Locked On Patriots - Daily Podcast On The New England Patriots - MidWeek Mailbag: Patriots Free Agency and Draft Strategy — 1/21/2021

Episode Date: January 21, 2021

Today, host Mike D’Abate opens the MidWeek Mailbag on Locked On Patriots. Among the topics discussed are the strategy, which the team will employ when it comes to free agency and the 2021 NFL Draft, which positions will be a priority for the team in the offseason and whether the Pats’ choice at quarterback will signify their long-term plans.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 “LOCKEDON,” and you’ll get 20% 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. EchelonGo to EchelonFit.com/LockedOn and try any Echelon Fitness equipment at home for 30 days. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

You are Locked On Patriots, your daily New England Patriots podcast. Part of the Locked On Podcast Network, your team every day. Hello to all of you, Foxborough faithful. You are now locked in to the Lockdown Patriots podcast. Today is Thursday, January 21st, 2021. And even though it is Thursday, there is still enough time to open up the midweek mailbag. And today, we've done that 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 Bilt Bar. Go to BiltBar.com and use promo code LOCKEDON to get 20% off your next order. Greetings and salutations, Patriots Nation. I thank you for joining me here today on this midweek mailbag episode of Locked On Patriots. 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 because it's your team every day, you know that means that your questions, your comments, your feedback are always welcomed and very much appreciated. Share that feedback and send it to the internet by reaching out to me and following me on Twitter at MDABATEFPC. And while you're out there doing some Thursday traveling through the Twitterverse, please be sure to follow the Lockdown Patriots account as well at LO underscore Patriots.

Patriots fans, Tuesday on the pod, you heard me quote Jurassic Park, specifically Dr. Ian Malcolm, Jeff Goldblum's character, when he says life finds a way. Well, sometimes life gets in the way, and that's exactly what happened here on Wednesday. I would like to sincerely apologize for your lack of locked on, Patriots, yesterday. But the good news is, folks, that we are back and better than ever, because it is time to open up the midweek mailbag. Your questions, comments, and feedback take center stage. And as I always say, every time I dip my hand into that midweek mailbag here on Locked On Patriots,

you definitely didn't disappoint. A ton of amazing questions sent in, and per usual with the midweek mailbag, I've selected a few that I will share with you right here today. As for the latest news notes and analysis from Foxborough, it appears that we have some closure on the Josh McDaniels watch. As was widely reported on Thursday afternoon, the Philadelphia Eagles will indeed be hiring a former offensive coordinator as their new head coach, but it's not Josh McDaniels. Now former Indianapolis Colts offensive coordinator Nick

Sirianni becomes the lead man in Philadelphia. Of course, we know that Josh McDaniels had been a top candidate in Philly, but this should now ensure his return to New England as offensive coordinator, and it looks like Josh will play a key role in how the Patriots will proceed at quarterback this offseason. So Josh stays in New England. But as is usually the case when we open up the mailbag here, the mid part of the week, I know technically we do the midweek mailbag on Wednesday, but this week we cheated a little bit and pushed it to Thursday. But if I'm being honest, I think that extra day may have given you a little extra creativity and maybe a little bit

more of a muse. You definitely outdid yourselves this time, folks. Some great questions on Patriots free agency, whether or not they should focus on certain positions in free agency and even in the draft. We'll even talk about some beloved Patriots and whether or not they will find their way back onto the roster for 2021. We'll even talk the potential return of the prodigal son. And no, folks, don't get too excited. I'm not talking about anybody that's playing down in Tampa right now.

