Locked On Patriots - Daily Podcast On The New England Patriots - New England Patriots: ‘Way Too Early’ 53-Man Roster Projection: Mac Jones QB1? How Many Rookies Made the Cut?

Starting point is 00:00:00 the New England Patriots are set at quarterback, and that's going to allow them to keep a few promising young rookies on their 53-man roster. Stick around for our first way-too-early roster prediction. 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.

Starting point is 00:00:49 Hello to all of you, Foxborough faithful. Welcome to this really early roster prediction edition of the Lockdown Patriots podcast. Of course, we are a proud part of the Lockdown Podcast Network, your team every day. Subscribe or follow for free on YouTube or wherever you listen to podcasts to get the latest episode as soon as it's available. I am your host, Mike DeBate, and I cover your New England Patriots for Patriots Country of Sports Illustrated. So reach out to me and let me know what's on your mind on Twitter at MDABATENFL. And while you're out there showing some love to the Twitterverse, please be sure to follow the Lockdown Patriots account as well at LO underscore Patriots. Today's episode is sponsored by BetterHelp.

Starting point is 00:01:32 BetterHelp connects you with a licensed therapist who can take you on that journey of self-discovery from wherever you are. Visit betterhelp.com slash lockdown today to get a 10% off your first month. Patriots fans, I am so glad to be back here with all of you today. A special shout out to all of you LockedOn everydayers out there. Those of you who make LockedOn Patriots possible, my unending appreciation to you. I'm honored. I'm humbled by your support and especially to you everydayers.

Starting point is 00:02:04 Folks, it's reached that time of year, especially for me, when allergies and sinus problems can lead to feeling a little under the weather. But all of you who take time out of your busy schedule to make Locked On Patriots a part of your daily Pats coverage, you are truly amazing. Thank you for your support as I continue to get back on track. And to do so, it felt like a great time to have a little fun. After all, it's almost time for Rookie Minicamp. The draft class and undrafted free agents are going to report to Foxborough for a weekend of preparation this coming weekend. OTA is set to

Starting point is 00:02:38 start on May 22nd. The draft is in the books and free agency is entering its slower period. So it's time for some roster predictions. It's early, but it's never too early, folks. So let's dive right in. And why not? Let's start with the position of the marquee. And that is the quarterbacks, without question. And I know it's the most polarizing position on the roster but I have the Patriots going with two here Mack Jones and Bailey Zappi as you can see Trace McSorley Malik Cunningham

Starting point is 00:03:11 on the cutting room floor folks I said it to open the show today and I'm going to continue to say it the Pats are set at quarterback I'm going to repeat that one more time the Patriots are set at quarterback that's why Bill O'Brien is here. That's why they didn't draft a new quarterback in the 2023 NFL draft. That's why the depth chart has both Trace McSorley and Malik Cunningham on it. Those are two guys that should be able to fall to the practice squad. They bring a lot of value, a lot of versatility. Really, I think a lot of knowledge and maybe some great opportunities to mimic what they're going,

Starting point is 00:03:48 what defenses and things like that are going to see on the practice squads, on scout teams. But Cunningham, I think, has a shot to make it as an undrafted free agent. I held back from putting him on there right now because we just haven't seen him on a pro football field just yet. But the Patriots know what they have. They're quite happy with having Mac Jones as their starter Bailey Zappi as the backup to start training camp don't worry all of you Zappi fans out there I do think there's going to be a quarterback competition that's going to brew if these guys start to push each other in camp so keep a sharp eye for that but right now now, the Patriots carry two. And quite frankly, that's all they need at this point in time. We move on to the running backs.

