Locked On Patriots - Daily Podcast On The New England Patriots - New England Patriots' Quarterback Position: Greatest Strength? Pats Biggest Weakness, Questions?

Episode Date: February 16, 2025

Can the New England Patriots' quarterback duo of Drake Maye and Joe Milton lead the team to success in the 2025 season? With the Patriots' quarterback position as their greatest strength, the team faces challenges, particularly with their offensive line, which analysts host Mike D'Abate and guest analyst Steve Balestrieri of PatsFans.com identify as a significant weakness. Explore how Christian Gonzalez's defensive prowess and Josh McDaniels' offensive strategies could reshape the Patriots' game plan. The discussion also highlights key players like Ramondre Stevenson and Kendrick Bourne, whose performances could make or break the season. #nfl #newenglandpatriots 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 ne ws about the New England Patriots and talking with fans — @mdabateNFL Support Us By Supporting Our Sponsors! LinkedInLinkedIn Jobs helps you find the qualified candidates you want to talk to, faster. Post your job for free at LinkedIn.com/LOCKEDONNFL. Terms and conditions apply. PrizePicksDownload the app and use code lockedonnfl to win $50 instantly when you play $5. You don't even need to win to receive your $50 bonus, it's guaranteed! Prizepicks. Run Your Game.Click Here: https://prizepicks.onelink.me/LME0/LOCKEDONNFL FanDuelRight now, new FanDuel customers can get ONE HUNDRED AND FIFTY DOLLARS in Bonus Bets if your first FIVE DOLLAR bet wins!Download the app or head to FANDUEL.COM to get started. Bet with FanDuel—Official Partner of the NBA. 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)

When it comes to roster building, the 2025 New England Patriots have far to go, but what is their greatest strength? 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. Thank you once again for making Locked On Patriots a daily part of your New England Patriots coverage. Hopefully your first listen each and every day.

I'm your host, Mike DeBate. I cover your New England Patriots for Patriots Country. Reach out to me. Let me know what's on your mind on X at MDABATENFL while you're out there showing some love to Locked On Patriots social media style you may want to follow our account there as well at

LO underscore Patriots and of course you can find me where the skies are blue over on Blue Sky at MDABATENFL.BSKY.SOCIAL and of course that's fans today's episode brought to you by our friends over at FanDuel. Right now, new FanDuel customers can get $150 in bonus bets if your first $5 bet wins. Download the app or head to FanDuel.com to get started.

Bet with FanDuel, official partner of the NBA. And Pats fans, thank you for joining us today bringing you into a holiday weekend the first official weekend without football in 2025 what a depressing thought it is at this time of year but anyone who ever said there's an off season in the nfl clearly does not follow the shield there is always something to talk about always moves to be made and always wisdom and moves to be made, and always wisdom and counsel to be lent. And when we're going to lend wisdom and counsel,

we go to the best source we possibly can find for it. Not only the wisdom and counsel, but the reason we need so richly here in New England, and that is our good friend, columnist extraordinaire of batsfans.com, the co-host of Patriots 4th and 2, alongside the great Derek Havens.

He's my Patriots bison, Steve Balistrieri. Steve, thanks for joining me today. Double duty this week, my friend, but we love having you on, and we always appreciate when you can join us here on Locked on Patriots. You know, I always used to say, Mike, as soon as the Super Bowl's over, I'm ready for spring now. You know, you can get rid of the snow. Down here today, it's a chilly 85 degrees outside.

Yeah, it's got to be rough. It's really, really got to be rough. We feel no sympathy for you with that chilly 85 down there. We're sure you're really, really suffering. But all in all, we always appreciate the wisdom of the council. And, of course, the level-headed reason you bring to the table here on Locked On Patriots. And today, folks, we have a great show for you on hand. As we get set to embark on the roster-building endeavor for your New England Patriots in

2025, Locked On Patriots is going to be taking a look at each and every position heading into free agency. We thought we'd get a good start today with our resident voice of reason on some of the major questions surrounding this roster right now. So we will be discussing what we believe to be the Patriots greatest strength in 2025 and beyond. What's their biggest concern heading into this season or perhaps their biggest weakness heading into this season. And then I think a question Steve and I are going to have some fun with. We're going to talk question marks.

