Locked On Patriots - Daily Podcast On The New England Patriots - New England Patriots, Matthew Judon, Deal or No Deal? Jahlani Tavai, Joshua Uche: Linebackers

Episode Date: July 7, 2024

The New England Patriots have been active this offseason in offering contract extensions to several “core” players. However, linebacker Matthew Judon has yet to receive an enhancement to his current deal. Host Mike D’Abate is joined by Steve Balestrieri of PatsFans.com to discuss the chances of Judon and the Pats agreeing on a new contract as well as discussing Jahlani Tavai, Ja’Whaun Bentley, Joshua Uche and the Pats linebackers. #nfl #patriots  Find and follow Locked On Patriots on your favorite podcast platforms:Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast...Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/1c5ZxFm...Stitcher: https://www.stitcher.com/show/locked-...And follow host Mike D’Abate on X, where he’ll be sharing the latest news about the New England Patriots and talking with fans — @mdabateNFL Support Us By Supporting Our Sponsors! BetterHelpThis episode is sponsored by BetterHelp. Make your brain your friend, with BetterHelp. Visit BetterHelp.com/LOCKEDON today to get 10% off your first month. eBay MotorsFor parts that fit, head to eBay Motors and look for the green check. Stay in the game with eBay Guaranteed Fit at eBayMotors.com. Let’s ride. eBay Guaranteed Fit only available to US customers. Eligible items only. Exclusions apply. GametimeDownload the Gametime app, create an account, and use code LOCKEDONNFL for $20 off your first purchase. Terms Apply. FanDuelFanDuel, America’s Number One Sportsbook. As playoffs wind down, the sports stop sporting like we want them to. But this summer, FanDuel is hooking up ALL CUSTOMERS with a boost or a bonus, DAILY! That’s right, there’s something for everyone, every day, all summer long! Visit FANDUEL.COM/LOCKEDON and add a big win to your summer bucket list! FANDUEL DISCLAIMER: 21+ in select states. First online real money wager only. Bonus issued as nonwithdrawable free bets that expires in 14 days. Restrictions apply. See terms at sportsbook.fanduel.com. Gambling Problem? Call 1-800-GAMBLER or visit FanDuel.com/RG (CO, IA, MD, MI, NJ, PA, IL, VA, WV), 1-800-NEXT-STEP or text NEXTSTEP to 53342 (AZ), 1-888-789-7777 or visit ccpg.org/chat (CT), 1-800-9-WITH-IT (IN), 1-800-522-4700 (WY, KS) or visit ksgamblinghelp.com (KS), 1-877-770-STOP (LA), 1-877-8-HOPENY or text HOPENY (467369) (NY), TN REDLINE 1-800-889-9789 (TN)

Is there still a Lloyd Christmas type chance that Matthew Judon might get a contract extension before the start of the NFL season? 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. Don't forget, Locked On Patriots is not only a proud part of the Locked On Podcast Network,

your team every day, but we are also free and available on all platforms, including YouTube. So smash that subscribe button, download and follow Locked On Patriots wherever you're getting 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 the Patriots country. So reach out to me and let me know what's on your mind on X at N-V-A-B-A-T-E-N-F-L. While you're out there showing some social media love to Locked On Patriots,

please follow our account there as well at L-O underscore Patriots. And Pats fans, I hope you are all enjoying what many are enjoying as a long holiday weekend this weekend. Bottom line, hope you all enjoyed your 4th of July celebrations on Thursday. We are back here on Locked on Patriots. And what better way to welcome back all the Foxborough faithful here to the Locked on Patriots airwaves than with our very own hero. And I say that without hesitation, our good friend, my Patriots bison, columnist extraordinaire

of batsfans.com, as well as being the co-host of, my Patriots bison, columnist extraordinaire of Fatsfans.com, as well as being the co-host of another amazing Patriots listen at Patriots 4th and 2 alongside the great Derek Havens. He is Steve Balistrieri. Steve, welcome back to Locked On Patriots, bud. Thanks for joining me here today on this holiday weekend.

