Locked On Patriots - Daily Podcast On The New England Patriots - Trending Thursday: Opt-Outs, Offense and Defense in the Locked On Patriots Mailbag - 7/30/2020

Episode Date: July 30, 2020

It’s Twitter-Trends Thursday on Locked On Patriots. Host Mike D’Abate opens up the mailbag to address the latest questions surrounding the New England Patriots. Mike provides his insight on the current state of the offensive line and the potential change to New England’s defensive base set for the 2020 season. He also discusses the impact of those choosing to opt out of the 2020 season on the current roster, and the effect of the COVID-19 pandemic on the Pats, as well as the NFL. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Patriots fans, you are now locked in to the Locked On Patriots Podcast. I'm going to show you how to make a beautiful and beautiful flower. I'm going to use a small flower pot. I'm going to use a small pot So do all of you, Foxborough faithful, and welcome to Twitter Trends Thursday here on the Lockdown Patriots Podcast, your daily home for news notes and analysis infused with the occasional opinion on your six-time Super Bowl champions, the New England Patriots.

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 a special treat in store for all of you on today's pod, because that your team every day mantra takes on a whole new meaning when we open up the Locked On Patriots mailbag. And that means today, your questions, comments, and feedback take center stage. And of course, all of you, our faithful listeners here at Locked On Patriots, never disappoint. Some really insightful questions sent to the mailbag this time around. And as always, when you all take time out of your day to say how you doing to the Twitter trends,

I for one cannot wait to do my best to answer those questions for you completely and as accurately as I possibly can. And folks, there was a little bit of an abbreviated turnaround here on the mailbag. I do understand that. If, because of time restraints, you were unable to submit your question in time to have it answered here on today's pod, please be sure to submit it to me at MDABATEFPC or submit it to the Locked On Patriots account at LO underscore Patriots. I will definitely do my best to make sure that that question is at least addressed

and maybe even answered here on the pod within the next week. That being said, folks, here today on Locked On Patriots, we have an action-packed and full agenda. So settle in, sit tight, and in just a moment, I will take a deep dive into the Locked On Patriots mailbag here on Twitter Trends Thursday. But before we open up that mailbag, your New England Patriots continue to be in the headlines, folks. And even though those headlines are not as prominent as what we experienced on Monday

evening and Tuesday morning and what I dubbed yesterday as opt-out-a-palooza, there's still plenty of news and notes coming out of Foxborough. And we start with news that Patriots head coach Bill Belichick will speak to the media tomorrow, on Friday. That's per the Patriots press release team, and it is the first time that Belichick will be speaking with the media since the NFL draft. Of course, tomorrow here on the pod, we will bring you the latest on what Bill Belichick had to say. Also, Patriots team captains will be speaking to the media on Sunday, and we will be hearing from Cam Newton and the quarterbacks next week. Now, this all comes in advance of what the Patriots have targeted as their first official practice, likely to be on August 12th.

And we now know that it appears that all systems will be going, Foxborough. The NFL Players Association announced last night that they finally improved the IDER, that's the Infectious Disease Emergency Response Plan, folks. That was submitted by the club earlier this month. That means that all clubs, including your New England Patriots, now have received the green light to move forward with practices. Now, if you have some questions on exactly what the IDER plan means, don't worry, folks, you're not alone.

The plan essentially outlines emergency procedures in case a player or other person inside the building tests positive for the coronavirus. Approval of this document, because New England's plan has been approved, that means that the Patriots can now have more than 20 players at their Gillette Stadium facilities at the same time, per the NFLPA's regulations. That's why earlier in the week, the Patriots had announced that they would be delaying the reporting date of veterans until this coming weekend. So now that we know the Patriots IDER plan has been approved, they've cleared another hurdle on their way to training camp. And don't forget folks that all week long players have been undergoing COVID-19 testing.

