Locked On Patriots - Daily Podcast On The New England Patriots - New England Patriots: Belichick, Zappe, Cunningham and Waiver-Wire Roulette? Guest: Dave Archibald

Starting point is 00:00:00 Return of the backs and some help for Mac. Looks like Bill Belichick's game of waiver wire roulette paid off after all. Stick around. You're about to be locked in to the Locked On Patriots podcast. You are Locked On Patriots, your daily New England Patriots podcast. Part of the Locked On Podcast Network, your team every day. Hello to all of you, Foxborough faithful. Thank you once again for making Lockdown Patriots a daily part of your new England Patriots coverage.

Starting point is 00:00:50 Don't forget that we are a proud part of the lockdown podcast network, your team every day, subscribe or follow for free on YouTube or wherever you get your podcasts to ensure that you're getting the latest episode. As soon as it's available, I'm your host, Mike debate, and I cover your new England Patriots for Patriots country of sports illustrated.

Starting point is 00:01:05 So reach out to me, let me know what's on your mind on Mike DeBate, and I cover your New England Patriots for Patriots Country of Sports Illustrated. So reach out to me. Let me know what's on your mind on Twitter, on X, on the Bird app, at MDABATENFL. And while you're out there showing some social media love to Lockdown Patriots, follow our account there as well at LO underscore Patriots. And Pats fans, today's episode is brought to you by our good friends over at LinkedIn Jobs. LinkedIn Jobs helps you find the qualified candidates you want to talk to faster. Post your job for free at linkedin.com

Starting point is 00:01:33 slash lock on NFL. Terms and conditions apply. And Pats fans, thank you as always for joining me here today. Special shout out to all of you Locked On everydayers out there, all of you locked on loyalists and make this pod possible each and every day. My unending appreciation to you. I'm always honored, always humbled by your support. And as the Pats continue

Starting point is 00:01:56 to build their team, we have our own team building expert here today, journalist and author Dave Archibald is going to join me in just a moment, and we're going to talk about his new work, The Inches We Need. That's a new book set to hit shelves and devices this coming Friday on September 1st. In an interview I conducted with him earlier this week, Dave's going to discuss his great work, and we're going to even throw in a little roster slash team building talk and some Pat's Talk sprinkled in as well so stay locked in all of you everydayers and of course all of you casuals all of you first timers we appreciate each and every one of you but before i welcome dave into the fold today bill belichick's gamble to cut bailey zappy and malik cunningham appears to have paid off wed Wednesday was the day where waiver claims were awarded,

Starting point is 00:02:45 and lo and behold, the Patriots reached the deadline. Neither Zappi nor Cunningham were claimed by NFL teams that had every opportunity to do so. Therefore, the Patriots re-signed both Bailey Zappi and Malik Cunningham to their practice squad. And the Patriots have actually filled 14 of those 16 spots as I'm recording this. So keep a sharp eye out, folks.

Starting point is 00:03:08 We're going to talk some practice squad here tomorrow on Locked On Patriots, so be sure to stay locked in there. But bottom line, the Patriots quarterback room, which looked almost barren yesterday beyond Mac Jones. Actually, folks, it was barren yesterday beyond Mac Jones. All of a sudden,iley zappy malik cunningham back in the fold and with the patriots starting to place players on injured reserve wouldn't be a bit surprised to see one of these guys elevated to the 53 man roster so keep a sharp

Starting point is 00:03:36 eye out for that over the course of the next couple of days but all of a sudden bill belichick who everyone was questioning yesterday is starting to look pretty good in his game of waiver wire roulette. It seems a whole lot more impressive now than it did less than 24 hours ago. The Patriots had to stockpile offensive linemen, and to a lesser degree, they had to stockpile receivers as well. Now, yes, they did expose two young, competent quarterbacks in Bailey Zappi and in Malik Cunningham, and each one of those moves carries an inherent risk and it's my guess that both of these guys did garner at least some attention out there on the open market there are reports out there that at least Bailey Zappi got some notable

