Locked On Patriots - Daily Podcast On The New England Patriots - Re-Worked Rex, Thuney Next?: Potential New England Patriots Roster Moves - 7/8/2020

Episode Date: July 8, 2020

Who’s next? Now that running back Rex Burkhead has agreed to restructure the final year of his contact with the New England Patriots, the team faces additional questions as they look to maximize their financial flexibility in 2020. Joining host Mike D’Abate is fan-favorite Thomas Murphy to discuss the potential of a long-term deal between the Pats and OL Joe Thuney. The pair also discuss the New England running back room, as well as the possibility of TE David Njoku finding his way to 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, and welcome to Who's Next Wednesday 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. What is happening, Patriots Nation?

It is Wednesday, July 8th, 2020, and guess what, folks? It is 20 days until your New England Patriots open training camp for the upcoming NFL season. 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, because it's your team every day, that means your questions, comments, feedback, always welcomed, greatly appreciated. And feel free to send that feedback anytime by reaching out to me and following me on Twitter at MDABATEFPC.

And of course, while you're out there saying how you doing to the Twitterverse, please be sure to follow the Lockdown Patriots account as well at L-O underscore Patriots. Folks, I'm sure none of you are surprised by my love of alliteration. I use it all the time here on the pod. And who's next Wednesday is not a reference to a line from Coming to America. For all you wrestling fans out there, it's not an homage to Bill Goldberg. It simply refers to who in fact might be next for a restructuring by the Patriots. And when I say restructuring, you know I'm talking contracts.

The first domino to fall was Rex Burkett. And for the benefit of those of you that might have missed yesterday's segment, the Patriots and Rex agreed to a reworked final year of his contract, in which his base salary for 2020 was reduced from $2.5 million to $1.05 million. According to our source of all knowledge, Miguel Benzon, THE Pats cap, the move created approximately $981,250 in cap space. So, making the assumption that the Cam Newton deal is going to go down exactly as it was previously reported, that would mean the Patriots have $1,244,739 available in cap space. And as the great Don would say, thank you, Miguel, my most valued financial friend. And folks, for more pinpoint, spot-on cap analysis when it comes to your New England

Patriots, follow my good friend Miguel Benzon at PatsCap on Twitter. But folks, even with approximately $1.2 million in available cap space, the Pats are going to need more to work with in order to operate throughout the year, which means that it's highly likely that more restructurings, contract extensions, and maybe even some cuts are still to come. But the question beckons, who's next? See the alliteration, folks? See how I bring it all full circle? I know, folks. Thank you. I do my best, but don't let that be an indication of my mental prowess, I assure you. As Ty Webb once said, I'm a tremendous slouch. But I do have my theories on who might be next.

And it's someone that we've talked about quite often here on the pod. A certain valuable but expensive offensive lineman. Yeah, I think you know who I'm talking about here, folks. I'll give it away in just one moment. However, in order to adequately answer this question, you need more than one opinion. And that opinion should be both honest and larger than life. Who else would I go to on this one, folks? Someone that knows the ins and outs of offensive line play better than anybody. Making his weekly appearance here on the pod, my good friend, the master of disaster, the king of green sting himself,

Thomas Murphy joins me here on the pod. And we'll be discussing the reworking of the final year of Rex Burkhead's deal, what it means for the running back room, including someone who is very near and dear to the heart of my good friend Murph. And of course, folks, you know I'm talking about Brandon Bolden. We'll also discuss whether or not it means the Patriots may have some health concerns about certain players in that running back room. But you heard me mention the offensive line, and Murph and I will not disappoint.

Because the player both my good friend and I believe to be next when it comes to a restructuring or some sort of roster transaction is, in fact, offensive lineman Joe Tooney. Now, in no way will I steal Murph's thunder on this. He has his own theories on exactly how valuable Tooney is and what the Patriots are willing to do to keep him in the fold. But you've heard me say this several times. When the Patriots placed the franchise tag on Joe back in March, I was really surprised they did it.

