Locked On Patriots - Daily Podcast On The New England Patriots - Malcolm Butler Meets the Media; New England Patriots Defensive Draft Plans — 4/19/22

Episode Date: April 20, 2022

The New England Patriots continue their march towards the 2022 NFL Draft. In the process, they welcomed an old friend back to Foxboro as cornerback Malcolm Butler met with the media for the first time since re-signing with the team in March. To discuss Butler’s return, host Mike D’Abate is joined by Steve Balestrieri of PatsFans.com. The duo also discuss the finalists for induction into to the Patriots Hall of Fame, as well as the Pats plans for addressing the front seven in the draft.Find and follow Locked On Patriots on your favorite podcast platforms:Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/locked-on-patriots-daily-podcast-on-the-new-england/id1140512627 Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/1c5ZxFmwg3WbfxAU3tR5Ve?si=k196wH-yRqifUcQQz8SjIQStitcher: https://www.stitcher.com/show/locked-on-patriots And follow host Mike D’Abate on Twitter, where he’ll be sharing the latest news about the New England Patriots and talking with fans.On Twitter: @mdabateNFLSupport 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.BetOnlineBetOnline.net has you covered this season with more props, odds and lines than ever before. BetOnline – Where The Game Starts!Rock AutoAmazing selection. Reliably low prices. All the parts your car will ever need. Visit RockAuto.com and tell them Locked On sent you.Shady RaysEXCLUSIVELY FOR OUR LISTENERS, HEAD TO SHADYRAYS.COM AND USE CODE LOCKEDON TO GET FIFTY PERCENT OFF TWO OR MORE PAIRS OF POLARIZED SUNGLASSES.Athletic GreensTo make it easy, Athletic Greens is going to give you a FREE 1 year supply of immune-supporting Vitamin D AND 5 FREE travel packs with your first purchase. All you have to do is visit athleticgreens.com/NFLNETWORK. Blue NileThis Mother’s Day give mom something she’ll treasure forever with fine je Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

The Butler did it before, but can he do it again? Malcolm Butler meets with the New England media, and also the New England Patriots move closer to the 2022 NFL Draft. Who along that defensive front seven might the Patriots be eyeing? I'm Mike DeBate, and you are about to be locked in to the Locked On Patriots podcast. You are Locked On Patriots, daily new england patriots podcast part of the locked on podcast network your team every day Hello to all of you, Foxborough faithful, and thank you for joining me here today on this Tuesday episode of Locked on Patriots.

Thank you once again for making Locked on Patriots your first listen every day. Remember, Locked on Patriots is always free and available on all platforms, including YouTube, which you may or may not be viewing or listening to this podcast on right now. I am your host, Mike DeBate. I also cover your New England Patriots for Patriots Country of Sports

Illustrated, so you can interact with me. Let me know what's on your mind on Twitter at MDABATENFL. While you-T-E-N-F-L. While you're out there showing some Tuesday love to that Twitterverse, please be sure to follow the Locked On Patriots account as well at L-O underscore Patriots. Pats fans, it is always my honor, always my privilege on Tuesdays to welcome in our resident voice of reason. And we always need his voice of reason here on Locked On Patriots.

Columnist extraordinaire for patsfans.com. He is also not the host of just one great Patriots podcast, but two. Patriots fourth and two, and of course, one Patriots place. He is my Patriots paisan, truly one of my favorite people in the world. Steve Balistrieri joins me today. Welcome back to Locked On Patriots Paisan, truly one of my favorite people in the world. Steve Balistrieri joins me today. Welcome back to Locked On Patriots, bud. As always, thanks for having me, Mike.

It's always a pleasure. And now I'm a member of three great podcasts. Well, thank you. I appreciate that. And you definitely are familiar here on Locked On Patriots. There's no question about it. We love being able to talk ball each and every time that we hit the microphone, whether it be over the phone or whether it be in a public setting like this.

