podcasts and things of that nature. We don't want to keep beating the dead horse, but we do have to continue to talk about the subject. There was a series of tweets the other day from Michael Mbardi that solidifies our opinion

that it's either the 11th pick or he stays in New England. I've said it from the start that I think he stays, and we're going to get into that too. So before we get started, just like we always say, I want my listeners to know that you can find me on Twitter under the handle Chris underscore Simino, that's C-H-R-I-S underscore S-I-M-O-N-E-A-U. If you have any questions for the show, be it about the Patriots, myself, Patriots Insider, or if you're looking to advertise here

on Locked On Patriots, you can email me directly at Simono.Christopher5 that's S-I-M-O-N-E-A-U dot Christopher, C-H-R-S T-O-P-H-E-A-U dot Christopher, C-H-R-S-T-O-P-H-E-R, the number 5 at gmail.com. If you are a member of Patriots Insider on Scout.com, if you're not, you really should be, you're missing the boat, you can contact me directly on the site via message.

So, we're going to get started first with some Patriots news and some things that caught my eye over the last few days and things that have kind of been brewing, I think, throughout the short offseason that we've had here so far. I've talked a lot about Terrell Rivas, and I'm a fan of him as a player. I've always liked his game. I know he's a mercenary. I get it. He's Sean Gilbert's nephew. Now, anybody out there, some of you older listeners,

you'll know exactly, not much older, but, you know, older guys, 40 and up there, Sean Gilbert is Jarrell Reeves' uncle. Sean Gilbert was a mercenary to the highest degree. He wanted his money. And you know what? I can't really knock these guys for that. They're putting their body on the line.

They deserve to get paid. So it is what it is. So one of the trains that we've been driving here is the Revis return to New England for 2017. And strictly because I think it makes sense from a football standpoint, especially if something does happen with Malcolm Butler going to possibly another team or if they trade him, whatever happens,

which is ironic because Rivas actually taught Butler a lot in 2014. I guess he taught him how to negotiate too. Anywho, Rivas, if he does dedicate himself to getting back in shape, which he's already talking about it, saying he's already lost 10 pounds. This guy's into it again. I think he could return close to what he was in 2014 when he was still pretty much locked down. He was really good.

Revis, you can move him from corner to safety, and there's reports that Bill Belichick wasn't really into this when they talked about it during contract negotiations back in 2015, but I get the feeling that they could revisit that conversation and Revis might be able when they talked about it during contract negotiations back in 2015. But I get the feeling that they could revisit that conversation and Revis might be able to sell Bill on that because if he gets a little bit stronger, I think one of the reasons Bill has said that is because he probably doesn't look at Revis as the best tackler, but from a coverage standpoint, I mean, are you kidding me?

Having him back there and being able to peek into the backfield and peek back there and figure things out as a free safety, I just think he'd be lethal. So that's something to keep an eye on too. I think Rivas is definitely a guy that can play a little bit of safety and corner. I think he can play nickelback too. You know, he's getting older, no question about it. He's 31, but he wants to continue to play.

And the thing is, if you get him for less than $6 million, he's on the Jets' dime, they've got to pay for him, which is hilarious. And I think the Patriots kind of have to be intrigued by that. So I think that it could happen. The Boston Globe and the Boston Herald each had articles on Sunday about the potential return of Revis. So the idea is starting to really make its way through and gain traction in the media. Again, I know we're one of the first members of the media to really start. I think we really might have started the Revis strain for the return here because it makes sense.

The question is, has it gained any traction in the Patriots' front office? I think they've talked about it from some of the things I've heard. It's definitely talked about. But will it happen? That's a good question. We're going to have to see. We're going to know at some point, one way or another. But one NFL executive last week said the only team that really makes

sense for Revis to go to is New England because no one else is going to give him money. And if he's going to go somewhere where he wants to win and he wants to rehabilitate his career, New England is the place where you go if you're still a good player. And he's been here, so he knows what to expect. He's won here, so why not come here again, win again, maybe, who knows, maybe he signs a one-year deal, he plays great, and goes, somebody else gets fooled, and signs, do a big contract, and he gets fat and happy again, who cares, but if he comes back for a second tour of duty, and he's a good player here, you know, it might be worth doing, and it might be worth Revis' saying, you know