Keep in mind that they need three negative tests before being allowed to take their physicals this weekend. So even though it's already been a tumultuous week here in Foxborough with all of the opt-outs, keep a sharp eye on the Patriots medical wire this weekend and who shows up on the COVID-19 IR list. So as this news becomes available either tomorrow on Friday or over the weekend, keep a sharp eye on my Twitter account. I will bring you the very latest as news is made available. And of course, I'll continue to bring you the most comprehensive coverage possible

right here on Locked On Patriots all next week as we march toward the first official practice of the Patriots 2020 training camp. Now, we are fortunate in the fact that it has been a couple of days and the New England Patriots have not seen any more players officially opt out of the season due to concerns over the coronavirus pandemic. Keep in mind, folks, they still have a couple of days to do so. Originally, the league wanted all of these opt outs submitted by August 3rd. There are reports out there that players have been given until August 6th to officially opt out,

so there still may be a couple of players here and there. One player we know won't be opting out, and this is great news for the New England Patriots, is special teams captain Matthew Slater, who according to NBC Sports' Mike Garofalo, seriously considered the option until very recently. And of course, this is phenomenal news for the New England Patriots. Slater opting out would have been a huge hit to the team from a leadership perspective. They're already going to be missing guys like Brandon Bolden, Dante Hightower, Patrick Chung. Guys who were very well respected in that locker room. But with maybe the only exception being Devin McCourty, I would say Matthew Slater is the

heart and soul of this Patriots roster, folks. He is a leader on the field, a leader in the locker room. Again, having the honor of speaking one-on-one with Matthew in the past, I can tell you there's really not a more genuine and a more dedicated guy in every aspect of his life. I can definitely understand how Matthew could consider opting out. He's going to be 34 years old, is very much dedicated to the health and welfare of his family. If he made the decision, I wouldn't be able to argue with it, folks. But from a pure logistical standpoint, and even some of my fandom coming through, I am very glad that Matthew Slater will be in the fold for your 2020 New England Patriots. They need his leadership, they need his dedication, and folks, they need his play on the field. He's one of the best special teamers in the

league, I think one of the best special teamers in league history. So even though opt-out news has been particularly harsh on the New England Patriots, Slater's decision to play in 2020 remains one of those bright spots. Another bright spot for the New England Patriots, folks, happened last night when the NFL Network released their top 10 in their top 100 players in the league. And this list in particular is usually a lightning rod among fans and media alike. Some will tell you it's great, others will tell you it's absolute trash. Don't roll your eyes here, folks, but I'm going to quote Aristotle once again

in that I believe virtue lies in the middle. I do believe there's reason to take this list with a grain of salt, but I also believe that there is some merit in it as well. And even though only one of your New England Patriots players managed to crack the NFL Network's top 100, and if I'm being honest folks, it's a travesty that Julian Edelman was not on this list, but that's a conversation for another day, you can at least take solace that the lone New England Patriot was in the top 10. Coming in at number 9 on the NFL Network's top 100 is

cornerback Stephon Gilmore, the reigning 2019 Defensive Player of the Year. It was the highest a defensive back placed on the list, and Stephon was praised a lot, both from teammates and from rivals as well. Matthew Slater, who I just mentioned a few moments ago, went on record by saying, He, meaning Gilmore, takes a lot of pride in not giving up anything, whether it's a walkthrough, whether it's a practice, and obviously the game, it's been fun seeing him become the best corner in football. And folks, I don't think that point is arguable.

He is the best cornerback in football. On the field, he's a true shutdown corner, an integral part of the Patriots' defensive operation, and you can make the argument that with Tom Brady now down in Tampa, Stephon may be the best complete player that the Patriots have on the roster right now. And based on this ranking, it looks like the NFL players agree. In fact, as part of this honor, Stephon earned the praise of one of his biggest rivals, and that's Buffalo Bills cornerback Tredavious White. He himself made the list at number 47,

but White had some glowing things to say about Stephon, saying, quote, his tape speaks for itself. His numbers speak for themselves. He's a guy that I'm watching. When they were playing Cincinnati, he made a pick six playing cover zero and playing outside leverage. Do you know how hard that is? I think he's probably the only guy doing that. Another one of Gilmore's rivals, Darius Slay of the Philadelphia Eagles said, quote, he erased a lot of guys out there. He was out there competing on a high level. He made so many plays. And folks, praise like this

