Locked On Patriots - Daily Podcast On The New England Patriots - Patriots' Offseason Grade Sparks Debate | Robert Kraft Surprise Candor

Starting point is 00:00:00 It's time to rip a ridiculous offseason grade handed to the Pats. That's where we start in this episode of locked on Patriots You are locked on Patriots your daily New England Patriots podcast Part of the locked on podcast network your team every day What's up Patriots fans? I am your host Nick Cattles born and raised in New England I am also the host of the everything pats podcast Co-host of the Greg Bedard Patriots podcast with Nick Cattles and a sports talk show host veteran on today's episode a second round pick Officially holds out and how could that impact Trevion Henderson and the Patriots also Robert Kraft gets candid with Gronk and Jules but first a confusing and stunning grade for the Pats 2025 off season we appreciate you joining the show podcast network, your team every day. And we are officially back to daily episodes, Monday through Friday.

Starting point is 00:01:10 And today's episode is brought to you by game time, download the game time app, create an account and use code locked on NFL for $20 off your first purchase. The vast majority, the vast majority of opinion out there from the west coast to the east coast from the north to the south about the Patriots off season is that It's a well-liked off season if not loved almost universally People saying that the Patriots did a fantastic job this off season, but one person One person does not agree with that sentiment and that one person is ESPN's Seth Walder. Now Seth Walder went through every team's offseason grade and he gave the

Starting point is 00:01:55 Patriots a C plus. To me that is incredibly low given the set of circumstances the Patriots had to deal with. Here's what Walder wrote, New England's off season began with the firing of Gerard Mayo and the subsequent hiring of Mike Vrabel. It was the right call. There's strong reason to believe that Vrabel is an upgrade. There's no question that the Patriots significantly improved their roster, spending big and free agency. The Patriots needed this upgrade.

Starting point is 00:02:23 There's no sense in waiting when you have a good quarterback under a rookie contract. At the same time, I dislike the value on almost every deal. Here's more from Walder. These inefficiencies could cost New England in the future. Money not spent in 2025 can be saved for 2026 and beyond, but the additions also unquestionably made the team better. I'm confused by this. I'm confused by this breakdown from Seth Walder of ESPN because if you tell me the Patriots significantly improve their roster, then to me, that's a really good off season.

Starting point is 00:03:00 I don't know how in the world you can say that this football team was significantly improved but but You give them a C-plus How's that happen? It is not the most important thing in the world making your team better Isn't that the very idea the essence of an offseason is to improve your team? So it doesn't line up to me. It doesn't make sense to me.

Starting point is 00:03:28 I just, I find that to be illogical and I find the C plus grade to be frankly ridiculous. What, what Walder is talking about here is value versus the reality. That's how I look at this. The value of the reality. That's how I look at this. The value of the contracts. Walder thinks the Patriots overpaid for pretty much everybody that they signed. So it wasn't great value and you could save some of that money for 2026. Well, we can sit here and argue about value and whether or not you overpaid the guy or guys, or can look at the reality and the reality of free agency was

Starting point is 00:04:06 this you're the Patriots you're coming off back-to-back four-win seasons people are not knocking down your door to play for you you are one of the worst teams in football you were one of the worst coached teams in football in 2024 and just of that, just because you're coming off of back-to-back four-win seasons, you're going to have to pay a lot of money to whoever you want to sign. Because if the money is close to equal and somebody is choosing between a team like the Patriots the last couple of years, or playing for somebody who was a competitive team or a contender last season, or even back in 2023, then you're behind the eight ball. And when you're behind the eight ball, the agents know you're

Starting point is 00:04:50 behind the eight ball. And when you're behind the eight ball, you've got to pay more money. The Patriots did not have any leverage in free agency. So don't talk to me about value. Give me the reality of the situation, the circumstances that the Patriots were dealing with this past offseason. Let's also remind everybody that Plan A was DOA almost immediately. Plan A was Ronnie Stanley and Chris Godwin. Chris Godwin stayed in Tampa. Ronnie Stanley stayed in Baltimore. The Patriots had to immediately pivot to Plan B. So when you pivot to Plan B, you're going to see that urgency from the team and you're going to feel even more desperate as a team, which will lead you to pay some more money.