what, I'm just going to go there and finish up my career, and I'm going to take, you know, it might be worth doing. And it might be worth Revis' saying, you know what? I'm just going to go there and finish up my career, and I'm going to take regular money, not crazy money, and be as good a player as I can be until the wheels fall off. Because he's always said that he was going to play until the wheels fall off, and last season it looked like they had, but I don't know. I don't think he's done yet, just like I didn't think Moss was done back in 2007. I don't think Rivas is done now,

so I think the Patriots would definitely be smart to take a look at him. So on to the next subject, Jimmy Garoppolo. Well, he continues to remain a Patriot, which is something that a lot of people did not expect. In all the chaos surrounding free agency, specifically the Dante Hightower situation, which finally came to fruition last week,

in the Malcolm Butler standoff, which doesn't seem to want to end, one of the biggest storylines of this offseason continued to sit on hold as Jimmy Garoppolo remains a Patriot. Adam Schefter, who is the most tuned in reporter in the media,

says there is no way the Patriots are trading Garoppolo, not even if they were offered four first-round picks. And the way he's talking, it sounds like he would bet his house on that. Mary Kay Cabot, she of the Cleveland Plain Dealer, has reported for weeks that there's a deal to be made, but she's gone radio silent for the last two weeks, and I'm starting to believe that there is a deal to be made, but she's gone radio silent for the last two weeks, and I'm starting to believe that there is a reason why. The reason? I think Chef D might be right,

and I think the reason, I know he's right. Of course he's right. Somebody from the Patriots told him this, and the reason he knows is because you get the information probably from Belichick, probably from the horse's mouth. You know, when it comes down to it, it's very simple. And Patriots fans, brace yourselves, because I know this really affects you guys.

I'm from New England. I get it. This is not going to be fun to watch. Tom Brady is going to be 40. 4-0. 40 years old. I don't care if he's the greatest ever or not He is near the end He is a football player When you get to the age of 40 and you're still playing That is a statistical anomaly

You don't continue to play For another 10 years If he does then I will shave my head When he's 50 Playing because I'll be 51 So it won't matter anyways Because I'll be completely bald by that point. But I will. I'll shave my head. I'm not going to say I'll shave my eyebrows because I'm afraid they won't grow back.

So we're not making that bet. Tom Brady's not going to be playing when he's 50 years old. I don't care if he's the greatest ever or not. He's not going to be. And Belichick wants Garoppolo to replace him when he's done because he knows that Garoppolo can play. Quarterbacks are hard to find. Placing legends that can

still play is basically impossible. Belichick, he's trying to walk that tightrope and it's not easy. Right now his plan is to try to keep them both and by this time his next move will be getting Brady to sign a final contract. I think that's what he's going to try to do.

That's more cap-friendly, and then they can franchise Garoppolo next year and actually keep him, not trade him, not play him, unless Brady starts to fall off like Manning did, which could absolutely happen. It could definitely happen, and then they just play him. But I think that's what's going to happen. I think they're going to franchise him next year.

I think that's why they're not spending a ton of money right now. You know, they get Malcolm Butler locked up, but they do get that deal done. Even if they don't, if he's on just the regular tender, that's $3.91 million, you know, they're still going to have up to $20 million in cap space even after they sign their draft pick. So I think they're holding on to some of this space and keeping some of this room so they'll be able to sign Garoppolo and franchise him next season.

They're just trying to keep some extra cap space there, and it makes sense. They don't want to let him go. They know Brady's 40, going to be 40, and it's called being smart. And if you trade him to Cleveland and Cleveland puts together a juggernaut, because look at all the draft picks they have going forward. Even if they trade the number one pick, even if they offer the number one pick in a second round or a third round, even if they offer three or four of those top first round,

second round picks for the next few years, they still have a whole bunch more. Cleveland, Paul DePodesta, the guy who was on Moneyball, who was with Oakland, who people were ripping on and saying, why are they hiring that guy? Well, I think we're starting to see it. I think we're starting to see it. Cleveland knows what they're doing. There's some things going on over there that people don't seem to be talking about.

