Locked On Patriots - Daily Podcast On The New England Patriots - Trending Tuesday: Patriots Mailbag is Back - 5/19/2020

Episode Date: May 19, 2020

It’s Trending Tuesday on Locked On Patriots. Host Mike D’Abate answers listeners’ questions as he reopens the Locked On Patriots Mailbag. What type of production should be expected from the Patriots’ tight ends? Will New England be using the running back position more effectively in 2020? Which undrafted free agents have a shot to make the squad this year? Mike provides the insight on these topics, and more, on today’s pod. 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 Hello to all of you Foxborough faithful. Today is Tuesday, May 19th, 2020. It is the long-awaited return of Trending Tuesday 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 folks, you know what that means. That means because it's your team every day, your questions, your comments, and your feedback are always welcomed and appreciated. And feel free to share that feedback anytime by reaching out to me and following me on Twitter at MDABATEFPC.

And while you're out there making your way through the Twitterverse, please be sure to follow the Lockdown Patriots account as well at LO underscore Patriots. And of course, today's episode is brought to you by Built Bar. Built Bar is a delicious protein bar that tastes just like a candy bar. Go to BuiltBar.com and use promo code LOCKEDON to get $10 off your first order. Patriots fans, you heard correctly. Today is Trending Tuesday here on the Locked On Patriots podcast, and I was honored to reopen the Locked On Patriots mailbag.

And as always, you, my great listeners here on Locked On Patriots podcast, and I was honored to reopen the Locked On Patriots mailbag. And as always, you, my great listeners here on Locked On Patriots, did not disappoint. Some amazing questions to cover today, and you all truly never cease to amaze me when it comes to your knowledge, your curiosity, and your passion toward our New England Patriots. Folks, that passion and knowledge is going to be needed this year more than ever. Not exactly a revelation to say that this is going to be a new look Patriots team, and probably, folks, a different result than what we're all used to seeing. But the Patriots fan base, folks, is a strong one. I'll say it each and every day,

I do not believe the Patriots fan base gets enough credit for being as knowledgeable, as passionate, and as loyal as they truly are. You're with this team in the good times, and let's face it, folks, there have been a lot of good times over the course of the last couple of decades. But this fanbase doesn't run and hide during times of trouble. You wear your colors even more proudly. And that's exactly what's going to happen in 2020.

Let all the other fanbases have their fun. They'll call you bandwagoners, fairweather fans. Let them talk. Because it's not true. This New England fanbase for the past 20 years has been more passionate about their team on the field than having to hate on another team because their team consistently, over and over again, disappointed them. One of the things that makes me so proud to host this podcast is that I know that each

and every day, this great fan base, all of you, the great listeners of Locked On Patriots, are and always will remain proud of the past, but you embrace the present and you look forward to the future. And I firmly believe, folks, that the future is not as bleak as some would have you believe in, Foxborough. And so many of the great questions that I received in today's mailbag provide me with the perfect platform to let you know that all is not lost in Patriots Nation. And again, folks, this was one of the most robust mailbags that I've seen in quite some time.

I really want to thank each and every one of you that took the time to submit a question. And as always, even though I received a greater number of questions than I'll have the opportunity to answer today due to time restraint, keep a sharp eye on your Twitter feeds and your direct messages, folks. I will make sure to answer each and every question as best and completely as I possibly can. But with that being said, the questions that we will address today here on Locked On Patriots allow us to take a pretty deep dive into the Patriots roster,

particularly the tight end depth chart and what the Patriots can expect for productivity out of that position this year. We'll also talk about the running backs. How are they going to be utilized? I'll be addressing the backup quarterback situation, and also which undrafted free agent will extend the Patriots streak of undrafted free agents making the Week 1 roster. And as icing on the cake, folks, we'll even mix in a little Tom Brady-Rob Gronkowski chatter,

courtesy of one of Locked On Patriots' favorite fans and contributors. So settle in, folks, an action-packed episode today on the Locked On Patriots podcast. Today's mailbag is chock full of great questions, and I will delve into them right here on the pod in just a moment. But before we reopen that Locked On Patriots mailbag, folks, it's important to remember that that is not the only thing reopening this week. And fear not, folks, I'm going to leave the political and economic aspects out of this when it comes to reopening the United States of America.