Which aspect of the Patriots roster do we believe as either the greatest upside or the greatest downside? But let's dive right into our first topic of the day, my friend. New England Patriots once again finishing with a 4-13 record. Clearly, when Mike Vrabel takes the clipboard, the whistle, and walks out to his first practice as head coach of the New England Patriots, that's going to be marinating in the back of his mind. What you want to do as head coach is you want to know your team's greatest

weaknesses. You want to know their question marks. You want to do everything you can to improve those. But sometimes the biggest win for a head coach or anyone in an authoritative position in any walk of life is to know your greatest strength. I know this team didn't have too many of those last year, but you have a level headed approach when it comes to looking at the ups and the downs, the ins and outs of this team. When you look at the Patriots roster from top to bottom, what would you say is their greatest strength heading into 2025? I think it has to be the quarterback. I mean, you have Drake May, and, you know,

all you hear from the national pundits is the Patriots roster is a mess, but they have the quarterback situation well in hand, and that's what Drake May, and now his backup is Joe Milton, and the way he finished last year, I think right now the coaching staff has to be extremely happy with that. I think that one of the things we were hearing about all season long but we never saw was Milton. We heard the coaching staff, the other players, rave about his preparation and his work at practice, you know, usually being the scout team quarterback. And, you know, he finally got a chance to show what he could do.

And he played very well, albeit against a very vanilla, you know, Buffalo defense, but you take the ones that's on the schedule right so with dreg may and joe milton i think that's your strength right now i think uh a distant second for me would be the safety group very interesting i'm glad that you mentioned the safety screws we're going to bring up the defensive backfield in just a moment but I want to stay on the quarterbacks for just a moment because obviously it's the most marquee position in all of the NFL. Anytime that something goes wrong, the quarterback is blamed for it. Anytime something goes right, the quarterback is praised for it.

It's just the nature of the way that the NFL works. It's the nature of the way pro football works. It is the nature, I think, of the way that sports media works. It's just the most high-profile position. You're going to get the lion's share of the coverage, positive, negative, or indifferent. So in that regard, I think you have someone in Drake May that understands that. He's already playing the game, I think, a little bit better than maybe some of his predecessors have in previous years since the departure of Tom Brady, with the exception of Cam Newton. Cam was a master at being able to work the media. I love covering Cam up here. I have nothing but

great things to say about Cam Newton. But since that time, it's been a little bit of a challenge with Patriots quarterbacks and their relationship with the media, their relationship with the fan base, and really, I think, putting their best foot forward on the field and having their words match their actions. Drake, I think, gets it. And I think that's an important part of what will be his success here. But ultimately on the field is where this kid is going to shine. We're going to get into most concerning weaknesses or most concerning areas on this Patriots team in just a moment. And I have a funny feeling that at least at some point in that discussion, we're going to find common ground based on our conversations before. I don't think it's really a revelation folks, but I'm not going to steal my friend's thunder. I'm going to give him an opportunity to speak very clearly, lucidly, and intelligently

on the subject as he always does. But keeping it on the strengths for just a moment, you give me quarterback, I give you cornerback. And the reason why I give you cornerback is Christian Gonzalez. I absolutely love the season that Drake May had in 2024. I share your sentiments on 2025. I'm excited to watch what this kid can do under the tutelage of Josh McDaniels. I have no reservations whatsoever that Josh is the ideal offensive coordinator and quarterback guru to be

able to guide this kid to his full potential. I don't think you would have found anyone out there better suited for that job than Josh McDaniels. That being said, I also want to give a ton of credit to Drake May, who I think has adapted to a pro-level game and adapted a pro-level skill set in more of a record time than anyone would have given him credit for. That is a credit to him, the work that he puts in, the dedication that he has, and the desire to be better each and every day he gets out there on the field. The reason why I'm not quite ready to anoint him as the team's greatest strength yet is simply because he is a rookie coming in into his sophomore season, into his second season.

