Locked On Patriots - Daily Podcast On The New England Patriots - New England Patriots Training Camp: Drake Maye, Caedan Wallace, Jerod Mayo, Matthew Judon and More

Episode Date: July 9, 2024

The New England Patriots are heading into 2024 with a great deal of questions, and thus many intruguing storylines. From the quarterback battle between rookie Drake Maye and veteran Jacoby Brissett to the first camp as head coach for Jerod Mayo to an uncertain offensive line, there is never a dull moment in New England. Joining host Mike D’Abate are the co-hosts of the Foxborough Fellas Podcast, Pete Collins and Divij Sachdeva. The trio discuss the Pats biggest camp storylines, potential standout performers and who has the most to prove heading into 2024? #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! 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 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)

The New England Patriots have the chance to start their highest drafted quarterback since Drew Bledsoe, but is that the biggest storyline heading into training camp? 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 the daily part of your New England Patriots coverage

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to ensure that you're getting the latest episode as soon as it's available. I'm your host, Mike DeBate. 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 MDABATENFL. While you're showing some love to Locked On Patriots social media style, please be sure to follow our account there as well at LO underscore Patriots. And Pats fans, today's episode is brought to you by FanDuel.

Make every moment more. As the playoffs wind down and shrink from sight, 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. So visit FanDuel.com to get started. And Pats fans, thank you for joining me here today on this episode of Locked On Patriots.

Just a couple of weeks ago, I had the privilege of joining today's two guests on their very own Patriots podcast, the Foxborough Fellas, which can be found on the Boston Sports Zone. These guys put out a fantastic product. It is my honor to welcome them here to Lockdown Patriots. Please join me in welcoming the Foxborough fellas themselves, Pete Collins and Divij Sachdeva. Gentlemen, welcome to Lockdown Patriots and thank you for joining me today. No, thank you. It's our pleasure. Yeah, really, really happy to be on and it was happy to host you and now it's, it's, I feel like that entire episode was such a free flowing conversation and like

just so many new ideas. And I'm like, you got to do this more. Absolutely. And I thought it would be the perfect opportunity to have you guys on here today and welcome you here to Lockdown Patriots to continue some of that. And we are going to dive right in because folks, training camp practices are set to begin on July 24th. And even though this is my seventh season covering the New England Patriots, my fifth as Locked On Patriots host, this is going to be a new experience.

I'm looking forward to this training camp in ways I haven't in a number of years. A lot of big storylines heading into this one. Obviously, a new quarterback. Patriots top defensive player potentially embroiled in a contract dispute. Not to mention the fact, guys, that for the first time in nearly a quarter century, a new head coach is going to be running this training camp and leading the Patriots onto the field for the regular season opener. Yeah, never a dull moment in Foxborough, and this season there definitely won't be.

So, Pete, I'm going to start with you. When you look at the New England Patriots right now as constituted, heading into 2024 training camp, what would you say is the biggest storyline for the Pats as they look to take the practice fields adjacent to Gillette Stadium? I feel like the easy answer and the answer that most people will give you is Drake May, Jacoby Brissett, when and or if Drake May will start week one. I'm not as interested in that storyline because I know how that storyline ends.

That ends with Drake May starting at the quarterback position. It's just a matter of when is really what that storyline is all about. So not too interested since I can see into the future. What I can't see into the future is, and this is my biggest storyline heading into training camp, is the offensive line. And did we secure a left tackle? Yes or no? That is the question that needs to be answered. Since we're not a playoff team in 2024, I'm just looking at 2025. That's why I want to know if we have a left tackle or not. If Caden Wallace is your left tackle and he works out and is an average to above average left tackle, you do not need to use your first round draft pick on a

left tackle in 2025. And that opens up so many doors. If you did not get a left tackle with Caden Wallace and Okorafor is your left tackle, you need to address that going into 2025. So my biggest storyline is who does Mayo roll out there as his five best offensive line? Does Caden Wallace secure the left tackle position or does he play right tackle and on when who bumps into right guard, which I think would shock and surprise lots of people seeing how they paid on one who like a tackle. So to move them back to pretty alarming. I want to see what they do specifically on the left side of the offensive line, but as

in the offensive line as a whole. Yeah, it's such a great point. And so many layers to this beat. I mean, when you look at it, it's such a meaty storyline that maybe a lot of people may say, well, it pales in comparison to the quarterback or it pales in comparison to a new head coach. But to me, this is the essence of the Patriots offseason, and it's the essence of how well they're going to do offensively. I know Alex Van Pelt is extremely eager to institute that new type of offense, the outside wide zone run that he loves to run and run the

ball a ton the way he did with Cleveland and he wants to come in and do that here you need solid play on the offensive line in order to be able to do it and Michael Wenu cutting back inside and maybe playing guard where his natural fit may be uh that's what he was drafted to be brought in here for I mentioned a couple of times on the pod last week, Bill Belichick, when he had moved back into right guard, said, well, this is where we wanted to play him all along. When we drafted him, this is where we envisioned playing him. So maybe the Patriots are onto something there. Maybe Caden does move over and is your right tackle.

