Patriots Beat: Training Camp PREVIEW

CLNS Media Sports Network

Tune into another LIVE edition of Patriots Beat with Alex Barth from 98.5 The Sports Hub and Brian Hines of Pat Pulpit! Join us as Alex and Brian dive into an in-depth preview of the Patriots' training camp and dissect the most compelling storylines that are shaping up as we head into the camp.  This episode of the Patriots Beat Podcast is brought to you by:  FanDuel Sportsbook, the exclusive wagering partner of the CLNS Media Network. Get a NO SWEAT FIRST BET up to $1000 DOLLARS when you visit https://FanDuel.com/BOSTON! That’s $1000 back in BONUS BETS if your first bet doesn’t win.  FanDuel – Official Partner of Major League Baseball.  Major League Baseball trademarks used with permission.   21+ and present in MA. First online real money wager only. $10 Deposit req. Refund issued as non-withdrawable bonus bets that expire in 14 days. Restrictions apply. See terms at fanduel.com/sportsbook. Hope is here. GamblingHelpLineMA.org or call (800)-327-5050 for 24/7 support. Play it smart from the start! GameSenseMA.com or call 1-800-GAM-1234.

Transcript

00:00:00 Welcome back in to another live edition of the Patriots beat podcast here on the CLNS media network

00:00:07 Brian Hines from Pats pulpit join as always by 98 5 the sports hubs Alex Barth

00:00:11 and we are officially one week away from the start of training camp when the fun begins and

00:00:18 We'll start to break that down today

00:00:20 But before we do that, there was some Patriots news because the coaches their summer break was over

00:00:26 They were back in the building today and they wasted no time getting busy here because the Patriots

00:00:32 Had Leonard Fournette in for a workout

00:00:34 Had Darrell Henderson in for a workout a couple running backs in the building

00:00:38 And there was some interest in Denzel Mims the wide receiver from the Jets who looks like he's headed out of town there

00:00:44 So we can start with the running backs because that's been a position that we've been kind of been on our radar here

00:00:50 I only have five on right there looked like that was gonna be a position

00:00:54 They might have added or been looking to add to here during camp

00:00:58 So Fournette and Henderson somehow Henderson is only 25 years old

00:01:02 I kind of surprised me when we just heard that news, but those two guys were in today

00:01:07 So so where are your thoughts kind of on them? I?

00:01:09 Mean I said it before I think Fournette would be a good fit for

00:01:14 What I think they're looking for which is a well-rounded back to split drives with Ramondry Stevenson

00:01:20 Granted that would be Dalvin cook as well. I think that was the question a lot of people had

00:01:24 Why are they working out Leonard Fournette when Dalvin cook is available one?

00:01:28 I just think they want to see where Leonard Fournette's at may not be one or the other may not be they still want it

00:01:33 Maybe they want Dalvin cook, but if there's injuries down the road if Fournette becomes available

00:01:37 They want to know what's going on with him. But the other thing is

00:01:40 Dalvin cook may not want to come here there one

00:01:44 He's he wants to get paid and we know where they're at with that and -

00:01:47 He's probably gonna want to be a feature back and I don't think he wants to split carries

00:01:51 I think he wants to be

00:01:52 the primary back in an offense so he can reset his value and get himself paid next year and that's not gonna happen here because

00:01:58 Ramondry is gonna be a big part of what they do offensively

00:02:01 Whereas I think Fournette is at a point in his career where where he's more comfortable than a spellback role. I

00:02:07 I also just think that what Fournette gives you is a pass blocker what he gives you is more of a downhill runner is

00:02:13 Is a better fit he's more of a scheme fit for what the Patriots want to do

00:02:17 I think for it would make a lot of sense. My guy's been Ezekiel Elliott throughout this thing

00:02:22 No word from his camp

00:02:23 But he's another guy that may not want to split carries if we're nets won't split carries

00:02:27 He makes a lot a lot of sense for the Patriots as for Dar Darnell Henderson

00:02:32 He's been kind of banged up the last couple years

00:02:34 I think he's had a couple of workouts the last few months in his still unsigned

00:02:39 So that may be more like an emergency list kind of thing. We know the Patriots do this

00:02:43 They just work out as many players as they can

00:02:46 so if they do need to sign somebody quickly, they have a base idea where that guy's at but

00:02:49 Fournette would be good signing Fournette would would make a lot of sense. Yeah, I'm with you there because

00:02:55 He can come in and spell Ramon Dre and not be too predictable, right?

