Locked On Patriots - Daily Podcast On The New England Patriots - New England Patriots: Kyle Dugger Gets Transition Tag, Should Pats Trade for Bears QB Justin Fields?

Starting point is 00:00:00 Could the New England Patriots transition tagging Kyle Duggar have a ripple effect on their plans in the upcoming NFL draft? 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. And also your first listen each and every day. Remember locked on Patriots is not only a proud part of the locked on podcast

Starting point is 00:00:54 network, your team every day, but we are also free and available on all platforms, including YouTube. So smash that subscribe button and download 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 or Sports Illustrated.

Starting point is 00:01:14 So reach out to me and let me know what's on your mind on X at MDABATENFL. While you're out there showing locked on Patriots some social media love, 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 00:01:35 Right now, new customers get $150 in bonus bets with any winning $5 bet. That's $150 if your bet wins. Visit FanDuel.com slash Locked On to get started. And Pats fans, thank you for joining me here today on this midweek episode of Locked On Patriots. And we're all pretty sure in Patriots Nation that your New England Patriots are pretty set at taking a quarterback at number three

Starting point is 00:02:01 in the upcoming 2024 NFL Draft. And I know it's not a done deal, but all signs seem to be pointing in that direction. But as we all know, the team that ultimately holds all the draft cards is the team picking at number one. And believe it or not, they could change all of that. Yeah, you know which team I'm talking about. The team that starts with a C, ends in an O, and has a CAG in the middle. That's right, folks.

Starting point is 00:02:26 Stop, Bears. And thanks to yet another futile season by the Carolina Panthers, the Chicago Bears hold the number one selection in the upcoming draft. And we're going to discuss how the Bears holding that number one pick could affect your New England Patriots. Chicago Bears reporter Yusef Koshul of the Bear Report of 24-7 Sports is going to join me in just a moment to discuss whether the bears are in fact locked into that number one pick and if so have

Starting point is 00:02:51 they already decided on a future quarterback if that's the case what becomes of their current quarterback now we all know from the multiple reports out there that justin fields is likely to be moved what will it take to pry him away from Chicago? And the most important question to be asking here in Foxborough is, are your New England Patriots willing to consider paying that price? Well, you said is going to join me in just a moment to discuss all that and more. So stay locked in folks. You are not going to want to miss this one, but we start with the big news of the past 24 to 48 hours in Patriots Nation and that is the team taking a pretty significant step in ensuring that their top free agent defender remains in Foxborough for the upcoming season that's right on Tuesday afternoon the New

Starting point is 00:03:36 England Patriots placing the transition tag on safety Kyle Duggar and I know that raised some eyebrows among the fan base why Why the transition tag? Why not the franchise tag? Well, in case you're still wondering the difference, by definition, the transition tag is a one-year tender offer for the average of the top 10 salaries at the position. If you use the franchise tag, that's the average of the top five. So right there is a cost savings for the New England Patriots. It also guarantees the original club, which in this case is New England, the right of first refusal to match any offer the player might receive from another club. And this is a move that has the fan base and the team itself excited.

Starting point is 00:04:17 The Pats confirmed the news that Kyle was being transition tagged on Tuesday afternoon. Head coach Gerard Mayo issuing a statement to the following, quote, Kyle is a talented player with a statement to the following, quote, Kyle is a talented player with a strong work ethic who has improved every year, and he's been extremely productive since joining our team in 2020. We value players with high character and chose to use the transition designation to give both sides more time to try to reach a long-term agreement, which is our goal with Kyle. And I know Patriots fans are all happy to hear that. For as much talk about wanting to upgrade and weaponize the offense,

Starting point is 00:04:51 you need to keep that defense intact. And by keeping Kyle Duggar, you ensure that one of your smartest and one of your best players is in Foxborough for the foreseeable future. Or at least you hope it'll keep him here. I'm going to get back to that one in just a moment. But if you're wondering about finances per the terms of the transition tag Duggar is set to earn 13.81 million this season should the transition price tag hold up and he remain with the Patriots now once again this is a savings for the Patriots because if they had opted to use the franchise tag

Starting point is 00:05:22 on Kyle he would have received a fully guaranteed salary of $17.1 million in 2024. So almost a $4 million savings for the Pats, definitely a no-brainer. And as Gerard Mayo alluded to, it gives them more time to work out a long-term deal with him if he does remain in New England. And in my humble opinion, Kyle Duggar is worth every single penny. Since joining the team as a second rounder, number 37 overall in 2020, he's been one of the team's most reliable defenders,