Look, I know the team issued the statement shortly after and said that both sides wanted more time to reach the goal of a long-term agreement, and the consensus at that time was that if the Patriots and Joe wanted to come to an agreement, they would have done so pretty quickly. Well, business is going to have to pick up in a big way, and very quickly, because there is a deadline approaching when it comes to the Patriots and Joe Tooney and their hopes to reach a common ground. On July 15th, exactly one week from today at 4 p.m., according to the league, the deadline for any club that designated a franchise player to sign such a player to a multi-year contract or extension will have elapsed

as a 4 p.m. New York time. After this date, the player may only sign a one-year contract with his prior club for the 2020 season, and such contract cannot be extended until after the club's last regular season game. So from the Patriots' perspective, this is pretty straightforward. Either the team reaches a contract extension with Tooney prior to July 15th's 4pm deadline, or he will play the upcoming season under the franchise tag and hit unrestricted free agency next spring. Now conventional wisdom would tell you that the Patriots probably prefer the first to the second scenario. It allows them to keep Tooney beyond the 2020 season while lowering his salary cap number, which right now, folks,

is scheduled to be $14.78 million. On the high side, no question about it, this would give the Patriots much more financial flexibility. And as we stated earlier, they still need that financial flexibility, even though they reworked Rex Burkhead's contract yesterday. And, once again, credit to my good friend, the salary cap top gun, the Pats cap himself, Miguel Benzon, the Patriots presently sit with $1.2 million in cap space. To be exact, $1,244,739. Logic would also tell you that if the Patriots choose this route, they would look to bring Tooney's cap number down to a more reasonable level, but still make him one of the highest paid players at his position. Sounds like the best of both worlds.

Best possible outcome for both sides, right? Not so fast. There is a problem here, and that's that Joe Tooney's camp really doesn't have much of an incentive to let this scenario play out the way the Patriots would have hoped. Even with next year's uncertain salary cap situation due to the coronavirus pandemic and its potential impact on the league's revenue, you really can make the argument that Tooney is in line for a major payday next year. I make the argument that he would have been in line for a major payday this year had he hit free agency.

I think the Patriots knew that and that's why they wanted to keep him in the fold. He's an all-pro at his position, undeniable field skill, one of the most durable football players in the league, hasn't missed a game due to injury since joining the Patriots in 2016. So it's a natural argument that they'd want to keep him around. But I was a little disheartened when I talked to some that I know are close to the team who tell me that contract talks between Tooney and the Patriots have essentially gone nowhere so far. Now folks, keep in mind, that could change a lot over the course of the next couple of days, especially because that July 15th deadline is less than a week away. Based on that, all options are still on the table. You have to think that at some point

during this week, Tooney's representatives and the Patriots will sit down to try to work out a long-term deal. But if they can't strike a deal, and that is a very real possibility, folks, then one of two scenarios will play out. Joe Tooney simply plays under the franchise tag for one year, makes a pretty good payday this year at $14.78 million, or the Patriots may look to trade him. But keep in mind, any team that would be trading for Joe Tooney would still have the same 4 p.m. July 15th deadline to work out a long-term deal with him.

I can't imagine any club trading for a one-year player with a $14.78 million salary without any type of guarantee that he'll resign and resign long-term. So even though the period prior to training camp opening is supposed to be the NFL's quote-unquote most quiet, I say things are about to get very interesting. As I like to say, folks, keep a sharp eye because the Patriots have some decisions to make and some business to handle. And speaking of that, you want to talk business? Let's talk business. In just a moment, Thomas, the Count of Murphy, Fisto Murphy, will join me here on the hot seat to discuss the potential future of Joe Tooney in New England. Does Rex Burkhead's

reworking mean changes to the New England Patriots running back room? And last but certainly not least, I might just put Murph on the spot and ask him about a certain rumor regarding a possible roster addition for your New England Patriots. Who am I talking about, folks? Settle in and stick around. You'll find out when the Locked On Patriots podcast continues. Patriots fans, when it comes to the shape of the Patriots 2020 roster, and to quote a movie that some of you would say is the backdrop of my very existence, there are things being negotiated now that are going to solve all your problems

and answer all your questions. That's all I can tell you now. And even though I am not, in fact, Michael Corleone, folks, I can say that we are starting to see some of those plans slowly take shape. But this has the potential to be a busy week in Foxborough. And my guest today has some wisdom and counsel to lend on this subject. In fact, you might call it some green wisdom and counsel. That's right, folks.