00:02:59 Cuz he can do both right in the run game in the passing game. He had I think was like 73 receptions last year

00:03:05 I thought he'd yeah 73 catches on 83 targets over 500 yards career years a receiver

00:03:10 It was Byron left which is playbook so but still like he has that ability and you can trust him with that

00:03:16 I thought he took a step in his pass protection to

00:03:18 Last year and it's a guy they've they brought him in last year, right?

00:03:23 Whether he was just playing the free agent cards how he wanted to to go back to Tampa

00:03:27 But they've had interest in him before so

00:03:29 it kind of seemed like this would be a guy who they'd have interested in and it made sense there, but

00:03:35 Denzel Mims was another name because the Jets

00:03:40 He seemed like he was heading out. It's been a rocky few years there in New York

00:03:45 They were gonna wave him it looks like but now they're getting some trade interest

00:03:50 He'd come in and he'd be your fifth receiver probably right it might he wouldn't be on the field much

00:03:55 Unless one of those top four get hurt, but there's some the interesting potential there

00:04:00 But I don't know if he's worth a trade at this point as your fifth guy

00:04:04 He's kind of like a training camp flyer at this point. So where are you kind of on Denzel Mims?

00:04:10 If they want to bring him in bring him in he's not gonna cost anything

00:04:12 I think they're saying the trade would be a conditional seventh round pick in any free agency. He's gonna get the minimum. I

00:04:17 He doesn't

00:04:20 Fix anything. He doesn't solve anything. This doesn't make up for not getting DeAndre Hawkins

00:04:24 He got it in three years has struggled to stay healthy when he is healthy. He can't get on the field

00:04:28 He just can't win the snaps and it Jets offense. That wasn't exactly loaded

00:04:32 Kind of you know, I think there's overlap with Taekwon Thornton 6-3 207 speedster

00:04:38 I think the difference is Taekwon is much better is much more quick. Denzel Mims running a straight line

00:04:44 He's not changing direction Taekwon Thornton can change direction

00:04:46 So if you want to take a flyer on the guy take a flyer on the guy

00:04:49 I do think and we'll talk about this in a little bit

00:04:52 The depth of wide receiver after those first four guys drops off significantly. There's really no proven talent after

00:04:58 Parker Smith Schuster born and Thornton you get down to

00:05:03 Keishon butte to Mario Douglas and Lee Malik honey cam

00:05:06 so to get another guy who's played in the NFL isn't necessarily a bad idea, but I

00:05:12 It's not it's nothing more than a flyer

00:05:16 Mims has not found success in the NFL to this point and I don't know that the Patriots are gonna change that

00:05:21 It would be good to get another body with NFL experience, but that's about it when it comes to Mims

00:05:28 Yeah, I was kind of with you and I wouldn't trade for him. I wouldn't even do that the

00:05:32 Conditional 70 let him get caught let him get to waivers

00:05:35 If somebody else is gonna give up something for him, let them do that

00:05:38 You can go out on the street and get like Corey Coleman or a guy like that

00:05:41 Who's gonna more or less give you the same thing? Yeah, and it seems like he might get traded here

00:05:46 I saw something like Dallas was interested and there's a few other teams whether that's just

00:05:50 Them trying to boost his value is one thing or another but well in the in the Jets

00:05:55 Well, the Jets didn't end up releasing him when they're releasing days that tells you there might be something. Yeah, but

00:06:00 He yeah a camp body of a flyer see what he is. He's he was a first round pick, right?