And I know they've been bad luck, they've had bad luck forever, but that team's starting to accumulate draft picks. They're doing some smart things. They made that illegal trade, which I actually loved. I think that should be totally legal in the NFL. It's stupid that it's not. If the Patriots made it, it'd get blocked. That's not even a joke. That's true.

But I love that trade. That was a good move. So why would you give them Garoppolo? If Cleveland's making smart moves in this time to improve, they're going to go find, even if they're going to make a hard push for Garoppolo, say no. If you're going to trade that guy, trade him to San Francisco. Get him out of here.

Get him out of the AFC completely. You don't want to have to deal with that guy twice a year or even once a year to try to get to the Super Bowl. If he's the guy who comes in between you because he's playing for Cleveland, come on, don't do that. So I just think it doesn't make sense to keep him. I think what they should do is, I think what Belichick is doing, is he's banking on Brady being done after 2018,

and then Garoppolo steps right in. They'll franchise him for a second year. They'll pay that exclusive money on him, or they'll get a contract worked out with him to say, hey, you know, Lestato, you're our guy for the next 15 years, just like Brady just did. Well, actually, Brady's going to be a lot longer than that, but you guys get what I'm saying.

So this is a fluid situation. We're going to constantly keep an eye on it. I'm enamored with the situation because it's like nothing I've ever seen, especially with, you know, obviously we saw the Steve Young transition happen in San Francisco, it. I'm enamored with the situation because it's like nothing I've ever seen, especially with, you know, obviously we saw the Steve Young transition happen in San Francisco, but it was a different game back then. Quarterbacks were getting hit, and I mean, I do believe that Tom Brady's the greatest quarterback of all time, but one of the things that Joe Montana had to deal with that Brady really doesn't is Montana got hit more, and the hits he took were lethal.

He used to get hammered. So his career ended a little bit more prematurely than Brady. Obviously, he's still playing. He's had a much longer career than Montana did. And one of the reasons why is because these quarterbacks don't get hit anymore. And I know Brady takes his licks. He takes them in the playoffs and stuff like that, but during the regular season,

they call penalties on that, and they typically lay off. So, that's something where that's where the NFL game has changed. But again, he's 40. Garoppolo's going to be the starter soon. So, people, brace yourself. Two years, Brady out. That's my prediction. Garoppolo

in, maybe making $22.5 million, maybe more. But that's what's going to happen because that's what has to happen. It's almost time to make the transition. And you don't want to make the transition to Brissette yet because I don't think he's ready. And if Brissette happens to become ready and they have Garoppolo and they have a surplus of good quarterbacks, then you go out and make a trade.

So that's just how we see it here at Lockdown Patriots. Garoppolo, let's keep him in the fold. So I know we weren't going to get into prospects until tomorrow, but it is important to note that Bill Belichick is out on the scouting trail, personally scouting specific players and also sitting down to break down film. This week's pupil was Vanderbilt linebacker Zach Cunningham. Cunningham seemed really excited and a bit overwhelmed by the whole process. This went down late last week.

But he also felt like he answered everything correctly when Belichick walked him through and asked him what they were doing defensively at certain specific points of the game. Cunningham's believed to be a first-round prospect, which makes you wonder if maybe the Patriots do have some plans of jumping back into the first round with a trade, or if maybe the people that mock Cunningham as a first-round prospect are wrong and he gets drafted maybe in the second round, and the Patriots can maybe take their two third-round picks or a third and a fourth and jump up and get them because I think that's what you might see more than anything

is to hope one of these guys drops down because of all the depth. Cunningham is definitely one of those guys that could do it. Cunningham or not, the Patriots are definitely going to be targeting a linebacker in the draft regardless of the fact that they went out and re-signed Hightower. They're just not good enough there yet. Jonathan Freeney is coming back this year, which will help. But the rest of them, I mean, Kyle Van Nooy, come on.

He's a good depth guy, I think. Not a bad guy to have, you know, on special teams and a guy to come off the bench a little bit. But they need to add some talent to the linebacking core to go along with Hightower because we all know Hightower's an injury waiting to happen. He's going to miss three games next year. He's going to miss three, four games. It happens all the time. He's a good player. He's a great player.

