Locked On Patriots - Daily Podcast On The New England Patriots - New England Patriots: Can the Pats land Stefon Diggs after his visit? Biggest Remaining Roster Void?

Starting point is 00:00:00 Stefan Diggs left Foxboro on Thursday evening without signing a contract. Is this the same old New England Patriots story or is it all part of the plan? 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 Foxboro faithful. Thank you once again for making Locked On Patriots a daily part of your New England Patriots coverage, hopefully your first listen each and every day. I'm your host Mike Debate and I cover your New England Patriots for the Locked On Podcasts Network

Starting point is 00:00:46 so reach out to me and let me know what's on your mind on X at mdabatenfl. You can find me where the skies are blue over on blue sky at mdabatenfl.bsky.social and of course if you're looking to show some social media love to Locked On Patriots do that on our X account at LO underscore Patriots. Pat's fans, today's episode is brought to you by Monarch Money. Take control of your finances with Monarch Money. Use code LOCKEDONNFL at MonarchMoney.com for 50% off your first year. Much to the chagrin of all of you out there in Patriots Nation, veteran wide receiver

Starting point is 00:01:26 Stefan Diggs left without signing a deal here in New England. And of course, you can imagine it's creating all kinds of reactions on social media, some level headed, some not so much. Is this another example of the Patriots simply not wanting to pay a big time pass catcher? Or is there a method to their madness? We're going to discuss that here today on Locked On Patriots. We're also going to take a look at one of the more unheralded departures that happened earlier this week. Defensive tackle Daniel Aquale will sign the deal with the Pittsburgh Steelers. With all of the upgrades that the Patriots have made to the defense in the last couple of weeks,

Starting point is 00:02:03 what does Aquale's departure mean for the team moving forward? And last but certainly not least, we're going to talk about what the New England Patriots still need to do in order to get this team back to respectability. In other words, what's the biggest void still remaining on this roster as the Patriots move closer to the start of the 2025 season? All of this and more today, and of course, these subjects not only require wisdom and counsel, but they also need desperately need some level headed reason. And that's why we're welcoming in today.

Starting point is 00:02:33 Our resident voice of reason, my good friend, columnist, extraordinary at patsfans.com. As well as being the cohost of another amazing Patriots podcast, Patriots fourth and two that should be in your rotation. He's my Patriots Paisan, Steve Ballestieri. Steve, always enjoy closing out the week on the microphone with our resident voice of reason here on Lockdown Patriots. Well, thank you. As do I, right? I mean, it's always a lot of fun talking football, especially with you. And we've been doing it for a long time.

Starting point is 00:03:06 Absolutely. I feel the same way, buddy. You know, I mean, we've covered Super Bowl champions here in New England, and we've also covered teams that were the furthest thing from it. And last year was certainly that case. Really, I mean, you can make the argument the last two years here in Foxborough have not been fun. Hopefully, there better days ahead and I think that's one of the reasons why but so many everydayers here on Locked On Patriots, so many fans throughout the entirety of Patriots fandom were a little disappointed yesterday when Stefan Diggs left without signing a contract. Now you and I have talked about Stefan here on Locked On Patriots a few times and we've

Starting point is 00:03:43 both agreed that there are pluses and there are minuses. Whether or not some of the problems that he's had in past stops could end up derailing the progress of Drake May, some of the sideline antics that we've seen in the past, would they have an impact on Mike Rable's ability to build a team now and to enhance the culture

Starting point is 00:04:01 here in Foxboro? But you take a look at the skill set and you take a look at what he brings to the table, it's hard to argue that this guy would be not only the best wide receiver in the room the moment he walks through the door, but also an elder statesman, someone that's battle tested, played in big games, knows how to come through in those moments. To me, I think it would just be an invaluable experience for anyone in that

Starting point is 00:04:23 building that's playing on the offensive side of the ball to play alongside at Stefan Diggs But there's also a flip side to that Stefan is coming off of a torn ACL Patriots need to be absolutely certain if they're gonna ink him to a big-time deal Which from what I'm hearing a one-year deal folks a prove-it deal not gonna get it done for Stefan Diggs He's looking for more than that as he should and. And I wanted to throw that in, Steve, because that is a common question that I'm getting within the last 24 hours is, well, what about the Patriots just uploading a huge one-year deal? From what I'm hearing, that's not something