It's always, always my honor and always my privilege to talk ball with you, my friend. And there's a lot to talk about today. We've got an action-packed show on the agenda for all of you out there today. Malcolm Butler speaks to the media. We had a chance to get to hear Malcolm's thoughts on his return to New England, what he expects out of the season this year, and a little bit of insight into what went through his mind when he decided to come out of retirement and play for the New England Patriots. 2022 draft also just over a week away now.

We're getting down to the nitty gritty, Steve. I know a lot of people are talking wide receiver a lot of people are talking cornerback linebackers sprinkled in a little bit there but we know that championships are won on the lines and the patriots d line and their front seven include some of the linebackers and edge rushers in there as well definitely needs an upgrade and steve is going to provide his thoughts on who the Patriots might target or who they should target in his infinite wisdom and counsel in the 2022 NFL draft. So we'll discuss all of that today here on Locked On Patriots and thank you again for joining us. But Steve, before we get into Malcolm Butler, before we get into the 2022 NFL draft, earlier

today on Tuesday, the New England Patriots Hall of Fame sponsored by Raytheon Technologies issued their list of finalists for induction to be the 32nd member of the New England Patriots Hall of Fame as expected not really a surprise I don't think the three finalists were former Pats linebacker Mike Vrabel, now the head coach of the Tennessee Titans. Former Patriots defensive lineman Big Vince Wilfork. And first-time nominee, offensive lineman Logan Mankins. Not making the cut were guys that were nominated by the nominating committee, people like wide receiver Wes Welker, former head coaches Chuck Fairbanks, Bill Parcells, safety lawyer Malloy.

These are just a couple of the names that were nominated that did not quite make the cut this time around. Steve, I'm definitely satisfied with the list that Patriots fans will have to choose from between now and mid-May in order to gain induction into the Patriots Hall of Fame. Definitely, I think all players are deserving. I think at some point, Vrabel is going to get in. I think at some point, Mankins is going to get in. And I think at some point, Wilfork is going to get in. Don't want to steal your thunder right off the bat, but what do you think of that list? Did the Patriots get this right? And

who should get the nomination this year? Last but certainly not least, who will get the nomination this year? I think the three names that were the finalists are kind of a no-brainer. I think we probably all expected those three to be in there. So that's not shocking whatsoever. Not to say that the other people are not deserving. I've been beating the drum for Chuck Fairbanks for a very, very long time. So, you know, I want to see Chuck Fairbanks get in there. But looking at the three names that are the finalists this year,

basically a no-brainer. I thought the third position was either going to be Mankins or Wes Welker. So no big surprise there. I think all are deserving. I think all should get in at some point. I think Vince Wolf will get in this year. Yeah, I agree with you. I see Big Vince going in this year.

In another season, if Vince wasn't on there, I think it would have been Vrabel. But I will have to see down the road. But I think this is big Vince's year and it'll be great to see him back in Foxborough this summer. Absolutely. I mean, I would love to see Vince be able to get his induction.

We were in the press room when, you know, Vince announced his one day retirement from the Patriots and it was a great day. You know, you could see obviously, you know, Bill Belichick and Vince would look thrilled looked thrilled to be there and to have him come home and to be a part of this franchise, retire a Patriot, and now hopefully be able to don his red jacket is going

to be something that he's as well deserving of him. And don't forget, Vince was also on that very short list of consideration, former Patriots who were considered for the Pro Football Hall of Fame. And Richard Seymour getting his gold jacket this year, very well deserved there as well. list of consideration. Former Patriots who were considered for the Pro Football Hall of Fame, Richard Seymour getting his gold jacket this year, very well deserved there as well. Maybe Vince has that in his future. That may be a little bit more cloudy, but I definitely think the red jacket time for Vince Wilford has come. That being said, Vrabel is absolutely deserving of the honor. So is Logan Mankins, two of the better players at their position and now that we're starting to see a lot of the brady belichick era become eligible uh these guys are going to start getting in you're going to start getting a log jam a little bit uh there seems to be rumblings

from some members of the fan base even some members of the media some of our colleagues that are sitting there thinking to themselves well do the Patriots need to start letting multiple people in at one time? Because you're looking at possibly a backlog of a lot of deserving players that may not be pro football hall of famers, but these guys are really, you can make the strong case that they're Patriots hall of famers, the Patriots still getting it right here, or are they going to have to look at the selection process a little bit closer? You know, I, I,