I'm talking about the doors of the National Football League. And starting today, May 19th, the NFL is slowly starting to open its doors to a select group of team personnel. Now, this is described as the NFL's phase one of their restart. It allows 50% of a team staff in the facility at one time, no more than a maximum of 75 people. Now, according to the NFL Network's Judy Batista, this includes 22 of the league's 32 teams. They will be able to reopen this week if they choose to do so. But conspicuous by their absence from that list, folks, is your New England Patriots, because as you all know, the Patriots are based in Foxborough, Massachusetts. The state of Massachusetts is technically not reopening

businesses until next week. So because of that, the Patriots will have to adhere to state law. So at this point, no additional staff will have to adhere to state law. So at this point, no additional staff will be allowed in Gillette Stadium. Once they do open, the Massachusetts state cap is going to be 50 people in the facility, so the Patriots not only open a week later, they'll also have fewer people allowed in. But folks, this is not as catastrophic as it sounds, and I really want to give a shout out and credit to Tom E. Curran of NBC Sports Boston, who wrote a brilliant piece on this in his column on Tuesday morning, outlined exactly what this means for the New England Patriots. And I encourage you to check this column out.

But essentially, he quells the concerns that a lot of Patriots fans might have about opening later or other teams getting a leg up on the competition. According to Commissioner Roger Goodell's memo that was sent out to teams last week, no members of the coaching staff of any of the 32 NFL teams may be a part of the NFL's Phase 1 restart, meaning that no members of the coaching staff from any team can re-enter team facilities. In Tommy Curran's words, clubs may otherwise decide which employees may return to the facility, and that can include either members of the personnel, football operations, or football administration staff. It could also be equipment staff, medical staff, and nutritionists. The only caveat to the coaching staff would be the strength and conditioning coach,

and if that coach is currently working in the facility, participating in player rehabilitation, then the coach may continue to do so. If not, he can't return until the rest of the coaching staff is allowed to return. So folks, in a nutshell, for your New England Patriots, that means no Bill Belichick walking through those Gillette Stadium doors. And I know some of you were waiting for a Belichickian loophole in all this, saying that he has final football say over the operations. He wears a personnel team hat. Well, folks, the NFL closed that loophole before it could even be taken out for a spin. Any coach who also has general manager duties like Bill Belichick or even

Bill O'Brien in Houston are still not permitted for that head coach to enter the facilities. Nick Casario, he's the director of player personnel. He would be allowed in if the Patriots choose to reopen the facilities next week. So again, folks, if you were wondering if any of this week's hoopla pertained to your New England Patriots? Not exactly, and not quite yet. But what this does mean is that the NFL is dedicated to trying to get teams, personnel, and even games back on the field sooner rather than later. Again, folks, does it mean that we'll start on time? It's still way too early to determine that. But right now, I would take it as a promising sign of things to come, and as always, keep a sharp eye out because things can change at a moment's notice.

So, with an assist from Tommy Curran of NBC Sports Boston, I hope that I was able to provide a little insight on some of your questions with regard to the NFL's Phase 1 plan to reopen. But what about some of your other questions? Well, in just a moment, I will reopen the Locked On Patriots mailbag and kick off Trending Tuesday here on the Locked On Patriots podcast. But first, all this talk about phased reopening reminds us that we continue to adjust to our new normal, and it's still a struggle to find the energy to complete daily tasks.

It's just not easy, folks. And finding the proper level of nutrition is a challenge as well, and finding a healthy low-calorie treat that is just as delicious, well, it can be a nearly impossible task. But I have good news for you. Your search for a protein bar that gives you everything you need and everything you want is over. Because Bilt Bar is the tasty treat that you've been looking for. So don't delay. Make Bilt Bar your go-to protein bar today. If you're like me, you might have rolled your eyes every time someone suggested trying a protein bar. You might have thought about that dry,

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while indulging in a delicious treat. Once again, don't delay. Make Built Bar your go-to protein bar today. Patriots fans, once again, it is Trending Tuesday here on the Locked On Patriots podcast. And folks, I might sound like a broken record when I say this, but one of the things I truly love about hosting this podcast is the ability to interact with all of you, a great fan base here in New England,

an amazing listening base for the Locked On Patriots podcast. And each and every time I open the interactive floor to all of you here to participate in the podcast, I'm always so impressed by the detail that you put into your submissions, whether they be mock drafts, draft grades, report cards, or questions like the ones I'll be addressing here today on Trending Tuesday. You put the time in, you put the effort in, and your level of knowledge and understanding of this team is truly second to none when it comes to NFL fan bases. I know I say it all the time, but I can't say it enough.

Thank you so much for making me a part of your daily Patriots coverage. It's my honor, my privilege, and I thank you humbly for your support. But without further ado, let's kick things off on Locked On Patriots Trending Tuesday. And the first couple of questions I received actually made me consider changing the name of Trending Tuesday to Tight End Tuesday. And that's right, folks. It's a position of concern, not just for all of us here in Patriots Nation, but for anyone who has a stake in the Patriots' 2020 performance.

