Locked On Patriots - Daily Podcast On The New England Patriots - Next Man Up? New England Patriots potential impact players for 2020 - 8/6/2020

Episode Date: August 6, 2020

The phrase “Next Man Up” isn’t just a slogan for the New England Patriots. It is a way of life. As we start to get a clearer picture of who will and will not be present on the field for the Pats this year, one wonders who that “next man” will be in 2020. In addition, what position will that ‘next man’ (or men) be playing? Joining host Mike D’Abate is fan-favorite Thomas “Murph” Murphy. The duo discuss the potential of linebacker Ja’Whaun Bentley, the prospect of moving Joe Thuney to the right side of the offensive line, and share their thoughts on the next ‘next man up’ in Foxboro. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Patriots fans, you are now locked in to the Locked On Patriots Podcast. I'm going to show you how to make a beautiful and beautiful flower. I'm going to use a small flower pot. I'm going to use a small pot Hello to all of you Foxborough faithful. It is Next Man Up Thursday here on the Lockdown Patriots podcast. Your daily home for news notes and analysis infused with the occasional opinion on your six-time Super Bowl champions, the New England Patriots.

Thank Foxborough. It's almost Friday, folks. Today is Thursday, August 6th, 2020. My name is Mike DeBate, your host of the Locked On Patriots podcast, which, of course, is a proud part of the Locked On Podcast Network, your team every day. And, folks, your team every day means your questions, comments, and feedback are not only welcome, but they're also strongly encouraged. Share that feedback anytime by

reaching out to me and following me on Twitter at M-D-A-B-A-T-E-F-P-C. And while you're out there showing a little summer loving to the Twitterverse, please be sure to follow the Locked On Patriots account as well at L-O underscore Patriots. Patriots fans, 2020 training camp continues to take shape. Strength and conditioning continues to take place on the practice fields at Gillette Stadium even as we speak. And I said earlier, today is August 6th, so that means today is deadline day for players that might still be considering opting out due to concerns over the coronavirus pandemic. Today at 4 p.m. Eastern, we will learn which members of 2020 NFL rosters,

including that of your New England Patriots folks, will have made their decisions to opt out. Now, as I've been saying all week here on the pod, those opt-outs have created some holes in the Patriots roster. And that means it's time once again for all of us in the media, myself included, to talk about the next man Up mantra in New England. And yesterday, three prominent Patriots players had the opportunity to speak to the media. Safety Jonathan Jones, linebacker Juwan Bentley, and second-team All-Pro left guard from a year ago, Joe Tooney.

And folks, Next Man Up was really the topic of conversation when it related to all three media appearances. But if I'm being honest, and I mean this with no disrespect toward Jonathan Jones, who was eloquent and very forthcoming when it came to his opinions on stepping up and doing what's best for the football team, there seems to be a collective sharp eye that was placed on the statements of both Joe Tooney and Juwan Bentley. Each of these guys might be called upon to play a much bigger role than expected.

That may mean, particularly for a guy like Bentley, playing a much bigger role than expected. That may mean, particularly for a guy like Bentley, playing a much bigger role than they played in 2019, and in Tooney's case, it might even mean being moved out of a role in which he earned second team All-Pro honors just a year ago. That may sound crazy to fans of most teams, but here in New England, it's business as usual. Next man up is a way of life in Foxborough. If a player is either traded, released, goes down due to injury,

the Patriots always pride themselves on having the depth within their roster to be able to fill the position and fill it adequately. And make no mistake about it, if Bill Belichick and the Patriots' brain trust feels that it's in their best interest to move Joe Tooney out of position, or give added defensive play-calling responsibilities to Juwan Bentley, or even move a guy like Jonathan Jones, one of the best slot corners in the league, to the safety position? Yes, folks, that did come up on yesterday's conference calls. Bill is going to do it. Now, I'm not finalizing and saying that he will. I'm just saying that he might. It's definitely possible. And if that happens, it creates even more next-man-up opportunities. So that begs the question, who exactly will be the Patriots' most prominent next man up in the 2020 season?