But if you read between the lines, I bet that you can decipher exactly who I'm talking about. So an action-packed agenda set by you, the great listeners here at Locked On Patriots, and in just a moment, we will dive headfirst into the midweek mailbag here on this Thursday episode when the Locked On Patriots podcast continues. But first, Locked On listeners, you're one of a kind, and so are your taxes. That's why TurboTax Live has experienced tax experts who are ready to listen to you, learn about your unique tax situation, and help you get the best tax outcome. Maybe you're moonlighting as a rideshare driver,

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Subscribe to Locked On Bets wherever you get your podcasts. I've said it before and I'll say it again. I absolutely am honored and humbled to be the host of Locked On Patriots. Not only do I work with amazing colleagues here at the Locked On Podcast Network, I also get the opportunity to interact with some of the top minds that cover both college and professional football throughout the national landscape and, of course, across the New England Patriots beat. But my favorite part of being the host of this podcast, and unquestionably the most

rewarding part, is getting the chance to interact with all of you, the great listeners of Locked On Patriots. And each and every time I open up the midweek mailbag here on the pod, I continue to be amazed by the depth of knowledge that's within the New England Patriots fan base, especially among all of you Locked On Patriots listeners. Sincerely, from the bottom of my heart, I appreciate and thank each and every one of you for every subscription, download, and listen that you provide to Locked On Patriots. And on a day like today, when I get to open up the midweek mailbag,

I get to share this platform with all of you. And again, it's simply the best part of my job, and I thank you. And just as a heads up to all of you that might prefer a mock draft to a mailbag, don't worry. Very shortly, I'll be introducing a new and vastly improved interactive mock draft segment that you'll find here and only here on Locked on Patriots. But without further ado, it is time to open up the midweek mailbag here on the pod. And what better way to begin than with the first question submitted for today's Midweek Mailbag episode.

And this question comes from a listener who has provided so much support to Locked On Patriots over the past few months. A golden heart from the Garden State. Starra makes her return to the mailbag at Keto Jersey Girl. And Starra begins by saying, The Patriots have a substantial list of players to hit free agency this year. Who are the key players that Bill Belichick and company need to retain, or who would you like to see re-signed? Starra, this is an excellent question, and you're absolutely right.

The Patriots certainly have no shortage of potential free agents. A total of 34 members of the 2020 Patriots are about to enter free agency once the new NFL league year begins on March 17th. 27 of those players will be unrestricted and head to the open market. And I've been vocal here for the past several days and weeks since the ending of the 2020 season that I believe the Patriots' most important unrestricted free agents reside on the offensive line. Center David Andrews and guard Joe Tooney. In a perfect world, I would love to see both of these guys come back.

I think Tooney is among the best guards in the league, and I think David Andrews is still among the best centers in the league. And I know the prevailing argument out there is that the Patriots are going to be flush with cap room. After all, it was reported yesterday by ESPN's Field Yates, and of course, corroborated and backed up by our main man, the Wizard of Benzón himself, my man Miguel, that the Patriots are going to be carrying over in excess of $19 million in holdover cap space. For the first time since I can recollect,

money is actually not going to be an issue for the Patriots in the offseason. But who are we kidding? Money is always an issue, and the Patriots I just don't see shelling out top-of-the-line money for two offensive linemen. It really pains me to say this, but of the two, I believe David Andrews will be retained, and I believe Joe Tooney will walk in free agency. I mentioned Miguel just a few moments ago, and I am in complete concurrence with him on this. I think the minute free agency opens, Joe Tooney will become the highest paid guard in the NFL. Don't forget, the Patriots had a large portion of the offseason

to negotiate with Tooney last year. Obviously, when he started playing under his tender, those negotiations had to be shelved to the end of the year. But because the Patriots season ended so quickly, they do have the ability to negotiate with Joe. And even though I can't confirm or deny any contact between the two sides, those that I've spoke to close to the team have not indicated that there have been any type of negotiations between the Patriots and Joe Tooney.

That leads me to believe that Joe is likely to depart in free agency, and as a result, I think the Patriots turn their focus onto David Andrews and try to get him back at the center position for at least 2021, maybe beyond. But those aren't the only players on offense that are going to have my sharp eye this offseason, Starra. The Pats also have some offensive skill position players, aka weapons, that they have to make a decision on. Rex Burkett is an unrestricted free agent.

