Locked On Patriots - Daily Podcast On The New England Patriots - Sara’s Standouts: Patriots 2020 Top Performers and their 2021 Outlook — 1/28/2021

Episode Date: January 28, 2021

The New England Patriots may not have had a standout season in 2020, but they did have several standout performers. Joining host Mike D’Abate is Sara Marshall of Full Press Coverage. The duo discuss... quarterback Cam Newton’s performance in 2020, the ‘best of the best’ of Sara’s 2020 standouts and who among them has the brightest outlook in 2021. Mike also provides his thoughts on why the Pats are unlikely to land quarterback Deshaun Watson via trade.Support Us By Supporting Our Sponsors! Built BarBuilt Bar is a protein bar that tastes like a candy bar. Go to builtbar.com and use promo code “LOCKEDON,” and you’ll get 20% off your next order.BetOnline AGThere is only 1 place that has you covered and 1 place we trust. Betonline.ag! Sign up today for a free account at betonline.ag and use that promocode: LOCKEDON for your 50% welcome bonus. EchelonGo to EchelonFit.com/LockedOn and try any Echelon Fitness equipment at home for 30 days. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

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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. You are now locked in to the Lockdown Patriots podcast. It is Thursday, January 28th, 2021, and today is a day to stand out. You're on your daily home for news notes and analysis infused with the occasional opinion on your six-time Super Bowl champions, the New England Patriots. Greetings and Thursday salutations, Patriots Nation.
Starting point is 00:00:50 As always, thank you for joining me here on this Thursday episode of the pod. 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, you know that your team every day means your questions, comments, and feedback are always welcomed and very much appreciated. Share that feedback anytime by reaching out to me and following me on Twitter at MDABATEFPC. And while you're out there doing some Thursday traveling through the Twitterverse, please be sure to follow the Locked On Patriots account as well at LO underscore Patriots.
Starting point is 00:01:24 Pats fans, before we dive into the news of the day, it's definitely possible that some of you may have seen some of the news circulating throughout social media and around Twitter yesterday regarding the Locked On Podcast Network. For those of you that haven't yet heard, Tegna, one of the nation's leading media conglomerates and TV station groups, has acquired our parent company, the Locked On Podcast Network. That news was shared with all of us yesterday by our president and CEO David Locke, and shortly thereafter, both Tegna and the Lockdown Podcast Network issued press releases confirming
Starting point is 00:01:55 the acquisition. Folks, this is amazingly exciting news for each and every one of the Lockdown Podcasts on this network. Of course, all of you being the loyal and great listeners of Locked On Patriots may not be aware that Locked On currently publishes more than 600 podcast episodes weekly and in whole generates approximately 8 million listens per month. This past year in 2020, Locked On Podcasts were downloaded more than 80 million times. I have the distinct honor to be among approximately 200 hosts on this network,
Starting point is 00:02:25 and every day I take the microphone, it is an honor to work with each and every one of them. We're all excited to begin the next phase as we work with Tegna on new innovations that will not only enhance our value with our loyal listeners, but also help us to reach sports fans across the country. Without question, Tegna is the perfect partner to allow us to collaborate with them, their local stations, and that includes the potential for video simulcasts of shows, further increasing the distribution and engagement of all of your favorite Locked On podcasts, including Locked On Patriots.
Starting point is 00:02:55 As for what this means for you, our great listeners, fear not, because Locked On Patriots will continue to be your daily home for news notes and analysis infused with my occasional opinion on your six-time Super Bowl champions, the New England Patriots, and with a team like Tegna by our side, the best is yet to come. Again, this is an amazing opportunity. I'm extremely excited for what this could do for our network, for this podcast, and especially for all of you out there, the great listeners of all of our podcasts throughout
Starting point is 00:03:22 the network. As for me personally, I am beyond humbled, honored, and very excited to begin this next phase of Locked On's journey. I'd be remiss if I didn't give a well-deserved shout out to our president and CEO, David Locke. His vision, his dedication, and his faith in all of us has brought us to this very moment today. From the moment I started hosting Locked On here in August of 2019, I've been blessed
Starting point is 00:03:44 to work with great colleagues, great staff, and I'm so happy to hear that we're all going to remain on this journey together. Most importantly, I want to thank each and every one of you, the great listeners of Locked On Patriots. If you're a loyal listener to Locked On, every subscription, every download, every listen, every social media interaction is the most important reason why I love this job. None of us could do this without all of you. As a loyal listener, you invest your time and put your faith in me each and every day
Starting point is 00:04:10 to provide you with the New England Patriots coverage that you not only want, but need. My job is to reward that faith and loyalty by bringing you the best possible podcast I can each and every day. That is something that I will continue not only to do, but also to improve upon every time I take the microphone. For those of you that might be relatively new listeners, or might be listening to Locked On Patriots today for the first time, I would love to warmly welcome you to the
Starting point is 00:04:34 pod. As I've said several times here on these airwaves, one of my favorite aspects of being the host of this podcast is getting the chance to interact with all of you great listeners. Never hesitate to drop me a line of feedback, ask me a question, or simply say hi. I appreciate each and every one of you. And if you don't mind me saying so, stay locked in to Locked On Patriots.