Starting point is 00:04:14 looks from other teams before deciding to come back to the Patriots but bottom line folks these guys trusted Bill Belichick Bill trusted himself and the Patriots are back in the game when it comes to quarterbacks. Now, something else to watch over the course of the next couple of days. From what I'm hearing, the Patriots are still going to be searching for a veteran backup quarterback to strengthen this group. It's probably not going to be a needle mover, but someone with a wealth of experience to help Mac Jones develop into the quarterback we all hope he can be, especially the Patriots press. Because don't forget, both Bailey and Malik are subject to be signed

Starting point is 00:04:50 by quarterback-needy teams at any time as long as they remain on the practice squad. If either of them choose to leave New England in that manner, then the Patriots are going to once again be scrambling to obtain a veteran quarterback. And the longer they wait, the more chances there are that their selection is going to be slimmer than it is right now. So as I like to say, folks, keep a sharp eye on the quarterbacks. But the Patriots didn't just round out their quarterback room on the practice squad either. They added to a thin running back core as well, bringing back Ty Montgomery and Kevin

Starting point is 00:05:22 Harris. Now, Ty is obviously going to give you a veteran presence. This was a smart retention by the Patriots. And whether he remains on the practice squad or does find his way onto the 53-man roster, he's going to settle into a pretty significant role on third down. Going to be a backfield receiver at times as well. Ty was also seeing a good amount of time aligning as the third Z receiver option off the line of scrimmage on select packages early on in camp.

Starting point is 00:05:48 I think he's going to continue to do that. Now, Harris is the type of straightforward power runner that's going to provide some short yardage production. He's shown an ability to contribute on early downs, but I think he's going to be there for you in goal line stands. And just a really reliable back a lot of talent to quickly develop into a solid rotational piece i do like kevin's chances of being elevated to the 53 man roster this year because of the promise that they see in this kid i can tell you

Starting point is 00:06:16 a lot of the guys in that room really like him and he's going to get every opportunity to shine so the patriots now four deep at running back if you count the practice squad another thin area on the patriots roster after the initial 53 man was set was tight end and this will make our good friend the empress of tight endage claire clazy claire cooper very happy hi claire yeah i'm going to mention matt sokol he's back in the full signs with the patriots practice squad and he really, I think, used his system knowledge to his full advantage. That, I think, enhanced his skill set, and not only is he going to show off his prowess in the blocking game, but we also saw him make some

Starting point is 00:06:55 pretty nice plays out there in the preseason, some contested catches, and even a few athletic diving grabs. So Matt Sokol being back is a smart move by Bill O'Brien and this offense but there is a new tight end at the TE party his name is Farrell Brown and folks this could be one to watch over the course of the next couple of weeks he's known primarily for his blocking and I think that's the reason why the Patriots were so interested in him and you heard his name come up even before roster cutdown downs and before he was made available on Tuesday Brown was an undrafted free agent who initially came into the league signed with the then Oakland Raiders back in 2017 since that time he's played for the Raiders Cleveland Browns for a couple of years from 2018 to 2019 a three-year stint with the Houston Texans from 2020 to 2022, and then again the

Starting point is 00:07:47 Browns in 2022. During his first season with Houston in 2020, he actually played under Houston head coach and now Patriots offensive coordinator Bill O'Brien. So yeah, there's a connection there, and don't think that didn't play a role in Farrow coming to town. It's going to be really interesting to see how Bill O'Brien is able to use him. Obviously saw something in him. Bill Belichick agrees, and the Patriots have him in the fold now on the practice squad. 55 career games as a pro, 51 passes caught, 478 yards, and two touchdowns. Last season with Cleveland, suited up for 16 games, so you know he's durable, folks.

