Locked On Patriots - Daily Podcast On The New England Patriots - New England Patriots: Kyle Dugger Extension, Pats Offseason Workouts, Draft QB Rumors

Starting point is 00:00:00 It's beginning to look a lot like a new era for the New England Patriots. 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 Locked On Patriots a daily part of your New England Patriots coverage and also your first listen each and every day remember Locked On Patriots, a daily part of your New England Patriots coverage and also 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 00:00:51 your team every day, but we're also free and available on all platforms. So make sure to smash that subscribe button on YouTube, 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. I cover your New England Patriots for Patriots Country of Sports Illustrated. Reach out to me. Let me know what's on your mind on X at MDABATENFL.

Starting point is 00:01:18 While you're out there showing some social media, love to Lockdown Patriots. Please 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. Right now, new customers get $150 in bonus bets guaranteed. That's $150 win or lose. Visit FanDuel.com slash LockedOn to get started. And Patriots fans, the NFL draft is just a little over two weeks away and the Patriots have begun the first phase of their off-season workouts at Gillette Stadium.

Starting point is 00:01:52 That's entering this program with a new head coach for the first time in nearly a quarter of a century. And today here on the pod, we're going to talk about what the players are saying at the stadium. We're also going to talk about the latest rumors surrounding the patriots and that number three overall pick and folks let's face it these subjects all require wisdom counsel and reason and for that we are proud to welcome our resident voice of reason columnist extraordinaire for patsfans.com and the co-host of the patriots fourth and and 2 podcast alongside the great Derek Havens. He is my Patriots Paisan, Steve Balistrieri. Steve, thank you so much for joining me today and welcome back to the pod, my friend.

Starting point is 00:02:33 Oh, it's a pleasure as always, my friend. And, you know, as we always say, there's never a dull moment in Foxborough. There's a lot of stuff going on. The players are back in the building, not doing football stuff yet, but they're doing their conditioning stuff. So it's just getting a little bit closer to having some football to talk about again. Yeah, it truly is. It's a great time of year. Hunter Henry met with the media yesterday on Tuesday and said that he loves this time of year. Hunter Henry met with the media yesterday on Tuesday and said that he loves

Starting point is 00:03:06 this time of year. And I think even though participation in these programs is voluntary, New England already having a very robust attendance list up in Foxborough already for this. You see veterans, guys like Jelani Tavai, Jonathan Jones, Brendan Schooler. You're seeing new faces come in like KJ Osborne and Jacoby Brissett. What I thought was really encouraging is guys that ended the season on IR last year, like Kendrick Bourne, Christian Gonzalez, who's going to be sporting a new number this year, folks. Agent Zero coming to New England. I'm looking forward to seeing that. From Andre Stevenson also.

Starting point is 00:03:42 These guys are there. They ended the season on IR but they're coming back and they're showing that they want to get back into game shape as quickly as possible and they're putting in the work condition wise but you and I know the big news coming out of Foxborough the last few days has been the extension or the new contract for Kyle Duggar a four-year deal with the team worth up to 58 million million with $32.5 million in guarantees. Through incentives, Duggar will be able to add another $8 million to the base value of this deal.

Starting point is 00:04:13 Now, folks, there is still a lot to learn about Kyle's contract at the time that Steve and I are recording this podcast. Stay with us this week because our good friend and salary cap expert, Miguel Benzon, that's right, the Pats cap himself, exclusively joining us here this week on Locked On Patriots. It's going to add a lot of extra details and break them all down, so stay tuned, folks. You are not going to want to miss that. But, Steve, on the logistical side, on the field,

Starting point is 00:04:38 I don't think anyone can argue that this was a great deal for the Patriots, a great deal for Kyle Duggar. How big of a move was this to bring back someone who really is one of the cornerstones of that defense? Oh, I think it's absolutely a huge move for them. You know, we talked about in the early offseason that the new regime said they wanted to identify and keep their cornerstone players, their key players. And frankly, you know, at the beginning of, say, February, late January,