And speaking of the performance from a tight end perspective, 2019's output from that position was not exactly good. The Patriots clearly needed help at the tight end position heading into this offseason. Last year, the Patriots' tight ends combined for a league-low 37 catches, and they tied for last with only two touchdowns last season. And for all intents and purposes, this group was just overmatched, folks. Benjamin Watson is someone I have the utmost respect and admiration for. I truly believe he gave the Patriots everything he could on the field last year, but between missing some games due to suspension, injury problems, and just age taking its toll, he just wasn't able to be the tight end one on this team.

Again, I don't say that as a knock to Benjamin, but he just needed a lot more assistance. And he didn't get that in players like Matt Lacoste and Ryan Izzo, who quite frankly, folks, and I'm not about to mince words here, they were adequate at the position at absolute best. So to find the help that the Patriots most desperately needed at this position, they looked to the draft. And that leads me quite nicely to the first question that I'll answer here today on the Locked On Patriots Mailbag, and that is from our good friend Rich,

whose Twitter handle is BruinsCupQuest2020, and in parenthesis, we want the cup. Yeah, you'd bet, Rich, we definitely want the cup here in New England. Let's hope we get some Boston Bruins hockey back here on the Hub, and of course, for anything and everything related to the Spoked Bee, don't forget to check out my good friend Ian McLaren on the Locked On Boston Bruins podcast right here on the Locked On Podcast Network. But you can find and interact with Rich on Twitter at RichG6567. And his question was, What should Patriots fans expect out of Devin Asiasi and Dalton Keene? Surely they have to

be better than last year's tight end group. And Rich, I thank you for the question, but don't call me Shirley. And Rich, I'm sorry. You know, the Shirley in your question opened the door for me to be able to quote one of the greatest movie quotes of all time, but I digress. Your question is a good one, and to answer it right off the bat, yes, I do believe the productivity the Patriots will get out of the tight end position will be much better than that which they had in 2019. And Devin Asiasi is a big reason why. Look, throughout the entire draft process, I did not hide my affection for Dayton's Adam Trotman for one second. I thought he would be the prototypical patriot, the type of tight end that could come in and be a prolific starter from day one.

By my own admission, I didn't give Asiasi enough of a look, and I really should have. Don't get me wrong, I did my due diligence on Asiasi, but the more I studied him, the more I came to appreciate his blend of size, speed, and length. He brings to the table what I like to call a balanced skill set. He has very impressive athleticism, can function in line as both a receiver and a blocker, and I expect him to be an excellent route runner. Devin runs his routes with great timing. He does well to present himself to the quarterback, which is something that'll endear him to Jarrett Stidham right away. Don't forget, this is a young tight end quarterback combination. The best way to develop an effective relationship here is for the quarterback and the tight end to be on the

same page. And having a receiving target, whether it's a wide receiver or a tight end, running the correct routes, that's a big piece of the puzzle. And that's why I think Asiasi has a chance to be something special here in this offense. Another thing that I like about him is that he's unflappable. He's not just a smart route runner, he's a good physical route runner. He isn't easily bumped, so you're not going to chip him and throw him off his rhythm like so many other tight ends in the league have a tendency to do. He also displays a lot of that toughness as a run blocker. He really brings the fight when he goes to block. He accelerates his feet to generate his movement. He's an effective blocker in space and leading into gaps, and to me that can make him a dual threat in this offense. So again, Rich, the more I look at Devin Asiasi's film, and the more I take a look at what

he could do with Jarrett Stidham as his quarterback, I really like this pick for the Patriots, and I think it could lead to some big things on the field for him this year. You also mentioned Dalton Keene, and if I'm being honest, I wasn't enamored with this pick when the Patriots first made it, but again, much like Asiasi, the more film I watch on Keene, the more I like the pick, and the more it makes sense to me. While he was at Virginia Tech, Dalton was a very versatile tight end. He can line up in line, in the slot, and in the backfield. He has very fluid movement throughout the field, and he runs hard after the catch. I wouldn't expect Dalton to be a big play threat just yet. I think he needs to refine his game a little bit more, and he's not going to be the great route runner that I expect Asiasi to be a big play threat just yet. I think he needs to refine his game a little bit more, and he's not going to be the great route runner that I expect Asiasi to be. But Dalton Keene is

a good blocker, and he also has the ability to play both the H-back and the fullback roles. We saw him do that a little bit at Virginia Tech, and that's why this pick makes more sense to me the more I look at it. With the retirement of James Devlin, the Patriots are going to need versatile players in this offense. They do have Danny Vitale and Jakob Johnson both on the roster. They're true fullbacks, and I expect at least one of them, most likely Vitale, to be utilized in that role primarily this season. But don't be shocked if you see Dalton Keene line up at fullback more than a couple of times this year.

