Locked On Patriots - Daily Podcast On The New England Patriots - New England Patriots, NFL Free Agency: Davon Godchaux Trade, Harold Landry, Hooper — BONUS EDITION

Starting point is 00:00:00 The time for the talk is just about over. The New England Patriots are already off to a hot start, but what will it mean for the product on the field? Stick around, you're about to be locked in to the Locked On Patriots podcast. You are Locked On Patriots, your daily New England Patriots podcast, part of the Locked On Podcast Network, your team every day. Hello to all of you, Foxboro faithful. Thank you once again for making Locked On Patriots a daily part of your New England Patriots coverage. I'm your host, Mike Debate, and I cover your New England Patriots

Starting point is 00:00:40 for the Locked On Podcast Network. Follow me on Twitter at MDABATENFL. You can also catch me over where the skies are blue at mdabateenfl.bsky.social. And of course, if you want to show some love to Locked On Patriots social media style, please do so on our X account at LO underscore Patriots. And Pat's fans, today's episode is brought to you by FanDuel. Right now, new customers can get $200 in bonus bets when your first $5 bet wins. Pat's fans, it is the start of a new year in the NFL. The 2025 league year officially will kick off on Wednesday,

Starting point is 00:01:19 March 12th at noon time. But we all know the legal negotiation period, negotiation period is the proper term, Murph. I think that's the one they're using right now. The negotiation period is about to kick off and the Patriots already getting off to a hot start. Harold Landry's in, Devon Gotshow is out, and Austin Hoopa is still driving the boat. We're going to talk about all that today and what these moves mean for the Patriots as they move into the first and second phases of free agency. And here today to break it all down. That is my good friend, the kind of Murphy Pisto himself, the legendary Thomas Murphy. Thank you for coming to me in friendship today. Happy New Year Don Murph. Happy New Year! It's the most wonderful time of the year!

Starting point is 00:02:05 Merry New Year! Yeah, Hooper drives the boat, Chief. We love it. We love Austin Hooper coming back. We love the signing. The momentum is beginning to pick up. All those people that were sitting there last week and the week before poking their little sticks at the Patriots Come on, do something do something what we're doing something. They're doing something

Starting point is 00:02:29 Absolutely, and the action is just about to start Murph as we record this at a little before 9 a.m On Monday, March 10th. Yep, the actual start of the negotiation period beginning at noontime A lot of people are wondering how this is all going to shake out for the New England Patriots. Hopefully for the fan base, the best is yet to come. And the Pats did not waste any time getting going and making moves in anticipation of what should be a busy day in Foxboro on March 10th. One day prior to the negotiation period getting started, the Patriots reportedly, and we have to say reportedly at this point folks, until it becomes official, signing former Tennessee Titans linebacker Harold Landry to a three-year contract worth 43.5 million MRF, the potential to go up to 48 with incentives and it includes

Starting point is 00:03:19 26 million in fully guaranteed. You sat in this chair a couple of weeks ago and called this. We both said at the time, it made too much sense for that not to end up here in New England. That was the number we threw out. Three years, $45 million. We're bang on right there. We're bang on him coming back here to Boston, coming back to play with his old coach. It's fantastic, man. This is a great move to kick off this free agent season. Absolutely. And again, as I said last night when I reacted to the news, the knock on this move right now, Murph, a lot of people are saying is that Landry is not the same pass rusher

Starting point is 00:03:57 that he was in his prime. I don't think anyone is going to argue that point. But this kid is still on the better side of the equator. And we know, and as you know, we define the equator at 30 years old. It's 28. I still think a very talented and a very effective defender. He's durable. He played all 17 games last year.

Starting point is 00:04:14 And in the last three seasons, he's accumulated 31 and 1 half sacks. So at this point, his fit with Mike Grable, his fit with Terrell Williams, once again, folks, a no brainer for the New England Patriots. definitely, I think, they've upgraded their pass rush in a big way. All right. How many keys do I cut a year that says set the damn edge? Okay. How many keys a year? Okay. 17 now. Yeah. It's almost a weekly. And now the Patriots have that on both sides Okay between between me and Anthony Anthony Jennings This is this is going to be one difficult team to run on and get to the edge and own that all right This is that that's what people are ignoring right here. All right. You've got to be able to set an edge You've got to be able to stop the run this move does that?