Starting point is 00:04:52 The best is yet to come. So that being said, Patriots Nation, it's time to talk business. Let's talk business. New England Patriots business. And today here on the pod, we're going to be talking 2020 standouts. As a matter of fact, we're going to be talking Sarah's standouts. And by Sarah, I mean my guest on the pod today, Sarah Marshall stops by Lockdown Patriots. And Sarah is an esteemed colleague of mine, a brilliant columnist for full press coverage
Starting point is 00:05:18 Patriots, and also a special contributor to the Dear Pats Nation podcast hosted by Ray Ralph and Connor Carney. Sarah recently published her list of 2020 standouts for your New England Patriots, and we'll run down that list. Which of Sarah's standouts are among the best of the best of her list? And last but certainly not least, who is heading into 2021 with the brightest future in Foxborough? Folks, an action-packed agenda on the pod today.
Starting point is 00:05:42 I'm honored to welcome Sarah as my guest, and she will join me here on the Locked On Patriots hot seat in just a moment. But before I welcome Sarah to join me on the airwaves, some big news to share with all of you from the world of the NFL. Just a little before 10 a.m. Eastern, ESPN's Adam Schefter, shortly thereafter confirmed by the NFL Network's Ian Rappaport, that sources had confirmed to both of them that Houston Texans quarterback Deshaun Watson had in fact requested a trade from the Houston Texans. Now, Schefter's sources went on to say that this had actually been done weeks ago and the Texans' new head coaching hire, David
Starting point is 00:06:15 Culley, has not and will not alter Watson's thinking. He hasn't spoken to new Texans general manager, former Patriots director of player personnel Nick Casario, nor executive Jack Easterby, who also spent time in the Pats organization. Watson is apparently moving on, and he wants to see where his NFL future takes him. And folks, it's absolutely clear that Watson will have no shortage of suitors. But I know that it's no secret that a lot of you are clamoring to have Deshaun Watson join the New England Patriots. And if I'm being realistic, folks, there's just not that much of a chance that it's going to happen. Not so much because the Patriots are a bad destination, simply because there are so many other teams that can offer Houston a lot more than what the Patriots can
Starting point is 00:06:59 offer. First and foremost, the Patriots are not the only team with a potential need a quarterback this offseason. The Jacksonville Jaguars, New York Jets, Atlanta Falcons, Detroit Lions, Carolina Panthers, Denver Broncos, San Francisco 49ers, possibly even the Miami Dolphins, all picking ahead of the New England Patriots. Therefore, if the Patriots decided they wanted to offer the number 15 pick as the crown jewel for any type of package involving Deshaun Watson, any one of those teams could immediately offer more. Look, there is no question Deshaun Watson is one of the best quarterbacks in the NFL right now. Nearly every team in the league, with a few exceptions of course, would likely swap their signal callers right now to have Watson be their franchise quarterback. One team will get lucky enough
Starting point is 00:07:43 to do that in 2021. I just think the chances of the Patriots doing it are very, very slim. Don't forget that Nick Casario just got the job as general manager in Houston. It's already been established that several other teams can offer a better package for Deshaun Watson than the New England Patriots. If Nick's first major personnel move, meaning players on the field, would be to trade the franchise quarterback to his former team? Well, let's just say life in Houston for Nick Casario would be pretty much unbearable, and I'll leave it at that. But that reason comes in a very distant second to
Starting point is 00:08:13 the obvious reason which I stated earlier. Teams simply have more assets to offer the Texans, and as a result, you're probably looking at Deshaun Watson wearing another uniform next year that doesn't have the Flying Elvis logo on the side of their helmet. So if it won't be Deshaun Watson calling signals in New England next year, who will it be? Well, my guest today, Sarah Marshall, has made an interesting case for a familiar face. And yeah, that one's for you, Claire. After all, I have to live up to that Admiral of Alliteration title.
