Locked On Patriots - Daily Podcast On The New England Patriots - SPECIAL EDITION: Locked On Patriots Weekend Mailbag - Week One, Pats Training Camp — 8/1/2021

Episode Date: August 1, 2021

The New England Patriots have concluded theirs first week of 2021 training camp. Host Mike D’Abate dives into the Locked On Patriots Mailbag to answer your questions on the Pats progress, thus far. Among the topics discussed are: the emergence of an alpha wide receiver, a surprise veteran cut, the whereabouts of tight end Hunter Henry, and the rookie most likely to impress in 2021.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 “LOCKED15,” and you’ll get 15% 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.Rock AutoAmazing selection. Reliably low prices. All the parts your car will ever need. Visit RockAuto.com and tell them Locked On sent you. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

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 into the Lockdown Patriots podcast. It is Sunday. That's right, folks. Sunday. Special edition today of the Lockdown Patriots podcast. August 1st, 2021.

And we are four days in to New England Patriots training camp. Here 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. And after listening to today's special edition of the Locked On Patriots podcast, check out my colleagues, NFL analyst Brian Peacock and former NFL scout Matt Williamson, as they host Locked On's Peacock and Williamson every Monday through Friday.

Brian and Matt give you the national perspective all around the NFL, covering all the latest news and insight on every game, every team, and every move around the NFL. Get your picks, previews, and much more every weekday with the Peacock and Williamson podcast, part of the Locked On podcast network. Subscribe wherever you get your podcasts. Greetings and salutations, part of the Locked On Podcast Network. Subscribe wherever you get your podcasts. Greetings and salutations, Patriots Nation, and I hope you are all having a great weekend. It is Sunday, August 1st, a new month, and the New England Patriots are four days into

training camp in Foxborough. My name is Mike DeBate, and I cover your New England Patriots for Patriot Maven of Sports Illustrated. I am also 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, and feedback are always welcomed and very much encouraged. So share that feedback, send it to the internet by reaching out to me and following me on

Twitter at M-BATENFL. And while you're out there doing some weekend wandering through that Twitterverse, please be sure to follow the Lockdown Patriots account as well at LO underscore Patriots. Pats fans, training camp is already off to a great start. A lot of interesting storylines and things will only continue to get better from here. And for the past four days, I've had the pleasure of covering training camp at Gillette Stadium in Foxborough. Up close and personal, watching each and every practice and getting a chance to see some of your favorite New England Patriots in action. And while Cam Newton and Mac Jones have

had their ups and downs, they've each had their crowd-pleasing moments. As for those the quarterbacks are throwing the ball to, Nelson Aguilar has really stood out above the rest. Aguilar really giving the Patriots that dimension of having a receiver that can create separation and make catches in the open field. The vertical routes that the Patriots haven't been able to run in the last couple of years look to be something they can take advantage of, and Aguilar is a big part of that. Kendrick Bourne has also endeared himself to New England Patriots faithful. He's been very reliable, creating a lot of catches, not necessarily anything highlight worthy or dynamic,

but Kendrick will be a bulk receiver for this team, and he's definitely a welcome addition. The two tight end sets that we've been waiting to see, as advertised. Jonu Smith has been an absolute beast, carrying the ball out of the backfield and making catches in the red zone. Hunter Henry also showing his ability to run routes, make catches in the open field, and throw a block or two. And as if we can't forget the running back core, New England seems to be set at that position as well.

Damian Harris has looked every bit the feature back. Sonny Michel having a solid camp so far, getting a lot of contributions from J.J. Taylor. Murph's main man, Brandon Bolden. And of course, rookie Ramondre Stevenson, who was recently taken off the NFL's NFI list, meaning that Ramondre is now able to practice. And he looks to be someone that the Patriots could rely upon, especially with reliable hands out of the backfield. The only question is,

will the Patriots play him? You know as well as I do that the Pats love to redshirt their rookie running backs. They've done it in the past, whether it be James White, whether it be Damian Harris himself. Ramondre looks like he might be brought along slowly, but he's got the skill set to succeed. Keep a sharp eye on this one, folks. That could be an interesting camp battle. One of the other things I've really enjoyed watching is the defense and their progression. The New England Patriots last season, as we've said several times on these airwaves, difficulty stopping the run and setting the edge. Two things that I don't think they'll struggle with in 2021.

