Locked On Patriots - Daily Podcast On The New England Patriots - Report: Patriots’ Trade Winds Swirling | Pre-Giants Stock Watch

Starting point is 00:00:00 The 2025 offseason has reportedly made two veterans expendable. That's where we start in this episode of Lockdown Patriots. You are Locked-on Patriots, your daily New England Patriots podcast, part of the Locked-on Podcasts Network, your team every day. What's up, Patriots fans? I'm your host, Nick Cattles, born and raised in New England, also host of the Everything Pass podcast co-host of the Greg Bedard Patriots podcast with Nick Cattels and a sports talk show host veteran. On today's episode, we look at three players starting to fade as we head into the final preseason game. And on the other hand, we'll also look at three guys whose stock is soaring. But first,

Starting point is 00:00:48 Mike Vrable's first offseason impacts two top vets from prior regimes. We appreciate you joining the show, making us your first listen for being in every day. The Lockdown Patriots podcast is a proud part of the Lockdown Podcast Network, your team every day. And this episode is brought to you by Fandul. Football season is around the corner. Visit the Fandul app today and start planning your futures bets now. Two players, not one, but two players critical to prior regimes are now expendable. Reportedly, both Anthony Jennings and Kyle Dugger are available via trade.

Starting point is 00:01:26 Andrew Callahan was first on this at the Boston Herald. He wrote that Dugger and Jennings are known to be available for trade with less than a week left until the NFL's 53-man roster deadline. That's according to league sources. The Patriots recently raised Dugger's name and talks with at least one team, while the front office has long been willing to take offers on him and Jennings. Jennings' name was raised in exploratory discussions earlier this summer. Let's start with the off-season impact, what we saw in March. and in April in why it impacts this right now happening with Dugger and Jennings. Because of your offseason, because of the free agency that you had, because of the draft that you

Starting point is 00:02:13 had, you have a better roster. You have a better roster than 2024. You could argue a much better roster than 2024. You not only have a better roster, but you have a deeper roster at these two positions. that we're talking about, defensive end and also safety. Think about it. Because of the 2025 offseason, Harold Landry, Caleb on Chase on, Brayden Swinson, Elijah Ponder,

Starting point is 00:02:44 Truman Jones, yes, he was in New England late 2024, but they made the decision to keep him in 2025 and see what he could bring to camp. So you have Landry and Chase on and Swinson and Ponder, Landry, chase on two free agent editions. Landry, the first big name brought in by Mike Vrable, chase on on a sneaky one-year deal after getting better late in the season with the Raiders.

Starting point is 00:03:11 Then you went into the draft and you drafted Brayden Swinson out of LSU. Some would say that you stole him. We'll see if that is true or not down the road. Then you weren't done. You weren't happy with just that. You decided to give a call to Elijah Ponzi. as a UDFA and bring him into the mix.

Starting point is 00:03:32 And because you have those four new faces and all of them impacting at different levels this camp and this preseason that opens the door for you not to any longer be desperate holding on to Anthony Jennings. You're now looking at Anthony Jennings and you're saying you're expendable. He was not expendable last year. He was not expendable in 2023. Now, some of it, yes, you can argue, is fit. But even if the fit was a little bit clunky,

Starting point is 00:04:03 you were fighting, fighting to find NFL players on this roster a year ago. Jennings would have made the team, even if he wasn't a perfect fit in 2024. And then you get to Dugger. You end up going out in resigning Jalen Hawkins, who has ended up being a very, very good fit in this Rable Terrell Williams,

Starting point is 00:04:27 defense. You also signed Marcus Epps to give you some extra depth there at safety, but the most important move you made at safety was drafting Craig Woodson. And many people wondered, what were the Patriots doing drafting Woodson? Some said he was a reach. Others said he was not a reach. He absolutely deserved to be drafted where he was drafted. And now you fast forward four months, and here we are. Woodson has made Dugger expendable. You've got guys like Dell, Pettis and Epps who can create some extra depth at the position. But if you were just looking at Drabil Peppers and Hawkins and then a bunch of unknowns, a bunch of guys that were, you know, Jags, so to speak, not somebody that you invested

Starting point is 00:05:12 a pick in like Woodson, especially when you invested that pick and the fact that you had an entire night to think about that pick and you still came back and you drafted Woodson on that Saturday. So now you have Watson and he ends up giving you that extra depth at safety where you have three guys you now can trust and have no issue with, which makes Doug are expendable. The 2025 offseason already impacting this football team and they haven't played a single regular season game just yet. Secondly, we look at the defensive changes because that is a part of the story.

