Locked On Patriots - Daily Podcast On The New England Patriots - UnDrafted Treasures: Patriots UDFA Talk with Balestrieri - 4/30/2020

Episode Date: April 30, 2020

The Patriots 2020 draft is now in the books and the first wave of undrafted free agents (UDFA) have been signed. While some are more notable than others, they are Have the potential to be significant additions to the Pats roster. Joining host Mike D’Abate is Steve Balestrieri of PatsFans.com to talk potential hidden gems among New England’s UDFA Class of 2020. The pair also discuss the rumors of a potential signing of QB Andy Dalton. 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. Welcome to your undrafted Treasures Thursday episode of 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. Be sure to never miss an episode of Locked On Patriots by subscribing to us on Apple Podcasts, following us on Spotify, and downloading via your preferred podcast provider. And folks, because the Locked On Podcast Network is proud to offer you your team every day, that means your questions, your comments, and your feedback. Always welcomed, greatly appreciated. And feel free to share that feedback at any time by reaching out to me and following me

on Twitter at MDABATEFPC. And while you're out there roaming around on that Twitterverse, please be sure to follow the Locked On Patriots account as well at L-O underscore Patriots. Patriots fans, the 2020 NFL Draft is starting to shrink a bit in the rearview mirror. However, there is still lots to talk about. So far this week, we've discussed the draft class, a little bit about what you can expect to see from each of the draftees. For the past two days, we were treated to the insight and economic acumen of my good friend

Miguel Benzon, the Pats cap. And Miguel provided his analysis on anything and everything related to the Patriots salary cap situation and what they'll need to do to feel the competitive team in 2020 from a financial standpoint. But as much as finance is a huge part of this, you have to still put the players on the field. Last weekend's 10 draftees to the New England Patriots are not the only new pats in New England. The Patriots have also added a number of undrafted players via free agency, and some are more notable than others, but each of them in their own right is a pretty interesting addition. Two positions in particular that a lot of you were surprised that the Patriots did not address during the draft, myself included, was the quarterback position and the wide receiver

position. But don't let it be said that the Patriots have not at least addressed that issue within the last few days. They've brought in a couple of quarterbacks, a wide receiver, and even a running back. Yes folks, I said running back. That have caught my sharp eye. And today here on Locked On Patriots, helping me break down the Patriots 2020 undrafted free agent class is Steve Balistrieri from Patsfans.com. Again, folks, you know Steve. You love him just like I do. He's a part of what I like to call the Locked On Patriots familia.

And my paisan and I will take a little bit of a deeper look into the Patriots' two undrafted free agent quarterbacks, Jamar Smith out of Louisiana Tech and Brian Lewerke of Michigan State. We'll also talk about the highly touted wide receiver out of Miami, Jeff Thomas, and that running back that I was just telling you about, J.J. Taylor out of Arizona. This signing raised an eyebrow with me, folks, and it continues to catch my eye the more footage I see on this kid. But the question really is, do any of these players have what it takes to be an undrafted treasure within this undrafted free agent class that the Patriots have brought in? Well, sit tight, folks, because momentarily I will be bringing in Steve Balistrieri, and we will discuss that and much more.

But first, there are a few news and notes that I wanted to share with you from the land of Foxborough, Massachusetts. And the first is one that I alluded to yesterday here on Locked On Patriots, albeit I messed up on the day. I'm sorry I mentioned that it was going to be Thursday. It was, in fact, Wednesday. Yesterday afternoon, your New England Patriots revealed the 28 players and one head coach that comprise New England's all-decade team for the 2010s.

