Locked On Patriots - Daily Podcast On The New England Patriots - Wideout Wednesday: A Look Inside the Patriots WR Depth Chart - 5/27/2020

Episode Date: May 27, 2020

By popular consensus, the New England Patriots struggled at the wide receiver position in 2019. Host Mike D’Abate takes a deeper dive into the 2020 wideout depth chart.  In addition to his analysis on Julian Edelman and N’Keal Harry, he indicates that optimism at the position for the upcoming season is not exactly a fool’s errand.  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 and welcome to Whiteout Wednesday, day two of Positional Depth Chart Week right here on the Lockdown Patriots podcast, your daily home for news, notes, and, infused with the occasional opinion on your six-time Super Bowl champions, the New England Patriots.

Today's episode is brought to you by Bilt Bar. Bilt Bar is a delicious protein bar that tastes just like a candy bar. Go to BiltBar.com and use promo code LOCKEDON to get $10 off your first order. What's happening, Patriots Nation? My name is Mike DeBate, your host of the Locked On Patriots Podcast, which, as always, is a proud part of the Locked On Podcast Network, your team every day. And

folks, because it's your team every day, that means your questions, your comments, and your feedback are always welcomed and greatly appreciated. Feel free to share that feedback anytime by reaching out to me and following me on Twitter at M-DATEFPC. And while you're out there cruising around through the Twitterverse, please be sure to

follow the Locked On Patriots account as well at LO underscore Patriots. Patriots Nation, once again, it is White Out Wednesday right here on the pod. And that means in our week-long look at some of the more key positions on the Patriots depth chart, today we will be looking at the wide receivers. Now, this is a polarizing position on the Patriots depth chart for many of you. One of the most common pieces of feedback regarding the Patriots roster that I receive here on Locked On Patriots is about the Patriots prowess, or lack thereof, at the wide receiver position.

As a whole, you're concerned about the Patriots wide outs. But should you be? Is there a reason to significantly doubt this group? Or is there reason for optimism? Well, these are the questions and you want answers. And folks, I may be far from Colonel Jessup from a few good men, but I hope to provide you with some answers today, including a bit of optimism as to why I believe the wide receiver group isn't really as dismal as you might think. And no, folks, I didn't get to feeling that way by drinking the Foxborough Kool-Aid. There is a lot of talent on this depth chart,

and folks, right here on Locked On Patriots today, I'll tell you exactly where you can expect to find it. So settle in, folks, because you know we'll be talking about Julian Edelman, Nikhil Harry, Mohamed Sanu. I might even sprinkle in some talk on Gunnar Roshelski, and why my days of saying, who made that man a gunner, might just be coming to an end, folks.

It's painful. I hope it's not, but again, just one man's opinion. But that's just scratching the surface because we'll also delve into the Patriots free agent acquisitions at the position. Who among them is going to be the best fit in Foxborough? And last but certainly not least, we'll talk about some of those undrafted free agent wideouts and why I still feel that Will Hastings has a leg up on the competition, even over someone with the high potential and the talent level of a guy like Jeff Thomas.

Talking about all that and more here on Wideout Wednesday, here on the Locked On Patriots Podcast. But before I take a deeper dive into the Patriots wide receiver depth chart for 2020, I just wanted to take a moment to commemorate a day that I remember well in Patriots Nation. Unfortunately, it's a solemn occasion and a solemn memory, but one that I believe truly speaks to the heart of what it means to be a true hero. And numbers are such an important part of sports, whether it be fandom, whether it be sports journalism, or whether it be statistics of how players perform on the field. But a jersey number might be the most important number when it comes to sports.