Well, I have my theories on that, but so does a good friend of mine, a good friend of this program. His opinions are candid, honest, accurate, and maybe even a little bit green. Back by popular demand for his weekly appearance here on the pod is my good friend, the Green King of Sting himself, Thomas Murphy. And Murph and I will take a pretty deep dive into the Patriots linebacking position and the offensive line. Is Juwan Bentley ready to assume the responsibilities of taking over for a legendary linebacker in Dante Hightower?

Is moving Joe Tooney from his natural spot at left guard to right tackle the best move for the Patriots offensive line? And regardless of the answers to either of those two questions, who will be the next man to step up and be productive for the Patriots in 2020? Folks, these are all great questions, and on today's pod, Murph and I will do our best to answer them for you. So sit tight, settle in, a lot of great discussion items on today's agenda, and you know as well as I that it is always a blast when Murph joins me here on the microphone as we talk

the potential next man up for your 2020 New England Patriots when the Lockdown Patriots podcast continues. But first, folks, the weekend is in sight and it's time to consider getting some R&R. You've had a long week. Most of us are balancing a tough work schedule along with keeping a house. In fact, some of us are doing it simultaneously. Between never-ending laundry cycles and incoming emails, you've got plenty on your to-do list. So give yourself one less thing to worry about this weekend, and let DoorDash take care of your next meal. After all, you have to eat, right?

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2020? And what position will that next man or men be playing? Well, folks, my guest today has some wisdom and counsel to lend on this subject. In fact, you might call it some green wisdom and counsel. Oh, yeah, folks, that's right. It's that time again. Your favorite and mine, my benefactor in this business, the Count of Murphy Fisto himself, the legendary Thomas Murphy is back for his weekly appearance here on Locked On Patriots. Thank you for coming to me in friendship and for joining me today, Don Murph.

Oh, always a pleasure, man. I never have to be worried when I come here. Nobody ever puts me in a lobby. I'm always right in the door. It's always good to be here, buddy. Thank you you so much for i don't know coming coming back to the well no you you go to the top of the line my friend you kidding me there's no pentangeli situation here there's no he's got me waiting in the lobby you know never never when it comes to that you know you always go to the top of the you know you're like you're like johnny ola you get

right off of the little rowboat you come right in in, right there, and then it's all set. We take care of the men with you, and everything's good. I like that. Buddy, you know, it's always interesting times in Foxborough. There's no question about it. Whether we're in the midst of training camp, whether we're amping up with strength and conditioning, or whether we're in the middle of the season,

it always seems like there's stuff to talk about here. And yesterday, the media got a chance to speak with three Patriots players who I believe are poised to play a pretty big role on the team this year. In one case, I think there might be one that plays a bigger role than anybody thought up to just a little over a week ago. So let's start there. And next to Brandon Bolden, of course, the Patriots, I think, are going to feel the loss of Dante Hightower very deeply. We've heard him described as indispensable, and I don't think that's an exaggeration, but he is that common denominator. He is that link between the front seven and the secondary for the Patriots defense. And he's done it so well throughout his career.

Bluntly, there really is no one forfor-one replacement available to Bill Belichick here. Whether it's unfair for me to say or not, I think Juwan Bentley right now is going to factor heavily into the equation. And for all intents and purposes, folks, he's going to be the guy that's called upon to be Dante this year. Now, again, he looks like the favorite to take over for Dante. I will say that. I'm not giving you any inside information here, folks. But he's saying all the right things. He met with the media yesterday. He pointed out his experience and the football acumen that he brings to the table. But in your estimation, is Jawan Bentley that next man up in the Patriots defense? And do you think he's ready for this challenge? I do think he's the next man up for this Patriots defense.