from rivals really speaks volumes to me. It's one thing to earn the unending gushing from fans and even media members like myself that go on and on about how great Stephon Gilmore is. That praise takes on a whole new meaning when it comes from your teammates. It's a different appreciation, and I'm sure that type of praise fills Stephon with a greater sense of self-accomplishment. But when you earn the praise of rivals, those may be some of the greatest compliments that you can the praise of rivals, those may be some of the greatest compliments that you can receive because you know those players are aspiring to be in the spot that you are. Having covered Stephon for the last couple of years, I know he's probably

honored and humbled by those comments, but there also has to be a little humble brag coming from them as well. And look folks, I have no problem with that. Especially this year, the Patriots are going to need competent and confident play all throughout their defense, especially in the secondary. And Stephon Gilmore taking the field knowing that he's the best at what he does might give him even more swagger than he had last year. Served him well on the field in 2019, and I expect it to do the same in 2020. So congratulations to Stephon Gilmore on being named the ninth best player in the NFL according

to the NFL Network and the Players Voting List. Some naysayers may say it's much ado about nothing, but it's an honor that can't be taken away from you and another well-deserved honor for a great season in 2019. Wishing you an even better one in 2020. So folks, now that we've talked logistics, it's now time to open up the Locked On Patriots mailbag. And in just a moment, we'll not only open up the mailbag, but take a deep dive into your questions, comments, and feedback. With the losses of six key players, how different will the Patriots offense and defense look

on the field this year? Are there any players that actually benefit from the Patriots losing six key members of their roster for the 2020 season? And what does a markedly different preseason and continuing concerns over the coronavirus pandemic mean for your New England Patriots and all of the NFL on the field this year? Folks, these are your questions, and I will do my very best to answer them completely, accurately, and honestly when the Locked On Patriots podcast continues. Patriots fans, once again, it is Twitter Trends Thursday here on the Locked On Patriots podcast.

And I know I always say this, but as much as I enjoy sharing the microphone with the amazing guests I host here on Locked On Patriots, whether they be recurring guests or special guests, it is always my honor to be able to talk football, primarily Patriots football, with some of the greatest minds in Patriots media and sports media across the landscape. But these mailbag episodes are my favorites because I get the opportunity to interact with you, the great listeners here at Locked On Patriots, and as I said to open the show today, you never disappoint. Even when the time window to submit questions might not have been as accommodating as it

usually is, you all stepped up and submitted some very insightful questions. So without further ado, folks, let us open up the Locked On Patriots mailbag here on Twitter Trends Thursday. And our first question comes from a voice that you know very well here on Locked On Patriots. Or maybe I should say it's a laugh that you know very well here on Locked On Patriots. But the financial wisdom and counsel that he provides here exclusively on Locked On Patriots is second to none.

And one of my greatest honors of hosting this podcast is being able to share the microphone with this man on a regular basis. And who knows, folks, you might just be hearing that voice again in the not-so-distant future. Of course, I'm talking about the Patriots salary cap top gun, my main man Miguel Benzon, at Pat's Cap. And Miguel's question is as follows. What players' chances of making the 53-man roster were best helped by the six opt-outs?

And I begin the mailbag episode today with Miguel's question because it's simply a great one. You never want to hear about players being able to benefit from others' misfortunes or from situations that might be less than ideal. But if we're being honest, folks, it's a part of life. It's definitely a part of professional sports. And you have to acknowledge the fact that opening up six roster spots provides six chances for players that might not have gotten the opportunity if all of these players decided to play.

To answer your question, Miguel, I think there are a handful of players that might find themselves in a more secure roster situation today than maybe a few days ago. There are three in particular that I have my eye on. And the first is Terrence Brooks at the safety position. Anyone that's listened to Locked On Patriots lately or paid a special close attention to my 53-man roster production a couple of weeks ago knows that I have Terrence on the outside looking in when it comes to the Patriots roster.