I've been saying for a while, I think they need to look at the selection process from the aspect. I think you look at the modern era guys, like the Brady Belichick era guys. And then you're looking back at guys like Chuck Fairbanks, right? Bill Parcells. I,

I, You know, I'm wondering if they should have like a veteran category to let some of those guys who are deserving that played in that era into the Team Hall of Fame. I think there's some deserving names out there. So, you know, the other name that I beat the drum for all the time, Russ Francis. Absolutely. I still find it hard to believe he's not in the Team Hall of Fame. It really is.

It's tough to kind of quantify what these guys were able to do. So much of Patriots folklore for the modern fan really was born in 2000 when Bill Belichick took the helm and Tom Brady came in for Drew Bledsoe and then the rest is history and most younger Patriots fans that's where their fandom begins but for guys like you and I it goes back a lot further than that you know I remember being you know I was a five-year-old kid at the time but watching that excruciatingly horrific Super Bowl between the Patriots and Bears. And I still have childhood nightmares because of that game, the 46 to 10 game. But, you know, you look at players that even predate that and, you know, guys that are

deserving that really paid their dues in this organization that did an awful lot to help further the brand. We hear that, you know, argument about Bill Parcells all the time. Is he worthy of induction based on what he's done to the franchise and putting it on the map? And his detractors obviously are going to say, well, he wasn't really here long enough and he doesn't have a strong enough track record, but that indelible mark that some guys leave, whether it be, uh, you know, statistics or whether it be just a, uh, an impact on the franchise, uh franchise is something to consider. So Patriots definitely looking likely to at least think about the process

and whether or not they want to make any tweaks or updates to it. Any egregious, before we take our leave of this subject, Bud, was there an egregious snub here? Some people get up in arms about these things. I particularly don't feel that way i think they they got it right uh i think there are other guys on that list that are deserving but i think they'll get in and just do in their due time uh was there an egregious snub and if not of the guys that were on the cutting room floor who do you look for uh to maybe make

that leap and uh next year in 2023 yeah i don't think there was anything egregious, you know, in the snub process, as you put it. But at the same time, I think, as I said earlier, I think Wes Walker will be a finalist next year. I firmly believe that. I think that the two guys that don't get in this year in Walker will probably be looking at them as finalists next year. And, and again, all of those names are very deserving. I think this is, you know,

it's a process that maybe they can look at expanding it, especially, you know, looking at the amount of success that the, you know, as we said, the Brady Belichick years had. So, so, uh, yeah, other than that, I don't think there was anything wrong with the process. I mean, the guy I really wanted to see didn't get in, but I didn't really expect him to. So. Yeah. You know, it's one of those things where it is a matter of conjecture. It's also a matter of opinion for a lot of these. And look, part of the big appeal of the Patriots Hall, and we've covered these induction ceremonies before,

and we've been to the hall, we've seen what is on display and just the great fan experience that it provides. You want to see this be a good moment for the fans. And you want to see the fans be able to enjoy the type of entertainment value that this provides, but also the historical value that this provides for so many fans and people that may not be used to seeing what Patriots football was like prior to the Brady Belichick era, something that's enjoyable. And again, if we sound like a commercial for the hall today, folks, bear with us because it really is a great spot.

If you're in the area or if you're a visitor to New England that's a big Patriots fan that might be a fan from a different part of the country, you want to make this a part of your visit. If you're going to Foxborough, you definitely want to be sure that you check this out. It really is a great, Brian Murray and the selection committees and just the curators, everybody that does a great job with the hall really, really does great work. So definitely check it out, and we'll see. The Patriots are scheduled to announce the winner of the fan vote on May 17th,

so you can vote right up until May 16th, folks. Go to the Patriots.com website for your opportunity to vote. Make your voice heard, and make sure your favorite is elected to the Patriots Hall of Fame in 2022. Steve, we go from Patriots past to a little bit more of Patriots past, but really it's become Patriots present and future too. And that is the return of a Super Bowl hero. Super Bowl XLIX, folks, definitely was a great moment for Malcolm Butler, but he's back in New England and he had plenty to say yesterday to the media.