And I don't think anybody is confused as to who the head coach will be. It was Bill Belichick. But on the field, the team consisted of 12 offensive players, including a flex player, 12 defensive players, one kicker, one punter, one returner, and one special teams player. And of those 28 representatives on the team, 16 of them were unanimous selections. Five were also members of the 2000s all-decade team,

which is such an amazing testament as to how well this team is built and the excellence that they've exuded for over two decades. I've said it before, folks, and I'll say it again. It's never been done before. It won't be done again. You can call me biased if you want, but what the New England Patriots have done since 2000 is truly in a class of its own. But those five members that were on both teams include guard Logan Mankins, wide receiver

Wes Welker, defensive lineman Big Vince Wilfork, and of course, and don't get melancholy about this, folks, don't be sad that it ended, be happy that it happened. And that is the greatest coach-quarterback combination in the history of the NFL. Bill Belichick is the head coach and your quarterback, Tom Brady. Six of the members of this team were also members of the NFL's All-Decade team, which, as you can recall recall was announced earlier this month. The players on the Patriots team that also made the NFL's team were Tom Brady, Rob Gronkowski, Logan Mankins all on offense, Chandler Jones on defense, Stephen Gustowski on special teams as the kicker, and of course Bill Belichick as the head coach. And folks,

at the risk of sounding complacent, there really isn't a whole lot to argue about when it comes to this team. In my opinion, every single selection was solid. I did hear a tad bit of negativity when it came to selecting Malcolm Butler on this list. That greatly surprises me. Anybody that's watched Super Bowl XLIX knows that Butler earned his spot on this team with that play alone. But I think people also forget that while he was here, Malcolm was a very adept cornerback. I personally have no problem with his inclusion, and the other selection that stirred up even the slightest little bit of debate was the selection of James White at the running back position. A lot of people thought that slot could have gone to LeGarrette Blount.

I liked LeGarrette while he was here without any question, but James White definitely was the right selection. The body of work matches up, and him scoring the game-winning touchdown in Super Bowl 51 is just the icing on the cake when it comes to his presence on this 2010's All-Decade team. Folks, it's a great walk down memory lane when teams do this. I highly encourage you to check out Patriots.com. You will find the schematics and all the history related to the players that were selected. I also tweeted out Patriots.com's diagram indicating the All-Decade team. You can check out my Twitter feed at MDABATEFPC, that's there as well. But all

in all, check it out folks, a little bit of nostalgia always does a Patriots fan a little bit of good. And if you're like me, I think you'll find it pretty fun to start thinking about what this team could do with all of its members in its prime against some of the great teams of decades past, not just in a Patriots uniform, but all throughout the NFL. And fear not folks, Steve Balistrieri is almost ready to join me here today on the hot seat, but there was some news that broke out of the NFL this morning that might end up having an impact on your New England Patriots. We all know that the Cincinnati Bengals recently chose LLSU's Joe Burrow with the number one selection in the 2020 NFL draft. It was probably the worst kept secret around, and we knew that Burrow was going to end

up in Cincinnati. What we also knew is that that likely meant the end of Andy Dalton in a Bengals uniform. Now, if you recall, during Brady Watch 2020, a lot of people were suggesting that Andy Dalton might be a target of Bill Belichick if, in fact, Tom Brady decided he wanted to leave. Well, with Dalton being released, it is now a possibility. But folks, I caution you. Possible? Yes.

Probable? No. And before anyone gets on me for being anti-Andy Dalton or in the past anti-Cam Newton or anti-Jamis Winston, it is my understanding from everyone that I've talked to close to the team that this club is not looking to bring in another quarterback. For better or for worse, they seem to be dedicated to Jarrett Stidham for at least this season. From our conversations with Miguel Benzon for the past couple of days, we know the Patriots have approximately $1.6 million in cap space. That is not going to be enough to bring Andy Dalton to New England. Andy doesn't have to settle for a Jameis Winston-like deal. Don't forget, Jameis took less money to go to New Orleans. Supposedly, he was offered more money in Pittsburgh. Jameis

opted for the situation as opposed to the paycheck. With Andy Dalton, there will be teams that were willing to bid higher for his services. And unless the Patriots clear cap space very quickly, I just don't see this happening. The other reason I don't see it happening is that Bill Belichick is faced with the reinventing of this offense for the first time in 20 years. There is nothing that Bill Belichick values more on the offensive side of the ball than ball control, ball security. In their only matchup with the Bengals last year, Andy Dalton threw four interceptions

in that game. You can make the argument all you want that it might have been on his supporting cast and not so much on Andy, but ultimately, I just can't see the Patriots and Bill Belichick looking at Andy Dalton as a better option than what they have in Jarrett Stidham right now. Again, no disrespect to Andy, I do believe he will find a job this year, and I believe that he can still make an impact with the team that signs him. But in the final analysis, folks, I just don't believe it's going to be here in Foxborough.