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 the Locked On Patriots podcast. Thank you for coming to me in friendship and for joining me today, Don Murph. Oh, always my pleasure. I can't believe you people out there are getting sick of me yet. I assure you, if you take a look at the numbers. I'm amazing in small doses, but you know... Well, again, if you take a look at the numbers, I assure you that they are not, if anything, just the opposite. Your popularity continues to grow and your fan base here continues to grow.

And we are always, always thrilled and honored to have you here. I think we know everybody during this quarantine period, or at least most anyway. But you know what, folks? If it has been, it's one of the necessary byproducts of the times in which we live and the year that has been 2020. No question about it. But Murph, I opened the show today by recapping the Rex Burkhead extension that was announced yesterday. And while this isn't a deal of Mahomian proportions, I don't really know if that's a word, folks, but I kind of like the sound of it, so we'll go with it. But it is significant for this team, you know, meaning Rex's deal. And I expect the Cam Newton

deal now to be made official within the next couple of days because of this. It's one of the necessary steps I think the Patriots are taking to shoring up their roster coming up for the 2020 season. There are also some rumors about some possible additional roster moves, and we'll get to those as well. But one of the thoughts I first had when I saw that Rex had been extended is what does this mean for Joe Tooney? We're one week away from the July 15th deadline for the Patriots to work out a longer-term deal with the Pats or play under the $14.78 million on the franchise tag that Joe would be awarded because he signed his franchise tender. Now, Murph, I can't imagine a team making a deal for Joe if he is intent on playing the year under the tag and

seeking a hefty payday next season. But I also stated earlier that there's greater risk in that this year because of the COVID-19 pandemic and that potential impact on what the cap may look like next year, the salary structure, and future deals that are signed. When you look at the Tooney situation, do you first of all believe he will play under the franchise tag next year, or do you still hold out hope that the Patriots can work out a long-term deal to keep him around? From what I've been told and what I'm hearing, they haven't spoken at all. Neither side has reached out and contacted the other about extending this deal

or altering it in any way, shape or form. So, yes, I think Shaq Mason will be playing under the franchise tag if he is here. And there's still a possibility that he will not be here. Bill could be sitting back and waiting to see what happens with other teams that might need a top flight guard and have the space to bring him in. And then maybe he'll get something reworked there. But no, if he plays here, I do believe it's going to be under this franchise tag. Yeah, and honestly, that's exactly what I've been hearing as well. That notes that both sides have not opened up conversation.

I mentioned that earlier in my opening to the show today. And also, folks, it's definitely worthy to know that just because these negotiations have not opened, there is still a week. A lot of times the Patriots will wait until the 11th hour to try to get these done. So there is still a possibility. I also agree with you that there is still a possibility. I also agree with you that there is a possibility for trade. And that actually leads me very quite nicely into my next question for you, my friend. And you and I are of the ilk that the Pats want Joe on that line.

In a perfect world, they need him on that line. He provides the durability, the stability, and most of all, the protection that a new quarterback and a diverse running back core, I believe, is going to need. But the lure of being able to move him for salary cap relief and maybe even some assets in return might be too great for Bill Belichick to pass up. But at the end of the day, whether it be Cam Newton, Jared Stidham, or Brian Hoyer, I believe a new quarterback is going to look to that offensive line to be a stout force. If the worst should happen here, and the Patriots do decide that they're not going to work out a long-term deal with Joe, that $14.78 million is

just too much of a salary cap hit for them, and they believe that they can at least get some assets in return, save for Joe just walking out the door next year and getting merely a compensatory pick for him, if they do make this trade and they jettison Joe, the Patriots' offensive line does get weaker. I don't think anybody's going to argue that. But my question to you is, my friend, does this severely weaken the Patriots on the field this year