Yeah, I hope all your listeners had a fun and safe 4th of July and always glad to be on here with you anytime, my friend. Absolutely, and we're always glad to have you. And it really comes at an amazingly poignant time, Steve, because not only are we discussing the Patriots linebackers today, you're no stranger to defense, You're no stranger to protection. Very

much involved in both of those, but also there's a Patriots defender right now that has the fan base a little on the nervous side based on some of the activity we've seen on social media. Folks, just to catch you up here, the New England Patriots have been very active in handing out contract extensions this offseason in a way in which we haven't seen in quite some time. Elliott Wolfe, Gerard Mayo, all the Patriots brain trust have been saying, you want to keep your core guys locked in here in New England. And we've seen the Patriots do it, from starting with Hunter Henry and Kendrick Bourne on offense,

and guys like Joshua Uche and Jelani Tavai and Christian Barmore on defense. But one guy that has been conspicuously absent from that list is linebacker Matthew Judon. And you can make the argument that Judon may even be the face of the franchise right now. And when you think of the Patriots nationally, Bill Belichick is no longer the face of the franchise. Tom Brady hasn't been for quite some time it's Matthew Judon you see those red sleeves under the number nine jersey and all of a sudden that becomes your face of the franchise but the Patriots have not extended Matthew as of yet and he took to social media over the weekend to respond to a fan posting on social media

they were concerned that Matthew has not been a part of this contract extension extravaganza that's been going on in the front offices of one Patriots place. And to quote Matthew Judon, folks, he said, I don't think it's going to happen. This obviously sent, I don't want to say shockwaves, but sent a shiver up and down the spine of every Patriots fan that's a Matthew Judon fan. And people are wondering now whether or not this is a harbinger of things to come, whether or not Matthew knows that a contract extension is not coming and he might be playing his final season in New England, or whether or not New England may look at this and say, maybe we should try to trade him for any type of value to recoup something for

him so that way he doesn't walk away and we don't lose him for nothing or this could be contract posturing and it could just be a game between both sides and still a chance to get things worked out steve you are the perfect person to ask this question to because you are our resident voice of reason you see reason when all of us see problems so i ask you my friend do you believe in fact that the problems between Matthew judon and the New England Patriots are irreconcilable differences and if so what kind of impact could that have on the Patriots this season well you know if you would ask me this question, you know, back in April or May, you know, maybe even March, I just said, hey, Judon has to be near the top of the list. I mean, yeah, you want to

sign, you know, re-sign your young guys, you know, the Barmores, the Duggars, guys like like that um Michael when you but now I'm starting to believe that maybe they're looking at this is look they're not going to compete this year um they want to get younger they think they have young guys that can you know play the game so maybe he's gonna get traded um you know, play the game. So maybe he's going to get traded. You know, I wouldn't have thought that a couple of months ago, but, you know, just by his statement that he doesn't think it's going to happen, it kind of leads me to believe that they're kind of at a spot where, you know, he doesn't fit into their long-term plans. That is that scary thought for a lot of Patriots fans.

And look, there are some that are looking at this and saying, look, Judon's going to be 32. He's coming off of a serious injury last year and a torn biceps. Dr. Kyle Trimble has been a guest here several times on locked on patriots assured us that matthew should be able to take the field this season fully recovered and at full

strength but you never know for sure i mean those are always concerns down the line you don't want him to have constant or chronic problems and things that can be re-injured so i know the patriots are going to watch that but you also have to take a look at the fact that the original 54.5 million dollar contract that he signed in 2021 has already been tweaked but in Matthew's estimation it hasn't really been tweaked enough he's felt underpaid these last few years and people that I've spoken to close to the organization have kind of confirmed that um he's set to make 6.5 million as a base salary this year. That is a bargain basement price for what Matthew Judon brings to you on the field in terms of his productivity when he's fully healthy. But yeah, I think it does take an interesting turn when you look at his age.

And then you look at the players that are on this team, guys like a Joshua Uche, who's facing a prove-it season this year, signing only a one-year deal to remain in New England. You have to think he wants to showcase himself as a potential pass rusher. Keon White is making strides, and he's becoming a force in this defense. I think you're onto something, Steve. I think you might have to start believing that the Patriots may be looking at things and saying, well, it depends on how much we're going to have to shell out to keep Matthew in New England. And that's where it becomes interesting about him being traded.