But that's just my take on Andy Dalton. Am I incorrect? Well, that's one of the questions that I will ask my good friend Steve Balistrieri as we talk a little Andy Dalton and a whole lot of undrafted free agents when the Locked On Patriots podcast continues. Patriots fans, I have said more times than I can count that there is never a dull moment in Foxborough. From unpopular decisions made at the draft to the nonstop rumor activity at the Hot Take Hotel, to help me break it all down today,

I bring in the logic branch of the Locked On Patriots family tree. He is one of the best, most knowledgeable columnists that you'll find in Patriots media, or pretty much any media. You know his great work from Patsfans.com, as well as being the co-host of two amazing podcasts, Patriots 4th & 2, and One Patriots Place, with our great mutual friend Thomas Murphy. And the only thing this man's ever wrong about

is when he says that he doesn't deserve all of the praise heaped his way. He is my Paizan. Steve Palastrieri joins me today. Welcome back to the Locked On Patriots podcast, my friend. Hey, Mike. It's always great to talk with you. And I don't know how logical i am given what the news is today well you know what logic is kind of i think a fluid concept right now for

us all especially when it comes to sports really when it comes to just about anything uh when we look at the news whether it be the current events the news of the day sports news it's all taking on a whole new meaning of logic. But you always bring a level-headed approach, and that's exactly why I brought you on today. You're also one of the best evaluators of talent I've ever worked with. So it's my honor to bring you in today, talk a little bit on drafted free agents. But Steve, the Patriots draft itself was interesting, to say the least. And I've pretty much talked all week long here on lockdown Patriots about the 10 player draft class of 2020, but in the estimation of some, and actually,

you know what, you can include me in that list. Business really didn't pick up until the end of the draft and the influx of those undrafted free agents that came in on Saturday afternoon and Sunday. And we will get to them in just a moment. But I just want to ask you for a moment, my friend, to please join me at the front desk of the Hot Take Hotel here on Locked On Patriots. And this morning, word broke that Andy Dalton of the Cincinnati Bengals fame, folks, was

being released by the team, freeing up $17.7 million in cap space for the Bengals and obviously to lessen the logjam for new Bengals quarterback Joe Burrow. Now, Dalton was rumored to be a potential Patriots target, even back when you and I both believed that Tom Brady was coming back to New England. We all know that by now, folks, Tom's in Tampa. He's engaging in some trespassing, some real shady activity down there. No, folks, I'm just kidding. I'm kidding. I kid.

I still love Tom. I always will. I couldn't resist the opportunity. But I opened the pod today by saying that I still don't believe this is a viable option for the Patriots. First, I believe that Dalton's going to be priced out of the Patriots range. And I think that's the most practical explanation of why he won't be in Foxborough. But most of all, and I actually saw that our mutual friend Matt Chatham

had a similar thought on this on Twitter this morning as well, I just can't see Bill Belichick be interested in entrusting his offense to a player that threw four interceptions against the Patriots not just more than a few months ago. So, Steve Steve in your infinite wisdom am I correct here or am I off base does this really have a shot at happening meaning Dalton to the Patriots I'll tell you the gut feeling I have is I hope not I really don't want Andy Dalton I you know as you remember Mike we talked about this a couple of times during the

offseason. I didn't want any of those retreads. You know, there was rumors that they were high up on Marcus Mariota. There was rumors of Cam Newton, you know, Andy Dalton at all, I guess you could say. I honestly didn't want any of those guys. You know, if Tom Brady wasn't coming back, I was very content with letting them see what they have in Jared Stidham. And then going from there, if he shows promise, then by all means, get behind this kid and let's see what he's got. If he doesn't, then you know what you need to do next year. You know, first thing in the draft.