Starting point is 00:08:25 12 passes caught, 117 yards in limited action. So Brown is someone to watch. He had spent all of training camp and the preseason with the Indianapolis Colts. They cut him loose yesterday, and the Patriots acted quickly to get him in here. So one of the few Patriots additions to the practice squad that was not with the team last year. And while I don't know if he's going to ever see the 53-man roster this season, as with Sokol, Patriots are going to have a nice rotation of Brown and Sokol to provide support for Hunter Henry and Mike Gusecki. And in my opinion, a very good one-two punch when it comes to practice squad elevation. So, folks, keep a sharp eye on the offense.

Starting point is 00:09:04 The skilled positions are now starting to restock and the Patriots cupboards are not bare any longer and even though it didn't look like it yesterday Bill Belichick has built himself a pretty good team here in Foxborough and speaking of team building I'm going to be welcoming in an expert on the subject in just a moment Dave Archibald a journalist for Inside the Pylon and the Washington Post, you all know his great work from that. He is the author of a new book called The Inches We Need, and that's available this Friday on September 1st. He's here to talk about his new book. Folks, I've read the available pieces. Dave's given me a little bit of an advanced look, and I will tell

Starting point is 00:09:41 you without hesitation, you're going to love it. If you're a fan of analytical football, this is definitely the work for you. And Dave and I are going to talk about that great work that he's doing, and we're even going to mention some Patriots football. All that and more when we continue here on Locked On Patriots, a proud part of the Locked On Podcast Network, your team, every day. Locked On listeners, these days every new potential hire can feel like a high stakes wager for your small business. You want to be 100% certain that you have access to the best qualified candidates available.

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Starting point is 00:10:49 LinkedIn Jobs helps you find the qualified candidates you want to talk to, and they help you do it faster. Post your job for free at linkedin.com slash locked on NFL. That's linkedin.com slash locked onFL to post your job for free. Terms and conditions apply. Patriots fans, thank you once again for joining me here today on LockedOn Patriots and for making LockedOn Patriots a daily part of your New England Patriots coverage. And today here on the pod, we have an extremely special treat for all of you because for more than 10 years, this man has written about the NFL for various websites,

Starting point is 00:11:25 including Inside the Pylon and the Washington Post, just to name a few. But his favorite subject to write about is team building. After more than five years in the works, his true labor of love is finally coming to fruition. The name of the work is magnum opus, in his own words, folks, is the inches we need. My good friend and author extraordinaire, Dave Archibald, joins me here today. Dave, welcome to Lockdown Patriots. Thanks for taking time out to join us here on the airwaves. Thanks, Mike.

Starting point is 00:11:53 I'm excited to be here. Absolutely. And Dave's been a longtime fan of Lockdown Patriots and someone whose work I've followed extremely closely, one of the better authors that I've ever read, not only in prose, but also in journalism work. And it's my honor to have him here today. And Dave, it's been, like you said, five long years in the process of putting together what you describe as your labor of love here in the inches we need. Now, besides giving me the opportunity to pontificate on an Al Pacino soliloquy

Starting point is 00:12:27 from any given Sunday, which anyone who knows Lockdown Patriots knows the reverence I hold the godfather with, but one of the great movies as well, one of the great scenes in Pacino's movie career, this book to me is fascinating. And if you haven't had a chance to check it out, the book will be coming out on September 1st, but the first me is fascinating. And if you haven't had a chance to check it out, the book will be coming out on September 1st.

Starting point is 00:12:47 But the first chapter is up. If you want a little bit of a teaser, definitely go and check this out because it really is a phenomenal read. Dave, kind of walk us through the process that you went through putting this together and what the significance behind the inches we need add to you putting together this work? Sure. So, you know, working on Inside the Pylon, we had so many great writers who were doing X's and O's stuff that I kind of tried to carve out my own niche and started writing a lot about team building. And as I went through that, I started thinking about putting this work together. And one of the things that I really wanted to focus on was core concepts, because the individual strategies change over time.