It can really become an indelible part of who they are, their persona. We just experienced that here in New England for the last 20 years. You mention the initials TB, the number 12, immediately you think of Tom Brady. But the number that I'm reminded of today is the number 91. And yes, folks, number 91 is currently being worn by defensive end Dietrich Wise, and it was also worn for a number of years by Jamie Collins. But the No. 91 I'm thinking about today was the 24-year-old defensive end that wore No. 91 at the beginning of the 2007 season,

and his name was Marquise Hill. On the field, Marquise was a pretty serviceable defensive end. He never quite got the opportunity to grow into his talent, and obviously his tragic passing at such a young age was the reason for that. But Hill left behind a legacy of true heroism and bravery that, to me, is more indelible than anything he would have done on a football field. For those of you that are unfamiliar with the story, 13 years ago today, on Sunday, May 27, 2007, Hill and his friend, high school classmate Ashley Blasio, were riding together on a jet ski near Lake Pontchartrain, which is just north of New Orleans, Louisiana. Now, at some point during their ride, the jet ski entered the south shore of Lake Pontchartrain,

which anyone familiar with the area knows that that shore has been eroded severely by the damage from Hurricane Katrina. Swirling currents and near 90 feet in depth often causes rough sea conditions, and obviously that night they were pretty bad. Hill's jet ski overturned, and both he and Blasio were sent into the harsh waters of Lake Pontchartrain. Now, Blasio was able to survive, as she was able to cling to a nearby buoy until she was rescued. Hill, however, was not so fortunate. He drifted away into the current, and after a nearly 17 17 hours search on the afternoon of Monday, May 28th

Hill's body was discovered by searchers only about a quarter of a mile from where he fell into the water now from Blasio's first-hand Account she had described Hill as a true hero. He was trying to keep her spirits up. He was a pretty strong swimmer She was not and because of that she was fairly frightened But even as Hill was trying to tread the difficult waters He kept shouting instructions at her, telling her to not fight the waters, but rather let the current drag her and take her back to a buoy that Hill could see over her shoulder. Hill kept his eyes squarely on Blasio and kept encouraging her until she reached the buoy, and once she did, Blasio looked up and realized that Hill had drifted completely

out of sight. Now, the loss of anyone at the age of 24 is tragic in and of itself, but Hill was the type of friend, teammate, and family member that everyone around him was proud and happy to know. He always remained active in the community, both in Massachusetts and his native home state of Louisiana, where in the wake of Hurricane Katrina, he spent a lot of his free time and some of his NFL salary helping to rebuild the homes of those who lost their homes during that tragic aftermath, including some of his friends and family members. He was also a key contributor of time and money to local boys and girls clubs, both in his home state of Louisiana and in the neighboring areas around Massachusetts. And he also kept very close ties to his alma mater,

LSU. He was a starting defensive end, don't forget, for the Tigers during their 2003 national championship season under thenhead coach Nick Saban. After he was drafted by the Patriots in 2004, Hill would often return to campus. He'd train, he'd act as a mentor for the current LSU players. And Marquise Hill did all of this without any publicity or fanfare. To him, aiding others just came naturally. For the Patriots, this was definitely a tough loss to take. Not only was he close friends and former college teammates with cornerback Randall Gay and fellow defensive lineman Jarvis Green, who paid

tribute to Marquise Hill all of the 2007 season by wearing his shoulder pads each and every game. Head coach Bill Belichick described Marquise Hill as, quote, a thoughtful and caring man who established himself as one of the year-round daily fixtures on our team. But even though he was physically absent from what would end up being a historic season in New England, I know we'd like to forget how the 2007 season ended, but you can't take away from how historic that season was on the field. Marquise Hill was missed on the field, but his presence was definitely felt, albeit in a spiritual sense.

But he did have a physical presence on the field that year, and that's because Marquise's number 91 was worn in the form of a decal on the back of every helmet. It's a fitting way for his friends and teammates to remember him, but when I think of Marquise Hill, I think of a legacy that's clearly evident to me every time I see someone that lends a helping hand to those in need. Yes, he had a bright future. It was tragically cut short. His family and his friends immeasurably miss him, and words are never enough to comfort that type of a loss. But I truly believe that those that had the honor and privilege of being close to Marquise Hill can't help but feel pride every time they mention him. He gave his life to aid his friend when she needed him the most. He wasn't trying to be a hero. He wasn't looking for accolades.