If you can believe it, a man still on his rookie contract is one of the senior voices in the linebacker room right now. And, yeah, I do. I do believe that he's going to end up being that man. He was stuck behind three, actually, fantastic ballplayers, two that are no longer here with us in New England, and one who's decided to take this year off. And that makes it a little bit difficult to get on the field, whether you're healthy or not. But, no, I do believe that he has the talent, he has the skill set,

and he has the IQ to be able to come in here and do this. For years, we've watched Bill Belichick draft replacements for other players, and he's done it a year or two in advance of that need. And Juwan has been here. He's worked within the system. He's learned from some of the best to ever take the field here. And yeah, I do think he's ready to step in and do exactly that. Yeah, he definitely sounds ready. Yesterday on the video conference call, he came across as being very matter of fact, very confident in his ability, which is exactly what you want to see in a player in that position. But look, I think you make some great points, buddy. This is a guy right now that's coming in with the ability to call some of the defensive plays for the New England Patriots again it's something Dante Hightower has done so well but

Bentley has learned a lot and he learned a lot in a short period of time almost to the point where Bill Belichick gave him that green dot as a rookie. That does not happen that often. That really, I think, lends a lot of credence to the theory that this is a kid that was groomed for this type of position right off the bat. And again, he might end up coming up pretty big for the New England Patriots. He's got a great deal of versatility. When I look at Juwan Bentley, I see a stout physical player, a little bit of a beefy guy, but the Patriots like their linebackers that way. So that doesn't surprise me or even concern me.

We like that. Yeah, exactly. I mean, he's going to come up and he's going to come up big in the run. That's really where he shines. But even in the passing game, during the times where he's been healthy on the field, we've seen him covering tight ends, covering backs out of the backfield. I think in those roles, he's going to have a pretty big task this year,

and I think he's up for it. The thing that I really am so taken with Juwan when I watch him on the field, when I listen to him speak with the media, whether it be this year or even in years past, this is a kid that has leadership ability, I think, built into him. Very few guys really have that. You can take a look at some of the better players on this defense in years past, and a lot of guys have that charisma, that camaraderie that makes them great teammates, makes them even good teachers, but there are so few that have that innate ability to lead. Dante definitely has that. Another guy I look at on the roster this year is Devin McCourty. I think he'll be called upon to use that, but I see those elements in Juwan Bentley. And to me, I think even as unusual as this season can be in New England, I have a

good amount of confidence in the fact that the Patriots are still going to be okay at the linebacker position, simply because I love the poise that I see from Juwan. And from everything that I've seen on the field, I think he's there to be able to do it. Now, staying on that subject for just a second, but Jonathan Jones, slot cornerback, was also one of the guys that met with the media yesterday. And I'll be at a different position. We're going to stay talking about the linebackers, but something that Jonathan said kind of struck me as being very Patriot-like yesterday, and that is expressing a willingness to do whatever is best for the team. He stated that he's lined up at safety before, and if there's a need, he'll do it. Players say this. We've seen Patriot players do it time and time again,

maybe more here than any other place in the NFL. Troy Brown, Julian Edelman, Mike Vrabel, Landon Roberts, we've all seen them line up outside of the position to help the team. If the Patriots don't address the linebacker position via free agency, and I still think there's a chance they might bring in a veteran here to help out, you know, Juwan a little bit this year, so that way he's not completely shouldering all of the load. But if they do decide to roll with the personnel that they have, do you think this is going to mean that we're going to see some safeties playing the hybrid linebacker or maybe even some edge rushers playing

on the end? How do you see this working out for the Patriots this year if they choose to roll with what they got? I see it as a complete mixture of all three. There is a good chance. It's still early. We're not sure who's going to get released um at this point in time so i won't rule that out bringing in somebody but you look at this patriot secondary and it is all a bunch of hybrids it is guys that can play all over the field that's what bill has been building over the past two or three seasons is a very versatile um defense and guys that will be able to step in and take, you know, three or four downs. We're going to find that guy that can come in and be a run stuffer and be able to do

things. And don't for one minute forget that, you know, this team has a very skilled linebackers coach in Gerard Mayo that is going to be able to teach some of these young guys and coach them up and be able to show them what you're going to do as a strong safety, as a hybrid linebacker, where you need to be. A lot of things with the linebacking core is a read and react type of thing. And this secondary has a bunch of smart players that are going to be able to come in there and fill that role, any role that Bill wants them to do. Yeah, I agree with you. I think that right now with the Patriots, the way they do business, I think they will play the wait and see game on who becomes available. I don't know of any other names that are out there right