00:06:05 So he has second round pick. Okay, so still the potentials there, but I like them as rookie year

00:06:12 Obviously Zach Wilson that Jets it's just been downhill. So maybe a fresh start new new scenery will do good for him, but

00:06:19 If they want to bring him in on a flyer for cheap, that'd be good with me, but it's obviously not

00:06:27 Impact guy who you're gonna bring in there, but right so we can you want to jump in in the training camp preview?

00:06:34 Yeah, let's do it. All right. So as we said one week away first practice one week away from today

00:06:40 So we're gonna kind of go through all the positions here

00:06:43 Say like one big thing we're looking for maybe break down some of the positional battles within there

00:06:49 So we'll just start with quarterback the big one. They the spring kind of shut down

00:06:55 Any quarterback competition, you know Mac is this guy unless things go like totally off the rails

00:07:01 which I don't think either of us are expecting in the summer, but

00:07:04 What I'm looking for is he looked comfortable. He looked refreshed now

00:07:10 Let's see him do it in a live pocket, right?

00:07:12 That's the big thing the live pocket because he was very he was one of the worst statistical passers in the league last year under

00:07:19 pressure so I

00:07:20 Just you know, let's see how he looks when there's a pass rush coming down on him and just how that kind of plays out

00:07:26 That's my big thing. I'm looking forward Mac there

00:07:29 My mine's the exact same thing it all started going south last year when he got sped up

00:07:33 When when he started facing that pressure in the pocket, he's gonna face pressure again. I mean we'll get to the tackle situation

00:07:38 He's gonna face pressure again

00:07:40 He's got to be more poised more composed more confident in the pocket be willing to step in to throw us things like that

00:07:46 It was the first sign last year that things went wrong

00:07:48 And I think it can be the first sign this year that things are going right if if max handling pressure much better because sometimes

00:07:54 Quarterbacks get sped up and they never reset that internal clock

00:07:56 Sometimes guys do every quarterbacks gotten sped up

00:08:00 So a lot of quarterbacks are able to reset their clock

00:08:01 The question is with a year off with it with a coach who actually wants to work with him

00:08:06 Can Mac Jones get his internal clock reset and get back to where he was in 2021?

00:08:11 Yeah, and I think we saw some signs of it in the spring, you know

00:08:16 he mentioned he's got his toolbox back right like all the tools to him because

00:08:20 Last year, he didn't have much power at the line of scrimmage

00:08:24 It seemed like they took some of that maybe away from him and it looks like with Bill O'Brien now back

00:08:30 He's gonna have some of that power up front and you saw

00:08:32 One play in the spring that stood out to me, you know

00:08:35 He flashed a hand signal to Kendrick born Patriots brought a blitz and he got him on a slant

00:08:40 Which would have been a touchdown so

00:08:42 It was good start. But again, it's not that live pocket

00:08:46 So, let's see how it looks when you know, there is a defense coming down on him like that

00:08:51 Well, maybe - that just plays to the confidence. There were no protection checks last year

00:08:55 He had to go with whatever what was called in the huddle and I would imagine as a quarterback. That's terrifying

00:08:59 Yeah that you can see something know the protection you have isn't gonna work and you're not able to adjust to it

00:09:05 So maybe now that he can at least in part set his own

00:09:10 protections

00:09:12 He'll feel more confident in his protection. Yep

00:09:15 Yep on the same page there

00:09:18 so running backs we got into some of the guys who might come in but

00:09:23 They have five on the roster

00:09:26 We know Ramond Ray is going to be the lead dog

00:09:29 My big thing is Pierre strong still here because I love Pierre strong. I love speed

00:09:35 I just get all the speed on the field as possible, but

00:09:38 You saw he had 17 touches last year. It was a redshirt year

00:09:42 essentially, is he going to become a

00:09:46 Consistent threat for you that you know

00:09:49 You can get him on the field in the passing game reliable and pass protection get at the ball in his hands

00:09:55 Get him some good looks that he can use his speed against

00:09:59 Or is he just gonna be this kind of three four touch guy a game where you're just gonna throw him out there and hope