And I'm glad that you mentioned that because there is an incentive to trading him now that it's post-June 1st. The Patriots could save approximately $6.7, $6.8 million against the salary cap if they find a trade partner for Matthew Judon. It's also the same thing if they cut him. So I don't believe they would just cut him loose and let him go. I think the Patriots would want that cap savings along with recouping something, even if it's a seventh-round pick, a late-round pick. I say seventh round, but maybe a later-round pick. They'll want to get something for him, and he'll have no shortage of suitors uh if he remains on the trade block the patriots will have no shortage of people

no shortage of teams contacting them ringing the phone lines at one patriot's place and wanting to trade for him my question now to you steve is could it be a situation where the patriots look at it and say you know what one year left of left of Matthew Judon playing at the top level he can, might be worth it for us to keep him on rather than trading him. Could that be a possibility? Sure. I mean, you can look at it as, you know, trade deadline type of scenario for him.

You know, we're a team that's going to compete for a Super Bowl. Maybe they're one pass rusher short, you know, and they have that missing piece. I mean, look at it. Before his injury last year, in four games, he had four sacks. So, you know, I know you really can't do that, but if you were to push that over a 17-game season, you know, he has an outstanding year.

And he definitely looked like he was en route to that. And you look at the amount of sacks the defense had the year before compared to last year, after he went down, it went way down. Josh Uche is a prime example of having suffered without having, you know, Judon there. You know, I'm beginning to think that maybe he doesn't fit into their long-term plans. And they're willing to either trade him now or maybe at the trade deadline and pick up, you know, a draft pick. I wouldn't be against it if they trade for a player, you know, maybe that on a position that they need. That's a good point. And I think in a lot of ways, it would make some sort of sense for this, because when I look at the logistical fit,

I know there are some that will tell you the fact that the Patriots played at such a high level last year without Judon in the lineup proved to the team that they can play without him and they could be effective without him. I think there's a little more truth to the fact that this defense could have been even better with him in the lineup and I think the Patriots know that. To me, Matthew is still one of the best linebackers in the league at being able to read opposing coverages and that's what makes him so lethal in this type of defense because not only is he going to be a decoy sometimes for Joshua Uche to be able to get open and get after the quarterback and we saw that a couple of years ago when Joshua set a career high with 11 and a half sacks but he also acts as the

type of guy that can get after the quarterback when someone like Christian Barmore in front of him takes on the double team. Matthew was able to read those opposing offenses and realize that if I position myself close to Christian, they're not going to know if they're going to have to double Christian or double me. If he can take the double team and keep it at bay for even one second, it gives me time to be able to get around that opposing lineman and get after the quarterback and put pressure on that offense. So logistically, this doesn't make a whole lot of sense to me because Matthew Judon makes

everybody's job easier in that defense. It's a double-edged sword. You know, do you give the big contract to Matthew Judon and keep him in that lineup and give him the opportunity to facilitate that defense? Or do you, like you said realize that you're not going to be competing this year take a look at the team you have take a look at the players that are on this depth chart and see if someone's skill set is translatable or somewhat translatable someone you can groom into that and be able to take the extra cap the extra draft picks

or whatever you're going to get if you do move him and move on from there because you know that it's going to cost them a little bit uh to be able to extend matthew judon he's not going to do it for pennies on the dollar nor should he um he has been one of the best uh defenders when healthy the last couple of years you think about what he did with the patriots in his first year, folks, 60 tackles, a fumble recovery, 12 and a half sacks. That was a career high. In 2022, he eclipsed that career high, 15 and a half sacks, two forced fumbles, and logging 60 total tackles again. And last year, he was on pace to set yet another career high if he had kept going.