Some may scoff at it, but I think that was a big reason why Dalton Keene was selected in the third round. That's valuable draft capital to surrender on a player, and whether you like the pick or you don't like the pick, that type of investment usually leads to roster security. So to answer your question, Rich, in short, I wouldn't expect either player to put up Pro Bowl-type numbers this year, but they will definitely exceed what the tight end position gave the Patriots last year, and I think one, if not both of these guys, has the chance to raise a few eyebrows this year. This might be a young, exciting tight end core that even if they don't round into form

this year, I think they're going to pay dividends for the Patriots in 2021 and beyond. Our second question today on Trending Tuesday from the Locked On Patriots mailbag stays on the tight end subject, and it comes to us from a listener and contributor who is very familiar to all of you, and that's our good friend Andrew Carraway, at Carraway6. And Andrew's question is a good one, as always, and he asks, do you see the Patriots adding or pursuing another veteran tight end such as David Joku or OJ Howard in the trade market? Andrew, this is a great question, and while I always leave the door to any possibilities, I really don't see this one happening. But I don't think it's necessarily because the Patriots are so enamored with what they have at the position that they wouldn't be

looking for an upgrade. I don't think they're going to add another veteran presence at the tight end or really any other position simply because of their salary cap situation. They need to free up cap space just to re-sign Kyle Duggar right now. I know my good friend Miguel Benzon is the cap wizard and he can develop a situation that I'm sure would be conducive to the Patriots going after some veteran additions. So because I trust Miguel implicitly in all those matters, I would say it's definitely possible. But knowing the Patriots personnel the way I do, I don't believe this is a move that they're going to make. Joku out of Cleveland, I think, has a chance to be moved. If he does, I don't see the Cleveland Browns moving him to the New England Patriots. I know a lot of people were enamored with O.J. Howard, especially right around the time of the

Gronk trade, even a little bit after that when Howard reportedly told the Buccaneers brass that he wanted out of Tampa Bay. According to the reports that broke on Tuesday afternoon, Tom Brady is already working out with O.J. Howard, among other teammates, so my guess is O.J. Howard pulls it together and ends up staying in Tampa Bay. So Andrew, while I agree with your premise that in an ideal world, the Patriots would look for an upgrade at this position, I think their current monetary situation prevents them from doing that. My assessment is that any cap space they do free up is going to be used for internal players, or maybe make a couple of minor free agent additions, but I just don't see them investing the money or the trade capital to go after players as notable as the ones that you mentioned.

But again, always keep a sharp eye out. We know that in Foxborough, nothing is always as it seems. Things can change from week to week, day to day, even hour to hour, so to speak. But if the Patriots decide to roll with their current depth chart of Asiasi and Keane, and maybe a Lacoste or an Izzo mixed in with it, that will mean that the Patriots will be more productive than they were in 2019. But at the same time, folks, I caution all of you to remember, as painful as it may be, Rob Gronkowski is not walking back through that door.

He's going to be in Tampa Bay this year. Our next question stays on offensive personnel, and it comes to us courtesy of Tyler at T underscore force. That's F-O-R-S-S, and the number one. And Tyler's question is, How do you think the running back situation will pan out? Do you think we will see a lot more Damian Harris this year? And Tyler, I was so glad that you asked this question,

because yes, I do believe we will see a lot more of Damian Harris this year. Look, much like I just previously said about Dalton Keene, Damian Harris was the 87th selection in the 2019 NFL Draft. That's third-round draft capital. And you don't invest that kind of capital in a player unless you see true potential. Harris essentially redshirted his rookie season, but I think he's going to be a big part of what this offense does on the ground this year. Go back and look at some of the footage of Damian Harris playing in Alabama,

and you'll see what the Patriots saw in him. One word, consistency. Harris is a powerful runner. He's got excellent vision, great balance, good ball control, and I think enough bursts to command that 10 to 15 touches per game to make him almost an every down back. In occasional situations, he even has that receiving skill set to catch the ball out of the backfield. Without the ball in his hands, Harris can still be a threat.