00:10:05 he can break one when you need one, so I

00:10:07 hope he can strain kind of a consistent summer here and be a

00:10:11 Regular offensive piece because I think that speed would go a long way on this offense that might feature guys like

00:10:18 Kosicki Henry Parker some of these slower possessional guys. So my big thing actually goes beyond that I

00:10:26 Yes, there's all this talk about who the second running back will be and this is assuming they don't sign anybody

00:10:31 There's all this talk about who the second running back will be and I think to answer that question

00:10:36 We need to know what we're Andre Stevenson's role is gonna be and he should have less touches. We've talked about this

00:10:42 It's a quality over quantity thing

00:10:44 If you give him the ball less he'll actually be a better player

00:10:46 Because he won't be as worn out late here like he was last year. He said he was last year

00:10:51 now that being said where those snaps coming from is he going to have more of an early down role and they need a

00:10:57 passing down back or will it be vice versa and that dictates what you're looking for in that second back if

00:11:04 It's mostly going to be

00:11:06 Ramond Ray on passing downs. I think that that points more towards a guy like Kevin Harris than maybe Pierre stronger time Montgomery

00:11:14 whereas if

00:11:15 Stevenson's gonna be on early downs, which is kind of what I think they're gonna end up doing that opens the door more for

00:11:20 Strong in Montgomery as opposed to Harris then there's also that thing about do they stop doing it situationally and just go by drive

00:11:27 If they sign a guy like Leonard Fournette, then I think that's what you're talking about. You're talking about probably

00:11:33 Two of every three drives go to Ramond Ray Stevenson and then they mix Leonard Fournette in a third of the time something like that

00:11:38 so

00:11:39 But that's the the RB to question is a big one the competition between as it stands right now

00:11:45 Strong and Harris in Montgomery, but I don't think we can really we don't know the context in which that conversation is being had

00:11:52 Until we know what their plan is for a laundry Stevenson. Yeah, and I like how you mentioned that

00:11:59 You know give them drives because that's kind of what they open the preseason with last year, right?

00:12:04 like they gave yeah, it's gonna drive and Harris to drive than Montgomery a drive, but

00:12:08 Obviously Montgomery went down early and Harris went down early and then they just kind of were forced to use Ramond Ray

00:12:14 But maybe they do get back kind of that drive-by-drive you lose some of the predictability and you know go that route

00:12:22 Yeah, exactly and I like you said I think injuries prevented them from doing that last year

00:12:28 But it would be good if they could get back to that because I think it does help. Yeah, I agree. I

00:12:32 Get this question. Sometimes I just see this. How does anybody get a groove if you're pulling them every other play?

00:12:37 It's not every other play. It's every other drive. Yeah, so you're in the game

00:12:41 We're out again. No running back. Well, most running backs don't want to play the full game

00:12:45 they don't because the beating you take again is immense, so they're just

00:12:48 Nobody nobody's gonna sit there and say I can't believe I'm not getting every single snap. That's just how it works

00:12:55 Like this there's no workhorses. There's no like teams who have a workhorse 25 touch a game

00:13:02 It just doesn't doesn't go well for him and you saw Stevenson

00:13:05 Fade down the stretch last year, you know

00:13:09 You want to avoid that because he probably is your best offensive player, even though he was an 80 and we're all a Madden

00:13:14 Yeah, yeah, that's so wrong so insanely there they were so off on that rating

00:13:22 We'll get the rest of the rings throughout the week. Yeah, we can do that real quick

00:13:25 We're Mondrake Stevenson 80 overall and Madden 20th best back. He's like five points behind Miles Sanders

00:13:30 It was ridiculous a fine running back. But like

00:13:33 80s borderline starter and I was tweeting about the Madden ratings

00:13:38 Like last week like we're the top five players gonna be in a lot of people said Ramon Drey said well

00:13:42 They really weren't he was a 72 last year. They were not kind to him last year

00:13:47 I just for whatever reason Madden doesn't like him. I was fully prepared for it to be stupid low

00:13:51 It was stupid low, but yeah

00:13:53 I think it's gonna be surprising if there's a more underrated player on the Patriots than Ramon Drey Stevenson

