Locked On Patriots - Daily Podcast On The New England Patriots - The “Next Phase” - New England Patriots Training Camp Enters Week Two — 8/2/2021

Episode Date: August 2, 2021

The New England Patriots are about to enter what head coach Bill Belichick described as ‘the next phase’ during week two of 2021 training camp. Joining host Mike D’Abate is fan-favorite Thomas ���Murph’ Murphy.  The duo discuss the latest on wide receiver N’Keal Harry, training camp standout performers and the impressive starts of rookies Christian Barmore and Rhamondre Stevenson. 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 in to the Lockdown Patriots podcast. It is Monday, August 2nd, 2021, and we're about to kick off week two of 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. Just a friendly reminder that after you listen to today's episode of Locked On Patriots,

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, notes, 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, Patriots Nation, and thank you for kicking off your work

week with me right here on Locked On Patriots. 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 appreciated. So share that feedback. Send it to the internet by reaching out to me and following me on Twitter at MDABATENFL.

And while you're out there doing some Monday meddling through the Twitterverse, please be sure to follow the Locked On Patriots account as well at LO underscore Patriots. Pats fans, week one of 2021 training camp in Foxborough is in the books, and it's time for week two. Week two is where the competition gets amped up. We're expecting the pads to be put on on Tuesday, August 3rd, and starting today out there on the practice fields, Monday, August 2nd, the competition level was amped up a bit.

Cam Newton, Mac Jones continue to compete for the top spot in the quarterback depth chart. The Patriots defenders continue to prove why this defense is going to be a fun unit to watch in 2021. And Bill Belichick lent a little wisdom and counsel when it came to the Nakheel Harry situation this morning. If that's not enough, some of the Patriots rookies are really rounding into form, and today here on the pod, we're going to discuss three in particular that have a chance to be immediate impact players for the New England Patriots. I'll give you a little hint, folks. None of them are Mac Jones.

That's not to say Mac won't have an immediate impact, but we're going to be discussing three other rookies today. Defensive tackle Christian Barmore, outside linebacker Ronnie Perkins, and running back Ramondre Stevenson. Monster topics, am I right? Well, it's a good thing that here to lend his wisdom and counsel is the man with the monster green wisdom and counsel. That's right, folks.

It's Monday, which means it's hashtag LockedOnMurfMonday. The legendary Thomas Murphy is here for his weekly spot, and Murph and I will be discussing those rookies. In Murph's humble opinion, who has been the biggest surprise in camp so far? And do any of those three rookies have the chance to start for the Patriots on day one? We'll also get Murph's thoughts on Bill Belichick's comments regarding Nikhil Harry, and for those of you that may have missed it this morning, Bill spoke to the media shortly

after 8.30 a.m. And while he did confirm that this week would be a more intense level of practice than we saw in week one, he also dropped a little interesting tidbit on Nikhil Harry. When asked about Nikhil Harry's status for 2021 by Tommy Curran of NBC Sports Boston, Bill responded by saying that Nikhil was indeed working hard and that he's seen improvement in his game. Folks, I can tell you that is the case. Having watched Nakiel firsthand during training camp practice, he looks a little bit crisper, he's running his routes a little bit better, he's still going up and making contested catches, but he looks to be more engaged and he looks to be more comfortable in this offense. Good sign, right? Well, it depends

on your perspective. I know a lot of you out there are still very anti-Nakheel Harry, and look, I understand the argument. He hasn't exactly been as advertised for a first-round pick, especially when so many of the receivers in that class have gone on to greater prominence. Couple that with asking for a trade shortly after the 4th of July, and you can understand why Nakheel might be labeled public enemy number one. However, when Nikhil spoke to the media on Friday, he said that if he were to have to stick around in New England for the better part or the entirety of 2021, he'd be absolutely fine with that. Well, when Bill Belichick was asked whether or not he had discussed the trade proposal with Nikhil, Belichick was unusually candid and said that he had had a good conversation