Starting point is 00:04:59 that Stefan is willing to entertain. So in that regard, if the Patriots are going to shell out a multi-year deal, they have to be sure that the medicals come back as optimistic as they'd like. And based on that, there's a limit to where they'll go contractually with Stefan Diggs. And there are still a lot of options out there that maybe Patriots fans have forgotten are out there. So in that regard, I would like to call upon your wisdom, your counsel, your reason here,

Starting point is 00:05:27 because as I like to say each and every week, you see things us mere mortals don't see. With regard to Stefan Diggs, were you surprised that he left Foxboro without a contract yesterday? And here's the million dollar question, my friend, was it the right or the wrong move for the New England Patriots? Well, first of all, not surprised at all that he left without a contract. When you reach that certain level of a player that he has, he was on pace for another 100 catch season last year down right. So I mean, he's going to weigh his options and there's there's still some teams that are going to, you know, want him to come in and visit. I believe Dallas is one. I wouldn't be surprised if certain other teams that might feel they were on the cusp, you know, of going to the Super Bowl this coming season will look to retain his services. So I mean, people who expected him to sign to yesterday,

Starting point is 00:06:32 that's, I mean, you have to take the blinders off. This is, he has that right to look at all of his options and he's going to do that. And honestly, the Patriots would probably be low on his totem pole because at his age, he probably wants to win a ring. And, uh, you know, at the, at this stage of the game where, you know, my, my variables guys are at right now, They're not going to do that this year. So, I mean, I think they're going to be much improved and digs would absolutely.

Starting point is 00:07:13 Elevate the wide receiver room. You know, I still think even if they signed him, they should draft a wide receiver in the first or second round you know because they they need more than one guy and you know he'll elevate some of the other guys that are on the roster I mean he's a technician but you know he's gonna weigh his options and he has every right to do so and I don't expect him to sign with anybody probably until after the draft. That's interesting. I actually heard that from a colleague of ours in the business that I'll keep

Starting point is 00:07:50 anonymous for now because just out of respect for the gentleman but he said the same thing that he believes that at this point it's not beneficial to the Patriots to make this signing. It's not definitely not beneficial to Stefan to make this signing. So yeah they definitely not beneficial to Stefan to make this signing. So yeah, they were going to come together. This was going to be his first stop. Patriots still have a ton of cap space available. They can pay him the maximum deal that he's looking for. If in fact the Pats feel that Stefan is the guy they're looking for. So if both of those things come together and the Patriots decide he's worth max money, they can pay it. And I think that's one of the reasons why he was the first stop on this little tour

Starting point is 00:08:27 that he's about to embark on. But again, whether it's Diggs or whether it's another receiver, I think the thing to remember for Patriots fans right now is there are still options out there, even if Stefan decides he's going to go on to greener pastures elsewhere, there's still the possibility that the Patriots may enter discussions with the San Francisco 49ers on a potential trade for Brandon Iuke. We've talked about Iuke before. Diggs right now has the greater potential to be an impact player right away, but don't forget, 31 years old coming off of an ACL, you don't know what you're going to get from that first year.

Starting point is 00:09:01 We've heard several times from players that have experienced ACL tears have come back and have said that first year they're really not themselves they really didn't feel like the former receiver they were until that second year back from that injury so that's something to consider there as well there are options that are still available out there on the free agent market Keenan Allen is still available. Amari Cooper is still available. Tyler Lockett is someone that reportedly the Patriots have their eye on. And I know a lot of people are going to say about Lockett that he's well past his prime.

