Locked On Patriots - Daily Podcast On The New England Patriots - New England Patriots: Has the Pats 2024 NFL Draft Strategy Changed Since Free Agency?

Starting point is 00:00:00 Have the New England Patriots free agency move so far change their draft strategy coming up? 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, and thank you once again for making Lockdown Patriots a daily part of your New England Patriots coverage. Also, and hopefully your first listen each and every day. Once again, for making Locked On Patriots a daily part of your New England Patriots coverage. Also, and hopefully your first listen each and every day. Remember, Locked On Patriots is not only a proud part of the Locked On Podcast Network,

Starting point is 00:00:58 your team every day, but we are also free and available on all platforms, including YouTube. So smash that subscribe button and don't forget to download and follow wherever you get your podcasts to ensure that you get the latest episode as soon as it's available i'm your host mike debate and i cover your new england patriots for patriots countries so reach out to me and let me know what's on your mind on x at mdavatenfl and while you're out there showing some love to locked on patriots social media style please be sure to follow our account there as well at LO underscore Patriots. And Pats fans, today's episode is brought to you by FanDuel. Make every moment more.

Starting point is 00:01:32 Right now, new customers get $200 in bonus bets with any winning $5 bet. That's $200 if your bet wins. Visit FanDuel.com slash slash locked on to get started. And Pats fans, the new league year has begun. Your New England Patriots, along with all 31 NFL teams, making moves to help them improve their standing from 2023. And unfortunately, folks, your New England Patriots had a longer way to go than most. It was a forgettable season last year for the Pats.

Starting point is 00:02:05 Now it's a new era under a new head coach, Gerard Mayo, potentially a new general manager in Elliott Wolfe, though technically right now he's still director of scouting, and a lot of new faces on the field. And here today to help us break down the Patriots' move so far and what it means for the team moving forward is our resident voice of reason, my good friend and Patriots bison, columnist extraordinaire for patsfans.com

Starting point is 00:02:29 as well as being the co-host of another amazing listen in Patriots nation Patriots fourth and two alongside Derek Havens. He is Steve Balistrieri. Steve, thanks for joining me here today. Welcome back to Locked On Patriots, buddy. Oh, it's great to be back. Great to talk football with you, my friend. And yeah, as we say, there's never a boring day in Foxborough.

Starting point is 00:02:52 There's still a lot of stuff going on. I'm sure they're burning up some phone lines. I'm sure we're going to get into that too. Oh, absolutely. The New England Patriots have burned up some phone lines. We'll continue to do so as they continue to make moves as they move into the 2024 NFL season beginning in just a couple of months. But we both know, Steve, the league year has begun.

Starting point is 00:03:17 All the moves that were made during the legal tampering period becoming official. You're in a wing when Patriots adding some outside free agents but really mostly what they've been active in doing is retaining the core guys as elliot wolf put it going into this league year and gerard mayo put it the same way they had guys on this team that they knew they wanted to keep in-house and make sure that they were a part of the rebuild that this team is about to undertake as we move toward 2024. We'll start there, Steve. When you look at the moves that the New England Patriots have made, the positions of need, how they've filled them or how they've maintained them, and what they seem

Starting point is 00:03:56 to be doing moving forward in terms of positioning themselves to make these positions even better than they were, what would you grade the New England Patriots free agency haul thus far in 2024? Well, I think to me, I kind of lumped it in two categories. One was the internal guys, the core guys that they had identified that they wanted to bring back. And I thought they did an outstanding job of that. I think the only guy that they really wanted back that they haven't been able to, you know, re-sign was Mack Wilson.