He's been known to throw in the occasional block in pass protection. So to me, if you're looking for a consistent and a versatile running back, Damian Harris is your guy, and I think he's going to raise more than a few eyebrows this year in Foxborough. That being said, I think the Patriots are going to utilize Damian primarily as a power option. I think he'll be well complemented by Sonny Michel, who I still believe is going to be that elusive finesse runner that has a quick burst and can make guys miss. I think Sonny will be much better this year than last year. I think there are quite a few people, most of which don't understand football so well, and a select couple that actually host a sports show on talk radio from 2 to 6 in Massachusetts,

but that's a conversation for another day. That seemed to take a great deal of delight in calling Sonny Michel a bust. Well, he's not a bust, folks. Sonny Michel had a very productive rookie season. He digressed in 2019. There's no one that's denying that. A lot of that was because of inconsistent use and also shoddy protection among his offensive line.

Sonny just didn't have the visible seams to run through. And as a result, he wasn't hitting the holes hard. He wasn't trying to burst through those seams or make the extra effort to pick up yardage or maybe even a first down. His confidence was shaken. It does happen to professional athletes. They're human beings. So with a complimentary piece like Damian Harris, not to mention the experience and the productive ability for James White to catch the ball out of the backfield, I think you're looking at a three-man running attack that could pay dividends for New England when it comes to their offensive game plan. I'm sure you noticed a name that I haven't mentioned, and that's Rex Burkhead. I love Rex. I love him as a player. I love him as a person.

I love the fact that I can call him touchdown Osiris Rex every time he finds the end zone, and he comes up very big in big games. But I do worry about him being able to stick around on this roster, because Harris, Michel, and White are so valuable, and because I firmly believe that Brandon Bolden's position on this roster is ironclad, that would mean that the Patriots had to keep five running backs on the roster if they want to employ Rex Burkhead. I'm not even including the spot for a fullback yet. So when you look at the potential odd man out

and the potential cap savings that the Patriots could have by cutting Rex loose, I worry about his security. Again, I hope I'm wrong and I hope the Patriots find a way to make it work, but as of right now, I think that plus Rex's injury history, and that is unfortunate considering that when healthy, Rex can do some great things on the field and he has done that for New England all throughout his career. So Tyler, thank you so much. That's a great question. I think the Patriots are going to be utilizing the running game much more so this year than they have in years past. And when I take my first glance at this roster, I think both Damian Harris and Sonny Michel will be a big part of that running game.

But the Patriots are not just going to be employing running backs and tight ends, folks. They'll be filling all of the major positions, some of which will be new faces, whether it be at the quarterback position, whether it be on offense, defense, or maybe even some undrafted free agents. Your great questions will allow me to delve a little deeper into those subjects here on Trending Tuesday when the Locked On Patriots podcast continues. Patriots fans, Trending Tuesday continues here on the Locked On Patriots podcast. And the next three questions that we have to conclude this week's mailbag come not only from three of my favorite contributors here on Locked On Patriots, two of which I've had as guests several times here on these airwaves,

but three of my favorite people. The first of which comes from the Top Gun himself, the Obi-Wan Kenobi of the Patriots' fiscal future, but Pat's Cap himself, my good friend Miguel Benzon, at Pat's Cap. And Miguel asks a great question right off the bat. And Miguel's question is, who do you predict will be the undrafted free agent to extend the Patriots streak of having an undrafted free agent make the week one roster? And for those of you that don't know, Miguel is referring to the fact that every season for the past 16 years, the Patriots have signed an undrafted rookie free agent

heading into week one. Only the Indianapolis Colts and the LA Chargers have longer streaks, folks. But the Patriots have had a lot of luck in this department. Two in particular that are probably first and foremost on Patriots fans' minds are Jacoby Myers at wide receiver and also JC Jackson a couple of years ago at cornerback. Myers is still finding his way in this offense, and I expect a bigger year out of him this year than what he had in 2019. But Jackson has become a true force in this defense, a solid cornerback too on the other side of Stephon Gilmore, and in my opinion, it's one of the best cornerback tandems in the league. So Miguel, while I don't expect that

type of productivity immediately this year from one of these undrafted free agents, I absolutely believe that streak is going to continue. And I don't think it's just going to be with one. I think two actually have a chance. To be honest, and this is going to raise a lot of eyebrows, but I think three might even have a shot. But there's a caveat to that, and I'll get to that in just a moment. I truly believe one is going to come from the offense and one is going to come from the defense. On offense, I think it's going to be one of two wide receivers, either Will Hastings out of Auburn or Jeff Thomas out of Miami. When you look at pure raw ability, Jeff Thomas of Miami probably has the upper hand. You talk about speed, Thomas has got it. He's a little undersized, 5'9", 170 pounds, but he's above average when it comes to long speed and