Starting point is 00:09:36 I do agree with that. I do believe he is past his prime. But this is a solid locker room presence. This is a guy that was targeted 70 times last year. 49 catches, 600 yards, 12.2 yards per reception, and he had two touchdowns. Now, those numbers are not going to illuminate the stat sheet. They're not going to satisfy the fans' bloodlust for a top wide receiver, but what it does is it brings in a solid character guy that I think can help the guys in this locker room

Starting point is 00:10:05 Build if you can't find that number one this year lock it as a good guy to bring in to help everybody around him It's not going to solve all of your problems in the wide receiver room But it will help to build a solid group for the future So once again folks the Patriots return to respectability is a marathon It's not a sprint. Try not to expect the fact that these problems are going to automatically be rectified with the wave of a magic wand. Sometimes you have to build and sometimes that building goes slowly. So in that regard, I can understand why the Patriots are not willing to go max value right

Starting point is 00:10:42 off the bat for Stefan Diggs because they have options and they also have, again, as I said before, have to be very weary of those medicals coming back. That to me is going to be the biggest telltale as to where Stefan ends up, whether it's in New England or anywhere. Any team investing in him has to be sure that he's going to be productive, not just in the subsequent years, but this year, especially. Yeah. And that's a great point because, you know, tearing an ACL, maybe a 26 is a little bit different than a 31. You know, you don't know how your body's going to react to that. Although, you know, from what I've heard that he's kind of ahead of

Starting point is 00:11:25 schedule and you know, there's reports that he's going to be ready to go by, you know, uh, week one of NFL season, which would be ahead of schedule. Um, but you know, with these things, you have to take it easy. The last thing you want to do is sign this guy and be pushing them to get out on the field. I mean, you have to let him do that complete rehab and until, until they start running and making, I mean, a lot of guys get the ACL and they're running. And you see him running like sprints and they look fantastic because they're

Starting point is 00:12:02 not putting stress on that knee. It's when they cut and it's going to take, I mean, I've talked to people who've had that and they said that the hardest thing to get through is that mental thing. Cause they're afraid of making that cut and putting that stress on the knee because you know, they've all said the same thing. Actually, one of the people that I interviewed a long time ago was a girl who had one, and she said the toughest thing was making that first cut because mentally in your head, you know, it's tough to get through that. And that's why it takes a little while

Starting point is 00:12:42 for them to get back into the flow. And we saw that with Kendrick Bourne last year. He wasn't all the way back last year. And you expect that. Now this year, I know we're all expecting him to be back to his normal self, which would be a great boost for the passing game. But you know, the the only thing and I'm not really worried because these ACL surgeries, they're getting better and better with

Starting point is 00:13:14 them. Not really worried about the physical part. It's the locker room part. And as you mentioned, but you know, when you look at digs is, you know, past stops in his career. Yeah, year one, he's like the team guy, right? It's all about the team. He wants to, you know, help the team win, blah, blah, blah. Year two, he starts politicking a little bit more for the ball, you know, and then year three, he can be a pain in the backside, right? Yeah, absolutely. I'm glad that you mentioned that because Murph and I talked a little bit about this yesterday. First of all, we did discuss the fact that Diggs is coming to town

Starting point is 00:14:00 or at least coming into this season, seemingly ahead of schedule when it comes to his rehab. So that's great news for Stefan. It's great news for the teams that are going to be potentially signing him like the Patriots. But again, I think it's so important that you make that point that you're never really going to know until you get out there on the field. You mentioned Kendrick Bourne and having the chance

Starting point is 00:14:20 to have spoken to Kendrick one-on-one last year about the ACL tier and about his return to the field, he did admit that there were times where he did feel a little bit snake bit for lack of a better term, uh, when it came to making a cut or when it came to really pushing the limits of his knee and seeing how far he could go. It is a difficulty and nobody can blame an athlete for that. That's a very devastating injury to go through and a very lengthy rehab. It's a very difficult injury to get over in so many facets. So that's why the medicals are so

Starting point is 00:14:55 important folks. If those things come together, yeah I think the Patriots have a great chance of maybe convincing Stefan that this is the area for him to come and consider the remaining for him to come. And consider the remaining contract balance, just finance these saludes on Bellis Trari. I think they may have a deal on their hands. Yeah. Yeah.

