Locked On Patriots - Daily Podcast On The New England Patriots - Playing Tag? New England Patriots Franchise Tag Jakobi Meyers or Jonathan Jones, Devin McCourty Future

Starting point is 00:00:00 You are Locked On Patriots, your daily New England Patriots podcast. Part of the Locked On Podcast Network, your team every day. Hello to all of you. Foxborough faithful. Thank you once again for making locked on Patriots, a daily part of your new England Patriots coverage, and also your first listen every day. Remember locked on Patriots is free and available on all platforms, including YouTube, so smash that subscribe button,

Starting point is 00:00:48 download, subscribe to, and follow Locked On Patriots wherever you get your audio podcasts. Today's episode brought to you by FanDuel Sportsbook, official sportsbook of the NFL. Make every moment more. Visit FanDuel.com slash LockedOn today to get started. Patriots fans, thank you once again for making LockedOn Patriots a daily part of your Pats coverage and for joining me here today on LockedOn Patriots.

Starting point is 00:01:14 I'm your host, Mike DeBate. I cover your Pats for Patriots Country of Sports Illustrated. So let me know what's on your mind. Drop me a line on Twitter at MDABATENFL. And while you're out there showing some love to the Twitterverse, please be sure to follow the Locked On Patriots account as well at LO underscore Patriots. Pats fans, as you can see if you're viewing on YouTube,

Starting point is 00:01:38 once again, video problems rearing their ugly head. But fear not, folks. New webcam, new audio setup, new mic definitely coming. A lot of upgrades for Locked On Patriots. I'm extremely excited about it. I really want to thank all of you for hanging in there with me through some rough times in the AV department. But good news, folks, help is on the way.

Starting point is 00:01:59 And Pats fans, it is time to play tag throughout the NFL. The league's franchise tag window is open. And from now until March 7th, teams can designate a player to hold the franchise designation. And essentially what that means is it gives them a one-year fully guaranteed contract at a price set by the league median. Now, the tag isn't too popular here in New England. We all know the history. I'm going to run it down for you in just a little bit, but the Patriots do have two prime

Starting point is 00:02:30 candidates to get it, and whether they actually will is what I will be discussing at large today, so stick around. We've got an interesting show coming up for you, but we start with the news of the day, and prior to the start of the 2021 season, New England Patriots safety team captain, fan favorite Devin McCourty, was named a captain for the 12th time in his career. And at age 35, having just concluded his 13th NFL season, it's fair to wonder whether McCourty's time on a football field may have come to an end. And just days after his friend and longtime teammate Matthew Slater, co-captain for the New England Patriots, decided he will be returning for a 16th season,

Starting point is 00:03:14 Devin gave us a bit of information. But we're still going to have to wait for the big bombshell. During a recent appearance on the Patriots Report with Christopher Price, Devin said, I've gone back and forth. Around early March, we'll start, me and my wife, decide and plan what the next year looks like. So apparently Devin is still mulling around the options, deciding whether or not he's going to come back for another season in the NFL. And this is good news for the New England Patriots. It's good news for Patriots fans, definitely,

Starting point is 00:03:48 but great news for the team on the field. Devin's still proving he's got a lot left in the tank, at least enough to be an impactful player this season. No question about it. And if he were very serious about wanting to hang them up, you have to think that he would have done it by now. Now, I'm not putting words in Devin's mouth here. very serious about wanting to hang them up, you have to think that he would have done it by now. Now, I'm not putting words in Devin's mouth here. He has every right to make whatever decision he will make, and I honestly believe that's exactly what he is doing. He's 50-50 right now. He's

Starting point is 00:04:15 mulling all the ideas of retirement. He's also thinking about the fact that he still loves to play the game and that he'd love to come back. I think he's going to take this time, make a decision, and hopefully early March, we'll know the future of Devin McCourty in a Patriots uniform. And when the Patriots 2022 season came to a close back in January with their 35-23 loss to the Buffalo Bills at Highmark Stadium, you looked at the end of the road for this team. 8-9 record outside the playoff picture for the second time in three years. You started to get the sense that maybe something was afoot with both McCourty and with Slater. A typical way for these guys to wind up the season. For McCourty, definitely. He punched his ticket to the playoffs with the Patriots in 11 of his 13 NFL

Starting point is 00:05:04 seasons with them. But as he walked off the field in Western New York, I think all of us who cover the team, definitely all of us fans out there that we're watching. And really, I think a lot of national eyes as well started to wonder whether or not this might be the final time we see Devin McCourty in a Patriots uniform. And Devin said it after the game. He says, I've never been in a position like that. Professional plans, I just think it's figuring out what makes me happy, what God has planned in my life going forward. Obviously, I still enjoy playing the game of football, but you can't do it forever.