I still do believe he has the athleticism to make the switch. I also remind everyone that during his top 30 visit, he talked extensively with Scott Peters about the potential of kicking out to left tackle and being a versatile type weapon. And Scott Peters loves working with guys like this. During Notre Dame's pro day, when the Patriots were assumedly out to scout Joe Ault, and he is another world left tackle, there's no question about it. This guy is a franchise changer at the position. The Patriots actually had a sharper eye on Blake Fisher, and they were watching him and watching his ability to potentially kick out to the left

side, which is where he played before Alt came in and took his job. He moved over to right and actually did a fairly good job, but Peters was very intrigued by someone like Blake Fisher who had the athleticism to play on both sides. I think he saw some of that in Caden Wallace, even though Wallace didn't play left tackle at Penn State. He played it a little bit at the Shrine Bowl, did it a little in high school. So he does have some experience there. It's all about coaching.

If they feel that they can coach him up like you said pete i believe that this is a storyline to watch and to me it's going to be the essence of how soon we see drake may out there on the football field and i think it's an excellent choice because it was my choice as the top storyline for the new england patriots division i want to give you the floor to kind of close out this segment bud and bring us home um are you in agreement are you going to make it unanimous or is there another storyline that you're watching as the biggest heading into training camp so when i was looking at this uh all the storylines that are possible going into training camp like pete mentioned the quarterback one we sort of know the conclusion like you're not

really drafting and a quarterback third overall for him to sit an entire year so he's probably starting sooner rather than later and looking at all other like major units of this team looking at the skill position room looking at the front seven looking at the secondary nothing moved me as much as this offensive line group because that is arguably our weakest unit. And on top of that, arguably the unit that has the most unknowns. I think the only known that we are relying on is Scott Peters, who's coming from the tree of arguably the best offensive line coach in NFL history. And knowing that he comes from the Callahan tree and knowing that he has moved pieces around and he values moving pieces around there's something I've heard a lot of podcasts and a lot of people in the media talk

about this that the value of an offensive lineman and their side is totally dependent on the coach so Joe Alt who was arguably not just the best left tackle prospect, the best tackle prospect that the league had seen in a while, is probably starting as a right tackle this year, even though he played left tackle most of his college career. And same with guys like Tristan Wirfs, who were started as right tackle and then moved around to left tackle, even though they played left tackle in college and all these things, it comes down to coaching. And that is where I feel like all the eggs that I have about the Patriots offensive line, I'm just going to put all those eggs in the Scott Peters basket because that is something that totally comes down to how the sides are going to line up. Now, when it comes to specific players, when we gave the contract to Mike on venue I thought oh

this is definitely tackle money and he played so well at right tackle he was probably our only good outside offensive line piece last year that was like he's probably starting at right tackle and then you look at the Landon Dickerson extension and then you look at the Robert Hunt contract and you kind of realize that, oh, hey, like with these new blocking schemes, maybe guards are that valuable. So I won't be surprised if Patriots move Mike Onwenu back to right guard and figure out a tackle rotation

that Caden Wallace still might be playing left tackle and Mike Onwenu might move to right guard. That is a realistic possibility with this team, Caden Wallace still might be playing left tackle and Mike Onwenu might move to right guard. That is a realistic possibility with this team, knowing that Caden Wallace is a developmental piece. Chook Sokorofor was signed as a swing tackle, who's most of his experience is playing right tackle. Maybe through camp, we kind of realize, oh, hey wallace is picking up left tackle fast on when his best position is still right guard and a quarter four is pretty serviceable at right tackle and that might be a new offensive line setup that not a lot of people are talking about right now so there's a lot of ways this offensive line could move both personnel and alignment wise and purely scheme

wise that we might rely we we want to run a lot of wide zone in our running game but then we might rely more on static blocks if that's what the team's better at that's just an example maybe we more rely more on a power block scheme knowing that we've drafted these maulers in Caden Wallace and Leighton Robinson. They're like, oh, power block scheme works the best. And if we have to move up a second, even on a traditional drop back, that works for this line. So both scheme wise and personnel wise, my eggs are in no one player's basket my eggs are in the scott peters basket and that is why i think this is the biggest storyline of training camp that the players are completely unknown but the only thing we know is we probably have a coach there that can put these players in a position to succeed that is such a great point of vision i'm so glad that you mentioned guys like tristan