What did he really mean by some of these comments? Steve and I are going to go through that in one moment. But first, today's episode is brought to you by the great folks over at Athletic Greens, who put out a fantastic product I literally use every day. Let's face it, everyone. We all want more energy. Weather's getting nicer. Springtime is here.

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buddy and a Patriots columnist and analyst extraordinaire, one of the finest minds in the business, my good buddy Steve Balistrieri. And I always say that no matter what Steve tells you, whether it's Patriots related, whether it's NFL related, you can always take to the bank. What you can also take to the bank, folks, is the information that you find over with our good friends at BetOnline.net. They are your number one source for all of your betting needs and sports info. You can find all of the latest sports developments, podcasts, odds, reviews for all the different leagues this season. BetOnline is your continued source for all of your sports wagering information, including

live betting, esports, and scores. Head to the website today or use your mobile device to learn more about the trends and the action. BetOnline, where the game starts. And Steve, we'll start our second segment on that note. Little blast from the past yesterday. Malcolm Butler had the opportunity to meet with the Patriots media for the first time since he signed a contract in March to return to New England. This one was highly anticipated, no question about it. The media was happy to see him back.

Malcolm looked thrilled to be back in New England. Big smile on his face throughout the entire interview. And it was really refreshing and great to get him to see the media again. And also look at the Patriots logo behind him when he was being interviewed. A lot of people are saying that the signing of Malcolm Butler could be one of those sneaky good moves that the New England Patriots made. Prior to his quote-unquote retirement, and I say quote-unquote tongue-in-cheek, folks, it was a legitimate retirement. Malcolm said that yesterday, that he just didn't have it in him to continue on with the Arizona Cardinals,

really took a year off, reflected, decided to come back strong. He believes he's still got a lot left in the tank. And to look at him yesterday and to look at the convincing way in which he said it, I'm apt to believe him. And I think he definitely does. And I think he can be an asset to this team. Steve, you understand defense perhaps better than anybody else that I know for a number of reasons. But we're talking football defense here.

And when you look at the Patriots secondary, particularly the cornerbacks, even after losing J.C. Jackson, what does the addition or the re-edition of Malcolm Butler into this backfield do for the Patriots secondary? I think it's a big addition. I mean, you look and there's a definite void of depth there. I mean, you have Malcolm, you have Terrence Mitchell, who they picked up in the offseason. Right.

And then you have Jalen Mills. And that's about it because Joe on Williams has proved that, you know, he can't handle the daily grind of the position. So, you know, they really needed this. I think they're still going to add to it during the draft process. I would imagine that they're going to draft a cornerback, a young guy, you know, preferably one that fits what they like to do with man coverage and zone. But, you know, I wouldn't be surprised if they add a second one,

maybe an undrafted guy or a veteran free agent after the draft is over, once the dust settles. You know, I really think they could use that. But, you know, the funny thing is, I was talking with Mike Giardi this morning, you know, from NFL Network, and we were talking about Malcolm Butler. And he said, you know, the Patriots. And we were talking about Malcolm Butler. And he said, you know, the Patriots don't even need 2016 Malcolm. If they get 2020 Malcolm, that's a big, big addition to their defense

because he knows how they like to play and he can handle that. You know, so I think it was, like you said, a sneaky, really good signing. Yeah, I agree. And that's such a good point that Mike made. You're going to understand why he is who he is. And I say that with reverence. Another one of our paisans as well. But no, all kidding aside, Mike makes a great point, folks.