Starting point is 00:13:37 The league is always is always shifting. What worked five years ago might not work now. And what's working now might not work five years from now. It might not work two years from now. So as I put this book together, I really wanted to zero in on, okay, well, you know, I can't give like advice like, oh, get guards because they're undervalued because that might not be true, you know, nine months from now, that might not be true three years from now. So I wanted to kind of look at what are the overarching, like abstract principles that guide team building that the successful teams have done. And as I did that, and I studied and wrote through the years, I found that different teams were employing those same principles, but doing it in totally different ways. So you look at, say,

Starting point is 00:14:33 the Patriots, obviously, you know, we're very familiar with. The Los Angeles Rams have a completely different approach to their team building. You know, they're using their draft picks differently. They're running a different scheme. You know, everything they're doing is very different. But both those teams have been very successful. And one of the reasons is because they're both doing things differently than the other, you know, 31 teams. At the same time, they're doing things different from each other. They're finding a unique path to success.

Starting point is 00:15:06 And it's constantly moving. And we've seen the Patriots reinvent themselves many times. We've seen the Rams really reinvent themselves between that Super Bowl against the Patriots and the one they won a few years later against the Bengals. So I think when I look at the book, that's kind of the overall approach is zeroing in on those core concepts. And then as I go through the book, there are all sorts of case studies and anecdotes and stories that explore different elements of team building. As the Pacino speech goes, the inches we need are everywhere.

Starting point is 00:15:50 So the best teams are looking in so many different areas, but they're always looking at those core concepts, the vision, being unique, changing and adapting. And you see that apply through all the years of team building. So I'm hoping this is a book that's just as relevant five years from now as it is today. Absolutely. And I think you hit the nail on the head. It is a timeless subject. And it's a subject that if anyone is a football fan, whether you're a fan of college football, professional football, the inches you need are everywhere. And folks, in the first chapter that Dave has available on his website is really a fascinating look at the Super Bowl from a couple of years ago and the Cincinnati Bengals and the Los Angeles Rams

Starting point is 00:16:29 and the intricacies of inches here and there, little breaks here and there, nuances of the game, of strategy, things of that nature that really led to the outcome that we saw. Truly fascinating work, and I really encourage you to go and check it out. And as a Patriots fan, obviously, you scroll down through the website and you see a case study on Kyle Van Noy and his relationship with Bill Belichick and how Bill Belichick finding Kyle Van Noy really kind of encapsulates a major tenet in what you believe to be one of the major tenets for team building. Kind of walk us through that process a little bit in terms of Bill Belichick's process of finding Kyle Van Nooyen,

Starting point is 00:17:09 how it relates to the overall work that you're putting together. Sure. So one of the key quotes that kind of like jumpstarted the whole book is this speech that Belichick gave at like Salesforce.com. It was like totally random at salesforce.com. And he was saying, you know, one of the things we do is try to be outliers. When we first came around in 2000, 2001, we were running a 3-4 and it was just us in Pittsburgh. So if we wanted to get a nose tackle, there wasn't a lot of competition for it. You know, if we wanted to get a 3-4 outside linebacker, there wasn't a lot of competition. But then they were successful, Pittsburgh successful, and all of a sudden half the league is running 3-4s. It's totally different. And they had to kind of look for new areas to

Starting point is 00:17:55 find those undervalued assets. And I think that kind of gets at the core philosophy of the book, but also two of the key concepts, which are being unique is good because that's where you find undervalued assets, stuff that works better for you than it does for other teams. And the other is changing and adapting because the landscape's changing all the time. And I think Kyle Van Noy is a great example.

