The needs of the New England Patriots are clear, and these NFL draft prospects could help

FOXBOROUGH, Mass. — Quick notes/thoughts on the New England Patriots and the NFL:

1. Shot settings: The Patriots traditionally like to consider all positions to enter the NFL draft, which gives them flexibility in selecting the “best available player.” This year feels different, though.

It highlights how Bill Belichick and his staff still have a lot of work to do, potentially telegraphing their intentions on the draft.

Four “need” points stand out, and here they are, with insight from Senior Bowl executive director Jim Nagy, a former Patriots scout, on the Senior Bowl players he deems fit for the team (within the first three or four rounds). ).

Linebacker (outside the line of scrimmage): Trading for Mack Wilson (last year of his contract) and re-signing career-specific defender Ja’Whaun Bentley was a start, but it can’t end there.

  • the nagy fitchad mom (Wyoming). «He made a big jump from the junior tape; we moved it up the board considerably this year. He has a nose for football and is always around. He can run and he’s athletic enough to play in the space, a three-down ‘backer who’s super smart and really productive. we had [Wyoming’s] Logan Wilson in the Senior Bowl a couple of years ago and we saw what he did this year in the Super Bowl: If Cincinnati wins that game, he could have been MVP. Communicating with Logan during the fall on Chad, he said they always knew he was going to be good because he got going and knew how to work and prepare. When I heard Logan talk about the makeup part with Chad, he yelled ‘Patriot’ at me.”

Receiver: The only addition has been Ty Montgomery, a combination running back/receiver, and his contract suggests he’s not insurance to make the team.

  • the nagy fitBo Melton (Rutgers). “You saw his ability to open up here in Mobile. He is quick and fast, and he also showed it in the Combine [4.34 seconds in the 40-yard dash]. You put on the tape and the first thing you like is his toughness and his forceful play with the ball in his hands. in one on one [at the Senior Bowl]you saw the stuff at the top of the route, the pitches, just that bluntness that always worked [for former Patriots receivers] either Troy Brown or Wes Welker or Julian [Edelman]. I think the next step for him to take is to catch the ball in traffic and be a little more consistent that way.”

Interior offensive line: The biggest hole is at left guard after Ted Karras’ free-agent exit, and the Patriots generally value the versatility to play center as well.

  • the nagy fitsion johnson (Boston College) and cole strange (UT-Chattanooga). “I think Zion is a great Pro Bowl player. He reminds me of Rodney Hudson. They would have to accept [pick No.] 21—Damien Woody type [No. 17 in 1999] in that BC wheelhouse, and that ain’t too rich. I think the best position for him is center, because you would be wasting his brain playing with him as a guard: he is very, very smart. The work ethic is off the charts. With Cole, I think he’ll be a second round pick, maybe a third. Attractive, slender, good athlete. We invited him to the Senior Bowl based on his Kentucky game alone; Kentucky has two guys on the defensive line who are going to be drafted and he just wore them out. He is physical. Really strong hands. A really tenacious player.”

Cornerback: Signing free agents Malcolm Butler and Terrance Mitchell potentially provide a veteran presence and starting experience in the short term, but they would be more stopgap solutions than long-term solutions to replace JC Jackson.

  • the nagy fitmarcus jones (Hoston). “I think he fits the Patriots because of the versatility. He has played outside, nickel, safety and receiver this year. And he’s an All-American returner who can do both.” [punts and kickoffs] and you should be able to do it right away. He is a lot like Troy Brown, only more inclined [toward] defending. He’s a fun player to watch: lots of energy, lots of snap. One of the biggest compliments you can give a DB is that he’s just a ‘player’ – you can stick him anywhere. He is sticky in coverage, he can mimic anyone, so it will be a very good spot. But he also has the speed to match outside, and I know they’ve played little guys, like Jonathan Jones.”

two. Introduction to the NFL meeting: The NFL’s annual meeting takes place Sunday through Wednesday this week in Palm Beach, Florida, and from a Patriots perspective, owners Robert and Jonathan Kraft and Belichick are scheduled to attend. It wouldn’t be surprising to see director of player personnel Matt Groh and even Matt Patricia as well. The league has scheduled a media availability for the AFC head coaches on Monday (7:45-8:15 am ET), and then one for the NFC on Tuesday (7:45-8:15 am ET). Unlike previous years, when reporters sat at a table with coaches, the expectation is that this year will feel a bit more like a traditional news conference. A possible change in overtime rules will be one of the hot topics, but not there seems to be a lot of momentum at the suggestion of Belichick’s longstanding OT.