And I still think there's some growth that needs to be done there. Some plateaus that still need to be reached in order for Drake to take on that mantra. Look, I don't think that's a knock to Drake May. And I don't mean that as a knock to Drake May. I will say very honestly that the first two seasons that Tom Brady was the quarterback here in New England wasn't the best player on the team. He had to earn that role. He had to emerge into that. He had to grow into his strengths and really harness his greatness in order to become the player that he ended up being, which in my opinion is the

undisputed greatest player in NFL history. But bottom line, you still need to grow. And I think Drake is still at that point. I think Christian becomes the Patriots' greatest strength at this point because of the experience that he has. And I say that knowing full well that he missed the majority of his rookie season. Christian still has a maturity and a wisdom beyond his years that helps him on the football field. And that drive, that consistency is always there from him. You can throw the greatest receivers in the game at Christian Gonzalez. He'll play them hard and he'll shut them down nine times out of 10. He finished the season with 59 tackles, two interceptions, second team all pro nod. A lot of people thought he should have been a pro bowler. I'm one of them. I believe he should

have been there. But you listen to the comments that Christian had afterwards and he takes it with such a grain of salt. But he also puts the rest of the league on notice. And one of the great examples of this, Steve, is he recently spoke with a good mutual friend of ours, Phil Perry, over at NBC Sports Boston on the Next Pats podcast. And he mentioned the Pro Bowl. And Phil asked him about it. And he said, you know, it's a popularity contest at the end of the day. All pro is really what I wanted.

That's the distinction. But how he concluded the statement to me said volumes about Christian Gonzalez. I'm going to quote him directly. I feel like I haven't even scratched the surface. There's a lot of room I can grow so much better. I can get, I'm excited for it. When you hear something like that out of your third year cornerback, and he's already considered one of the top players in the league at his position, and there's still a ways to go

there. That's why I give him the slight nod here in terms of being the Patriots greatest strength. I think heading into this season, he's the guy that's going to shape that defense. And I think he's going to be the go-to man when it comes to the shutdown type play that Terrell Williams is going to want to install as the new defensive coordinator. Yeah. And those are all extremely fair statements. I mean, I don't argue with Christian's resume whatsoever.

I think he's destined for greatness if he can stay healthy. The only reason I didn't enlist cornerback per se, you know, a strength, was because I'm still worried about that other, you know, side with that. But, yeah, in regards to him, I think, you know, you have your cornerstone on offense and you have your cornerstone on defense, and you have your cornerstone on defense, and those are the two young guys. Folks, what are your opinions on the Patriots' greatest strength heading into 2025? As a quarterback, like Steve said, you want to give me a little bit of love for choosing the cornerbacks,

or is it another position entirely that we haven't mentioned yet? Drop us a note in the comments section below, or reach out to us individually at MDABATENFL or SteveB7SFG on Twitter. We'd love to hear what you have to say. But, Steve, all good things come to an end. And unfortunately, we must delve into some of the more negative aspects of the New England Patriots offseason and potentially upcoming season. Patriots had a lot of holes on this roster and they still remain. How can the Patriots best fill them, but where

must they dedicate their resources in order to make sure that they're optimized for improvement? Well, depending on who you talk to, there are certain aspects on this roster that resemble that remark. The biggest areas of concern, the biggest weaknesses on the Patriots roster right now.

Steve and I are going to reveal our choice 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, when the game tips off, the NBA action is just getting started, and there's no better place to get in on it than FanDuel, America's number one sports book. With FanDuel, you can place live bets throughout the game. So even if you miss the opening tip-off or want to bet on a fourth quarter comeback,

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We are getting you ready for roster building in Patriots Nation as your 2025 New England Patriots begin the process of crafting the team you will see each and every week out on the field in 2025, the league year beginning on March 13th. So we are a little under a month away from the start of a new NFL year. Steve, it all begins again. Everyone gets reset to 0-0, but you know that 4-13 record that the Patriots are carrying in from last season is definitely a concern for Patriots ownership, for the coaching staff, the front office, most importantly, for the coaching staff, the front office, most importantly,

for the roster on the field. Steve, you and I try to always be on the optimistic side of things. We believe that the Patriots will be better in 2025 than they were in 2024, but there are a lot of holes to fill on this roster. There are a lot of problematic areas, and some are a little more problematic than others. so in the interest of our roster building discussion today my friend i want to give you the ball on this one right away you had mentioned the quarterback position being the biggest strength of this team heading into the new season i'm going to ask you to flip the script now bud what is the biggest potential patriots weakness heading into 2025 has to to be the offensive line, Mike.

Has to be. I mean, you know, two years ago when Bill was still here as, you know, the head coach, the defense was basically the same players. I mean, they had a little bit of turnover and they had some injuries, but the defense was outstanding. I mean, let's call it what it is. And they had a lot of injuries. That's why I'm a little less concerned with the defense.