One of the big reasons why is because the New England Patriots beefed up the middle part of that defensive line. Devon Godchow has been excellent. He's batting down passes at the line of scrimmage, filling the middle, and utilizing that side movement in order to be able to get into position to stop the run. That has facilitated guys like Matt Judon, Dante Hightower, even newly acquired Henry Anderson to get in the face and get after the quarterback. Having observed this unit up close and personal, albeit for one week,

looks like this will be a definite upgrade from the unit we saw last year. So all in all, a solid first week of work for the New England Patriots. Before it sounds like I'm getting too excited and you book your Super Bowl plans, there's still a long way to go for this Patriots team. The quarterbacks, Mac Jones and Cam Newton, both still have a ways to go. There's still a lot of defensive and offensive improvements that need to be made. And let's be clear, folks, the Patriots have yet to put the pads on. That's going to be telltale.

And that's when we'll really start to know exactly what we're dealing with when it comes to this 2021 roster. So those are my minor observations thus far. But because all of you out there have done such a phenomenal job in submitting questions that you'd like me to answer right here on Locked On Patriots, today is a special weekend edition for me to do just that. And in just a moment, we turn the spotlight on you, the great listeners of Locked On Patriots, as I will accept your mailbag questions when this weekend episode of the Locked On Patriots

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the foxborough fields of course the new england patriots taking part in that time-honored tradition of the wet ball drill with the rookies and for those of you that are not sure what that means, one of the members of the Patriots groundskeeping crew soaks down the fields at Gillette Stadium in anticipation of all the Pats rookies and the first-year coaches trying to snag loose balls in the wet grass. Of course, they do so while one New England Patriots team captain, and yesterday it happened to be Matthew Slater sprays them down with a hose it's kind of like a rite of passage almost an initiation think like a fraternity initiation and really the Patriots players and the fans absolutely love it

but there was plenty of action on the field as well Cam Newton Mac Jones struggled a little more yesterday than they did on Friday however However, still had some decent moments. But my biggest takeaway from the field on Saturday is that the Patriots still have a long way to go in terms of formulating this roster for 2021. And one of the things that I consistently get questions on is who's standing out above the rest. And with that, we delve into the Locked On Patriots weekend mailbag. And the first question that we had today is from our good friend and faithful listener,

Joel from Hull at Joel Shapiro 20. And Joel wants to know which wide receiver is positioning himself as the number one receiver on this team. Joel, that is an excellent question. And we all know that the Patriots wide receiver core has been a little bit more of a liability than a strength, at least in the minds of a lot of Patriots wide receiver core has been a little bit more of a liability than a strength, at least in the minds of a lot of Patriots fans. But I'm here to tell you that this group has a much better chance to be more prolific on the field than they did in 2020. Of course, some will

make the argument that they don't have all that far to go in that department, but hear me out on this. Heading into the 2021 season, I think this positional grouping has improved a significant amount and one of the big reasons why is because of the play of Nelson Aguilar and Joel when the Pats signed Nelson Aguilar in the offseason a lot of fans a lot of media were hoping that the team had finally found that wide receiver that could create consistent separation thus far in training camp Aguilar's done that primarily played out of the slot during his time in Philadelphia, and he's actually seen a couple of snaps in that regard in training camp, but primarily thus far, he's been used on those vertical outside routes,

and that's really where he kind of made his bones with the Raiders last year. See? Chalk that one up for Godfather reference number one, my friend. It really is likely that that's where the Patriots are going to employ Nelson in the same fashion. They're going to take advantage of his speed and ability to separate over the top. On Friday, Aguilar had his best day of camp, but really throughout the four days, he's been the most consistent receiver. On Friday, snagging three touchdowns, really an impressive connection budding between he and Cam Newton. Cam hit him on a pretty deep pass, and that to me says that these two can be a vertical threat, something the Patriots did not have in the offense last year. He did drop an over-the-shoulder catch from Mack Jones on Friday.