Starting point is 00:04:39 You know, so there are other internal free agents, you know, they identified those guys. And, you know, guys like Josh Uche signed for far less than he was being offered, which tells me two things. One, that, you know, he's betting on himself, obviously, you know, that he'll have a big year in 2024. And two, he wants to play for Gerard Mayo, which is, I think that's a great sign as well. Yes. So, you know, that part of free agency is, I thought they did an outstanding job on that. The second part is signing the outside guys to fill the holes on your roster,

Starting point is 00:05:25 and that's pretty incomplete right now. I thought that the signing of, I think they call him Chuck Okorafor, I thought his was a really good signing because he provides that depth that they need at offensive tackle. And I love the signing of Gibson because, as you know, we've been harping about that third down back, that receiving back, that change of pace guy, that they really needed that and they missed that, you know,

Starting point is 00:05:58 with the offense that they ran at the time. But I still think that's an important piece moving forward. You've got to have that guy. And I like the signing of Osborne. I think he's a solid player. He's not a great player, but he's a guy that will carve out a role for himself, and he's been productive. I know a lot of fans want that, you know, quote, unquote, number one X guy.

Starting point is 00:06:26 And we know Osborne isn't that guy. But, you know, there's still some guys out there in free agency, and there's obviously still the draft. But, you know, that part of it I think is incomplete because they haven't got a quarterback yet. They haven't got a left tackle yet. And they haven't got that quarterback yet. They haven't got a left tackle yet, and they haven't got that X wide receiver, but they did fill, you know, they didn't have any tight end signed. So, you know, bringing

Starting point is 00:06:53 back Hunter Henry signing Austin Hooper, I think that was a good move. You know, I could still see them adding a impact guy in the draft as well. Yeah, I'm glad that you mentioned the tight end position. Claire and I talked about that yesterday here on Locked On Patriots. Claire Cooper joining me to talk tight ends. And we talked a little bit about Hunter Henry and about Austin Hooper and Michael Pettway and how they probably will look to add another body in the draft. And we both kind of agreed that Tip rhyman out of uh illinois would look pretty good uh one name i didn't mention yesterday that one of our listeners one of our

Starting point is 00:07:29 everydayers mentioned uh and it's a name i've mentioned here several times before is tcu's jared wiley who i think would actually look nice in a patriots uniform as well so i think they're well on their way in that position to being able to move forward and say we've got the pieces in place we just need to add one more um in terms of the recent additions that they've made, I know you mentioned Osborne, you mentioned Gibson. We had the opportunity to meet both Antonio and also meet KJ earlier this week via conference call with the New England media. And both of these guys came in different backgrounds, different positions, obviously, but very singular in terms of their focus, very singular in terms of what their intent is. And that's essentially to do whatever they need to do to help the team win.

Starting point is 00:08:15 And I know that's a catchphrase. I know that a lot of players will say that coming in to endear themselves to the media makes a nice soundbite. But these guys are as versatile as they come KJ Osborne is someone that can win his battles in the slot by his own admission he said he was very comfortable in the middle playing that's where he usually plays but he's also someone that can win his battles on the perimeter as well and we've seen him have big games uh going back to that big Vikings comeback against the Colts, 33-0 game a couple of years ago.

Starting point is 00:08:47 He played a huge part in that comeback. So if you need him to make these plays in the clutch, he's someone that can do it and step up. And really a solid locker room guy, a solid leadership guy, very high character. And that's something that I think the Patriots are going to need this year if they're going to try to build some of that camaraderie back in the locker room that was lost last year. It was a fractured locker room in New England for a lot of different reasons. And they have to really, I think, rekindle some of that camaraderie in order to move forward.

Starting point is 00:09:16 Antonio Gibson's another guy that said that he doesn't want to limit himself to just being a third down back. He wants to compete at a high level and really show that he's well rounded and capable of handling all duties as a running back. Both of these guys are capable of handling duties in the return game as well. So I'm looking forward to seeing how these new versatile weapons that the Patriots have brought in are going to be able to assimilate into this offense. I don't think either one is necessarily a needle mover or someone that's going to vault this offense back into being one of the more reputable ones in the NFL. I still think there are a few players away from that, but solid role players do make a difference and can