now that the Patriots would pursue. Alex Barth joined me a couple of days ago here on the pod, and we talked a little bit about the feasibility of adding a guy like Jadavion Clowney into the mix here. And I still think it's a long shot. I mean, I never discount anything with the Patriots. And Alex made a great case about them being in the discussion. But I think it's a little bit of a long shot when you look at the way this roster is constructed exactly yeah ushe to me jennings a lot of people are putting a lot of stock into them i think they're going to rise to the challenge but they're natural edge rushers

when you look at it they're edge defenders same thing with chase winovich and john simon a little bit more obviously a little bit more nfl pedig, a little bit more seasoning there. I think they're poised to have a big season. The guy that I really have been keeping a very sharp eye on the last week after our conversation last week, my friend is Cash Mallowine. And I think I look at him and I look at now he's a sixth round pick. I was wondering whether or not there was a little bit of a chance, whether or not he'd make the roster or if he was somebody that could end up being a practice squad guy, maybe a protected practice squad guy. I still think there's a chance of that. But the more I look at him, the more I think there's a chance he may make this 53 man,

especially with the absence of a guy like Dante Hightower. Logan Wilson, who went in the third round to the Cincinnati Bengals, played alongside him in Wyoming. Logan's had great things to say about him. Really could not give him enough praise for being that type of formidable duo. You know, when you look at that, as a matter of fact, our good friend Evan Lazar pointed out in his most recent column that Bill Belichick scouting Logan Wilson is really what turned him on to Cash Malawi. He was looking at the guy next to him saying, wow, we're looking at this guy. Look at this kid. He's really, you know, he's got, you know, very good speed.

I think he ran the 40 and 4.53. He's a converted safety. So the Patriots love that type of versatility, that hybrid linebacker that can go back down. He can chase down ball carriers. I really like what I see when it comes to him. There is still some areas of improvement and development that are needed as well. He still struggles to defeat his blocks with his hand a little bit. I think the technique needs to be shored up.

But again, you mentioned Gerard Mayo. Who better? Who's a better consigliere than Gerard Mayo right now? He can definitely teach that position and be be able to uh to get the most out of it and again you know bill belichick has a pension for linebackers and you know that's a position he's going to be keeping his sharp eye on as well so sounds like we're like when it comes to the defense but yeah i couldn't agree more and start start printing up the straight cashmalula t-shirts and uh and let's see what happens. I really like what Evan had to say about him,

other good friend of the show. Why am I doing this? I hate when I do this. Matt Chatham was talking about him recently, and I do. I think he can come in here and play a role. Bill will put him in a position to succeed as he does with everybody. Bill has done this time and time again. You go to scout one guy and you get turned on to the other. Look at the two of us. We were very high on a young man from Michigan playing on the offensive line, Mr. Ruiz, this year.

And what did Bill do? He went and he took the guy that lined up next to him. And we did not see that coming. I believe that Cash can come in here and get the job done with the right coaching, in the right situations. And nobody does that better than Bill. Again, you know, we can go all the way back around to Clowney. I just don't think the money is going to work its way out, even though, you know, right now, according to our good friend Miguel Benzana,

the Patriots have the third most cap space in the NFL. I'm still of a belief that he will use that money wisely, not go overboard in spending on somebody like Clowney. I'm not saying if it turns out to be a Cam Newton situation and he gets him for the right price on a one-year deal that he won't do it, but I think he's looking to roll most of this money over to next year since the cap is going to be that much smaller. Absolutely, and the fact that all of the players that have opted out

are going to have their contracts told until next year. Don't forget that money immediately comes off the books in 2021. It may be added this year, but it's still going to be a part of their hit next year. So I agree with you. I think they'll take a wait and see approach and spend responsibly and conservatively. And that's usually what the Patriots do. Getting back to cash for just a second, you said print the t-shirts up. I'm still hoping

to be able to use the meme, cash me outside. How about that? I think that right now could be the new catchphrase, folks. That may be my new who made that man a gunner. Write it down. Put it down. Oh, I love it. The marketing capabilities are pretty, pretty good. I live in hope, buddy.