Starting point is 00:05:51 The fit is a part of the story as to why Jennings and Dugger could both be gone via trade and short order. When you're looking at defensive end, we know that Vrable and Williams, they like, and Mike Smith, the outside linebackers coach, pass rush specialist. Those guys like attacking ends. They like guys that get downfield. The pass rush, the pass rush, the pass rush. And yes, that will leave you susceptible in some cases. against screens like we saw against Minnesota, but this defense is all about attacking, getting deep downfield, and getting to the quarterback.

Starting point is 00:06:30 And Jennings, before this camp and before the Minnesota game, he hasn't necessarily been that type of defensive end. He is a run stopper, contain the edge type guy, but that could be changing. and it might actually, it might actually result in Jennings staying on the roster. If you noticed what I said earlier, Andrew Callahan wrote that Jennings' name was raised in exploratory discussions earlier this summer. Callahan wrote, recent performances from Jennings in practice and the preseason may have changed his status with the team before recording three sacks in Saturday's

Starting point is 00:07:16 preseason game, Jennings enjoyed his best week of practice all summer. Jennings rose from the scout team defense to the second team unit in training camp. Since his stellar preseason performance Saturday, he has not practiced. So the door might still be ajar for Jennings to make this roster. But that's only, I think, if the Patriots can't get a pick in return. If a team is willing to give up a pick for Jennings, I think he's gone. and it's because he's not that perfect fit. When you look at safety,

Starting point is 00:07:51 Mike Brable and his defensive coaching staff, they want coverage versatility. And we know that is a weakness of Kyle Dugger. Dugger has not been good in coverage for a number of years, not a strength of his. Miscommunication, lack of focus, whatever. He just has not been that guy. Now, who do I think would bring back more value?

Starting point is 00:08:13 It's not even close. it's Jennings. Jennings would bring back better value than Dugger. There's absolutely zero doubt in my mind. The recent performance that we just talked about, what Jennings did against Minnesota, that means something. Jennings in 2024 being much, much, much, much better than Dugger means something. And the money means something. Callahan wrote, if Dugger is released, the Patriots would absorb a 14 and a quarter

Starting point is 00:08:43 million dead cap hit and create $1 million in calf space. Dugger's new team would inherit 9.75 million fully guaranteed and an additional $1 million in per game roster bonuses. Now, the Pats, I think, would have to pay most of that to get a day three pick for Dugger. When you look at Jennings, he has two years left on his deal. 1.85 is the base salary. 1.35 guaranteed.

Starting point is 00:09:10 For next season, none of his $3 million is guaranteed. It is an easy decision for any team looking for a defensive end that is good versus to run, a legitimate NFL talent, giving up a fourth or fifth round pick for Jennings to me would be an absolute no-brainer. That is not the case with Dugger. And you also look at the position in the value of the position. We know that edge is much more valuable than safety. So we'll keep an eye on it.

Starting point is 00:09:38 Both guys could be gone within the next few days. Both guys could be gone in the next few hours. On the precipice of the final preseason game, we give you three guys whose stock is trending down. That's coming up as we continue with today's episode of Lockdown Patriots, part of the Lockdown Podcast Network, your team every day. August 26th is officially Fandul Futures Day, a brand new holiday for football fans who live for bold predictions and preseason hunches. For just 24 hours, Fandul is giving you deals on NFL season. prediction. So whether you're calling your MVP, eyeing a long shot division winner, or ready to crown your Super Bowl champ before week one even kicks off, this is your moment, folks. I mean,

Starting point is 00:10:25 you can look at certain parlays, division winner, dark horses. I mean, if you believe in J.J. McCarthy, if J.J. McCarthy's second joint practice against the Patriots is any indication, maybe he's better than people think. And the Vikings, they're an underdog to win that NFC North. Tough division. but maybe you believe in the Vikings and maybe you can take advantage of that with our friends at Fandul again August 26th is officially Fandul Futures Day it's a brand new holiday visit the Fandul app today start planning your futures bets now because futures day is one day and one day only Fandul play your game as we get ready for the final preseason game yeah real football in a couple of weeks.