Starting point is 00:09:58 make an impact, folks. So I'm glad that you mentioned those guys as well. In terms of the biggest remaining needs on this team i think we'll shelve that for just a moment and we'll talk about that in just a little bit because i do want to come back to it i think that actually may deserve its own segment folks if you're watching on youtube you can see that's one of our main topics and we will get to that but when it comes to the moves that the patriots have made to continue to keep their talent in-house. We've talked a lot about the re-signing of Michael Wainu, especially now with guys like Teron Smith off the board, now going to the Jets, Jonah Williams going to the Arizona Cardinals. That

Starting point is 00:10:37 left tackle well kind of drying up for the New England Patriots free agency-wise. When you look back on it now with a little retrospect, how big was it for the Patriots to maintain a way new and keep him in house? Oh, absolutely huge. I mean, you know, otherwise they'd be looking for two tackles right now and that would really put them behind the eight ball, you know, and, um, I forget who wrote something this week. I want to give them credit for it because I read it and, you know, it was kind of forgotten.

Starting point is 00:11:11 But, you know, when the Patriots signed Calvin Anderson last year, there was some hope that he would push Trent Brown for that starting left tackle position and then he had an illness that was um life-threatening then he had another one behind that so it was kind of a lost season for him and whoever i'm trying to remember but i i would love to give him credit but i obviously i can't uh they wrote don't go to sleep on a when you, not a when you, excuse me, Calvin Anderson, because he's now healthy and he's looking to, you know, kind of make people reaware that he's still on this team.

Starting point is 00:12:00 And, you know, he might have something to prove this year. And that's a really good point because we can't, you know, we kind of forgot about him, didn't we? You know, last year because he had the two illnesses. And from what I understand, Derek heard it from somebody who would know that the illnesses were not related. They were two different ones. Yeah, and that is it's definitely a scary situation. And obviously, Calvin's health is the most important thing moving forward. If Calvin really himself is able to get that kind of assurance that his health is no longer going to be a concern moving forward, this is a very

Starting point is 00:12:38 effective tackle in this league that came in, like you said, and I do remember that last year when the Patriots had signed him, there was hope that he would be able to either push Trent Brown for maybe a little bit of competition at that left tackle position or be the guy on the right side. Because if you remember correctly, and we all remember correctly, Michael Wayne, who was not the first option at right tackle last year, a lot of people believed it would be Riley Reif. That didn't work out because of injury, but Calvin Anderson was someone that was kind of coming in to be that guy that could step up and make spot starts if either one of those guys were incapable of doing it with a wane and with a guard position. Now that Mike is entrenched at the right tackle position, it's going to be interesting to see if maybe Calvin can win that battle on the left. I think Chukwuma Okorafor is probably a guy that the Patriots will give a strong look to.

Starting point is 00:13:28 Had a pretty good season last year in terms of being credited with allowing only two sacks, no quarterback hits, and nine hurries in pass protection. Need to see a little bit more discipline. He was whistled for eight penalties last year, so you know the Patriots would like to shore that up a little bit. But Okorafor, I think, is someone that could come in and be versatile. He's played most of his time on the right side, but he can switch over and play the left. He's done it in the past.

Starting point is 00:13:54 So maybe this could be a good fit for the New England Patriots as well. And then, of course, there's the NFL draft to consider, Steve. The New England Patriots have a lot of deficits, a lot of holes to fill, and they're going to be looking to weaponize through the draft. Now, fan base and the media is assuming that means weapons. That means offensive weapons, touchdown machine, Steve. But it doesn't necessarily mean that a weapon is only a scoring threat. It could be a lineman that could be a weapon as well. Based on what the

Starting point is 00:14:26 Patriots have done, folks, do you believe that their draft strategy has now changed? Are they still locked in to taking a quarterback at number three, or might they consider moving down to maximize their draft capital? Steve and I are going to talk about that very subject 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. This show is sponsored by BetterHelp. Locked On listeners, what's the first thing you'd do if you had an extra hour in your day? Maybe go for a run or take a nap, read a book, or maybe spend some extra time with family and friends. A lot of us spend our lives wishing we had more time, but the question is, time for what? If time was unlimited, how would you use it?