Starting point is 00:04:30 And as you can see, folks, running back position has Ramondre Stevenson up at the top. Not a big surprise here at all. We also have James Robinson, Ty Montgomery, and Pierre Strong. And Kevin Harris, JJ Taylor on the cutting room floor. Now, this is going to surprise some of you. As I know, Kevin Harris was pretty good in spot duty last season, but they brought in James Robinson to be their number two back. The Patriots didn't invest that kind of money and that type of capital

Starting point is 00:05:00 in order to be able to bring him in, to not put him on this roster. I've seen him left off some projections, and to each everyone, his opinion. I'm not going to say I'm more right or I'm wrong or anything of that nature. I just don't see them cutting ties with James Robinson at this point. I think they brought him in for a reason. They like what they see. As I said with Murph here on Monday, Ty Montgomery was well on his way to earning a roster spot

Starting point is 00:05:25 on this roster last year. He looked great in the early stages of camp. His special teams background, I think, gives him the upper hand over here. So assuming he's healthy, I think he gets the nod over Kevin Harris. And not to mention, I think Kevin has the ability to find his way to the practice squad a bit easier, and I expect that to happen so Patriots going with four running backs really going with a stronger veteran presence this year than last year and I think the Pats are going to be better for it but what are your thoughts let

Starting point is 00:05:55 me know maybe I'm a little bit higher on Montgomery than some of you are you think I was unfair with Harris always love to hear your feedback next Next up is the wide receivers. And yes, folks, as you can see on the screen, those of you that are viewing today's episode, I have six wide receivers being carried by the Patriots. Those of you that aren't listening, those of you that are listening to this podcast, Devante Parker, Juju Smith-Schuster, Kendrick Bourne, Tyquan Thornton, Keishon Butte, to Mario Douglas. Unfortunately, Trey Nixon on the cutting room floor and Lynn Bowden Jr. already cut by the team on Wednesday.

Starting point is 00:06:34 I'll explain why I have the Patriots carrying six. Here's where things get, I know, interesting for the fan base. Let me start off by saying I don't think the Patriots are going to agree with me here. I don't think they'll carry six wide receivers, but again, my opinion, I don't believe that they should, or I really don't believe they even want to leave either Keyshawn Boutte or Demario Douglas exposed to other teams at the end of camp. Douglas especially. Once teams start seeing his shiftiness, his ability to gain yards after the catch in the slot I think that the Patriots are going to be very over protective of this kid and they should be

Starting point is 00:07:11 he has the opportunity to open some eyes that not a lot of people are giving him credit for you are seeing some certain circles in the Patriots beat and some in the fans you guys really a lot of you fans out there are really very astute when it comes to players that fit well in this system and a lot of people are high on Demario Douglas and that's why I have him making this roster right out of the gate I may be looking at this more as a fan than an analyst here but I think the Patriots have to consider carrying six wideouts just to make sure they secure the two rookies especially Boutte. I know I went on a little bit about Douglas, but Boutte, I think, has the opportunity to be that next-level talent. I have a good feeling about him.

Starting point is 00:07:52 He's already signed. I think he's locked in, and if he is, it's going to mean great things for the New England Patriots and their pass catching in 2023. We move on to the tight end position, and I have the Patriots carrying three here, and once again, some of you may not agree. I've seen a lot of roster predictions that say that the Patriots will only carry two in Hunter Henry and Mike Gusecki, but while the Patriots lack the presence

Starting point is 00:08:17 of a true in-line blocker on this depth chart, someone as fond of 12 personnel as Bill O'Brien is cannot take the chance of being down to just one tight end on game day. You have to have some sort of backup plan. You have to be able to run 12 personnel with two tight ends. And in that vein, if the Patriots are not going to add another tight end here at some point, a veteran body maybe during training camp, I think they carry three. And I give the nod to Washington. I think the Patriots are intrigued by Scottie. He definitely showed some ability, some flashes of his athleticism, pass catching ability. Those were factors in my putting Scottie Washington on this roster.