He really and truly does. If they get 2020 Malcolm, who was still one of the better zone cover corners in the league uh when he uh you know when he played in tennessee this is something that really i think the patriots can build upon and it also allows them to be able to maybe dip into the draft to get their man cover corner of the future bring them along a little bit maybe slower uh give him an opportunity to really kind of, I don't want to say, you know, I don't want to say like, you know, ingratiate himself into the role, but really become someone that can take his time a little bit, get to

learn the nuances of how you, how to play corner in New England and then be able to apply it on the field. This is a position that is very interesting for New England, Steve, because they've been able to take undrafted free agents, and Malcolm is one of them, that they've been able to cultivate, bring to that next level. We've seen Jonathan Jones come in and then settle into that role. Obviously, JC Jackson now has parlayed that into becoming one of the best man corners in the NFL. Big contract with the Chargers. He's poised to do very well there. New England has a chance, I think, to cultivate that

type of talent. Do you believe that the addition of Malcolm Butler makes it more or less likely that the Patriots are going to go early at the cornerback position in the draft? Or do you think they're going to look for maybe those outliers toward the end of the draft? I don't quite think they're going to go the undrafted route for the next corner of the future, because I think there's, this class is too deep. And I think most of those guys will be taken, but does this make it maybe less likely that they go for that top option at the position early on? That's a, that's a great question. I think that like the addition of Devontae Parker, I think, you know, at wide receiver, I think you still need a wide receiver.

I think you still need a cornerback. But now it's not as glaring as a need. So maybe if the guy they really covered at the top of the, you know, because you look at the top three or four names in the uh upcoming draft those guys might not be there by 21. so would they be willing to take a shot at a guy second or third round now that they have malcolm i think that's more that's a very realistic situation i think that's what probably might happen there. Because as we're going to talk about, I think front seven is probably a bigger need.

And the opportunities for them to hit on somebody really well is going to be there at 21. So, I mean, we'll get into that in a few moments, I'm sure. But, yeah, I think you're right. I think that, you know, with bringing in Malcolm, I think the chances are that, you know, they don't feel like they have to draft a guy in the first round. Yeah, I would agree with that. And I think, you know, we all have fallen in love,

and I find myself victim to that as well. I've mocked these guys to the New England Patriots in various mock drafts that I've worked on, either for Locked On or for, you know, Sports Illustrated. You look at guys that come into this, Andrew Booth of Clemson, people love him. I think he's probably the best fit for the New England Patriots right off the bat. But you also have Kier Elam out of Florida that I think would be a great fit here. Trent McDuffie coming out. He had a top 30 visit with the Patriots. These are top names on the board.

And the likelihood is that probably two out of the three names that I just mentioned, Steve, will not be available when the Patriots take their 21st pick. So you're either looking at trading up or maybe looking at addressing another need at 21 and taking your chances with the rest of the field, maybe in the second, third, even fourth rounds, if New England wants to go that route as well. Cordell Flott out of LSU is a name that's coming up a lot lately. Murph and I talked about him yesterday here on Locked On Patriots.

Henry McKenna of Patriots Wire of USA Today, a journalist that we respect a tremendous amount, mentioned Flott as a possibility there today as well. And apparently even Mel Kuyper at a national level is thinking that the Patriots could go in that direction in the middle round. So a lot of different opportunities for the Pats in the draft, but bottom line, it's good to see Malcolm back here again. You know, he was very, very diplomatic about Super Bowl 52 and the whole aftermath, saying that I'm here to be peaceful, not going to live in the past. I think we can put that to rest.

I think, you know, so many in our profession love to poke the bear. They love to stir the pot. They want to find out why it happened. It happened, folks. I think it's water under the bridge for both sides and i think at this point it's probably better for everyone to just respect that move on and take a look at what malcolm can bring to the table this year and who knows maybe his addition will help the new england patriots secondary and be able to bring along maybe a more mid-round selection in the cornerback

position as they move forward beyond 2022 steve, you mentioned the front seven, and that's exactly how we're going to wrap up our conversation here today, because I think Steve makes an excellent point. The front seven for the New England Patriots, folks, is a need. Don't let the pundits fool you. It may not be the sexy pick, but it's got teeth, and that's exactly what Steve is going to talk about in a moment. Who does he have his eye on as the prototypical Patriots that might find themselves in Foxborough in the front seven of their 2022 defense? But first, Steve, always in great physical condition, my friend. I always have to give you that regard.