He's a solid player and one of the more explosive players on offense when he's healthy. Problem is, he's not healthy that often. I think the Patriots make a decision to move on from Rex. Another player I think they make a decision to move on from, or maybe the player makes the decision to move on from the Patriots, and this is a tough one, is running back James White. And I talked about this a couple of weeks ago with Murph and also with Steve Balistrieri. James White, to me, is a cornerstone of the Patriots' second wave of their dynasty. He's one of the hardest workers,

one of the most clutch performers, and really one of the classiest guys I've ever had the privilege of covering in the NFL. But after the tragedy that he experienced in the offseason and his desire to be closer to his family, I think James decides to walk away from the team, go a little closer to home. Really would not shock me to see James White in Tampa Bay next year, but ultimately, I think he will move on from the Patriots as well. One player I do expect to return is wide receiver Damir Bird. I was very impressed by what Damir did this year. He's got a quick break, has the potential for some explosive speed, and showed himself

to be a pretty good route runner and even some sure hands when he needs one. He's not a wide receiver one option, maybe not even a wide receiver two, but if you drop him down to a wide receiver three, even a four position, then all of a sudden you're building something. Apparently, Demir Bird enjoyed his time in New England this year, and I think the Patriots work out a reasonable deal to bring him back on another one-year contract. As for the free agents on defense, two guys that I think the Patriots work out a reasonable deal to bring him back on another one-year contract. As for the free agents on defense, two guys that I think the Patriots need to bring back

are a pair of defensive tackles, Adam Butler and Lawrence Guy. The Patriots already had some question marks on their defensive front seven this year. The two players that they did not have to question were Adam Butler and especially Lawrence Guy. These guys were such a big part of the Patriots trying to rebuild their run defense. That run defense still requires a lot of work, and if they want to hope to build on a foundation, it absolutely has to be built on someone like Lawrence Guy and even Adam Butler. So if I'm the Patriots, I do all I can to retain at least one, if not both. If you're asking me back against the wall, which one do I think is more important?

I've got to give the nod to Lawrence Guy here, but that is no disrespect to Adam Butler. Like I said, I'm the GM. I want them both back. On the edge, John Simon and Dietrich Wise were both valuable members of the Patriots staff this year, but the Pats do have some young players that seem to be ready to enter their own this year. Guys like Anthony Jennings, Chase Winovich, Josh Uche, maybe even someone like Cashme inside Malawai. I know, Star, you're probably nodding your head and saying you just

want Cash Malawai back so you can use that meme. Well, you're partly right on that. But I do think there is some upside within the kids' game. The Patriots also may look to upgrade their linebacker edge and defensive fronts in the draft this year. I think the Patriots are going to go very heavy on defense in the draft this year, so it wouldn't surprise me to see them take yet another young player and instill some youth into that defense that they can build on for many years to come. So those are the players that I would prioritize on both sides of the ball, Stara. To a lesser degree, I definitely want to bring back cornerback Justin Bethel purely for the prowess that he brings in special teams. I also wouldn't be against the Patriots bringing back Nick Folk

for another year. Nick proved a lot to me this year, especially that he can kick for distance, he can kick for accuracy, and he can kick in the clutch. Can't ask for better than that, and if the Patriots can get one more year out of Nick, I'd be all for seeing him come back. And I'm sure you all noticed one name conspicuous by its absence from my list, and that is Cam Newton. Look, folks, I've been on the Newton train all season long. I would definitely not be against the Patriots bringing him back. I've been a supporter of his, and I think the Patriots could do a lot worse when it comes to quarterback. The thing is, I think they're going to be able to do a little bit better. And now that

we know Josh McDaniels will be back in New England, I think the Patriots are going to be looking to explore all of their options. So although I love Cam Newton and wouldn't be surprised to see him come back, I still think the Patriots move on. I think Cam moves on. And I think you're going to see a new quarterback here under center next year. So Star, thank you so much for your question. I know it's a long-winded answer, but it was a loaded question.

And with the Patriots having 34 players potentially exiting via free agency, they've got a lot of decisions to make. Those are the ones that I would prioritize. And ultimately, we'll see if my strategy coincides with Bill's. Our next question on today's Midweek Mailbag comes to us from another good friend of the program, our main man Joel from Hull, at Joel Shapiro 20. And Joel says, Hi Mike. Hi Joel.