But bringing in a guy like Dalton, I mean, it just delays the inevitable. I mean, you have to move on at one point. He's not going to take you over the hump. He's had very talented supporting cast around him in Cincinnati, and I was never overly impressed with him. I mean, there was, yeah, the years he put up good numbers, but, you know, and a lot of that can go to coaching as well which we know they didn't have an abundance of there i just don't want them i i really don't um i'd rather see what they have instead of them and like you said the money situation alone i mean the patriots don't have a whole heck of a lot of cap space you know they don't even have enough to sign their own draftees yet so you know

we're gonna have to see how they finagle that one but honestly i hope they don't bring in dalton yeah i mean look a lot of people are going to take this as a negative or a knock on andy dalton or you know that we're going to interpret it as oh well you know dalton is not the guy that they want to see in New England. That's not exactly accurate. I believe that Jarrett Stidham, of all of the options that are out there, really gives the Patriots the best chance to compete and to have a pretty solid NFL season in 2020, whenever it happens to begin. I do believe that Dalton still has something left in the tank.

I think in the right situation, I think he can be a productive quarterback. I just don't see it being here. A little too mistake prone in terms of the way Bill Belichick wants to build this offense. It's not a like for like where you're subtracting Tom Brady and you're putting in a guy like Andy Dalton or even a Cam Newton or Janus Winston. It's not that simple, folks. It's going back to basics. It's going back to putting your quarterback in the best position to be able to have you

win. And to me, I think the Patriots know what they have in Jarrett Stidham. They don't know what they have in some of these other quarterbacks, regardless of the talent level. Nobody's questioning the talent of guys like Dalton or Newton or Winston. They're phenomenally talented quarterbacks, but are they going to be able to succeed with the team that's being built around them? That's the most important thing. You can bring in a high-priced quarterback, but if he doesn't have the pieces around him to be

able to help him succeed, or if he doesn't have the right pieces around him that are going to fit his style, it's just not going to work. You can't fit a square peg into a round hole, and I wish people would understand that maybe a little bit more. I understand falling in love with a big name or having that be a part of something that you want to enjoy for the season, but I just don't see it happening. So it sounds like we're like-minded on that, Steve. And again, anything and everything can happen here in Foxborough. So if Andy Dalton is wearing Patriot blue next year, it wouldn't shock me, but I would be surprised because I think it would be a drastic departure from what Bill Belichick seems to be doing in this offseason, including the NFL draft.

And if you don't mind, my friend, I'm going to stay in this quarterback room for just a moment. Jarrett Stidham, Brian Hoyer, we know they're here. We know they're going to be a part of this team in 2020. But this is where it gets interesting. And this is where I'm going to pick your brain and your insight on these undrafted free agents. Putting Dalton aside for just a moment, the Patriots did make some waves when they did not draft a quarterback last weekend. A lot of people were absolutely lambasted them for doing so. But they did sign two intriguing prospects as undrafted free agents. Jamar Smith out of Louisiana Tech, who is electrifying, by the way, folks.

If you see some of these YouTube clips or see some of the footage that's been circulating on social media, this kid is exciting. And he definitely raises the eyebrow. The other is Ryan Lewerke of Michigan State. Big-time arm, little bit of decision questionable things that he's done. Huge hand size, definitely fits the bill in terms of the look of a quarterback. Did throw 13 interceptions last year, and that's something that I think Bill Belichick would probably have his sharp eye on. Steve, when you look at the quarterback position this year for the New England Patriots, first, were you surprised that they didn't draft a quarterback in this draft?

And second, of these undrafted free agents, which would you say has the better chance to make an impression in Foxborough? That's a great question, and I'll start with the first one. I was more than a little surprised they didn't draft a quarterback i didn't think they were going to take one early as as you and i talked about a while ago maybe a week or two ago but um you know i i figured they would take one eventually and maybe in the mid to late rounds um you know, they didn't do so. I guess they didn't like what they saw with these guys. I mean, granted, I think everyone kind of felt the same. There was, you know, Burrow and then there was Tua and then maybe, you know, Ebert. But, you know, after that, I mean, I wasn't enamored with any of those guys.