You know me and my dad jokes and my love for play on words and puns. I would be fantastic came to that. And, you know, we'll see. We live in hope again, my friend. But the defense isn't the only area in which the Patriots will need a helping hand, my friend. And you alluded to the offensive line just a moment ago. They're going to need additional firepower in that area as well.

And Murph and I will discuss the Pats offense. And if the next man up on that offensive line might just be somebody that's already considered to be their most important lineman already. Our answer to this question and more when the Locked On Patriots podcast continues. Pats fans, Thomas Murphy joins me today. And buddy, in today's previous segment, we discussed the need for players to step up on defense, particularly at the linebacker position. But the O-line has long been a concern of mine. And even though the Patriots got great news from David

Andrews earlier this week, he decided he's going to play in 2020. The loss of Marcus Cannon seems to be more problematic than we originally thought. And it's not because Marcus is a generational talent. I think he's a fine player, but even he would say that's probably too high praise. The Patriots just don't seem to have that replica that would make life a lot easier to plug and play. Yachtney Kajust, Corey Cunningham seem to be the front runners by most accounts. But yesterday, second team allpro left guard Joe Tooney spoke to the media as well he's the third man that I talked about and guys that were available for the media and he was presented with the notion of potentially being asked to switch positions one that he's played very well for the last four years and to bounce over to the right side of the

line and play tackle I understand the argument I have my feelings on the argument, but you're my guest today, my friend. I'm not going to steal your thunder. Toony moving positions. Is this a good idea? No, it is not a good idea. It is a terrible idea. It is the last thing that I will want to do is weaken this offensive line at two positions. And as good as he is, as talented as he is, he is better on the inside than he is on the outside. Kind of like a Reese's Peanut Butter Cup. And we like that. And I don't see making this most important part of the offense right now.

And you can argue with me all you want about who's going to play quarterback. The offensive, the big fat guys are the ones that make the engine roar. And I can't see Bill kicking him out unless there's like no other option whatsoever. Yeah, I completely 100% agree with you. And again, I'll give you a moment to recover from your shock that we are like-minded, but we are, we're absolutely like-minded. Look, folks, something that Phil Perry of NBC Sports Boston pointed out very shortly after the teleconference yesterday is that the Patriots were faced with a very similar situation last year

on the left side. You know, Isaiah Wynn obviously went down. He had turf toe, missed a number of games, was put on IR, came back. But the Patriots had an option of being able to shift Joe over and play tackle, which really is one of the more important positions if you think about protecting Tom Brady's blind side. And that's something that is very important. We've seen this role play such a big part in the Patriots' success for a number of years,

whether it be Matt White, whether it be Nate Solder, whether it be now Isaiah Wynn, guys that come in and have the ability to play. We saw Trent Brown do it in a Super Bowl run. So this is an important role for the New England Patriots. The Patriots still chose to plug Marshall Newhouse and make him a starter rather than bump Tooney out to the left tackle position. And they could have inserted guys like Jermaine Illuminor at left guard. I mean, they had options to do so.

The Patriots chose to keep Joe exactly where he is simply because he's one of the best in the league at what he does. I agree with you. I think that's why this is very much less than ideal. And I think it would be a Patriots last resort. I know some fans are trying to make the argument that this is the move to make. I just don't see it. I think that leaving Joe where he is solidifies that offensive line. It gives it continuity. It allows him to remain in a position that he's already got second team all pro honors is one of the best in the league at doing so and I think it makes that offensive line just that much more formidable so again shocked I'm really I'm shocked that we're that we're like-minded buddy but that leads me quite nicely into my last question for

you today and that's if Tooney does not move, and we're in agreement that he won't, that's not to say that he won't, folks. The New England Patriots obviously are going to do what's best for the football team, what they feel to be best for the football team. So they may disagree with us, but we'll go into the assumption today that he does not move. That means that another Patriot is going to have to rise to the occasion. We've heard a lot of names. I mentioned a couple of them bringing us back into this segment. Yannicka Joost, obviously.