Starting point is 00:18:21 He was drafted, he was a guy at BYU. And I start with talking about his performance in the poinsettia bowl where he was just everywhere. He made like tons of plays. I remember watching that one live. It was crazy. And he did an interception return for a touchdown. I think he blocked a punt. He had a strip sack fumble return touchdown. And it highlighted his breadth of skills. He's kind of that classic, like three, four outside linebacker was like, do a little pass rush, do a little coverage, do some run support. And then he goes to Detroit, which is running like a very conventional four,

Starting point is 00:18:56 three under Tara Loston. And he doesn't, he doesn't fit there because he's not, he's not a four, three outside linebacker. And so the Patriots were able to acquire him for, I think it was like a late round pick swap. And they put him in and it really jumpstarted his career because all of the things that makes them the most successful dynasty ever is they have change and adaptation built into their system because they go for these versatile guys who can do so many things well. And such a core element of the way the Patriots do things is this ability to game plan. So they want to be able to do something different week to week, sometimes series to series, or even play to play based on what the weaknesses of their opponent is. You know, if the opponent is throwing deep a lot, they want to be able to combat that. If they've got big guys and they're running up the middle, they want to be able to stop that too. And they want to be able to change. And a guy like

Starting point is 00:20:10 Van Noy lets you do a lot of that stuff because he can do a lot of different things well. And I kind of bookend that poinsettia bowl with his performance in the Super Bowl against the Rams, where you see him knocking down a crossing receiver and then dropping into coverage or dropping into an underneath zone and then coming in for a sack on Jared Goff. He just kind of did a lot of things, not to the extent of the poinsettia bowl. I mean, that game was crazy. But it really highlights how the Patriots have found, you know, their system is predicated on these versatile guys.

Starting point is 00:20:49 And that's let them change and adapt so much through the years. And that's one of the main reasons why they've been so successful. Without question. And actually, Bill Belichick talked about something very similar when he addressed the media on Monday morning in the midst of team building that the Patriots are doing right now and building a 53-man roster. And we're going to get to that in just a moment as well. But I think it always comes back to those core points, that key objective that the New England Patriots consistently have. Their philosophy is unique in that regard, in that they will do what they feel is best for the football team whether it be logistically on the field like you've just described with Van Noy or whether it be

Starting point is 00:21:29 financially which is what Bill Belichick talked about Monday morning in terms of the benefits of cash spending versus cap spending and always spending to the cap and making sure that that's all taken care of but not necessarily putting a whole lot of stock in cash spending, not overspending so they can remain competitive for two plus decades. So all of these things fit in so well. And it really does fit so well into the Patriot way or what we perceive to be the Patriot way. And that's one of the things I'm looking forward to so much in continuing to read your great work, because I really think it's going to tie in so well for Patriots fans. And, you know, folks, definitely, I highly encourage you to check this out. Dave, at the end of the day, when this work is finally, you know, out there, and all of it, you know, is available for the public to consume, what are the takeaways that you want the public

Starting point is 00:22:19 to be able to glean from this? What do you hope to teach football fans, casual fans or avid fans? So the core principles I outline, and there are actually six of them, and I kind of group them in three buckets. So the first bucket is basic competence. If you don't do this stuff, you don't have a chance. And one is you have to have a vision, you have to have a plan. If you don't have a plan, you're just randomly adding talent. You're not going to go anywhere except by accident. The second is you have to align the vision around the plan. I think Van Noy is a great example of that too,

Starting point is 00:22:56 because when he was drafted by Detroit, you had Bob Quinn who is coming from the Patriots system. Who's, you know, actually, I don't remember if he drafted him. But then you had, you know, Terrell Austin was the defensive coordinator and, you know, he's running a 4-3. The front office and the coaching staff aren't aligned on who this guy is and what to do with him. And you see that a lot. And the third is the owner support. And I think, you know, Kraft probably doesn't get enough credit for, you know, keeping everything together through the years. And, you know, he doesn't always, you know, sometimes he gets a spotlight, sometimes he doesn't.