He was simply doing what he felt to be right. That's the definition of a hero, folks. That was Marquise Hill, and his legacy will forever be unstoppable. Folks, again, it is Wide Out Wednesday here on the Locked On Patriots podcast, and in just a moment, I will be taking that deep dive I've been teasing into the Patriots wide receiver depth chart. But keep in mind, in order for wide receivers to be as effective as they can be on the field, they need speed need agility they need sure hands folks but they also need energy and finding the energy to complete daily tasks is not exactly easy for wide receivers or for any of us lately but you know what else is not easy finding a healthy low calorie treat that

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Pats fans, once again, it is White Out Wednesday here on the Locked On Patriots pod, and that means taking a deep dive into the Patriots wide receiver depth chart. Who on the Patriots roster is poised to have a big year in 2020? Which of the new additions are going to fit best in Foxborough? And because I've already tipped my hand on this once or twice here on the Locked On Patriots podcast, I'll finish up the episode today by telling you why I still believe Will Hastings has the inside shot at being that undrafted free agent receiver that the Patriots add to the roster.

Not calling him a roster lock, I'm just calling him the most likely among the undrafteds. But you can't really begin a discussion on wideouts until you talk about wide receiver one, the main man, the guy they call the squirrel with the heart of a lion. That's right, Julian Edelman, who many will argue, myself included, that he's now the face of the franchise. Look, it is no secret to anyone that Julian Edelman was long the favorite receiver of former Patriots quarterback Tom Brady. That even includes Rob Gronkowski, who, as much as I love and respect Gronk, wasn't on the field nearly as much as Julian was,

so Julian ended up being quote-unquote Tom's security blanket. But Tom is now trespassing in Tampa Bay, which means that Julian will be catching passes from Jarrett Stidham now as opposed to Tom Brady. So what can we expect from Julian this year? Well, if you use 2019 as any type of example, he's going to have another prolific season. Last year, Julian had 1,117 receiving yards and a new career-high six touchdowns, as well as eight rushing attempts for 27 yards on his resume as well. Keep in mind that he did all this despite weathering through a ton of injuries. To say that Julian was banged up in 2019 is an understatement.

He actually suffered his first injury during the Patriots preseason finale. He left the game after hurting his finger. That was barely the tip of the iceberg, folks. Edelman was listed on the Patriots injury report in 2019, a total of 13 out of a possible 17 weeks. Yeah, any way you slice it, that's not good. Suffered the chest injury in September, hurt his shoulder in November. Then to top it all off, he suffered the knee injury in December. He had to have surgery on that knee to repair it in the offseason, as well as surgery to repair a separated AC joint in his left shoulder. And despite all that, folks, Julian didn't miss a single game.

After you hear all that, I have no idea how anyone could question Julian Edelman's toughness. The guy is as tough as they come. You also can't question his heart either. He knew the team needed him on the field, and that's exactly where he was. But if I'm being honest, I definitely knew that Julian was playing in pain. I think everybody did. There were times where I'd watch him get up after being hit, or slink back to the huddle after running a route, and you could see him grimace, maybe even holding his chest or his shoulder, or even favoring his knee, and you knew that he was far from 100%.

And look, if we're being honest, he did look limited at times out there. But Julian didn't just have to contend with injuries either. He also had to contend with a lot more double teams and triple teams than he had ever seen before in his entire career. That was because most opposing defenses really didn't have a whole lot of faith in the rest of the Patriots wide receiver core. That means putting two, sometimes even three guys in a position to defend Julian Edelman. They simply had more resources to allocate towards him to take him away as a potential weapon for Tom Brady. But taking all that under account, he still had a

statistically good season. Because what Julian Edelman does best, maybe even better than anyone else in the league, is making do with what he's provided. And that's why I have no hesitation in saying he's still going to be the number one pass catcher and the most reliable and experienced receiver on the field, and a big help and asset to Jarrett Stidham this year. Reason one, obviously, is his toughness. And we've gone into how tough Julian is. But something I don't think he gets enough credit for is him being versatile. People look at his size, they look at what he does on the field, and they automatically say, oh, slot receiver. He was the cookie cutter replacement for Wes Welker. Well, that's kind of a casual way of

looking at the Patriots. Julian Edelman is much more than that, and he always has been. For anyone that thinks that he's just a prototypical slot receiver actually hasn't looked at the stats of the New England Patriots all that much. I want to give credit to my man Bernd Buchmasser of Pat's Pulpit, who published a stat that I think needs to be more highly publicized. And that is that during his career, Julian Edelman has lined up in the slot 2,815 snaps. That's since he became a starting receiver in 2013. You know how many times he lined up split out wide, folks? 2,991. That's right, Julian Edelman has taken more snaps split out wide than in the slot. Now, if you look at the way he's been used over the course of the last three seasons, he has taken more snaps in the slot there. 1,125 as opposed to 880.