Starting point is 00:05:04 Sacks be damned, okay? I'm not, I'm one of those, I am. I'm a Bill disciple, I'm a Bill Bobo. And pressure means more than that. Sac stat, it really does. And he still gets there. This is about setting an edge, setting an example and setting the tone, okay?

Starting point is 00:05:22 Set the tone, okay? This sets a tone in the locker room. This is a professional. This is somebody that is going to come in and and own the room. You know who the boss is in that linebacking corps right now. Right. Absolutely. And again, his familiarity with the coaching staff, his familiarity with the area. He's a Boston College alum coming back now. And bottom line, Murph, I think what this shows now is this shows that this defense will be molded in the image of Mike Grable, of Terrell Williams. This is the type of player that they love to employ. And again, a veteran presence and someone that I believe is going to pay

Starting point is 00:06:01 dividends for that pass rush. And it also sets the Patriots up to be able to go out and to bolster the front of that defensive line. Maybe with a defensive tackle like Milton Williams, check back in the day, folks, if that one happens. But even if they wanted to go in a different direction and they wanted to go through the draft, this does allow them the opportunity to beef up that defensive line.

Starting point is 00:06:23 As we're hearing, this is going to be a major priority for the New England Patriots. It's upgrading that defense. We've both said that not only the free agent class, but also the draft, very heavy in defensive talent, maybe not so much in offense. So, folks, there is one box ticked, okay? You know, Vrabel was really big down at the combine talking about being able to go into the draft with a team that he could go to war with right then and there. He could march out on the team. Everything in the draft is gravy. So far, so good. This is a message from sponsor Intuit Turbo Tax. Taxis was waiting and wondering and worrying if

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Starting point is 00:09:01 Devon Godshaw to go out and seek a deal. He has done so according to multiple reports at this point. The Patriots are indeed going to trade Godshaw to the New Orleans Saints for a seventh round draft pick. This makes sense for Devin. He's a Louisiana native. He played at LSU. This really, I think, is a hand in glove fit. Kellan Moore is taking that build from the trenches mentality, as Ian Rappaport of NFL Network said. He's bringing it with him to New Orleans. Devin is definitely the guy to do it. For the New England Patriots, I know a lot of people are looking at this and saying,

Starting point is 00:09:35 Well, a seventh-round pick, why didn't they just release him? Well, this is better for the New England Patriots to do this rather than release him. Don't forget, he still had $4 million of guaranteed money left on this deal. The Saints now absorb that. So the New England Patriots now only have to eat a $10 million signing bonus instead of both pieces. So Patriots save a little bit of money. They get a little bit of draft capital in return. And Devon goes home. Again, to me, a tip of the cap to Devon Godchild for everything he did in a Patriots uniform. This guy did everything you asked him to do, and he did it as a true pro. I wish him nothing but the best in New Orleans.

Starting point is 00:10:12 Yeah, exactly the same. A lot of people were down on Devon Godchild. I don't know why. There's somebody who came to work every day, did his best in the midst of everything that's gone on here in New England over the past two, three seasons. And yeah, wish him nothing. I don't know why we didn't see this coming. I really didn't. Would it have been nice to get something a little more back for him? Sure, but you folks have to understand that that New Orleans is absorbing the the I don't

Starting point is 00:10:48 want to say the bulk because the Pats are still on the hook for 10 million but you know they're they're able to take on that contract and pay him off so I really I didn't see more than a sixth or possibly a fifth going there but I think there there would have had to have been some kind of pick-swap compensation in any way, shape or form if that was the deal that was put out there. He doesn't fit. You got gaps.