with Nikhil. Of course, he didn't release specifics saying, I'm not going to get into all that, but did say that the two quote-unquote have a good relationship. Now, whether or not this is just Belichick talking up Nikhil Harry to increase his trade value, or whether or not the two in fact have had a heart-to-heart is still anyone's guess. But there is the distinct possibility that if Nikhil Harry does hang around in New England this year, he could still be a pretty effective player for this team. What do we mean by that? Well, that's a question for Murph, and I will bring him in in just a moment as we discuss Nikhil Harry, Christian Barmore, Ronnie Perkins, and Ramondre Stevenson all on this week two camp

primer episode of the Locked On Patriots podcast when we continue. Locked On listeners, Bilt Bar, the most delicious, healthy protein bar you've ever tried, has so many delicious flavors. There's something for everyone. And when you talk to a Bilt Bar fan, and I have, folks, believe me when I tell you, there are a lot of you out there. They are passionate about their favorites. If you don't know about the Bilt Bar flavors, well, you're missing out.

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great for your health, don't delay. Do it today today make built bar your go-to protein bar right now visit built.com and use promo code locked 15 to get 15 off your next order that's promo code locked 15 for 15 off at built.com Patriots fans, we are set to kick off week two of New England Patriots 2021 training camp in Gillette Stadium in Foxborough, Massachusetts. And who better to break down the action we saw in week one and help us preview the second week is the man that can lend green wisdom and counsel like no other. That's right, folks. It's time for that green wisdom and counsel like no other. That's right, folks. It's time for that green wisdom and counsel. He's here and he is ready to roll. Your favorite and mine, my benefactor in this business, the only guest on the pod with his very own branded hashtag, the Count of Murphy Fisto himself, the legendary Thomas Murphy

is back for his weekly appearance here on Lockdown Patriots. Thank you for coming to me in friendship. Thank you for joining me today, Don Murph. Always my pleasure, Michael. Always my pleasure, man. When we started this, it reinvigorated me for Mondays. I told you, we always make Mondays fun, bud. It's hashtag Locked On Murph Monday, and I, for one, could not be happier about it.

It really is. It really makes Mondays fun. You know, Mondays are kind of mundane, but not here on Locked On Patriots. It's one of our favorite days of the week, and you're the biggest reason why, my friend. I don't know if you've been paying attention to the news. There's some stuff going up in Foxborough. You know, Patriots are back in action on the football fields. Not a lot of people are talking about it. It's very much under the radar. All kidding aside,

folks, it's always great to see training camp back in full effect. Mini camps, OTA, they're good primers, but training camp is really where you get a chance to see the team come together. Last week was mostly practices either in shorts or a little bit in shells as the end of the week pads are coming on this week and week two. And we're going to really start to find out what this team is made out of. And we're going to get your thoughts on camp in just a moment, my friend, some of your camp surprises and a couple in particular, a couple

of rookies that I'd like to pick your brain on when it comes to what we will be seeing from them in 2021. But I wouldn't be doing my job unless I started with, I guess you could call this the news of the day, in that Bill Belichick addressed the media on Monday morning, as he does three times per week prior to practice. And he was asked, kind of, very, very, very diplomatic way to put it. But in any case, he was asked directly about the status of wide receiver Nikhil Harry. And Murph, we've talked several times about Nikhil here on the pod. His specific question was whether or not he had spoken with Nikhil, whether or not there was any type of progress, and how he expected him to

progress on the field because believe it or not in my observations the last few days of being at camp Harry actually looked pretty good on the field including today on Monday had a couple of nice grabs he's been showing some athleticism he's been showing some engagement out there on the field things that he needs to show if he's either showcasing himself for another team or if he's looking to hang around in New England. A couple of weeks ago, we never thought that was possible. The trade request, nobody thought he was coming back, myself included, but Belichick said that the two sides had a recently good conversation, said he wouldn't get into it, big surprise there, but at the same time,

Harry also expressed some similar sentiments on Friday after practice. He was asked specifically about his trade request and whether or not he had considered the possibility that he might actually remain in New England. And Nikhil Harry said that he would be very much okay with that prospect. Murph, when you take a look at this encompassing everything whether it be from the time that the trade request was made even if you wanted to go back a little bit to the struggles that he had last year to where we seem to be right now has your thought process on where Nikhil might spend his 2021 season changed at all and do you think it's possible he sticks around in New England for the remainder of the year? No, it hasn't changed at all because I've always thought it was possible

that he stuck around in New England for a year. Bill's not going to give him up for absolutely nothing. He spent a first round pick on this guy. A lot of people even speculated that he might get cut, and I guffawed at that. That's not going to happen either. What Bill said today was probably the most candid Bill Parcells ever, Bill Parcells, Bill Belichick, ever get. But, no, I don't think he's going anywhere. What Bill had to say today was, you know was par for the course with the way Bill is. When he sits down with any player who's having issues in the way that now and leading up to this guy, it's basically like going to confession.