and i'm so glad that you mentioned guys like Joe Alt, perhaps, that may end up playing out of position in their first year, in their second year, and may end up switching positions full-time because of their versatility and because of the ability of their coach to be able to coach them up for that. Scott Peters, again, is known for that. You mentioned that he comes from the Callahan tree. So it's something that is right now, it's something that's ingrained in his style. And I think when you look at the Patriots lineman, not just Wallace, but when you look at all of the linemen, either the swing lineman or, you know, the veterans that have been on this team for a little while, they all have that ability to play out of position. Awenu is someone that has played

multiple positions since he's walked through the door here in New England. Siddy So is someone who's played multiple positions as well, played left guard in college, came out, switched to right, was one of the highest right guard prospects in the NFL last year, definitely among rookies and was very highly rated overall when it came to rookies and veterans. So that type of versatility really becomes so important when you're instituting a new offense. And we all know Bill Parcells used to love to say, the best ability is availability. Well, I think this year for the offensive line and division, I think you hit this right on the head. The best ability may be interchangeability when it comes to these guys and their ability to move all over the line. David Andrews is a solid man in the middle. Other than that right now, I think every position is in flux.

We haven't even mentioned the name Cole Strange right now, who may be on the shelf at least through midseason with a torn patellar tendon. Patriots got a lot of question marks along the offensive line, and it looks like the three of us are in agreement. That O-line is the biggest storyline, the biggest question mark heading in. But folks, what do you think? Drop us a note in the comments section below.

We'd love to hear your biggest storyline heading into the New England Patriots' start of training camp on July 24th. Gentlemen, it's always fun covering training camp. You've been, I've been, we've all been in that position to be able to watch your team come together and determine what type of year this team may have. But each and every year, there's a player that stands out above the rest. In just a moment, Pete Division and I are going to give you our choices for standout player of training camp for your New England Patriots. Will it be an unknown or will it be a savvy veteran?

We'll answer that question and more when this episode of the Locked On Patriots podcast continues. A proud part of the Locked On podcast network, your team every day. Listen up Locked On listeners. I know you love sports. I love sports.

As a matter of fact, I love them so much that I never want them to stop. But with the playoffs now firmly behind us, we get fewer games and the sports just aren't sporting like we want them to. But FanDuel lets me keep the sports going whenever I want. All I have to do is open the app and dream up bets anytime I'm in the mood. And this summer, FanDuel is hooking up all customers with a boost or a bonus daily.

Yeah, that's right, folks. There's something for everyone, every day, all summer long. So head over to FanDuel.com and start making the most out of your summer. That's FanDuel.com. FanDuel, official sports betting partner of Major League Baseball. Patriots fans, thank you once again for joining us here today on Locked On Patriots. I have the good fortune of being joined once again by not just one, but two amazing guests. You know them as the Foxborough Fellas, Pete Collins, Divijs Sastava.

I am definitely honored and humbled to be joined by these gentlemen today here on Locked On Patriots, already providing the wisdom and counsel that only they can provide. This year, heading into training camp, there are a lot of players that are eager to make their mark. A lot of players that really have not only something to play for, but they're also trying to play their way onto the roster. There are also savvy veterans that want to come out and show that they are everything that they've been billed as, or players that have been on this team for a while that want to continue to stake their claim as a team captain or one of the most important cogs in the Patriots

machine. Divija, I'm going to start with you. When you look at this roster from top to bottom, who among the players that you're watching right now could be a potential standout performer in training camp in a couple weeks so when i was looking at the standouts for training camp i was thinking along the lines first i started thinking about the veterans that have contracts too and nobody personally really moved me there to stand out in training camp. So I was thinking either the secondary or someone who can single-handedly make this team take a step forward. So I went a little more ambitious. If this guy stands out in training camp, he will change how we are playing offensive football. Let me take you guys back to Super Bowl 53. Everyone thought the key matchup

for that game is Aaron Donald versus Tom Brady. Can Tom Brady avoid the pressure that Aaron Donald can create from the interior? But where we won that matchup was not Tom Brady winning us that matchup. It was Aaron Donald versus Joe Tooney. more and more in this league we are seeing that interior offensive linemen are helping your pass protection schemes more and more that is what the chief's offensive line is built right now outside of like the eagles having lane johnson their biggest investments for a while were landon dickerson and Jason Kelsey, both in the runs game and in the pass game. So I'm going with Sidi Sao. Now there's already been a lot of news that Sidi Sao is going back to where he played in college, which was left guard.