Starting point is 00:05:16 early February, you know, the talk was they would be able to keep either Awenu or Duggar, but it didn't look like they'd be able to keep both, and now they have. And even though he's 28 years old, he's still kind of one of the cornerstones of the young cornerstones of this defense because he still has several good years left in him. And this was his, you know, quote-unquote,

Starting point is 00:05:44 chance for one big contract. So it was left in him. And this was his, you know, quote, unquote, chance for one big contract. So it was important to him. It was extremely important to the team because he does so much. He can play in the box. He can play free safety. He can play dime linebacker. So this was a great move for the Patriots. And, frankly, I don't understand why I'm seeing more and more of this, how do I say it, negativity surrounding his re-signing.

Starting point is 00:06:13 This was identified quite a few months ago. Yeah, I'm so glad that you mentioned that because part of the negativity with this re-signing, or at least from what I'm seeing on social media, I think a lot of people are looking at the $58 million and saying, that's an overpay for a safety. We need to invest money in this offense. That's where the problem is. Defense was solid last year. Folks, there is an argument to be made that the Patriots need to invest further in this offense. No one is looking at this offense the way it's constituted right now two weeks prior to the draft and saying they're ready to go in there and compete far from it they need to invest draft picks and they still need savvy veterans to come in here and help shore that up but one of the reasons why this defense was so effective last year was because of kyle

Starting point is 00:06:58 duggar and steve it's because of all the reasons that you hit on. He can play in the box. He can play free safety. But more importantly, he is the traffic director back there in that defensive backfield. He took on that mantra that Devin McCourty held for a number of years. And Devin said this earlier this week when he appeared on the Games with Names podcast with Julian Edelman about Kyle showing that ability right from the time he walked through the door. Bill Belichick has talked about Kyle taking to the Patriots defensive playbook a lot quicker than any other player he had ever coached.

Starting point is 00:07:33 That's pretty big praise considering the defensive backs, especially the guys at safety that Bill Belichick has had walk through the door here in Foxborough, the guys he's coached with the Giants. And to put Kyle in that echelon, I think shows you folks where he belongs, but I don't think there's any question that this wasn't an overpay. If there is an abundance of money that's given to a player like this, it's well-deserved because of what he brings to the table. 62 total games for the Pat Steve, 53 starts, nine interceptions, two f fumble recoveries and he scored three defensive touchdowns you want to play the what have you done for me lately game with Kyle Duggar folks

Starting point is 00:08:11 109 total tackles seven pass breakups two interceptions and one and a half sacks last season alongside Jabril Peppers they made one of the best safety tandems in the league yeah I mean when you look at that type of case laid out, it's really difficult for me to buy into the overpay argument. I think this is a great deal for Kyle. Don't get me wrong. He's being well paid in New England, but I think this was a wise investment for the Pats considering the importance of the position and what he brings to the table. Absolutely, Because you have to remember, even if they add the pieces that they need on offense this year,

Starting point is 00:08:51 it's still going to take them time to gel together, you know, and part of, you know, what you want to accomplish is your defense, keeping you into games until these guys start to work together they find what works for them and they they begin to gel so you know keeping the defense intact and i think that that's the kind of the narrative that's gotten lost you know um You know, a lot of fans wanted a complete rebuild, like down to the studs, like 53 new players. And there was a lot of solid players on both sides of the ball that needed to be retained. And they've done that.