The fact that Patrick Chung won't be in uniform this year changes that a little for me, for two reasons. First, Brooks, I I think brings experience in the Patriots system that now is going to be needed more than ever. He also has a great deal of acumen when it comes to special teams and we all know that Bill Belichick is all about player versatility. Brooks began his career in the NFL as more of a strong safety so he could be a like-for-like comparison for Chung but he was also moved closer to the box in his first year in New England. Terrence also saw action in cornerback alignments and occasionally as a deep man as well. Given this background,

especially in combination with his special teams prowess, I think he can be considered one of the more versatile defensive backs on the Patriots' current roster, and again, with the knowledge that Patrick Chung will not be in uniform this year, I believe there's a much greater chance that Terrence Brooks makes this roster. Some of my colleagues in the media thought he was a roster lock even before Patrick Chung's decision, but I believed that Adrian Phillips, Cody Davis were a little bit more what the Patriots look for in a traditional defensive back, and I thought Terrence might be on the outside looking in. But as a result of this roster shakeup, I think Terrence Brooks' acumen and his experience in the Patriots system make him a likely addition to the 53-man roster. Another guy that I have my eye on is running

back J.J. Taylor, undrafted rookie free agent out of Arizona. With Brandon Bolden in the fold, I didn't think there was a chance that Taylor would be able to crack the 53-man roster. But even though we now know that the practice squad will be expanded a little bit and there will even be protected players allowed, I think Taylor may have a chance to actually make the 53-man this year. This kid has got what I like to call deceptive skill. He's tiny, he's 5'5", 185 pounds, but he runs with deceptive power, and he can contribute as a ball carrier and even a pass catcher. I've said before here on Locked On Patriots, if you're looking for a pro comparison,

think of what Deion Lewis was when he played here. Over his last couple of seasons, Taylor averaged 5.6 yards per carry at Arizona, rushed for 1,434 yards as a redshirt sophomore in 2018. His rushing numbers dipped a little bit last year in 2019, only rushed for 721 yards, 4.9 yards per carry, but he increased his receiving production out of the backfield at 32 catches for 289 yards.

Something else Taylor did over the last two years at Arizona served as the team's primary kickoff returner. That's something Brandon Bolden actually did in New England for a little while, folks. So that's why I like Taylor's chances a little more now than before to actually crack the 53-man roster. He ran back a combined 41 kickoffs for 988 yards and one touchdown. He also offers some experience as a punt returner, although if Taylor makes the team, I see him being used more primarily as a kick returner than a punt returner.

So Taylor is another guy I can see benefiting from a potential second look. The last third of this trio that I have my eye on, Miguel, is someone we've talked about here on Locked On Patriots, and a player that I'm proud to say might be in a bit better position to earn his way onto the roster, and that is Dietrich Wise. For the better part of the last few weeks, I've had my concerns that Dietrich would be able to crack the 53-man roster this year, but with the loss of Dante Hightower, I think the Patriots' defense might take on a little bit of a new look in 2020, and I'll delve into more on that in just a minute, but Dietrich is a guy that you can

employ all over the Patriots defensive line. He's not a linebacker, he's a true defensive end, so he's not a like-for-like replacement of Dante Hightower, but Dietrich has the opportunity to carve out a role because of his versatility. He was originally used upon arrival here in New England as a rotational edge, one that was moved inside on select passing downs. Last year, his role altered a little bit. I think Dietrich was taken out of his comfort zone as a more traditional 4-3 defensive end and made into more of a 3-4 tackle and a sub-package end for the better part of 2019. Again, because of Hightower's absence, I think the Patriots' defense may look a little different this year, and because Dietrich has experience in the Patriots' system and

versatility in playing in both 4-3 and 3-4 sets, I think he has a better shot to crack the final roster this year, if for no other reason than the experience and the veteran leadership he can provide to a lot of the younger guys on the Pats defense. So Miguel, great question. Thank you so much for asking it. Keep in mind that I think there will be a lot of players that might benefit from a second look, but as of right now, those three are the players on which I have my sharp eye. The next question on the Locked On Patriots mailbag comes to us from Joel from Hull,

at Joel Shapiro 20, and Joel's question is, do the recent transactions for the Patriots allow them to play more of a 4-3 defense or a 3-4 defense? Which one would you rather see? Joel, this is an excellent question, and Steve Balistrieri and I yesterday here on the Locked On Patriots podcast delved into this a little bit, and how the defense may look a little bit different, especially now knowing that Dante Hightower will be sitting out the season. As I'm sure we all know from watching the Patriots last year, they employed primarily a 3-4 defense, meaning three interior defensive linemen up front, and then four