I think with Vrabel and Williams, they're going to get some stuff straightened out. Not saying the defense doesn't need help. It especially needs help on the edge with the pass rush. But to me, the offensive line has been an issue for several years now. And it kind of bottomed out last year. And it was unfair to the quarterbacks when they were in there. I mean, Jacoby Brissett and Drake May, I mean, they spent too much time running, you know, for their life than they should have been.

And basically, I mean, you look at the offensive line, there's a ton of question marks all over the place. I think it has to be the offensive line. I think this has to be their focus for fixing things first because you have to fix it. It reached the point where, you know, you couldn't do anything. You couldn't run the ball and they had good running backs. You couldn't throw the ball because your quarterback, you know, he had to get rid of it in under two seconds that's i mean otherwise he's getting hit um

i think this is the biggest weakness they have it's been a weakness for several years they've tried to put band-aids on it uh for a couple of years now and it didn't work um and i think with this new regime that's in place, I think that's, uh, what they're going to go after first. The offensive line is my choice too. And I think it's going to be the choice of really anyone, uh, that really objectively watches this team or maybe subjectively watches this team and has, uh, you know, their preferences on where the Patriots need to improve most.

I know some will tell you, oh, the Patriots absolutely need a big-time pass catcher. They need an offensive weapon. I agree with that. But if your offensive line is not providing protection for your star quarterback, it doesn't matter where he's throwing from or who he's throwing to. He doesn't have time to get rid of the ball.

Bad things are going to happen consistently and on a regular basis. Steve, we just watched a game a little less than a week ago where the best quarterback in the league, his offensive line in front of him in Super Bowl 59 was abysmal. And he looked that way. He had no comfort level. He wasn't able to make adjustments. And yes, some of that does belong on Patrick's shoulders, but a lot of that belongs on the protection unit in front of him. So you see how important it is to build that line, to build from the trenches. Our good mutual friend Murph talked about that each and every week here on Locked On

Patriots in 2024. Felt like a broken record in a lot of ways, but it is so important. It's a point that needs to be hammered home. So if it does seem repetitive, there's a reason for it, folks. It's something that absolutely has to be done. And the New England Patriots will indeed do that. If it does seem repetitive, there's a reason for it, folks. It's something that absolutely has to be done. And the New England Patriots will indeed do that. Now, here's the star question of this, Steve. Since we're both in agreement that this whole line was extremely porous and was devoid of talent in 2024, the Pats need to upgrade this unit. When you look at the Patriots right now, you look at their situation when it comes to draft capital and also when it comes to salary cap availability, which they have

in excess of $120 million, knowing the free agents that are available and knowing the prospects that could be available via the NFL draft, where do you believe the Patriots should focus greater attention on upgrading the offensive line? Should they do it through the draft? Or do you think they need veterans to come in and stabilize what we saw last season? Well, I think with the money that they have to spend this year, I would absolutely try to entice a couple of free agents. Because, you know, if you don't spend the money it doesn't help you in the draft you know so i'm looking at it you know hey uh you know they might really really like one of

the young studs that's uh coming out in the draft as as a tackle prospect. But what happens if he's not there when you pick? I mean, and you have all that money. I would rather double up on stuff, right, by signing a couple of free agents, and I think they should. And that way there, you're not drafting for need. You're taking the best player that's there that fits what you need, fits what you want. And, you know, I really think they should attack it in free agency.

And that way there, if they can't get anybody to bite, then you know you're going to have to do it in the draft. But if you wait for the draft, then all that money becomes moot. And look, the Patriots do have certain areas on the field that will benefit from some high-priced talent. We mentioned a pass catcher. Everyone assumes that big money can be spent on a wide receiver this offseason. We've heard the name T. Higgins sprinkled a lot throughout the last couple of days, especially when you hear reports coming out that the Patriots really want T. Higgins. I usually err on the side of Aristotle, Steve, you know, virtue lies in the middle, you know, get a few good prospects and, you know, beef up the line with a few savvy veterans. But ultimately, a lot of the market,

I think, is going to determine how they're going to be able to fill these slots. That's why free agency is so important. That market may set what the Patriots need to do. If they can't find the answers they're looking for along this line in free agency, then, yeah, they're going to have to go line heavy in the draft. Simply because I just believe that members that are right now on this roster are simply not going to get the job done. Can I add one more thing about, you know, the T Higgins thing? Absolutely. I think what the Red Sox just did, you know, with Alex Bregman, you know, you get a guy that probably really doesn't want to come to Boston, but you give them a short year, a short-term deal with a lot of money. I mean, everyone's saying T. Higgins is going to command over $30 million.