Starting point is 00:15:15 You know, um, you know, this is what it's all comes down to. And look, guys like Dave's have earned their payday. And this will probably be his last really big one, you know, at 31, because he's looking for three years, possibly more, you know, and you might have a fourth year that's kind of like a throwaway deal. So, I mean, he's gonna wanna cash in and that's why he's gonna visit all these teams

Starting point is 00:15:44 and he's gonna buy this time. And that's, I mean, that shouldn't come as a surprise to anybody. I mean, this happens every, every season. You hear these guys, Hey, look, I'm taking my time. I'm going to visit other teams. I'm going to see what's out there. Well, any of time he's not going to be ready to go to OTAs anyway, right? You know, so it's not like he has to be in the building right now, you know

Starting point is 00:16:12 Steve it's always fun to think about the possibilities that New England may put out there offensively However, there are a lot of defensive moves being made by this Patriots brain trust in the front offices of one Patriots place in Foxborough a Lot of additions, but there are some subtractions as well We've seen Jonathan Jones and Dietrich wise take their talents to the nation's capital One such player though kind of sliding under the radar a little bit this past week And that is the departure of defensive tackle Daniel Aquale heading off to the Pittsburgh Steelers How does the loss of Aquale affect the Patriots in the short term? And is this a sign of things to come in the long term for how the New

Starting point is 00:16:51 England Patriots are going to do business? Steve and I are going to discuss that point in just a moment when this episode of the Locked On Patriots podcast continues, a proud part of the Locked On Podcast Network, your team every day. of the Locked On Podcast Network, your team, every day. Locked On listeners, scaling your business requires the right expertise at the right time. With Upwork, you can find specialized freelancers in marketing, development, design, and more.

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Starting point is 00:19:05 code LOCKEDONNFL at MonarchMoney.com for 50% off your first year. That's MonarchMoney.com code LOCKEDONNFL for half off your first year. Patriots fans, thank you once again for joining us here today on Locked on Patriots as we continue to discuss the various Patriots roster voids. The Pats have undergone a defensive makeover of sorts under Mike Grable, Terrell Williams, and the new regime in the front offices at one Patriots place. Gone are mainstays like Dietrich Wise Jr. and Devon Godshaw. In now are players that prioritize attacking the quarterback. Guys like Rob Spillane at the linebacker position.

Starting point is 00:19:53 Milton Williams at the defensive tackle. At a backup tackle position, Kairis Tonga. And most recently, linebacker Jack Gibbons. However, one move that the New England Patriots have made that isn't garnering a lot of press but might be worth it is the departure of defensive tackle Daniel Aquale. Spent the last four seasons as a part-time starter on the Patriots, he will not be back in Foxboro signing a free agent deal with the Pittsburgh Steelers. Aquale had been with the Patsons 2021, initially entered the league as an undrafted rookie free agent out of Washington

Starting point is 00:20:25 State in 2018, spent some time with the Cleveland Browns and the Jacksonville Jaguars, but has been more than just a part-time starter here in New England, a full-time roster stay last year, but again, with the changes that the Patriots are making to this defense, Laquale finds himself on the outside looking in. Now with him joining the Steelers, the Patriots obviously have a position that needs to be filled along their defensive line or do they? Steve, you are our resident voice of reason here on Locked On Patriots. And again, especially when it comes to the defensive side of the ball,

Starting point is 00:20:57 you see things us mere mortals clearly do not see. You've spoken highly of Aquale since his arrival here in New England in 2021. He's the type of player that may not always register the big time play on the stat sheet, but he's always in the middle of a big play or usually around it. Is this a loss that the Patriots are going to feel, or do you believe that the moves that they've made this off season will help to mitigate the loss of someone like a Daniel Laqualle. Well, I, it's, this is going to sound weird because I like Daniel Laqualle, but I think this is a harbinger of good news because I don't think they would've let him walk away if they didn't think Christian Barmore was going to be in. Very good point

Starting point is 00:21:46 You know, I'm just looking at it from that perspective, of course, you know, I could be Mistaken there. It could just be that they don't feel he fits what they're trying to do But yeah, I've always liked him I thought he was like one of those kind of overachievers that bill brought in You know, he wasn't necessarily a star or anything, but you know, he's He's one of those guys that when you have a good football team you need guys like him that can step up and Make their presence felt when they're called upon

Starting point is 00:22:24 You know you go back through the years, whether during the Belichick radius, when they were so successful, we would always see that in games, right? A guy that would not necessarily be a starter, but he would step up in a big game, you know, when he was in the, you know, in the game on the field. And, uh, he was always that the game, on the field. And he was always that player for them, I should say. But I'm looking at it from this perspective,