There have also been a lot of offensive line transition where Convenu is trying to line up at right guard. And Mike, you already mentioned our most consistent key piece on that offensive line is the guy snapping the ball, David Andrews. If City South is that breakout player who is taking a step forward, he completely reforms how we run our pass blocking schemes that is huge for the 31st ranked pass blocking offensive line last year and the 30th ranked overall pass offense last year being bottom three in those metrics the only way from there is up and to get us to that potential top 20 offense this year i'm not going to be delusional

and say we're going to be a top 10 offense this year but i do think to take that step forward if we figure out that interior of the offensive line kind of run that lacked for the just another comparison that brown's offensive line from last two years and Joel Betonio and the role he played there building from the interior for this offensive line will be key especially when it comes to outside pressure you have quarterbacks like Jacoby and Drake who are good out of structure and can provide you something out of structure but if you have interior pressure constantly on you, especially as a young quarterback, that is really demoralizing.

So I do believe that City Sal will take that step forward. He's going to his natural position. And I also believe that of all the players on this team, if I wanted to pick one to be a training camp standout, I would pick City Sal any day because he has the potential to completely change the offensive outlook of this team for this season i love it when you go with the offensive line and you look at how important that position is in order to be able to secure a quarterback and make sure that a quarterback is comfortable and ready to perform at a high level. And look, if you're talking interior of the, of the offensive line, you're also talking about

facilitation of the run game and getting a chance to be able to block in the middle, get a chance to have blockers seal the edges and be able to allow a lot more free flow running through that line. And guys like Ramondre Stevenson springing free, and even guys like Antonio Gibson and Kevin Harris that are going to need that blocking up front in order to be able to facilitate that. So you have your hands in so much, and that to me really is where players make their mark. They make their bones, so to speak,

being able to have their hands in so many different aspects of the offense, perform at a high level, and allow the skilled position players to really go to work. So I love it. I think it's a great choice. Pete, you're up next, my friend. When you look at this roster, are you thinking offensive line? Are you thinking maybe the other side of the ball? Are you thinking skilled positions?

Who, in your estimation, is going to be a standout performer during this training camp season? Diviz, you let me down. I thought we were going to pick the same person here. Last week we picked him as the breakout player of the year. And so I'm going to stay consistent. I think he's going to show you that at training camp. And this player is Keon White. Other side of the line, defensive line.

You know, 2023 second round pick. And when they were talking with mayo mayo was raving about the progression uh that keon white has has taken in this off season he said he's taking a step forward as far as a leader which you love to hear and i think it's kind of interesting and i think this or my pick lines up with uh what we're seeing with some contract situations you have judon uh who is saying, I don't think I'm going to get extended publicly on Twitter. You have Godshaw with his contract situation that he's publicly addressing as well. A couple of defensive line pieces here that might not be

here next year. There's more opportunity on this line from the inside and from the edge for Keon White to make an impact here. I know he's more of an edge, but he can make an impact just being a huge man. It's like 6'5". This is a large individual. During his rookie season, I think he played like 45% of the snaps. He'll see more snaps this year. Add in the fact that Judon's back, that you have Uche, you have your defense back. Defenses aren't thinking of Keon White right now. They're just not. So I'm excited to see what Keon White can do, especially since he's going to be going up against our offensive line, which we just talked about, which has lots of holes.

You might see Keon White in the backfield a lot up against that red jersey. So I'm interested to see what he can do this year in training camp and what he can do without this. The defensive line is kind of in limbo when you're looking for the future 2025 and beyond that's another great choice and again Keon is another guy with the versatility to be whoever you need him to be when he was drafted I was one among the first to say that I thought he could project as a five tech player because he's got so many tools now really I think he's settling thought he could project as a five tech player because he's got so many tools.

Now, really, I think he's settling into a role more as a three tech, and I think that's where he's going to be comfortable. But you mentioned his leadership ability, Pete, and I think that's so poignant here. Him being able to take on that role and really show players where they need to be, not just the younger players, but also taking on a leadership role with veterans, guys that are either new to the system or they're coming in and they've been here for a while. When you have the confidence in your ability and in your skill set to be able to tell veterans where they need to be, even though this is only your second year, that says a lot about

a player. There's a lot of confidence there, but no ego. And I think that's something, too, that will spell very well for Keon White moving forward. He's a guy that leads by example. He leads by his toughness, his tenacity. This guy is never going to quit on a play. He's going to be a hundred percent every time he takes a snap. Those are the guys that you go to war with. Those are the guys that you want to go to battle with. And to me, Keon White defines that. So I love that suggestion and I love the pick. One more thing I would add for Keon, which is as a Georgia Tech alum, I've seen him live like when I was in school one year.