If I'm the Patriots, I offer him $3 million and $40 million. I know that's a lot of money, but that's how you entice him to come. And then he's not stuck here for a long period of time he can still in three years command big money because he's still going to be young enough to do so right and you know i mean let's face it you're going to have to overspend when guys are looking at you your team as not a preferred destination but you give them a short-term deal for three years maybe throw 40 million into the pot see where it leads you oh absolutely especially when you're talking about the type of talent that t higgins has and the relationship

that he could build with drake may in that short order uh of a sudden, if he's having a blast out here, New England becomes a much more appealing destination. I know the knockout there on New England right now is that nobody wants to come here. Oh, there's high taxes. The weather's bad. Nobody wants to go out and play right now in a team that is rebuilding. Yeah, there's a lot of history there,

but the facilities aren't all that great. Patriots are trying, I think, their best to make an upgrade there. If they are doing that, they have to invest in the capital on this team. And what better way to do it than to overspend, you know, give a comfortable contract, not a very constricting contract to someone like a T. Higgins. Yeah, good things could happen as a result. So, Steve, I like the way you think. I think that's very progressively thinking, and I think Pats fans are going to love that too.

But before we take our leave of this subject when it comes to the offensive line, we've mentioned before that the Patriots need an awful lot of upgrades to this line. I've gone on record a couple of times where I've said, obviously, David Andrews, I believe, should have the job as long as he wants it. But the question marks right now are going to continue to surround him until we hear definitively whether or not he's coming back or not, or whether or not the Patriots want him back. That's something that I think is fair game right now to put out there. So I've said that Michael Wenu is someone that I believe deserves another opportunity to come in, showcase what he can do. When you leave him in one position for the entire season,

you're going to see the guy that you expect to see each and every week. You'll find him in the lineup. I still think Cole Strange has something to contribute to this offensive line. However, I think the switch in offensive styles may put his job security in slight jeopardy at this point. Who are some of the guys on this roster that could find themselves on the outside looking in when it comes to 2025? Well, your left tackle from last year, I think he has. And I hate to say that because these guys are humans. They're not automatons.

You know, they work hard regardless of what the production you see on the field. You know, but I think he has to go. He's a backup at best. And, you know, I just think that, you know, you look at the tackle position, and, you know, I know that they think Caden Wallace is going to be that guy, but you can't bank on that. So I think, you know, like we said, you bring in a guy or maybe, you know, one kind of blue chip tackle prospect

and perhaps even a mid-tier veteran who, you know, can step in and play. And I think you still have to draft a guy. I mean, you want that youth on there. And, you know, they want to build through the draft. But right now, you know, you can they want to build through the draft but right now i you know you can't you can't expect to go in there and fill all your holes in the draft for the offensive line because by the time you finish you'd be in the sixth round it's true you really will and that's how much work needs to be done to this line folks steve and i do not mean to make light of the

situation in the least and i'm glad that you mentioned that these guys are human beings because I think a lot of times fans, members of the media, can get caught up in, oh, yeah, this one has to go. This one needs to be tossed out. Or, yeah, well, yes, keep him or no. You almost feel like with the thumbs up, thumbs down from Gladiator. What's the fate of this human being standing before you? I happen to like Vardarian Lowe personally.

I think he's a great guy. I think he's someone that will give you 110% every time he's out there on the field. It didn't work this year. And unless he's willing to come back on a much reduced role, I do believe that, yeah, maybe greener pastures may exist for him beyond Foxborough in 2025. Trey Jacobs, I think, is, again, I think someone who came in, had some heavy responsibility thrust upon him early on, but unfortunately, it's not always sustainable, and at that point, I think he had difficulty maintaining what he needed to in order to

make sure that that right side of the tackle position was locked down, so he's going to be a work in progress this year. I'm not sure about his return. We'll see what the Patriots think. I know a lot of people are talking about the rookies, Caden Wallace and Leighton Robinson, who will be second year players this year. I don't think either one of these players did enough