Starting point is 00:22:56 you know, would they have let him go if they weren't believing that Christian Barmore, you know, is it gonna be healthy this year? And I don't think they would have let him walk. I mean, he didn't sign for that great a money that they couldn't afford to have kept him around. And like I said, it could just be that, you know, they didn't feel he was a fit and they were gonna replace him with someone else. But, you know, it's gonna be tough in the short term

Starting point is 00:23:22 because they're gonna have to get him back and they're gonna to replace him with someone else. But, um, you know, it's, it's going to be tough, uh, in the short term because he was a productive player, but in the long term, I mean, Mike variable is building the team in his image. And, you know, we, we talked about this, you know, when his first press conference, he said the roster that they have, you know, in his first press conference, he said the roster that they have, you know, that day is going to look a lot different than the one they'll have, you know, in late August, early September. And I think we're going to see that. I mean,

Starting point is 00:23:58 you know, we talked about Robert Spillane, but Robert Spillane is a middle linebacker. And, you know, if the Patriots do what we all think they're going to do and play in a four man front. Well, that's only three linebackers. Juwan Bentley is your normal inside guy, right? He was that. And I read yesterday that he's trying to lose a lot of weight so he fits in with that faster attacking style defense. I mean I could see a scenario where both he and Jelani Tabai might not be here this season. It's definitely a possibility and I think Juwan is someone that's trying to read

Starting point is 00:24:45 the tea leaves here and say, hey, look, I at least better put my best foot forward and try to fit in with the scheme if I want to hang around here in New England. And he's been a mainstay in this defense. You saw what that run defense looked like last year without Juwan Bentley in it. Him losing that weight now does make him more mobile and it gives him a little bit better of a chance to assimilate into a Terrell Williams defense. Boston Sports Journal, Mike Giotti was the one with the story saying that Juwan is back down into the 230s when it comes to his weight, which is a slimmer version of Juwan Bentley than we've seen before. I think

Starting point is 00:25:19 that's an interesting point. And I want to come back to what this means for the other guys on this defense in just a moment, because move like this has a ripple effect. And I think it could be a sign of things to come and maybe something that the Patriots should keep watch on. But I want to come back to his prowess on the field for just a moment, because I think you make a very good point about him being a potential replacement for Barmore if Barmore is not able to go at some point in the season. Look, for all intents and purposes, Daniel Laqualle was Christian Barmore last year

Starting point is 00:25:53 when he was out of the lineup, started 16 games. Daniel has only started 16 games in his career. All of those starts came in 2024. And I think he really parlayed that into a very good performance on the field played 722 defensive snaps for the Patriots, 52 tackles, eight quarterback pressures and one sack. So he had his best season as a Patriot last year. Cashes in on it goes to goes to Pittsburgh.

Starting point is 00:26:19 All the best when it comes to Daniel Laqualle. He's the guy, like you said, did everything the coaching staff asked him to do and he did it to the best of his ability. You can't ask for more than that from an NFL player and the Patriots got, I believe, his very best and Pittsburgh will continue to get his very best. But you're looking at Devon Godshaw now being traded to the New Orleans Saints. You're looking at Dietrich Wise Jr. now with the Washington commanders. Jonathan Jones along the secondary is now with Washington. A lot of the players that you're looking at

Starting point is 00:26:50 were mainstays here for a number of years in New England. Not only were they reliable guys that rarely miss snaps, that were usually right in the thick of things, every play, every moment for the Patriots, but they were also key guys when it came to locker room cohesion to leadership. Just from a starting front seven perspective, when you look at a quality, when you look

Starting point is 00:27:11 at Gotcha and when you look at wise, 311 total games worth of experience between those three gentlemen, 1809 defensive snaps from one year ago. Those guys are now gone from this lineup. So in that regard, are you worried at all about a potential regression when it comes to a learning curve here in New England, when it comes to a leadership standpoint, or are the moves that the Patriots have made in the off season so far enough to mitigate that? Well, it's a legitimate question, right? I mean, you're losing a lot of veteran experience.