He wants to know, should the Patriots obtain another veteran linebacker in free agency to complement Dante Hightower, if in fact Hightower comes back? If yes, who would you like to see the Patriots get? Joel, you always provide great questions, and this one yet again, my friend, is another great question. If, in fact, Dante Hightower is coming back from the New England Patriots, will they choose to dip into the free agent market to bring in a veteran linebacker? Well, the first part of your question may end up being, do they need to? Don't forget, the Patriots do have Juwan Bentley under contract for 2021, and I know Juwan struggled a little bit this year,

but he was also being asked to fill in the role of two separate players, play his own role, and also play the Dante Hightower role. That's a lot to expect from anybody. And at the end of the day, Juwan's stats were serviceable. He ended up finishing the year with one and a half sacks, 50 solo tackles, three tackles for a loss, and three quarterback hits. One of Juwan's biggest problems this year, Joel, is that he was exploited a lot when he was expected to be that middle part of the defense run stuffer. It's simply a role that he's just not designed to play. When you pair him with a guy like Dante Hightower, all of a sudden then you're looking at the prowess coming out. And say what you will about Juwan Bentley, but he is an extremely smart

football player. You don't get that green dot as a rookie in a Bill Belichick coach defense unless you know the game, you know the personnel, and you know where each player needs to be on the field. He definitely has Bill's confidence, but at the same time, he's still building that confidence. I think if Dante is back in the lineup this year, that's your one-two punch in terms of veteran linebacker leadership. If in fact Dante decides he's not going to come back, or if the Patriots

decide they're going to move on from him, then you'll have to look at the free agent market. And there are some impressive names out there. Matt Judun from the Baltimore Ravens, Melvin Ingram from the Chargers, Bud Dupree from the Pittsburgh Steelers. There are some players out there that can make an impact if brought in. Most of those names that I mentioned were outside linebackers. If you're looking for someone to come in in the middle part of the inside, Avery Williamson would probably be a marquee name from the Pittsburgh Steelers. Denzel Perryman from the Chargers.

But all in all, there's really not that defense-changing free agent out there that I believe would really impact the complexity of the way this team plays. If you're asking me to play GM Joel, and it sounds like you are for a little bit, let's say Bill comes to me and says, okay, prioritize the linebacker position, bring in the guy you think is going to be able to improve our defense the most. Well, I'm going to go with my heart and gut on this one, and I'm going to say Melvin Ingram. I covered him in Los Angeles. This guy's explosive. He can get after the passer. He can also slide over and be a run stuffer.

He can do it all. But I'd also be remiss if I didn't say that Melvin definitely benefited very much from having Joey Bosa on the other side of that edge rush. Here in New England, he would be the guy. And even though I think Chase Winovich can round into that type of role, I'm not quite sure he's there yet. So to answer your question, if I'm the Patriots and Dante Hightower announces he's coming back, he wants to be in New England, and if the Patriots want to keep him around, I think

they go with what they got at the linebacker position when it comes to Hightower and Bentley and maybe bring in a role player, re-sign a guy like John Simon, maybe promote a kid like Cash Malawiah, and invest that significant cap space in other areas that are of greater need, namely the interior of that defensive line. However, if Hightower decides he's moving on, or if the Patriots are going to move on from him, then all bets are off, and I think the Patriots would look to bring in a veteran

simply because Bill Belichick loves a veteran presence, especially when it comes to the linebacking position. Again, Joel, thank you for your question. I hope I was able to answer it to your satisfaction and thank you so much for all of the support that you provide to Locked On Patriots and of course, FPC Radio Live each and every morning as well. But we are just scratching the surface, Patriots fans,

when it comes to your great questions here on the Midweek Mailbag. In just a moment, we'll continue our dip into the free agent pool by discussing Jason McCourty and what it may mean for Devin wanting to return in 2021. We'll also delve into the question of whether or not the Patriots will look to the draft or free agency more to help build this team back into a contender for the upcoming season. And last but certainly not least, folks, we will discuss the quarterback position, whether Jarrett Stidham was ever really the guy, and whether their opinion on Stidham was tied to their feelings for