So, you know, it was like I wasn't upset by it. I was just surprised by it. I figured they would take one, you know. But the fact that they waited until undrafted time, now they brought in two guys. Looking at both of them, I'm not so impressed with Lewerke. I know he played for a bigger program in Michigan State, but, you know, he was a sub, like, 60% guy. I think every year he was there.

You know, and some of his decision-making and, you know, is kind of, I don't know, suspect to me. I mean, granted, you have to look at what was around him, but I look at Smithith and like you said you know he's a little on the short side i think he's only like six foot six foot one he's not a tall guy no he's not he is electrifying and you know he he played some really good football i believe they went to and won three bowl games under his leadership. And he was the Conference USA, what, Offensive Player of the Year.

You know, he completed almost 65% of his 18 touchdowns. Five, just five picks. I kind of like this kid. I wrote about him this morning. You know, we'll have to see how he works out in this offense. But I kind of, I'm intrigued by this guy. I want to see, because I've never seen on a tape on this kid, just some of his highlight films. But I want to see what he can do when he gets out here, you know, with the pros and see what he can do with this Patriot offense.

I think he might be the guy that will be your third quarterback next year. I think you're on to something when it comes to Smith. The more I'm watching him and the more I'm seeing him develop in some of the leadership aspects that I think he brings to the field is interesting. Now, I know there were some questions about off-field. I know there were a couple of games where he was suspended during his time at Louisiana

Tech. It's hard to believe that that would cause him to drop completely off of the radar and go undrafted. A lot of people are wondering why this kid was undrafted. There had to be a reason. I'm looking at a lot of what I've seen in his game, and I'm not seeing that much downside. So it could be interesting. Maybe the Patriots caught a diamond in the rough here. We'll never know for a little while. I don't expect, obviously, I don't expect them to see the field this year. I still think that even if he is quarterback three on this team, and that's still not a lock, by the way, folks, that's just our opinion. But if he is going to be quarterback three, I think it's going to be interesting to see what the Patriots do and how they're going to do

it in terms of being able to bring him in and make him a part of this offense. But he intrigues me. There's no question about it. I really like what I see from him. I agree with you on Lewerke. I know there's a lot of people out there that are saying that the fact that he does come from a bigger program like a Michigan State, the success that he's had playing in some big games, to me, is something to keep your eye on. But again, I come back to the 13 interceptions. Even with over 3,000 yards, even with the 17 touchdowns, that's something that I think Bill Belichick is going to keep his eye on. I think he's bringing him in, doing his due diligence, seeing what he has in this kid. But ultimately,

I just don't see him being able to uh to crack the uh the 53 man roster on the new england patriots so again steve we'll see it's always interesting to find out what belichick has in store for the patriots and uh we usually have some uh difficulty being able to prognosticate what the patriots do we joke about this all the time but here we are sitting here almost a week after the draft, exactly a week after the draft was ready to begin. And we're talking about moves that a lot of us did not see coming when it comes to the Patriots. Yeah, absolutely. You know, and like you said, right at the outset of the show, there's never a dull moment. I don't care what time of year it is. There's never a dull moment. I don't care what time of year it is. There's never a dull

moment. Seldom wrong and right again, my friend. There is never a dull moment when it comes to Foxborough and your New England Patriots. But Steve, we've talked a lot about quarterbacks. We've spent a lot of time in the quarterback room, but there are a number of highly touted undrafted free agents that are making quite the impression on Pat's nation. A couple in particular, one at the wide receiver position and a running back that caught my sharp eye as well. Steve and I will discuss those players and more when the Locked On Patriots podcast continues.