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Starting point is 00:15:53 Learn to make time for what makes you happy with BetterHelp. Visit BetterHelp.com slash locked on today to get 10% off your first month. That's BetterHelp, H-E-L-P dot com slash Locked On. Patriots fans, thank you once again for joining us here today on Locked On Patriots, spending part of your Friday here with our resident voice of reason, who is back to lend his wisdom and counsel the way only he can. That's Fans.com's own Steve Balistrieri, my Patriots Paisan. And Steve, in the previous segment, we talked a little bit about the moves that the Patriots have made.

Starting point is 00:16:31 But we all know that now that that wave, that initial exciting wave of free agency has passed, Patriots' eyes are going to be squarely focused on the draft. You see Elliott Wolfe, you see Gerard Mayo and the Patriots brain trust visiting pro days, getting a good bird's eye view at some of the top prospects at the position. Friday, they were scouting the national champions in Michigan. Big eye on J.J. McCarthy. A lot of people are wondering whether or not because of their free agency hits or misses and because of the way the board continues to fluctuate at this time of year, whether or not the Patriots may be reconsidering their stance that we thought was

Starting point is 00:17:09 pretty set in stone a couple of weeks ago. Stay pat, stand pat, pick a quarterback at number three, and then fill the holes with the subsequent picks that you have remaining. Some experts are saying that the Patriots may actually be wise to trade down and the Patriots, because of all the holes that they have on this roster might be best served by maximizing that draft capital, turning that pick into two, or maybe even three quality players that they can come away with. Steve, you see things us mere mortals don't see with a reasonable eye. That's why we call you our resident voice of reason. So I ask you, my friend, when you look at the Patriots' needs and you look at the holes that still remain on this roster, you also look at their draft months and draft class and the

Starting point is 00:17:55 strengths of this draft class. Do you believe that free agency may have tipped the Patriots' hand or changed their philosophy when it comes to what they're going to do in the upcoming draft next month? No, I don't think anything's changed the needle for them. Now, you know, there's been all these rumors going around that people are going to try to, you know, make them an offer they can't refuse to move off of number three. If I am them, there's only one way that i would trade that and that is if they have serious doubts that the guy that they believe is going to be there at

Starting point is 00:18:37 number three for them talking quarterbacks isn't uh they don't have confidence in right and in other words he can't be the guy in their in their mind if that's the case then they should trade back at number three and uh you know stockpile as much draft capital as they can because they do have holes to fill. That would be the only way I would be in favor of that. Otherwise, I think they need to stay the course and take a quarterback at number three. I'm hoping it's Drake May. I've been kind of favoring him since the fall, and I kept thinking he would be the perfect quarterback, you know,

Starting point is 00:19:30 up in New England for the Patriots. He's a big kid. He's got a cannon for an arm. And, you know, I think he would be the ultimate cold weather quarterback. Kind of, I don't want to use him as a comparison because it's not fair to the kid, but kind of like a Josh Allen would be, you know, for New England. And not saying they're comparable, folks, just saying he's that type of quarterback. He can make plays with his feet, but he can stay in the pocket and deliver.

Starting point is 00:20:05 And he can throw to anywhere on the field. So that would be the guy I would want. But if it turns out that he's going to be there at three and they don't feel that way, then I think they should trade back and maybe take a quarterback later and, you know, or stamp out a three and take a guy like Joe Alt or everyone's real favorite is Marvin Harrison. I know what Murph would say. Murph wants Alt at number three.