to the point where we might be looking at a huge dent in their playoff hopes? Yeah, it will. There's nobody currently on this roster that can come in. There's very few people that could, in this league, that could come in and do what Joe Tooney does here. So yeah, weakening it would be a severe understatement in my estimation. If wind goes, another guard will be brought in. I don't see anybody that is currently on this roster being able to step up and do what Joe is doing right now. Yeah, I truly don't either. I mean, from a logistical standpoint, from what he brings to the table, you know, you're talking about a guy that really, I think has such a great positional value for this team. You know, it's just, there's, there's so much that he brings to the table, whether it be versatility, whether it be the option or the ability for him to be able to lend any type

of knowledge from some of the younger line. And even a guy like Isaiah Wynn, I think benefits so much from having a guy like Joe Tooney next to him, playing the guard position, as opposed to the tackle. He can keep him in line. He knows how to do that. If for any reason, the right side of the line had any difficulty, Joe's played there before too.

So, I mean, he has the versatility to do that. Not to mention, you might also be looking at this guy as your potential center backup if anything were to go wrong with David Andrews. So I agree with you. I think in a perfect world, they would love to be able to create the space under the cap, work out a long-term deal, keep him around because just the value he brings to the line itself to me is indelible, especially in a year like this one.

And also the coronavirus pandemic. We don't know a lot about how this is going to affect players, what players might have to miss time here and there. You need guys in there that know the Patriots system. Joe Tooney knows it as well as anyone. And to me, jettisoning him would really, I think, spell a very, very difficult situation for the New England Patriots trying to make the playoffs this year and trying to make a new quarterback feel comfortable. Again, folks, regardless of who it is, we're assuming that it's going to be Cam Newton, but we're told from reputable and reliable sources that this will be a true and legitimate quarterback competition in camp this year.

And if that is the case, then the Patriots are going to need to have the protection there to provide for that new quarterback, regardless of who it is. I don't think you can do that adequately without a guy like Joe Tooney in the fold. No, you don't. No. Yeah, absolutely. Murph, we've been hearing some rumblings that the Patriots might be looking to clear cap space in other ways. And we did see the Rex Burkhead extension or the rework, I should say, yesterday. And folks, to be dealing with that in just a moment are there areas of this team right now that would be ripe for a possible either restructuring or either uh some sort of roster maneuvering that might allow the patriots to take that 14.78

million that toonie is set to make and maybe not make it as hard against the cap as possible i guess the best way for me to ask this is, who do you see as a potential candidate for either a restructuring or an extension on this team right now that would create some cap flexibility for the Patriots, but maybe not be the forcing hand to trade away Joe Tooney just to do it? Right. We're going to have to flip over to the other side of the ball, really,

and I'm going to focus on Donta Hightower and Stephon Haymore. These are guys that are – I don't want – yeah, you can go and say, yeah, it's in the huge freaking stratosphere numbers of cap hits for any players in the NFL. These guys are – especially Donta at his age, it's a big number. I do believe that that could be restructured in a way that will open up some space. And Stephon Gilmore is, you know, nobody wants to be about, um, Gilly lock at all. He is the best, the absolute best at what he does, but that doesn't mean that bill will not knock on his door or ring his bell

and say, listen, we need you to, uh, to help us out a little bit. You're still going to get yours, but we need to make sure that, that we can get some pieces in around you and around this team now that Tom Brady is not here to make everybody look amazing on the offensive side of the ball. I'm going to need some help. So that could also be done. And I hate to say it, but my good friend, my confidant, my brother from another mother, Brandon Bolden, might get extended to lower his cap hit a little bit to ensure his being kept around. I'm so glad that you mentioned Bolden, and I'm so glad that you mentioned that, because we are going to get to that in just a moment, folks. But