quickness, and that's something the Patri it comes to long speed and quickness, and that's something the Patriots roster doesn't have a whole lot of right now. He's very elusive in the open field, and he also has the ability to be a pretty prolific returner, which could give him a leg up on the competition. Now, there are definitely character concerns when it comes to Jeff Thomas. He was pushed out the door by one head coach at Miami, suspended by the next, and then he had him recruited back in the following year. We know from personal experience that discipline issues just do not

fly up here in New England. I have heard Thomas compared a little bit to Antonio Brown, and that may not be as far off as you think, folks. A lot of skill on the field, tremendous upside, but behavioral problems off the field could derail his potential. If Thomas comes in, works hard, immediately buys into the Patriots' way of doing things, this kid could stick, and he could actually be a factor in the passing game this year. I'm very high on the footage that I've watched on Jeff Thomas. If I'm being honest, though, I think the nod here would go to Will Hastings. And I say that because of his ability to work so well with new Patriots quarterback Jarrett Stidham. These two were teammates in 2017 at Auburn, and they really did have a Tom Brady-Julian Edelman-like connection.

Hastings by far had his best season. 26 receptions, 525 yards, and four touchdowns. Again, Hastings doesn't come without his warning labels either. Tore his ACL, missed the entire 2018 season, and that really hampered his production in 2019. but another factor in why he wasn't as productive is because Jarrett Stidham wasn't the one throwing in the ball any longer. From the footage I've seen and the scouting that I've done on Will Hastings, I'm not that worried about whether or not he's regained his quickness. He ran a 6.55 second three-cone drill at his pro day in March, and he also did the short shuttle in 4.03 seconds. Those are impressive times, folks. Couple that with a more than respectable 4.51 second 40-yard dash, and I believe Will Hastings has what it takes to make this roster,

and the fact that he works with Jarrett Stidham so well is just icing on the cake here. The undrafted free agent I expect to make the Patriots roster on defense right now is defensive end Nick Coe out of Auburn. And I know, for all of you that are Alabama fans, you're probably ready to throw something at me right now. I picked two Auburn guys to make the team as undrafted free agents. But to me, the risk here is worth the reward on both cases. Nick Coe also, like Jeff Thomas from Miami, has behavioral issues.

There have been reports about lackluster efforts, even falling asleep in team meetings, and maybe not giving it 110%. If Nick Coe comes into camp and exhibits any of these, he will not last in Foxborough. But what he does bring to the table is tremendous length and the ability to get after the passer. His best season by far was in the 2018 campaign. 15 solo tackles, 7 sacks, and if he's utilized in the right situation, he has the versatility and strength to be a real powerhouse in that Patriots defense. Again, we're talking about a long shot here, but I like the footage I've seen on Coe, and

I think if the Patriots are going to employ a defensive undrafted free agent, I like him to stand out above the rest of the pack right now. So Miguel, I hope that answers your question. I also hope that you picked up on the fact that I was paying close attention to the last time you were here on Locked On Patriots when you told me and all of our listeners not to follow the money trail. Guaranteed money doesn't necessarily mean anything when it comes to these undrafted free agents, and not one of the three that I've selected is at the top of that guaranteed

money list. So again, as always, my friend, thank you for your contribution. Thank you so much for your wisdom and counsel, and thank you for making Patriots Nation just a little bit smarter when it comes to all things Patriots salary cap. But as long as we're talking undrafted free agents, let's stay there for our next question from the Locked On Patriots mailbag. And this question comes from a man you all know very, very well. He is the Dancing Destroyer, the King of Sting, the Count of Monte Fisto,

the Master of Disaster, the one and only Green Man himself, Thomas Murphy. And Murph, you can thank me later for that introduction. And of course, folks, I don't need to tell you where to follow him, but you can follow him and reach out to him at TMurph207. And as much as I like to take liberties at his expense, Murph's question was an excellent one. And he said, with Jarrett Stidham, who he likes to call Spiral Stidham, by the way, I think we can get that trending, Brian Hoyer and Louisiana Tech's Jamar Smith and Michigan State's Brian Lewerke, both undrafted free agents, the Patriots' depth chart is as crowded as it has been in quite some time. Do you see Bill Belichick stashing both Lewerke and Smith on the practice squad, or does one take up a roster spot?