Starting point is 00:20:38 And, you know, there's something to be said for that because you're putting, as you said earlier, a weapon on there because this guy is going to be probably a top 10 left tackle in the league for a very long time. You can never overvalue, in my opinion, a solid tackle or a solid offensive lineman around which you can build an offensive line. And generally, and this is no disrespect to the center or the guard, because the center, you can make the argument is the most vital position in that line but that building block that cornerstone is nine times out of ten a tackle and because of the importance of protecting the quarterback's blind side if you're on the left side and you got a right-handed

Starting point is 00:21:19 quarterback which is the most common combination there your job is so vital to the success of that offense. So taking a left tackle in this draft, folks, would be maybe some would consider it the safe move. I would consider it the prudent move, probably the smartest move if you're the New England Patriots. But if you're looking to rebuild this team and you're looking to start here and start at the ground level, you have a major void at quarterback right now, Steve, without any question about it. I love Jacoby Brissett. I think he's going to come in here and be a great mentor. I think he can give you spot starts. I think if you're looking to get a quarterback in here to hold a tablet or a clipboard or however

Starting point is 00:22:01 you want to put it nowadays, if you want him to be the guy that's going to help that young quarterback emerge and maybe even start for him for a little while until he gets comfort being able to start in a pro level environment i don't think you could have done a better job than bringing in jacoby brissett for that role but here's the reason why i agree with you and i believe that quarterback is still the way to go here. You don't necessarily know if you're going to be able to replicate the talent level in this class or your position right now in the 2024 NFL draft. The New England Patriots could win a couple of games next year that people don't expect them to win. All of a sudden, that becomes a problem if you're trying to get a top three or a top two pick next year you're right now at number three guaranteed to get one of the top three quarterbacks and most

Starting point is 00:22:51 pundits would agree that all of these guys are pro ready in their own right i'm starting to come around on drake may as well i was definitely someone that was pro jayden daniels but i was always pro drake may as well and i would have been comfortable with either one of these guys. With a lot of the reports coming out that Washington is almost tipping their hand now, especially with the signing of Marcus Mariota, that Jayden Daniels may be their guy, it looks like Drake May could be there for the taking for the New England Patriots. And I'm going to read you a scouting report in just a moment to tell you how history kind of repeats itself a little bit. This particular quarterback was graded as someone that may be a little over aggressive at times, but definitely a fierce competitor with the capability to run

Starting point is 00:23:35 strong arm, able to make all the throws throughout any area in the field. They also liked the fact that this quarterback would be coming into an unready-made situation meaning a team that struggled mightily last year a team that did not have the greatest season basically saying they don't have an easy situation of being able to walk right in and play that's actually a good thing they finish this up with saying that this quarterback has the size the arm the athleticism and the football iq to turn heads and potentially be a game-changing quarterback at the position. Now, Steve, that is not a scouting report on Drake May, and the team they're talking

Starting point is 00:24:14 about is not the Patriots. This is actually Ron Wolfe, Elliot Wolfe's father, talking about Brett Favre. Wolfe had his eye on Favre, and obviously he was taken by the Falcons, and he got him later. But he was ready to try to rebuild a Packers team that had gone 4-12 the year before. He liked the skill set, and he liked what this guy could do at the time. And now bringing him full circle with Elliott Wolf now being Ron's son, kind of grading maybeke may in the same regard it's eerie how those two scouting reports really do fit exactly what his father was looking at when he saw brett barge and we've talked about this several times the only knock on drake right now or the main knock on drake right now is that

Starting point is 00:24:58 he seems to have too much of that gunslinger in him too much of that willingness to always throw the ball downfield try to make plays don't settle for the check down that's not something drake does i think the right coaching can coach that out of him and i think alex van pelt may be the perfect guy to do it absolutely and you know that's kind of reminds me of josh allen too you know a lot of times Josh, when he's most successful, he'll take those check downs. He'll still air it out on occasion, but he doesn't do it as often. And sometimes, I mean, he gets a little too enamored with his arm. And I've heard that about Drake May.