But this year, when you look at the Patriots' depth chart, and take under account the lack of experience at the quarterback position, I think you're going to see Julian's versatility on display big time this year. I expect him to line up a lot as a hybrid Z slot option, along with lining up traditionally split out wide and of course in the slot as well. Bottom line, with a young quarterback like Jarrett Stidham assumed to be the starter on this team, Edelman's experience and his proven productivity within the system are going to be highly valuable this year,

perhaps more this year than others. Now, some have disagreed with that. After Tom Brady announced that he was leaving and signing with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, some fans and media members alike question whether or not Julian really had a spot on this team. They look at his age, which he'll be 34 on opening day. They look at the medical history of injuries that he's had. And also, they look at his cap hit, which according to my main man, Miguel Benzon, aka the Top Gun, aka the Pat's Cap, aka the best in the business. Okay, folks, I could go on and on about Miguel, and I'm sure he's listening to this laughing while he's taking a walk, but Miguel, thank you for always coming through for me, my man. You are the best.

But Julian's contract has a significant hit against the cap this year. His cap hit is $9.67 million. That's the fourth highest on the team and the top among wide receivers. That led some people to believe that Julian might be a viable trade candidate, or I've even heard people saying he might be a cap casualty, meaning that they'd cut him outright. Folks, I never say never to anything, but I believe there is a 99.8% chance that Julian Edelman is on this roster in 2020 and is a significant contributor to this roster in 2020. Again, his experience, his productivity is going to be so key in the development of a young quarterback like Jarrett Stidham. The only question that I have about Julian is whether or not the medical procedures he had in the off season could impact his physical productivity on the field. But lately we've been seeing indications

from Julian himself that he's ready and raring to go. If that's the case, then I expect him to be a big contributor and I believe he will be right there on the field in his regular role when the Patriots 2020 season kicks off. But in order for the Patriots to succeed this year, it cannot simply be the Julian Edelman show. And it not only prevented Julian from putting up the numbers that we all know he's capable of putting up, but it also did a disservice to Tom Brady and the rest of the Patriots offense as a whole. For that reason, all kinds of rumors swirled around that the Patriots were going to be looking to significantly upgrade the wide receiver position. We heard names bandied about like Stephon Diggs,

Odell Beckham Jr., and even DeAndre Hopkins. Well, Diggs and Hopkins were traded alright, but each of them were traded to different teams. DeAndre ended up going to Arizona, and Stephon Diggs went to the Buffalo Bills. Beckham is still in Cleveland for now, but if he is moved, I don't expect the Patriots to bite on that, because I believe the Patriots are going to go into the 2020 season with a depth chart consisting of members of this current group. And while the possibility certainly exists that they might bring in a free agent or two on a very low-level deal, sort of like a try-out, prove-it type, I believe they're going to

roll with this group. And the reason I believe that is because that solid number two option that they need right alongside Julian Edelman is already on their roster, and he has been since last year. And that's their first round draft selection from 2019, Nikhil Harry. Personally, I was a fan of Nikhil's when they made the selection, and I remain as high on it this year as I did last year. There are a lot of fans and media alike that take great pleasure in calling Nikhil Harry a bust. I really don't see how you do that after judging him on just one incomplete year on the field, but to each his own. I really don't see how you do that after judging him on just one incomplete year on the field, but to each his own. I choose to look at the potential and give the kid the