But they can't not have insurance for him and to have guys to play with him. He can't do it on his own. So linebacker is something they've got to target. Obviously, Cunningham is somebody they clearly like. Belichick wouldn't go sit down with him and break down film with him

if he didn't like the player and didn't like what he saw on tape. So keep that name in mind, Patriots fans, come draft day. Linebacker from Vanderbilt, Zach Cunningham, a personal Belichick favorite. Another guy who I think might be one of Belichick's favorites is Judge Berman of the Deflate Fate fame. And he's happy for the Patriots. The first run through court was a win for Brady, and the rational judge in this case was Judge Richard Berman.

Berman spoke with Peter King in Monday Morning Quarterback. I think it was Peter King. Peter, if it wasn't you, I apologize. I should probably know that. But he did speak with Peter King's Monday morning quarterback, and he thinks that this specific Super Bowl win ends the whole saga, as would I call it. He said that he, quote,

always thought that this should be settled on the field and not in the courtroom, and now it has been, and not in a courtroom, and now it has been, and in such a dramatic way that left no doubt, unquote. I concluded, quote, that the NFL arbitration process, what he believed, was fundamentally flawed principle because of lack of notice of alleged infraction, inappropriate comparison of football deflation, the use of steroids, failure to allow Brady's counsel to question NFL General Counsel Jeff Pasch, and refusal to share with counsel the notes of witness interviews.

The commissioner's arbitration award was not entitled to deference by the courts, also because he had a personal stake in the outcome of the appeal. That is, he had an incurable conflict of interest, evident partial reality, and could not possibly be fair. Those are some pretty heavy words from Mr. Berman. I mean, seriously. That's, Judge Berman is not some run-of-the-mill, you know, podunk city, podunk town judge. This guy works for the, you know, Second Circuit down in New York.

He's a legit guy. To say that and then have another guy vote to say that the Patriots, because, you know, it wasn't 3-0 when the Patriots lost the appeal. It was 2-1, you know, eight months later Patriots lost the appeal. It was 2-1. Eight months later, NFL wins that appeal 2-1. They shouldn't have won that appeal.

When you have two judges that say Goodell possesses broad authority to discipline players at his behest, but then you have other two that say, no, he has way too much of a conflict of interest, this is ridiculous. Well, there's no way that that shouldn't keep going, but unfortunately, and I understand now, I look back in hindsight, now, I think Tom Brady, one of the reasons he stopped is because, you know, and I'm not trying to be insensitive, but I think a lot of it has to do with his mother getting sick, I think her having cancer and all that going on, I just don't think he cared at that point,

he said, you know what, I'm not going to sit here and fight this anymore, I'm going to take the suspension, I'm worried about my mom, she's got cancer, you know, the franchise is going to continue to go through this crap too at the same time, I think the Patriots probably said the same thing too. It's time to give it up. But Judge Berman was pretty adamant in the way he, in how he felt about this situation. When it overturned eight months after he, you know, sided with Brady and the Patriots, it didn't sit well with him and it took him a long, long time to move on. He admitted that watching the Patriots come back made him feel a little bit better. You know, Brady lost four games he never should have lost, and it cost him an MVP award.

You know, poor guy, and again, like I just said, I was talking about his mom who's got cancer, and he's stressing that and going through all that crap in his own personal life. And then to do what to have what happened to him that was just wrong so you know it's people think people let me think i'm crazy for saying this but it's almost karma for brady you know maybe the one of the luckiest guys in the history of the world but at the same time he got dragged through the mud for no reason for something he didn't do and now his family and his poor mom is going through this illness,

I think that it really is karma what happened and why the Patriots won the Super Bowl. I think that's a big part of it. It's just amazing how this whole thing went down and how the Patriots lost a first-round pick that never should have happened. I mean, think about that. They're still losing a fourth-round pick this season, the pick that they got back in the Brandon Cooks trade,

which would have been the 114th selection. They get back their 132, but the NFL absorbs the 114 because it's a higher pick. That's just stupid. That's just dumb. The NFL, you guys are kidding me. And on the same for that, I know it's a little bit off the topic, but Troy Vincent,

are you kidding me with the videos about how to celebrate? Are you kidding me, NFL? Come on. A video? You're going to show these guys a video on how to appropriately celebrate? Troy Vincent, you played in the NFL. I've seen your celebrations. I've seen you do bird dances and all this other stuff.