Starting point is 00:27:46 And if they had made these moves last year, I would be really concerned because you have a first year head coach and first year coordinators. I think Mike Vrabel again, I mean, I mentioned this earlier. He, he tore it down to the studs, right? I mean, this was the, you know, when Tom Brady left, we all kind of thought they might do this exact move, right? Tear it down to the studs rebuild, but they kind of kept going, you know, here and there, you know, trying to add pieces, but keep the main parts of the roster intact. You know, Brable's tearing it down. He's building from scratch. He's building the team in, in his philosophy and his image of what he wants to see. And so I'm not

Starting point is 00:28:38 concerned with it, because I think him and his coaching staff have a lot more experience and, you know, they see how they want to build this team. And that doesn't mean that any of these guys are bad players. Right. Quite the opposite. I mean, but it's at the same time you're, you're going completely in a different manner and you want to build the team the way you want it to run. And a lot of these guys just don't fit that.

Starting point is 00:29:08 So, um, you know, I'm not really concerned with that. And variable said so on day one. I mean, it's going to look a lot different. Absolutely. Rebuilt that defense. So honestly, I'm really excited for it because you know, I know over on Patriots fourth and to my podcast Russ Derek and I have been clamoring for a defense that's more aggressive more downhill

Starting point is 00:29:44 More tacky for years. We've been clamoring for that. So now we're you know, we're all excited for it I think it's gonna work out and Steve bottom line whether the Patriots are packing the defensive line with new talent Whether they're upgrading the secondary or they're upgrading the offensive line or the quarterback room No matter what moves the Patriots have made this year in the offseason There are still some voids that need to be filled. A couple of them are pretty prominent ones. Simply put, what is the Patriots biggest void on this roster at this moment heading into 2025 and what steps should be taken for the Patriots to fill it? Steve and I are going to discuss that and more when this episode of the Locked On Patriots podcast wraps up right here on the Locked On Podcast

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Starting point is 00:31:06 Offense defense New England Patriots have some holes to fill here to help break it all down is my good friend and Patriots pies on columnist extraordinaire at pats fans comm Steve Valestrier and Steve it's way too soon to determine whether or not the New England Patriots have adequately filled those various voids that we've been talking about week after week after week here on their roster. They've indeed filled some without any question. Whether or not you want to believe they filled them adequately, I think the jury is still out on that, but you can at least say that they've addressed some of these problems and attempt to fill some of the roster voids

Starting point is 00:31:45 The defensive line has received a pretty significant overhaul That secondary is much stronger than it was just a few months ago And even the offensive line has gained a few new faces heading into 2025 But patriots still have a need for a top level receiver We started the show today talking about Stefan Diggs and how upset Patriots nation is that he left yesterday without signing a deal. So that needs still exists out there and members of the fan base, they believe that's the biggest void on the roster. And of course,

Starting point is 00:32:17 last but certainly not least Patriots have themselves a new right tackle. They probably have themselves a new center. They still are lacking a left tackle and those options are diminishing by the day as the new England Patriots march toward the 2025 NFL draft. So if I'm being honest, most of us Patriots fans tend to take an emotional approach as to what the biggest void is left on the team. I call upon you though, a great voice of reason, because you truly are here on the Long-Time Patriots.

Starting point is 00:32:48 Steve, what in your estimation is the biggest void remaining on the Patriots roster as we sit here today? I still think it's left tackle. Okay, yeah, I mean, you know, if your quarterback doesn't have time to throw, if he's not protected on his blind side, then, you know, nothing, I mean, you could hire Stefan Diggs and T Higgins, and it's not going to work if your quarterback doesn't have time to throw. So I think that's the most important thing. And you and I have talked about this many times. The guy, you know, for left tackle, and I've said this till I'm blue in the face, but no one seems to like the idea.

Starting point is 00:33:35 I want a stopgap guy right now and he's still out there. Try on Smith. You know, former Dallas Cowboy, former New York Jet. Definitely on the downside of his career, he's not the player. He still was. But he still can be very, very good. And so now I still believe they need to draft a left tackle very early in this draft.

Starting point is 00:34:04 And with Smith, now you already have a stopgap measure. That rookie is not gonna be thrown to the wolves on day one. You have that established veteran presence out there. And the guy that has been forgotten amongst the tackle prospects is Josh Simmons. Now he tore, I believe it was an ACL, right? In October, I think it was early October, but I'm not sure.