You're sitting down with Father Bill, and he's going to keep it there. It's between the two of them and you're not going to get much else out from that. But it has been nice watching him work out on the field this year. He does seem a little bit crisper. He seems a little more sure of himself. And I don't know if that's Cam maybe stepping up and playing a little bit better, even though, you know, some people say he is. I'm not seeing the improvements that some people are saying, or whether it's working with Mac Jones. He is having, in Kiel, is definitely having a better camp this year. I don't know,

we could go back and discuss whether or not that is angling to get your way out or angling to keep yourself on the roster. I don't think he's going to not be on this roster come week one. I do believe he's going to be here. He's going to be here all year. And as we said before, you know, Bill could just keep him on the roster and out of spite and not play the kid after what his representation came out with a few weeks ago. It wasn't a smart move. I think McKeel realized it afterwards when he saw the blowback of it.

And now he's out here working to make people forget about it ever being said. Yeah, good point. Very, very good point, especially on the bad timing of that type of trade request right before training camp. Really, I think putting the team on the spot, putting McKeel himself on the spot. I don't know if he was advised by friends, family, his agent, whoever it was, but regardless of what, McKeel Harry did take a lot more dirt on his uniform as a result of that trade request. And let's face it, there was already a lot of it on there to begin with. McKeel hasn't exactly endeared himself to Patriots fan nation. Everybody right now has been very soured on Nikhil.

I don't want to say everybody because there are fans out there, you, me, Steve, to name a couple, that really have believed that there is something there with this kid. But a vast majority of the fan base really just was ready to junk it up and jettison him from the team. But Nikhil is proving that he has a spot on this team. And one of the big things that I've noticed is the emergence of someone like a Nelson Aguilar even a Kendrick Bourne these new uh wide receivers coming in Aguilar being that vertical threat that the Patriots haven't had in quite some time Nelson has looked great by the way running these routes even in the

red zone he's getting open he's creating separation this is something that i've really enjoyed watching from him kendrick bourne and jacoby myers have been um i call them pass collectors because they're really they're collecting a great amount of passes uh they're not doing anything extremely flashy out there on the field but they're getting new yards and that really is so important to the timing based offense offense. Absolutely. And that's exactly what they're doing, whether it be Jacoby, who Jacoby is a little bit more of a catch machine, catch and hold. Kendrick can get you a few yards after the catch,

but these have been great additions. And I think what it's done for Nikhil is allowed him to get a specialized role and be able to settle into it. And if that's going to be his forte this year, Patriots may look at it and say, you know what, for the minimal return that we're going to get for him or releasing him outright, if he's motivated to play and he can play at this level, keep him on the roster, see what you can get from him because he can go up and make contested athletic catches. He's already made a couple in training camp so far. I was one that believed that he had played his final down in New England. I also thought it would be after training camp that they would deal him.

I expected it to be into the season, but the more I'm looking at it now, it might be best for both sides if they at least come to an agreement for one more year. One thing that was how important it is for Nikhil to stay on the field. We've talked at Nauseam about his injuries during camp in his first two years and the time that he's missed. So far, so good, knock on wood. He has been on the field the entire time, and Bill reiterated what we've said before,

that you can't contribute to this team if you're not out there learning and working every day during this time period. Absolutely. Wrote about something very similar to that this morning for SI Maven. Hampered by injuries during his first two years with the Pats, appeared in only 22 of a possible 32 games and missed a lot of practice time in between. It's very difficult to find that synergy, especially in a timing-based offense like the New England Patriots. It's almost impossible to try to get your footing if you're looking to make a name.