Patriots fan Steve Balistrieri of Patsfans.com joins me today. And Steve, we are talking about the undrafted free agents. Spent some time talking quarterbacks, sprinkled in even a little Andy Dalton there to our conversation, but there are some guys out there that are making an impression. And there are two in particular that I wanted to pick your brain on and seek your wisdom and counsel on when it comes to your analysis. First is Jeff Thomas out of Miami. And from a logistical football standpoint, Jeff is one of the most electrifying wide receivers

I've seen in quite some time as a prospect for the Patriots. I'm even hearing him compared a little bit to Antonio Brown, which I think might be a little premature, but if you look at the film on this kid, you might be saying, well, Mike, it's not that far-fetched. But this kid has the ability to play in the slot, he could even shift outside if he needed to. All the talent in the world on the field. But there are some concerns when it comes to his character, and I think that's why he slipped so far and ultimately out of the draft altogether. But the other is a player at the running back position, and I think we both agreed before the draft, Steve, that running back was not really a highly coveted position for the Patriots. They didn't really have a whole lot of a need, but

when they signed J.J. Taylor out of Arizona, my eyebrow raised and he's continued to catch my eye. I like the way this kid runs. He runs with a purpose, but what I really love about J.J. Taylor is his ability to catch the ball out of the backfield. So in your estimation, which of these players has the biggest upside, the biggest potential when it comes to making an impact in Foxborough, not just this year, but long-term? Well, I'll start with Taylor because, you know, you, you would just finish talking about him. He's only five, five, 185 pounds. So he's not the biggest guy in the world, but most of the short guy, you know, me, I got to go for the short guy in this minute. Me and Mike Reese are wanting this guy to be right there. Mike, Mike can look somebody in the eye, you know, when he interviews him now.

But anyway, most of Taylor's weight is in his lower half of his body. You see his legs, and his legs look really, really big. Yeah, they do. You know, what I like about this kid is that he's tiny, but he thinks he, well, not thinks, but he runs like he's like Garrett Blunt. He runs like he's a 250-pound sledgehammer, and he loves contact, but he can make people miss. He's got really good footwork, but he's not afraid of contact for a smaller guy whatsoever. And, you know, I'm really intrigued by this kid i think once fans get a look at him at training camp hopefully training camp will be open by then

you know and uh i think he's going to be an immediate fan favorite yeah i think people are going to fall in love with this guy and you know two things i mean they are pretty stacked at running back but if he shows in the pros he can pass protect, which the Patriots insist on their running backs doing so, and catch the ball out of the backfield, he has a very good shot at making this roster

even though they're loaded right now at running back because I think he'd be too good a guy not to take a flyer on. So they'll find a way to stash him away, maybe a little Foxborough flu or whatever, but they're going to find a way to keep him.

I really believe that because I think he's that kind of guy. Moving on to Thomas, I mean, you're talking about an explosive, explosive playmaker who can attack all three levels of the field. Now, he works out of the slot, and the short area, I mean, the middle area, that deep. I mean, he can attack all three levels of those. So why didn't he get drafted? It has nothing to do with talent.

It has to do with his head. I mean, he had serious character issues, this guy. He was kicked off the team in 2018. They had a coaching change, and then the new coach invited him back, and then he suspended him. I mean, this is a guy that has all the talent in the world. The only reason he didn't get drafted, it wasn't a – I mean, he's a little on has all the talent in the world. The only reason he didn't get drafted, it wasn't a – I mean, he's a little on the small side too.

I believe he's only, what, about 5'8 1⁄2", I think. Yeah, actually, yeah. I believe that's his listening. Yeah, about 175 pounds. I've seen some projections at 5'9", but that's about accurate. Yeah, yeah. And, you know, again, I mean, he's a little on the small side, and he's a little sloppy with his route running,

but, I mean, because he wins a lot of his, you know, reps on his athletic ability. But, you know, he's a guy, very, very athletic. He can play special teams. He can return the ball. That's a huge thing for them. Right. And it's all on his plate. This is a guy that can write his own ticket. I mean,

if he comes in and he matures and he grows up a little bit and he takes the coaching, I mean, it's wide open for him. I think he can be not only a guy who makes the team this year, which we know undrafted guys have made the team 16 years in a row. This would make it 17. But I also believe he's a guy that could have impact this year. Yeah, I think he could have impact as well. I mean, you look at that type of undersized wide receiver that the Patriots have coveted for so long. And to me, Thomas fits right in here.