Corey Cunningham, a Luminor could be a possibility there as well. They've got some young guys. Yelda Frohold could possibly maybe be plugged into that position. But in your estimation, when you look at this O-line, who will that be taking Marcus Cannon's spot? Is that man even on the roster right now? Yeah, he is. And I do believe it's Kajus.

I know people are going to roll their eyes at this. He's a rookie, Murph. What are you doing? He's had a year to sit back and study. This is a man that, while he wasn't on the practice field was able to pick Dante Skarnecchia's mind and you know that he worked with him. The Patriots saw something in this guy while we were all looking at other people at West Virginia that we didn't notice. And Bill and Dante were quite impressed with what he was able to do. Granted, he missed an entire year,

but I do think that he's the man that's going to come in here and take the position. It's right there for him to take. Him, Cunningham, Justin Heron, they're all in this mix right now, but I do believe that it's Caduce that's going to step up and going to do this unless Bill goes out and and find somebody off the street that gets cut that is going to be able to come in here and give this kid a a bit more time to to to become seasoned also what we

have to understand is that this is this offense that we're going to see this year is going to be vastly different than what we've seen in the past. No matter who's under center, they're pocket, but are going to be able to escape in a greater capacity than Tom did. And that's going to play a part in this situation. It's going to come down to who knows the offense the best and their uh responsibilities and who is going to be able to um possibly for lack of a better word uh freelance once things break down and uh we have a quarterback running around in the in the backfield like a chicken with his head cut off trying to you know stay alive and keep a play going yeah again folks Again, folks, I think we're, again, like-minded.

And folks are rolling their eyes. Can we argue about something ever? Yeah, we will. We'll argue about something. I'll just, you know what? Next time we bring you on, I'll say something to piss you off. How's that? No, I'm kidding, folks.

There you go. No, in any case. No, I think I know, buddy. I know. Well, the same is true on my end as well. But no, all kidding aside, folks, I think that the argument is there for Kajus to make that step. And for the reasons that you mentioned, look, there's diversity and versatility in the way

that he plays the game. Obviously, he's a natural left tackle. That's where he played at West Virginia. But don't forget, he only started playing that position as a senior in high school. So it's not like he wasn't asked to come in and be able to play a different position. He's a quick learner. One thing that struck me funny, or I should say that struck me well about Kajust is how well he rebounds from injury.

This is a guy that's had injuries throughout his collegiate career, came right back in and really, I think, you know, came back even stronger than he has in the past. Evan Lazar and I talked about that a couple of weeks ago right here on the pod about Kajust's ability to be able to come in and be a part of something, even when he's missed time due to injury. He can quickly pick up what he learns on the field by not being on the field. That's not an easy task to do. It spells very well for him in being able to do that. Just to give you an example, he had injuries in both 2015 to his knee and a 2016 torn ACL. Just had eight in-game appearances over those two

seasons. But when he bounced back, the final 23 games of his collegiate career, named to two all Big 12 teams, recognized as a second team All-American, didn't surrender a sack in his senior campaign. That's what Bill Belichick saw in this kid. He knew that there was an injury history, but he knew that he had the capabilities of coming back and coming back strong. Just because he spent last year on IR doesn't necessarily mean that this guy is damaged good so that he can't come in and do it. All indications are is that Yodney is healthy. He's locked in.

He's ready to play. I think that's what gives him the edge over anybody else. And I think they're probably going to be looking at the waiver wire, bringing somebody in. There are still guys out there that could come in right now that have played in this system. Steve Balistrieri, our good friend, and I mentioned Marshall Newhouse yesterday, and then we had to kind of detox a little bit from the fan withdrawal

that is thrown at us every time we mention his name. But, you know, I mean, beyond folks, he played in the system. He does have experience here. Adrian Waddell is another guy that I think could come in and be that type of jack-of-all-trades that they've had in the past. He comes down to price. Yeah, exactly. If the price is there and the experience in the system is there,

it's hard to argue. But for the guy that steps up, looks like we're like-minded. It's going to be Yodney Kajus in our estimation. So that being said, we're probably wrong. I just like non-puny humans, and he is a non-puny human. The guy's 6'5", 300 pounds. And when you're that large and you have that kind of talent, like you said, the man didn't give up a sack his entire senior year.