Starting point is 00:05:38 And he's right on that, folks. The guy that we all thought could play forever decided this was the right time for him to ride off into the sunset. After briefly flirting with that idea last year, Tom Brady is now retired. So it really is the decision of the individual. Rob Gronkowski, he made the decision two years ago. Flirted with it again a few years ago, came back. But these guys come to a realization that their life has to continue without football

Starting point is 00:06:05 Matthew Slater was not ready to make that commitment it's unclear whether Devin McCourty will but there's one thing that is clear is that even if we have seen the last of Devin in a Patriots uniform his legacy is cemented without any question drafted in the first round of the 2010 NFL draft stalwart in the Patriots defense. Converted from cornerback to safety. A Rutgers guy. I mean, how much better could you possibly get in terms of a Bill Belichick resume than the one that Devin McCourty has? Really, just unbelievable. And I think developed into one of the most prolific on-field defenders.

Starting point is 00:06:41 And one of their most respected guys in the locker room you ask around the younger players even the older players the veterans that come in here with established records from other teams Devin McCourty is the one name that constantly comes up he and Matthew Slater I want to give Slate credit for that as well but Devin is always a name that comes up as a player that guys look to for guidance for support for information and really for direction on the field this is one of the on-field play callers one of the on-field directors of action that's going on in that defensive backfield this is not going to be an easy guy to replace and we're all hopeful that the Patriots do get one more year out of Devin here. And if he does walk away, amazing career stats,

Starting point is 00:07:26 combining in a 229 regular season and playoff games, folks. I find myself fumbling a little bit to say that because it really is a remarkable feat for a player that came into the league in 2010. You know, you forget that Devin is a 13-year veteran. It feels like he's been around for 20 years because of the way he plays the game. Three-time Super Bowl champion, voted to two Pro Bowls, three All-Pro teams,

Starting point is 00:07:51 and of course a member of the Patriots team of the 2010s, and playing the game at a high level without any question. Go back and take a look at that game against the Bills to close out the season. He's out there making plays and showing that he still has a lot to contribute to this team both on and off the field. And if that is indeed the case, and he does have a little bit more left in his tank and the desire to come back for the 2023 season, I don't see how you can see it as anything but a win for Devin McCourty and for the New England Patriots. Most importantly,

Starting point is 00:08:26 they'll be glad to have him back. So if McCourty's time has indeed come full circle, the future Patriots Hall of Famer will leave behind an indelible legacy, very big shoes to fill without question, but perhaps we'd get one more year where those shoes don't need to be filled. Your guess is as good as mine right now. No other inside information that I can offer other than to say I've always taken Devin at his word from the time I've started covering him. I have no reason to differ now. I truly believe that he is 100% honest when he says he's going to take his time, mull all the options, and make his decisions. So folks, if that is indeed the case

Starting point is 00:09:05 we now play the waiting game but devin mccourty is not the only offseason priority in new england today again marks the first day that teams may utilize the franchise tag once again not something the patriots like to do but they do have a couple of candidates, and in just a moment, I will break down why Jacoby Myers is most deserving of the tag, or maybe it's Jonathan Jones at the cornerback position. That doesn't mean they're going to get it. More on Jacoby Myers and Jonathan Jones and the franchise tag when this episode of the Locked On Patriots podcast continues.