Starting point is 00:08:42 But Sarah makes a very good point, and I will ask her about that and so much more when this Thursday episode of the Locked On Patriots podcast with special guest Sarah Marshall continues in just a moment. Patriots fans, you've all heard the phrase, often imitated but never duplicated. I mean, is there a better phrase to describe your favorite football team in Foxborough? Six Super Bowl titles in just under two decades. Yeah, no other NFL team in the modern era can even come close to making that claim. Only the best can
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Starting point is 00:10:11 next order. Don't delay. Do it today. Use promo code LOCKEDON for 20% off at BuiltBar.com. Locked On listeners, it is almost time for the big game and we are ready for some football. Tampa Bay hosting the defending champions, Kansas City. And we all know that the big day is a big way to test your prognostication skills and maybe even monetize it a little bit. If you plan on doing so, there's only one place that has you covered and one place we trust, betonline.ag. Sign up today for a free account at betonline.ag
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Starting point is 00:11:15 Bet online, your online sportsbook experts. Pats fans, we're covering everything you need to know about the New England Patriots, but what about the rest of sports? Now, the Locked On Podcast Network has you covered there as well with Locked On Today, hosted by the great Peter Bukowski. And it's all the sports you need every morning in under 20 minutes. Subscribe to the Locked On Today podcast wherever you get your podcasts. Pats fans, today I have the pleasure of welcoming back one of the true stars on the rise in
Starting point is 00:11:44 Patriots coverage and in sports media. She covers the Pats for full press coverage Patriots and her weekly column on New England standouts is one of the best reads you will find anywhere. You can also hear her alongside Ray Routh and Connor Carney on the Dear Pats Nation podcast. My friend and colleague Sarah Marshall is my guest here today on the pod. Sarah, thank you so much for joining me. is my guest here today on the pod. Sarah, thank you so much for joining me. Welcome back to Locked On Patriots. Thank you for having me back. I'm really excited. I feel like there's so much still to talk about even though the Patriots aren't playing anymore and the season's been done. I just feel like there's always something going on. So well
Starting point is 00:12:21 said. I often say here on the airwaves, there's never a dull moment in Foxborough. Sarah, there's never a dull moment in Foxborough. Even when this team is on the outside looking in when it comes to the playoffs, there's plenty of storylines, a lot of offseason drama yet to unfold. And of course, the NFL draft coming up as well. Patriots fans are going to have their sharp eye on a lot of candidates. And we will continue our draft coverage or begin really our draft coverage in Ernst coming up within the next few days. But Sarah, for the past couple of weeks, I and some of my esteemed guests here on the
Starting point is 00:12:54 pod have tried to take a deep dive into the Patriots' positional groupings, and we've talked about their 2020 output, what it's going to mean for their futures in New England in 2021. And you recently published a season review of your 2020 standouts. And folks, again, one of the most comprehensive articles out there on the subject. I've read it several times. If you haven't had the chance to do so, I strongly recommend that you read Sarah's column. And Sarah, 2020, let's face it, it just wasn't an easy year for the Patriots. Seven and nine finish, no playoffs, not something that we're used to up here in New England,
Starting point is 00:13:31 at least not for the last 20 years. There was problems at the quarterback position, lack of depth at the offensive skill positions, and a defense that was really hurt by opt-outs and free agent departures. You pointed out eloquently in your piece that there was a lot to like about some of the individual performers in 2020 and that there's a good amount to build on as we head to 2021. So, you know what, Sarah, let's start with the obvious. For better or for worse, the quarterback position is going to be the dominant storyline this offseason. I've tried over the last couple of days here on the pod to make the argument that the Patriots making moves to shore up the middle of their defense is just as important, but you
Starting point is 00:14:10 know how that goes. The fan base wants the weapons, and who am I to argue? You included Cam Newton among your standout performers for 2020, which I know could raise a few eyebrows, but I think you made a great argument, especially pointing out that Cam did much more than a serviceable job despite having a lot to deal with in 2020, on field and off field, and even managed to set some records in the process. Sarah, please enlighten us all on why Cam Newton was a standout performer in 2020, and do you believe that he's made the case for a potential return in 2021? Yeah, as you said, I know it was kind of something that I toyed with, whether or not I wanted to include him in my article, because I think people would read his name and would be a little bit surprised that I would include him in like a standout performing type of way.