to definitively earn that stamp of approval. They're going to have to come in and earn their spot in 2025.aden I think may end up moving back to the right side I think that's where he's most comfortable I never thought the left was really a strong possibility for him uh and Layden I think can be a good guard but I think he also needs maybe some seasoning and some time sitting behind guys like Cole and uh and Michael Wen And speaking of Cole Strange, I actually think he's the wild card in all this right now, because he is someone that I believe has a tremendous amount of upside if he's healthy. And that's a big if, because he hasn't been the last couple of years. But I worry about his fit in a Josh McDaniel system. Cole is such a creature of

outside zone, and he really is at his best when he's blocking for that type of an offense i really would have loved to have seen what he could have done in alex van pelt's offense this year maybe made that a little bit formidable if he had played the majority of the season i know josh is going to modernize his offense and incorporate some more outside but again josh is at his best when he is calling gap runs. We've seen him do it over and over again. And I think that's where you're going to see him rely if this team gets into trouble. In that regard, could we be seeing the end of Cole Strange here in New England? Could the Patriots take a look at him and maybe say, you know what, we thought this was going to be a

good fit, but ultimately he's not going to work for the type of offense we're going to be employing this year and beyond. Yeah. I mean, that's a distinct possibility. And as you know, as you go through the roster, you know, uh, later on, there's going to be a lot of guys that look like that. Um, you know, the, I think the best possibility for Strange to remain with the Patriots is if David Andrews decides to hang it up. Um, since we haven't heard anything, I, I, I'm kind of thinking that he hasn't, uh, decided to do that. I think, you know, if he was going to retire, I think he would have done it by now but you never know um but if he was to leave perhaps either him or Jake Andrews who

was hurt last year could uh step in and be a center and I think either one of them would be a really good good fit there if if David decides you decides to retire and hang it up. Other than that, there's so much negativity right now around that offensive line. I think this

new change of regime with Josh coming in and new coaches coming in, I think the players that are there really need this because regardless of who they're going to keep, I think the coaches need to come in and fill these guys full of hope and confidence again, regardless of whether or not they're going to be here. You know, it has to start now.

And because you could sense sometimes when they get on the field that they just felt like they weren't going to have it. The first bad thing that happens and then they collapse. And I think in a lot of ways, you look at the possibilities of these guys switching positions or maybe being forced to switch positions in order to maintain their spot on this roster is a very realistic possibility. And Cole is an intriguing one that he may move over to center. He's got experience playing there. Jake Andrews is someone they haven't really, I think, seen enough of to determine whether or not he's the guy or whether he's not. maybe they've seen more of him behind the scenes, but he's missed a lot more time, practice time as well, folks. We're not just talking about in-game time.

We know he was on injured reserve for the entirety of 2024. It's practice time that he's missed there as well. So do the Patriots have a clear enough picture that he may be the answer? They're going to have to determine who's going to be the answer to David in short order, because even if David does come back this year or next year, you're looking at maybe one or two years maximum from the captain before he decides to hang up the cleats for good. So Patriots clearly have their work cut out for them, folks. When it comes to the offensive line, it's not a pretty sight, but there are ways to

build. And we're going to delve deeper into the offensive line, into the quarterbacks, into the running backs, into the cornerbacks on defense all over the field each and every day this week coming up and beyond. So make sure to stay locked into the Locked On Patriots podcast, folks. You're not going to want to miss what we have in store for you. But before we take our leave of this early look at the Patriots roster-building technique, Steve,

I thought we'd have a little bit of fun to fill out our Friday and talk about either the position or the player on this team right now that has the greatest chance of being a success or a failure. Right now, you might want to say they're walking that high wire. They're walking that tightrope and they can go either way. What's their greatest question mark? Steve Malastrieri and I are going to talk about that in just a moment when this episode of the Locked On Patriots podcast wraps up

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Prize picks run your game. Patriots fans, thank you once again for joining us here today on Locked On Patriots, and we're discussing the early stages of Patriots roster building. What are the questions that the Patriots should have answered before they begin the unenviable task of rebuilding a roster that finished 4-13 in 2024? Here to help me do so is my good friend,

the only man with the reason, the wisdom and counsel necessary to make these decisions, my good friend Steve Balistrieri. And Steve, in the previous segment, we talked about the Patriots' greatest strengths and their greatest weaknesses. But I thought we'd finish up today's discussion by talking about either a position on this team or a player on this team that right now is walking that fine line between either one. They can either be a great success or they could be an abject