benefit of the doubt considering he didn't take his first snap in a Patriots uniform until week 11 of the regular season. That's right, for everyone that wants to say that Nikhil Harry never quite rounded into the wide receiver the Patriots needed him to be, forget that during the preseason he suffered an ankle injury against the Detroit Lions, forced him to miss the wide receiver the Patriots needed him to be. Forget that during the preseason, he suffered an ankle injury against the Detroit Lions, forced him to miss the rest of the preseason and well into the regular season. He never quite got the opportunity to learn the timing, the intricate routes, and the complex nature of the Patriots offense. Because of that, never quite developed the synergy with Tom Brady that he needed to develop. Again, folks,

this is not looking at things through rose-colored glasses, or, as I've been accused of a couple of times, reporting things through the Foxborough filter. No, this is just common sense. When you do not have the time to practice and put in the time because of something that's beyond your control, like an injury, you can't really be faulted for not giving the productivity you were expected to provide. Again, common sense.

But, the good news, Patriots Nation, is I expect Nikhil Harry to provide that productivity this year. I believe that with a full offseason to prepare, Harry can be that primary perimeter weapon that they wanted him to be when they drafted him just a year ago. Harry possesses the quality that a young quarterback like Jarrett Stidham is absolutely going to love. He simply has the ability to go up and get the football. He's almost tight end-like in his ability to box out and go up and make contested catches.

Now that doesn't mean they're not going to use him on the outside, folks. Nakheel Harry's home is going to be on the perimeter. But something about Nakheel Harry that you all might not know is that he does possess some versatility in this offense. You might recall that a couple of years ago we saw the Patriots utilize Cordero Patterson as a ball carrier out of the backfield at times. Well, Harry has some experience doing that as well, folks. He actually had 23 carries for 144 yards and three scores during his days in Arizona State. He also, in a very limited sample last year, had six carries for 56 yards. If Josh McDaniels and the Patriots offense wanted to get a little more creative this year, I could see them utilizing Harry in some of those situations. But in the final analysis, it's going to come down to health and it's going to come down to productivity on the field. Based

on his workout regimen and his tenacity, I expect positivity in both areas when it comes to Nakiel Harry this year. I'm sure you've all seen the reports that Nakiel has been working out in the offseason with the footwork king himself, Rashad Whitfield. Whitfield has worked with some of the best in the business, including Odell Beckham Jr. and DeAndre Hopkins that we mentioned earlier. He's also worked with Emmanuel Sanders and CeeDee Lamb, who was drafted this year by the Dallas Cowboys. Whitfield has reportedly been very impressed by what he's seen with Harry this year, and considering who he's worked with, to impress a guy like that, you know you have to be doing something right. So when it comes to wide receiver one and wide receiver two, the Patriots seem pretty well set. But who's going to fill out the rest of the depth chart?

Well, the Patriots have several options, including veterans that were on the team last year, a couple of notable free agents that they brought in for a flyer, and some undrafted free agent rookies that may open an eye or two during training camp. Who should you be keeping a sharp eye on? Well, we'll discuss that and more when Wide Out Wednesday continues right here on the Locked On Patriots Podcast. Patriots fans, once again, it is Wide Out Wednesday here on the Locked On Patriots Podcast. And in the previous segment, we pretty much shored up the wide receiver one

and the wide receiver two positions. I don't think it was a shock to too many of you that my choices were Juliet Edelman as wide receiver one and Nakiel Harry as wide receiver two. I think that's pretty much the consensus among fans and media alike. But who else on this depth chart is likely to be a contributor

to the Patriots' plans in 2020? Well, let's start with the usual suspects, and those are the Patriots veterans that were on the roster in 2019. Here on Locked On Patriots, we didn't spend a whole lot of time this offseason talking about Mohamed Sanu until the last couple of weeks. And again, much like Nikhil Harry, I'm willing to give Mohamed Sanu the benefit of the doubt. Sanu spent the majority of his time in Foxborough injured. And for those of you listening right now that are screaming, it cost them a second round pick. He was a bust. He was

terrible. Well, I'm not going to lie and say that he was great. His numbers were very pedestrian and really didn't make the impact the Patriots needed. But a lot of that was because he was hurt. A high ankle sprain is painful, folks. And because of that, I don't think you ever got a chance to see Mohamed Sanu's full potential in a Patriots uniform. I think he has the shot to prove that this year. I believe he's going to get it. However, unlike Julian Edelman, who I believe there's no chance gets cut, Mohamed Sanu wouldn't shock me, folks. He carries a cap hit in 2020 of $6.5 million. I know the Patriots invested a second round draft pick, and at the end of the day, they may choose that that investment is more important than the $6.5 million against the cap.