Starting point is 00:05:40 That's how this works. You can't get Chris Godwin. So then you end up going out and you sign Stefan Diggs It's a pivot. That's what you do. And not only is it tough to sell the football team After you have gone four and thirteen in consecutive seasons Not only is that tough to sell to a free agent? Because you stunk the last two years, but it's also incredibly tough to sell any free agent on the state of Massachusetts. As we know, financially, it's tough. Socially, it's tough. And so this is on a sliding scale.

Starting point is 00:06:25 giving out team grades, you have to, you absolutely have to consider the circumstances and the situation of each and every place we're talking about. I also don't think that Seth Walder gave enough credit to the coaching change. Going from Gerard Mayo to Mike Vrabel was an exponential improvement. Mike Vrabel is considered by many to be a top 10 head coach in the NFL. Gerard Mayo was arguably one of the worst coaches in the league last year. And you could argue he was the worst coach in the league last year. He was in the running. So when you go from one of the worst coaches in football to somebody whose

Starting point is 00:07:04 reputation precedes themselves to a of the worst coaches in football to somebody whose reputation Precedes themselves to a top 10 head coach in football that improvement is so significant Walder also doesn't bring up the other coaches. How about the staff upgrades? How about going from Alex van Pelt to Josh McDaniels again? That is a giant leap How about bringing in somebody like Thomas Brown? How about bringing somebody in like Todd Downing to be a wide receivers coach? How about bringing in Doug Marrone and having not one not two, but three offensive line coaches? The staff upgrades are significant and

Starting point is 00:07:40 should absolutely be included with this grade when we break down this off season because it was a huge element especially at the very beginning of this off season to land the kind of coaching staff that you did as cheers debacle. How about bringing guys in like Ryan Cowden to the front office? How about bringing in somebody like John stretch striker to the front office? How about bringing in somebody like John Stretch Stryker to the front office? Who's now going to fill that Ernie Adams type role along with other roles for Mike Raible? That I felt was almost overlooked by Walder.

Starting point is 00:08:19 And here's maybe my biggest beef. Seth Walder did not even bring up the draft. No draft mentioned. How in the world can you grade an offseason and how can you give the Patriots a C plus and not even bring up the draft? How is that even possible? The most critical component of team building is the draft. The most critical component of building a team after you've won four games and back-to-back seasons is the draft. And it's conveniently not mentioned within this blurb about the Patriots offseason. Universally, the Patriots draft was

Starting point is 00:09:00 praised. I couldn't personally find anybody to grade the Patriots draft under like a B plus, but we'll just not include that for the offseason grade. When you include the draft, when you include the coaching staff, the jump from Mayo to Vrabel, and you talk about free agency, which even Walder himself, And you talk about free agency, which even Walder himself, even Walder himself confesses that the Patriots got significantly better. How was that a C plus? That's absurd. I don't think you can give this offseason anything less than a B plus in my eyes.

Starting point is 00:09:42 And I would argue you could give it an A minus So I just don't get it. I didn't like it. I don't get it and I don't agree with Seth Walters grade for the 2025 Patriots offseason as Each day passes we could be getting closer to a valuable member of the 2025 Pats Holding out that's coming up next as we continue with today's episode of Lockdown Patriots, part of the Lockdown Podcast Network, your team every day. Have you ever decided at the last minute to head to a ballgame with friends or family? Maybe it's a game day and you suddenly realize you want

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Starting point is 00:11:09 account and use code locked on NFL for $20 off your first purchase terms apply. Again, create an account and redeem code LOCKEDONNFL for $20 off. Download the game at time app today. Last minute tickets lowest price guaranteed The clock is ticking on Travion Henderson signing before camp and Travion Henderson is not an unusual Case in the NFL this year 30 of the 32 second round picks have yet to sign contracts with their team. And this is something that is highly unusual in the NFL. And it's something I brought up going back a month or two ago, that the top two picks in the second round, the Cleveland Browns and the Houston Texans decided to give their

Starting point is 00:12:01 second round picks guaranteed money. And that's never happened in the NFL before. It's the first time that second round picks got guaranteed money. And this has caused a huge issue throughout the rest of the league because no other team wants to give their second round pick guaranteed money. And that includes your Patriots and that includes Trevion Henderson. And this is an issue. This is a big-time issue and now you look at what's going on and Trey Harris

Starting point is 00:12:33 Has decided to officially hold out Officially hold out Ian Rappaport this past Saturday posted the deadline for Chargers rookies to report is upon us in the second round wide receiver Trey Harris is officially a holdout according to sources with 30 of the 32 second round picks unsigned because of a disagreement over guaranteed money Harris makes the first official stand. So we have the first official holdout by a second round pick and it makes me wonder What would the impact of a Henderson holdout be for the Patriots? during this training camp if Henderson decides to hold out if he decides to play hardball if he goes down the path of Trey Harris and