Jimmy Garoppolo. Still a lot of action to tackle on this week's Midweek Mailbag, and we will do so when the Locked On Patriots podcast continues. But first, Locked On listeners, Conference Championship weekend is almost upon us. Brady and the Bucs take take on Rogers and the Pack. In the AFC, it's Patrick Mahomes and the defending champion Kansas City Chiefs taking on Josh Allen, Bills Mafia, and those Buffalo Bills. And if you feel empowered by your prognostication skills,

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Key injuries, roster moves, and more all get the expert analysis from Ryan and Chris every Thursday. Subscribe to Locked On NFL wherever you get your podcasts. And here today on Locked On Patriots, we continue to take a deep dive into the Locked On Patriots midweek mailbag. And our next question comes to us from our good friend from across the pond, John at Belfast Pats Fan, who has a question on Patriots cornerback Jason McCourty, and he wants to know, do you think the Patriots look to bring back J-Mac on another one-year deal,

or do you think that that partnership has run its course? John also wants to know as to whether or not it could be tied to Devin's expected return to the team. John, this is an excellent question, and one that we faced last offseason. Of course, it was a little easier to determine whether or not these two would be tied, as Jason McCourty and Devin McCourty were both free agents. Jason inked a one-year deal with the Patriots, while Devin signed a multi-year extension, and although Devin is under contract this year, it is theoretical that he might end up walking away via retirement, or the Patriots might look to trade him.

I think those two scenarios are highly unlikely. Devin sounded like he is committed to coming back for at least one more season in New England, and I for one would be absolutely shocked if the Patriots decided they wanted to trade him. Jason McCourty is a little bit more of a sensitive issue. Obviously, Devin loves playing alongside his twin brother. And Jason still saw a good number of snaps this year out on the field. He's still more than capable of playing the corner position, both as a cover corner or even as a fill-in in the slot.

He brings a lot of knowledge, and the Patriots' secondary really is more solidified with him in the lineup. For that reason, I do think the Patriots try to work out at least another one-year deal with Jason McCourty. He definitely was used in a more specialized fashion this year. It wasn't just at the cornerback position. He did play a rotational role at safety. In fact, he was even employed as a deep safety from time to time. But he is 33 years old, and right now every option seems to be on the table when it comes to Jason. For that matter, you could say that every option is on the table when it comes to Devin as well,

from him returning to the team, joining another team as a veteran, or heading off into retirement. With Devin, he's under contract, so the Patriots would either have to cut him loose or trade him, or Devin would have to make the decision to retire. Unlike Jason, Devin cannot just walk away from the team in free agency, but Jason does have that right. And if the Patriots decided they were going to move on from Jason McCourty, I don't think that Devin's future would be tied to that. I think he would play again here in New England, probably for one more season, and then at

age 34, it might be time to start thinking that the McCourty brothers may head into retirement, possibly even together. Bottom line, Devin McCourty is still one of their best, smartest, and most productive defenders. I do love what Jason McCourty brings to the table as well. If I'm the Patriots GM, I'd bring them both back for at least one more year and then take a year-to-year approach starting in 2022. So John, that's my two cents on Jason McCourty.

Excellent question. I thank you for all of the support that you provide to Lockdown Patriots, and I hope I was able to answer it to your satisfaction. Bottom line, starting in March, we'll find out exactly what the Patriots have in store for all of their free agents in the future, and it's my guess that we'll find out about Jason McCourty sooner rather than later in that process. Our next question comes to us from a fellow Patriots podcaster, and this gentleman provides one of the best listens in Patriots Nation.

His podcast, Dear Pats Nation, features himself, Connor Carney, and my colleague at Full Press Coverage, Sarah Marshall. He is the content director and content creator for Dear Pats Nation. He is Ray Ralph, and Ray wants to know, do you think the Patriots actually believed or still believe that Jarrett Stidham was or is Brady's successor? Or did Belichick just decide to sell out for Super Bowls after trading Jimmy Garoppolo, knowing rough times were ahead?