failure, a disaster, Steve. All right, I'm being a little melodramatic here. I'm trying to add a little intrigue to this discussion. That sounds great, man. But bottom line, there are several players on this roster or several positions on this roster that could resemble that remark, one that has the chance to be a major factor in crafting the Patriots' success or one that could hold them back and keep them from becoming a playoff contenders. So you're Mike Vrabel, any member of that executive level

leadership team that's going to be in that room looking to craft this New England Patriots roster offense, defense, special teams, who are you looking at and saying, wow, this guy could really go either way. He has the potential to make or break our season. I can think of two guys right away offensively. That's Ramondre Stephens, Kendrick Bourne. We've seen Bourne, I mean, you know, the highest of highs, right, at the end of his first year here in New England. I mean, he was the go-to guy.

He was like big-time playmaker. But he's been here for a few years now. And there was still a lot of times last year that he was lining up in the wrong place. He was running wrong routes. I mean, that shouldn't happen for a vested veteran. And for a guy who's been in this offense for several years now. So I look at him and I'm like, I don't know if he's part of the solution with Josh

or he's going to be part of the problem. But I worry about him, and I really like Kendrick Bourne. I'm going to preface that. I really like this guy. I love his attitude. He is great. He is awesome. But at the same time, you know, it's a business.

We both know that. Ramondre, we know his talent. He could be one of the top running backs in the league, at least in that top tier. I'm not saying better than Saquon or Derrick Henry, but he can be up there in that top tier of guys. But the fumbling issues last year really, you know, I mean, it got you to worry when you saw him with the ball in his hand.

And we know that Vrabel isn't going to put up with that. No. So I really, I worry about his longevity here. I mean, you know, he doesn't, Braybill doesn't have any ties to him. So if they, you know, if they're worrying about him being a guy that turns the ball over, I could conceivably see them looking for a running back

and maybe try to trade Ramondre. And I like him too. I think he's fantastic. But, you know, again, you can't have this, you know, fumble-itis stuff. Defensively, I think the guy that could go either way on this, the Jelani Tavai. He's played very well in the past. He did not have a good year last year and you know with a new regime coming in they're going to be running a different kind of

defense and I don't know whether he fits that or not um those are the three guys that just jump off the page at me right away I like that you brought up Kendrick. He's not the one I would have thought of. I'll be very honest, but I do understand the argument. And I think you make a very compelling one. So in a way, I'm glad that you brought him up because I think it does give our listeners, including me, something to think about. I think you make an interesting point on Tavai.

Tavai had a rough year last year. There were, you know, obviously the comments that he made during the season about the fan base. Judging by what we've seen on social media, the fan base has not forgotten those comments. And they are going to continue to get on him if he struggles, especially if he struggles through training camp and into the regular season, if he's got a spot on this team. So a lot of that I know is going to be determined throughout training camp and whether or not Terrell Williams feels that he's the right fit here in New England. But if he does make it onto this roster, he's going to have to step up his game as well. So I think both of those guys deserve consideration when it comes to potentially the Patriots' biggest question mark.

I toyed with the idea of going Christian Barmore here, Steve, and I didn't because there is no question mark when it comes to Christian's talent on the field, when it comes to his fit in this defense. There's no question in my mind that if a healthy Christian Barmore is on the field, he is arguably, if not your best defender, your top two or three without any question. Even if you do bring in solid talent around him Christian has the ability and he has the experience to beat the alpha in the room and you're also getting a guy that works hard on every down each and every play so I worry nothing about Christian Barmore when it comes to his fit when he's healthy if he's not on the field it's going to be for a reason

beyond his control and we hope for the best for him We're still very much in the dark in terms of how that's going to work out folks this year. Don't want to make any speculation because we don't know which way it's going to go. All we can say is we hope the best for Christian and hope to see him back out on the field. But most of all, we hope to see him healthy. That's the most important thing. More important than getting him back out on the field is making sure this young man leads a healthy and long life. He deserves that, and let's hope that that is indeed the case. So in that regard, I join you in your sentiments on Ramondre Stevenson, and I know you mentioned the fumble-itis and things that happened last year. I completely agree with that. That's top of mind. I also know that you, just like I, wonder about his fit in the

McDaniel style offense. Since his days in college, Ramondre has been much better when he's running in an outside zone concept offense. Josh will incorporate some of that. I do believe that he'll try to accommodate Ramondre's strengths and weaknesses. But again, like I said in the previous segment, Josh McDaniels is a creature of the gap, and I know he's going to go back to that if things do get difficult because it's what brings results, and it's a good way for offenses to kind of get out of their funk a little bit and put their best foot forward and try to gain yardage in that downhill style.