Starting point is 00:05:50 and he's been one of their best performers. Kyle led all Patriots defensive backs last season with 109 total tackles, seven pass breakups, two interceptions, and one and a half sacks. That on-field prowess alone makes him worth the price. However, you take under account his football acumen. From the time that he was drafted from Division II Lenore Ryan, Kyle came in with almost an immediate understanding of the Patriots playbook. That is not easy to do. Bill Belichick's defenses are complex. Gerard Mayo, Steve Belichick, and the entire coaching staff made sure that that defense was

Starting point is 00:06:25 always running on all cylinders. Since Kyle's been here, the defense has been the strength of the team. That was no different last year. It's going to remain as such this year. Keeping Kyle in the fold is a very smart move for the bats. And that dual threat, so to speak, not only the ability to perform on the field, but also to understand the playbook and really help to facilitate it for your fellow teammates around you, that's going to make you more valuable on the open market. So by placing the tag on Kyle, you prevent him from reaching the open market. But I will say this, even though it's unlikely, it is possible that Kyle still leaves the Patriots this offseason.

Starting point is 00:07:02 And if that happens, as I said to open the show the transition tag could actually work to their disadvantage and as the great Don would say I'm not going to give you my reasons but if I'm being fair folks they're not really my reasons I want to give a tip of the cap NBC Sports Boston's Phil Perry who did the heavy lifting here on this one he's got a great thread on X about this subject. Make sure to go to check that out. But Phil reminded everyone that if Kyle does accept an offer that the Patriots do not want to match, he wouldn't qualify for the compensatory pick formula. In simpler terms, it means if Kyle Duggar leaves the Patriots, there would be no compensatory draft pick coming back to New England next year. Bottom line, it looks like the Patriots valued the chance

Starting point is 00:07:44 to keep Kyle Duggar here in New England more than they did a potential of a compensatory pick coming back to New England next year. Bottom line, it looks like the Patriots valued the chance to keep Kyle Duggar here in New England more than they did a potential of a compensatory pick coming back to them. And one last point to make on this, folks. If the Patriots should decide that it's not going to work out long term with Kyle Duggar, and they think about letting another team sign him to an offer sheet and they decide not to match it, the Patriots could potentially pull the tag before his departure. It's very rare, but it has happened before. Back in 2016, the Miami Dolphins did that with Olivier Vernon. They ended up with a third round compensatory pick just one year later. So the Patriots have a great deal of wiggle room here, but from a financial standpoint, they're making a reasonable commitment to Duggar while avoiding the higher annual cost

Starting point is 00:08:23 of tagging another prominent free agent, and that's offensive tackle Michael Wainu. A lot of you out there in Patriots Nation were surprised that Wainu was not the one tagged either with the franchise tag or the transition tag. Our main man Miguel Benzán joined us about three weeks ago here on Locked On Patriots, and he outlined for the first time anywhere what a potential deal for Michael Wainu might look like. He anticipated a multi-year deal worth between $17 and $18 million annually.

Starting point is 00:08:53 And according to Miguel's X-Feed, he's still looking in that direction. Now, had the Patriots opted to use the franchise tag on Mike, that would have put Wainu in line for a fully guaranteed $20.9 million salary for 2024. So the Patriots are obviously hoping that they're going to be able to work out something long-term with Mike, but for the time being, the risk remains. And with the legal tampering period set to begin on Monday, things are about to get very interesting in Foxborough.

Starting point is 00:09:21 But Pats fans, I don't think I'm going on on a whim here by saying that the vast majority of all of you out there are really happy that Kyle Duggar is sticking around. But if it happens at the expense of losing Michael Wainu, that's going to create another position of need for the Pats. If that happens, they could look to use the draft to restock their offensive line. But what does that mean for the quarterback position? Do they still take one at number three? Or do they go for that franchise offensive tackle? Well, if they opt through the line or maybe a generational wide receiver like Marvin Harrison Jr., that would mean the Patriots still have a need at signal caller. Maybe their biggest need. Might the Patriots then turn their attention to a young quarterback who just might be available via trade. Well, folks, stay locked in because Yusef Koshul of 24-7 Sports

Starting point is 00:10:09 is going to join me in just a moment to discuss Justin Fields and the Chicago Bears' plans for the number one pick in the upcoming 2024 NFL Draft when this episode of the Locked On Patriots podcast continues, a proud part of the Locked On Podcast Network, your team every day. Locked On listeners, get buckets with your first bet on FanDuel, America's number one sportsbook. Because right now, new customers get $150 in bonus bets with any winning $5 bet. That's $150 if bonus bets with any winning $5 bet.

