Locked On Patriots - Daily Podcast On The New England Patriots - Report: Some Patriots Staff Feel “Just Fine” at WR? | Risky Swing at #31?

Starting point is 00:00:00 Reportedly, some in the Pat's facility believe they're fine at wide receiver. Well, I disagree with those people. This is 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 happening? I am your host, Nick Cattles. And on today's episode, there's a tight end that I feel is a perfect fit for the Pats. and could be a steal on day three of the draft.

Starting point is 00:00:37 In our second segment, one of the most polarizing players in this year's draft gets mocked to New England. But first, let's look at a report that has me practically on tilt. So if the season began tomorrow, the wide receiver room would be Romeo Dobbs, Matt Collins, Kisham, Booty, Kyle Williams, Pop Douglas, and Efton Chisholm. And I think it would be in that order. I think right now, Romeo Dobbs is your number. number one, Mack Hollins is your number two,

Starting point is 00:01:06 Kisham Booty is three, Kyle Williams, four, Pop Douglas, five, Fenton Chisholm, six. And inevitably, the question is, is that enough? Well, my buddy Greg Bedard wrote over the past few days, quote, I don't think the Patriots need A.J. Brown at this point, and that's fine. If Greg Bedard doesn't feel like A.J. Brown is the same A.J. Brown he was a couple of years ago, feels like he's on the decline, doesn't think he would help the Patriots as much as others. That's cool. That's an opinion. That's fine. That's Greg's opinion. But it's this part. It's the following that has me practically on tilt. Quote, and there are people in the building

Starting point is 00:01:47 who are just fine with what they have. There are people in the building who are just fine with what they have. Dot, dot, dot, dot, at wide receiver. And Greg Bedard finishes with and want to see what kind of internal development they get. There are people in the Patriots facility right now that believe what they have in that wide receiver room is just fine. Just let those guys develop. Now, of course, this could be a leverage play. This could be those people in the facility talking to reporters like Greg, trying to get the word out that the Patriots are just fine with what they have in that room.

Starting point is 00:02:29 There's no urgency to go out there and trade for a receiver like A.J. Brown. There's no urgency to draft the receiver at number 31. I have a message to those people in the facility that believe they're just fine at wide receiver. I'm not fine. I'm not fine with what you have at this point. I'm just not. Romeo Dobbs is a better fit as a number two. We've talked about it.

Starting point is 00:02:56 Now, could he have an 85-yard catch season? and play like kind of, a sort of number one receiver? Sure. But in a perfect world, Romeo Dobbs is your number two. He's not necessarily going to dominate every single week. He's not necessarily going to pull extra coverage his way. Mack Collins, and I love Matt Collins. I love what he brings to the team, made some big catches, showed a pulse during the Super Bowl offensively, unlike many guys on his team.

Starting point is 00:03:29 on that side of the football. But Hollins turns 33 years old in just a few months. It's going to be 33. And we know that Hollins throughout his career, and it's been a long career. Again, shout out to Hollins and what he has produced. It's really tough to be in the league for as long as he's been. But he has, for his career, been a number three slash four guy.

Starting point is 00:03:55 And I think you almost got as much production as possible. from Hollins that he is able to give you at this stage of his career last season. Now, could he replicate that? Sure. But again, he's going to be 33 in a few months and not many receivers are as good at 33 as they were at 32, 31, and 30. Then you get to Kishan Booty. And we've discussed Kishan Booty multiple times over the past couple of weeks. I don't need to get too deep into this. But we know he lacks the weekly production. He's not a guy. who every single week goes in is going to get targeted seven, eight, nine times, have five or six catches every single week.

Starting point is 00:04:37 You know, you can't put it in Sharpie, six catches, 75 yards at a touchdown, or just six catches in 75 yards. You can't do that every week with booty. You just have not been able to. Last year, great start, faded. Kyle Williams, I think he's got tremendous potential. I was happy with the pick in last year's draft, but he is an unknown.