Starting point is 00:23:38 But I think you definitely see there are some owners who would have messed this up. Yeah, without question. I think right off the top of everyone's head watching this can think of a couple of NFL owners that might have a little bit of difficulty assimilating into something like this, but those core principles folks are definitely at the heart of what the new England Patriots do to build a team. And in just a moment here on Locked On Patriots, Dave and I are going to put those core principles into practical action.

Starting point is 00:24:10 Because as I alluded to before, the New England Patriots, even as we speak, are continuing to build a 53-man roster for the upcoming 2023 season. David is avid when it comes to his attention to the New England Patriots, and he's going to give us his opinion on what the Patriots are doing right now with team building. It might remind him a little bit of the process he followed when putting together his great work.

Starting point is 00:24:33 We're talking 2023 Patriots, incorporating it into the inches we need when this episode of the Locked On Patriots podcast continues. A proud part of Locked On Podcast Network, your team every day. Lockdown listeners, buying tickets to your favorite events should not be stressful. Put the fun back into it with GameTime, the fast and easy way to buy tickets for all the sports, music, comedy, and theater near you. With killer deals on last-minute tickets and their best price guarantee, you can stop stressing over the tickets and start getting hyped for all the fun you're going to have. The game time guarantee means you'll always get the best price. If you find tickets in the same section and roll for less,

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Starting point is 00:26:03 Remember, we are your team every day. Continual coverage around the clock here on Locked On Patriots as the Pats cut their roster down to the required 53 in order to be ready for week one of the 2023 NFL season. Patriots hosting the Philadelphia Eagles on Sunday, September 10th. But joining us today here on the pod, again, folks, is a true special treat. Author Dave Archibald, you know his great work from inside the pylon and the Washington Post and his new book, The Inches We Need, on shelves on September 1st. And Dave, it's been fascinating

Starting point is 00:26:37 talking to you about this work so far and just the intricate details of what goes into building a team in the NFL. And I think you've articulated it as well or better than anyone that I've read before. But we all know that the New England Patriots are building a team of their own right now in 2023. We saw over the weekend the New England Patriots trading for a couple of offensive linemen. A lot of people feel that it's almost like a fire drill type of fixing that's going on along this line. We've seen them add to the running back core. A lot of people have their thoughts about the wide receivers. When you look at this team from top to bottom, first of all, just as an observer or journalist or even a fan,

Starting point is 00:27:17 when you look at this team, the New England Patriots for 2023, anything stand out to you as really kind of either exemplifying these core principles that you've described or anything that might be like a don't let this happen to you? Probably some of both, right? But I think I do see a vision and I do see an attempt to be unique. And if we kind of take it back to the beginning of the off season, there was a lot of speculation that the Patriots might mimic some of the successful teams from last year where the, you know,

Starting point is 00:27:55 the Eagles traded for AJ Brown or the Dolphins traded for Tyreek Hill and make a big splash for, for a receiver. And in classic Belichick fashion, they didn't do that. So I think, you know, that's, Belichick's often zigging while others zag. And I think that's kind of frustrating to fans and media a lot of the time. But I do think there's a method to the madness.

Starting point is 00:28:23 And when I look at, especially going into the draft where they, you know, they'd added some pieces, right. They'd added Juju, uh, Smith Schuster and Mike Jacecki. And, um, I think there was some speculation, okay, they're going to go big now and get the, get the first round, uh, receiver, at least like a first round tackle or something. And they go defense, defense, defense with the first three picks. And I think that is indicative of a vision and an attempt to be unique because I think they looked at the landscape and said, look, you know, if we draft a receiver in the first round, can we compete with, you know, the Chiefs or the Bills or even the Dolphins in shootouts?