Starting point is 00:10:48 That's $150 if your bet wins. Basketball season is in full swing, and with FanDuel, you can make cheering on your favorite green team in the hub more enjoyable, more exciting, and maybe even a little more profitable. Bet on all of your favorite NBA players and teams with quick bets, live same-game parlays, exclusive props, and more. Just visit Fanduel.com slash LockedOn and shoot your shot. That's Fanduel.com slash LockedOn. Fanduel, official sportsbook partner of the NBA. Mets fans, your New England Patriots are in pretty good shape when it comes to the twenty twenty four NFL draft. Having the number three overall pick the highest pick this team has had

Starting point is 00:11:32 since nineteen ninety three when the Patriots drafted Drew Bledsoe at quarterback. You have to like the past chances of getting a generational talent. But as you and I both know the only team that actually controls the means of production in this draft is the team that drafts number one and here with some amazing insight as to what those chicago bears might do with that number one pick and who else might be available on that roster for the patriots pickings is someone who covers the bears for bear Report as part of the 24-7 Sports Group. He is also the host of the Picks and Polls podcast as sponsored by the Bear Report.

Starting point is 00:12:10 Yassid Koshul. Yassid, thank you so much for joining me here today. Welcome to Locked On Patriots. Absolutely, Mike. And, you know, thanks so much for having me on. I hope, you know, you're doing well and, you know, you're just kind of having as much fun covering this, your respective team as I feel like I'm having this year too. Absolutely. You know, suffering through a difficult season is not easy when you cover a team on a beat and you have to endure the losses, the difficulties, the uneasiness of the fan base. It's never an easy thing. But, you know,

Starting point is 00:12:46 the tide starts to turn a little bit when draft season comes around, because all of a sudden, you're the toast of the town now. You're the top guys that are getting all of the questions, and it really makes things really interesting. And you would know that even better than I do, because as I said to open the segment, Patriots with the number three pick, clearly a lot of eyes here in Foxborough, but all eyes are on the Windy City, and they are with the Chicago Bears right now. Before we get into the current Bears quarterback, who I know is garnering his own share of a lot of the attention out there,

Starting point is 00:13:18 not just in Chicago media, but all over the country when it comes to NFL media, let's take a look at what the Bears are going to do with that number one pick obviously acquired it from the carolina panthers chicago bears right now in the driver's seat in terms of what's going to happen with this draft we hear all kinds of rumors that the chicago bears are locked into caleb williams at number one but you and i both know that until that card is submitted to Roger Goodell on draft night nothing is set in stone from your covering of the Bears your insight what are you hearing on this are the Chicago Bears indeed locked in to taking the quarterback at number one yes absolutely I think they are and here's why because if you look at how expansive the Bears offensive coordinator search was, which, again, it's interesting, right?

Starting point is 00:14:07 Because the stones of this OC search actually go back to retaining Matt Eberfuss, right? Kind of this regular season ends January 7th or 8th, and then the Bears go ahead and they bring Matt Eberfuss back. And, you know, the last time that the Bears went ahead and hired an offensive coordinator under Matt overall pick be in the market for an OC and then interview guys like Thomas Brown and Shane Waldron and you know Zach Robinson and a whole bunch of other guys from the Shanahan-McVeigh tree but the most notable interview of all and I don't think he was ever a serious candidate it was just kind of hey we want to get as much intel as we can because we know we're going to have to select a quarterback or we could potentially select one, was Cliff Kingsbury.

Starting point is 00:15:09 And yet Cliff, you know, say what you want about him from his time in Arizona, but the guy can be a pretty good coach. You know, Cliff Kingsbury, he was a total wild card this offseason. I think that he's the reason the Bears are going to end up drafting Caleb Williams. And why? Because the last time Ryan Poles was part of an organization in 2017 that drafted a quarterback, well, they went with this kid out of Texas Tech named Patrick Mahomes.