Starting point is 00:05:00 He's an unknown with potential. A second year leap would be huge for not only Williams, but also for the offense. But do we know for a fact? Do we know for a fact that Kyle Williams will ever develop? No, we don't. So right now, he's a guy with potential. So you got Romeo Dobbs and number two. You got Matt Collins, who's going to be 33 this season,

Starting point is 00:05:25 a career really best three slash four guy. you have a very inconsistent Kishon booty. You've got a Kyle Williams who is an unknown with potential. Pop Douglas is not a great fit in this offense. We've discussed why. Efton Chisholm is a slot-wide receiver who has guys ahead of him on the debt chart. Now, yes, it is absolutely possible. It is absolutely possible that this offense, that these receivers will be as good in 2020,

Starting point is 00:05:58 as they were in 2025. That is possible. Romeo Dobbs can replace Stefan Diggs, and I've said I think Dobbs is capable of giving you what Diggs gave you last season, if not a little bit more. Williams could take that second year leap. And even if it's not a leap, Williams could give you much more than he gave you last year.

Starting point is 00:06:19 So if you get Dobbs to slightly be better than Diggs, and you get Williams to take even a slight step forward, and you go into the draft and add a pass receiving tight end who has some explosivity and can help Hunter Henry, then yes, you could end up being as good this upcoming season as you were in 2025 at receiver slash tight end. But this is the problem. And this is why I'm practically on tilt when I read what I read to you from Greg Bedard. Again, there are people in the building who are just fine.

Starting point is 00:06:58 with what they have at wide receiver. The slogan is not, let's be as good as we were last year. That's not the slogan. You don't go into the offseason saying, let's just make sure that we tread water, baby. Let's tread some water. No, you go into the offseason saying, let's get better.

Starting point is 00:07:19 Let's upgrade. And the upgrade from digs to dobs to me is not enough of an upgrade to make me feel great about where they are headed in 2026. They need more. This is not about matching 2025's production. I think the schedule is going to be more difficult. So it's not just about matching what you got last year. Again, it's not about doing the doggy paddle across the water.

Starting point is 00:07:51 This is about getting better. That's the point. The slogan is, get better. upgrade, continue to support Drake May, give him more in 2026 than he had in 2025 so he can build off what he did as the runner up to the MVP trophy. That's what this whole thing is about. You go into the off season to make your team better. And so, yes, in a perfect world, everybody would develop.

Starting point is 00:08:26 develop internally. They would improve internally. Kyle Williams would go from a fifth slash sixth guy to a top three receiver on the team. Dobbs would give you more than Diggs gave you. Booty would give you more consistency. Hollins would not show any declass. Yet all of it would be great. Efton Chisholm would look like a fourth receiver instead of a sixth guy. Yes, but is that a guarantee absolutely not. And if your only move at wide receiver is replacing Stefan Diggs with Romeo Dobbs, that is not upgrading the offense in the passing game. We've talked about the run game.

Starting point is 00:09:11 They've done a good job with, you know, full back, tight end. I think their run game will absolutely be better. Elijah Verit Tucker, if he stays healthy. But if we're talking about the passing game, if it simply digs out Dobbs in not enough, not enough improvement because you can't guarantee me what those other guys are going to become. And I want to feel confident going into 2026 that the receiving position upgraded for Drake May from its 2025 year. So please, spare me, we're just fine with what we have. Should the Pats pull the trigger on a polarizing prospect if he falls to 31?

Starting point is 00:09:58 We'll give you our answer next. This is Lockdown Patriots, part of the Lockdown Podcast Network, now the number one sports podcast network, your team every day. This time of year, all you really want is something warm, easy, and satisfying. That's why Home Chef has become such a go-to. It takes the stress out of dinner and makes it simple to actually enjoy cooking again. Home Chef makes cooking easy with fresh, pre-portion ingredients, simple recipes, and meals that taste great. Meals are quick from 30-minute recipes to oven-ready options when you don't want to think.

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Starting point is 00:11:09 Must be an active subscriber to receive free dessert. Thank you for making us your first listen and for being an everydayer. And don't forget, you can check out the Everydayer Club for ad-free episodes and access to a group chat with other listeners of this show. Tap the link in the show notes to find out more or go to lockdown patriots. Supercast.com. Also, watching on YouTube, you know what I'm going to say. Let's continue to build this community.