He does remind me a lot of a young Antonio Brown and probably off the field a little bit as well maybe not to that degree but we'll get into that in a minute but on the field logistically I really like what I see from this kid 379 yards reeled in three touchdowns last season he also rushed for 41 yards so for people that are thinking that this could end up being some sort of a target as almost like they used a Cordero Patterson, I wouldn't say quite to that level, but he has the ability to carry the ball out of the backfield if they need to and use that situation as a decoy.

So there's a lot of versatility in his game that I see. You mentioned the difficulty with authority and really, Steve, it actually even dates back to when he was in high school, even before Miami. So these suspensions are definitely an eyebrow raiser. I think the Patriots are looking at this and saying maybe coming in here, maybe under the direction of Bill Belichick and this coaching staff that he'll be able to forge the straight and narrow. I look for him to try to establish a good relationship with Jarrett Stidham right out of the bat. But if this lack of maturity continues, he's not going to last very long in Bill Belichick's system, in my opinion.

I think it'll be more one and done than maybe you would think when it comes to Jeff Thomas. That would be a true travesty for this team logistically on the football field, because I love what this kid can bring to the table. And I'm excited to watch him and see what he can do. Getting back to Taylor for just a moment and I know that we uh you know we had talked about uh you know him as well and I'm glad that you brought up some of his uh abilities again you know 721 yards he rushed for at Arizona last year five touchdowns 32 receptions for 289 yards receiving out of the backfield that to me says that they might be

looking for that james white type of replacement back that they've been coveting for quite some time so with damian harris now in the fold as well you have to wonder if harris might be the heir apparent to sony michelle and that sounds very weird considering they're only a year apart from each other but i think that there is some ground swelling that there could be maybe that look as well. We've heard rumblings that Harris is very eager to develop a good, solid relationship with a guy like Jarrett Stidham. So that could be J.J. Taylor also as well might end up being that James White type of clone that the Patriots have been looking for. So if he does make the team, I look for them to bring him along very similar to the way they brought along Harris last year. Red shirting, not a lot of activity.

Might see his name as a healthy scratch, folks. But if this kid is on the team, he's going to be on the team for a reason. It's because the Patriots are going to utilize him, and they plan on utilizing him in ways that we may not see on the field in 2020, but we will in the future. And Steve, that lends me quite nicely into my final question for you today, my friend. And that is, of all of the newest New England Patriots that the Pats have brought in via the draft, via undrafted free agency, which are the ones that you believe are going to make the biggest impact on the Patriots this season in 2020? Yeah, that's another really good question. I mean, when I look at it, I think, you know, we just talked about Thomas.

I mean, I think he has the ability to make a big impact this year. Again, it'll depend on him. The other day I wrote about him and a guy for the defense just to kind of, you know, balance it out. Because I think, you know, when you're looking at a defensive player that they picked up, Nick Coe out of Auburn. Again, this was a guy. The only reason he wasn't drafted was the fact that he had character issues. I mean, he was a 6'4", 280-pound edge guy. Two years ago in Auburn, you know, as a junior, he had seven sacks.

And then he lost his starting job this year due to the fact that, you know, the coaches said he wasn't putting out in practice. He was falling asleep in meetings. You know, he was feuding with his coaches. He was suspended. He was, well, not suspended, but a healthy scratch for one game due to not practicing hard during the week. Again, I think this is a guy,

especially with the Patriots needing some help at edge rusher, he's a guy that could come in. He's very versatile. He can play anywhere along the defensive line as an interior rusher. He's a guy that could come in. He's very versatile. He can play anywhere along the defensive line as an interior rusher, as an edge guy and passing downs. He has that kind of build. He has the ability again. It just, are you going to take to coaching? Are you going to smarten up? Are you going to grow up? And I think he could be a guy that defensively could step in and play for

them. I'm glad that you brought him up because that actually leads into a nice teaser for tomorrow's show, who I will be speaking with Zach Blackerby, host of Locked on Auburn. And we will be talking about Coe as well as Will Hastings, as well as Jarrett Stidham. And all of that Auburn flavor that seems to be coming to the Patriots this year. Zach can definitely lend some insight there, but I'm glad that you mentioned him again. Character issues are usually a reason why players will go undrafted. Talented players, that is, will go undrafted, and the Patriots seem to be taking flyers on some of these kids to see