That would have been a highlight reel touchdown, but don't really panic on the drop. That was really more of a difficult catch to make, and I think Mack could have stepped into his throw just a little bit better, but technically it was a drop. So Aguilar is still going to consistently work on that, but in terms of who's separating themselves from the rest, I would definitely say that Nelson Aguilar has a leg up on the competition, but that's not to say that the other receivers aren't doing their job. Kendrick Bourne, Jacoby Myers, they continue to compile the largest amount of catches. Each of those guys is going to be a bulk receiver this year. Look for Jacoby Myers to get the majority of the looks, but Kendrick Bourne really has

the makings of a guy that can catch in the slot, line up on the outside, and consistently get you yards. So Joel, thanks for the great question on that, and I think we're definitely looking at an improved wide receiver core. If you notice, I didn't mention one particular wide receiver, one that I kind of have a kinship with. And there's a reason for it, because our next question involves that very wide receiver. Who made that man a Gunnar Oshelski?

And this question comes from Liam Burgess, at BurgessLiam2 on Twitter. And Liam wants to know, what are your thoughts on Gunner developing into a stronger wide receiver? Liam thinks that his roster spot is easily safe with his skills, especially as a punt returner. If he could develop into more of a kick returner, he would be golden. Well, Liam, I think you're onto something there. The New England Patriots definitely know that they have one of the best punt returners in the league. After all, Gunner is coming off of a first-team All-Pro selection in 2020. But the Patriots are going to be a little more apt to use him in the wide receiver sets this year, especially with the retirement of Julian Edelman. While I think Kendrick Bourne is going to see the majority

of the snaps in the slot, I think Gunner could end up seeing some action there as well. He's got the quickness, he's got the toughness, and he does have a little of Julian in him. And even though the team isn't doing any hitting yet, there are still circumstances where you know that Gunner would take a pretty strong hit either over the middle or trying to go up and make a contested catch. He gets up, goes right back to the line, and definitely is showing a penchant to learn from his mistakes, correct them on the field, and go at it harder the second time. So I think he will be more of an option.

Probably right now you're looking at maybe the fourth option at best when it comes to Gunner, but his speed and his ability to get open in the slot will definitely give him many more looks than he got last year. As for his option as a kick returner, I still think guys like Brandon Bolden, J.J. Taylor are going to get the primary looks, maybe a Kyle Duggar in that department, but Gunner has definitely proven that he can return punts as well as anyone. If the Patriots find themselves in a hole and they find themselves being able to save a roster spot while Gunner could do both, it wouldn't shock me to see him

line up in that area. Still a lot of special teams work to be done, but that's something I'll keep my sharp eye on. So Liam, excellent question, and thank you for asking a question on Gunner. You know I look for any excuse to mention that meme. Our next question doesn't really involve a full-time pass catcher, but a potential pass catcher out of the backfield. One that might be finding his way out of Foxborough, if you believe some of those rumors out there. Greg in Melbourne, at AdriaDiaBroad9 on Twitter, asks, My thoughts on Sonny Michel being a potential trade piece in return for a piece to help in the wide receiver or cornerback group. He's looking at the Rams or the Cards as a potential partner. And Greg, this is an excellent question, and I know it's probably precipitated from the

Cam Akers injury in Los Angeles. Could the Rams be a potential option in terms of trading for someone like Sony? They know what he can do on the field. After all, we're only a couple of years removed from Sony's impressive showing in Super Bowl 53, a game in which the Patriots won. And from what I've seen from Sony so far out there on the fields in training camp, he's still got a lot more left in the tank. Look, bottom line, Greg, when it comes to positional depth on an NFL roster, health is always the great equalizer. And I wrote about this a couple of weeks ago for Patriot Maven of Sports Illustrated.

As deep as a unit might be on paper, an injury can change the complexity of an entire roster. What was considered a position of strength can quickly become a liability when a key player becomes sidelined. That could be the case with the New England Patriots running back core. We've seen it happen across the league. We've seen it happen in previous years. For that reason, I think the Patriots might be better off holding onto Sony than dangling him as a potential trade piece in trying to get something back for him. One, I don't think they'll get equal value in return. Even when Sony has shown those flashes of being that first round pick that the Patriots used on him a few years ago, he hasn't consistently been