Starting point is 00:11:38 Give us a thumbs up. That helps us with the algorithm. Don't forget to like. Don't forget to throw a comment in as well. I want to know from all of you, would you be quote unquote just fine if the Patriots did not add to the wide receiver room the rest of this off season? Do you think they're just fine in the wide receiver? civil room. Want to know how you feel? Throw a comment in and don't forget to subscribe. We're over

Starting point is 00:11:59 9,240 subscribers. We're almost close to that. 9,0.250, but we want to get to 10,000 subscribers by the draft. All right. Speaking of the draft, more and more mock drafts are coming out. More opinions are being thrown into the face of all of us. It pitched into the ether. and, you know, a lot of these mock drafts that I've been paying attention to over the past few days, a number of them have a clump of edges at number 31. And you've got your Zion Youngs, you've got your Cassius Howells, you have your T.J. Parker's, and some other names as well. And it feels like there could be a clump of defensive edges from like 29 to 36 or 37 in this draft,

Starting point is 00:12:50 which, of course, would be great news for the Patriots, depending on who those edges are. For example, Bucky Brooks of the NFL Network. In his latest mock draft, he has the Patriots drafting Keldrick Falk, a defensive end from Auburn. Now, the book on Falk is that he's very good against the run. He's very young. He turns 21, I think, in September.

Starting point is 00:13:17 Long arms, I mean, you know, good build and all that. stuff, but he's not necessarily explosive. And he did not bring pass rush production to the table in college. So if you asked me about somebody like a Keldrick Falk, whether or not I would be in on that guy, honestly, for what I'm looking for with the Pats, I would pass on Keldrick Falk. He could project to be really good and he might end up being a good pass rusher. but from a lot of the stuff that I have read, the book again is that he's very good against the run,

Starting point is 00:13:54 not great in the pass rush. And if he's going to be a very good pass rusher, he probably has to be slid inside. I want that pure defensive end pass rush. That's what I want. Todd McShay actually has in his latest mock draft, the Patriots selecting Cassius Howell. Now, we've talked about Cassius Howell

Starting point is 00:14:14 a number of times on this podcast, but we really haven't dug deep into the Texas A&M defense event. So Daniel Jeremiah, interestingly enough, from the NFL network, posted in the past 2436 hours his top five polarizing players in this year's draft. Now, I don't know if he was doing it in sequential order, but number one on that list, you guessed it, was Cassius Howell. So why is he polarizing? First of all, size and length.

Starting point is 00:14:46 And we talked about this around the combine a month, month and a half ago. When you look at Howells' measurements, 6'2-roughs, 2-2 and a half, 253 pounds. But the issue is the arm length and the wingspan. Yes, we're talking arm length again like we did last year with Will Campbell. Howell's arm length at the combine, so he probably measures better outside of the combine for whatever reason, is 30 and one quarter inches. 30 and 1 quarter inches. People were freaking out about Will Campbell because he was just under 33 inches.

Starting point is 00:15:22 Matt Miller of ESPN posted about Howell at 30 and a quarter inch arm length. Cassius Howell would have the shortest arms for an edge rusher drafted in the first round since at least 1999. He would have the shortest arm length of an edge taken in the first round for the past at least 26, 27 years.

Starting point is 00:15:46 And to go along with that post, Matt Miller had posted the arm length of the top 10 sack producers from last year in the NFL. And you look at guys like Miles Garrett, 35 inch arms, crazy, right? Brian Burns, 33 and 7-8s. Daniel Hunter, 34-inch arms. Aidan Hutchinson on the shorter side, but he still is over 32 inches. Nick Benito on the shorter side, but he is over 32. inches. Micah Parsons on the shorter side, but he's over 32 inches. Same thing could be said for

Starting point is 00:16:20 Byron Young. Josh Sweat, over 34 inch arm length. Will Anderson, over 33 inch arm length. So when you look at the arm length of the best sack producers in the NFL last year, the lowest you can go really is just a shade over 32 inches and you've got Howell at just barely over 30 inches. So it is a legitimate talking point, just like Will Campbell's arm length and wingspan, we're a legitimate talking point because if you're looking at somebody like Howell, just like as you were looking at somebody like Will Campbell, you really would need a unicorn. You'd need somebody who is such an outlier to what we've seen throughout the history of that position. The other issue for Howell is his run defense. Scout the NFL on Twitter, posting about

Starting point is 00:17:10 Howell's weaknesses wrote he can struggle to anchor versus the run and hold the edge consistently. Functional strength and hip flexibility limit him at times. Run defense in space play remain areas for development. Pro football focus wrote about Howell's run defense. Howell is a bit undersized at 6 foot 2, 248. And that shows up in the run game where he has a career 73.1 run defense grade. So those are the things that make Howell polarizing. The size, the length, the run defense questions.