Starting point is 00:09:38 So I think this is a really good move for the team. And, you know, we always hear, oh, they don't sign impact players. Well, he's an impact player on this roster. Absolutely. He is, without question. And I think the impact that he's going to have on this secondary and on this defense and on this team as a whole is going to be felt right out of the gate. And one of the guys that is thrilled about Kyle Duggar coming back, playing alongside

Starting point is 00:10:07 of him, is safety Jabril Peppers. Jabril had a lot to say about the Patriots' direction moving forward and the leadership on this team when he spoke to the media yesterday at Gillette Stadium. We're going to talk a little bit about what Jabril had to say when this episode of the Locked On Patriots podcast continues, a this episode of the Locked On Patriots podcast continues, a proud part of the Locked On Podcast Network, your team, every day. Patriots fans, it may be the NFL offseason, but it's playoff time in the NBA and the NHL. Baseball's in full swing, and FanDuel is your place to bet on every game so listen up because

Starting point is 00:10:46 right now new customers get 150 dollars in bonus bets guaranteed that's 150 bucks win or lose bet on everything from slap shots to home runs to slam dunks all on an app that is safe secure and easy to use so what are you waiting for? Put your Boston sports fandom to the test with FanDuel. Visit fanduel.com slash locked on and make your first bet an automatic win. FanDuel, America's number one sports book. Patriots fans, thank you once again for joining us here today on Locked On Patriots. And as always, when we need wisdom, counsel, and reason, the only place to go and get it is our resident voice of reason.

Starting point is 00:11:34 And that's my good buddy, my Patriots bison, Steve Balistrieri of Patsfans.com joining me here today. Steve, we talked a little bit about Kyle Duggar in the first segment. Talked about the importance of his retention and the contract that he signed. We're going to be talking about contract details on Kyle a little bit later in the week here, folks. But Steve, phase one of these offseason workouts is in full swing in Foxborough. And first two players to step up to the mic and meet the media during this period were team captain Hunter Henry

Starting point is 00:12:05 and a guy that I thought should have made the Pro Bowl last year, and that's safety Jabril Peppers. We're going to talk about Henry first because we'll talk about Peppers in just a moment. Hunter right off the bat was very honest about how he felt. He says, I always admire Gerard as a player, as a coach, as a person. He's been in our seats and has been exactly where we are. He brings that excitement. He brings that energy. Steve, my first question to you on this is hearing what Hunter had to say about the leadership, about the direction. We heard an awful lot last year that there was a disconnect between players and coaches. Nothing specific on Bill, but you have to read between the lines. And if you do, it's not

Starting point is 00:12:45 hard to see that maybe some players felt disconnected from their coaches, especially their head coach. Do you think installing someone like Gerard Mayo is just what this iteration of Patriots needed to build and move forward and to try to build back to respectability? Yeah, I think so. I think, you know, they wanted to opt for a younger guy so they could keep him around for a while if he's successful. And, you know, he relates to the players, not only the veterans, but the younger guys as well. So, you know, and I think, you know, you mentioned Hunter Henry. I think he kind of put that in a different manner of speaking. But, you know, he said, you know, he was excited. You know, they're going into a new era with Mayo.

Starting point is 00:13:34 And he said he had always admired him as a coach, a person, he's excited to hopefully be part of the change for the better. And I like all that. I mean, you know, when it came to Mayo, look, I always thought Mayo would be a great head coach one day. No one wanted to see him replace Bill Belichick this year. I think I wanted to see Bill stick around, but you know, the team made the decision. So you can't be looking backwards because you're not going that way. You're going forward, you know, and you have to embrace the change.

Starting point is 00:14:20 And I think, you know, Henry said it for a lot of players that they're excited for Mayo. They're excited for I think, you know, Henry said it for a lot of players that they're excited for Mayo. They're excited for themselves and, you know, they're excited to be back in the building and as it should be. Oh, without question. And look, a lot of that too, was Hunter Henry's love for this organization and for the region. He says, I have a lot of pride in this organization. I wanted to be here. I love the area. I love the fan base. They did not like, and Henry specifically mentioned this, but a lot of Patriots players have either hinted at it

Starting point is 00:14:52 or been overt about not being happy about how the way the last two seasons have ended. Very bitter ends to the Patriots' two last seasons, especially last year, finishing at 4-13. They want to be a part of the change. They want to be a part of the rebuild. They want to write their own legacy here in New England. And I love seeing that in guys like Hunter Henry and Kendrick Bourne, you know, guys, Anthony Jennings, Josh Uche, guys who re-signed here that may have had other opportunities elsewhere this offseason, but they chose to come back because they felt that this was the opportunity to be a part of something special.