Starting point is 00:15:35 And whose head coach was – who was Mahomes' head coach at the time? It was also Cliff Kingsbury. And so you kind of look at all this and you connect the dots and you say, yeah, they're setting themselves up to take Caleb Williams now from the NFL perspective and kind of what are the Bears seeing here I think what they're looking at is this is the last two seasons 22 and 23 we tried to go ahead and make it work with a guy that we didn't inherit. We are not going to, by any means, latch on to Justin Fields for a third season. No, we want a chance at having our own guy in the building running the show.

Starting point is 00:16:13 And we talk all the time as an organization about how to build a consistent winner, be a consistent contender, contend for championships. I mean, that to me kind of just signals the Bears are going to go ahead and they are going to take Caleb Williams. Great point and great insight. And we are going to get to that name you mentioned in just a moment, because I know Pats fans have a lot of questions on Justin Fields and what led to this point and what his future in Chicago may look like and whether or

Starting point is 00:16:41 not that may coincide with a future in Foxborough because there are still rumors out there that connect the Patriots to Justin so we're going to clarify those in just a moment folks but I'm glad that you mentioned that the Bears are not only in your estimation locked into taking the quarterback at number one but also that quarterback being Caleb Williams we could see the handwriting on the wall as well Cliff Kingsbury and the connection there coming in advising basically made it look like this is exactly what the Bears wanted to do and we also share uh you know your affection for Cliff I know there's a lot of NFL pundits out there right now especially in Arizona and they'll have some things to say about Cliff but don't forget he's a homegrown talent up here in New England he He played up here for a little bit, spent some time under Bill Belichick alongside Tom Brady. So, you know,

Starting point is 00:17:29 he's had the opportunity to really, I think, make his reputation here in New England. But is there any situation where they had considered, or you think they may have seriously considered going with either Drake May or Jaden Daniels because right now it's looking like those are going to be the Patriots two picks Washington seems locked into the quarterback we're hearing rumors that Drake is going to be the guy there but at the same time there is a possibility that they do go Jaden and Drake does slip to the Patriots any thoughts uh from your estimation on whether the Bears seriously considered those guys yeah i think they did seriously consider them and then here's why you know nfl network did report that the bears were

Starting point is 00:18:09 meeting with all the top quarterback prospects now that to me is interesting because you can take that at kind of two different sort of um levels here you can take it at the level of well they have the first and the ninth overall pick two top 10 picks that means that they just surely have to do their homework on all the top prospects. I think you can also look at it. You can also kind of go ahead and say, well, you know, what they essentially have is the first overall pick. So they're not going to lock on to one guy specifically. They're going to look and see, you know, is Caleb really worth all the media hype and the fan hype and all the hype he's generated over the last two years compared to a guy like Drake May or Jaden Daniels?

Starting point is 00:18:49 Does one of these three guys fit into our offense better than maybe the other two? So, you know, they have a lot of different things to consider there. And I don't think at this point in the process that they're going to move off Caleb Williams anyway. And the reality, I think, is simple, is that you kind of look at where they're at and caleb is about as good as it gets right for a quarterback prospect like it is not just the fact that the bears are picking first overall and they have a quarterback in justin fields who again has been up and down but showed some potential i think you know any team that would be picking first overall they would probably be lining up for caleb williams unless they had a hall of fame center a hall of fame guy under center very good point excellent point and look caleb williams resume

Starting point is 00:19:38 speaks for itself folks i think it really kind of does make, as you said, it makes it sort of self-explanatory. I mean, 69% of his passes completed last season, 3,633 yards, 30 touchdowns to five, just five interceptions, 11 rushing touchdowns. This guy is an elite playmaking prospect without question, top quality arm talent, and his ability to go off script to create the big play not only makes him exciting but it also makes him a guy that you know you can trust in any situation that leads me to my next point you said and we're going to talk about that in just a second because the New England Patriots right now at number three are also very much considered a lock to take a quarterback but

Starting point is 00:20:23 again it is not set in stone because there are veteran options out there that may catch their eye. One of which happens to reside in the Windy City right now. A quarterback, by the way, that the Patriots brass scouted heavily when he was available in the 2021 NFL draft. Obviously, the Patriots did not go that route. They selected Mac Jones. However, the opportunity to snag Justin Fields away from the Bears may exist. We're going to talk in just a moment about how realistic that's going to be, and also what type of package would it take to pry Justin Fields loose from the Bears in the

Starting point is 00:20:59 Windy City. Yusef Kishul is going to continue his discussion with us right here on the Locked On Patriots podcast when we continue a proud part of the Locked On Podcast Network, your team, every day. Locked On listeners, passion, drive, and patience is what brings home that winning trophy. You know what? It's also what keeps your ride or die alive. Our good friends over at eBay Motors have everything you need to maintain your vehicle and level it up to peak performance. From superchargers to roof racks to exhaust kits, LED headlights, and so much more.