Starting point is 00:15:01 But I think that people focus a lot on the passing game which is totally understandable it was a big school this year but I think that there's a lot more that went into the season's struggles than just the quarterback or just the passing game I just wanted to make sure that people knew and were aware of all that camp did bring to the team, despite the struggles that were so obvious. He was a mobile quarterback. He's not the mobile quarterback that he once was, but with the Patriots becoming more of a run-heavy team, he definitely led the way in that.
Starting point is 00:15:42 Let's see right here. It says 137 carries for 592 yards and 12 touchdowns for the year. So he scored a lot. He kept drives alive by running for first downs and whatnot. So I think that people need to keep in mind that a lot of the offense did come, like the success of the offense came from Cam newton despite like i said all of the struggles on in the passing game which as you said as well um lack of depth on the receivers and all of that definitely contributed to all of the issues so with all of his contributions on the
Starting point is 00:16:20 ground plus all the records he broke i mean i feel like it would be a disservice to not acknowledge that and I think you make a good argument again um Cam had an awful lot to deal with this year he not only is coming in playing in the shadow of Tom Brady who is about to start his 10th Super Bowl which is mind-blowing I keep saying that all week long but I can't say it enough it's mind-blowing that Tom is playing in his 10th Super Bowl. 18% of the Super Bowls that have been played have included Tom Brady. It's just unbelievable. But again, folks, Locked On Patriots, we're going to bring it back to the Patriots-centric storylines.
Starting point is 00:16:57 And Cam did have a lot to deal with. That in and of itself is a very difficult thing to do for any quarterback. He had the COVID-19 diagnosis, and that did set him back a little bit. He did have to miss time for that. There was a period where he was having to go through testing and get back on the practice field. There were no OTAs. There were no training camps.
Starting point is 00:17:19 There was no preseason games. And because of that, quarterback play is going to suffer no matter who is taking snaps under center, with Cam having to learn a completely new offense and get used to new teammates, a new coaching staff. That's not an easy thing for anybody to go through. So it's easy to sit back and criticize Cam for everything that's happened. But I love the argument that you've made here. And I think you've made a believer out of me that he does belong in this list of standout performers. Maybe not necessarily at the top of it, but to not acknowledge what he did in terms of setting records and in terms of carrying this team at times when they needed to be carried. I think there is an argument to be made that he was a standout performer.
Starting point is 00:18:01 Sarah, staying on the quarterback position for just a moment, I opened the show today by addressing reports from earlier today, both by Adam Schefter and Ian Rappaport, that Houston Texans quarterback Deshaun Watson officially requesting a trade from the Houston Texans. And Patriots Nation has been abuzz with hopes that Watson somehow is going to end up in New England. I kind of rained on everyone's parade earlier when I said that. I thought it was highly unlikely that Watson would be a Patriot in 2021. But you have a way of looking at the positives. So maybe you can cast a little bit of sunshine on the day today for Patriots Nation. I went through the logistics, and the logistics do make it difficult.
Starting point is 00:18:44 But Deshaun does have a full no trade clause in his contract and no matter what team trades for him it will be because Watson approved it Sarah I'm not going to put you on the spot in terms of likelihood that Watson ends up in New England but do you think there's a chance he may end up here and if so is there anybody on your standouts list that may tip the scales in the Patriots favor and Deshaun may look at it and say you know what that's a promising young player or that's a savvy veteran I would like to sign up to play alongside them well unfortunately I'm not going to be bringing any sunshine to anyone's parade. I'm going to rain on it too. I just, I don't see it happening.
Starting point is 00:19:28 The Patriots certainly have the cap space to bring in a quarterback with, you know, his contract. But this season and this offseason is going to be huge for them, bringing in some sort of depth on the offense. We have quite a few players going to free agency, and I just see what they currently have signed, that they would be able to trade away that the Texans would find as a reasonable pay for Deshaun Watson.