Are you kidding me? These guys are out there playing football. Their adrenaline is flowing like crazy. They're playing a crazy game. It's fast. You make a big play, you get excited. You're going to react. You don't even know how you're going to react.

You just do. You can think these guys think about that in the moment and they have time to stop. Troy Vincent, come on, man. I know that you know better than that. Don't be that much of an NFL company puppet. That's so bad. The NFL needs to seriously get a hold of themselves and get a new PR department. Stop letting the PR guys, and don't, I know that Goodell is a PR guy, so he probably doesn't even have a guy that does a forum. I'm sure they do,

but I'm sure he is a big part of it. He needs to stop, and they need to stop. This thing today, I couldn't believe when I saw that tweet, a video on how to properly celebrate oh my good god please nfl please stop and that just goes in with the deflategate stuff and everything else that's happened with the nfl they're gonna release a video on how to not

properly on how to properly celebrate how about releasing a video on on on how not to domestically attack your wife or your girlfriend? How about that? How about not going after a team for alleged flat footballs? How about being consistent? How about maybe taking a look into that trade that Cleveland and Houston made, even though I think that should be legal? It's not. Not a word was said.

So it's just, the whole thing's a joke. The NFL, and Judge Berman, he got his vindication, so good for him. But at the same time, that was such a joke. And the way that the NFL treats a lot of things is frustrating. And, you know, to read what I've been reading over the last couple weeks over how the NFL has already been operating this offseason is just disgusting. So hopefully things change in that front office, but I wouldn't get your hopes up. Let's take a minute to tell you about one of our sponsors.

Patriots Insider on scout.com provides daily news, video from NFL.com, which is good stuff. It's funny, good stuff, and they've got good highlights and everything. Fantasy Football, you can play on there. You can spend money and play and win tons of money. Or you can just go there for advice because they've got great articles. And you can also earn money back. You sign up for Patriots Insider on Scout.com.

You get 10% off tickets to NFL, NBA, MLB, and NHL games. And you can also get discounts on movie tickets, concert tickets, and big discounts on amusement park tickets like Six Flags. If you take a family of four, you can save up to $100. That $100 is going to pay for parking and for the site for the full year. You're also going to get 10% off purchases from Fanatics.com. I just got my Super Bowl sweatshirt. Things are nice, so comfortable.

I got it for a birthday present. But it's from Fanatics. So, you know, my in-laws, they knew. Go to Fanatics. Get it from there. Great place to get it. Now, if you're a member of Scout.com, Patriots Insider, Tempest Off. You can't beat that deal.

Can't beat it. That saves money from the shipping, saves money from your purchase, and also come around on holidays, birthdays, things like that. It's just a great deal. Lastly, new members are going to get free Sports Illustrated for one year. So this is a great deal. $5 a month, $49 for the year. Discounts on tickets to games, tickets to the movies,

tickets to concerts, and huge array of bands. Tickets to amusement parks. Discounts off of Fanatics.com. 10% off your purchases. Free year sports illustrated. How can you not do this? $5 a month, $49 for the year.

What you need to do, go to nwe.scout.com to register today. This is an unbelievable deal. I tell you guys about this every show, and the reason I tell you about every show is because it's a good site. We put a good amount of material up there every single week, every single day. We actually post the shows up there too, so if you happen to be on the site and you're messing around, you missed a show one day, well, click on the link because you'll find it on there too.

It's not just on Audioboom. You're also going to find it on Scout.com. So go check it out because I'm telling you, you guys will like it. And then sign up for it. You can go and talk in the forums with people, with other Patriots fans. It's a great website. Go check it out, nwe.scout.com. Register and get yourself some discounts and some cool stuff.

So one of the things I wanted to talk about before we wrapped up our show was some of the available free agents. We've actually discussed some of these players already, but I just wanted to go through and make you guys aware of who is still out there and what I think the chances of them signing with New England. So we're going to talk offensive skill position and look at the running backs. Adrian Peterson is still available. And I know people are like, oh, yeah, he's a big name and yada, yada, all that stuff.