So maybe this is the clean break. Maybe it was the airing of grievances, a little early Festivus reference there. I know it's not quite July anymore, no Christmas in July anymore. We'll make it Festivus in August. But all kidding aside, maybe this was just exactly the airing that both of these sides needed to kind of, you know, break and move forward. And we'll see. We'll see what happens, because I still think there's something left in McKeel's tank. And I think that we've we might be on the cusp of seeing it. But time will tell. But anything and everything is possible in New England. Speaking of which, it's a little early to start determining who have been your camp surprises.

We've seen a lot of these names come out in the past. You know, we can go back as far as I'm going to bring up the name Zach Sudfeld. Anybody remember that name? Maurice Harris a couple of years ago was a camp standout. There are players that seem to rise above the competition and kind of make a name for themselves in camp, much more so than the name they had prior to camp opening. I've observed a couple of these guys on the field so far and i have my thoughts on this but from your observations and what you've seen what you've heard what you've absorbed and then digested from

camp uh who would you say was your camp surprise not necessarily a guy that's under the radar it could be a well-established player as well that's just playing at a level that or gear that you maybe thought a couple of weeks ago he didn't have? Wow. Yeah, that took me off guard there. But Ronnie Perkins, who I've written about many times now, he's a man among men. This is somebody that a lot of people talked about getting the red shirt gear,

just being a cog in the machine. This is a man that knows this game, loves this game, and wants to go out there and hurt people. And I love that in a linebacker. Guys that want to go out there and hurt people. More than once he's been caught jawing back and forth during drills. If this was a game, you would be dead right now. And I love that.

That's fantastic. I love what he's bringing to this team. You know, Sooner Booner, man, let's go. And I really cannot wait to see this kid in pads. I can't wait for his first opportunity to really unleash himself and get after the quarterback and see the damage that he's going to be able to do. Yeah, I love your suggestion about Perkins. And again, we've got a chance to meet with him last week and hear how appreciative and how excited he is to be here in New England

and the energy that he brings to the field. That rookie energy is something that the Patriots really, I think, are going to find infectious, especially with a guy like Ronnie, especially with a guy like Ronnie Perkins, namely the ability that he has to get after the quarterback. I think the choice to bring him along and groom him along as more of an outside linebacker rather than a true defensive tackle, to me, is very brilliant. On behalf of Bill Belichick, Steve Belichick, and also Gerard Mayo, you're watching these guys really take an active interest in Ronnie,

and he seems to really take to it. You mentioned getting after the quarterback and saying, oh, man, if only I could hit you, you'd be dead right now. I mean, that takes a certain personality, and it takes a certain confidence and swagger. Ronnie Perkins definitely has that without any question, and he has been a pleasant surprise. It is.

For the rookies, it is. Because usually you hear nothing but crickets about the rookies. They're hidden. They're just pieces. And Bill really tries to put them in a place where they're not focused on during this time of year because people get so hyped up about it. But this man, you just cannot help but see the talent that he has and the swagger that he brings to this defensive front seven. It's amazing. Another guy that I've really liked and been, I don't want to say surprised,

but I didn't know the kind of ball player that he is. It's Devin Gottschall. Yeah, Gottschall has been amazing. In the middle part of that interior of the defensive line, I was so impressed by his ability to move laterally, to move side to side. It's something that the Patriots haven't had in quite a while. And even though he's a little smaller than the prototypical nose tackle,

and folks, believe me, I've seen him up close. Devon Godshaw is a big human being. He's going to more than be able to man that middle of the interior of the defensive line. You might be used to seeing someone about the size of like a Vince Wilfork. He's not quite Wilfork size. But the athleticism that he shows and the ability that he has to be able to disrupt the passer is something that I think Patriots fans are going to love this kid for that reason. He can get up. He had two batted down passes the other day, one from Cam Newton,

one from Mac Jones. So he's getting to different style quarterbacks that really speaks so well for the preparedness that he brings to the table. You can see that he's been groomed in a Brian Flores defense. There are similarities here in New England, but there's also differences. And Devon spoke about that earlier last week, or later, I should say, last week as well, when he was saying that he could see the differences and the similarities between the two, but ultimately it was the lure of playing with Bill Belichick that brought him here, and the Patriots defensive line is going to be that much better for it. Murph, what can I say? You bring the wisdom, the counsel, the level-headed approach, and the candid approach that we

need so desperately here on Locked On Patriots. But folks, we're not done yet because we're going to stay on the rookie side of things, and we're going to talk about a couple of explosive rookies, one of which I think has a chance to make an immediate impact in New England. Find out who we're talking about and why we're talking about them with my good friend, the Count of Murphy, Fisto himself, Thomas Murphy, when this Monday episode of the Locked On Patriots podcast continues. Locked On listeners, get all the latest news, odds, and info for all of your sporting needs, including Major League Baseball, the NBA, NHL, all of your UFC MMA action, and of course the NFL, with the only place that has you covered