Starting point is 00:08:57 I think the Patriots are going to see Hunter Henry as their traditional Y, maybe use Scottie as a pass catcher to help spell Mike Gusecki. Again, this could change if the Patriots add someone in the middle of camp or prior to camp to come in and be that in-line blocker. But for right now, I think Scottie Washington's upside

Starting point is 00:09:16 gives him the nod over Johnny Lumpkin and Matt Sokol. So Patriots offense looking maybe a little similar to last year, somewhat different. Maybe some of these are controversial. Again, I would love to hear your thoughts. Please drop them in the comments below.

Starting point is 00:09:30 But it would not be an offensive preview if we didn't talk a little offensive line. And as I said to open the show, folks, the reason why the Patriots will be a better team this season is because of that offensive line. This, I think, is the most improved unit, and it's the most crucial unit to the Patriots' success. I have the Pats carrying nine linemen. Trent Brown and Riley Rafe, I think, are going to be your tackles. Cole Strange, Michael Wainu, going to be your guards. David Andrews, the man in the middle, and a lot of rookies here, folks. Antonio Mafi, Jake Andrews,, City Sal, all making this team,

Starting point is 00:10:07 and Calvin Anderson, the veteran, getting the nod as a swing tackle. Now, as you can see, Connor McDermott, Jason Hines, Andrew Stuber, James Ferentz, Cody Rusi, Yannick Adjust, Bill Murray, all on the cutting room floor. Some of these were tough cuts for me. I'll be very honest with you. And Rafe and Anderson were both targeted by the Patriots in free agency. They're pretty safe bets to make this squad. So

Starting point is 00:10:31 it's hard to put them on the cutting room floor. All three rookies, some pretty important draft capital invested there. I think City South can play tackle or guard. Mafi can play either guard position. The wild card here is Jake Andrews, and some may have suggested that Jake could be an injured reserve stash. I think those who have suggested that are onto something here, but I'm not quite ready to go to that level. I want to see how these guys participate in OTA and in minicamp. I'm not ready to project any foxblower or flu carriers right now, folks. To be honest, I'm feeling under the weather enough as it is, so I don't need to think about any type of

Starting point is 00:11:10 abnormalities that these guys are going to have. But if the Patriots do stash Jake the rookie, I would say his spot would go to Connor McDermott. He's the guy that was the toughest cut for me, and I think the Patriots really like Connor. I think it's just a numbers game at this point but bottom line as I said this is the most important unit on the Patriots roster right now the coaching of the line last year was just unacceptable Matt Patricia was spread far too thin in over his head and too much was placed on the shoulders of Billy Yates I think that's going to change this year Adrian Clem is going to change the culture in that offensive line room. And the infusion of some young, versatile talent was a very good move by the Patriots.

Starting point is 00:11:50 Got a couple of savvy veterans in there as well. This could be the reason why the Patriots take a big step forward offensively. But folks, we are only a third of the way through the roster because defense and special teams still remain. In just a moment, I will examine the defense and let you know my pre-OTA minicamp thoughts on who may take the main roster and make the main squad when this episode of the Locked On Patriots podcast continues. But first, today's podcast is sponsored by BetterHelp. Folks, we all live in complex times and whether it be emotional stress, financial stress, health-related stress, or social

Starting point is 00:12:34 stress, trying therapy can help you unload that and move forward in gaining emotional healing. It's so easy to get caught up in what everyone else needs from you and never take a moment to think about what you need for yourself. But when we spend all of our time giving, it can leave us feeling stretched thin and burnt out. Therapy can give you the tools you need to find more balance in your life so you can keep supporting others without leaving yourself behind. If you're thinking of starting therapy, give BetterHelp a try. It's entirely online. It's designed to be convenient, flexible, and suited to your schedule. Just fill out a brief questionnaire to get matched with a licensed therapist and switch therapists at any time

Starting point is 00:13:15 for no additional charge. Find more balance with BetterHelp. Visit betterHelp.com slash LockedOn today to get 10% off your first month. That's BetterHelp, H-E-L-P.com slash LockedOn. Patriots fans, we always enjoy traveling through time here on LockedOn Patriots. And tomorrow and again on Friday, we have one of our most exciting trips in the Belichickian time machine yet. Not one, but two former Patriots are set to join me here on the pod on each of their own respective days. Trust me, folks, you are not going to want to miss this. Super Bowl rings, all pro awards, just some of the accolades enjoyed by my guests to close the week in style. So be sure to stay locked in in all of you everydayers out there