And then I know a lot of people at Georgia Tech football that kindly provide me with a lot of game film. It's the first game film I get whenever I start college scouting the best thing from all the people I've talked to about Keon White is not just his leadership ability but his leadership style so he's never going to be that guy

who's going to be fired up at the sideline getting guys, slapping them in the back or giving a hype locker room speech but for the three guys that missed tackles on the outside in the run game the first thing on the defensive line drills he's going to show all three guys how to make that tackle from five different angles that's what he did at tech and that is something that everyone in the team loved about him because once he knew the scheme better than anybody on the team, he was essentially a coach, a defensive line coach for the Georgia Tech team by showing them how it's done. here that when Mayo is running sprints with these guys you need that leadership style more that everybody's stepping up like you said leading by example Keon is that guy and I have I didn't even I have talked so much about Keon ever since he was drafted because it was just ever since Shaq

Mason we've never had another Georgia Tech alum at on the New England Patriots I was just so happy I've been talking non-stop about this guy for a year and a half, so I let it go one time. But I am going to say this. There is nothing when it comes to tools that Keon doesn't have to be a top 15 pass rusher in this league. And I'm saying this right now. If there's a chance that he puts it together,

nobody will be asking for a Matt Judon extension next year. That's a bold statement, but a statement that I think is one that Patriots fans should really, I think, warm up to a little bit for all of the reasons that you just mentioned. Keon White is someone that does have the ability to lead by example. And that leadership style, like you said, Diviz, is so important when you're talking about a player that you want to build around. Bill Belichick absolutely sang this guy's praises last year on a number of different occasions, talking about him being one of the smarter players that had walked through the door here in a good long while, and someone he felt that a line could be built around you're starting to see that in training camp this year demarcus covington gerard mayo they know their defense

and they know when they've got a special guy in the house you have to wonder if maybe that is factoring into their decision to take a temperant approach when it comes to offering matthew judon a contract extension next year maybe they're seeing a lot in Keon White that leads them to believe this is the guy for the future. If Judon's looking for four, three years, whatever, and the Patriots are only willing to go a fraction of that, maybe they realize they've got their guy waiting in the wings. So Keon is someone that I will continue to watch.

I'll have my sharp eye on. And thank you for that drop-in. From a Georgia Tech alum, it's always good to see that from boots-on-the-ground coverage. And we love that here on Lockdown Patriots yeah gentlemen you guys are absolutely showing me up and I love it I'm going to flip over to the offensive side of the ball and I'm going to talk skill positions because our listeners love it and I think this young man has standout written all over him and I had the good fortune of being on the conference call when this man was drafted and he told everyone to get their popcorn ready.

And that is Javon Baker. I hear all the time that people are saying Javon is the deep threat we haven't had in a long time. And he's going to be our deep ball guy. He's going to be the guy. Well, there are different players here that could end up playing that role. If Taequann Thornton has a big camp and makes this roster, he has the ability to be a deep threat.

I think Javon is a deeper player than that. I think he's more than just a deep threat. I think he's a true X, but I think he can play a number of different positions on this pass catching core. And the thing that I love about this kid is he has the ability to draw a bead on the football from wherever he is on the field. He's especially proficient at it on the deep routes, but he can do it from anywhere. And look, another factor that I love about Javon Baker is the smoothness of his route running.

Take a look at what he's done at UCF, even back to his days when he was a recruit at Alabama. And he's so effective at the top of his route. And that can make the difference in an offensive line that, gentlemen, we talked about on the previous segment, is going to be going through an awful lot, a lot of growing pains, a lot of uncertainty. Even if your proficiency at the top of your route saves that unit a second of time and allows them to get set, that could end up meaning a world of difference. So it's not so much the excitability and the swagger that Javon is going to bring to the table. I think he will.

I think he's going to be a fun player to watch in training camp. I think he's going to be a quick fan favorite because of the way he plays and the charisma that he shows out on the field. But it's really about the technique that he has and the way he plays that i think could revolutionize this offense especially the passing game and i think he's going to be a fast favorite of drake may when these guys start to hook up and really develop a synergy on the field and i think javon is someone that can also play well with jacoby brissett in his style so i'm looking at him as a camp standout and i say that kind kind of tongue in cheek today. It's very poignant, I think, that we talk about that because another UCF alum announced

his retirement earlier on Monday, and that is Trey Nixon, a player I've had the opportunity to cover since inception here on Locked On Patriots. And we all remember him being the final draft pick of Ernie Adams during the Ernie Adams era here in New England. And I loved covering Trey. Trey was the hardest worker I saw out on the field. Each and every day he took the field. I wish he could have had a little more on-field success because I know he worked so hard to get it done. There were injuries and idiosyncrasies on the field that just didn't break the way they needed to

in order for him to get the break he needed. but certainly wish him well. But it's funny that another UCF alum may come in now and take that mantra as being a standout player in training camp because Trey was a standout player in training camp. He wasn't able to put it into practice in the regular season, but during training camp, he definitely turned in some memorable performances. We'll see if it translates on the field and if Javon can fare any better when it comes to a game setting. I like his chances on that. But we're not quite done yet, folks, because training camp is nothing if not giving opportunities to players who need to prove a little something extra.