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bonus on your first deposit when you use the promo code LOCKEDON. Don't sit on the sidelines anymore. This is your chance to get into the action. Head over to their website or use your mobile device to sign up today and receive your 50% welcome bonus on your first deposit when you use the promo code LOCKEDON. BetOnline, your online sportsbook experts. Folks, Thomas Murphy joins me here on the pod today. It is hashtag LockedOnMurphMonday. And Murph, in the previous segment, we talked a little bit about some camp surprises.

Obviously, we talked a little bit about Nakheel Harry and his trade request and whether things might be changing. There might be a change in the wind for Nikhil Harry and the New England Patriots. But one of the great things about training camp is getting a chance to see the rookies, especially rookies that are drafted very high, that come in with a lot of pedigree. And the Patriots have a couple of those this year without question. Obviously, a lot of eyes are on Mac Jones. And because my visibility to this team was limited during OTAs and during minicamp, I'm getting my first up close and personal look at Mac in training camp, in simulated settings, in the red zone, giving it a chance to air it out a little bit. The one thing that really does stand out to me with Mac Jones is his ability to shed the ball quickly. He can process the play quickly. He can make the anticipatory throws. He's very accurate, very precise. And he shows, I think, a poise that

players his age rarely show. And the ones that do are the ones that matter in this league when you talk quarterback. So I'm definitely impressed when it comes to Mack. But I still think his impact on this team is maybe even a year away. And that's saying that that's even conceding to the fact that he might see action before the end of the year if Bill decides to make a quarterback change or if there's an injury to Cam or whatnot. I think Cam starts the season as the starter. I think it would take a lot for anything to change that.

But at this time, I still think Mac's impact is maybe a little bit away, maybe even a year away. I don't think that's the case for his Alabama teammate on the opposite side of the ball, and that is one Christian Barmore. Barmore, to me, has been one of the most impressive rookies in camp so far. He's not a name that you're going to hear an awful lot, and it's difficult to really evaluate what Barmore brings to the table. And Bill alluded to this earlier when he spoke to the media

because the pads aren't on yet. You can't really evaluate the offensive and the defensive lines until you really evaluate the offensive and the defensive lines until you really see the hit do you really see the ability to block and get the pads on and be able to get physical but one thing that i've noticed about the way christian is being employed is he's almost being groomed as a factor on passing downs uh but i think what they're going to do is try to develop him more into that 3-4 defensive end in New England's base defense. He's got the strength, the size, the agility to hold up in the run game.

But he can also get after the passer. And these are things that I think they're trying to groom him on and improve upon the skill set that he showed in Alabama. Today, on the practice field, Barmore was getting his first run with the starting group. That tells me that Bill Belichick and the Patriots Brain Trust are impressed by what they see. Murph, does Christian Barmore have what it takes to be a potential starter? And how quickly might we see him in the starting lineup when the actual games begin in September. Yeah, he does. What Bill's doing right now is he's trying to see if this kid can set an edge, if he's got the mental capability to play on the outside, because it is a different skill set. And like you said,

we can't really determine this until the pads are on. Trust me, folks, coming from a offensive lineman, a lifelong offensive lineman, that we're just going through the motions until we can feel our pads hit somebody else, until we can actually get out there and really let loose. Barrymore could – Barrymore, I'm going to get this. I really am. Barmore is going to end up being a significant piece in this year's, in this incarnation of the Patriots' defense. He's going to play all up and down this line.

He's somebody that is that versatile. It's just knowing when Bill is going to be able to use him at his best and getting a sense of what he is able to do on the outside. We've already seen what he can do on the inside. He is somebody that can split those gaps, get up after the quarterback, and he's fast. He is so fast. It is unbelievable. Seeing him unleashed on opposing offensive units is going to be a joy.