able to put it together. So his trade value across the league might not be as high as we think it might be here in New England. But even if a team is motivated to try to do business with the Patriots, meaning offer something for Sony to try to get something in return for them, the Pats might just be one injury away from a running back core that could be among the strongest, if not the strongest, in the AFC to probably one in the middle of the pack. Damian Harris is definitely going to be your feature back, and I don't think anyone is questioning that. He's got the ability to run for power. He can run for finesse. He can even drop back and receive out of the backfield if he needs to. Patriots haven't employed him doing that as

much, but he's got the capabilities. Behind him, you've got guys like J.J. Taylor, Brandon Bolden, James White, the rookie, Ramondre Stevenson, who I mentioned in today's opening. All of these guys can contribute, but no one with the versatility that Sony has. Sony has the ability to run for power, folks. For everyone that likes to say he's made of glass, or he doesn't have the ability to put his head down and get yardage, he can do it. He's proven he can do it. He just has to do it on a consistent basis.

And this year, I think Sony is motivated. The fact that the Patriots did not pick up his fifth-year option tells me that Sonny Michelle knows full well that he's kind of singing for his supper this year in 2021, whether it be here in New England or at another team next year. He has to prove that he can carry the load, and the only way to do that is to do it consistently on the field. A motivated Sonny Michelle to do as much as he can might be more valuable to the Patriots than trying to get

either a draft pick or a middle-of-the-road veteran that might not be able to contribute as much as Sony can to this 2021 roster. So unless the offer is either equal value or above what the Patriots feel Sony is worth, I think they hold on to him. However, Greg, I do agree with you that if Sony is to be traded, the Rams and the Cardinals are definitely two intriguing options. Each team seems to have a clear need at the position. Believe it or not, I think the Cardinals might be a better fit than the Rams, considering that the Rams don't have much draft capital to trade, but they could shed some salary to take Sony on. If the Patriots were indeed to move him, Sony is set to count a little over $3 million

against the Patriots' salary cap in 2021. $1.83 million of that is guaranteed money. Now, the Patriots could unload $1.79 million of his salary off their books via trade. They would unload $1.23 million by releasing him outright. So, a little more of an incentive to trade than to release him, but not so much that the Patriots wouldn't consider both options. Bottom line, the Patriots would have to weigh the options. If they get an offer for an established player or a draft pick that they believe sets them up for a better future than holding onto Sonny Michel for this year, then I think they

make the deal. I think they would make the deal for any player. On the other side, if they believe that having Sony on the roster this year, motivated, healthy, and ready to contribute, they may look at it as a situation where having that number two option behind Damian Harris gives them the chance to have one of the best running back cores in the AFC for the 2021 season. So, Greg, excellent question. I think they'll definitely keep all options on the table.

They'll consider moving Sony, but my gut reaction tells me that he'll begin and end the season right here in Foxborough. Great questions to open up this weekend's mailbag, but folks, we're not done yet. We've got questions on the tight end set, and surprisingly, it's not from who you think it is. We've also got questions on who might be a surprise cut and an undrafted rookie free agent kicker that might make waves in Foxborough this season. All this and more when this weekend mailbag episode of the Locked On Patriots podcast continues.

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Pats fans, welcome back to the third and final segment of the mailbag episode of the Locked On Patriots podcast being brought to you here on the weekend. And what better way to kick off this segment than with a little green wisdom and counsel. That's right, folks. Not only is he one of Locked on Patriots' most valued friends, he is also submitting questions for us here to answer on Sunday. Who better than Team IRF207, our main green man himself, the counter-Murphy Fisto, Thomas Murphy, submits the following question. Thanks, Murph, really appreciate this one. Murph wants to know what rookie will make the biggest impact in 2021. And Murph, and everyone

out there listening, the Patriots may not have a ton of rookies on staff this year, but the ones they do have are quality, and I look for a lot of rookies on staff this year, but the ones they do have are quality, and I look for a lot of rookies to make an impact. But if you're asking me which one I think is going to make the biggest impact, I think it's going to be rookie defensive tackle Christian Barmore. The arrow definitely moving in the right direction for Barmore, who rotated in with some of the key figures on the defensive line throughout this week. Barmore's biggest impact, at least to start, is going to be on passing downs.