So he knows he can play the game at a high level yeah i i think uh at a minimum at least for this year you know give uh bump up his money this year to where he's like okay uh i know i don't fit in their plans long term but they're paying me close to what i'm worth. And now I'm playing for one last big contract. Hopefully, maybe at the trade deadline, somebody will move me to a Super Bowl contender. And then, you know, he goes out and performs like he always has. But yeah, I kind of thought this would be locked up by now, especially, you know, they're handing out a lot of contracts to the younger guys, which I love, by the way. But I just thought Judon, being who he is, would have factored in a lot bigger, I think,

than what they're showing right now. Yeah, I did as well. And again, for all of the reasons that we've discussed, the logistical fit within this defense, the prowess that he still continues to show. And look, Matthew is one of the most charismatic members of this team, if not the most charismatic member of this team. He is the face of the franchise. The fan base absolutely loves him. They should. He's great in the community. A great guy in the locker room. He's a joy to cover. I think that anyone that works in this business loves being able to share time with Matthew Giudani, the post-game, pre-game,

during practice, media availability. He's always interesting and always a lot of fun, but he brings so much to this organization. And it's tough to imagine that the Patriots would not want to re-sign him. But again, there are a lot of factors. His age, his injury history. And these all have to be things that are taken under account. Elliott Wolfe's job is not always easy, folks. It's very difficult to sit in that chair and to be able to determine who stays, who goes, what's going to be the face of the franchise

and what's going to be the future. We'll see what happens in the coming days if Matthew Judon's camp performance makes it so the Patriots have no choice but to extend him, or if someone else emerges on this roster and gives them cause to say, Matthew, we appreciate everything that you've done for us, but we're either going to move you at some point during the season,

or you're going to play out your string here, and then you can go be a free agent in 2025 and see what you can get out on the open market folks we are going to continue to monitor the moves of matthew judon and everything that comes out of the front office for the new england patriots here on lockdown patriots each and every day but we're not done with our linebackers preview yet because there are several linebackers that the patriots are going to want to keep on staff three of which are contract extensions this year. Joshua Uche, Ambernee Jennings, and of course, Jelani Tavai getting a pretty big contract extension last week.

Who among those three that the Patriots are keeping in-house for the foreseeable future is the most important to their future? We're going to discuss that 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. 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

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My Patriots eyes on Steve Balistrieri of bats fans.com. Steve, in the previous segment, we talked a lot about Matthew Judon. Our surprise that he hasn't been extended. And apparently Matthew's surprised on that as well. Maybe even a little disheartened based on what we saw him post on social media. But there are players that have been extended by the team.

And a few in this positional group that we're discussing today. Anthony Jennings getting a contract extension. Joshua Uche being re-signed as a free agent, and of course, last week, Jelani Tavai getting a pretty extensive contract extension to keep him in the Foxborough Bowl for the foreseeable future. Steve, the common message across this offseason for Elliott Wolfe and the Patriots front office is that we're keeping core guys in house when you look at the three names that I just mentioned or anyone else on this positional group

not named Matthew Judon because we spent a good amount of time talking about him in the previous segment who do you believe is the most important element in this linebackers core that's going to help this team achieve greater heights than they achieved in 2023 yeah i think uh i think you're looking at tavai as the most important because you know his role seems to be increasing each year um he's turned into a a-down linebacker. He can play the pass. He can rush the quarterback. He's an excellent run stuffer. In regards to the other two, I think if you could clone Anthony Jennings and Josh Uche, you'd have a perennial all-pro.

Because Jennings is outstanding against the run. Uche is a very good pass rusher. If you could combine those two into one player, my Lord, what a player you'd have. But I like those other two guys. You know, I've always beat the drum for Jennings. I thought he was a really good pickup uh when the patriots drafted him a couple of years ago i think he's paying dividends and i think you know the the team recognized that by paying him the money uj on the other hand is

you know very interesting that he opted to come back for one year, you know, on a lot less money than he was going to get, excuse me, on the open market with multiple years. So he's betting on himself, basically. I like when players do that. We'll see if it works out for him. I know when he played opposite of Matthew Judon, he seemed to be a different player. And he'll have to watch Keon White this year because, again, I think he's kind of like that guy lurking in the background, the Wally Pip, you know,