Starting point is 00:14:06 and speaking of you everydayers you know that i have been openly gushing over the drafting of christian gonzalez i think this takes an already good defense to the next level but the patriots are deep at a lot of positions so as we take this way too early look at the roster, let's have a look at the defense. And we'll start with the interior of the defensive line. Patriots have six members of this interior here, according to my predictions. Christian Barmore, Devon Godchow, Lawrence Guy, Daniel Laquale, Dietrich Wise, Keon White. On the cutting room floor, Carl Davis, Jeremiah Farms, and Sam Roberts. Folks, even though the Patriots front seven failed to live up to its expectations in 2022, the unit

Starting point is 00:14:52 did improve, especially when it came to defending the run. Gotchow and Guy, I think, are going to continue to align as the team's interior options. I know Murph and I questioned a little bit on Monday whether Lawrence was going to be in this group to start the season, but starting to come around on me a little bit that I think they'll keep him around. Barmore is going to take the snaps on the fourth reset. I can even see him coming in and being that type of interior presence. I think he's set to make a huge jump this year, and I think you're going to see Barmore emerge into what we all thought he was going to be as a rookie, one of the best defensive linemen in the league. Wise really surprised me last year pleasantly.

Starting point is 00:15:29 I shouldn't say surprised in terms of what he did on the field because I always knew he had it in him. But as someone who saw Dietrich from the time that he was a rookie right up until this time, it really is great to see him do what he did last season. Career highs in tackles with 59 and sacks with seven and a half. He's absolutely a staple of this team. Former team captain, probably will be again. You got to love what he's doing. Carl Davis and Daniel Aquale provided solid depth in defending the run, even in the pass rush as well.

Starting point is 00:16:00 So that led the Patriots to re-sign both of them in the offseason. But Aquale's versatility, I I think gives him the nod over Carl and I love Carl Davis it would really hurt me to see him cut but at the same time you have to play the numbers here and this is a way too early projection as well I do want to point that out folks as for White he's a second rounder he's not going anywhere look for him to be a solid presence and run packages early. As he gains more experience in the system, I think he's going to factor into the edge rush as well. So the interior is actually looking pretty good, despite my squeamishness earlier this

Starting point is 00:16:37 week that this might be one of the more questionable areas of the Patriots defense. But we move on now and we move on to the edge and the linebackers we've got these combined into one because sometimes they do come from the linebackers but guys in this list could also play some defensive line as well I want to point that out Matthew Judon once again supplying the athleticism the aggression to the Patriots pass rush in 2022 he was the only pro bowl selection on this team last year, 15 and a half sacks. And then you take a look at the emergence of Josh Bucci, 11 and a half as a potent weapon in their pass rush. Then you go to the pure linebackers,

Starting point is 00:17:15 Juwan Bentley, once again poised to be very, very effective at this position. Jelani Tavai, another versatile weapon that the Patriots have in the middle part of this defense. I don't look for him to go anywhere. He's entrenched here. Mack Wilson flashed some signs of sideline-to-sideline athleticism last year. I think that's why the Patriots decided to bring him back and re-sign him. But his inability to truly assimilate into the Pats' defensive system Saw him relegated to mostly special teams coverage duty last season. And here's where I think Marte Mapu comes into play and why I think he's going

Starting point is 00:17:51 to be such an effective member of this roster if healthy and capable of going right out of the gate. He really closely resembles what Mack Wilson does. He's a passing game defender, spies the quarterback, he'll play in space. Raekwon McMillan is more of a downhill linebacker. And I think the Patriots want that type of guy in their roster, on their depth chart to help spell any problems they may have. So I look for him to stick around. And because Mapu, I think, is so dynamic in the way he plays, and I think he will be a pure linebacker in this system, Put Mack Wilson on the cutting room floor.