I will come back to guys like Dante Hightower and guys like Stephon Gilmore. I agree with you. I think there are opportunities there to be able to extend these contracts, rework them, and create additional cap space. Our good mutual friend Miguel Benzón, the Pats cap himself, was here twice last week on Locked On Patriots. Outlined a number of scenarios where the Patriots might look to do that. He mentioned Hightower. He mentioned Gilmore. So keep a sharp eye out there, folks. The Patriots are not done do that. He mentioned Hightower. He mentioned Gilmore. So keep a sharp eye out there, folks. The Patriots are not done making these reworks yet, and it might not involve Joe Tooney or the worst case scenario in having to get rid of him just to create cap space. I think

the Patriots definitely have other avenues that they can go to. So for those of you that are fans of Tooney, just like myself and my good friend on the other end of the microphone here, that could be good news. But Murph, ultimately, the Patriots have begun to make adjustments to improve their cap status for 2020. It did start yesterday with Rex Burkhead's extension. Now, the fan base loves this, but what does it mean for the Patriots running back room in 2020? A room that you always have, like, as I like to say, a sharp eye on. Also, does this extension mean that the Patriots running back core might be missing a key member when the season begins? And no, folks, I'm not talking about Murph's main man.

No. Will Rex's services suddenly be more necessary this year than not? Murph and I tackle these topics and more when the Locked On Patriots podcast continues. Patriots fans, our main man Thomas Murphy joins me today for his weekly appearance on the pod. And Murph, Rex Burkhead just took a pay cut after what you could say might be one of his more productive years in a Patriots uniform, from a stats perspective, that is. And that's

pretty interesting. It raised my eyebrow without any question, but it does help the team. They free up nearly $1 million in cap space, but I believe this helps Rex as well. It might be a pay cut in a traditional sense, but to me, it adds job security. And as our good buddy, Steve Balistrieri said yesterday, it's now more palatable for the Patriots to keep Rex around. He has familiarity in the system. He has versatility. Durability hasn't exactly been Rex's strong suit. And, folks, we'll get to durability in just a moment because I do think that factors in here.

But the running back room might be getting a little crowded if Rex stays around. Don't forget, they also have Danny Vitale in the fullback room, and they also have a number of young tight ends that they want to try to work into this system. Murph, in your opinion, if Rex is staying, do you believe there might be an odd man out when it comes to the Patriots' skill positions? And is that odd man out even a running back? Could they be taking from a different area of the roster to make sure that Rex is the guy they want to stick around for 2020? I think that this speaks volumes on several different levels that some people might not have taken a closer look at. This also might make it easier for the Patriots to move Rex Burkhead. It is not a lock that he is on this roster, even with this move that he made yesterday. Famously said by the giant tuna, the big tuna, that the best ability is availability, and Rex is not always available. He could still be moved making this this um change to his contract might

make it more enticing for other teams to want to trade for him and uh it won't be a major deal it will still clear the cap space off but also the fact that this factors into the the growth of damian harris who i you know all of us have have said that we expect to see more of this year. You couldn't possibly see less of him. But also on the other end of this whole thing is how healthy is Sonny Michel right now? He's coming off of foot surgery. Last year he was banged up and not as productive as he was in his rookie season. I put that mostly on the fact that there was no fullbacks

that could really lead the way, and that's what so many number one running backs need, and that didn't happen. So, yeah, I don't believe that this is an open and shut case as to Burkhead still being here. As I said earlier, it could lead to a restructure of Brandon Bolden. And with the way COVID is attacking the sports community right now, I do believe that the running back room and the way that Bill wants to structure this offense is not going to be much different than we had all projected earlier.

I do believe that he is going to keep a plethora of running backs, and we are going to see guys like J.J. Taylor and Jakob Johnson shown the door or possibly a trip to the practice squad again if they're still both eligible for that. That's the way I'm leaning right now. I don't think that this is going to push another player out of that room. I do believe that if it does come down to that, that there are places where this team is much deeper, and they will be able to do that. We have a cornucopia of defensive backs on this team,

and I'm not really sure where the cuts are going to come, but it could come there. I agree with you, and I'm so glad that you mentioned Sony because that definitely is a topic that I wanted to get to. And, folks, I alluded earlier to durability and maybe a player that might be not ready to start the season and the Patriots might be missing. There's a very real possibility that Sony could start this season on the physically unable to perform list, the pup list,

the procedure that he had back in May. It was reported in last month that he had it, but it was reported back in May that, or he had the foot surgery back in May described as minor maintenance based designed to alleviate some of Sony's recent discomfort that he had. It doesn't sound like anything that would keep him on the shelf for a good long time but this is a guy that's battled knee injuries he's battled his share of health concerns over the years the patriots may

have to take a little bit of a cautious approach with him especially if they're looking for bigger things out of sony to conclude the season than they are to begin the season this is a deep part of the patriots roster. You alluded to that. And that's a feedback that I heard a lot when they announced the signing or the reworking of Rex Burkhead's deal yesterday. Oh, well, they've got a very deep running back core. Why would they be looking to keep Rex around?