Starting point is 00:20:02 So as great as it probably would be, I just don't know that the Patriots would be the place that he would say, yeah, you know what, that's where I want to go. I mean, of course they have Bill Belichick, the goat of coaches, which would be something that maybe some people would consider, but after the season of, of all the seasons of all the struggles of 2020, I don't see, you know, that there's basically they don't really have any receivers. The defense is kind of in arms because of the opt-outs and then all guys going to free agency. I just I don't know that Deshaun would look at the team right now and say, yeah, that's where I want to go. Absolutely. And I'm so glad that you chose the honest, direct approach. Again, I always admire your positivity, and that's something that I hope is a big factor is despite the cap space it's
Starting point is 00:21:05 still about Deshaun and really Houston finding a trade partner that can offer them a package that's to their liking the Patriots right now their biggest bargaining chip is the 15th pick in the NFL draft there are several teams that are linked to Deshaun Watson right now that can offer more than that maybe manipulation of the cap space could end up working in their favor. They have the draft capital to be able to do it. I just think it's highly unlikely. And in that regard, you also mentioned something that is very key in that the Patriots have a number of different holes that they need to fill on this roster. They're not simply one quarterback away from being a contending team in this league. They need to
Starting point is 00:21:45 fill gaps at wide receiver, at tight end, maybe even shore up a little on the offensive line. They've got a couple of major free agents there. I think there's a lot that needs to be done on the defense for this team as well. So they know that there are a lot of areas that need to be addressed. The Patriots always take a big picture approach, and I agree. I don't think it opens the door for Deshaun Watson to head to New England. So sorry, folks. If we're wrong, Sarah and I will join you here on these airwaves, and we'll eat our humble pie a la mode.
Starting point is 00:22:15 But right now, I just don't see it. And I'm glad to know that I'm a little like-minded when it comes to that. Sarah, it's always fun talking football with you. And folks, we are only scratching the surface when it comes to our discussion today. When we return, Sarah Marshall and I will continue to delve into her list of standouts. Who would get her award of team MVP? Would she crown more than one MVP?
Starting point is 00:22:39 And of course, which of her 2020 standouts are poised to have an even better year in 2021? Find out when the Locked On Patriots podcast continues. Locked On listeners, when it comes to repairing or maintaining your vehicle, why would you spend 30%, 50%, even 100% more for the exact same auto parts at a chain store or a new car dealership? It's still possible to take pride in your ride and even save a little in the process. Visit my good friends at rockauto.com. Rockauto.com is a family business serving auto parts customers online for 20 years. Go to rockauto.com to shop for auto and body parts from hundreds of manufacturers. They have everything from engine control modules and brake
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Starting point is 00:24:24 Get the expert analysis from Ryan and Chris every Thursday. Subscribe to Locked On NFL wherever you get your podcasts. Patriots fan Sarah Marshall is my guest today on Locked On Patriots. And Sarah, we've discussed your most recent column for full press coverage, Patriots, which is a great comprehensive list of the 2020 standouts. We spent a great deal of time on the quarterback position.
Starting point is 00:24:48 We kind of danced around the offense a little bit, but now I'm going to ask you to take a big-picture approach. Your column highlighted several players that had great seasons in New England, and I love that you had a great blend of offense, defense, special teams. I think you really hit on so many different levels, and that's why it's been one of my favorite reads of the past couple of weeks. But there were always a few standouts. There were always a few best-of-the-best type players,
Starting point is 00:25:15 and I guess you could call it team MVPs if you wanted to label them. As you compiled this piece, who stood out to you as the top of the foxborough heap and do any of these players deserve your designation as the 2020 mvp of the new england patriots so what i actually ended up doing was i picked one player from each part of the team so i have one on offense one on defense and one on special teams because i think it's important to highlight all higher teams, especially in a season where a lot of people want to forget the actual success that a lot of players had because it was a losing season. I think my top one, if I probably had to choose an MVP, I think I might go with Michael Awenu because this was such a run heavy team this year and his blocking allowing you know Harris Rex Burkhead
Starting point is 00:26:10 and Sonny Michelle to have such great seasons in the run game I think was super important and even Cam running previously he had over 500 yards and uh rushes himself so not only that one he's a rookie too so the fact that he was one of the top graded tackle the league as he is huge and that's really exciting because of course he was a rookie so plenty of years ahead of him and all of the injuries that the offensive this season and he had to play multiple positions, sometimes within a game. So that versatility and the adaptability that he has, I think, is really important. And then, of course, we have Joe Andrews and Jermaine Illuminor. They're going to free agency so the fact that they have