Starting point is 00:11:15 Let's do a little bit of a stock watch heading into New Jersey. Yes, they play in New Jersey, not New York. You can't fool me. Let's start with stock down. Let's look at three guys whose arrows are pointing down heading into the final preseason game. Keon White, and this almost hurts my heart because I believed in Keon White. I still believe in Keon White, a little less so now.

Starting point is 00:11:42 but I had been talking Keon White up for a couple of months believing that this defensive coaching staff would really, really help him that their style of defense, their philosophy of defense would fit perfectly with what White wants to do and loves to do. He got off to a fantastic start in camp, and I was saying,

Starting point is 00:12:03 man, we should get ready for a year three big time leap from White. But after that vicious start, Maybe not so much. Keon White has been demoted. And during Tuesday's practice, he was out there with the twos. He wasn't getting reps with the ones. Kalamon Chase on this began on Monday where Chase on started to eat into the reps of White.

Starting point is 00:12:29 And then on Tuesday, he took over for White. So on the precipice of the final preseason game, White has been demoted, speaks volumes, especially with how good he was at the beginning of him. Frankly, he has been mostly quiet for about two weeks. And my buddy Greg Bedard was talking to him. And Greg said he goes back to the Washington joint practices when Laramie Tunsell shoved White into a locker, according to Greg. And maybe that messed with White.

Starting point is 00:13:05 But ever since then, he has not been the same guy. And he has been way too quiet. And you start to wonder about the reputation, which you look back to 2024, White got off to an impeccable start. And then as the season went on, he had less impact. And I know at the beginning of this camp, White was pointing fingers towards the coaches, and maybe he ends up being right. Maybe this two or three week period where he's just been much more quiet and now demoted

Starting point is 00:13:37 to the second unit, maybe this is just a little bit of a speed bump. And he ends up returning to what he looked like at the beginning of camp. It becomes a monster in year three. We certainly could hope for that. But right now you start to look at 2024, shot out of a cannon, looked great early, petered out, 2025's camp, shot out of a cannon, looked great early, petered out. It's a trend now. And so maybe that's just who he is.

Starting point is 00:14:07 Maybe he's not consistent enough to be that big time impact place. player that I was certainly hoping he could be. Jury's not completely out on this, but White's stock is absolutely starting to fall from where it was a couple of weeks ago. And I want to highlight that point. I'm not telling you because a guy's stocked down that he's not good. I'm not telling you because his stock is down that he's going to get cut. This is all relative.

Starting point is 00:14:39 from where Keon White began to where he is now, his stock is down. You could say the same thing about Stefan Diggs. Relative, don't freak out. There were some people that were thinking, hey, if Diggs can look this good, this early in camp, he could end up with 100 catches this season. Maybe he still ends up with 100 catches. Maybe he looks like a true number one receiver or a 1B. maybe again this is all relative but the last two weeks it's been a little bit weird for digs

Starting point is 00:15:16 he's been off and on up and down and he's absolutely been more quiet the last couple of weeks now i'm not saying he's been quiet from beginning to end throughout those two weeks every day every practice again a little bit more of a roller coaster with more drastic lows than we had seen early in camp. But the last two weeks, he's been more quiet overall on balance. And then he has that interview with Diana Rusini, where he's being cagey, but he's also questioning whether or not he's going to be out there week one. Now, I'm not reading too much into it, but what is interesting is after that

Starting point is 00:15:58 interview, Diggs then has his usage changed up a little bit. and Andrew Callahan wrote about Diggs in the wide receiver rotation during Tuesday's practice. Here's what Callahan wrote. Pop, Booty, and Hollins were the top receivers for every period. Notably absent was Diggs. Callahan makes a point of writing. Diggs's place in that pecking order is curious, especially for someone who had trouble at times separating from young cornerback DJ James.

Starting point is 00:16:33 It's possible Diggs's load management plan is the main reason behind his limited reps, though he did take the first reps to start every team period earlier in camp. Diggs was by far the number one guy in this rotation. Nobody was asking any questions about it. He was out there at the beginning of every team period earlier in camp with the ones. In May made it a point. pretty much every practice to throw his first pass or at least throw a pass in his first couple of attempts, two digs right off the bat.

Starting point is 00:17:12 Again, this is relative. I'm not worried, but there's no doubt that digs has trended downward from the hot start. And from a lot of the talk about, hey, man, watch out. This guy's not only ready to play after the ACL surgery. he's ready to make an impact and maybe a big impact immediately on the 2025 season. Feels like we could back away from that a little bit now. If he ends up doing that, fantastic. Again, we certainly hope that that's the case.