They must be looking to jettison somebody. I don't think that's the case at all. First of all, I want to put your mind at ease, barring anything unforeseen from everyone that i've talked to that's close to the team brandon bolden's not going anywhere folks he's staying right there he's very much ingrained in the special teams bill made that mistake one game when it comes to this team exactly and he won't and he clamored to get uh you know um bob brandon back and, and I believe that he is a roster lock, and I still believe that to this day. But ultimately, to me, this did signal that maybe the Patriots might know

a little bit more about Sony's rehab and a little bit more about his recovery than they had before, knowing that they might be looking to keep a guy like Rex around. You brought up a very interesting point about the possibility of him being moved, and this contract does allow for that it significantly lowers the cap hit it allows a team that would be taking on this contract to get a guy that has versatility to get a guy that has experience in big games scored touchdowns made big plays in big games he's not a stranger to the moment the only question mark on rex has been his durability and, it is a significant question mark, folks.

He's missed significant time throughout the course of his career. And it has to be a factor in. You look at it and say at some point, Rex Burkhead is going to miss games during the season. So if the Patriots do get an offer, I wouldn't necessarily take that off of the table, folks. It could definitely come down. If it does, don't be a bit surprised. But at the same time, I think this also opens up a lot of opportunity for Damian Harris. I look at Harris in sort of like the same vein as a Rex Burkhead.

Not that their games are similar, but they have versatility in terms of being able to catch the ball out of the backfield, be a threat in that department, and also be able to be that bell cow type back. I think Harris, all things considered equal, will be better in that role. But it's a question mark because we don't know exactly what's going to happen with Damian this year. We can project all we want to. I believe he's going to be a very big part of this team's offense this year. But until he gets on the field, we're simply not going to know what we're dealing with here. Murph, to close out the show today, my friend, I'm going to throw you a bit of a curveball, but I think it's something that you're prepared for.

And we've been hearing some rumblings throughout Patriots Nation, not necessarily from the media. And I want to be very cautious about that but fans are clamoring for another name to come in to pair alongside cam newton and the name of the week obviously is david joku because of the um trade rumors that have been surrounding him regarding the cleveland browns reportedly he's asked for a trade drew rosenhouse has said that he wants out cleveland has said they'd like to retain him but but I guess it's looking like there is an end to this marriage coming. The Patriots don't have a flush of cap room, but with the Burkhead restructuring and with the potential Cam deal, they do have a little over $1.2 million available in cap space. And David Joko is scheduled to make $1.7 million,

but because of the Top 51 rule, Patriots could possibly make this work under the parameters of their salary. Do you believe there's any chance David ends up here in New England, considering the lack of depth and the lack of experience the Patriots have at the tight end position? Snowball's chance in hell, and I'll tell you why. When your theme music is raindrops keep falling on my head, that kind of moves you out of the equation.

He is a complete malcontent. He doesn't hang on to the ball. He is not reliable. No, I don't see it happening um keep dreaming keep dreaming patriots nation it's it's not going to happen yeah folks i completely i do i completely agree with you and i'm glad that you said that and that's why i apologize for putting you on the spot there but i knew you were the perfect person to ask on this because we are like-minded and look you know I'm not even talking off the field or anything like that.