Big name, that's all you want to talk about him for. Well, it's not just the case. I mean, the guy's a talented football player, and I would love to see if he still has that burst, and he plays in this offense on first and second down, he'll run for 1,300 yards just playing two downs a series. Getting 20 carries a game, he'll run for 1,300 yards. The Garrett Blount ran for 1,200 yards last season and 18 touchdowns.

Adrian Peterson, it's Adrian Peterson. Don't people get this? I hear, oh, he puts the ball on the ground. So does LeGarrette Blount. So does Dion Lewis. Okay? The guys put the ball on the ground. It happens.

NFL players, defensive players, are excellent at forcing fumbles and they make big hits and they're good at it. As running backs, they're going to fumble the ball sometimes. It is what it is. Peterson, if you can get him at a decent rate, get him for $5 million a year, I would take him over anybody else out there available in a heartbeat. So I still think this is something to keep an eye on.

Again, my source that I don't like to refer to, but he's a guy who really does find things out in his own weird way. I don't know what he does, but he finds out, knows that the Patriots have spoken to his agent about coming here and things of that nature, but it's been radio silence since then. So we'll see what happens. They signed Rex Burkhead, and I like to pick up, and they gave him a decent amount of money,

and they gave him incentive clauses to get more money, but I don't think he's going to be the guy. I don't think he's going to be the main guy. I think Adrian Peterson could be. Next on the list, can't ignore this, LeGarrette Blount. He's not signed either. So do they sign Blount? Do they bring him back? I don't know.

I mean, it doesn't really seem like he's going to ask for a ton of money. You know, he'll probably get him for $3.5 million. You know, give him a raise. You have to give him a raise just like you did with Alan Branch on the defensive line. You can't bring back Blount at the run of 1,200 yards and 18 touchdowns and say, yeah, we're going to give you $900,000 a year. That's not going to happen. I don't care if he's a running back or not.

That's not going to happen because somebody else will give him $2 million and he'll leave. So I think the best bet when it comes to Blount, you know, if you can't get Peterson, if you can't get a couple of the other guys, well, the next guy that I mentioned, I think that Blount might be a guy that you just bring him back and keep the train running. I like Blount. I always have.

I think he's a good running back. The one thing I don't like about him is that he doesn't get short yardage. He's not very good at it. He's good at the goal line, though. This is strange. He's got a nose for the end zone, which most guys do. Actually, that's not true. Most guys don't.

That's just not true. I just made that up. Actually, it's a talent to be able to get into the end zone. He has that skill. A lot of guys, for some reason, struggle with that, too, even bigger guys. But Blount does. But when it's third and one, he can't get that first down. So it's strange. He's out in the field, you know, from the 20s to the 20s. He's not your best

guy until you get to the fourth quarter when everybody's tired and he starts to weigh people down. But when you get to the goal line, he's the guy that you want to have out there. He's a better, you know, he gets in the end zone better than anybody in the league. 18 touchdowns last year. So if they can get him, if they can't get Peterson, I think Blount will be the next guy on the list that they'd want to sign. I'm sure they've spoken with him and his agent. I know that he's already said he wants to come back here. But he's going to keep his options open because he has to

because he's a 30-year-old running back. And he just had his best season. And I guarantee he hasn't made a ton of money in the NFL. He's probably made good money, but in comparison to the guys he works with and plays with, he hasn't made even nearly as much as them. So I'm sure he's looking for a decent contract after his career year. So keep an eye on Blunt. I think that they will eventually.

I think that the best eventually, you know, I think that the best bet is he comes back. Out of everything, out of all the guys I talk about, I think he's the best bet he comes back. So keep an eye on that situation. Third, Jamal Charles. So Charles met with Seattle. He met with them after they signed Lacey, so clearly he's on their list. They like him. The thing is with Chalzo, is he done? I mean, he couldn't play last season. He burnt me in fantasy football. Damn you, Jamal.

I drafted him, and he burnt me bad. It hurt me. And I had a good season still, but unfortunately not. I mean, Jamal was a killer. So what's the deal? Is he ready to go? I don't know. I like him.