3. Mel in drill: ESPN senior draft analyst Mel Kiper Jr. has the Patriots taking the wide receiver from Alabama james williams at No. 21 in his latest mock draft, and in a news conference he explained how the Alabama star’s recovery from a torn ACL has complicated his projection. “Some still think about the second round, but my information, and I didn’t talk to the 32 teams, but the ones I talked to said ‘first round.’ That’s why I turned him over to New England. I almost gave him up to Green Bay at 22 or 28. Buffalo, some people think 25.”

4. Agholor registers: Wide receiver Nelson Agholor was back in town last week, and his presence highlights one of the evolving themes of the team’s offseason activity: the prospect of getting more out of some of the year’s free-agent acquisitions. past by potentially adjusting schemas. Agholor had 37 receptions for 473 yards and three touchdowns last season; not exactly the investment the team was probably projecting after signing him to a two-year, $22 million deal. A big potential step would be if Agholor plans to spend most of the voluntary offseason program in New England with quarterback Mac Jones, which he didn’t in 2021.

5. Teddy still believes: With several AFC teams looking to improve dramatically this offseason, and the Patriots calmer in terms of acquisitions, how far has the team fallen? Not out of the playoffs, according to ESPN NFL Sunday Countdown analyst Tedy Bruschi. Appearing on Get Up! from ESPN. program last week, Bruschi picked the winners of his AFC division (Bills, Bengals, Titans, Chargers) and wild-card teams (Chiefs, Patriots, Raiders) … and said he still believes New England has the edge over the Ravens. , Colts and Broncos, among others.

6. End of Trent: In addition to offensive tackle Trent Brown’s inconsistent availability over the past three seasons, his slow finish in 2021 could have contributed to a free-agent market that didn’t pan out for him and landed him back in New England on a heavily-incentived contract. . Brown had an 85.7% pass-earned block rate from Week 16 through the end of the season (including playoffs), which ranked 42nd out of 63 rated offensive tackles during that span, according to Michael Proia of ESPN Stats. & Information.

7. Return commitments: If Butler plays a regular-season game for the Patriots in 2022, he will become the 27th player since 2000 to have at least two seasons with the franchise. That would tie the Seahawks for the most players in that category during that span (Seattle kept up the pace after agreeing to bring back cornerback Justin Coleman last week). Linebacker Jamie Collins Sr. and quarterback Brian Hoyer lead the way with three different stints in New England.

8. Bates Tracking: The Patriots had Ryan Bates, the Bills’ restricted free agent interior lineman, in town for a visit early last week but never made an aggressive effort to sign him on an offer sheet. Bates (four career starts for him) visited the Bears and has since signed an offer sheet with them. In New England, the fourth-year pro from Penn State would have projected as the starting left guard, a position where the Belichick-led Patriots have had notable success finding draft-ready starters (eg, Logan Mankins, Joe Thuney) and will presumably be looking to do it again this year.

9. White can withstand Chicago: Running back James White is from Fort Lauderdale, Florida, but his college days in Wisconsin and his eight-year NFL career with the Patriots have toughened him up in frigid winter conditions. That’s a good thing since White and his wife, Diana, have chosen Chicago as his permanent residence. A big draw for the family is that Diana is from there. White, of course, isn’t ready to leave Foxborough, Massachusetts, behind after signing a one-year deal to return, something he says he didn’t take for granted following a serious hip injury in September that didn’t have him walking until a few months ago.

10. Did you know? The Jaguars have spent $175.3 million in guaranteed money on free agents this offseason, according to official contracts per the Roster Management System. That tops the Patriots ($163 million in 2021) for the most guaranteed money spent on free agents in a single offseason in NFL history.

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The needs of the New England Patriots are clear, and these NFL draft prospects could help