Starting point is 00:25:39 And, you know, that's something that comes with coaching. And we saw, I thought Josh Allen was at his best when he had Brian Dayball. And I'm hoping if the Patriots do select Drake May, that, you know, Alex Van Pelt can do that for him. And, you know, they're going to have situations where, you know, he can check it down. And I think, you know, they should be able to do that. I do love the fact, though, that he can throw the ball 75 yards because sometimes you just need to do that. Just to keep the defense honest, you know,

Starting point is 00:26:24 they have to understand that you can hurl the ball that far and hit a target with it. So, yeah, I think that is eerie because that sounds a lot like Drake May. And it was Brett Favre. And I remember when he was coming out of Southern Miss and, you know, he went to the Falcons. And, you know, once Green Bay got him, I was a little surprised that they were targeting him because he didn't play great in Atlanta. But how things changed when he got, you know, Andy Reid as his quarterback coach. Absolutely. That does have a lot to do with it and the right coaching,

Starting point is 00:27:08 the right situation in place and the right front office to build a team around him. And that can make all the difference that right now, I think is the biggest concern for a lot of Patriots fans is, are we bringing in a quarterback? That's a project that needs some work and folks, as much as I like Drake May folks as much as i like drake may and as much as steve does as well i think we can all admit that he is a work in progress he's

Starting point is 00:27:30 someone that's going to need at least a year or more of development in order to really reach his full potential but if he can clean up some of those poor decisions that he's made at the collegiate level with north carolina and get the proper coaching to help him make those better decisions and trust the short passes a little bit more. Trust the checkdowns. Understand that par is good enough to win at times. You don't always have to go for the green every single shot. I think at this point, based on his physical skill set, based on what he's capable of doing,

Starting point is 00:28:03 that can lead this team to the next level with the proper coaching and the proper team around him? Because again, that's the concern of Patriots fans right now. Are we setting up a quarterback who is a project to fail because he doesn't have the infrastructure around him to succeed? And Steve, that's going to lead us quite nicely into our wrap-up segment today here on Locked On Patriots, folks. What is the biggest remaining need for the Patriots? If, in fact, they agree with Steve and I that the Patriots are still staying

Starting point is 00:28:30 at number three to draft their quarterback of the future, what does this team need to do to make sure that that quarterback or whoever is going to be taking snaps on opening day under center is going to be either well-protected or well-suited to be able to succeed? Folks, I'll give you a hint. It doesn't even mean that it's on the offensive side of the ball. Maybe it's beefing up the defense and making them even better so the offense doesn't have to score that many points to win.

Starting point is 00:28:55 Steve and I are going to discuss that and more when we wrap up this episode of the Locked On Patriots podcast, a proud part of the Locked On Podcast Network, your team every day. Locked On listeners, say goodbye to busted brackets because FanDuel lets you bet on every game of the tourney. Whether you're betting on a big upset or on a number one seed, it's time to go dancing on America's number one sportsbook. Test your confidence with FanDuel because right now, new customers can get $200 in bonus

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Starting point is 00:29:43 FanDuel.com slash LockedOn. Pats fans, thank you once again for joining us here today on LockedOn Patriots. And joining me to wrap up the week in style is my good friend and Patriots bison, PatsFans.com's own Steve Balistrieri. Steve, in the previous segments, we've talked about the Patriots' moves thus far. We've talked about their draft strategy, but now it's time to look forward. The week is over. It's time for a new week coming up. The Patriots are moving full-on into draft mode if they haven't done so already,

Starting point is 00:30:17 but there's still a lot of voids to be filled on this team, whether it be through free agency or whether it be through meticulous targeting in the draft, the Patriots have to fill these positions of need in order to field at least a competitive team in 2024. As you look at this team top to bottom, if in fact the Patriots decide that they're filling the most important position, and I say that arguably, folks, but let's face it, it's the most high-profile position in the NFL, starting let's face it. It's the most high profile position in the NFL starting quarterback with the number three pick in the draft. What is the position

Starting point is 00:30:50 of need the Patriots absolutely have to address in order to make that work? I think it has to be the quarterback. It's the most important position, you know, in the NFL. I think they have to find that guy. And part of the reason they haven't made a big splash with some of the wide receivers that signed elsewhere is because they don't have a situation that solidified that quarterback right now. There's still a big question mark. And I think the best way to handle that, you know, you're at the number three position.