that type of situation where if, you know, a guy like Tavai or, you know, Matthew Judon, you know, gets hurt, he could step into a much larger role. I think he's going to play a much bigger role this year. But I don't think he's ready to quite take that mantle as the most valuable guy but i think he's going to play a big role in the defense this year oh without question when you look at someone like uh joshua uche for example his strength is getting after the passer we saw that a couple of years ago we mentioned the 11 and a half sacks he has that instinct to be able to do it and someone like judon absolutely facilitates that skill in him and allows him to be able to flex his muscle jennings is someone who knows his role and plays

it extremely well and that's why you saw the patriots extend him and want to keep him in the foxborough fold for at least the foreseeable future but to buy as someone with the versatility and the ability to not only play a role in getting after the passer but also being able to stifle the run each year he's made strides and you see his statistical prowess grow and grow this past year he posted the fourth best cff grade among linebackers with at least 500 snaps. And he's also a stalwart on special teams, 359 snaps in the kicking game. Murph and I joked the other day that that's a lot of snaps to be taking in the kicking game. Obviously, you don't want him out there getting hurt, but at the same time, it proves his value in so many different areas on this team. So I agree with you that to buy it may be their most

important cog in that linebacking core not named matthew judon because of everything he can do against the run and against the pass steven name we have not mentioned yet a team captain on this team and someone who really has been a valuable member of this squad for the past couple of years, Juwan Bentley. How does he factor into the Patriots' plans this year? How vital is his role, especially with a new coaching staff? I think he's another very vital piece. I mean, you know, he's the quarterback out there.

You know, he's the one calling the plays. And, you know, we know his value. Okay. He's a very big physical dude. I mean, a thumper in the running game, but I don't think he's quite there in relation to the versatility that to buy can bring. Not, and I'm not talking bad about Juwan here because I love what he brings to the table. And you just can't replace a guy like that, you know, in your defense when you have it set up the way that you do. So, yeah, no disrespect to Juwan there.

I think he's a very, very good player. And, you know, when you put two guys inside like him and Tavai, I think that's a harbinger of good things to come when it comes to the running game because those guys can get outside. They can stop the run. Obviously, their thumper is inside. And they can pressure the run. They can, obviously, their thumper's inside. And they can pressure the quarterback. So, yeah, I think Tavai is, I think he's the most important right now, not named Judon.

But Juwan Bentley is a close second. Yeah. What this guy does, he does well. And he continues to do it well. And I believe he will be an important part this year as well. And again, you need that stability and you need that team captainship. That leadership in the locker room is going to be so important with Gerard Mayo now being the head coach.

I know the defensive staff is mostly staying intact. There's not going to be a lot of turnover there but gerrard is in a different role and whether you like it or whether you don't i don't care how close these guys are to him or have been the last couple of years as the linebackers coach now that he's the head coach it's a different dynamic and it has to be by default so juwan bentley is going to be very key in kind of nursing these players along and helping them to see that and taking on a little bit more of an extra leadership role when it comes to what he does. Yeah, things are going to be interesting, and they're going to be different for the Patriots,

but the linebacking core still looks pretty solid. Whether it includes Judon or not, I think this is still one of the most talented positional groups on the Patriots right now. But, Steve, there are players we haven't mentioned yet, and several of the players that we haven't mentioned yet may be facing a make-or-break season. Is this the opportunity for them to make their mark on the Patriots roster, or might they be on the outside looking in when final roster cutdowns come at the end of August? Steve and I are going to discuss our make-or-break candidates on the linebackers' core for your New England Patriots

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Hope you all enjoyed your holiday weekend and are continuing to enjoy your holiday weekend. A brief programming note, it's been a little bit of a summer break here on Locked on Patriots as we regroup, rest, and relax, but we are returning full strength this coming Monday. We've got some exciting guests and great topics lined up for you, so stay here on Locked On Patriots. You will not want to miss a single second of the action as we take you right up to the start of training camp on July 24th. And of course, boots on the ground coverage for our fifth straight season

here on Locked On Patriots. Truly honored, truly blessed, not only to be a part of this network, but also a great press team with the New England Patriots. It's always a lot of fun. And joining me here today is my good friend and Patriots bison, Steve Balistrieri, as we preview the Patriots linebackers. And, Steve, we've talked about Matthew Judon. We've talked about Jelani Tavai, Juwan Bentley,