And just to get back to your original question, I think he could start on this defensive line right now. Yeah, and I think Bill agrees with you. Getting a chance to talk with our good friend Evan Lazar of CLNS Media the other day at training camp, and we were both watching Christian, and he remarked to me, and we kind of went back and forth about him still being behind Dietrich, Dietrich Wise, folks, and Henry Anderson, who's also been very impressive in camp thus far. But this kid is really developing that ability to not only absorb what he needs to from the Patriots coaching staff, but also put it into practice. And that's something very rare for a Patriots rookie,

especially on the defensive side of the ball. They have such high standards when it comes to the defensive players that they put out there. And if they're showing this type of confidence in Christian Barmore that early speaks very well to him and the coaching that he's had in college. He has a leg up. He has a leg up. This is roll pats. The nomenclature is different, but the schemes are the same that he ran at Alabama.

With a twist here and there, people, don't start writing at me and say what the hell are you watching, Murph. Coming from the Alabama program gives these guys a leg up people don't don't start writing at me and say what the hell are you you watching we're coming from the alabama program gives these guys a leg up and coming in here especially on the defensive side of the ball truly does without any question and you see the advancement of guys that come in in an alabama system uh they're just they're ready to do it and they're ready to get the job done so another alabama defensive player that can really pay dividends for the New England Patriots, a la Dante Hightower and some of the other greats that

they've had here as well. So I'll be at different positions, folks, but that pedigree and that ability to play at a high level is something that I think Bill Belichick will continue to utilize. And who knows, maybe we will see Christian Barmore sooner rather than later in traditional game settings when the Patriots begin the season. Last but certainly not least, Bud, we're going to end on a rookie note as well. And a couple of weeks ago when training camp was first getting going, I shouldn't say really a couple of weeks ago, it was really just a little under that, but we found out that rookie running back Ramondre Stevenson would be placed on the non-football injury list. A little disappointing, a little disheartening because he was one of the

rookies I really wanted to see very much out of the gate. Really was looking forward to seeing his prowess on the field, what he could bring to the Patriots offense, not just in the way he runs and his footwork, but also his ability to catch the ball out of the backfield. Ramondre was pulled off of NFI pretty quickly and is out there on the practice fields. Murph, you know as well as I do that the Patriots love red-shirting their freshman running backs. They like to bring these guys along slowly, give them the opportunity to learn. We saw them do it with James White. We saw them do it with Damian Harris. Sonny Michel, a little bit of a different circumstance. He came in as a first rounder

and they really needed him right away. But the modus operandi of Bill Belichick is to bring these guys along slowly. With regard to Stevenson, however, if the Patriots were to entertain, and again, my gut reaction here, folks, is that they won't do this. But if they were to entertain, and again, my gut reaction here, folks, is that they won't do this, but if they were to entertain any type of offers for Sonny Michel and maybe send him packing, or if he could possibly be a surprise cut at the top of the roster, that would mean that Ramondre Stevenson would need to be ready immediately to contribute and really contribute as one of the Patriots' premier pass-catching backs and a change of pace back and someone that could really kind of set the tone when they need to give Harris a little bit of a break.

From what you've seen thus far, not so much even during camp because the sample size is very limited, my friend, but what you've seen and what you've read about Stevenson and even how we've talked in the past about him, is that a role you can see him taking on this year? Or is this really destined to be a red shirt year for him in New England? It does all come down to what happens on the depth chart above him. We could still see a red shirt year out of this guy. I am hoping that that is not true, that he does get on the field, because what he's been able to show, what he showed in the spring practices that he did participate in, I was really excited to see what he was going to be able to do once the pads got on.

And this week we're definitely going to see that. I believe he could play a huge part in this offense. He's somebody that is very versatile, that can catch the ball out of the backfield, although he didn't do a ton of it while he was in college. But no, I was surprised that he missed the time that he's missed now, but allowing that to happen and just saying, okay, we'll put you on PUP and get healed up, shows to me that Bill could be more inclined to use him this year than get that red shirt year in.