Starting point is 00:27:07 a star in on Wenu I think is super important because the futures of some of these big guys on the offensive line are up in the air right now so I think he would probably get my MVP we don't know what the team is going to do at quarterback and how you know if they're going to be more of a passing heavy team again or if we're going to keep it on the ground so I think his contributions in 2020 is huge then I would say on defense people might not love it but JC Jackson I would say had a good season he had some missteps having to fill in for Gilmore, but with all of these rumors of the Patriots wanting to trade Gilmore and tied with Ty Law in 1988, which of course, everyone knows Ty Law. So that's a pretty incredible standard to be held to. I think that his signing is just super important after the, after this season, if they're not going to keep
Starting point is 00:28:19 Gilmore, then that leaves the, the, you know, the secondary pretty empty as far as cornerbacks. So fingers crossed that he comes back. And then, of course, special teams. I have Gunnar Oshetsky on there. He's not a favorite, I would say, in the past. People weren't super thrilled about him being a receiver. But he made a Pro Bowl this year. He made the AP All-Pro team. He led the league in punt return yards and average punt return yards. He got a touchdown, and we can't forget about the
Starting point is 00:28:53 touchdown that was taken back by the penalty. So I think it's exciting that they finally have somebody that can return punts and even kicks because, you know, they've been trying to get Edelman out of the end zone. We lost Danny Amendola, who had did it for a long time. So I think the fact that, you know, my top three, I would say, this season are all young guys that have plenty of time to develop and to be on. That should be super exciting to Patriots fans. Absolutely. And you know what? Very solid choices. I mean, anytime you mentioned Gunnar Ryszewski, you know I'm going to smile from ear to ear. You know I love him, and I've been on this kid's train since the beginning. But no, all kidding aside, I really think that Gunnar has emerged as one of the best weapons in the punt return game in the NFL, and his selection as an
Starting point is 00:29:37 All-Pro this year is a validation of that. I love that you gave credit to Michael Wainu, because I think that what he did this year is so remarkable considering the fact that he's a rookie, considering the fact that he was a mid-round pick. He's not someone that had a high draft pedigree put on him. And he's also someone that was forced to play out of position several times this year, really as a testament to how quickly he was able to pick up the Patriots scheme. I want to give Carmen Brasillo and Cole Popovich a lot of credit for coaching this kid well. I thought it was going to be a much more difficult and a much longer climb to his potential without Dante Skarnecchia
Starting point is 00:30:17 there, but these guys did a great job of coaching him up. And I'm not saying that Alainu has peaked. He's still got a lot to learn. He's still going to continue to learn. He's only entering his second year in 2021, but what a season for this kid. And of course, JC Jackson, I talked about him a lot yesterday here on the pod in my breakdown of the Patriots secondary,
Starting point is 00:30:36 really emerging as one of the best ball hawking cover corners in the league. Still, I think a little cut below being where he needs to be to be that reliable solid number one corner one more year of seasoning and i think he's well on his way and this kid's got star written all over him so solid choices i can't argue with any of them you make great cases and i agree so that always makes for good radio and podcasting um lastly sarah they say you can't
Starting point is 00:31:03 move forward without looking back and having a clear picture when you look back and we've done that 2020 is about to be left in the lurch now as we move forward to 2021 I know that you provided your MVPs for 2020 but that was then this is now and a good season by a player is not necessarily a foregone conclusion from one season to the next. In your analysis, putting together this column, Sarah, of your list of 2020 standouts, who do you believe has the brightest future in 2021? I feel like that's so hard to choose just one. I feel like because of the emergence of the run game this season I'm gonna have to say it's gonna be the running backs Damian Harris and Sonny Michel uh Damian Harris really blew up this season
Starting point is 00:31:53 of course his reason he missed pretty much the entire season due to injury but him becoming basically running back with Sonny going um IR at the beginning of the year. He just contributed so much and he gave that fire that the offense really needed. And, you know, with them, like I said, a million and one times, they were such a run first team this year. So his role became even that much more important. And of course, with the quarterback position up in there, we don't know where they're going and what the offense is going to look like in 2021.