Starting point is 00:31:26 If you firmly believe that the guy that's there can lead your team, you know, and be that difference maker, then you have to take a shot at it. The, you know, the draft is an exact science. Every year we see guys who are labeled can't miss and they flop. And then we see guys that aren't particularly well thought of and they shine. Look no farther than 199, right, Tom Brady? Absolutely. I mean, he was the seventh quarterback taken in the 2000 draft.

Starting point is 00:32:08 So that tells you, I mean, it's an inexact science. But I think they have to swing for the fence at the quarterback position. And, you know, after that, I think the two biggest remaining needs, whether it's, you know, 2A or 2B, is wide receiver and left tackle. And they have other needs. They need a second cornerback, I think, a boundary cornerback, because, you know, I do believe that Jonathan Jones is best if he's in the slot. And you have, you know, Gonzalez coming back. Stephon Gilmore is out there. I know there's been some rumors about him returning.

Starting point is 00:32:58 I think that would be a tremendous move for the Patriots in free agency because I do believe that of the three needs that I just mentioned, they have to fill at least one of them still in free agency. And there's still some guys out there, they may not be flashy guys, or they might just have to overpay a veteran for a one-year contract just to give them some leeway, you know, in the development and the rebuild. And I think some of those guys are still out there. So if you have to fill the top three needs in the draft, you're really putting a lot of pressure on yourself.

Starting point is 00:33:39 That's why, you know, I thought, you know, that story on Calvin Anderson was a little intriguing. I wouldn't hitch my wagon to that thought, but at the same time, if they just pick up a guy, say, David Bakhtiari, he's getting long in the tooth. He's had injury concerns, but he would bring you, and when he's on the field, that instant stability on the left. So I think the three biggest needs are still quarterback, number one,

Starting point is 00:34:13 and either wide receiver, left tackle, or left tackle, wide receiver, however you want to word it. I think those are the three biggest ones, and they have to address at least one of them still in free agency. But, you know, if they hit a home run in the draft and they fill all three of those, then your rebuild is going to be shortened somewhat. You're not over the hump, but you're, you know,

Starting point is 00:34:41 you're well on your way to fixing all of the ills from last year because the defense last year was really solid. Yeah. Other than for two games, they played well all year long. It was the offense and those three biggest needs were on the offense. Yeah, without any question, I completely agree with you. And look, you mentioned left tackle. Obviously, that is the white elephant in the room.

Starting point is 00:35:05 That's probably the most glaring of the Patriots needs other than a quarterback. And with Trent Brown now in Cincinnati, he's not walking through that door anymore. So you know you need to fill that. The question is for the Patriots, do they fill it with a capable veteran? Do they take a shot at a guy that's had injury concerns like a david bakhtiari or even uh mckay beckton of the new york jets that's still out there on the open market these guys are extremely talented uh beckton is someone that had such tremendous upside murph and i talked about him a few days ago saying that when he was drafted by the jets it almost left a really poor taste in

Starting point is 00:35:42 patriots fans mouths thinking about the fact that he was going to be protecting the Jets quarterback blindside. But injury has just kept him from the field. If he can remain healthy, he has the chance to be a solid addition to any team. But he's still out there on the market right now because of all the injury concerns that he's had throughout his career. So do the Patriots decide they're going to invest number 34 in a left tackle? Someone like a Patrick Paul out of Houston, I think would be an amazing fit here based on his skill set, his size, and his ability to be pro level ready. If the Patriots decide

Starting point is 00:36:17 they're going to weaponize the offense and they take a quarterback at number three, you may want to invest that number 34 pick in a receiver and someone that's going to be a game changer because for as much talent as the Patriots have at the mid-level at the wide receiver position right now, they don't necessarily have that game changer on this roster yet. You hit the nail on the head earlier. I love Kendrick Bourne. I'm glad he's back in a Patriots uniform. I think KJ Osborne is going to have a chance to maybe turn some heads at times. I haven't given up on Taequann Thornton. I know a lot of you have, but folks, he's coming in. He looks like he's bulked up a little bit. Give him a chance to win a job in training camp, and I think he may turn some heads as well. Juju Smith-Schuster right now, a wild card. No one knows for sure whether or not last year was just an anomaly and he can be a solid weapon, or if this is a bad fit here in New England,