Starting point is 00:13:18 the Patriots are out there at training camp and They don't have their second round pick a guy that they spent a top 40 pick on they don't have him out there at training camp and they don't have their second round pick. A guy that they spent a top 40 pick on, they don't have him out there. How big of an issue could that be? Well, first and foremost, if there's no Trevion Henderson at the beginning of camp, if he does decide to hold out, then that means Ramon Dre Stevenson is your bell cow. He's your guy, the number one guy. And not only the number one guy in the pecking order, but the number one guy that you look at and say we're gonna give the football to him a ton and The one thing about Stevenson, I'm a fan of Ramon Dr. Stevenson But Ramon Dr. Stevenson has never in his NFL career carried the football more than 210 times and when you go back to Oklahoma

Starting point is 00:14:04 in college He did not run go back to Oklahoma in college He did not run the football a ton in college So he has not been the bell cow type running back that you would associate with 250 to 75 300 carries Stevenson has not been that guy. So if Henderson is holding out and It drags out and you get closer to the regular season, you might be looking at using Ramadre Stevenson a lot more than you've ever used him before. And I would not be comfortable with that. I would not be comfortable with the idea of giving Stevenson 250 plus carries, especially after he fumbled the football seven times in 2024.

Starting point is 00:14:47 The first thing I actually think about is Ramondre Stevenson and the impact have on him if Henderson was to hold out. Then you move forward with Antonio Gibson and Antonio Gibson would be asked to do more. Are you comfortable with that idea? If you're Mike Ravel, we don't even know if Gibson would make the football team. If Henderson was out there ready for training camp, if he doesn't hold out, Gibson might be gone. Gibson might be traded. And if it's not Antonio Gibson,

Starting point is 00:15:21 then you look at somebody like land Larison, the undrafted free agent. Now you're asking more from him you're asking an undrafted free agent to make a bigger impact than you're most likely comfortable with the trickle down effect would be significant if henderson decided to hold out if henderson pulled a harrison said you know what until i'm signed until i get my guaranteed money like the first and second picks'm signed, until I get my guaranteed money, like the first and second picks, the second round, until I got my guaranteed money, I was the 40th pick in this draft or the 38th pick in this draft before, you know, before I get my guaranteed money as a top 40 guy, tough luck. And if he decides to go that route, then it's going to impact everybody else in the running

Starting point is 00:16:08 back room. And I think it's going to be a detriment to that room. And it's going to be a detriment to this team. Henderson is pretty, pretty important when you look at this offense, when you look at the big picture, which leads me to my next point. If Henderson decides to hold out, if you don't get him signed by July 23rd, which is a week from Wednesday, if he doesn't get signed by then. You walk into training camp, losing significant explosiveness from your

Starting point is 00:16:40 offense, Henderson brings a different element to the offense, an element that has been needed desperately, that explosivity, the home run ability, take a screen pass 70 yards to the house, bounce a run to the outside and take a 65 yard run to pay dirt. That's what Henderson can bring to this offense. That's why you spent a top 40 pick on a running back. Because the dude is different. The dude is different than anybody else that you have in camp. He's different than any running back that you've had in quite some time. And if he holds out, he's not out there during training camp. That impacts what you can do offensively. That impacts what you can put in the playbook

Starting point is 00:17:25 that impacts joint practices it impacts your preseason you need that home run ability you need it and josh mcdaniels i think is going to utilize the versatility of these running backs an awful lot i think that's the plan in 2025. I think you'll see pony formation with two backs in the backfield. I think you'll see at times all three running backs out there. Antonio Gibson has a history. He played receiver in college. Henderson obviously can be a receiver. Then you've got Ramon Dre going downhill. I think you're going to see two running back sets. I think you're going see two running back sets I think you're gonna see again a time where you might have a running back at the line of scrimmage lined up as a wide receiver with with two backs in the backfield pony

Starting point is 00:18:14 Formation and if you take Henderson out of the equation now you lose some of that versatility that I think Josh McDaniels is going to take advantage of finally if that I think Josh McDaniels is going to take advantage of. Finally, if Trevion Henderson holds out and you can't get him out there during training camp and it slows down his process and he ain't ready by week two or three, right? He's just not there and you're sitting through the first month, month and a half of the season and you can't bank on Henderson because he set out a portion of training camp. If that happens, in that hypothetical scenario, it massively impacts your third down offense. Because one of the main reasons why you drafted Henderson was because of his ability to be a third down back.