linebackers acting as two edge rushers and two middle linebackers, providing coverage in the middle part of the field. Now, this is due largely in part to the fact that the Patriots employed athletic linebackers, and a good number of them in last year's defense. Kyle Van Noy, Jamie Collins, Dante Hightower, and for the most part, Juwan Bentley, but Alandon Roberts did slot in as well when the Patriots wanted to beef up on the run defense. Of those names, Van Noy, Collins, Hightower, Bentley, and Roberts, Bentley is the only one returning for 2020. Now because of the losses of guys like Van Noy, like Collins, like Roberts, I thought

those losses alone would make the Patriots mix in a few more 4-3 looks. But Joel, with Hightower gone, I could definitely see them adopting more of a 4-3 base, especially if they think guys like John Simon and Chase Winovich can play the 4-3 end spots. Simon and Winovich have a lot of versatility. I think they can do it, and especially a guy like Winovich could really thrive in a system like that. Also, someone that I just mentioned, Dietrich Wise Jr., might be more of a secure bet to make this roster, again, because he's more of a natural fit as a 3-4 defensive end. If they adopt this look, two defensive ends are likely going to be setting the edge and therefore driving the pass rush. That will mean that Lawrence Guy, Adam Butler, and Bo Allen are probably going to rotate at

defensive tackle. Again, Joel, with the personnel that they have this year, I can totally see this. Also, even though these won't be base sets, I would look for Bill Belichick to employ a 4-2-5 or maybe even a 5-1-5 set on occasion. The 4-2-5 is pretty self-explanatory. Four defenders playing up front near the line of scrimmage, two in the middle part of the field as linebackers, and then five defensive backs in the backfield. Based on that definition, 5-1-5 is pretty self-explanatory itself. Five defenders playing up close to the line of scrimmage. One in the middle, primarily a linebacker. We've seen Dante Hightower take on that role before.

If they use this look, it'll definitely be Juwan Bentley in that middle spot. And then, like the 4-2-5, five defensive backs with the extra man in the secondary. That would be a third safety. My best guess on that is that it will be Adrian Phillips. But if Kyle Duggar develops quickly, you might see him in that role as well. Maybe even Terrence Brooks on occasion. I wouldn't even be surprised to find Juwan Williams in that role from time to time. Don't forget, reports are that during these virtual workouts, he's been taking a lot of snaps and

working with the safeties. So Williams might be one to watch for in this new look defense. In any case, Joel, the way the Patriots are situated right now, I think it's more tailor-made to a 4-3 defense rather than a 3-4. I would prefer the 4-3 seeing the personnel that they have, but ultimately Bill Belichick and the defensive brain trust of the New England Patriots are going to have to make that decision. They did very well in the 3-4 last year. If they can convince some of these guys to play out of position

and they feel they have the personnel to run it, then they may subscribe to the old adage, if it ain't broke, don't fix it. But my best educated guess right now is that the Patriots employ more of a 4-3 base set with John Simon and Chase Winovich taking on much bigger roles than they had in 2019. So Joel, thank you for submitting your question. I really enjoyed answering this one. I hope my answer met your expectations, and I really want to thank you for all the support that you always provide to Locked On Patriots. So far, folks, our questions have yielded more defensive responses than on offense, but in just a moment,

Twitter Trends Thursday will take on more of an offensive look as we delve into the Patriots offensive line and what options the Patriots currently have to enhance the blocking game. Last but certainly not least, we'll close out this mailbag episode of Locked On Patriots by delving into a couple of excellent questions. How should the Patriots be expected to develop new players when they won't be playing any preseason games? And will the ever-growing concerns over the coronavirus pandemic jeopardize the chances of there being a 16-game season or less in the NFL?

This and more when the Locked On Patriots podcast continues. Patriots fans, it is Twitter Trends Thursday here on the Locked On Patriots podcast, and that means only one thing. The mailbag is open and your questions, comments, and feedback are being addressed on today's pod. And we've already delved into some great questions, but the majority of these questions so far have taken on more of a defensive answer set. Well, that's about to change right now, and the question submitted by good friend Robert Alvarez. Find him on Twitter, folks, at ralvarez617. And Robert's question is,