Starting point is 00:32:29 But I really do like the pairing of Damian Harris and Sonny Michel. Of course, we don't know about Rex Burkhead. He's dealing with injury. Who knows if he'll be back for 2021 in general, just from injury, but also on the Patriots. James White is also going to free agency so um it the main focus will be of course on Harris and Michelle but I think that their pairing is going to be so exciting to watch we saw kind of a new like Sonny Michelle when he
Starting point is 00:33:00 took over for Damian Harris when injured kind of like the rookie season of Sonny Michel came back. I don't know if it was the competition of kind of losing that starting, running back job to Harris while he was injured. But I think that that fire that he brought back, very reminiscent of his very successful rookie season. I think that the other and fingers crossed, this is just my hope, but I really would love to see Birkhead back next year. I think that that's one of the most exciting parts to watch for next season, honestly, because it doesn't matter who the quarterback is. If the
Starting point is 00:33:37 run game is solid, then it's going to be really good. Absolutely. And I think the run game is going to be a very focal point for the Patriots offense moving forward. I do think they spend some resources trying to upgrade at the offensive skill position players. And I'm glad you mentioned Rex because he is a player that I would love to continue to cover here in New England. I really enjoyed watching him on the field. He's a great guy to cover off the field. And I still think he's got a lot left in the tank. He's had some tough injury situations, but Rex could be a guy that the Patriots may look at and say, you know what?
Starting point is 00:34:09 The value he brings to the table may be worth it to invest whatever we need to to try to bring him back. And who knows? Maybe the injury maybe works to the advantage of both sides to get a deal done, bring him back here, and continue to prove what he can do on the field. Sarah, what can I say? I really thank you for taking time out, joining me here today on Locked On Patriots.
Starting point is 00:34:30 Folks, you should be following her already on social media. If you're not, I strongly encourage you to do so. Sarah, please let our listeners know where they can find you on social media, where they can follow you, and where they can always find your great work and what you have coming up on the horizon all right well so on twitter you can follow me at at smarsh xo i try to interact with a lot of people so if you follow me it's not just tweets i try to answer your tweets
Starting point is 00:34:57 too and then of course recently i joined my friends ray and con on the Dear Pats Nation podcast. We also live stream Sunday through Thursday at 9 p.m. Eastern every night. So I'm there Tuesdays through Thursdays. So join us on YouTube at Dear Pats Nation. And then you can listen to us on basically anywhere that you can listen to podcasts, Spotify, Apple, Anchor, all of that. So, and, and with the live stream, we like to interact with you guys too. So if you have questions, anything Boston sports related,
Starting point is 00:35:30 just come in, check us, and we'll hopefully answer your question. Absolutely, folks. I can't recommend the follow highly enough. At SMarshXO on Twitter. Definitely check out the Dear Pats Nation pod with Ray, Connor, and Sarah. They do a phenomenal job. Like I said, it's becoming one of my favorite listens. I know if you try it, it'll definitely be one of yours as well. And of course, you can always proudly find Sarah's great work at
Starting point is 00:35:55 FullPressCoveragePatriots.com. So Sarah, this was always a blast. I look forward to having you back here on the pod. And in the meantime, stay safe, stay well, continue to follow your great coverage with the Pats. And again, as we move forward to 2021, I'm sure we'll have lots to talk about in the future. Have a great week. Thank you. I can always talk to Patriots. So anytime I can be back on the show, I'm excited.
Starting point is 00:36:20 Absolutely. And we'd love to have you. Have a good weekend. You too Just like that, Patriots Nation We've almost reached the end of your work week But here on Locked on Patriots We are intent on closing the week in style
Starting point is 00:36:35 And that's exactly what we're going to do here tomorrow The Senior Bowl has been happening Down in Mobile, Alabama this week And here to provide his news notes analysis And expert insight is my good friend, Patriots beat writer for CLNS Media, Evan Lazar. And you know from following Evan on social media that he is among the best in the business at this type of analysis. Which prospects have caught his sharp eye? Which would look best in a Patriots uniform? And we'll also get Evan's insight
Starting point is 00:37:03 on the latest news and notes from Foxborough. So to ensure that you do not miss a single second of the action, subscribe to and download the Locked On Patriots podcast on platforms such as Spotify, radio.com, Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts,
Starting point is 00:37:18 wherever you get your podcasts. Just make sure that you're staying locked into Locked On Patriots. Once again, I'm Mike DeBate. I thank Sarah Marshall for her time, her insight, and her appearance on today's pod. But most of all, I thank you so much for listening and for making Locked On Patriots a daily part of your New England Patriots coverage. Until tomorrow, Foxborough faithful, stay safe, stay well, always be the change you wish to see in the world. Have a great day, everyone.

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