It's just, it seemed more that he was out there and healthy than that he was out there. Yeah, absolutely. Very, very well put. And from what I've seen from him so far, he is showing seedlings. And they're small seedlings, folks, but he is showing seedlings of being a dual threat type of running back with the Pats. He's physical, but he's got the athleticism to make the tacklers

miss in short yardage. And when you look at the comparisons he's drawing to LeGarrette Blount, I was one of them. That was one of those that compared him to LeGarrette, and I thought that was a pretty apt comparison. I noticed he moves his feet a little bit more than LeGarrette did. LeGarrette was a little bit more

deliberate, a little bit more straightforward, a little bit more and I say this with respect for LeGarrette, who I absolutely loved watching play here, a little bit more straightforward, a little bit more, and I say this with respect for Leguero, who I absolutely loved watching play here, a little bit more lumbering in his style. Ramondre's actually got a little bit more of a finesse run to him, more so than I gave him credit for. And his ability to be able to catch the ball out of the backfield does make him that dual

threat. So again, if the Patriots are forced to utilize him early, I think Bill is taking the approach where he'd like him to be ready as opposed to not. But I think given the choice, I think they're probably going to want to bring him along slowly, not burn him out, because this could be a very good one-two combination at the top of this running back depth chart for years to come. If they have guys like Damian Harris and Ramondre Stevenson in this backfield, could be a fun tandem to watch for a number of years here in New England. I'm excited to watch it.

I think Patriots fans are excited to watch it and things are starting to come together, man. I mean, I feel like, I feel like Lou Brown from major league starting to come together pepper, but it really it's starting to look good. And the fact that pads are coming on this week will be interesting. And I think we're going to get a chance to see what a lot of these guys are made of, not just the rookies, folks, but the veterans. Speaking of veterans, my friend, there is nobody whose wisdom and counsel that we value more here.

There may be a few that are up there that we value just as much, but nobody more than you, my buddy. You're familiar here on Locked On Patriots, the true Don of Locked On Patriots. And folks, you should already be following this man. But for any of our new listeners, please follow my good friend, the Count of Murphy Fisto himself on Twitter at TeamErf207. I say it every week and every week,

it just gets better and better. The content that this man is putting out on E2G Sports is always point, click, learn material, whether it be football, baseball. He dips his toe into it all, and he brings it to you with class, accuracy, and a candor that is so richly needed in our business today. My hat is always off to you. I'm always in awe of your work, always honored and humbled by your presence. So please, folks, give Murph a follow on Twitter. Check out his great work on E2G Sports.

And, of course, I'd be remiss if I didn't tell you never to miss an episode of One Patriot's Place with Murph, our good friend Steve Balistrieri, and the countess of class herself, Ms. Claire Cooper. Thank you so much, Bud. Looking forward to talking ball with you again right here next week on Locked On Murph Monday. Yeah, thank you, bud. I'm always here for you, always here for the Locked On nation, and it is.

It's going to get fun. Next Monday is going to be fun, people. Take the morning off. Absolutely, and we'll be here to get you through it, folks. Until next week, bud, stay safe and well, and thanks again for all of the wisdom and counsel you lend to Locked On Patriots. Just like that, Patriots fans, one down, but we're just getting warmed up

for your camp coverage for the week. So to ensure 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, Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, wherever you get your podcasts. Just make sure that you are staying locked in to Locked On Patriots. And with the return of football action on the field quickly approaching, betting on the NFL does not have to be a guessing game if you listen to the new Locked On Bets podcast hosted by your boy Q and handicapping expert Lee Sterling. Thank you. you get your podcasts. Once again, my name is Mike DeBate. I thank my good friend Thomas Murphy for his time, his insight, and his appearance on today's pod.

But most of all, I thank you 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. Just like that, Patriots fans, one down, but we're just getting warmed up for your camp coverage for the week. So to ensure 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, Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, wherever you get your podcasts. Just make sure that you are staying locked in to Locked On Patriots. And with the return of football action on the field quickly approaching, betting on the NFL does not have to be a guessing game if you listen to the new Locked On Bets podcast hosted by your boy Q and handicapping expert Lee Sterling. Get daily picks, blowout specials, wrong team favorite picks, and Lee Sterling's lock of the day.

Follow the Locked On Bets podcast brought to you by betonline.ag wherever you get your podcasts. Once again, my name is Mike DeBate. I thank my good friend Thomas Murphy for his time, his insight, and his appearance on today's pod. But most of all, I thank you 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.