00:13:58 See a 72 at the end of the year or beginning. No, I get he got up to like 78 I think

00:14:03 Still that's that's low for him. Yeah

00:14:06 but

00:14:09 so we can receivers that's

00:14:11 All the attention is at the receiver room right now

00:14:15 The top four are set right juju Kendrick Bourne Tyco and Thornton Devante Parker

00:14:21 That fifth spot it's you know, the Mario Douglas

00:14:26 Keisha and booty or do two of them make a push and force them to keep six

00:14:31 I'm leading the Mario Douglas is the five and that's kind of where they cut it right now

00:14:37 But that's I think that's the main competition and that and that's where my eyes will be at the receiver room

00:14:44 My biggest thing is just is everybody healthy

00:14:46 Because we saw this spring how quickly that depth falls off and we just kind of talked about it after those top four guys

00:14:52 There is no like I was trying to think before of who the equivalent guy was

00:14:56 Or who an equivalent guy has been for the Patriots the last couple years where he's not a starter

00:15:02 He's not gonna play a ton

00:15:03 But if you need him like basically what little Jordan Humphrey was last year

00:15:05 You needed a couple snaps out of a guy who's been in the league

00:15:08 He can give it to you the drop-off from whoever the former receiver is whether it's Thornton or born

00:15:14 To the next guy. I mean you don't really have anybody else with NFL experience whether it's Trey Nixon

00:15:19 Whether it's Ed Lee whether it's Raleigh Webb like that's just it's not

00:15:22 There's no depth there. So

00:15:25 Part of what they did when they when they chose not sign Hopkins is

00:15:30 They'd lost any margin for loss at receiver in look guys are going to miss time. It's going to happen

00:15:37 It's the NFL but if you're losing guys at that position

00:15:41 Given what the position looks like right now before you even play a meaningful game

00:15:44 That's really gonna be a ton to overcome for the Patriots in for Mac Jones

00:15:49 So I'm curious to see if everybody's healthy and then on top of that I think it's that battle at the Z position

00:15:54 Yeah between Kendrick Bourne and Taekwon Thornton because they need

00:15:58 Significant production out of that position this year whether it be the two of them splitting it or one of them breaking out

00:16:04 I know everybody wants it to be Thornton and it probably makes more sense for it to be Thornton

00:16:09 But I wouldn't sleep on Kendrick Bourne

00:16:11 But that's the difference between the offense being good enough and being good is whether or not they get

00:16:16 production like significant production whether that Z receiver becomes a threat whether one of those guys can even borderline become a coverage dictating wide receiver and

00:16:24 So I think all eyes are right there and who's gonna win that battle and does whoever win it actually look like they're in for

00:16:31 a good season. Yep. I

00:16:33 Agree there and the health right? That's probably why they might be poking around the guy like Denzel Mims right now

00:16:39 I'll get another body and and we did get a report the Boston Globe

00:16:43 Juju talked to him and said he is expected to be ready for the start of training camp

00:16:48 so that was good news on the injury front, but

00:16:51 Yeah, you're already having these things pop up, you know, Devante Parker his past hasn't always been you know, very well

00:16:58 Healthy, you know, he's not always healthy and Taekwon. He was hurt last year. So

00:17:04 We've talked about it before they're kind of balancing this line right where they have a good room and it could be

00:17:10 Really good room if one of those Z receivers takes that step

00:17:13 But an injury or two kind of drop them below and then you're playing a dangerous game there for Mac and everyone else involved

00:17:20 right

00:17:22 But what kind of goes hand in hand with the receivers is the tight ends at this point right because a

00:17:29 Lot of 12 personnel. You've all heard it throughout the spring hunter Henry Mike a sickie

00:17:34 Seeing how that's gonna work with healthy receivers

00:17:38 I'd still expect a good amount of 12, but do they transition to more 11 with with juju back?