Starting point is 00:15:27 Not a championship run, folks. I'm not trying to lay unrealistic expectations for this team. We all know what their ceiling probably is. And I say probably because you never know for sure until a team hits the field. But I think they feel the obligation to set things right. And that's what you're seeing at the podium. That's what you're seeing by so many guys attending voluntary workouts. There's really a rallying cry, I think, around Gerard Mayo, around the team right now to make this better and to make it better in shorter order than maybe people like us in the media, Steve, are giving them credit for.

Starting point is 00:16:02 Hopefully, they'll be able to build on that. And Hunter hinted at that yesterday. He says, I'm the old hat in the room now. You know, I'm a team captain, and I think he will be a team captain again this season. He did a great job with that last year. So him being here is a big thing for the Patriots. And you're also getting leadership from other guys as well.

Starting point is 00:16:21 And Jabril Peppers took the podium yesterday. I should say the dais. It's really not a podium. But you look at what Jabril had to say, and he echoed a lot of what Hunter had to say just a few minutes earlier, saying, I like our locker room. We've got leadership from top to bottom. He did say change could be good. And he, again, praised Gerard Mayo.

Starting point is 00:16:41 He said he's a guy that not only knows what it takes to get there, but also to stay there. And I thought that was an interesting choice of word because Gerard is a throwback to those Patriots teams that not only made Super Bowls, but went and won them and then went out and defended them as well. He says he knows how to motivate you and get the best out of you. I think it's interesting that a veteran like Jabril Peppers pulled upon some old school Patriots leadership there as his takeaway. What did you think of what Jabril had to say? When it comes to him, I believe

Starting point is 00:17:15 he's definitely a captain material this year. Last year, he was such a active voice in the locker room you know he uh he leads by example i loved what he had to say about kyle duggar about getting his new contract um you know um and then what you know he talked about about Matthew Slater, which I'm sure we'll get into. But, you know, and then, you know, he was talking about the workouts, right, and with Mayo. And he said, you know, you don't win games in April,

Starting point is 00:17:57 but you can lose them if you're not putting in the work. And, you know, I just, I, I, I love that attitude and that's exactly what we would expect from a guy like him. But, you know, I, I just, I, everything right now is coming out positive. There's no, there's no questions right now. There are still questions unanswered and we won't know until they get on the field. But, you know, I love seeing the leadership guys take over and, you know, they're approaching this is like, hey, this is a clean slate for everyone. And, you know, we're,

Starting point is 00:18:38 we're, you know, we're going to embrace it and put the work in and we'll see where we're at. Look, bottom line, when you look at Jabril Peppers and you look at the contributions he's made on the field, Steve, just on the field itself, Peppers is someone, again, I said early on, really should have been a pro bowler last year. 78 total tackles, eight pass breakups, one sack, one interception, forced fumble, and a recovery. And when you look at how he was deployed last year as that enforcer in the backfield, but not only the enforcer, but also a guy that could roam all over the field and make plays, I think this is a very big buy-in to get from a guy that a lot of people look to for guidance last year and emotional leadership leadership by example uh you talk about both he and kyle duggar and he did mention kyle duggar's deal and he says i think he's one of the best if not the best safety in

Starting point is 00:19:36 the league a true on-field leader i'm happy he's back yeah i think jabril we can all agree and we said this in the last segment that uh kyle back, but I think we could also all agree here in Patriots Nation that having Jabril Pepper's buy-in here on this defense is big for the New England Patriots. So he dropped a little surprise nugget as well regarding former team captain Matthew Slater. And folks, you know, we all hold Matthew in the highest regard here on Lockdown Patriots, really throughout all Patriots nation. I think every beat writer, I think every fan has nothing but glowing things to say about