Starting point is 00:18:57 Now, when people think about third down back, they think about James White, they think about Shane Varene, they think about Kevin Falk, they think about Kevin Falk they think about guys making plays with their hands and their legs but another big part of that as we've talked about before is pass protection and if you don't have Henderson out there then your pass protection at that position drops off significantly and on third down that's going to create problems it's going to create problems for your offensive line. It's going to most importantly create problems for your quarterback. Can't have it. The third down pass protection takes a huge hit. If Henderson holds out the idea of getting something out of nothing on third down when you need three, four, five yards and somehow some way Henderson gets you those three, four,

Starting point is 00:19:45 five yards. When you get the chunk play dynamic, when all of a sudden it goes from third and three and you pick up 25 and now the offense is humming. Those are the types of aspects that Henderson brings to the game and that is something this offense needs. So hopefully the Patriots can figure this thing out. Hopefully the Patriots and Henderson come to some kind of an agreement. And if they don't come to some kind of an agreement, hopefully Henderson doesn't hold out like Trey Harris and shows up and is involved in training camp while he is hammering out his contract. Hopefully because if not, and he sits out, it's going to have an impact on the

Starting point is 00:20:27 team and it won't be a good one. What did Robert Kraft say to Rob Gronkowski and Julian Edelman that might surprise you? Find out next on today's episode of Locked On Patriots, part of the Locked On Podcast Network, your team every day. on podcast network, your team every day. Robert Kraft goes on the record with his best move as the owner of the New England Patriots, and it might actually surprise you what Kraft said. This is from Pro Football Talk, appearing live with Rob Gronkowski and Julian Edelman for their Dudes on Dudes podcast at last month's Fanatics Fest in New York City, Kraft was asked to describe his best move during his 30 years as owner of the team.

Starting point is 00:21:16 Kraft said, quote, the one that got questioned the most was in 1999. I gave up a number one draft pick for a coach that had only won a little over 40% of his games To get him out. I don't know if there are any Jets fans here I think getting Bill Belichick to come to the Patriots in 1999 was a big risk And I got hammered in the Boston media, but he was with us for 24 years and we did okay a Little bit of sarcasm from RKK there at the end. Yeah, I think you did okay. Now some people, some people might say

Starting point is 00:21:51 this is an olive branch. This is an olive branch from Kraft to Belichick. We know that Kraft and Belichick do not see eye to eye currently. We know the relationship is a bit icy. And maybe this is Robert Kraft's way publicly to hand the olive branch to Bill Belichick and say, Hey, I know that we're not having the best of times right now with our relationship, but I still consider you the best move that I have made in my

Starting point is 00:22:20 30 years as the owner of this franchise. So yeah, maybe we can look at this as an olive branch, but we could also look at this as Robert Kraft tooting his own horn. The fact that he did mention that he traded away a first round pick for a coach that had won, you know, just above 40% of his games, just more than 40% of his games. I think that is a little bit of a shot at the Jets. I don't think it's a shot at Belichick, so to speak. But I do think craft mentioning that that Belichick had only won about 40% of his games when he traded that first round pick for him is a shot at the Jets saying you guys had

Starting point is 00:23:03 Bill Belichick and you couldn't figure it out. You couldn't win more than 40% of the games with the greatest coach of all time because your franchise is clueless. I think it's a shot at a division rival. I also think it's a tip of the cap to himself and the mirror and a tip of the cap to New England to say, hey, Belichick, yeah, He won what 40% of his games in New York. But when he came here, when he came here with this ownership, look at what he did. Look at all the success that he had. I would agree. I would agree that Bella check was the best

Starting point is 00:23:37 move by craft because I know the back and forth for a long time was Brady versus Bella check Bella check versus Brady. When I was on radio in Boston, I would talk about that all the time, especially when the decision was made, Brady was leaving and he went to Tampa, etc, etc. I remember all of those conversations. I remember talking with callers and taking those opinions. And I know a lot of people look at it and say, Oh, Bella check wouldn't be Bella check if it wasn't for Brady and vice versa. Some people will argue the opposite. But I just look at it simply. Bill Belichick