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Starting point is 00:22:14 Eligible items only, exclusions apply. eBay guaranteed fit only available to U.S. customers. Pats fans, thank you very much for joining us here today on Locked On Patriots, spending time of your midweek here on the pod. And joining me here today is one of the best in Bears coverage from the Windy City. You know his great work from 24-7 Sports Bear Report. He is Yusef Kashul. And in the previous segment, we talked a lot about the New England Patriots,

Starting point is 00:22:42 and we talked a lot about the Chicago Bears and their intention to select a quarterback at number one. In your expert professional opinion, you believe the Bears will indeed go number one, Caleb Williams, and there's a lot of evidence to support that. So if in fact the Bears are going to go quarterback at number one, it's almost a foregone conclusion that they're going to be looking to shop Justin Fields not really a revelation we've seen tons of rumors surrounding basically every major media outlet has submitted their potential packages to pry Justin loose from Chicago before we get into what it would take to get him here in New England because you know New England is quarterback hungry if they decide not to go quarterback at number three I think they would love the opportunity to get a veteran like Justin

Starting point is 00:23:29 in here and we'll talk about that in just a moment but kind of walk us through what got to this point we know there was a lot of anticipation when Justin came in but seems like this marriage just never worked out the way both sides hoped it's it's never really worked out and again you know the bears with quarterbacks and i know this is going to be kind of a weird analogy but they're like the two people in a friend group that are in a relationship where everyone kind of sees it's not working anymore but those two people decide like we're just going to try to keep this thing going you know and i that's kind of the easiest way to describe it. And then ultimately, it just doesn't work out.

Starting point is 00:24:09 Right. There's, I think, a certain human element to this whole thing as well, where you look at Justin coming out of Ohio State. And by the way, you know, I knew about four to five days before the 21 draft that they were going to be taking Justin Fields. I know that they had done that much work on him I kind of look at it now and I say you know it was the right decision at the time but what the Bears did afterwards was completely wrong because there was an interesting divide that kind of happened between the local Bears media plus the national media that summer where everyone in the local media was like, hey, you know, you've got Ryan Pace and Matt Nagy. They're clearly on the hot seat. But, well, they finished the 2020 season on the hot seat.

Starting point is 00:24:52 Going into 2021, if they do drop the quarterback, which they did, give them at least two years to prove themselves. And if you have to, hit the reset button at the start of the 2023 offseason. Well, the Bears didn't do that. Then they brought in Matt Eberflus. And, you know, the first year under Eberflus, 2022, which was field second season, it kind of looked like the Bears were well on their way to building something.

Starting point is 00:25:13 I mean, there was a point where they were, I think, like number one or number two in scoring over a five to six game stretch. And then you look at the 23 offseason where you go ahead and you have the first overall pick. You trade for DJ Moore. You acquire that additional first round pick that's first overall this year. And everyone is kind of thinking, well, you got Chase Claypool. He's had a full offseason under his belt. You have Darnell Mooney coming off the offseason surgery.

Starting point is 00:25:38 You got DJ Moore. You have Cole Komet. You have, you know, a couple of legit weapons along with a pretty solid running game. Like the Bears could actually take off here with Justin Fields. And it never really happened because you watch this thing from start to finish. And they got off to this incredibly slow start. And it wasn't because they had a bad football team or just didn't have the talent. It's because left to right, top to bottom.

Starting point is 00:26:03 I mean, guys were just not in the right position to go ahead and make plays there was a play you know very early in the season where I think it was third and ten and some way somehow your number one and number two option and DJ Moore and Cole Comet they ended up within like four yards of each other both running pitch routes and so that's the type of you know small stuff that you look at and say the reason Justin never really took off especially in his third season is because the Bears were just a mess in terms of missed assignments not necessarily the most consistent offensive line combination you know they kind of got away from the run game and then the biggest thing in general is they tried to make him a pocket passer when it

Starting point is 00:26:45 was evident he was the type of guy who was hey play action design run a lot of rpo stuff don't just make me sit back here like i'm a statue and operate from the pocket and have to read the entire field no get me out in space let me kind of do my thing use my legs as being my most dangerous asset in my dual threat skill set and so those were all just kind of reasons where now, you know, any team that drafts, I'm sorry, trades for Justin is going to need to have a surefire plan in place. But then also they're going to kind of look at how he's going into year four. He's this incredibly aggressive quarterback.