with Danny Vitale and Marcus Cannon out, and likely Andrews next to op out, what are the Patriots' options for blocking up front for whoever wins the starting job? Robert, that is an excellent question. And before I go into my options of who the Patriots might look to to help in the blocking game, and most notably just help along the offensive line, I just wanted to address one part of that, and that's David Andrews. Anyone who's listened to Locked On Patriots lately, really since the draft, knows that I've been very vocal about my doubts that David Andrews would be able to survive a full season considering that he's just one year removed from having to sit out the entire year from having blood clots in his lungs and we're talking about a pandemic that affects the

respiratory system. However, as players were opting out on Monday evening and again on Tuesday morning, NFL Network's Mike Giardi gave Patriots fans a good amount of hope. He advised that David Andrews intends to play in 2020 and that opting out was not a part of his plans. And again, Andrews does have the right to change his mind and opt out if he chooses to, but if these plans hold up, that is excellent news for the New England Patriots. Andrews is such a huge component of that offensive line. His protection of the quarterback is a vital part of this offense and also the blocking that he provides for the runners. Sonny Michel last year dropped from averaging 4.5 yards per carry in 2018 to 3.7 in 2019. As a backup,

Teddy Karras did a pretty good job, but having Andrews back in the center of that offensive line definitely sets up everyone else along the line for greater success. So if we take Mike Giardi's report at its word, and I always do, Mike is always reliable, then the presence of David Andrews right there will help the Patriots blocking game. If for any reason Andrews changes his mind, then there are a number of options that the Patriots could employ to not only replace him, but also starting right tackle Marcus Cannon, who we know will be sitting out 2020 as well. First name that comes to mind is Corey Cunningham, and the Patriots exclusively used him as a right tackle last year. That's essentially what he did when he was with the Arizona Cardinals.

He does have some versatility playing on either side of the line, but he's a true right tackle, and I think the Patriots will give him a solid look. In terms of incumbents, players that are on the roster right now, I'm very intrigued by Yodney Kajust. Yes, he missed the entire season last year with an injury, but all indications are that he is healthy and he's ready to go. The only issue with Kajust is that he's most comfortable at the left tackle position. That's where he played at West Virginia. But Isaiah Wynn is pretty ensconced in that position, so I would say if Kajust is going to make this line, he's going to have to play the

right side. Last week when I spoke with Evan Lazar of CLNS Media, we talked a lot about Kajust and his versatility. I had believed that he would be the best option for the Patriots this year at the swing tackle position, but now with Marcus Cannon definitely out, I think they just might give him a strong look in that department. I've heard some people mention Jermaine Illuminor or even Yelda Frohold. Those guys are natural guards. I don't see them playing the tackle position. I think the Patriots have enough options to look at guys that know they can play rather than have to put a fish out of water out there. The rookies are primarily options at guard, but one name to keep an eye on, I believe, is Michael Onwenu. I understand that he's a natural

guard, a massive guard. He's got excellent length, overwhelms defenders in the run game, anchors well when protecting the passer. His size can somewhat limit his athleticism, but he can thrive in a power scheme. There have been some minor whispers that Joe Tooney could kick over and play the right tackle position. I think this is a remote possibility at best, but if the Patriots choose that they want to employ it, I think this may open the door for Unwenu to be a much bigger contributor to the offensive line this year than maybe anybody thought. At the very least, he's durable.

This is not a guy that misses games. His size and brute strength could make him a welcome addition in terms of improving the Patriots' blocking. Justin Heron, the guard out of Wake Forest, is another rookie that the Patriots employ. He may actually be one of those guys that could benefit from the lack of a guy like Marcus Cannon on the field. It may open up a roster spot, and because he's a pretty patient lineman, he works to stay square on the perimeter, he does have pretty good quickness in his feet, that could

make him a pretty good depth piece along the offensive line. Dustin Woodard is a guy I would keep a very close eye on if I were you, Robert. The more footage I watch on Woodard, and the more I talk to some of those within the know in the Patriots organization, have compared him an awful lot to David Andrews. Now, is he going to be Andrews? Absolutely not. But he's a stable interior lineman. He's known for two things Bill Belichick absolutely loves, versatility and durability. Because he's a rookie, he has a tendency to be overpowered at times, but he's very competitive and he'll put a good effort out there on the field. But even though the Patriots have a lot of options in-house,