Starting point is 00:20:11 the man. Really, how could you say anything bad about Matthew Slater? Well, folks, the good news is, is that Matthew Slater appears to be sticking around in some form in Gillette Stadium. Jabril Peppers said that he recalls seeing Matthew being listed as an advisor on team communications. And that kind of sparked everyone's interest in the room because he said that having him there, he uplifts the spirits, always knows what to say. He's happy they kept him in the building. You can see the excitement in Jabril Peppers when

Starting point is 00:20:44 talking about Matthew Slater. Steve, how big of a move is this to boost morale for a team that really needs, I think, a little bit of push in that direction? Having Matthew Slater definitely does that, in my opinion. Oh, yeah. And, you know, we always said he was kind of like the spiritual voice, I guess you could say, of the Patriots when he was a player. I wouldn't be surprised if he's later named team chaplain just because he's always been that kind of guy that can separate the football and the non-football side

Starting point is 00:21:21 and put it all in a perspective that all those other guys, you know, relate to. And I loved when I heard that, you know, he's back there right now as an advisor, but, you know, and again, Peppers, you know, he, he talked about slate and saying as long as I get to, you know, bounce some knowledge off of him, excuse me, you know, in and around the locker room, you know, and he uplifted spirits. I mean, that sounds like a chaplain, right? He always knew what to say. So I think that's great news for the Patriots. And I'm glad that they brought him back

Starting point is 00:22:00 because he had that, he had that kind of of calming you know uh voice around the team where they listened and he could get them to focus on what was important without question and i've had the great fortune of being able to interview matthew one-on-one one of the first assignments i had as a beat writer here in new england was speak with Matthew Slater. And truly, folks, the guy that you see in front of the camera is the guy that you see off the camera. Matthew Slater has no filter. He is every bit of the gentleman, the scholar, and the genuine good human being that he seems to be. And we all know and love here in New England. And having that type of presence in a locker room that for all intents and purposes did lose a

Starting point is 00:22:45 head coach that was a cornerstone here for almost 25 years um players are getting behind gerard mayo and there's i've yet to hear any player say anything bad about him and gerard looks again like the guy no one's saying he's not but you need help with that transition and you also need help building a team that finished 4-13 last year. And they're feeling demoralized. They do not feel like a dominant football team. They don't even feel like a competent football team right now. They have to go back out and earn that respectability.

Starting point is 00:23:16 Matthew Slater does that. And look, there's no question about this guy's love for the game of football, folks. He is absolutely locked in and dialed into football. I think Matthew's retirement was more about the wear and tear on his body just not being able to keep that up any longer and also wanting more time with his family this type of role allows him to do that so great job kudos and a tip of the cap to the patriots on keeping matthew slater in the building because i think it's nothing but good for the Pats and that players are saying all the right thing but Steve there is still that specter hanging over this team

Starting point is 00:23:51 about who will be starting under center when the Patriots take the field for their opening game in September of 2024 some interesting rumors now surrounding the Patriots with regarding that number three pick how much of a haul is it going to take for the Patriots with regarding that number three pick. How much of a haul is it going to take for the Patriots to even consider moving? And if they don't move, who are they going with? It's everyone's guess right now. And Steve and I are going to throw our hat into the ring and give our opinion on all the hot takes that are floating around out there regarding the New England Patriots draft

Starting point is 00:24:23 strategy when this episode of the Locked On Patriots podcast wraps up right here on the Locked On Podcast Network, your team every day. Patriots fans, thank you once again for joining us here today on Locked On Patriots, spending part of your midweek here on the pod, talking about all the latest comings and goings from Foxborough and phase one of off-season workouts happening at Gillette Stadium right now. Steve, it's exciting times for Patriots fans, for all football fans,