Starting point is 00:27:20 He's a guy who, you know, you want to let it rip with him but you just know that he's always thinking touchdown first which is good but sometimes he just has to take the simple check down there or a short five six seven yard pass he clearly like has not been able to make that adjustment great point and if you noticed me smirking and nodding along when you said making the move at that time was the right move but everything they did afterwards was wrong I think Patriots fans can relate to that I think they have a kinship with it when it came to what happened with Mac Jones the Patriots needed a signal caller they needed someone to come in and stabilize the quarterback position Cam Newton I think had given

Starting point is 00:27:59 you everything he can and I think he did an admirable job but the Patriots knew they needed the guy for the future they selected Mac at number 15 and he had a decent rookie season the problem is supporting cast was never really what Mack needed to succeed the strategy and the game planning under guys like Matt Patricia and Joe Judge really derailed I think any progress he made under Josh McDaniels and by last year just the relationship was absolutely beyond repair. So that's why the Patriots are now in the position of seeking a quarterback. And most of the reports coming out of Foxborough, including the sources I speak with daily that are close to the team, believe that number three quarterback is probably the way they're going to go. But nobody seems to be willing to rule out the possibility of trades or free agency.

Starting point is 00:28:45 And Justin Fields' name continues to come up in trade talks when it comes to the New England Patriots. Just a couple of weeks ago, NFL.com put out a scenario that said that the Patriots would move the third overall pick and a handful of day three picks to the Bears for Justin Fields and their number nine pick. Well, shortly after that, my colleague at Sports Illustrated, Albert Breer, kind of came up with his own scenario saying, a little too aggressive for the Patriots at that point because they do hold that number three pick and can get someone very talented with it. Patriots may be more willing to part with, well, according to his formula,

Starting point is 00:29:23 a second or a third rounder package with maybe one or two day three picks as well, and probably trying to use that to get Justin. I'm always of the ilk that virtue lies in the middle. I don't think you're going to get pie in the sky, but I don't think that the Bears should or will settle for a bargain basement offer so if you're looking now at a potential package from either the New England Patriots or really anybody in your estimation from all of the recon that you've been doing on this what realistically do you think it would take for the Patriots to pry Justin Fields away from the Chicago Bears I mean I don't think it would I honestly take much especially when you're a team that's kind of sitting there with the third overall pick.

Starting point is 00:30:05 The advantage that you have is you're likely holding on to that pick, right? There's no way that Gerard Mayo and Robert Kraft are going to sign off on, hey, let's send over the third overall pick for a quarterback that we're going to have to make a decision on in terms of paying him versus not paying him. I think what happens ultimately is this, is if you're the Bears, you're looking at, you know, some of the second and third round picks that New England has, some of the day three picks, like a fourth,

Starting point is 00:30:32 maybe a fifth rounder. You're reaching into the cupboard of draft picks for 2025, and you're saying, hey, you know, we'll give you, let's just say, a second or a third this year. We'll give you, you know, whatever, a third or a fourth next year right reaching into that 2025 capital because from the Bears vantage point what they've kind of gone ahead and done is they've used the Sam Darnold and the Alex Smith trades kind of as a baseline you look at some of these other quarterbacks that have kind of been high first round picks and they've gone to other places I mean it's hard to really count on them succeeding now the one big thing that Justin does have working against him which is again why

Starting point is 00:31:12 I don't think the Bears are going to get the compensation that you know a lot of people originally hoped for is that he's going into year four you have to make a decision on his fifth year option in about two and a half to three months if you're trading for him you're probably declining it and telling him hey go out play lights out and we'll consider signing you going into 2025 to a long-term deal or they say look we're comfortable picking it up at about 25 million dollars a year we will pay you that through the end of the 2025 season. And then based on two years of work and production, we'll kind of see, hey, you know, what can we do for you?