Starting point is 00:11:20 We got gaps. Together, we fill gaps. We got gap. Together we fill gaps. And, you know, Gotshaw didn't fill the gaps that, you know, the Patriots needed him to fill in this new three, four system. And I think it fits very well into what Mike Grable has been saying all along about this team. They are not eager to go into part with draft capital. This allows them to get an additional piece of draft capital without having to surrender their own. As good as Devon has been defending the run here in New England, simply no longer a scheme fit for him. I think a best-case scenario

Starting point is 00:11:51 for both sides. Yeah, Murph's right. We would have loved to have seen maybe a fifth or a sixth comeback. But teams are out there looking at the $14 million in guarantee. And they're saying, Hey, you know what? At what at this point you know why should I surrender something and absorb some of that right Patriots could be on the hook for it all if they have to release him at least New Orleans was willing to bite and take that and take four million off of the Patriots uh load there so I'm pretty sure he's going to bolster that New Orleans defense and for the Patriots they continue to build but moves weren't all on the defensive side of the ball, Murph. New England making a move again that we called here. Couple of weeks ago, our good friend, our mutual friend, our tight endage expert, Claire Cooper,

Starting point is 00:12:33 over in West Midlands in the UK, joined me as a guest here on Lockdown Patriots. And she said that the first order of business the Patriots should have should be to go out and sign Austin Hooper. And they did do that folks. They did. They listened to Claire. So now a tip of the cap to her as well. But bottom line, I think this was a good move for the Pats as well. This is a low risk, high reward type deal. $5 million in base salary with a

Starting point is 00:12:57 maximum of $7 million in incentives. Really one of the sole bright spots last year for the Pats. 45 catches, 476 yards, 3 touchdowns. Great relationship, great chemistry with Drake May, provides continuity there. And a lot of people forget that in 2023, who was his coach with the Las Vegas Raiders? Josh McDaniels. McDaniels knows how to handle this guy. A big play threat when you need him to be. Yeah, I think this is a solid piece for the Pats. I love the fact that Austin Hooper is going to be back here in New England. And no, folks, not just because I get to continue the Quint jokes. I'm going to do that no matter what, but having Hooper here in New England is a good thing for this team on the field. At least. Yeah, this is a fantastic move. Um, as, as in we all talk about the Patriots being a destination spot and whether or not they're a destination spot anymore. Hooper came here last year,

Starting point is 00:13:52 found a young quarterback that he likes and enjoys working with, that he thinks that can take this team somewhere and so he decided to re up. And this is a message to the rest of the league that, yeah, we're moving in the right direction here. I could have gone off and gone somewhere else and and, you know, to what you might think is greener pastures. But you know, the grass is pretty green here in New England still and somebody just put down some Scotts turf builder.

Starting point is 00:14:24 Absolutely. And, you know, again, these moves are designed to stack this team, not only in the future, folks, but also in the present. And right now you're dealing with a quarterback with as much promise as anyone in this league. And everyone is excited by what Drake may can bring to the table. But I think it's also prudent to remember that he's still a young player, needs continuity, needs players he can rely on. This provides that for the New England Patriots.

Starting point is 00:14:50 Patriots fans, when it comes to 2025 NFL free agency, your New England Patriots are just getting started. Make sure to keep a sharp eye on your podcast feed, on YouTube, and also on social media for all things Patriots related, as we will be covering them throughout the day here on Locked On Patriots. A major tip of the cap to my good friend Thomas Murphy for dropping by and lending his wisdom and counsel on the trade of Devon Godshaw, on the signing of Harold Landry, and the retention of Austin Hooper. Judging by the rumor mill which is churning along right now, I'd say it's a safe bet we might be back here on these airwaves sooner rather than later to provide you with all the information you'll need regarding all the key arrivals and departures from Foxboro.

Starting point is 00:15:32 In the meantime, I'm Mike Debate and on behalf of Thomas Murphy, I'd like to thank each and every one of you for continuing to make Locked on Patriots a daily part of your New England Patriots coverage. Stay safe all, stay well, and we'll see you back here real soon on Lot on Patriots.

Locked On Patriots - Daily Podcast On The New England Patriots - New England Patriots, NFL Free Agency: Davon Godchaux Trade, Harold Landry, Hooper — BONUS EDITION

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