Pete DeVish and I are going to give our choices for the player with the most to prove in 2024 training camp when this episode of the Locked On Patriots podcast wraps up right here on the Locked On Podcast Network, your team, every day. Locked On listeners, passion, drive, and patience is what brings home that winning trophy. You know what? It's also what keeps your ride or die alive. Our good friends over at eBay Motors have everything you need to maintain your vehicle and level it up to peak performance. From superchargers to roof racks to exhaust kits, LED headlights, and so much more.

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eBay guaranteed fit only available to U.S. customers. Patriots fans, thank you for joining me here today on Locked on Patriots. We are a proud part of the Locked on Podcast Network, your team every day. And as you can see, I am thrilled. I am honored to be joined by the Foxborough fellas themselves. They are Pete Collins and Diviz Sashdeva. Gentlemen, it's been fun so far, but I think the best is yet to come when it comes to the topics that we're covering today

here on Locked On Patriots, because training camp is always fun. It's always informative, but it always teaches us something as well. And every year there's a player that comes into camp with maybe a little extra chip on his shoulder. Maybe he's trying to earn his ability. Maybe he's trying to earn a contract that he just got, or maybe he's trying to earn his ability. Maybe he's trying to earn a contract

that he just got, or maybe he's trying to earn a contract he believes should be given to him. Or maybe he's simply just trying to live up to the height that's surrounding him heading into the upcoming season. The Patriots have a number of different players that resemble this remark. So Pete, I'm going to give you a chance to go ahead and to go first on this one Patriots roster offense defense special teams who in your estimation has the most to prove heading into training camp this year I'll give you a serious answer next but the first answer I'm going to give you is Chad Ryland has the most to prove on this on this football team I never go an episode or an opportunity without mentioning this man's name 60 something percent field goal kicking last year was abysmal.

And they brought in my man Joey Sly. And I tweeted out today that Chad Ryland needs to make every single kick at camp, plus some more. Maybe, like, take the guys out to dinner and buy some gifts. He needs to do everything in his power because what we saw last year was just not good. So he has the most approved in training camp itself. But the player that I think just has the most approved overall training camp, extend that into preseason throughout the beginning of the first nine weeks, really. And I say that because that's when the new trade deadline is, is Matthew Judon. Matthew Judon has

the most approved. If he wants his bag, he needs to show us that going into next year, which he'll be 33 years old, right? He's 31 now, but he has a birthday in August. And as you know, the season starts after that. So he'll be 32 going into this year, 33 going into next year, coming off a season ending bicep injury last year. Are you still the same player? Do you still deserve all that money? Cause he's nasty when he's playing and he's playing well, he's a sack of game type player. He's going to get in people's faces. You're going to see the red sleeves all over the field.

He's going to be all over the quarterback. Right? So when Matthew Judon is playing at that level healthy, he's totally worth that. And we talked about maybe there's players in the, in the depth chart that could be moving their way up to bump him out. But if he's not going to get resigned, I think you have to get a return on your investment and trade him. Um, so he could

potentially be a trade piece. I think he has the most to prove if he wants the bag in the off season for himself, but for us, maybe he's proving to the rest of the league, his value, um, so that we can get a return on that as opposed to having him play out this whole season and just go sign somewhere else. We don't really get anything for that besides a Matthew Judon for one year. So I think the player that has the most to prove is Matthew Judon for those exact reasons. Yeah. And I think Matthew would be the first to agree with you. I think when he looks at it now and the fact that he doesn't have a contract extension, when so many Patriots players do, he's probably looking at it and saying, Hey, you know what? Maybe I do have a little something to prove. Maybe I do need to remind everyone just who I am and what I can do

and how valuable I am to this defense, not just being a pass rusher and someone that can make life difficult for opposing quarterbacks, but also the facilitation that I bring to the table in allowing guys like Christian Barmore to take on the double team or simply be a decoy at that point to get double team to allow Christian the opportunity to make himself a better part or a more applicable part of the pass rush and then of course what he does for other pass rushers and I'm going to get to that in just a moment because I don't want to steal my own thunder. Divij, I'm going to give you an opportunity to answer next. Who has the most to prove heading into training camp for your New England Patriots? Yeah, so me and Pete have talked a lot about this on the Fox Ellis podcast,

which is like, what is our defensive philosophy going to look like? And I always say that philosophically, I think we're going to stick very similar to that 4-3-4 Bill Belichick defense because we have these hybrid linebackers and these hybrid safeties. And that's where my player is. We paid Kyle Duggar to be, on average contract value, a top 10 safety in the league. Now, Kyle Duggar last year ranked third amongst all safeties in run defense, ranked ninth amongst all safeties in simulated pressure success rate, wasn't even in the top 40 in pure coverage success rate. And that is something that I feel like now he's not a division two rookie anymore.