But if the Patriots find themselves in need of cap relief, cutting a guy like Sanu would be a significant savings, and for that reason, I would keep a sharp eye on him. However, I believe that what he can provide to this team on the field, including the experience that he has in playing in big games, makes him valuable. And I think that's why he sticks around. Another guy I don't see going anywhere is Jacoby Myers. And I know, Jacoby ended up being the practice and preseason darling. Everyone had some high expectations for him. He came into the regular season, didn't quite live up to them. He was targeted 41 times, 26 receptions, 359 receiving yards, did not find the end zone, and really relegated to a reserve role for much of the season. But I think Jacoby Myers

sticks around this year for a number of reasons. One, he's inexpensive. Jacoby only accounts for a little over $678,000 against the Patriots' salary cap, so he doesn't quite fit the mold of being a cap casualty. The other, experience in the Patriots system. Jacoby Myers looked like he could have a very nice relationship with Jarrett Stidham last year. I encourage you to go back and take a look at some of the film from the Patriots preseason last year, especially when he and Jarrett Stidham shared the field. There were some pretty nice connections between these two, and that type of savvy in an offense is so difficult to replicate,

whether it be with rookies or veteran free agents. Myers has a leg up on the competition here because he knows Jarrett Stidham's tendencies. When training camp finally does open, I'm going to have a very sharp eye on these two. I think this could be a very underrated pass catching combination. And don't roll your eyes here folks, you just might be raising an eyebrow when you see what Jacoby Myers and Jarrett Stidham can do on the field together. The Patriots also added a pair of wide receivers as veteran free agents this year, and I think each of these guys is intriguing in his own right. The first that I'll discuss today is far from a roster lock, but I think that if he can live up to even some of the

potential the Patriots see in him, he will be a contributor on the team this year, and that's Marquise Lee, formerly of the Jacksonville Jaguars. If there was a theme for the Patriots' wide receiver targets this year, it would probably be the need for speed. Lee definitely has speed when he's healthy, and I'll get to that in just a moment. But Lee has put up some pretty good statistical seasons throughout his career. His best were in 2016 and 2017. He tallied career highs with 63 receptions and 851 yards and three touchdowns in 2016. Follow that up with 56 receptions for 702 yards and three touchdowns in 2017. It's true folks, those numbers aren't going to get him in the Hall of Fame, but he can be a very solid option in this Patriots offense, again, provided he's healthy. Outside of the 2016 and 2017 seasons, Lee's missed a ton of time due to injuries. He

missed six games in 2015, he didn't play at all in 2018 because of an ACL injury, and he only played six games last year as he battled a shoulder ailment. For that reason, the Patriots were able to pick him up at a premium. He's only going to cost the Patriots $887,500 against the cap if he makes the team. If Lee is able to stay healthy, he has the talent to be a reliable target for Jarrett Stidham. In my opinion, he's a very good low-risk, high-reward signing for the Patriots. At the end of the day, folks, if Lee can make this roster, don't be a bit surprised to see him be a big-time contributor for this team. As we sit here today, May 27, 2020, I put Marquise Lee on this roster. I put his name in pencil because his status is going to be based solely on his health

and productivity on the field. From a financial standpoint, he makes a ton of sense, and I think Marquise Lee has the ability to be a solid depth guy, again folks, if healthy. Another free agent signing that the Patriots made this year, which I believe flew under the radar, and again, that could end up being a mistake, is former Arizona Cardinal Demir Bird. And Bird is one of those receivers that also took flight school at Top Gun. He feels the need for speed as well. And he's also coming off a pretty good year in Arizona.