Starting point is 00:37:06 we'll those will work itself out. But those to me are the two positions right now that the Patriots really need to make sure that a young quarterback coming in has the infrastructure around him, or even if it's preset to start the season, Steve, you want to make sure that these guys are well protected and well weaponized. But I do like the move that you talked about with cornerback, because I think if the Patriots

Starting point is 00:37:28 do go free agency, I think that's where they're going. And Gilmore is a possibility. I wrote about that earlier this week for Sports Illustrated. Also reports out there, folks, that JC Jackson could still be on the radar of this team once he's able to, you know, correct whatever issues he's going through right now, and we wish JC nothing but the best in those endeavors. If he's able to get himself back on track, he could be an option for the Patriots. And pairing him alongside someone like a Christian Gonzalez could be a great one-two punch.

Starting point is 00:37:58 That lockdown corner in Christian, and then that ball hawking corner in JC, Mr. INT coming back and coming back strong. That could look good. And I'd love to see Stefan back here in New England as well. So a lot still to be determined for the Patriots folks. Steve, what can I say? It's always an honor and a privilege to share the microphone with you here on Locked On

Starting point is 00:38:18 Patriots. Thank you for taking time out of your day to help us close the week in style here on Locked On. Before I let you go, my friend, please let everyone know where they can interact with you and what you've got coming down the pike from the great pen, the great voice of Steve Balistrieri. You can find me on patsfans.com. I've been writing for them. It'll be 12 years come training camp this year. And Derek Havens and I have been doing the podcast for 12 years come this July.

Starting point is 00:38:51 So it's fun because Derek and I finish each other's sentences. We've been doing it so long. You can find me on Twitter at Steve7SFG. This week, we're looking at the draft. Now, last week, there was a lot of rumors about Minnesota giving up 11-23 for New England. And I did a mock draft saying, well, if they did take the deal, this is how it might look. This week, I'm just going to have them stand and pat, no drafts, no trades, pardon me, and just draft in the order that they have right now.

Starting point is 00:39:37 And we'll see where the chips fall. But I will tell you this, One receiver to keep your eye on, and I've heard it from more than one person now, is Xavier Leggett from South Carolina. I don't know where he's going to fall. A lot of people have him going in the first round. So that might limit the Patriots exposure to him. But for any reason, if he's around in that second or late first round, look for the Patriots to make a move on this guy.

Starting point is 00:40:15 Yeah. He's definitely a popular name. You see bandied around a lot throughout social media. And for good reason, folks, Matt, I share your enthusiasm on him and we'll see if the patriots do as well because they need weapons and folks this kid could be a weapon he could be a diamond in the rough

Starting point is 00:40:30 maybe not the rough because there's a lot of light on him but again someone that may not be talked about in either the first two or three options at the position in this draft class but really i think deserves a second third and fourth look from the patriots if they find themselves at number 34 and he's there, might even be willing to trade up for someone like him. That's how good he is and how much headway he's making on some of these draft boards. So, Steve, excellent information, excellent insight. We always appreciate you lending your wisdom, your counsel, and your reason

Starting point is 00:41:02 the way only you can. And, of course, congratulations on reason the way only you can. And of course, congratulations on the 12 years, my friend. Di saluto, Don Balistrieri. And folks, on that level, we thank you all for joining us here today on Locked On, Patriots, for joining us throughout the week and making us

Starting point is 00:41:17 a part of your daily New England Patriots coverage. On behalf of my good friend, my Patriots bison, Steve Balistrieri, I'm Mike DeBate reminding you all to stay safe and to stay well and to be the change you wish to see in the world. Have a great day, everyone, and we'll see you back here again on Mock Draft Monday, Locked On Murph Monday with all of your great mock drafts right here on the Locked On Patriots podcast.

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