I think he's a great fit for the Patriots offense, but I just don't think that he's ever going to be the Jamal Charles that we remember with the burst and the speed. I think those days are done, and I think that's one of the reasons why Seattle hasn't signed him. He had to meet with him twice. We'll see what happens, but I know that the Patriots like him. Everybody does, and he's a talented guy. He's another one, though, that's north of 30 at this point, and I just don't think that we're ever going to see

the same guy again. So, again, he's one of the top three guys, top two guys on the market, but I just don't think that he is worth signing at this point just because I don't think he's one of the top three guys, top two guys on the market, but I just don't think that he is worth signing at this point just because I don't think he's ever going to have the same speed that he once had. Next up, James Stocks, former Green Bay Packer. Who knows, could be going back there, so it may not be for him. It may just be taking a little tour of the market. But I like Starks as a back. I think that he could do pretty well with New England as a first and second down guy. I think he'd be able to run for over 1,000 yards if he was the focal point of the offense.

He does get hurt, and he does have brain farts. He has his occasional fumbles and things like that, which we talked about. But, again, he outplayed Lacey at times last season and the season before that. So I think if Starks was the main guy for a season, I think he could have a good year. So he's a guy to keep an eye on, and I don't think you'd have to break the bank to get him either. And if you had Starks, Burkhead, Lewis, and White, you're looking at a pretty good core right there. So James Starks is another guy to keep an eye on. And last but not least is Christian Michael.

Michael's another one that would be a good addition to the core that they already have. He has a fourth guy that would play on first downs and maybe second downs. Who knows, even some third downs because he's got speed and he's got hands. Michael, the old Texas A&M product, he's bounced around, but everywhere he's gone, he's produced. He's picked up decent yardage, and he's a fast back. So he's another one to keep an eye on. Again, I talked about all these guys before, but they're still out there,

and that's why I wanted to bring them back up today. A couple wide receivers that I think to keep an eye on still. I think Michael Floyd still has a good chance of coming back here. I think once all the prison stuff is said and done with and he's finished up with that sentence, I think the Patriots will go ahead and sign him probably to maybe a league minimum type contract or maybe just like a million and a half, something like that.

But I think Floyd will be back. And last, Victor Cruz. Cruz is not signed of anybody yet. I think that Cruz is a guy that he's going to have to take no money. He's going to get a chance and go somewhere. And you know who loves giving people nothing. To give them something and come here and prove something. That's the Patriots.

So Victor Cruz is another one I think to keep an eye on. Especially with the possible Danny Amendola maneuver that I think is going to happen. I think they're going to cut him eventually because they're not going to pay him $7 million a year. And I think that Cruz is a guy that if Amendola won't work out a new deal, they'll take a look at Cruz. And if he does well in his physical and he does well when they work him out, I think they'd sign him. So Victor Cruz and Michael Floyd are the receivers. I think that they could possibly still sign. So keep an eye on that. So I want to thank you all for joining us on this Wednesday edition of Locked on Patriots.

Be sure to go to iTunes and subscribe to our show today. Well, tonight. Right now. Go do it. And tell your friends. Text them all. Put them all on blast. Say, what are you guys doing?

Go do it. Don't waste your time. Go to iTunes. Subscribe them all on blast. Say, what are you guys doing? Go do it. Don't waste your time. Go to iTunes. Subscribe to our show today. Here at Locked On Patriots, we are all about getting Patriots fans the most info you need to be the most in the know Patriots fans. Be sure to join us tomorrow. We're going to give you guys again some up-to-the-minute news.

If anything's changed in the Malcolm Butler situation, we're obviously going to let you guys know. The world champs are always working, so there's always things going on. Again, I'm your host, Chris Semino. Thanks for joining us today. Be sure to join us again tomorrow, and have a great night, Patriots fans. Is democracy in danger or decline?

Condoleezza Rice, William Galston, and Carlos Gutierrez and others take on this question in the fall edition of The Catalyst, a journal of ideas from the Bush Institute. Surveys show Americans place less trust in institutions like the media and business. Others contend America has faced far more challenging periods and emerged strong. Leading policymakers, Bush Institute experts, and respected journalists take on this debate. Read about it at bushcenter.org slash catalyst.