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Starting point is 00:11:36 Talked a little bit about Devin McCourty to open the show. And technically, Devin is a candidate for a franchise tag. But with the longevity, with his time with the team and plus his uncertainty it's very unlikely the Patriots would use the franchise tag on Devon McCourty you either use it on a player where you're looking to tag and trade or you want to work out a long-term deal those are generally the reasons why you want to keep a player around or he's just so good you can't envision him going anywhere else you don't want to keep a player around or he's just so good you can't envision him going anywhere else you don't want to envision him going anywhere else and you place the tag on now bill

Starting point is 00:12:10 belichick isn't afraid to use the franchise tag the patriots may not like to do it but he's done it he's applied it 10 times to nine different players since he took the reins of this team in 2000. keep in mind the nfl, about five times over that period. So for everyone saying Bill doesn't tag anyone, go back and take a look at the history. That's not accurate. But when you look at the window opening this Tuesday runs through March 7th, Pats are really, I think, unlikely to bring it out again. And I'll explain why I don't think this is the year

Starting point is 00:12:45 that the Patriots are going to utilize it. First of all, they have the NFL's seventh most salary cap room. That allows them a little more financial flexibility. There are a lot of different ways in which the Patriots could free up some cap space. In addition to the $34 million they're already sporting. And our good friend Miguel is warming up. You're going to see him on the airwaves very soon here on Locked On Patriots, so keep a sharp eye for that.

Starting point is 00:13:11 I'll be reaching out to my good buddy, and I'm going to have him on very shortly to enlighten you on everything when it comes to Foxborough Finance. But I digress. Patriots also have an arsenal of draft picks, 11 overall. Three of those are chosen in the top 100 so when you look at what this team is capable of doing it doesn't really surprise you that the New England Patriots may not be eager to slap a franchise tag on a player simply to retain his services but that also runs the risk or provides the risk is as a better way to put it, of that player jettisoning and leaving for greener pastures. And that's the risk the Patriots are going to probably take with Jacoby Myers. Now, I think Myers is their first priority when it comes to internal free

Starting point is 00:13:58 agents. Undrafted rookie free agent battled for a lot of injuries in 2022, but did start 13 of the 14 games he appeared in this season, and he led the team and set career highs with 804 receiving yards, six touchdowns, and finished second on the team with 67 receptions. Now, the argument against Jacoby, and I hear it all the time, is that he's not a prototypical wide receiver one. I'm not going to argue that point. He's not a prototypical wide receiver one. He's not the X receiver that's going to take the top off the defense. He's not the athletic type of gazelle that we love to envision coming in here, sprinting down the sidelines and being capable of making moves all over the place.

Starting point is 00:14:46 That's not the type of receiver Jacoby has been. It's never going to be the type of receiver he is. What he is, is someone as good as anyone in the NFL at securing the football for big yardage at the catch point. That's what makes him an invaluable fit and valuable to a lot of other franchises, not just the Patriots, because he can fit into mostly any offensive scheme. When you're a natural hands catcher that secures the ball at the catch point, that's valuable to anyone. You don't need to be a yak machine in order to be able to fit in. And the New England Patriots under Bill O'Brien, probably going to be going back to that yards after the catch mentality so there is an argument

Starting point is 00:15:26 that Jacoby Myers may not be as valuable in Bill O'Brien's system as in other systems but again Jacoby is someone that can fit into a lot of other systems and he has a very close synergy and a very close relationship with Mac Jones if Mac's going to be your quarterback it's good to have guys that he trusts around him and for lack lack of a better term, folks, he does not trust anybody more than he trusts Jacoby Myers. So for that reason, I think New England's going to keep him top of mind in the coming weeks. If he does hit the open market, he's going to get several lucrative offers and those may eclipse that which the Pats are willing to offer him. But we live in hope. There is time for negotiation.

Starting point is 00:16:08 If the Patriots are that worried about losing him, but confident that they can convince him to sign a long-term deal here, then they might choose to go the franchise tag route. If they do, the franchise tag will cost the Patriots $19.74 million. That's the 14th highest paid receiver in the NFL. And that's something that would really be significant for the Patriots who haven't shelled out for big wide receivers traditionally when it comes to free agency. They're not afraid to spend money at the position, but in terms of shelling out to retain their own free agents, that's a different story.