Starting point is 00:17:47 Would I take a swing at Cassius Howell at 31? Right now, before April, as I'm talking to you, absolutely. I would absolutely take a swing at Cassius Howell at number 31. I understand the arm length issues. I understood the arm length issues with Will Campbell last year, and I would have taken Will Campbell at 4. I said that last year. That's what the Patriots did.

Starting point is 00:18:10 If I were the Patriots and I'm sitting in that draft room and Cassius Howell is plummeting down the board towards 31, I'm getting excited because the fact is Cassius Howell is a top 20 talent in this draft. If his arms were a little bit longer, we'd be talking about him going in the top 10 to 15. If he falls all the way down to 31, yes, I would take that swing. because what Howell does have is pass rush juice and production.

Starting point is 00:18:40 Love that, right? Production. Back to scout the NFL on Howell's strengths. Explosive first step, active, skilled hands, a diverse move set that consistently creates pressure. High motor competitor who finishes plays and disrupts throwing lanes, flashes strong instincts when counters are needed. That is the book. I mean, that reads just like Elliot Wolfe's definition of what the Patriots are looking for in a pass rusher. Evan Lazard transcribed this going back to around the combine.

Starting point is 00:19:14 And here's what Wolf said. This is what the Patriots are looking for. Pass rush. Speed and violence, explosiveness, first step quickness, the ability to win in multiple ways. You go back to those howl strengths, explosive first step. Check. Skilled hands, a diverse move set. that consistently creates pressure.

Starting point is 00:19:37 Strong instincts when counters are needed, the ability to win in multiple ways. Check. Speed and violence, explosiveness, first step, quickness, the ability to win in multiple ways. Check, check, check, chickty check. And as far as the production goes,

Starting point is 00:19:51 we're talking about somebody who played in the SEC. And Matt Miller of ESPN row in early February, Howell led the SEC and pressures with 41 and had 11 and a half sacks in his second season in the conference. He is an edge rusher, man. He's a pass rush guy with juice who matches exactly what the Patriots want as far as how he plays. Now, the frame, pretty much Harold Landry.

Starting point is 00:20:22 Harold Landry 6-2-252. Cassius Howell 6-2-255 at the combine. Landry ran a 4-6-4-40. Howell ran a 45940. And when you look at their 10-yard splits, Landry ran a 1.59. Meanwhile, Howell ran a 1.58. Now, Landry was longer than Howell.

Starting point is 00:20:48 But you look at 6-2, 250 to 255. You look at that 40-yard dash, 459 Howell versus 464, Landry. The 10-yard split, 158, Howell 159 Landry, you can see it. And I got breaking news for you. You're not going to get a perfect prospect at 31. So I would put the bet down on Cassius Howell.

Starting point is 00:21:13 That his ability, his first step explosiveness, his multiple ways to win will help him deal with his shorter arms. And as far as the run game, feed him. Gain that strength. Get him in the wait room. Because if he could be a little bit better against the run, he is a three-down edge who pressures the quarterback. Sounds like a first round pick to me,

Starting point is 00:21:40 especially at the end of the first round. I know he's polarizing, but I would take Cassius Howl at 31. Let's stick with the draft. The day three tight end that I think could be an absolute steal for the paths. It's coming up next. This is Lockdown Patriots, part of the Lockdown Podcast Network,

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Starting point is 00:23:12 Hunter Henry, 31 years old. Julian Hill, not a receiving tight end. Tight end is a top four or five priority in this upcoming draft. And I'll tell you who I love. I love Eli Rairden. Now, yes, I know, I am a Notre Dame football fan. Don't hold that against me if you hate Notre Dame. but I've watched Eli Raarden an awful lot, and I love him.

Starting point is 00:23:36 I love the guy. You want to talk about a move tight end? I think, you know, you look at the athletic ability of Eli Raarden, top 50, top 50 at the position. When you look at RAS, the relative athletic score with a 9.66, top 50 athlete since, what, 1987 in that metric with a 9.66. So certainly athletic enough. He's 6 foot 6. He weighs 245 pounds.