Starting point is 00:31:51 But really for a lot of teams, I mean, they kind of look at it, right? And it's so prevalent for New England is if you trade, if you know you're going to trade for Justin Fields, that opens up the third overall pick to A, trading back for more draft capital or B, going ahead and taking a guy like a Marvin Harrison Jr. or a Romu Dunze or Malik Nabors with that pick. Or you're going ahead and you're saying, hey, we want our young quarterback and we're just going to go with our rookie because short-term and long-term, it just makes more sense because that rookie is going to be much

Starting point is 00:32:23 cheaper and buys us more time than trading for this sort of immediate veteran. Yeah, absolutely. And I'm so glad that you mentioned that because some of the packages that are being put together by pundits, my colleagues here in Boston Media, do center around sending a lesser package to Chicago that does not include the number three pick. And I think we're both in agreement on that, that that won't be included in a Patriots package right now because of that people are saying, well, okay, if the Patriots do decide to go all in and to try to trade for Justin Fields, bring him in for a year, do you still go quarterback at number three, give him the opportunity to sit, learn from someone that has recently experienced what it's like to be a rookie quarterback in a second year, a third year quarterback in this league.

Starting point is 00:33:08 Justin will be playing for an awful lot if they do decline that option. He'll be playing for his next contract. So he definitely wants to put his best foot forward and then say, okay, well, our rookies learned from him one year. He can go out, get his big deal. And we've traded for him and brought him in for a year to kind of prove himself. I think that's something that Patriots fans are still intrigued with, and I think that's one of the reasons why these trade talks won't go away.

Starting point is 00:33:33 Me personally, from what I'm hearing in Boston, and also my own personal thoughts on the matter, I don't believe the Patriots will go this route. But it's always good to hear from the other side, especially when we have an insider like you on the other side, giving us the information we need. You said, what can I say? I absolutely appreciate you taking the time out to join us here on lockdown

Starting point is 00:33:55 Patriots, your insight when it comes to the bears and the number one overall pick, and also your insight when it comes to Justin Fields and where he may be headed before I let you go, please let everyone know where they can reach out to you, interact with you, and anything else you'd like to inform our listeners so they can check out your great work. Yeah, you know, I would just say thanks so much, guys, for tuning into the show and listening to what I have to say.

Starting point is 00:34:20 You know, it's going to be exciting when we get two teams, like the Bears and Patriots, that are kind of, you know it's going to be exciting when we get two teams like the bears and patriots that are kind of you know they the last time both of them drafted a quarterback was in 2021 and you know lo and behold look just a few years later we're kind of going to be drafting i think quarterbacks who are going to be tied at the hip presumably forever you guys can check me out on the bear report website i do articles podcasts know, breakdowns as well. And then my social media, which is Twitter, YouTube, Facebook, TikTok, and Instagram. It's all at UsaidKoshel. So, again, just my first and last name, you know.

Starting point is 00:34:55 Yes, I cover the Bears, but I will always, you know, be willing to talk about just general NFL stuff along with, you know, college football, NFL draft prospects, all that kind of good stuff. Absolutely, folks. And I can tell you, you say it is one of the best, one of the most complete analysts out there, a valued friend, and definitely a valued colleague here on Locked On Patriots. We definitely look forward to having you back shortly, maybe just before the draft or maybe a little bit after to discuss the aftermath of all of this and how these two teams are shaking out.

Starting point is 00:35:25 I think it's very interesting that you said that the quarterbacks that are selected in this draft by both the Chicago Bears and the New England Patriots are probably going to be linked throughout history. And who knows? Maybe we're seeing the budding of a new rivalry way down the line between these two franchises. Yeah, we got the Brady juke on Urlacher. That was nice to see.

Starting point is 00:35:44 But you guys have one of the most lopsided Super Bowl victories in a lot of history between these two franchises. And I definitely appreciate you coming on today. Thank you so much, my friend. And we will have you back here on Locked On, Patriots. And folks, thank you for taking time out of your day to spend with us here on Locked On, Patriots. Don't forget, join us tomorrow when our good friend,

Starting point is 00:36:05 the Count of Murphy Fisto himself, the legendary Thomas Murphy, joins us to talk anything and everything, Patriots. You're not going to want to miss it. But in the meantime, I am 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 tomorrow on Locked On on Patriots.

Locked On Patriots - Daily Podcast On The New England Patriots - New England Patriots: Kyle Dugger Gets Transition Tag, Should Pats Trade for Bears QB Justin Fields?

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