I still think they may go outside the organization for some veteran help. One guy I keep coming back to is former Patriot La'Adrian Waddle. Waddle may not be the prototypical starter, but when he played here in New England, he always did his job and did it well. Again, he's a jack-of-all-trades in the offensive line, knows the Patriots system, and when he was here, was coached by Dante Skarnecchia. That's an important point. Carmen Brasillo and Cole Popovich are very capable coaches, but players with experience playing under Dante are at a premium right now, especially with the potential struggles that the Patriots may have in nurturing a new offensive line. Marshall

Newhouse is also out there, but I think all things being equal, if Waddell is healthy, and don't forget he had to sit out the entire season last year, which was supposed to be his first year in Buffalo, I think Waddell is the better option than Newhouse. But ultimately, and I can't sugarcoat this, Robert, the Patriots face an uphill battle trying to beef up that blocking scheme. They have a ton of potential talent, a lot of young linemen that have a lot of promise. But until we see what these guys can do on the field, it's still very much a question mark. So consider me cautiously optimistic when it comes to the Patriots being able to replace Cannon, adequately devise a blocking scheme that can work this year. But ultimately, whoever is calling signals into England this year, whether it's Cam Newton or Jarrett Stidham, may have to have their

sharpest eye out there open at all times. So Robert, thank you for asking a great question. Again, I hope I was able to answer it up to your expectations. Always appreciate your friendship and your support of Locked On Patriots. And folks, if you can believe it, we're almost ready to close up the Locked On Patriots mailbag for today, but not before two great questions from two of Lockdown Patriots' greatest supporters. The first comes from our great friend over in West Midlands in the UK,

at Klazzy Claire, Claire L. Cooper. And if you recall Tuesday's episode of Lockdown Patriots, my good friend Thomas Murphy and I wished Claire a preliminary very happy birthday. Allow me to do so again. Happy birthday, Claire. And for her birthday, Claire wants to know the answer to this question. Considering the strangeness of this season and the dwindling depth due to opt-outs, do you foresee any teams just forfeiting whatever we have of the season?

Claire, this is an excellent question, and I regret that I don't have an adequate answer for it. There are so many factors that are involved in a team fielding a healthy and complete squad, at least complete enough to be able to compete. While I don't see teams forfeiting the entire season, there are times, unfortunately, where I think a team may have difficulty putting an adequate amount of players on the field to play a game. Earlier this week, Mark Schofield and I discussed the idea of possibly putting a quarterback in quarantine, sort of like an in-case-of-emergency break glass type of player. If the Patriots were to do that, I believe it would be Brian Hoyer.

But even with a quarterback that you can always trot out there, you still have to stay as healthy as possible. You have to keep as many players healthy as possible. So under that guise, Claire, I would not be surprised if some games are forfeited. And as a result, there may be games that are suspended as well. Look, there are going to be some teams that have players at one position group where they just won't be able to play the game. That's part of the deal. I think the NFL recognizes that. Some have questioned why the NFL is not adopting a bubble-type system like they have in the NBA or the NHL. And quite honestly, folks, it's just not feasible in the NFL. Ben Volin of the Boston Globe tweeted out early on Thursday morning something that I

think adequately sums up this situation. You can't quarantine about 5,000 people away from their families for five to six months. When you look at the size of the NFL, the size of their rosters, and the fact that NFL teams have too many players coming and going to maintain an effective bubble it's just not an option so knowing that I think the NFL takes a look at what Major League Baseball is going through right now the difficulties that teams like the Miami Marlins are having and trying to put in a system that allows them to maintain their own way but also correct the mistakes that Major League Baseball seems to be making so Claire I do apologize because I think my answer is a little bit inadequate in terms of what you were looking at, but when it comes right down to it, we simply won't know until teams start playing games,

until teams start interacting with one another, and until the travel starts. That's when we found out what we were up against with Major League Baseball. Hopefully the NFL will put measures in place that will lessen or eliminate those possibilities, but I just don't think we're capable of being able to know exactly what we're dealing with until we get right down into it. Based on everything I've heard, the NFL seems ready to go. They want a 16-game season. They want training camp to start on time.