Starting point is 00:24:11 He's explosive. He's really good in contested catch situations. He loves going up in getting the football. So he's somebody that will high point it. He's somebody that should relatively, you know, be an upgrade looking at an Austin Hooper and some. others at wide receiver, a relatively easy upgrade in the red zone for you if you want to use him in that facet.

Starting point is 00:24:36 So explosive, good with contested catches. I think he's got untapped potential. I don't think he was used to his utmost potential at Notre Dame. But at Notre Dame, what they did with Eli Raritan is what you see an awful lot of in the Patriots offense with tight ends. You see a lot of it with Hunter Henry. You saw some of it with Austin Hooper. And I'm talking about Notre Dame used rare.

Starting point is 00:24:59 a lot in the intermediate like hash versus zone coverage. Feels like a fit. We know Josh McDaniels against zone coverage. You know, you'll see those tight ends work the intermediate areas. You'll see them work by the hash. And so that's what Reardon did at Notre Dame. But again, I think he's got untapped potential because of his explosiveness, because of his ability and contested catches.

Starting point is 00:25:27 that potential. Get down field, run the seam. He can run the seam. In an interview I was reading, he said, I love going down the scene. So again, you're taught about against zone, intermediate hash, perfect fit. You want to take a shot downfield to your tight ends?

Starting point is 00:25:48 We know McDaniels loves throwing the football down the seam. Rairdon's favorite route is an inside fade. Could see that. the red zone, right? That would make some sense. I also think he's got some ability after the catch, which makes him a possible weapon in the screen game. So when you start to think about Josh McDaniel's offense and you think about a young movable tight end, a receiving tight end, and you think about what routes, what areas of the field, that young move tight end is going to be more successful.

Starting point is 00:26:25 When you think about the offense, you think about what I'm saying. intermediate hash, seam, inside fades, possible weapon in the screen game. Now, Rarden is not the greatest blocking tight end, but I do think, I do think with a little bit more weight and a little bit more strength, I think he will be a better blocker than people expect him to be at the NFL level. I think he has the compete. I think he has some pretty good technique. he's capable.

Starting point is 00:26:59 He's just got to build more weight and more strength to deal with the NFL size and power. Now the cons, again, average run blocker right now. He's not going to wow you. I don't know how much you need of that

Starting point is 00:27:16 from him, frankly, with Julian Hill in the mix. You'll probably need some of it. I think he has room to grow in that area. The other issue with Rarden, not one but two ACL tears, both in his right knee in December of 2021 and October of 2022. Now, how high will he go? Or how far will he drop depending on how you're looking at this?

Starting point is 00:27:46 There's some early day three talk. And if you're wondering if he's making a move up draft boards, you know, you look at the athletics top 100 consensus. that'll tell you one story, but an assistant coach told Mike Giardy of Boston Sports Journal recently, quote, at worst, Reardon's the third best tight end in the class. If you can't find a way to make this kid part of your offense and get more out of him, you shouldn't be coaching offense, unquote. Now, in the Athletics Top 100 Consensus Big Board, Eli Reardon is not in the top 100,

Starting point is 00:28:25 which means we're looking at a fourth round pick. We're looking at a day three pick. And if you told me you can get Eli Rardon with one of your fourth round picks, I would be all over that. I think he would be a really good fit in the McDaniels offense. He's got good character. He obviously has a lot of competitive spirit coming back from two ACL tears and still putting up good athletic numbers

Starting point is 00:28:52 and still being productive in his final season. that Notre Dame shows you some mental and physical toughness from the young man. If he can put a little bit more weight and strength onto that frame in that body, you could have a steal in the fourth round. I would be incredibly happy if the past walked away with Rairdon in the fourth round of this draft. That wraps up this edition of Lockdown Patriots. Thank you for making us your first listen for being an every day. reach out to me on Twitter at Nixie Radio.

Starting point is 00:29:27 And don't forget to throw a comment in on the YouTube channel, hit that like button and subscribe. And if you never miss an episode, the Everydayer Club is waiting for you. Get Lockdown Patriots ad-free plus a members-only Discord access and more. Head to LockdownPatriots.com or check the link in the show notes to learn more. Have a great day and we will see you next time.

Locked On Patriots - Daily Podcast On The New England Patriots - Report: Some Patriots Staff Feel “Just Fine” at WR? | Risky Swing at #31?

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