Starting point is 00:18:25 Another difficult cut, as you can see on the edge and on the ends, is Ronnie Perkins. Tons of promise on this kid. I was so high on him when the Patriots drafted him a couple of years ago, but he just hasn't been able to see the field. And I think the Patriots would run to sign him to the practice squad, taking a chance by cutting him because another team may want to pick him up and take a flyer on him. But ultimately with the talent that the Patriots have in the room and the draft capital they've invested, you got to think that they're going to want to go with

Starting point is 00:18:53 Mapu over here to Vi, guys, you know, that will be able to play consistently in this system. So what do you think of the Patriots front seven? Have I nailed it? Have I not? Again, love hearing your feedback. Would love to hear what you have to say. Those of you on YouTube, drop a comment in the comment section below. And those of you listening, definitely be sure to reach out to me at LO underscore Patriots or at MDABATENFL on Twitter. Folks, we move to the cornerback position. And once again, I am gushing tremendously over the pick of Christian Gonzalez. I just think that this is probably one of the better picks that the Patriots have made in the last few years. The secondary had a lot of injuries, a lot of

Starting point is 00:19:37 question marks last year, but assuming good health, Christian Gonzalez is the heir apparent as the Pats' top lockdown corner, and he will be that. Jonathan Jones will be at the other perimeter, I think, at least to start the season. John tied for the lead league in interceptions last year alongside the recently retired Devin McCourty. Had four of those. Jack Jones showed a lot of talent.

Starting point is 00:20:01 I think he's going to be their next ball hawk. This kid will get more playing time as well. Marcus Jones showed enough prowess as a rookie to indicate a bright future. I think he's going to be your option at the slot, your primary option at the slot. Notice Miles Bryant is still there. And I know the fan base has its love-hate relationship with Miles. But folks, when you look at the versatility that he brings to the table, his ability to align on the outside, mostly in the slot as a corner, but also at safety, that type of versatility is not something you can just manufacture. Patriots love Miles for that reason. He is a solid player. He has had some loud difficulties, and by loud meaning plays that just are so overt that you can't miss them and you question yourself sometimes but what he brings to the table is nine times more positive out of ten than it is negative

Starting point is 00:20:52 so Patriots continue to go with that here and I think they continue to go with Miles and ride with him at the cornerback position they like Amir Speed a lot in terms of potential so please keep a sharp eye on him in camp folks he could be a dark horse here to sneak his way onto this roster as well and of course remiss from this list Tay Hayes that just signed I think that's more of a veteran presence probably more of a camp body but keep an eye on him as well there There is some talent there, folks, and there is a possibility that he may be able to sneak his way onto the roster as well. But I think the Patriots go with these five at corner, and that leads us quite nicely into safety.

Starting point is 00:21:35 Rounding out the defensive backfield, the challenge of filling the shoes of 12-time team captain Devin McCourty, that is not going to be easy, but I think it's going to fall on Jalen Mills surprising release in March no question about it but he re-signed with the Patriots based on the premise that he was going to be aligning primarily at safety in 2023 I don't see that changing I think he gets the nod he'll get the start probably alongside Kyle Duggar and then you've got Adrian Phillips and Jabril Peppers backing everything up.

Starting point is 00:22:06 Duggar was last year's standout at the position. He earned two interception returns, one fumble recovery for a touchdown. He's your primary guy in safety. I think he's going to take on a more vocal leadership role on the team this year. And that could be something to keep an eye on because Kyle's contract is coming up. The Patriots have to make a decision here. You definitely don't want to see him go anywhere, but it's a business, folks, and you have to always think about that.