Starting point is 00:17:45 But now after the last couple of weeks and then how they used him during Tuesday's practice, very interesting. Now, of course, some would say, well, Nick, that's because, you know, maybe they want to get these guys some reps. because they're not going to play against the Giants. Well, I don't think Diggs is going to play against the Giants either. So he would have been a part of that mix. So it is curious.

Starting point is 00:18:08 I would know that Diggs had one of his better practices on Tuesday. So maybe he's turning the corner. And I would also say Diggs has been in the league for a long time. I don't think he's too freaked out about the second or third week of camp. I don't think he's too worried about joint practices. But there's no denying that from the beginning of camp to right now, Diggs has been on a little bit of that downward trend. And the final guy I want to talk about here is J. Vaughn Baker. And he's been a compelling study case almost during this camp.

Starting point is 00:18:45 He started off cold, pretty much non-existent. Then for a couple of weeks, he got hot. And now it feels like he's cold again. the old cold hot, cold camp from Javon Baker. And he had a tough outing against Minnesota. Evan Lazar wrote about Baker. The box score doesn't look good. Seven targets, one catch, 13 yards.

Starting point is 00:19:07 It could have been better with some help from Josh Dobbs. Where have we heard that before? However, Baker's vertical stems did not appear to do enough to create second level separation on outs and comebackers while he stopped his route on his end zone target. So he's not running good enough routes against Minnesota. last Saturday. He also had a drop. He had a false start. He did not practice on Monday or Tuesday. Now, interestingly enough, Mike Reese is reporting that Baker is going to travel to play against the Giants. Now, does he get out there? We'll see. But you're not going to travel. Usually you're not going to travel, especially when it's, you know, a preseason game and you've been dealing with

Starting point is 00:19:50 injury, it's very unlikely you're going to travel without at least attempting to play. So he gets out there, he makes a couple of plays. He could still make this team, especially if you take it seven receivers, and especially with some of the injury questions we have. I mean, there's just a bunch of injuries at that position right now. So I'm not writing Baker off completely just yet, but he has had the cold hot, cold camp, and because he is finishing here leading up to this game. in the cold category.

Starting point is 00:20:23 Stock is pointing down. The arrow is pointing down. All right. After the stock down talk, it's only fair to give you the stock up names. Find out who they are next as we continue with today's episode of Lockdown Patriots, part of the Lockdown Podcast Network, your team, every day. Ever wish managing your money felt easier.

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Starting point is 00:22:15 stock up. Let me start with Christian Barmore. Now, Barmore was pretty much an unknown heading into this camp. We know who Barmore was in 2023, but we also know what he went through in 2024. And the fact that he was dealing with the blood clots, came back, and then left again because of blood clots, it brought a question into this mix, which was whether or not Barmore was going to physically be able to help this team. That was a good sign through OTAs, mandatory minicamp. He's out there working, and he's mostly getting the job done. And then you fast forward to camp, and he has been dominant in stretches during this camp.

Starting point is 00:23:06 And from what I have read, from what I have heard, from most people, Barmore has not only been pretty dominant. He's been more consistent than some other guys within that dominance. And you could look at it and say he's improving as you're getting closer to the season. Back to my buddy, Andrew Callahan, a lot of pub in this in this pod today. Barmore has been limited for most of camp. And that plan appears to be paying off with two of his best practices coming in the last six days. Callahan writes that Tuesday's practice was one of Barmore's best practices as a patriot, period.

Starting point is 00:23:47 Barmore tallied one and a half sacks and added another pressure. He was a menace and worked seamlessly with Williams on a few stunts that led to instant pressure, of course, talking about Milton Williams. So Barmore, he's had a really good camp. he has had stretches of dominant during this camp. And it's not a case of, oh, well, he's just taking advantage of the interior offensive line of the Patriots as they shuffle guys and Garrett Bradbury's been so up and down. No, because Barmore also popped against Washington. He was really good in that Washington joint practice reportedly. And then he goes against Minnesota.