a lot of the players that have the opportunity to make their mark on this linebacking corps. But you and I both know that a chain is only as strong as its weakest link at times. And Patriots don't have too many weak links in the linebackers room. You look at this team from start to finish, and you look at that positional depth chart, it's filled with an awful lot of talent. But some players are going to end up on the cutting room floor, just the nature of the way things go. Who are you looking at as someone you're going

to have your sharp eye on when training camp opens and is that player facing a make or break type season well i i think one of the players obviously we talked about jelani to vibe right and how many um special team snaps he had i think one of these guys that they brought in, you know, in free agency, not necessarily one particular guy. I think one of these guys needs to really step up special teams wise and take some of that onus off of him because, I mean, he's going to be playing a lot of snaps on defense. They don't want to wear him down and get him hurt

because they can't afford to lose him. So maybe Takitaki, they picked him up. You know, he's known as kind of a special teams linebacker. So maybe bringing him along big time to take some of the onus off of Tavai will not only keep him a little bit more well-rested, but maybe improve his overall game. But I think the biggest guy to make a break this season has to be Josh Uche. We mentioned him in the last segment.

I mean, he bet on himself a one-year deal. If he can respond to having Judon back, Keon White making that step up, and have another really solid season, he's in line for a big payday. I think that if he falters a little bit this year, it could be a much smaller payday for him. Yeah, I think you're absolutely right. I mean, whenever you bet on yourself the way Uche is doing, and look, bottom line, he believes that he's going to perform at a high level. You mentioned this in the

previous segment boucher had multiple each boucher had offers from teams with multiple years that was more lucrative than the than the contract that he signed but boucher is betting on a couple of things he's not only betting on himself and his own prowess and to come out and show that he is better than the output that he put on the field last year in 2023 but it also leads me to believe that he believes New England is the best place for him to showcase that talent and that to me is the reason why he came back here I think he would like to stay I think that one-year deal gives him the opportunity to go out and to get a big-time contract maybe bigger than the offers he received this year. I think he believes that he can play at the level that is going to get him, at least put him in a much better position

financially, but also his ability to play within this system, his ability to play for Gerard Mayo, for Demarcus Covington. This gives him the opportunity, I believe, to really showcase his talent. So that's a very good point, And that's a very good choice on your part to go with Joshua Uche here. You know, he's not lacking the confidence. Right. And, you know, we've seen that flash in him. I mean, that one two years ago. I mean, he looked like a premier type pass rusher.

And, you know, he's trying to prove that he can be, especially this year, more of a three-down player, not just a situational guy. A situational guy will still get paid quite well, but a great pass rusher who's a three-down player gets paid really, really well. So that's what he's hoping for this year, and you can't blame him for it. Absolutely. And again, if he believes that New England is the right spot and the proper spot for him to showcase that ability to the best of his ability,

then he will get that contract, whether it's here or whether it's elsewhere. But he's going to have to perform for it, and that's why I believe this is a make-or-break season for him, and I think he put that on his own shoulders, and to tell you the truth, I like that in Josh Uche, because I think it shows a level of confidence that he's going to need to succeed, and the Patriots are going to need him to succeed in order to make sure that that defense stays and continues to play at a high level. The guy that I'm looking at at make or break may roll some

Patriots fans eyes because we haven't seen nearly enough of him on the field since he came to town here and that is Raekwon McMillan. Right now it's very difficult to imagine this linebacking core with Raekwon McMillan in it because he spent so much time out of it. There have been so many injury problems from the time that he walked through the door here and that's not really a new thing. I McMillan in it because he spent so much time out of it. There have been so many injury problems from the time that he walked through the door here, and that's not really a new thing. I mean, he's torn his ACL before as a member of the Dolphins in 2017, so there is an extensive injury history when you look at Raekwon, but I also look at everything he's done in spite of his injuries and the reason why he continues to get extensions here in New England Bill Belichick clearly had a reason for bringing him in and he clearly had a like for the player