Starting point is 00:24:58 as workouts start to open. The draft is right on the cusp of happening. You can feel football just kind of like injecting back into the veins of everyone that's a sports fan. But as we all know, workouts can be exciting, but the draft is going to be the showstopper. That's the main event coming up for your New England Patriots. And the number three pick is the most exciting draft pick this team has had since 1993 when they took Drew Bledsoe and made him the starting quarterback of the Patriots. Steve, it had been almost a foregone conclusion early on that the Patriots were going to settle into Jaden Daniels. We heard Caleb Williams definitely going

Starting point is 00:25:39 to the Bears at number one. The commanders like Drake May, they're going to take him. So the Patriots are going to have to take Jaden Daniels, and that's the way it's going to be. And I think a lot of Patriots fans looked at that as an exciting opportunity because of what Jaden brings to the table. Then the story shifted a little bit. Washington commanders are higher on Jaden Daniels. They see a bigger upside. They sign Marcus Mariota. They're not going to go in the Drake May direction.

Starting point is 00:26:02 So May is probably going to fall to the New England Patriots at three. And then we saw the narrative switch and all of a sudden, Drake May became the darling of the Patriots draft hall. Then JJ McCarthy's hat got thrown into the ring. And we heard rumors that the Patriots are high on JJ, that Elliot Wolfe is making a huge push for the Michigan Wolverine to be the quarterback of the New England Patriots and yesterday Evan Silva of establishtherun.com threw another little problem into the stew so to speak and he said that Jaden Daniels is rumored to be intent on playing for New England after his meetings with Washington didn't go as smoothly when you look at all of these rumors,

Starting point is 00:26:45 what are your thoughts on what the Patriots might do? And I think the better question here, Steve, is do we know what the Patriots are going to do? Have they tipped their hand in terms of what their plans are? They haven't tipped their hand. They're kind of, you know, playing it down the middle, saying, well, you know, we it down the middle, saying, well, you know, we really would like a quarterback at number three.

Starting point is 00:27:08 But if somebody makes us a huge offer, then we'll listen to that. I think that's a possibility if they're not sold on who's ever going to be there at number three, which right now nobody knows. We're pretty much assuming Caleb Williams is going to be the first overall pick. And after that, the first round is a complete mystery. So, you know, we'll have to see. But I do think my belief is they're going to stay pat at number three and take a quarterback, whether that's Drake Mayhew.

Starting point is 00:27:50 I would rather just only because I think he's a better fit for what we believe that, you know, Alex Van Pelt's offense is going to run. But, you know, Jaden Daniels, if he's there at number three, I think he has a really high ceiling and a great future ahead of him as well. So I'd be happy with either one of those guys at number three. And I do think that one or the other will be a patriot in a couple of weeks yeah i believe that as well i know there are rumors going around about mccarthy and folks yeah last week here on locked on patriots i shared my conversation with an nfl scout who said don't

Starting point is 00:28:38 discount the patriots interest in mccarthy is simply smoke and mirrors there's a lot to like there i believe the scout saying that the patriots do have interest there and that he is on their radar and someone that they would consider if the pieces they want to fall in place do not fall in place. I still believe that choice one or 1A is going to be either Drake May or Jaden Daniels. The Boston media button has been pressed in the last couple of days here. Obviously, everyone is now mobilizing around Drake May being the pick. You're seeing several articles come out. It is that time of year where everyone kind of comes together and as the consensus, they try to push the narrative. Now, will that narrative end up coming to fruition? We'll find

Starting point is 00:29:20 out in a couple of weeks, but ultimately you look at May and you look at what he brings to the table. We've talked about this several times, his statistics, his ability as a pocket passer, his arm strength, his ability to create plays with his legs. This guy has clearly a high ceiling. But I've gone back and taken a second and third look at Jaden Daniels now, considering the reports that are out there. And Daniels completed 72% of his passes last season, 3,812 yards, 40 touchdowns, four interceptions. He did it against some stiff competition as well, playing for LSU. One of the top dual threat quarterback prospects in the