Logistically, I think it's going to be very tough for the Patriots to fit this one in, even though technically they have the cap space or the maneuverability within the cap to be able to make a deal like this work. I just think there's a lot that would need to happen for this to become a marriage. First of all there would probably have to be some assurances in david's camp especially with rosenhouse as his agent that the patriots would be looking to pony up long term for this guy i just don't see that happening bingo technically there's a chance but at the end of the day folks uh i just think that

right now what you see is what you get with the tight end room. Maybe a veteran might come in here during training camp and possibly push some of these guys for a roster spot. But I think you're looking at a lot of Devin Asiasi. I think you're looking at a lot of Dalton Keene. Folks, I'm hearing a lot from guys that are close to this team how impressed they are with Dalton Keene, with what they've seen on film, what they've seen in some of the virtual workouts that he's held. This could end up being someone that sees significant time, and it would be amazing because a lot of us did not see that coming when they drafted him back in April, but it stands to reason

he has a great amount of versatility, and he could end up being a big part of this room. And again, I think one of the two, either Lacoste or Izzo, you and I have both gone on record that we believe it'll be lacoste will be tight end three i think there's more upside there than ryan even though ryan's a great kid and i think he gives 110 every night out i just think lacoste is more of a seasoned veteran and i think he'd make a better fit in that room so chances of david and joku coming to new eng, folks, slim to none. But you know what? Keep a sharp eye.

You never know for sure exactly what's going to happen. Always expect the unexpected in Foxborough. I just think it's highly unlikely. And it sounds like you're of the same school as I am, my friend. I am. I am. We're right next to each other at the back of the class. That's right. Absolutely.

Yep. Throwing paper airplanes and causing all kinds of ruckus as we always do but uh buddy you lend your wisdom and counsel like no other that's why you're family to me that's why you're family here at locked on patriots folks i say this every week and i'm going to say it again you should be already but for any of our new listeners that are not following this man please follow my good friend the count of of Murphy Fisto on Twitter at team earth, two Oh seven, the columns,

including his monster keys during the season, folks, they are always point click and learn material. You'll become a better football fan. You'll become a better person by reading this man's work. I assure you all of Murph's work is proudly found on diehard Boston sports fans.com. Never miss an episode of one Patriots place with Murph's work is proudly found on DieHardBostonSportsFans.com. Never miss an episode of One Patriot's Place with Murph

and our great mutual friend who also shared the airwaves with me yesterday here on Locked On Patriots, the great Steve Balistrieri. Thank you again, my good man. I am always honored and always humbled by your presence. Thanks for joining me today, bud. Always my pleasure, man. Always my pleasure. Thank you so much.

Thank you, my friend. You know we'll be looking forward to having you again here next week on Locked On Patriots to lend your wisdom and counsel like only you can. Stay safe, stay well, and we'll talk to you next week. And so, Patriots fans, that concludes our Who's Next Wednesday episode of the Locked On Patriots podcast. But do you agree with Murph in my assessment? Will we be hearing some news

on Joe Tooney in the not-so-distant future? Also, what are your thoughts on Sonny Michel? Was the Patriots maneuvering to keep Rex Burkhead around, an indication that Sonny might have to start the season on the physically unable to perform list? And lastly, do you agree with my good buddy that David Njoku

has, quote, a snowball's chance in hell of playing for your New England Patriots? Well, folks, for answers to questions like these and so much more, ensure that you do not miss a single episode of the Locked on Patriots podcast, because I and my panel of amazing guests will be tackling these subjects and then some. So to ensure you don't miss an episode, follow us on Spotify. Subscribe to us on Apple Podcasts. Download Locked On Patriots wherever you get your podcasts. And of course, don't forget, you can always listen to Locked On Patriots right on your

very own smart device. How do you do so? Extremely simple. Just ask it to play the latest episode of Locked On Patriots. And if you've enjoyed today's pod, now tell your smart device to play the latest episode of Locked On Patriots. And if you've enjoyed today's pod, now tell your smart device to play the latest episode of Locked On NFL Draft. Once again, folks, I'm Mike DeBate. I thank my good friend Thomas Murphy for his time, his insight, and his weekly appearance

on the pod today. But most of all, I thank you all so much for staying locked in to Locked On Patriots. Stay safe. Stay well. Continue to be the change you wish to see in the world. And have a great day, everyone.