Ray, this is an excellent question, and I commend you for asking it, because it's one that not a lot of people in our position in Patriots Nation, meaning hosts of a media show or covering the team, would have the guts to ask. I know there are a lot of fans out there asking this question, but you very rarely see this asked from the media. So kudos on the intestinal fortitude to ask this question. Bottom line, from the sources that I've spoken to close to the team on this subject, the Patriots did have a belief that Jarrett Stidham could in fact be the guy, meaning he could be a potential successor to Tom Brady. He had some similar qualities to Brady, and believe me, I'm not comparing the two like for like, but similar to Tom, Jarrett had pretty good pocket presence, great pocket awareness, he's very good at stepping into his throws.

During his time at Auburn, he did show the capabilities of making accurate throws downfield, and when backed into a corner, had the ability to scramble and make things happen with his legs. A lot of people forget that prior to Cam Newton coming on board, a lot of Patriots media, myself included, were speculating that the Patriots were likely to incorporate more RPOs or zone reads with Jarrett Stidham running the offense, not Cam Newton. So, in my opinion, that means that Jarrett would have been given the chance to at least compete for, if not win, the starting job. But we also have to remember that the Patriots have seen Jarrett Stidham in practice each and every day.

They know him better than anyone, and apparently, they saw enough of Jarrett not to have to give him too many snaps down the stretch when it looked like the Patriots were faltering, and at the same time Cam Newton was struggling, the Patriots still believe that Cam gave them the best chance to compete on the field. For those reasons, I think Jarrett might be given a shot to try to win the starting job next year, but I don't believe that he's going to end up being the guy. As for whether or not Bill Belichick quote-unquote sold out or decided to forgo the future just for the present of winning as many Super Bowls with Brady as he could before Tom decided to ride off into the

Tampa Bay sunset, well, you might be a little bit more correct than some fans, some media, and even the Patriots organization may want to give you credit for. Ultimately, in trading away the future in Jimmy Garoppolo, you put all of your faith in the present. And seeing that the Pats went to two straight Super Bowls and won one of them, it's hard to argue with that logic. Bottom line, the Patriots would have loved to have kept Jimmy Garoppolo on the roster until Tom Brady wanted to retire. It really was the perfect succession plan. But Tom simply played at too high of a level for that to happen, so the Patriots needed

to make a decision, they stayed with Brady, traded Jimmy, and as a result needed to bring someone else in. I think they saw Jarrett as having potential to take the starting job, but maybe their decision to bring in Cam Newton this offseason said that they had seen enough of Jarrett to know that he might not be ready for the starting job. At this point, your guess is as good as anyone's as to whether or not the Patriots may feel that he's ever ready to assume the reins as the starter in New England. I, for one, am going to be very interested to see what he looks like in training camp this year. I'm going to have my sharp eye on practices, preseason games, scrimmages. That could tell me a lot about the starting potential of

Jarrett Stidham. What will also tell you a lot about the starting potential of Jarrett Stidham is who the Patriots bring in to be their quarterback this year. Do they draft their quarterback of the future? Do they trade significant draft capital to bring in a veteran? Or do they re-sign a guy like Cam Newton or bring in a one or two year stopgap until the Patriots have had the chance to set up their plans for the future? All good questions and as always Bill Belichick and company are keeping things very close to the vest. So as I like to say, my friend, keep a sharp eye, and we're all going to be covering that story and then some here in New England for a number of weeks, months, and maybe even

years to come. So Ray, thank you for the great question. On a side note, keep up the great work with the podcast. I'm definitely a fan of what you and the guys are doing over there. Here on Locked On Patriots, we always show solidarity to our own, and I wish you continued success. Folks, it's almost time to close up the

midweek mailbag here on Locked On Patriots, but not yet. We still have one question, and it comes to us from a very special supporter, contributor, and frequent guest here on Locked On Patriots. Of course, I'm talking about the voice and accent you all know and love from the other side of the pond.