And Murph, no surprise, this may have been the question of the mailbag today. Now, for better or for worse, folks, the Patriots quarterback position is going to be the most heavily scrutinized and most heavily analyzed position on the roster, maybe even in the entire NFL. Let's face it, you don't simply look to replace a quarterback like Tom Brady, arguably in some, not arguably in mine, the greatest quarterback of all time, and not expect it to be a topic of conversation. Barring anything drastically unforeseen, Jarrett Stidham's going to get the ball under center

this year, folks. Brian Hoyer is as solid of a backup as you can get and will be a big-time mentor to Jarrett as he continues to progress. But that's pretty much it for the Patriots quarterback depth chart right now, unless you count a guy like Jamar Smith or Brian Lewerke, who are both undrafted free agents. Keep in mind, folks, the Patriots did not draft a quarterback. Our good green friend here that asked the question was very high on a guy like Jake Fromm, who I thought would be a good fit in this offense. There were also rumors about Jordan Love going earlier, or possibly Jalen Hurts. Others that garnered some attention were James Morgan, Anthony Gordon, and Jacob Eason.

Patriots chose not to go in any of those directions, which means one of two things. They knew they'd be able to find the depth pieces at the position that they needed as undrafted free agents, and therefore make one of them their third string quarterback on the roster this year, or the undrafted free agents they picked up are guys they feel confident could be stashed on the practice squad, as Murph eloquently said, and they plan on stocking the roster with only two quarterbacks, Stidham and Hoyer. Murph, again, this is a phenomenal question, and I hate to cop out here, but I don't think we're going to know the true answer to this question until training camp has wrapped. The reason being is I think the

Patriots need to see what they truly have in Jarrett Stidham. If you're asking me to predict today whether or not I believe the Patriots will carry three quarterbacks, I would say they will. And the only reason why I say that is because Stidham is still unproven in NFL game action in the regular season. If there's an injury at this position, it can cause a true tailspin in this season, and I think the Patriots are going to want more continuity out of their quarterbacks than having to scramble around and possibly sign from the pool of free agents that would be available mid-season. Jamar Smith out of Louisiana Tech is electrifying. He's an amazing

athlete. I don't know if a lot of people know this about Jamar Smith, but he was actually drafted by the San Diego Padres out of high school in the 2015 Major League Baseball draft. I seem to recall another Patriots quarterback that was also drafted to play Major League Baseball as well, chose football, and had a pretty good career. You may know him as Thomas Edward Patrick Brady Jr. But enough about Tom for a moment, and we'll talk about Smith. And look, his stat sheet will jump out at you folks. 2,977 yards passing. He had a ratio of 18 touchdowns to 5 interceptions in 2019. And again, if you have the option to go back and look at some of the highlights on this kid,

you really will understand why the Patriots were so eager to sign him as an undrafted free agent. Brian Lewerke is more of your traditional quarterback, and he played at a big-time school for the Michigan State Spartans. He threw for 3,079 yards, 17 touchdowns in 2019. He did throw 13 interceptions, so he does have the tendency to turn the ball over a bit. That's not going to endear him to Josh McDaniels and Bill Belichick. But again, you're talking about two coaches that love projects. Lewerke is actually the only player in Michigan State history to throw for 8,000 plus yards and also to rush for 1,000 plus yards as well, so he has the ability to extend plays with his legs and move the ball on the ground.

If the Patriots really love what they see in Jarrett Stidham in training camp, then I think there's an actual chance the Patriots may choose to free up that roster spot and go with two quarterbacks, maybe see if they can sneak both of these guys onto the practice squad. I don't think they're going to be able to stash both. I have my doubts about whether or not they'll be able to stash one. If I had the choice between the two, I would go with Jamar Smith. I think there's more of an upside. I think his game translates so well into the modern NFL, and I truly believe he could give the Patriots another dimension at the quarterback position that they have not had in quite some time. But Lewerke has a good amount of upside as well. I think Smith might be the wiser choice to keep on the roster.

Lewerke has a chance to get through waivers and possibly be able to be stashed on the practice squad. I think if Smith hits the open market, there's more of a likely possibility that he'll be picked up by another NFL team. So Murph, excellent question. I know I did a little Apollo Creed shuffle dancing around that question a little bit, but ultimately, I believe the Patriots will end up putting one of these guys on their roster.