Played in 11 games, started three of them, recorded 32 catches for 359 yards and one touchdown. All of this on 46 targets. Averaged 11.2 yards per reception, and that was the most he had in a season since his rookie year of 2016. If the Patriots choose to put Bird on this roster, he does offer them a lot of versatility. First, he can spread the field. His speed makes him a deep ball threat, but he can also make things happen after the catch, and I think that's why he has a chance to stick here in New England, especially for this year. I believe the Patriots are going to focus on an offense centered around moving the chains, not necessarily

big plays. And if that's the case, Demir Bird is a guy that can make things happen. He also has blazing speed when it comes to kick returns, and this is an area that the Patriots have struggled in mightily in the last few seasons. Bird has 353 yards on 14 returns for his career. That's an immediate upgrade for the Patriots. You heard our good green friend Thomas Murphy sing the praises of Demir Bird just last week here on Locked On Patriots. I join him in doing so. And I think that when you take a look at the total package of what Demir Bird can bring

to the table, he's going to be an awfully difficult cut for the Patriots. Now, he does count for a little over $1.5 million against the Patriots' salary cap. That's a pretty good bargain considering his versatility. When you're talking about a young quarterback like Jarrett Stidham, he's going to need as much veteran presence on this team as possible. That's why I like the chances of guys like Sanu and Myers and even Lee and Bird sticking around. Even though Marquise Lee and Demir Bird don't have experience in the Patriots' system,

they have a tremendous amount of experience on an NFL football field. When you're developing a young quarterback, that's vital. If you go back and take a look at the Patriots in the early days of the Tom Brady dynasty, he relied heavily on guys like David Patton and Troy Brown, receivers that were savvy and knew their role. This year, I think the Patriots are going to find similar value in those veterans, and that's why I like most of them to stick around. That's why I believe that guys like Devin Ross, Quincy Adebayo, and it pains me to say this, folks, who made that man a gunner, Gunnar Ryszewski, might be on the outside looking in. I hope I'm wrong. I love using the meme. Y'all love the meme. We love the meme. I may watch Spaceballs tonight just so that I can relive what it means to say,

who made that man a gunner. If you're judging a player on heart alone, there's no way I'd cut Gunnar Oshelski. But because of the talent, on paper right now, folks, I see him being the odd man out. If they release him, it wouldn't be for salary cap reasons. He only counts for a little over $675,000 against the cap, and does provide some experience in the return game. But at the end of the day, folks, it's about surrounding Jarrett Stidham with the best possible talent that they can, and I just see more upside in guys like Marquise Lee, Demir Bird, and Jacoby Myers, and for that reason, we might have made that man a gunner for the last time.

So folks, with that being said, it's almost time for me to go have myself a good cry, knowing that Gunnar Ryszewski's roster spot is in jeopardy. But I couldn't in good faith put a bow on today's show without mentioning the undrafted free agent possibilities that exist at the wide receiver position. And I've spent a lot of my time over the last couple of weeks talking about two of them, Jeff Thomas out of Miami and Will Hastings of Auburn. But the Patriots do have two more undrafted free agent wide receivers on the roster as well. And they are Isaiah Zuber out of Mississippi State and Sean Riley out of Syracuse.

Now, Zuber actually began his collegiate career at Kansas State, and he was pretty impressive there, hauling in 127 receptions for 1,321 yards and 11 touchdowns in three seasons. He transferred to Mississippi State for his final season and still had a pretty good year, hauling in 14 receptions for 211 yards and two touchdowns. Zuber has average size. He's listed at six feet tall, 190 pounds. But in my opinion, his regression in his senior season at Mississippi State makes him a long shot to make this roster. I feel the same way about Sean Riley. Riley is a bit more undersized. He's 5'8", 178 pounds, and again, an under-the-radar signing that I believe to be a long shot on this

roster. Riley reeled in 36 receptions for 275 yards and one touchdown last year in Syracuse. That's actually a decrease from his 2018 total, where he had 64 receptions for 756 yards and three touchdowns. So again, the regression in these two players is something that concerns me and leads me to believe that there'll be solid competition in training camp, but may not be the type of players that challenge for a roster spot. That is not the case with Will Hastings or Jeff Thomas. And I'm a lot like you folks. Every time I watch video on Jeff Thomas, I look at the quickness. I look at the explosiveness. I look at the field savvy that he has. There's a ton of potential here. I am certainly not ignoring it. And if Jeff Thomas found his way onto the roster this year, it would not shock me.