Starting point is 00:34:39 I'd have to double check that. But a guy like Simmons, now he was considered prior to his injury. He was going to be the first tackle off the board. He's got tremendous talent. And now if you bring on a guy like Smith, as you know, your veteran stop gap. Now Simmons has all the time he needs to get healthy. And I think he's a fantastic talent. I do. I mean, I thought he was going to be like the top tackle in the draft.

Starting point is 00:35:14 You know, so many people, they just keep reading the same things over and over about, you know, Will Kempel having short arms. I don't know if the same people who keep saying that haven't watched the tape of him because when you see him play left tackle, he's outstanding. But, you know, it's just food for thought. If they signed Smith,

Starting point is 00:35:41 Travis Hunter still there at four, you could possibly move back up in the late first round I think that's a possibility. And, you know, again, the medicals will have to check out, but you have plenty of time to do that. And I think that's a possibility. And I think that's a possibility. And I think that's a possibility. And I think that's a possibility. And, you know, again, the medicals will have to check out, but you have plenty of time to do that between now and late April. And I would still bring Smith on regardless of who they claim on drafting. That's the smart move.

Starting point is 00:36:21 Yeah, I'm actually more surprised that Tyron Smith was not someone that is mentioned prominently among the Patriots potential targets. And a lot of people were wondering whether or not he's going to suit up, but if he does decide to do so and indications are that he might be willing to do it. Yeah. I think New England makes a ton of sense. This guy brings not just hall of fame capability, which I mean, we've seen the resume on Tyron Smith.

Starting point is 00:36:45 Two time first team all-pro, three times second team all-pro, he's been to the Pro Bowl eight times. I mean he's gonna be considered among the better left tackles of his generation for years to come and it probably will earn him a spot in Canton. He's played 171 games, he started every single one of those. So if he is indeed ready to come back, maybe the Patriots can get him on a team-friendly short-term deal to allow him to prove to everyone out there that he's still got something left in the tank. If that is not the case, then I agree with you. I think the New England Patriots absolutely have to look to the draft at this point.

Starting point is 00:37:21 And Simmons, yes, does come with his drawbacks because of the injury but again, I think his prowess and what he's shown he's capable of on the tape that you've seen from him from Ohio State really makes him leap off the page. This guy would be a very good left tackle here in New England. Will Campbell I know is the darling of most media pundits out there right now that are filling out mock drafts. I understand about the arm length. A lot of people are concerned about that. When it comes to looking for wisdom and counsel

Starting point is 00:37:49 in matters of that type, always consider the source of where it's coming from. And I don't think there's a finer evaluator of talent when it comes to the offensive line than former Patriots offensive line coach Dante Scarnacchia, who has said, don't worry about the arm strength with this kid. The talent is there. That's what's most important. He's good enough to overcome that. If Dante is saying it, I'm going to give him the benefit of the doubt. But if that's not to your liking,

Starting point is 00:38:14 our guy Murph is very high on Kelvin Banks Jr. I've been watching him a little bit more. I wouldn't be upset if the Patriots chose to put all their eggs in that basket. So they do have options there to fill that void, but I absolutely, 100% agree with you, this is the area where the Patriots need to focus so much of their energy over the course of the next month or so you need a solid, dedicated option at left tackle. If Drake may is going to feel that comfort, he needs to be able to move this team forward and back to respectability. If you've got uncertainty at the left tackle position heading into 2025, I'll

Starting point is 00:38:51 say the words recipe for disaster. Yeah, absolutely. We saw it last year. I mean, uh, you know, and look, you know, last year was it what happened and you know they thought they had signed a guy and you know After one week he decided New England is not for me, so I mean that that kind of throws a huge monkey wrench Into your plan, I mean, I'm not, you know, being a, uh, an apologist for Gerard Mayo staff, but I mean, who saw that

Starting point is 00:39:30 coming? It was impossible to tell. Well, it's one thing, you know, you lose a guy for injury. You just have to chalk it up. Hey, the football gods have decided this guy is going to get hurt. But, uh, you know, for a guy to just up and quit on you after the first game, I mean, that's a tough one to come back from. Because you don't have any backup plan at that point. So, you know, it's just one of those things. And, you know, we'll see what happens. But I have things. And, you know, we'll see what happens. But I have, I have faith that this regime is going to get things right. I already like what they did. And free agency. Yes. They haven't got a wide receiver yet. It's not for lack of trying. They wanted T. Higgins. They wanted Chris Godwin, you know, from what we've heard, they offer 20 million more