But eventually, the Pats are going to start grooming him into that 3-4 defensive end in New England's base defense. A lot of what we're seeing on the field seems to be trending in that direction. He's got the strength and size to hold up in the run game as a 3-4 defensive end, but he's got to develop greater technique. He wasn't all that strong in that area in college, and I look for that to continue through training camp and even have some of that learning continue into the regular season. If he can fine-tune his game in that area, Barmore is going to develop into an every-down

player for the Pats, and it could happen sooner rather than later. Right now, he's going to be behind guys like Dietrich Wise, Henry Anderson, but ultimately, folks, take a look and keep a sharp eye on Christian Barmore. He may end up seeing a lion's share of playing time come the end of the season. I'm really high on this kid, and I think he'll have the biggest impact of all the rookies this year, including rookie quarterback Mac Jones. So, Don Murph, there's part one of the answer to your question, because, of course, Murph submits his questions in two parts. Just the way he does things, gotta love him for it. And he wants to

know what veteran will be a surprise cut for the New England Patriots. Folks, Steve Balistrieri and I addressed this a couple of weeks ago, and I hate to reiterate, but I do believe that Brandon King will end up being a surprise cut for this roster. Brandon has been a solid linebacker and a special teams ace in New England really since he came through the door. The Auburn product just does everything you ask him to do, and he does it well. The only problem with King is that he hasn't done much of it lately, essentially because he's been on the shelf for the last two years. Brandon King saw the playing field for the first time at the end of this week after being taken off of the physically unable to perform list. It was the first time Brandon saw a practice field or a game field since Super Bowl 53. He spent the last two

years on injured reserve to give you an example as to the type of injury problems that he's had. The Patriots have a lot of special teams prowess in their arsenal now. Guys like Adrian Phillips, Justin Bethel, of course, the captain himself, Matthew Slater. There's a lot of special teams prowess on this team, and it's going to be difficult for Brandon King to crack the roster just based on that. There's also a log jam at the linebacker position. So even though the Patriots have valued King's contributions in the past, I think it's going to be tough for him to crack this 53-man this year. The fact that they brought him off of the physically unable to perform list tells me that he's ready to go and that Bill Belichick might be giving him as much time on the field as possible to prove that he's healthy and potentially hook on with another team. I, for one, love Brandon King. I'd love to see him brought back, but I just think the numbers game pushes him out this year. So, once again, Don Murph, I hope I have answered these questions to your specifications and

expectations. I wish to congratulate you on your new business. I know you do very well. Just best at your interest. Don't conflict with mine. And get the voice ready, my man, because you'll be gracing these airwaves on Locked On Patriots tomorrow. Oh, and by the way, Murph did have an addendum to his questions. He wanted to know who is the most listened to, downloaded guest in Locked On history. You know the answer

to that question, folks. We all know the answer to that question. Let's not give him too much of a big head here, but let's just say he is the green man. Transitioning into our next question here on Locked On Patriots comes from a good friend of the program, my main man, LJ, at show underscore one on Twitter. And LJ wants to know about a player that I've talked about several times here on these airwaves, tight end Hunter Henry. He wants to know, where is Hunter Henry? Whenever I hear about the tight end position, it's always Smith and not Henry. He wants to know, where is Hunter Henry? Whenever I hear about the tight end position, it's always Smith and not Henry. Well, LJ, I'm here to tell you that Hunter Henry has been every bit a contributor in every day of training camp thus far.

It's true that Jonu Smith has had more of those wow moments, grabbing some touchdowns, carrying the ball out of the backfield, out of jet sweeps. He's looked good and he's become a fan favorite very quickly here in Foxborough and well-deserved. But Hunter is doing a lot of the little things it takes to make sure that the offensive line is in the right position, and also to make sure that the tight end position is contributing in blocking and in route running. Hunter has been a beast in those departments, and he continues to make his presence felt. Jonu really separates himself from the two because he's a mismatch for the defense. He's simply one of those big red zone threats that can get open, muscle the ball, and also

carry the ball out of the backfield. But Hunter Henry, but Hunter has also showed that he's capable of working in the red zone as well. On a couple of different occasions, he's out-muscled some of the defenders for scores, and he's been someone that can run the route and really get open and make the catch in the open field. Bottom line, this is going to be a fun tight end tandem to watch this year. Jono earlier this week called it the Boston Tea Party,

TE being tight end, and I really think that's going to be a lot of fun. Josh McDaniels seems to be really pleased with the work he's seeing out of both tight ends. With the great running game the Patriots are expected to have, plus a stout offensive line, the play-action schemes that this team can dial up is going to be great. So Jonu Smith is definitely getting a lot of the press, but don't let that fool you.