Starting point is 00:24:30 And he was good against Minnesota during a joint practice. so he's been good no matter who he's facing his teammates or other players and we know you know Minnesota especially that's a talented team and that is a you know an interior offensive line that has been reworked during the off season to improve so barmore stock seems to be going up as we get ready for the Giants game let's talk about Craig Woodson Woodson going back several weeks ago, I mentioned, I thought Woodson would get more snaps than we might have anticipated when he was drafted. And I feel even more confident now in that idea.

Starting point is 00:25:13 Woodson is your third safety. He's behind Peppers. He's behind Hawkins, but he's right there. He is in line to get plenty of snaps this season. And the one thing about Woodson that this coaching staff has to love is his crazy versatility. the amount of things that he can do on a football field. Taylor Kyle's from CLNS posted,

Starting point is 00:25:35 Woodson continued to do a bit of everything versus the Vikings, spending multiple snaps in deep cover three, four zones, curl, flats, and man. So he's playing all over the place, doing everything that you need him to do in pretty much every scheme that you ask him to play. Kyle's writes that Woodson showed range in recognition, in coverage and pursuit filled gaps quickly,

Starting point is 00:26:01 and he threw solid blocks on special teams. And Woodson, when he was drafted, one of my hopes was, hey, man, look, if this guy can, if he can play some coverage on the back end, because we know the Dugger thing that we talked about earlier, he's just not good in coverage. He's not trustworthy in the deep part of the football field. And so could Woodson do that?

Starting point is 00:26:25 And it certainly does feel, like Woodson with all the responsibilities he's been asked to have during this camp and the way that he's played and what he's done, it certainly does look like Woodson can play some free safety in single high safety looks for the Patriots defense this year. And that is great news. So the Woodson versatility, which means the Woodson IQ,

Starting point is 00:26:50 the football IQ of Woodson seemingly through the roof. And you know, Rable loves smart, dependable, responsible, versatile, tough football players. Guys that could play violent and physical as well. And the violence is in Woodson's game. He is known as one of the best hitters in the draft from April, especially at his position. But he will lay the wood down on you. He got no problem thumping you with some kind of vicious hit coming downhill.

Starting point is 00:27:22 and I think soon he will prove himself to be invaluable in coverage because of that versatility. All right, let's give you the third guy whose stock is going up. The arrow is pointing up as we get ready for the Giants game. Ben Brown. How about Ben Brown? Ben Brown began this camp as your third center. You could argue that Ben Brown could have been seen as the fourth center on this roster when Wes Schweitzer was on the roster before he retired.

Starting point is 00:27:54 But Ben Brown has gone from the third center to passing multiple guards on the team. Caden Wallace and City So and those guys, he has leapfrog them. And now we're talking about Ben Brown possibly challenging, not one, but two starting positions on the offensive line. One more note from Callahan because we can't get enough. He wrote on Tuesday, Brown appears to be making a push at left guard and his natural position center where he took reps in front of May. Neither Jared Wilson or Garrett Bradbury project as strong pass protectors, so the tiebreaker in Brown's battle at both positions may be who can keep May the cleanest inside the pocket.

Starting point is 00:28:37 Here, here, I'm all for it. Whoever can keep Drake May clean should be out there. Yes. But going from the third string center, early, early, maybe the first. fourth string center, going from that guy to, I don't want to say a lock to start, but somebody who has a very good chance to start in this offensive line at one of those two positions, that is a big time leap for Ben Brown. And good for him.

Starting point is 00:29:09 And I find it hard to believe to keep him off this roster at this point. So Christian Barmore, Craig Woodson, Ben Brown, three players with the arrow pointing up, getting ready to go against the Giants in the final preseason game. That wraps up this edition of Lockdown Patriots. Reach out to me on Twitter at Nick C. Radio. Don't forget to throw a comment in on the YouTube channel as well and help us out. Don't forget to hit that like button and subscribe. Let's continue to build the numbers at Lockdown Patriots. fan base, fun football team this year to follow.

Starting point is 00:29:47 Let's prove to the other lockdown people that we can get those numbers up. So hit that like button and subscribe. And thank you for making Lockdown Patriots your first listen and for being in every day or for your second listen. Check out Lockdown Fantasy Football with hosts Vinnie Iyer and Kate Madjuk. Find Lockdown Fantasy Football on YouTube or wherever you listen to podcast. Have a great day and we will see you tomorrow. Thank you.

Locked On Patriots - Daily Podcast On The New England Patriots - Report: Patriots’ Trade Winds Swirling | Pre-Giants Stock Watch

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