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you do so, just be sure that you're writing locked on in their How Did You Hear About Us box so they know that we sent you. Amazing selection. Reliably low prices. All the parts your car will ever need. RockAuto.com Patriots fans, a great Steve Balistrieri joins me here today, lending his wisdom and counsel the way only he can. Interesting conversation as always, bud. We've talked Pats Hall of Fame, talked a little Malcolm Butler, talked a little bit about the cornerback position, but front seven, my friend, I trust very few, if any, minds in Patriots media, in NFL media more than I trust you when it comes to having your eye on the prototypical Patriots

for this defensive front seven. That means the D-line, that means the edge rush, that means the linebackers. Whoever is making up the Patriots front seven really, I think, has a tall task, especially for this season, because it's one of the few units where you're not going to have the benefit of the doubt of saying it's new personnel, it's new coaching staff. Steve Belichick, Gerard Mayo are in place. Those are the guys that are really looking after the front seven. Obviously, Bill Belichick being top of mind. Haven't had a whole lot of upheaval, a lot of guys leaving that group.

Of course, we don't know the status of Dante Hightower yet. I say that with a caveat there, but at the same time, this is also a unit that needs to improve. The Patriots' run defense was slightly better than it was in 2020, but it still was below par, if we're being honest, and they had some difficulty getting after the quarterback as a result. This is a class that is rich in talent along defense maybe not a huge depth with linebacker but defensive linemen seem to be at a premium steve when you look at the front seven of this 2022 nfl draft class coming out what the patriots needs are and what you think might be a good fit who should they be looking at well you

know that's a great another great question because i think they be looking at? Well, you know, that's a great, another great question because I think they have needs all over. I think, you know, when you look at the run defense, especially down the stretch last year, it was pretty terrible. And, you know, they were getting pushed off the ball. I think that, you know, Lawrence Guy did not have the type of season we were used to seeing out of him. He might be starting to age a little bit. I thought Devon Godshaw was ill-suited for the nose. So when you look at it, they really need a penetrating, run-stuffing defensive linemen. And, you know, if the right one is available,

then of course it's not going to be the sexy pick that everybody, you know, that in the fan base is looking for. They were all clamoring for that top wide receiver guy, you know, the top cornerback. But, you know, if a guy like Wyatt or Jordan Davis from Georgia is still there at 21. And then I wouldn't be shocked to see them make that move, you know, because they really need that.

And, you know, again, I'm going to reference Mike Giardi again. When talking with Mike this morning, you know, he said, well, you know, everyone talking about how slow the linebackers looked this last year. And he was like, and they are laterally, you know. But, you know, one of the reasons why they weren't as effective is because, you know, those offensive linemen were getting to that second level. Those guys weren't slowing things up. And, you know, the Patriots defense is predicated on that.

I really think that if a guy like Wyatt or Davis from Georgia is available at the first round, I think you have to jump on it. Yeah, I would say so too. And look, Jordan Davis really, I think, became the media darling after the impressive showing that he gave at the Combine. I mean, for a guy his size to be able to rip off the 40 time that he gave at the combine. I mean, for a guy his size to be able to rip off the 40 time that he did, truly remarkable. It really, really is. And Devontae Wyatt, the more I watch him, the more I develop my opinion on what the Patriots may do,

he becomes more of that prototypical type guy that the Patriots could utilize as well. I know I've fallen in love with McCovey Dean. I know that's not really something that you've kind of catered to in terms of your ultimate fit for the New England Patriots. And at the end of the day, you might be right. It would be a departure for the New England Patriots to go in that direction. If they are serious about trying to modernize and go for sideline to sideline speed, I think Dean could be their guy. But if they're looking for the guy that can really be the anchor of this defense for a number of years, yeah, Jordan Davis, maybe even a Devontae Wyatt might be worth trading up a little bit. And folks,

don't think trading up is a foreign concept. It's not by any stretch of the imagination. Bill Belichick will do it if he feels that the right guy is available. I don't think there were too many guys that would fit that criteria in this draft, but I think if he does it, it would be for someone like that. Steve, before we take our leave of this subject, are there anybody, or is there anybody, I should say, that the New England Patriots right now have not been attached to guys in maybe that middle part, that middle round area that could be an opportunity for them to either look for depth or maybe a diamond in the rough. Someone that maybe not a lot of people are talking about when it comes to the Patriots. Well, you know, when we're talking defensive linemen up front, you know, everyone wants to