And of the two, I would choose Smith. But then again, I'm not Bill Belichick, and we'll see what the hoodie has in store after training camp wraps up and that final 53-man roster gets set. And folks, to close out the mailbag here on this trending Tuesday on the Locked On Patriots podcast, we go to West Midlands in the UK, and one of our favorite contributors and one of our favorite listeners here, Claire L. Cooper at Klaziklaire. And Miss Hey Girl's question reads, There's a lot of chatter about how good Tom Brady is without Bill Belichick, and vice

versa. I'm not really into all of that, as they are obviously both epic in their own rights. And Claire, I agree with you on that. But there is one point that may have been missed. We won't be able to tell how good Brady is out of the Pats system because he has Rob Gronkowski with him in Tampa. Throughout last season, I said what Brady was missing was Rob. Rob Gronkowski is one of the best players of all time, and I think it is in fact the loss of him that created more of an issue to the Patriots last season, and ultimately a decline in Tom Brady's performance last year. What do you think?

And Claire, this is a great question, and I'm glad that we have the opportunity to close out the trending Tuesday Locked On Patriots mailbag with this question today. And my guest yesterday, Ian Glendon, and I delved into this a little bit. Look, there is no question that the greatest quarterback tight end tandem of all time is Tom Brady and Rob Gronkowski. Earlier on Tuesday morning, NFL.com put out a compilation of some of the greatest throws and catches from Tom to Rob, and it is a thing of beauty to enjoy forever.

But there are two things in your question that I just want to clarify a little bit for you, Claire. The first is that we won't know how Tom Brady will do outside the Patriots system because he has Rob Gronkowski in the fold. I think there's an element of truth to that. He does have some familiarity with Rob, and those two know each other very well. But keep this in mind. Josh McDaniels is not going to be calling the plays down in Tampa. Bill Belichick is not going to be the final authority as to what happens down on the field. This is a Bruce Arians-led team. They love to utilize the deep passing game. Tom

has weapons in the deep passing game this year that he has not had in New England in quite some time. Mike Evans, Chris Godwin, these guys can haul in the deep ball with the best of them. I don't think you're going to see quite so much of what Tom did in New England, which is try to find Julian Edelman on those short intermediate routes, utilize the tight end in red zone situations, and also use a running back like James White out of the backfield to make receptions and then get yards after the catch. Tampa Bay's offense is going to have quite a different look to it

and also quite a different dimension to it. So if Tom does succeed in that offense, I think it'll be because of the different type of offense he's running. And therefore, I don't think you can really equate what he did in New England to what he's going to do in Tampa. The second part of that is whether Gronk's absence was a big part in Brady's decline in 2019. I definitely believe it had something to do with it.

I don't believe it was the only factor, however. For whatever reason, Tom just had a difficult time getting on the same page with his receivers last year. I don't just mean wide receivers, I even mean the tight ends. The offensive line play was inconsistent all year long, the Patriots never got a chance to utilize the running game to their advantage the way they wanted to, and it seemed that more times than not, a lot of his receivers were either running the wrong routes, running incomplete routes, or dropping the football altogether. Not having Rob Gronkowski was a big part of that because Rob was one of the most reliable pass catchers Tom has ever had. But don't forget that Julian Edelman was injured for the better part of the season.

He was healthy. He was being double and triple teamed. Teams were even putting a defensive back on James White at various points during last season. And because the Patriots didn't have a whole lot of variety in the offensive weapons that they employed on the field, it made things that much tougher for Tom Brady. So, Claire, while I do agree that Tom Brady and Rob Gronkowski are absolutely dynamic together, and they will be down in Tampa Bay, I don't think their absence or their separation in New England, even for a brief period of time, was what contributed to either one of them wanting to leave. I think both of those desires went much deeper than that.

Ultimately, both Tom and Rob felt it was time to move on from New England. So Claire, thanks as always for your great question. Thank you for your great support. And what better way to close it out than for me to say, Hey girl. And with that, Patriots fans, we close up the Locked On Patriots mailbag for now, but it will be open again, and often when it comes to the Patriots offseason, so you can share your wisdom and counsel with the Locked On Patriots audience,

and you get the added bonus of putting me on the hot seat. And as for me, I will be back tomorrow to continue to bring you the latest news notes and analysis from Foxborough. As always, please be sure to join me each and every day here on the Locked On Patriots podcast. Subscribe to us on Apple Podcasts, follow us on Spotify, and don't forget, you can always listen to Locked On Patriots right on your smart device, and it's so easy to do so.

Simply ask it to play the latest episode of Locked On Patriots. If you've enjoyed today's podcast, now ask your smart device to play the latest episode of Locked On Fantasy Football. Once again, I'm Mike DeBate. I thank Rich, Andrew, Tyler, Miguel, Murph, and Claire for their great questions to today's Locked On Mailbag. But most of all, I thank you all so much for listening and for staying locked in to Locked On Patriots.

Stay safe, stay well, and have a great day, everyone.