Starting point is 00:29:07 That's not how we're going to win. If we're going to win, it's going to be by having a great defense and doing just enough on offense. And so I think that's been the focus of the offseason. You know, they have these, they brought everybody back on defense except you know obviously Devin McCourty retired um and then they inject the talent with Christian Gonzalez and Keyon White and uh Marte Mapu and I think there's the early buzz on all those guys is great I think it's very exciting and there's a possibility of taking that defense that was very good last year even to a whole new level and And then the question becomes, okay,

Starting point is 00:29:47 can they do enough on offense? And we've got the coaching overhauls, but you know, part of the problem is you can't, there were below 500 team last year. And whenever you're below 500, you've got a lot of holes to fill and you're not going to be able to put premium assets against all of those holes. And so we looked at, you know, right tackle. It's like, okay, we add Riley Reif. We add Calvin Anderson, which I'm a big fan. I'm wearing a Rice shirt today. Calvin Anderson went to Rice for four years and, you know, they brought back Connor McDermott. But, you know, so far, I think Anderson's been sick, obviously, and we don't know when he's going to be back.

Starting point is 00:30:34 Reif wasn't looking that great, and they were kind of putting him at right guard, and now he's hurt. McDermott wasn't looking that great, now he's hurt. They have City So, but he's a fourth- pick you know what can you expect from a fourth round tackle as a rookie and so i think there's a vision here which is have a great defense and do just enough on offense and i think there's a question of can they do just enough on offense and it's kind of teetering right now because of, you know, these injuries and these illnesses, and we haven't seen how it's going to play out.

Starting point is 00:31:10 Obviously they added Wheatley and Tyron Wheatley and Vardarian Lowe in the last day or two, but, you know, those are the kind of guys who are available at this point in the off season. You can't expect too much there either. So I think it's very much in the air. But I do see them adhering to those values. But sometimes it takes time and sometimes there are missteps. And it's not clear what way it's going to fall.

Starting point is 00:31:39 Yeah, very good points on all ends of it. And there is always that wonder about whether or not you've done enough in the offseason to make that jump and to really kind of push forward. As a sub-500 team, you're absolutely right. There are a lot of holes to fill. And Bill Belichick was recently asked about those holes to fill, essentially the offensive line. And did he really do enough to address the problem that was a glaring problem last year?

Starting point is 00:32:04 And he mentioned that they did draft three offensive linemen in this draft later. Obviously, the earlier picks were used on defensive talent that, like you said, is already progressing and already projecting to be some of the top players in their draft class at their various positions when it comes to Christian Gonzalez, Keon White, and Marte Mapu. So you invest in the defense, but did you do enough to the offense? And that leads me quite nicely into my final question for you today, and that is one of your core principles, one of your tenets, is change and adapt.

Starting point is 00:32:37 And you've talked about that a little bit already. So I'm going to put you on the hot seat for a moment here, and I'm just going to ask you a little bit about 2023 Bill Belichick and the 2023 New England Patriots, Robert Kraft, coaching staff teams. Has this team done enough to change and adapt to be relevant in potentially contending for a playoff spot in 2023? Not asking for a prediction record wise, but more or less whether or not you feel that the team building process has been put adequately into place for this team right now? Yeah, I mean, that's a good question. I think like if you go back, like throughout the dynasty,

Starting point is 00:33:14 the Patriots have mostly had really good offenses, but those offenses were keyed by slot receivers and tight ends, which are two positions that historically have been undervalued. And now we see the league catching up and those aren't undervalued anymore. And so it becomes a question of, okay, do we spend a lot to keep doing things the same way or do we try to do something different? And I think they want to do something different, but I'm not sure they've figured out what that

Starting point is 00:33:50 next step is to put together a really good offense now that, you know, Johnny Smith and Hunter Henry are signing for eight-figure deals and, you know, some of the top slot receivers. What did Christian Kirk get a couple of years back? I mean, these positions that have been traditionally undervalued aren't anymore. And that's one of the reasons why teams have to change and adapt. And so I think they have a, I think they're trying to do something different. And I'm not sure, you know, I'm not sure how effective it'll be. That's part of the risk of, that That's part of the risk of being unique. Sometimes it works and then you're up here and sometimes it doesn't work and everyone's