talk about Wyatt and Davis from Georgia because that defense was just incredible. And the way those guys tested out, I mean, they were just, you know, incredible at the NFL Combine. But, you know, if you're looking for a guy in second or third round, that prototypical Patriot kind of run stuffer. I think, you know, another guy from Alabama, Fyderian Mathis, is a guy that hasn't got a lot of love, you know, in the Patriot circles. But I think, you know, if he's there at that time, I mean, that's a really good place to pick him up because he fits that. You know, he played in that Alabama defense.

As you all know, I mean, other than Georgia, that was a really good defense. It is every year. And with Nick Saban, there's that built-in, you know, knowledge of the same kind of thing the Patriots like to run, the defense. So I think he's a guy that if I was looking at it, I might be interested in. Absolutely. And folks, if Steve is looking at it, I know the Patriots are as well. Your eye is usually right in line with those powers that be up there in one Patriots place. So we'll know soon enough.

Again, we're just a little over a week away from the start of the 2022 NFL draft on Thursday, April 28th. And one of the great things about hosting a podcast like this and working in the industry that we do is being able to pick great minds like this great man right here. Steve, what can I say? I thank you for joining me here today. Always a blast. Always an honor. Folks, you can definitely follow him on the Bird app right there at SteveB7SFG. My friend,

before I let you go today, please let everyone know where, you know, well, obviously they know where they can find you on Twitter, but any other platforms on social media where they might interact with you and what we can look forward to in the coming days leading up to the draft from the great Penn and the great voice of Steve Balistrieri. Well, thanks again for having me, as always. Yeah, I'm also on Facebook and Instagram at Steve Balistrieri. I write for Patsfans.com and we do the podcast there, Patriots 4th and 2, with Russ and Derek Havens. And then, of course, One Patriot Place with our mutual friends Murph and Claire Cooper, who are very familiar to your listeners here. Yeah.

And I also do, I'm a national security columnist for 1945.com. I write about military affairs around the world. So that's been keeping me busy. Absolutely, as it should. And some of the great writing that Steve does for Patriots Media is always a must read. I know many of you are familiar with it. For those of you that aren't, I can't recommend it highly enough. But also, please check out the great work that Steve does for 1945.

I assure you some of the great military history and the writing, just the insight that he can provide, the way only he can provide it is truly compelling, compelling reading. I know I'm a huge fan of the work that he does for that site. And again, I can definitely wholeheartedly recommend it. As a fan, purely as a fan, you will not find anything finer.

So my friend, what can I say? It's been another blast. Next Tuesday, we look forward to doing this again here on Locked On Patriots. We'll be hours away from the draft at that point. Maybe, maybe we'll have a clearer picture of what the Patriots might be doing, but I don't know. I'm not liking those odds. Bill's not tipping his hand this time around. I don't think so. I don't see that happening, But, you know, it's like I just wish it was this Thursday instead of next Thursday. I'm very excited for it. Absolutely.

I think we all are here in Patriots Nation and all across the NFL landscape. And, folks, please, by all means, don't miss an opportunity to check out the great work that's being done right now on the Locked On Podcast Network. The Ultimate Mock Draft, sponsored by Locked On, and the Odyssey app is live now. Definitely check that out. Subscribe to it. Analysts, my good friends Peacock and Williamson are doing a great job covering this draft. The Locked On NFL channel, the Locked On NFL Draft channel, always, always top-notch work. So I am thrilled and very honored to be a part of this

network and the great work that's being done across the landscape. Until tomorrow, Foxborough faithful, thank you once again for making Locked On Patriots a daily part of your New England Patriots coverage, and of course for staying locked in to Locked On Patriots for your daily Patriots coverage.

On behalf of Steve Balistrieri, I'm Mike DeBate. Stay safe stay safe stay well be the change that you wish to see in the world have a great day everyone