Starting point is 00:16:43 If you tag the transitional tag of $17.9 million, it's still a little bit high for a player that led the team with only 67 catches and six touchdowns. But if the Patriots can't negotiate a long-term deal with Myers, a tag and trade could be an option rather than risk losing him with no compensation at all. So it also could be a tip of the hand for the Patriots tagging Jacoby to admit that we're not going to work out a deal so we want to try to get a trade in return bring back a little bit of capital even if it's minimal rather than letting him walk out the door for nothing and we've seen the Patriots try to upgrade at receiver lately Nelson Aguilar

Starting point is 00:17:23 Kendrick Bourne coming in a couple of years ago. Nelson is right now a free agent. I don't expect the Patriots to re-sign him. Kendrick is under contract, and I do think he's going to have a bigger year and a more productive year under Bill O'Brien, and I'm interested to see what guys like Devontae Parker and Tyquan Thornton can do with one year under their belt in New England. Bottom line, folks, Jacoby Myers is going to be a tough retention. I think the Patriots can do it, but I don't think it's going to be by the franchise tag. I'm fairly confident to say I don't believe he gets it unless the Patriots are using it to do a tag and trade. So not really that much of a bright picture when it comes to Jacoby Myers and the franchise tag, folks.

Starting point is 00:18:06 I apologize for being a little bit down on this, but if they aren't going to go offense, might defense be a possibility? And the Patriots definitely have a need at cornerback coming up. The Patriots have a clear need at cornerback, and Jonathan Jones played pretty well in 2022. Was it enough to warrant his franchise tag? Well, that's something that the New England Patriots must decide. And I'll give my opinion on in just a moment when this episode of the Locked On Patriots podcast continues. But first, folks, today's episode brought to you by our friends over at FanDuel Sportsbook.

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Starting point is 00:19:42 to join me here on Locked on Patriots. We're talking franchise tags because it's the New England Patriots and the 31 other NFL teams ready to go tagging. And this is something that I think a lot of people are intrigued by when it comes to what the Patriots may do, even though the tag is something the Patriots haven't used in quite a while, or at least used to their long-term advantage in quite a while. Earlier in the segment, I talked about Jacoby. And I know I was kind of down about Jacoby's prognosis about getting the tag or remaining in New England long-term.

Starting point is 00:20:18 But Jonathan Jones, to me, is an interesting case. If the Patriots were to go defense, obviously he is clearly the biggest Patriots free agent on the defensive side of the ball. He went from being one of the best slot corners in the league to being a pretty good option on the perimeter, especially when it came to JC Jackson having left via free agency. And then you've got Jalen Mills spending the season pretty much injury riddled and not seeing the field as much as he would like. Stats wise, pretty decent season for Jonathan. 69 total tackles, four interceptions, one of which he took back for a touchdown, and three forced fumbles. So once again, an important

Starting point is 00:20:56 part of the New England Patriots defense, one the Patriots would love to have back. But if you sit down and you think about it objectively objectively you know the team is probably looking to upgrade at cornerback this offseason i think they're in the market or at least thinking about adding a player that can be a true number one to that equation but bringing someone like jonathan jones who's only 29 years old back to the fold would still be in the patriots best interests he's a valuable commodity he's got a lot of experience great communication skills out on the field something that all of his teammates talk about ad nauseum they really say glowing things about what he's able to do and how

Starting point is 00:21:36 he's able to direct people on and away from the ball so that's something that's not just an also ran talent something to consider there with Jonathan Foulkes. Definitely keep an eye and an ear out for that. And he's got positional versatility. Once again, he can play on the outside. We know we saw him do it last year, but he's also one of the more valuable slot corners in the league.

Starting point is 00:21:57 So again, with Devin McCourty, considering retirement, at least at this point, having someone that's capable of communicating and providing leadership in the defensive backfield is something you know the Patriots would want to retain. The problem is, is that Jones is going to command $18.14 million on the franchise tag. That is the ninth highest paid cornerback salary in the NFL right now. Because of that and because of the needs that the Patriots have at other positions like the offensive line, like wide receiver, maybe bringing in a veteran running back to help a little bit with the development of Pierre Strong and Kevin Harris. You have to think that the Patriots are going to be a little bit more conservative when it comes

Starting point is 00:22:42 to bringing someone like Jonathan back. If they're going to pay that kind of money for a cornerback, you have to think it's going to be for someone at a top flight level to play that number one position. And as much as I love John, I'm not seeing the number one type of status coming from him here that maybe he may be able to find elsewhere in the league. I do think Jonathan's one of the more talented corners I've ever covered here. Would love to see him come back, but I think business rears its ugly head here, and because of that, I think this offseason is going to be very difficult for the Patriots to apply the tag. Personally, I don't expect them to do so, and if you take a look back at the history of the franchise tag with the Patriots, they've done it very selectively. Adam Vinatieri got it twice under the Bill Belichick era, 2002, 2005, before he ended up leaving for the Indianapolis Colts.