Starting point is 00:24:15 drafted Brady. Bill Belichick was the guy that was in charge when Brady was drafted. It was his call. He could have said no. I mean you got to the sixth freaking round. Everybody passed on Brady four or five times in the league, but it was Belichick. It was Belichick's draft room that drafted the greatest quarterback and I think the greatest player of all time. So that's first and foremost. Secondly, a detail that we cannot overlook and why I think Belichick is the best move that Kraft ever made as an owner is Belichick's decision in 2001

Starting point is 00:24:56 to keep four quarterbacks on the roster. That's unusual. That is a unique decision to make as a head coach. I mean, not many teams like the idea of having three quarterbacks on the roster, let alone four quarterbacks on the roster. And that was a decision made by Belichick that was roster management. And he kept Brady on the roster, on the active roster with three other quarterbacks Because he felt good about Tom Brady

Starting point is 00:25:29 He didn't have to do that That you could tell a different story Bill Belichick could have said I only want three quarterbacks on the roster. We're getting rid of Brady. I Only want two quarterbacks on the roster. We're getting rid of I think it was what Bishop and Brady and Heward and Bledsoe. I think it's easy to say that Bill Belichick could have looked at that and said, no, we're not going to, we're not going to have four quarterbacks on the roster. That's outrageous.

Starting point is 00:25:55 I like Brady, but I don't like them that much. But to keep four quarterbacks on the roster kept Brady in New England. And you fast forward and we know what happened during that season. We know how all of that unfolded. That decision, that roster management by Bill Belichick should never be overlooked before anybody knew who Brady was or what he was going to do. That was great roster management by Bill. And then you just think about the development of Tom Brady. That was great roster management by Bill. And then you just think about the development of Tom Brady, the coaching staff that Brady

Starting point is 00:26:32 had early on in his years, just having somebody like Charlie Weiss around, somebody who knew so much about football had been in the league for a long time, had been a coach and a coordinator for a long time to have that guy helping guide Brady's early years to have the veterans that they had on that football team surrounding Brady. And I don't have any doubt that Brady would have figured things out on his own eventually and been good, if not great, but having that veteran presence in that locker room, having that staff that they had helped the development of Tom Brady. So when he took over, when it was time to take over for Drew Bledsoe, he was ready. He was 100% ready to do what he had to do

Starting point is 00:27:27 to win some football games. And again, we know how all of it unfolded, fortunately, for all of us. And having the defense, I mean, everybody looks at that O-1 championship and they talk about, well, you know, Brady just kind of managed the game and he did. And that was Brady's role

Starting point is 00:27:45 and Brady didn't really become Brady until 03-04 but what people overlook sometimes is the Indianapolis New England battle and the fact that Brady didn't have to be great in those games because Belichick and Belichick's defense got the best of Peyton Manning over and over and over again. So Belichick's defense, Belichick's strategy against Manning, who was the other best quarterback in the league, according to some at that time, some would pick Manning over Brady at that time. It was Belichick's defensive plan.

Starting point is 00:28:24 It was Belichick's defensive plan. It was Belichick's defensive staff. It was Belichick's ability to suffocate an incredibly talented in the offense that allowed the Patriots to win those football games and Brady didn't have to put up 345 passing touchdowns to win those games to get past their toughest competition in the AFC. Don't overlook that. Don't overlook the impact that Belichick had against Peyton Manning and some of those other teams that they faced at that time in those offenses. It wasn't just about Tom Brady lighting up the scoreboard every single postseason game. And you just look at the dominance. You just look at the program that Belichick built. Brady was the leader of that program, but Belichick built it.

Starting point is 00:29:11 And what can you say? Six Super Bowls, dominance for two decades, going to the AFC Championship game pretty much every single freaking year. So I agree with Robert. All right, that wraps up this edition of Lockdown Patriots. Reach out to me on Twitter, video and don't forget to throw a comment in on the YouTube channel. And don't forget to hit that like button and subscribe. Lockdown NFL top 100 will be released on Wednesday at 10am Eastern on Lockdown Sports today. The NFL top 100 was voted on by the at 10 a.m. Eastern on locked on sports today The NFL top 100 was voted on by the NFL hosts of locked on and there are some stunners

Starting point is 00:29:50 I've got to tell you don't miss where your favorite players were ranked Subscribe to locked on sports today on YouTube or wherever you get your podcast. Have a great day and we will see you tomorrow.

Locked On Patriots - Daily Podcast On The New England Patriots - Patriots' Offseason Grade Sparks Debate | Robert Kraft Surprise Candor

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