Starting point is 00:29:56 nation. Heisman trophy winner. You got to love what this kid has in his resume, his pocket presence. I think a lot of people are still worried about or maybe thinking that's a work in progress I don't necessarily disagree with that but the athleticism he brings to that position I think could be an exciting addition to New England for anyone telling you he's not a good fit in Alex Van Pelt's offense folks I disagree with that I think he would be a good fit and I think Alex is smart enough to adapt his style to fit Jaden. So if he is going to be the pick, I would look for that to be an exciting thing for the Patriots. That being said, Drake is a more ideal cookie cutter, plug and play ready fit in Alex's offense. And I think that would be

Starting point is 00:30:37 the more comfortable fit right now, but I don't think you can go wrong with either one of these guys. No, no. I like both of them um like i said i just think may is a little bit better fit but i think daniels would bring a different element to the table and you know he's going to be an exciting player to watch i know there's questions about his thin build and whatnot. I mean, you just have to take it with a grain of salt and see what happens. I mean, they don't want him running as much as he ran in college. That's not going to be, you know, the plan moving forward. But we know that he can scramble and make people miss so right you know that's

Starting point is 00:31:27 something the Patriots haven't had since a guy named Steve grogan was there and I think Jaden Daniels is a little bit more uh athletic than grogan was yeah just a tad and uh you know for good measure who knows maybe if Jaden is going to be the guy, maybe we can convince him for at least one game to bring back the neck roll just because I love the look and I think it would be hilarious to see on a throwback day where the Patriots are wearing the old reds. Yeah, that could look pretty good. But you know what? Bottom line.

Starting point is 00:31:59 Yeah, you love that, right, Steve? I would love that. We do. We love some old school stuff here on Lockdown Patriots. Yeah, we got a little bit of an older feel to us. And you know what? We're okay with it, folks. We embrace it.

Starting point is 00:32:10 But, you know, bottom line, I think a lot of the speculation that's going on now is fun. Again, folks, please take every report that you hear out there, no matter the source, with a grain of salt. But in the meantime, I want to thank my good friend, my Patriots Paisan, Steve Balistrieri, for dropping by the pod today and lending his wisdom and counsel the way only he can. Before I let you go today, my friend, please let everyone know what you've got working, what you're working on this week in the world of Patriots Nation until your next appearance here next week on the Lockdown Patriots podcast. Yeah, thank you for having me as well. You can follow me on Twitter at or X at Steve B.

Starting point is 00:32:51 Seven SFG. I write for Patsfans.com. You know, Derek Havens and I have been talking about the draft. And, you know, we've been going through prospects through the different positional groupings and you know uh yesterday we did our you know secondary guys that we are looking to and you know i don't think the patriots are going to draft uh any secondary help in the first or second round if somebody falls that they really like,

Starting point is 00:33:26 we could see a third-round corner. You know what I mean? But I don't think we're going to see guys like Kool-Aid McKinstry here. You're going to have to look a little bit farther back, and that's what we've been focusing on with some of the different positions as well as possible free safety. Very good point. And I think the re-signing of Kyle Duggar, folks, may make the priority that the Patriots

Starting point is 00:33:51 have placed on drafting a safety a little bit less, but it doesn't mean it's not a priority. Will they go early rounds or day one? Absolutely not. But you might see a late day two or very certainly on day three, some safety help walk through the door in Foxborough. This is a class with some interesting prospects. So make sure to check out what Steve and Derek are doing over there at Patriots 4th and 2 and all of Steve's great written work at patsfans.com. In the meantime, folks, stay tuned because we are just getting warmed up.

Starting point is 00:34:20 We're going to discuss contract details, DVOA, and so much more in the week remaining here on Locked On Patriots. So make sure to stay locked in. Smash that subscribe button on YouTube and download and follow wherever you get your podcasts to ensure that you get the latest episode as soon as it's available. I'm

Starting point is 00:34:39 Mike DeBate, and on behalf of my good friend Steve Balistrieri, we remind you 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 on behalf of my good friend Steve Balistrieri, we remind you 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 tomorrow on Locked on Patriots.

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