We cannot look at Kyle Duggar as that kid we drafted from Lenore Ryan. Now we need to look at him as, oh, he's the guy who we paid top 10 safety money. And from top 10 safety money with everything he does in the run game and in simulated pressures and all these blitzes around the edge that is great but i do need to see a step up in those coverage numbers both in just pure success rate and i love beating the buffalo bills one thing we are going to see this year is buffalo bills playing a bunch of 12 personnel and spamming the ball to Dalton Kincaid. If we were playing 4-3-4, we really want to commit to stopping their run.

And hey, from 12 personnel, Kyle Duggar's matched up against Dalton Kincaid. I want Kyle Duggar to be able to win those matchups. And that is something that we need to see a step up in Kyle Duggar from. I think Kyle Duggar in the past game especially has great ball hawking skills. He has the eye that is very rare to have as a safety to look at all three levels and analyze all three levels no matter where you're lined up, whether you're in the second level, whether you're lined up in the third level, whether you're blitzing, he has that eye to understand all three levels. It just comes down to, can his execution take a step up? Especially in one-on-one coverage, especially in man coverage.

Because if Kyle Duggar is that guy who can line up in that second level and still cover, and we have a healthy Christian Gonzalez. And I say this all the time. We have a true top five strong safety in the league in Jabril Peppers. If you look at him, he's really a strong safety. If we have that, the secondary rotation will become easier with a healthy Marcus Jones, with Jonathan Jones coming back. Guys like Isaiah Bolden and Alex Austin taking a step up.

You would have to leave those guys in lesser one-on-one situations if a guy like Kyle Duggar can cover one-on-one from the second level. And I feel like this is something that we have paid him, expecting that he can do this, which makes me think now that you're paid and you haven't proven that you have the most approved. Very good point. And I love the fact that we're all talking defense fellas,

because I'm going to go defense as well. And when it comes to players that have something to prove, and I'm going to take a line from my good friend and Patriots by Zahn, Steve Ballestrieri, I'm going to go with the guy that's betting on himself and I'm going to say Joshua Uche has the most approved because he signed a one-year deal right from Joshua's mouth he had more lucrative deals out there more long-term deals out there that could probably have given him more financial security if he was looking for that right now but I believe that Joshua looks

at those offers and said, if I have the year that I'm capable of having here in New England, I can go out and write my own ticket the following year, whether it's in New England or not. I think he'd like to stay here long-term with the Patriots. And I look for him to revisit these talks with Elliott Wolfe and Gerard Mayo in the off season and prove that he's capable of being a long-term solution here as a pass rusher in New England. But I look at the stats that he had a couple of years ago when he set a career high with 11.5 sacks and 14 quarterback hits. Last year was a definite difficult year for him. He clearly missed Matthew Judon alongside him. 15 total tackles, three for loss, three sacks,

big statistical dip from what he had in 2022. So he knows he's got to go out there and prove that he can do it. Whether Judon is at full strength or not, whether he's here for the entire season or not, Joshua Uche knows he needs to go out there and play and play at a high level because no one's going to help him get to those numbers again. He's got to prove he can get there himself. And I think that's what he's going to be motivated for.

And we're already seeing it in what we saw from him in training in mandatory minicamp and some of the offseason workouts and how he's being utilized. He's at his best when the team allows him to play on the line in multiple Patriots looks. And Diviz, I agree with you. They're going to stay with the 4-3-4. I think that's their bread and butter, but it wouldn't surprise me to see them throw in the occasional 5-1, throw in the occasional 4-2. If they do that, Joshua Uche is capable of playing all of those and playing them well. And he looks to be very comfortable in the system that Demarcus Covington is going to run he's used to it it's not really a

massive change from what bill belichick and the patriots defensive brain trust were doing they're not going to reinvent the wheel there that defense was a solid defense last year it will continue to be under the new leadership and i think gucci realizes that this has got to be his time to rise and shine so when you sign a one-year deal and you know you're looking at free agency after just being a free agent the year before proves to me one thing that he's got the confidence that he can do it and i also think him coming back to new england proves that he believes new england is the best place for him to showcase his talents whether it be for another team next year or for the pats to stay here long term this was the place where he is going to be able to put up the best numbers.