Starting point is 00:23:34 Some of the other guys that have gotten the tag, Tabucky Jones, that was the first time that Belichick issued a tag in trade. He got three draft picks from the Saints for Tabucky's services. That was a pretty good move by Bill Belichick issued a tag in trade. He got three draft picks from the Saints for Tabucky Services. That was a pretty good move by Bill Belichick. Of course, we all know about Asante Samuel, an all-pro season under the tag, and then he signed with the Philadelphia Eagles next spring. Matt Castle, the year of Tom Brady, that was all a difficult situation there.

Starting point is 00:24:02 We knew that he was likely on his way out, tag in trade, going over to the Kansas City Chiefs. That 34 overall pick that he got in return for that, Patriots ended up parlaying that into Patrick Chung. So not a bad move there. Vince Wilford came in. He got the tag in 2010. Logan Mankins, Wes Welker,

Starting point is 00:24:20 these were all guys that had the ability to play under the franchise tag. But in the last 10 years, and this to me is where the Patriots' history really comes into full circle and really becomes clear. They've applied it only twice in the last 10 years. To me, that's a little bit more indicative of what they're doing now, how they're running this team now. Steven Gostowski in 2015, just before training camp, they agree on a four-year deal. So that had a long-term implication for the Patriots. Gostowski gets tagged, they work on a deal, and then they end up working on a four-year extension.

Starting point is 00:24:55 So that worked out about as well as you could possibly hope for by bringing him in. Joe Tooney was the only other player to get that in 2020. I was surprised that Joe Tooney got the franchise tag. He played on the tag in New England I was surprised that Joe Tooney got the franchise tag. He played on the tag in New England that year, signed in free agency with the Kansas City Chiefs. And last week, it's pretty hard to argue with the results. He won a Super Bowl with Patrick Mahomes and the Chiefs last week. So Tooney definitely utilized that year under the franchise tag

Starting point is 00:25:20 to parlay that into big money the following year. Are the Patriots going to do the same with someone like a Jacoby Myers or a John Jones? Are they really going to shock everybody and franchise tag Isaiah Wynn? I don't think that's happening. I think Isaiah's bags are already packed. Again, no inside information. That's my opinion. But I just don't see the players on the roster this year that are going to warrant the Patriots using the franchise tag. But that's my opinion. I would love to hear what you think of the franchise tag and whether the Patriots have

Starting point is 00:25:51 anybody on the roster that you would consider using it on. If not, who would you like to see them pursue on the open market in free agency? We're going to continue to be talking about that. And starting tomorrow here on Locked On, Patriots, we're going to be talking about that. And starting tomorrow here on Locked On Patriots, we're going to be talking about the future each and every day. And the hot story right now is whether or not quarterback Mac Jones is going to be on the trading block. The classy one herself, the countess of clairvoyance joins me,

Starting point is 00:26:20 and it's going to be all about the clairvoyance. Claire and I are going to be talking about the future prospects of Mac Jones on this roster, why we either feel he's staying put or why we feel he may be on his way out of town. Do not miss this one tomorrow, folks. You're definitely going to love this next episode of Locked on Patriots. And for those of you viewing on YouTube right now, yes, we will be back on camera on Wednesday. So thank you very much,

Starting point is 00:26:45 all of you, for continuing to make Locked On Patriots a daily part of your New England Patriots coverage and also your first listen every day. On behalf of all of us here at Locked On Patriots, continue to stay safe, stay well, be the change that you wish to see in the world. Have a great day, everyone, and we'll see you tomorrow right here on Locked On.

Locked On Patriots - Daily Podcast On The New England Patriots - Playing Tag? New England Patriots Franchise Tag Jakobi Meyers or Jonathan Jones, Devin McCourty Future

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