Hunter Henry has been every bit as advertised, and he's continuing to contribute in ways that really kind of fall under the radar right now, but will pay dividends when the Patriots take the field in preseason games, and especially in the regular season. So, LJ, my friend, thank you again for a great question. Anytime I can talk about former Chargers on this show, you know I'm going to be a little more partial than others. But no, all kidding aside, a great question,

and thank you so much for the great support that you show to Locked On Patriots each and every day. Folks, it's almost time to seal up the weekend mailbag here on Locked On Patriots. But I couldn't do that without answering the question of one of Locked On Patriots' favorite patrons. Not only is she a longtime contributor to the show, but also a frequent and very valued guest. She also happens to be a birthday girl today. So I want to give a well-deserved big-time birthday shout-out to the Countess of Clas herself,

Miss Claire Clasie Claire Cooper. And Claire's question, surprisingly, folks, is not about tight ends. I know. Everyone sit down, calm yourselves. The shock really got to me too. But Claire's question actually comes in the kicking department, and she wants to know, even though it's a little early, have I seen much of Quinn Norton? Although two kickers on the roster is probably far-fetched,

it is, Claire, I won't lie to you there, who do you think they take on the 53-man roster? If it's Norton, do you think they take on the 53-man roster? If it's Norton, do you think it's risky that they may lose Folk to another team? Claire, I think it is going to be risky for them to cut loose Nick Folk, and for that reason, I expect him to be the starter. Quinn is definitely someone with a leg. There's no question about it. His 57-yarder in the Citrus Bowl a few years ago is still a Citrus Bowl record, and it's still a University of Michigan record. This kid can kick. He's got a big leg. In fact,

Matthew Slater earlier this week referred to his leg as, quote, a cannon. So I continue to watch him in training camp. We're going to continue to watch more of him in training camp. He's getting his work in. There's no question about it. When it comes to Nick Folk, he's consistent, he's steady, and he's proven he can kick from beyond the 50 mark as well. Something that not a lot of people thought he could do last year, but in 2020, he did a pretty good job of that. In fact, I would say that in terms of point scoring, he was their most consistent player in 2020. I do believe that the Patriots will roster Nick Folk, and I think they're going to try everything they can to keep Quinn Norton on the practice squad. I would do everything I can to do it. I don't believe they'll use a roster spot for two kickers.

That's probably very far-fetched, not just a little far-fetched, but ultimately if the Patriots can find a way to keep Quinn Norton on staff on the practice squad while keeping Nick Folk as the starter, Patriots might have one of the best kicking situations in the NFL this year. Who would have thought that from one year ago? So, Countess, I hope I've answered that to your specifications. Hope you're having a very, very happy birthday, and we look forward to having you back on here on Locked on Patriots very soon.

Not just about tight ends, folks, but maybe even a couple of other positions, including fullback, which Claire is slowly but surely becoming an expert on that position as well. And with that, folks, we get set to close up the weekend mailbag here on Locked On Patriots. And of course, I would like to thank all of those that contributed questions to this weekend's mailbag, including Joel, Liam, Greg, LJ, Claire, and our man Murph. But our coverage of Patriots Training Camp Week 2 hasn't even scratched the surface yet. So to be sure that you do not miss a single second of the action, download, subscribe to, and follow the Locked On Patriots podcast

on platforms such as Spotify, the Odyssey app, Google Podcasts, Apple Podcasts, wherever you get your podcasts. Just make sure that you are staying locked in to Locked On Patriots. Once again, my name is Mike DeBate. I again thank all of our contributors to this weekend's Locked On Patriots mailbag, but most of all, I thank you all so much for listening and for continuing to make Locked On Patriots a daily part of your New England Patriots coverage. Until tomorrow, Foxborough faithful, stay safe, stay well, be the change you wish to

see in the world. Have a great day, everyone.