his work ethic everything about him and you have to wonder if Gerard Mayo continues to see that in him every single time we saw him on the practice field especially in training camps solid practice performer always applying pressure to the passer whatever he was called upon to do he did stout coverage in his assignments but that reliability is right now not there and i think he absolutely has to show that in training camp that he's able to make it through a full camp healthy ready to, and play at an extremely high level in order to warrant this team's attention because they've proven now beyond a reasonable doubt that they can play without him. He's going to really have to show how much better the Patriots linebacker

can be with him. Yeah, I think he's the definition right now of make or break. He absolutely has to nail this training camp in every aspect in order for the Patriots brass to even consider keeping him on this team. Yeah, he was my number two guy for that. I mean, I was toying with the idea of either him or Ruge. With him, it's never been a question of ability. It's just availability. Absolutely. Bill belichick really liked him as a player and you know that's why they brought him in that's why they kept him around uh it would be really nice if he could put it all together this year and stay healthy and be on the field because he would be a huge plus for this team, you know,

if he can do that, which he's had trouble. You take a look at what he can do when he plays healthy. He can play his defensive snaps without any question. You mentioned someone that needs to step up on special teams. Raekwon can be a very good special team coverage guy. It's, again, it just needs to be reliable and it needs to be consistent. And those two things right now are the only negative marks on his resume. You absolutely hit the nail on the head.

It's never about ability. This guy is a very talented linebacker. And if he could only put it all together and show that the Patriots did not have to worry about his long-term health, or at least even the short-term health. They'd be a much better team with him on the squad than off. So, again, it's going to be determined on whether or not he's healthy and he's capable of playing at a high level. But to me, this has got to be a make-or-break year for him

because if he doesn't, falters at all, or finds himself in subpar health, he's going to find himself on the cutting room floor, in my opinion. And I don't think it'll be too much of a stretch of the imagination, at least because of everything the Patriots have gone through the last few years. They need healthy and reliable bodies out there on that field. And unfortunately, Raekwon just hasn't been one of them for most of his tenure here in New England. Yeah, and that's the sad thing because, I mean, you know, Bill Belichick knows defense, and he knows this guy can play, and, you know, that was why they brought him in. They kept him around. I mean, they had faith in his ability, and it would be nice to see him you know put it all together and and show what he can do and and again i mean you add a player of his ability to be able to be

available for the entire season it's just going to make your defense that much better oh yeah without question and he has the ability to do it, folks. He is a talented enough player to make a difference on this team. Steve, what can I say? It's always an honor and always a privilege when you join me here on the Locked On Patriots microphone. Before I let you go, my friend, please let everyone know where they can reach out to you, interact with you,

and what you got cooking in the balustrade kuchina my friend between now and the next time you join us here on lockdown patriots well um you know it's that slow time a year before training camp but you know we're we're looking at you know different camp battles uh the 53-man russell at least the initial one, the initial 53-man roster is going to be quite an experience, I think, for the players and coaches because they have some tough decisions to make, not only with the linebackers, but with the wide receivers. There's so many of them right now. We'll be looking at all that.

But you can find me on Twitter at SteveB7SFG. I'm also writing for PatsFans.com. And feel free to reach out. Derek Cavins was on vacation this week. So we'll be back doing another podcast next week and we'll be talking about a lot of these same things because uh it's going to be a very interesting training camp this year it absolutely is folks there is no shortage of storylines when it comes to your new england patriots and we will do our best as we do each and every day to cover

each and every one of them extensively. And in the meantime, I always give a tip of the cap and a well-deserved thanks to my good friend and Patriots bison, Steve Balistrieri, for his wisdom and counsel and giving us his opinions the way only he can. Most of all, folks, I appreciate each and every one of you that take time out of your busy schedules to make Locked On Patriots a daily part of your New England Patriots coverage. Maybe you're listening to us on a journey home from a Fourth of July vacation or just making us a part of your coverage each and every day. We thank you for your support and stick with us because you ain't seen nothing yet.

It's going to be a great summer and a great fall here on Locked on Patriots. In the meantime, on behalf of my good friend Steve Balistrieri, I'm Mike DeBate, reminding all of 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 next time on Locked on Patriots.