Starting point is 00:34:31 calling you an idiot because you're not just doing the same thing everybody else is doing. It takes a lot of guts to be different. And I think we have to be thankful that Bill's got guts for sure, but that doesn't mean he's got an answer here. And from the outside looking in, I don't know. It's kind of tough to see what the future is going to hold there. Yeah, without question, it is very difficult because without seeing a regular season snap from this team,

Starting point is 00:35:05 you really don't know exactly what you're going to be able to get from one moment to the next. Teams have looked poor in preseason, and then we've seen them come out and look very good in the regular season. Teams have, quote unquote, won the preseason before. I remember Rex Ryan's inevitable comments a few years ago about winning the offseason, and teams have gone on to win the preseason and then fizzle because they just simply didn't have what it took they didn't use the inches they needed in order to get to where they needed to be and uh bottom line uh this has been a great chat uh one that's been long overdue and we hope to have you back here on locked on

Starting point is 00:35:42 patriots several times i've definitely been a fan of your work for quite some time and folks theinchesweneed.com right now if it's prior to September 1st that you're listening to this please I encourage you to go to the website read Dave's chapter one and some of the case study work that he's got out there is truly fascinating and amazing and I hope today's show helped to whet your appetite on that and of course the full work is coming out very soon. And Dave, I'm going to leave it to you. Please let everyone know where they can absorb this great piece that we're all waiting for and really where they can interact with you and anything else that you want to let our

Starting point is 00:36:18 listeners know that either you might be involved in or that you have coming down the pike from the great men, the great boys of Dave Archibald. Thanks, Mike. I appreciate all the kind words. Big fan of you and Lockdown Patriots as well. Thank you. So the first chapter of the book is up at theinchesweneed.com. There's also a link to the pre-order right now.

Starting point is 00:36:41 You can pre-order the Kindle version, which is coming out on September 1st and the paperback version will be available, you know, right about then. Also on Amazon. You can follow the rest of my stuff on the, are we calling it Twitter or X nowadays? I don't know. I struggle every day introducing it.

Starting point is 00:37:01 So, you know what? Yeah, it was just, I think everyone knows what we're talking about. You know, at Dave Archie, I struggle every day introducing it. So you know what? I think everyone knows what we're talking about. At Dave Archie, you get my thoughts there. And I link to stuff there too. So those are where you can find me. Definitely check out the book. I've been working on it for a really long time.

Starting point is 00:37:19 And I'm very excited about it. I think it's a unique product. And I think for fans that like their football a little on the intellectual side, it's going to be right down your alley. Absolutely. And I know a lot of our listeners here on Locked On Patriots love that type of analysis. They love that type of insight. And folks, it's an entertaining read. It's a great read, but you will definitely be a much better informed Patriots fan and a much better informed football fan by checking out the inches we need. So Dave,

Starting point is 00:37:48 thank you for taking time out of your busy schedule to enlighten us here on locked on Patriots about your new work and where we can absorb it. But folks definitely make it a point to check out what Dave has done at the inches we need.com and also on Amazon, having the Kindle version available and then also paperback version available on September 1st. So Dave, we look forward to having you back on here really soon because it's always a

Starting point is 00:38:12 blast. You are a friend and I definitely value you. So thank you for coming on today and folks. Thank you all for taking time out of your busy schedules to join us here on locked on Patriots. Don't forget roster cut down talk all week long here on Locked on, so stay locked in to the Locked on Patriots podcast, free and available wherever you get your podcasts.

Starting point is 00:38:32 On behalf of Dave Archibald, I'm Mike DeBate, reminding you to stay safe and to stay well and to be the change that you wish to see in the world. Have a great day, everyone, and we'll see you back here again tomorrow on Locked on Patriots.

Locked On Patriots - Daily Podcast On The New England Patriots - New England Patriots: Belichick, Zappe, Cunningham and Waiver-Wire Roulette? Guest: Dave Archibald

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