what they can do and how they might adapt to this system. Very interesting to see what they're doing in Foxborough. And again, my friend, your insight is second to none. And I thank you for bringing that here today. Folks, you should already know where to follow Steve. He's a fixture here on Locked On Patriots, one that I'm always honored to share the microphone with here. But just in case we have some newbies here listening for the first time this week, Steve, the floor is yours. Let everybody know where they can find you and your great work

well i hope you have some newbies listening because that means you're continuing to grow and your podcast i i saw something last week that you're in the top 100 now in the in the country so congrats to you man and well almost almost almost. We did crack the top 200. We got all the way up to 109 at one point on the Apple top 200 list. I could not be more grateful to my listeners for that. We're striving for more each and every day, and we strive to bring you the greatest content we can. And again, that's one of the big reasons why I bring on guests like Steve Balistrieri, who's second to none in terms of bringing that insight and analysis that really helps to make Locked On Patriots the show that it is.

Yeah, well, and, you know, in that vein, Mike, you know, I thank you for having me on once again. I mean, always honored to share the mic with you. I love talking football with you, as you know. You can find me at patsfans.com, on Twitter, at SteveB7SFG. And

obviously, Patriots 4th and 2, and one Patriot place with the big green man, Murph. So, thanks again for having me. My pleasure. The pleasure is always mine. You know we're going to continue to have you on. And, folks, Steve and I have not given up on that dream of sitting there on the Gillette Stadium practice fields grass

and watching some training camp battles and watching these things unfold. Not sure when it's going to happen, but we live in hope that it will happen. And it's always one of my favorite times of the year. We get a chance to see one another and talk and be able to absorb the wisdom and counsel of the hoodie, and it's going to be on a lot of display this year. A lot of people are going to be wondering what he's

got up his sleeve here in New England for 2020, but Steve, thank you so much, my friend. Stay safe, stay well. My best to you and the family, as always, and we'll be talking soon, bud. Thanks for joining me this week here on the Locked On Patriots podcast. Always a pleasure, my friend. And hey, last year when we got together, actually on the Gillette Stadium playing field itself, not the practice field. Right on the field, yep.

Yeah, we were in the middle of the field and as we were talking, the fireworks started going off after practice, and I was like, that must be a sign somebody's thinking about us. Absolutely, I think so. You know what, they say we cause fireworks, my friend, and hopefully we'll make it rain again this year with some fireworks and some celebratory fireworks at Gillette Stadium. I look forward to it, bud.

Can't wait. All right, take care, Mike. And with that, Patriots fans, we prepare to tie a bow on the week that was here on the Locked On Patriots podcast. But there is still one more pod to go before we end the week and we kick off the month of May in a big way. And folks, you will not want to miss this one. Zach Blackerby of Locked On Auburn will be joining me tomorrow here on the Locked On

Patriots podcast to talk a little bit about Jarrett Stidham last time Zach was my guest here on the Locked On Patriots podcast our talk about Jarrett Stidham being the starting quarterback in New England was purely hypothetical well now it's pretty close to a certainty so what can we expect from Stid the Kid this year? what did the Patriots signing of Will Hastings mean for Jarrett Stidham

as he prepares to be the guy under center for the Patriots in 2020? And you heard Steve just mention defensive end Nick Coe. He's an Auburn Tiger as well, so Zach and I will discuss all of that and more as we close out the week here on Locked on Patriots. 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

on your smart device. How do you do so? Very simple. Just ask it to play the latest episode of Locked On Patriots. And if you've enjoyed today's podcast, and I sincerely hope that you have, now tell your smart device

to play the latest episode of Locked On NFL Draft. Once again, I am Mike DeBate. I thank Steve Balistrieri for his time, his insight, and his appearance today. But most of all, I thank you so much for listening and for staying locked in to Locked On Patriots. Stay safe, stay well, and have a great day, everyone.