And I think that shows a lot of confidence in his teammates. It shows a lot of confidence in himself. So I love the fact that we all went defense. This is great that we're looking at standout players or we're looking at players with the most to prove. You would think it would be on offense, but this defense right now is going to carry them to victory. I think it's going to either be the this defense right now is going to carry them to victory. I think it's going to either be the make or break when it comes to New England.

And because of this defense, I think they're going to be in more games than people are giving the credit for this year. Fellas, it's been an absolute blast. I want to thank you for joining me here today on Locked On Patriots and lending the wisdom and counsel the way only you can. Folks, the beauty of talking training camp before training camp is no one's ever really wrong until training camp is over. So drop us a line in

the comments section below. Did we mention your favorites? Did we mention the top storyline that you're thinking of? Did we select the standout performer that you're hoping to see? And do you believe we nailed it when we talked about players with the most to prove we always want to hear what you have to say locked on patriots we pride ourselves on being an interactive patriots podcast so drop us a note in the comment section below or tag myself pete or division on twitter and we'd be more than happy to interact with you and discuss the matter even further and who knows maybe we'll even take some of those comments with them the next time they come here on locked on patriots because this has been such a blast, fellas.

I can't wait to have you guys back. Before I let you go, Pete, we'll start with you. Please let everyone know where they can interact with you, where they can find you on Twitter and a little bit about the Foxborough Fellows podcast. Folks, I guarantee you, if you subscribe to this and listen to it, it's going to be an instant favorite of yours. I'm a fan and I can't wait to their next episode. So, Pete, the floor is yours, my friend.

Yeah, you can find myself at Pete underscore Collins underscore on X. And for the podcast page, it's at Fox Fellows Pod. And you can also find us on YouTube Sports Zone underscore BOS for Boston. But, yeah, every Thursday, Diviz, I and from time to time, Brian will hop on. We always love to have guests on like we had you on Mike each Thursday around eight o'clock. We go live and yeah, we just come with a different issue or a couple of issues each week. And we really try to break it down with some detailed stats. We know our fans are knowledgeable on the Patriots,

so we just kind of assume everyone knows the basics, and we go into the higher-level details, just like you guys do here on Locked On. So, yeah, check us out, and see us on Thursday. Divij, I want to thank you, my friend, for all of the expert analysis that you provided tonight. Second to none, my friend. The floor is yours. Please let everyone know where they can reach out to you and tell us a little bit about the wisdom and counsel you provide for the Foxborough Fellows each and every time you

and Pete take the microphone, along with Brian. Of course. First off, thank you so much for having us and for all the kind words. Really appreciate it. You can find me on X at Satchdeva Devij, S-A-C-h-d-e-v-a-d-i-v-i-j and uh the podcast account at at fox fellow spot like pete mentioned we also have our youtube channels at sports zone underscore b-o-s um i love doing the pay everything Patriots related because I started really diving deep into football, doing more prospect stuff when I was 18, my freshman year of college. And I felt like that was the point where I was super sick of mainstream media and all these hot take debates that did not really have substance. And I always thought

that if I have a chance, I will put out hot takes, but in a speculative way, in a way where I can back them up with numbers in some way. And that is what I try to do on the Foxfellows pod. Me and Pete love standing out while also giving ourselves a reason to do that. And that is something that we strive to do each Thursday. And luckily, we've had great guests like yourself, Mike, that have also strived to do that with us. So it's been awesome. And we have one of the coolest fan bases not just in the country but in the whole world when it comes to the new england patriots and all we can do is just pitching our little nuggets

every week to kind of expand the knowledge of this great fan base absolutely so well said division and you guys once again you do a phenomenal job Folks, if you haven't already subscribed to Foxborough Fellas, whether it be on YouTube or wherever you get your podcasts, don't delay. Do it today. You're going to be better Patriots fans. You're entertained. They have phenomenal guests.

And when they're doing the solo stuff and they're doing their job, along with Brian, it's always appointment listening and appointment viewing. And you can't ask for more than that. I appreciate their hospitality and having me on. I can't wait to have you guys back on here on Locked On Patriots so we can talk more training camp, more Patriots regular season. It's going to be a fun year in New England.

I think it's going to be a different year, and I think it's going to be a better year than a lot of people are giving them credit for, especially at the national level. So continue to stay positive, folks. And we are just scratching the surface when it comes to our coverage here this week. So make sure to smash that subscribe button on YouTube and download and follow wherever you get your podcasts to ensure you're getting the latest episode of Locked On Patriots as soon as it's available.

On behalf of my good friends, Pete Collins, davish sashtava and the foxborough fellas themselves i'm mike debate reminding you all to stay safe and to stay well and to be the change you wish to see in the world have a great day everyone and we'll see you back here again tomorrow on locked on patriots