Starting point is 00:22:31 But you know Kyle is going to be motivated to play as highly as he can. Phillips once again served as the team's hybrid linebacker slash safety. He's in the star position. I don't think that's going to change. Adrian Phillips is still one of the elder statesmen on this team one of the smarter guys in that defensive backfield and jabril peppers is a do-it-all enforcer i love the fact that they brought his tenacity his versatility back no question about it these guys are definitely ready to bump in that backfield and in spite of the occasional sputter that they may have from time to time that safeties were

Starting point is 00:23:06 one of the strongest positional groups in 2022 that's going to continue into 2023 Patriots fans no look at the roster would be complete without a dive into the game's third phase and the Patriots are invested in special teams and they will roster players whose primary contributions come from that unit. They've done it before. They'll do it again. In just a moment, we're going to close the show by taking a look at who might be out and who might be in when this episode of the Locked On Patriots podcast continues. Patriots fans, thank you once again for being a part of the Lockdown Patriots support verse. Whether you're an everydayer, whether you're a casual listener, or whether you're a

Starting point is 00:23:51 first-timer, I'm so grateful for all of you listening. We are your team every day here on the Lockdown Podcast Network, and it gives me great pride to share this Patriots Nation fandom with all of you. So thanks once again for making Locked On Patriots so special to me. And because you're all so special here on Locked On Patriots, let's close today's pod with some special teams. That's right, folks. Few teams, if any, place as strong a premium on special teams as your New England Patriots.

Starting point is 00:24:23 I got news for you. That is not going to change in 2023. The Patriots are still going to continue to prioritize the game's third phase. And as you can see, I've done so as well here with my roster prediction, but particularly predicting that the Patriots are going to roster seven primary special teamers in 2023.

Starting point is 00:24:48 Chad Ryland, Bryce Berenger, Joe Cardona, Matthew Slater, Brendan Schooler, Cody Davis, and Chris Board. Now folks, there's a lot of people that I know are probably looking at this list and saying, I'm still not ready to cut Nick Folk. Corliss Waitman may get his shot. Raleigh Webb might be a guy that is too valuable to just throw on the cutting room floor. And I know a lot of you are very high on Isaiah Bolden. I'm going to get back to Bolden in just one second. But Folk was the tough cut here. Once again, he was one of the most reliable point scorers for the Patriots last season.

Starting point is 00:25:26 He made 32 of 37 field goals, but he had a handful of uncharacteristic sputters down the stretch, and that really got some fans wondering, and analysts too, myself included, whether or not the Patriots were going to be in search of a kicker by the draft, and they answered that question when they drafted Chad Ryland. Only the intentional contrarian is going to dispute whether or not Ryland's ability to be an effective kicker is in question. I think most people think this kid can be a solid kicker in the NFL. They question more or less whether the Patriots really needed to use fourth round capital to bring his services in. That's immaterial for this discussion. All you need to know is that the Patriots traded up in the fourth round to get Ryland. They don't do that unless you're serious about installing him

Starting point is 00:26:11 in the system in year one. And I think that's exactly what they're going to do. By all accounts, Chad is healthy. He's ready to kick. Assuming it stays like that, Chad Ryland gets the nod here. And I think he will be an effective kicker for New England for the next few years without any question. He is the all-time leader in points scored with Eastern Michigan, which was his first stop in his collegiate career. His abilities to kick in the clutch, perform well in inclement weather, and handle kickoffs were factors in his selection. He did an amazing job of kicking last year for the University of Maryland. Again, a fourth rounder is too steep a price to pay for someone that you

Starting point is 00:26:50 want to stash on the practice squad or someone you're not sure about. I think the Patriots know they found their kicker of the future, and it probably means the end of times here for Nick Fulk. What a career it's been here in New England, but hopefully we still have him for a little while longer. And until Nick is officially released, I'm still counting him as a member of this roster, except for our exercise here today. Bottom line folks, the New England Patriots, I believe have their new punter as well. Barringer not only fills a position of need for New England, he was secured by a low risk selection in the sixth round. Broke Michigan State's record for yards per punt last year at 49, also ranking first in Big Ten history in career punting average at 46 yards. This kid has a leg and he's going to