But I still believe in the final analysis that Will Hastings has the inside track to make it on this roster if the Patriots dip into the undrafted free agent pool and pull in a wide receiver. Two reasons. One is Thomas's character issues. Folks, I'm sorry, they can't be ignored. This was a guy that was suspended on more than one occasion throughout his collegiate career. I'm in no way saying that he's going to bring that baggage to Foxborough or even that his pass

should even be held against him. I think he has a clean slate coming through the door, but if he exhibits any of that type of behavior, it's simply not going to fly. Not in a Bill Belichick locker room. It never has, it never will. The Patriots will give guys a chance, even those players that have had difficulty in other systems. Corey Dillon, Albert Hainsworth, Chad Ochocinco, even Randy Moss. All of those guys were malcontents at some point during their NFL career. For guys like Dillon and Moss that came in and bought into it, they thrived.

For guys like Ochocinco and Hainsworth that didn't, well, they didn't do so well here in Foxborough. That's what makes me a little leery on Thomas. I for one hope he proves me wrong, because if he does come in and flashes the type of talent that I'm seeing on film, Patriots may have a steal here, someone that should have gone in the NFL draft and someone that a lot of NFL teams will regret passing on. But that's quite a big if, and that's why I have Thomas on the outside looking in. Hastings, on the other hand, is kind of like a Swiss Army knife. He's a guy that will come in and do his job. He's most comfortable in the slot, but he is capable of lining up outside a la Julian Edelman. Reminds me a lot of a young Wes Welker, this kid. When he has the right guy throwing him the ball, he's capable of putting

up some decent numbers. And it just so happens that his favorite quarterback at Auburn just happens to be the quarterback now in New England. And for those of you that are starting to scream at your listening device saying, that's no reason to put a guy on the team. Why? Just because he's Jarrett Stidham's friend? No, folks, that's not why he's going to make the team. Hastings has the talent to do it, but he's going to make the team. Hastings has the talent to do it, but he's going to make the team because that type of synergy between receiver and quarterback is a vital part of success. If you don't think the synergy between Tom Brady and Julian Edelman factored into their ability to be one of the most prolific quarterback and receiving tandems,

then you really haven't been paying close attention. Watch Tom down in Tampa Bay this year. I know he has a plethora of talent to choose from, but when Tom gets in trouble, he's going to be looking for number 87, and my guess is he finds him just a little bit more often than some of the other guys on that team. If Hastings is healthy, and again, he's had his health issues, he regressed a lot during the 2019 season as well, but from what I've seen of him physically, he looked okay. I think he was just missing his quarterback, and this year in New England, he has okay. I think he was just missing his quarterback.

And this year in New England, he has a chance to be reunited. And folks, don't worry, I won't sing, but maybe reunited will feel so good with an Auburn flavor in Foxborough this year. And with that, folks, before I'm tempted to start singing reunited, we'll put a bow on this wide receiver Wednesday episode of the Locked On Patriots podcast. But positional depth chart week here on the pod will continue. And tomorrow, we'll get a little defensive on this Thursday episode. And we'll talk Patriots defensive line, defensive ends, and the linebacker position. And joining me on the pod tomorrow will be one of the best and brightest when it comes

to breaking down film. Taylor Kyles of Pat's Pulpit joins me right here on the Locked On Patriots podcast. And we'll talk about what the Patriots' pass rush might look like in 2020, and why that protection up front may be even better than what they experienced in 2019. So folks, if you're excited to absorb some defensive wisdom in council, make sure that you do not miss a single episode of Locked On Patriots. Follow us on Spotify, subscribe to us on Apple Podcasts. And don't forget,

you can listen to Locked on Patriots right on your own smart device. How do you do it? Very simple. Just ask it to play the latest episode of Locked on Patriots. And if you've enjoyed today's podcast, now tell your smart device

to play the most recent episode of The Draft Dudes. Once again, I'm Mike DeBate. As always, I thank you all so much for listening today and for staying locked in to Locked On Patriots. Stay safe, stay well, and have a great day, everyone.