00:17:44 that's gonna be one thing to watch and then

00:17:46 The the tight end three spot like can one of these guys make a push

00:17:50 To convince them to say hey, we got to keep a third tight end on the 53

00:17:55 They haven't done it in the past with Henry and John ooh. I

00:17:59 Released a 53 man roster projection last week over on Pat's pulpit and I just had the two

00:18:05 Because I'm kind of you can get a combination of these Johnny Lumpkin Anthony Furcher

00:18:10 Scotty Washington to the practice squad and then just elevate them when you need it, but

00:18:15 Can one of those guys make a push? Maybe that's something you know to put on the back burner there throughout camp

00:18:21 I'm with you on that on the third tight end, but that doesn't mean it's not a battle

00:18:25 I think you know who's the first guy elevated? No becomes a thing and and so that's certainly something watching camp

00:18:31 the other thing that it comes down to the third tight end is

00:18:34 What is Mike is sick? He's usage because is he going to be you know going back to when he was at his best in?

00:18:40 Miami he was essentially a slot receiver 60% of the time in the slot about 20% out wide

00:18:45 That was his role and if they're gonna do that

00:18:47 I don't

00:18:48 They might need to keep a third tight end because he's a wide receiver at that point and are they gonna use him to buoy?

00:18:53 This wide receiver group, especially given the lack of depth we've been talking about

00:18:57 So they may have to keep a third tight end because the third tight end might be the second tight end if Mike is sick

00:19:02 He's the fifth wide receiver. So seeing his usage seeing how they use him

00:19:06 To me is gonna be really interesting because there's a lot of different directions. They can go with that and

00:19:10 I know on the the playmakers podcast on the athletic they were talking about how Sean McVay used to

00:19:17 Run 11 personnel was sort of like a hidden tight end

00:19:21 You know as they called it 11 and a half which by the way, we called it months ago

00:19:24 So are we as smart as Sean McVay or smarter? Yeah, probably people are saying

00:19:28 The other interesting thing in this I did talk to somebody who not with the team, but somebody who wondered if

00:19:35 Juju Smith Schuster might get some hybrid tight end use

00:19:40 Because if you look at it, Juju Smith Schuster is objectively more of a traditional tight end than Mike is sick. Yes

00:19:46 He's bigger. He's stronger. He's a better blocker and

00:19:50 That could further complicate this thing in a good way in a good way and give the Patriots even more

00:19:55 Flexibility with their off-fence of personnel sets and this goes back to something we talked about a couple weeks ago Brian

00:20:03 If they come out with Parker Juju

00:20:07 Henry geseke Montgomery

00:20:12 well, you have

00:20:15 Juju who can play wide receiver and tight end you have geseke who can play wide receiver and tight end and

00:20:20 Then you have Montgomery who can play wide receiver and running back. That's it. And then you just start going no huddle

00:20:25 That's a nightmare for an offense to match personnel wise

00:20:28 You can make them declare their personnel line up whatever is beneficial positionally positioning those guys and then go no huddle

00:20:36 so they can't adapt so

00:20:38 Geseke's usage is gonna be really interesting and in just to tie into that what they end up doing with with you know

00:20:44 how much are him and

00:20:46 Juju Smith Schuster on the field at the same time

00:20:49 Geseke and Juju how much are they on the same side of the formation at the same time?

00:20:54 Are there gonna be instances where Juju is actually lining up inside?

00:20:58 Of where Mike is sick. He lines up and I don't mean in line like with his hand in the dirt next to the tackle

00:21:04 I don't think Juju is gonna do that. But do they go double slot?

00:21:07 Do they do things where Juju's in the slot and geseke as a tight end is out wide?

00:21:13 They can get super creative with that. Will they I don't know

00:21:15 I feel like every year I kind of hope they do something like this and they never do

00:21:18 But it well they will to an extent with geseke because they've sort of alluded to that

00:21:24 But they can get really weird with it. And then that goes to how the rosters made up again

00:21:30 Is Mike a sickie your second tight end or is he your fourth wide receiver?

00:21:34 And then does that mean that Johnny Lumpkin is gonna make the team or Anthony firks or or Matt?