Starting point is 00:27:37 be the Patriots punter of the future. I think you're going to see him come in, win the job right away. I like Corliss Waitman I think he's a good camp body to have it's always good to have multiple kickers multiple punters in camp to prevent overworking but let's face it Chad Ryland and Bryce Barringer are your future special teamers those are your specialists I don't expect that to change Joe Cardona that core of specialists is going to be anchored by him. He signed a four-year deal with the team in March. Highest paid long snapper in the league. Yeah, Joe's not going anywhere. And I, for one, I'm ecstatic about that. One of the great guys on this team, one of the

Starting point is 00:28:15 great guys you'll ever meet in any walk of life. But what really surprises me with the Patriots is that the miscues in coverage clearly motivated them last year to upgrade their protection unit. And the Patriots did that in a big way. They added Chris Board. He comes on, and I think he's going to be someone that's going to really help to shore up the playmaking ability of the special teams unit. I don't think they bring back Cody Davis without being serious about him being a member of this team. So I give him a nod here on the roster. Brendan Schooler played phenomenal last year. He was recognized as an all-rookie.

Starting point is 00:28:51 I believe he has a very strong position on this team for a number of years to come. And of course, how could you not be grateful that the captain is coming back? 11-time, soon-to-be 12-time team that the captain is coming back 11 time soon to be 12 time team captain Matthew Slater coming back most significant move of the offseason for the special teams 84 percent of their special team snaps last year were taken by Matthew Slater 13 tackles but bottom line folks it's deeper than that it's all about the wisdom the counsel and it's deeper than that. It's all about the wisdom, the counsel, and it's just about the on-field savvy that Matthew Slater brings to you. So I think he's there and I think he's going to be there for quite some time. He'll be there for this season. We don't know how much longer we have

Starting point is 00:29:36 with Matthew, but each year is a gift and we intend on enjoying it as much as we can here in Patriots fandom. And last but not least, folks, the Patriots appear to be well set in the return game. And even though Marcus Jones is listed as a defensive back, he's still going to be, I think, one of their best return guys. He was among the lead leaders in both kick and punt return categories in 2022. He earned the honors of the Associated Press and the Pro Football Writers of America with regard to punt returns like a mere speed though Isaiah Bolden could make a case to be the Patriots kick returner this season especially if they want to try to reduce Marcus Jones's workload and help extend his shelf life two things we would love to see because we want to see Marcus around for a

Starting point is 00:30:23 number of years don't be surprised to see Isaiah Bolden's name added. I didn't put him on here just yet because I think it's a little early to dip into whether or not he's going to be on this roster. But folks, it would not surprise me to see the Patriots' final pick of the 2023 NFL Draft make it onto this roster as a special teamer. He's that good at returning kicks. And for one, I'd love to see it. But folks, bottom line, what did I get wrong here on Locked On Patriots? Where do you see some of these players slotting in? Are some of your favorites on the cutting room floor?

Starting point is 00:31:00 Did we include one of your favorites that maybe not a lot of other people are? Drop us a line. Let us know in the comments section. We always welcome your feedback, good, bad, or indifferent. And I'm always grateful for all of the support that you provide to Locked On Patriots. So once again, continue to make Locked On Patriots your first listen every day, a daily part of your New England Patriots coverage. And don't forget, tomorrow and Friday here on Locked On, a pair of expats join me on the microphone. Stay tuned

Starting point is 00:31:28 to figure out who it's going to be. You're not going to want to miss it. But in the meantime, continue to stay safe and stay well. Be the change you wish to see in the world. Have a great day, everyone, and we'll see you back here tomorrow on camera right here on Locked On Patriots.

Locked On Patriots - Daily Podcast On The New England Patriots - New England Patriots: ‘Way Too Early’ 53-Man Roster Projection: Mac Jones QB1? How Many Rookies Made the Cut?

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