That's never been Ramondre's bread and butter, but he can run it if you need to. Do the Patriots, like you said, Steve, decide that maybe this isn't the proper fit for him, and they decide to go elsewhere? Again, my question mark on Ramondre Stevenson has nothing to do with talent or effort, folks. He gives 110% and has the talent to be a top-level running back

anywhere in the NFL. The question is, is he going to fit this scheme? If not, are greener pastures available for him elsewhere? That, to me, is a big question mark. And if you are going to move on from Ramondre Stevenson, and I'm in no way endorsing that the Patriots should, you better have a very good backup plan in place because the Patriots need a solid running game. We're seeing that all over the league right now. Philadelphia Eagles were crowned Super Bowl champions for a lot of reasons,

but one of the biggest reasons they were crowned champion is because they have the best running back in the league running for them in Saquon Barkley. That position has definitely had a renaissance over the last few years. It's important, and the Patriots need a good one. They're going to have to hope that the person coming in beyond Ramondre, if they do move on, is very, very good at his job. Yeah, and I think Josh is going to love Antonio Gibson. I think he's always incorporated that kind of guy, a guy that can run the ball when you need him to and in the passing game.

How many guys did we see, the Patriots? I mean, it started with Kevin Falk, and then it went to Danny Woodhead, Shane Vereen. Woodhead, yep. Yeah, James White. I mean, I think Antonio Gibson is going to be a much much bigger part of the offense this coming year because they i thought it was criminal how little they used him last year but that's that's a post for a different time absolutely yeah that

pass catching back that is a beast on third down, has always been a staple of a Josh McDaniels offense. And I believe Antonio Gibson has the stuff to be able to be just that for the Pats. But you need a solid guy up top as well. Who will that be for the Patriots? Will Ramondre Stevenson be a great success once again here in New England? Or could he be a liability for the Patriots that they feel best to move on from?

We're going to find out in short order, my friend, as this team starts to put its pieces together to craft the 2025 New England Patriots. And again, folks, we're going to be breaking down each position right here on the Locked On Patriots podcast. So stay locked in. You're not going to want to miss a single second of that action. In the meantime, my friend, I want to give you a major tip of the cap, and thank you for stopping by not only once but twice this week

to lend your wisdom, your counsel, and your reason here to Locked On Patriots. Before I let you go, please let everyone know what you got cooking in La Cochina, Belastrera this weekend, and, of course, where they can reach out to you and interact with you on social media. Yeah, you can find me on Twitter at SteveB7SFG. I write for PatsFans.com. Derek Havens and I do our Patriots 4th & 2 podcast, which you've been a proud guest on to have you on there.

And we have to do it again real soon. This week, a lot of what we just talked about i'm going to be breaking down the guys that are currently on the roster and kind of giving a kind of leaning a little forward in the foxhole as we used to say in the military but i'm going to be giving a some thoughts on whether or not they fit or don't fit in, you know, the plans and what we could expect of them with the new regime. Absolutely, folks. And I'm looking forward to it.

Definitely check it out. Anytime Steve puts voice to microphone alongside Derek Havens on Patriots 4th and 2 or puts pen to paper for batsfanscom. It's appointment, listening appointment, reading. You definitely want to make sure to check it out. You're well-informed and you can't ask for more than what this man gives you each and every week, especially each and every Sunday provides. I think the best column in Patriots nation that,

that you'll find on that day. And in that regard, folks, once again, I thank my good friend, Steve Balistrieri for joining me here today. Most of all we thank all of you each and every one of you locked on Patriots loyalists all of you everydayers

all of you casual listeners and anyone joining us for the first time thank you very much for making locked on Patriots a part of your daily Patriots coverage today and we hope you come back because we've got a lot of exciting stuff still planned for you throughout the month, throughout the offseason as we head into both the NFL draft and in free agency. In the meantime, on behalf of my good friend Steve Balistrieri, I'm Mike DeBate, reminding all of you to stay safe, to stay well, to be the change you wish to see in the world. Have a great day, everyone, and we'll see you back here again Monday on Locked on Patriots.