And in a system that it's not that difficult for that to happen with a quarterback that does run around a lot and did move a lot. This is somebody that has had to block for people like that in the past, and I just do. I see him coming in here and taking this job. Even if Bill ends up bringing in somebody else, that's fine. You'll bring him in to spell Yandy for a bit of time. But no, he's the man in my estimation. Yeah, I agree.

I've told the story a couple of times here on Locked On about being in the media room when he was drafted back in 2019. And I immediately got a text from a friend of mine that I wrote with at full press coverage that said, you guys just got a steal. And it opened my eye a little bit. and I was like, well, you know, there's some injury history there and things of that nature. When I looked at the statistics and I scouted him a little better than I did pre-draft, that's when I really realized what the Patriots might be on to.

So maybe this is the year he proves it, maybe not, but ultimately it's going to be up to the Patriots. And at the end of the day, who knows, Bill may have someone else in mind and we may both be wrong on this. But I'll roll the dice. I'll take our chances with this one. I think Gianni is up to the challenge. But next man up, buddy.

We're never wrong together. That's true. It's very rare that we're wrong together. That is true. And we've been very like-minded on this appearance today. So maybe that bodes well for our predictions in the Patriots roster. On the other side the ball though before we go before we don't forget your friend Brandon Copeland all right don't oh definitely not in Copeland on the other side of

the ball he's he's going to play a huge role I'm sorry yeah definitely not no by all means and again you want to talk about hybrid linebackers I think Copeland signing it's it's under the radar folks not a lot of people talk about it but right this is a guy that split time at edge and off the ball last year in New York. I think he's a great fit in New England because he does bring that versatility. He's best playing at the end of the line, and I think the Patriots are going to give more looks in that area this year than they did last year because of their personnel, but I'm glad that you mentioned that. I think this is going to be that type of scheme where his pass rushing skills are going to be put on display so that's a name to watch i'm glad that you mentioned brandon i mentioned adrian phillips an awful lot haven't

done that that much in today's pod but uh brandon phillips brand excuse me brandon copeland is going to be a guy to keep an eye on as well mur Murph, what can I say, bud? You lend your wisdom, your counsel like no one else can. That's why you're head of the family here when it comes to the Locked On Patriots Brigade, and we're always, always thrilled to have you on the show, beyond belief. Folks, again, you should already be following him. But for any new listeners, follow the Count of Murphy Fisto on Twitter, at TeamMurph207. The columns including his monster keys in season, everything the man puts out, it's always point, click, and learn material. You become a better football player.

You become a better person by reading what the man has to say. His work is always proudly found on DieHardBostonSportsfans.com. And of course, never miss an episode of he and my good friend, Steve Balistrieri, our good mutual friend, Steve Balistrieri, on One Patriot's Place. Thank you again, my good man. Honored and humbled by your presence as always. Thanks so much for joining me today. Anytime, bud. Always happy to be here.

Anytime. And you know you always have the weekly spot. We'll talk to you again next week when this roster takes even more shape, especially with the opt-out deadline looming today at 4 p.m. Eastern. And so, Patriots fans, as we get set to bid a fond arrivederci to the week that was here on the Locked On Patriots podcast, I remind you that we still have one more show to go this week. And in my humble opinion, it is the perfect way to put a cap on the week that was here on the Locked On Patriots podcast.

And I think most of you got that analogy. But just in case you didn't, the best way to find out what we have in store for you on tomorrow's Friday episode of Locked On Patriots is to subscribe to us on Apple Podcasts. Follow us on Spotify. Download us wherever you get your podcasts to ensure that you do not miss a single episode of the Locked on Patriots podcast. And don't forget that you can listen to the pod right on your very own smart device. Simply ask it to play the latest episode of Locked on Patriots.

Once again, I'm Mike DeBate. I thank my good friend, the Count of Murphy, Fisto himself, Thomas Murphy, for his time, his insight, and his appearance on today's pod. But most of all, I thank you so much for listening and for staying locked in to Locked On Patriots. Stay safe, stay well, continue to be the change you wish to see in the world. Have a great day, everyone.