Starting point is 00:40:28 than the Tampa Bay bucks did. So, you know, that whole cheap thing, that whole cheap thing, right? Does this, it doesn't really fit there. Yeah. Absolutely. But, and I, I'll be the first to tell you there have been times when they don't spend you know, but they went after Chris Godwin and And I give them credit for that and they've had you know, Stefan Diggs in it doesn't mean

Starting point is 00:41:02 Because he left that they won't get him, you know, we'll have to see but yeah going into the draft I agree with you. I think it's left tackle, wide receiver. And then I think there's, you know, with the tight ends that are available. And, you know, I love that they brought back Austin Hooper with Hunter Henry, those two guys were, I thought, the best two guys in the offense last year. And, you know, but it wouldn't hurt to get a young guy in there. Say, for instance, I know I keep harping on this guy because I like them. Mason Taylor, if you get him maybe in the third round. But I do think think as you mentioned earlier Running back is sneaky Is a sneaky need this year and again you can never have too much offensive firepower, right Steve? I mean you really don't have anywhere to go but up at this point

Starting point is 00:41:57 So why not try to enhance your ability to you know make it across the goal line on third and short? to make it across the goal line on third and short situations in the red zone. Why not give yourself the chance to gain a tight end here that could end up filling the shoes of Austin Hooper or Hunter Henry someday? You mentioned Mason. I love Mason Taylor. I think he could be a good option. Definitely comes from good stock and good pedigree. His father knows more about football and has forgotten more in his sleep than we'll ever know in our lifetime. Gunnar Helm is a guy that I like an awful lot from Texas, simply because I just want to bring the space balls meme back. I want to bring back that who made that man a Gunnar? What better way to do it than you exchange one or Shelsky for a Gunnar Helm? I think that would be good. But no, all kidding aside, folks, there are

Starting point is 00:42:44 ways in which the Patriots can upgrade And I'm glad you mentioned tight endage because if you did hear that that very faint high-pitched cheering That's coming from West Midlands in the UK and our good friend Claire closet Claire Cooper loves herself some tight endage So bottom line Steve the Patriots have a lot of holes to fill they filled a good number of them But there were still some prominent ones to address and that's the task now that the Patriots face. Steve, you're always there for the handoff when I need you. I thank you for your wisdom, your counsel, most of all your levelheadedness and your reason. We desperately need those here in Foxboro. You've provided that today. So I thank you, my friend on the tip of the cap

Starting point is 00:43:21 to you. Before I let you go, please let everyone know where they can reach out to you, interact with you, and what you got cooking in La Cucina Balestrieri between now and next week. Yeah, thanks for having me, as always. You can find me on Twitter at CB7SFG. I do the Patriots fourth and two podcast with Derek Havens. We recorded one early this weekend. We're talking about doing another one late this evening, which we're recording on Friday.

Starting point is 00:43:54 So we might have one up tonight with that. And we're going to be looking at how the roster is configured right now, which guys, just like we talked about, might find their way on the, you know, find themselves out of a job here shortly. Um, and you know, what moves can they make, uh, via the draft and remaining free agency to help show up some of these other positions and I think like I said I think variable and his staff are off to a good start. I want to see Josh McDaniels and Drake may start putting some cool stuff together

Starting point is 00:44:43 Folks I want to thank each and every one of you all of you every dayers all of occasional listeners, and of course anyone joining us today for the first time. For all of your support to Lockdown Patriots, thank you for making us a daily part of your New England Patriots coverage. And folks, stick with us because the best is yet to come. A ton of exciting guests lined up next week, including Mock Draft Monday, so make sure to get those mock drafts in over the weekend. We can't wait to feature your great work right here on the locked on Patriots podcast a proud part of the locked on Podcast network in the meantime on behalf of my good friend Steve Ballastra I'm Mike debate Reminding all of you to stay safe to stay well to be the change that you wish to see in the world

Starting point is 00:45:21 Have a great day everyone have a great weekend, and we'll see you back here again on Monday on Elect on Patriots.

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