They're pretty dedicated to putting as much football on the field as possible. The optimistic fan in me hopes that's going to be the case, but when I look at it objectively, I think it's going to be very difficult for them to do so. So Claire, thank you for the great question. Apologies again for not being able to answer it as completely as I would like, but I hope that I was able to shed at least a little bit of light on what the NFL might be able to do. Oh, and one more thing.

Happy birthday, and hey girl. Our last question today on the Locked On Patriots mailbag comes from someone whose daily support truly humbles me, and from the great state of New Jersey, Starra at KetoJerseyGirl. And her question brings things back to a Foxborough focus. And Starra asks, with this year's cancellation of preseason games,

do you think this will have a negative or positive impact on the Patriots as they go forward with the regular season? Starra, this is a great question, and one that I've tried to answer on the periphery here on Locked on Patriots several times, but one that I'll do my best to answer more directly today. Look, the Patriots team building philosophy has never been centered around just a few high-priced star players. They've always been based on the idea that a strong foundation across the board is the

secret to success. That's going to be challenged this year more than ever because the pats are always so well prepared by bill belichick and this coaching staff i think they'll be less affected than other teams but there's an argument to be made that they may be even more affected than other teams and that's because of the turnover in personnel from what i've been told the virtual workouts with the new england patriots went very well they were very satisfied with being able to evaluate talent. But you can't eliminate OTAs, minicamps, rookie minicamp, and preseason games and not expect it to affect you on the field.

It just isn't practical. Because of that, you saw the Patriots eliminate a lot of undrafted rookie free agents earlier this week when they had their roster cutdowns. They knew as well as anybody that players that are untested and unproven can't really be relied upon in what is going to be a very shortened preseason and a potentially uncertain regular season. Now, they may not have much of a choice but to trust some of these new guys, considering that six players have already opted out.

That may test the theory that Patriots players always seem to be in the right place at the right time to make the right play. Rookies and roster bubble guys are not going to be as adept to make those plays as people like Brandon Bolden, Dante Hightower, Patrick Chung, veterans that have experience in this system. Not only that, but the Patriots are also dealing with losses of core players in free agency last year. Kyle Van Noy, Jamie Collins, Alandon Roberts, and, uh, um, there's a guy that used to play quarterback here,

uh, oh yeah, just the greatest quarterback of all time, Tom Brady. Granted, they have capable hands that can handle the quarterback job this year, namely Cam Newton or maybe even Jarrett Stidham, but New England is facing enormous challenges this year, but I'm still optimistic, and I'll tell you why. Bill Belichick. Since 2000, no head coach has had to deal with more adversity, more frivolous outside distraction, and more on-field tests than the hoodie himself. But this year is going to be the ultimate test. An offseason dominated by personnel changes, least of all which an offseason in which the cornerstone of your franchise on the field is now taking snaps in Tampa Bay. The Patriots have always prided themselves on next man up. Nobody other than Belichick does it better,

but he's going to need to do it better than himself this year. And while I know a lot of you out there are going to be questioning his motives or questioning his ability to do so, until someone disproves in Bill We Trust, I can't really take sides with anyone against the family just yet. And so, folks, we close and tie up the Locked On Patriots mailbag for now and conclude our Twitter Trends Thursday up the Locked On Patriots mailbag for now and conclude our Twitter Trends Thursday episode of Locked On

Patriots. Thank you, Star, for an amazing question to close it out here. Again, I hope I was able to provide an adequate answer and thank you so much from the bottom of my heart for all of the unending support you provide to Locked On Patriots. But, folks, the week isn't over yet here on Locked On Patriots. There's still one more day

left in the work week to continue to bring you the latest news notes and analysis from Foxborough. So to ensure that you do not miss tomorrow or any episode of Locked on Patriots, please subscribe to us on Apple Podcasts. Follow us on Spotify. Download Locked on Patriots wherever you get your podcasts. And don't forget, you can always listen to Locked on Patriots right on your very own smart device.

How do you do so? Very simple. Just ask it to play the latest listen to Locked On Patriots right on your very own smart device. How do you do so? Very simple. Just ask it to play the latest episode of Locked On Patriots. Once again, I'm Mike DeBate. I thank all of you so much for listening today and for staying locked in to Locked On Patriots. Stay safe, stay well, continue to be the change you wish to see in the world. Have a great day, everyone.