The Countess of Klaas herself, Claire Klazzy Claire Cooper, provides our final question here on the pod. And Claire would like to know, with so many pieces possibly needed to fill or replace this season, where do you see the biggest impact coming from? The draft or free agency? Do you think the undrafted stock this year may be much richer in talent due to the changes in the combine? Claire, first off, I am extremely impressed that this question did not specifically target

tight ends. No, I'm only kidding. Claire is a lot more knowledgeable than just tight ends, folks, I assure you. But all kidding aside, this is an excellent question, especially when it comes to the changes in the combine. Across the board in the NFL, the combine is an important chance for coaches and scouts to be able to see players on a large scale, get to know them, and get to see their athletic prowess so that they can make an informed decision about whether or not

this player may be the best fit for their roster. One thing that the Patriots have an advantage of, Claire, when it comes to the other teams in the league is they don't rely exclusively on the combine to do all of their scouting. In fact, we often see Bill Belichick attending pro days all across the country and not even going to the combine at times. I'm definitely not downplaying its impact. All teams are going to be impacted by the fact that they are not going to have in-person combine workouts this year. But the Patriots might be just a bit better equipped to deal with that than some other teams. To your point about the undrafted stock being a little bit more robust this year,

I definitely think that's a possibility. And we all know that the Patriots are very good at finding those undrafted diamonds in the rough. This is just my opinion, but I think that trend continues this year, and I think the Patriots will invest a lot of time and scouting acumen into players not just at the top of the collegiate level, but also in those areas that most teams may not scout into. As for where I think the Patriots are going to make their biggest impact in the offseason, I actually think it's going to be a blend of both, and I know that sounds like a cop-out, but the Patriots have the potential of 10 draft

picks this year and also a large amount of cap space to work with. I always quote Aristotle by saying virtue lies in the middle, and that's exactly what I think the Patriots are going to do. I think they may package some of those picks, maybe to move up, perhaps to move down, but I think they're going to utilize their draft capital smartly this year. They're not going to simply pick 10 players because they have them available. The Pats are going to take a look at the board and determine who might be their best fit.

I've gone on record several times by saying that I think the Patriots are going to go defensive heavy in the draft this year. I still believe that, and starting next week here on the pod, we'll start to break down some of the potential draft profiles in players that I think the Patriots might have their sharp eye on. As for free agency, I think the Patriots are going to continue to take the approach they've taken for a number of years. Find the best players for their system and plug them in. That might include a pretty big free agent splash or so.

For everyone that thinks that the Patriots never sign anybody, they've made those in the past. Some, like Stephon Gilmar, have worked out very well. Some, like Adelius Thomas, not so much. But I think the Patriots will at least kick the tires on some potential free agents. Maybe at the wide receiver position. Maybe at the linebacker position. Or maybe, Claire, just maybe at the tight end position.

We talked about this last week. You know who I'd love to see here in New England, but I digress. To answer your question, I think the Patriots are actually going to have a blend of both impact their offseason this year, and really, it might all come down to the decision they make at quarterback.

That, to me, is going to be telltale about what the Patriots see in terms of their chances to compete in 2021. Are they looking to be competitive, grow their young talent, but also understand that teams like Buffalo and maybe even Miami might be a cut above what they're going to be capable of in 2021? Or do they bring in their quarterback of the future and decide that they can compete in this division right here, right now? The Pats have a lot of offseason

questions, Claire, and quite honestly, we've only just begun to scratch the surface of attempting to answer them. But I do appreciate the question. I think it's a great one. And once again, I'm always appreciative of all the support that you provide to Locked On Patriots. There's only one Countess of Klaas, and we're always happy to have her here on the airwaves of Locked On Patriots. And with that, Patriots fans, it's time to close up the midweek mailbag here on the pod,

and I want to thank each and every one of you that took the time to submit a question. There were too many questions to answer on today's pod, but rest assured, if you submitted a question for today's mailbag, it will be answered. And of course, your questions, comments, and feedback don't have to end with a midweek mailbag episode. Keep them coming in each day of the week, and we will definitely do our best to incorporate it as part of the show here on Locked on Patriots. After all, it's your team every day.

And to ensure that you do not miss a single second of the action when it comes to your team every day, download and subscribe to the Locked on Patriots podcast on platforms such as Spotify, Radio.com, Google Podcasts, Apple Podcasts, wherever you get your podcasts. Just make sure that you're staying locked in to Locked On Patriots. Until tomorrow, all you Foxborough faithful, stay safe, stay well, continue to be the change you wish to see in the world. Have a great day, everyone.