00:21:39 So Cole is gonna make the team or Scotty what and then Scotty Washington's another guy frankly

00:21:43 He was a hybrid wide receiver tight end so you could start getting weird with that stuff as well

00:21:46 So it's gonna be really interesting to see what they do with all that

00:21:49 Yeah, and you could all like Juju played a little the X last year in Kansas City

00:21:54 Yeah, we have him if you take Parker probably off the field

00:21:57 You could have him at the X and then geseke in the slot. So there are a lot of variations that they can

00:22:03 You know run there you talked so much about the versatility and the secondary and the safety is like

00:22:08 Same kind of thing here with the receivers and tight ends, right?

00:22:12 and then

00:22:14 Lastly on the offense side of the ball the offensive line the good old offensive line

00:22:19 Tackle here with let's start here with the offensive line. Let's get the easy part out of the way first. I

00:22:25 I don't want to speak for you Brian, but on the interior on when who Andrew is strange

00:22:32 I think that's a fine group. I think that's a good group. I'm not worried about them

00:22:35 All right now that we got that out of the way

00:22:38 The fun begins. Yes

00:22:40 So

00:22:45 Trent Brown

00:22:47 Yes, I

00:22:49 He's their best tackle right? He's their best tackle

00:22:52 He's going to start that's kind of how I've looked at this. I am comfortable saying Trent Brown

00:22:59 Will start that's a where but I feel comfortable saying Trent Brown will start after that

00:23:05 I think there's nothing more than just guessing. There is nothing more than shot in the dark blindfolded in the tail on the donkey

00:23:12 Yeah, because you know you talked the the battle looks like it's Riley reef Conor McDermott on the right side, right?

00:23:19 What trend right left?

00:23:21 But then you could have a guy like Calvin Anderson make a push here who lined up

00:23:26 All the time at left tackle throughout the spring without Trent Brown

00:23:29 Was that just the filler or was that what they're planning to use him, right?

00:23:35 and then you move Brown back to the right side, so

00:23:38 They have a lot of options there and like that's that's definitely the biggest battle of the summer

00:23:44 I would say is how do those tackle spots kind of shake out and like you said Brown will start but it's where and then

00:23:53 Who's opposite of him? Whatever side he is on?

00:23:55 You guys have heard me say this a million times. I'm gonna say it again if anything

00:23:59 Undoes the offense it's not gonna be the coaching. It's not gonna be the quarterback. It's not gonna be the receivers

00:24:05 it's gonna be the tackles because

00:24:07 Trent Brown I I actually think people are a little too low on Trent Brown right now. I'll say that I do

00:24:13 I he wasn't great last year. He wasn't the player. He wasn't 2018, but he was a starting

00:24:20 NFL caliber starting tackle wasn't a pro bowler and all pro but like if they get

00:24:24 17 games of that from him this year one side is in good shape

00:24:29 Now that's the question with him is are they going to get 17 games? That's the

00:24:35 Where I'm more so worry about his situation after that Riley Reef has been an NFL starting tackle in the past

00:24:42 But he's 34 and he showed some pretty significant signs of regression last year. So who knows are you gonna get from him?

00:24:49 Calvin Anderson is a project player. He is athletic

00:24:52 He is big but he needs a lot of coaching in four years in you wonder at what point is it just not gonna translate?

00:24:59 But he is a guy that is a total unknown. I think Connor McDermott is your most stable lineman, but he's a

00:25:05 serviceable third tackle

00:25:07 That's what he is

00:25:07 Like he's not gonna be terrible, but he's certainly not gonna be good either and he's gonna he can only play on the right side

00:25:13 He's gonna struggle against speed rushers. That's what he is

00:25:16 He'll maul anybody that anybody who tries to maul him and each buddy that tries to go power for power with him

00:25:21 He'll hold his own beyond that. I don't know so I

00:25:26 Just can you I we've talked about this. I think their plan is

00:25:31 Adrian Clem coaches guys up enough in their scheme deemphasizes the tackle position enough that it doesn't matter

00:25:39 that that they make it work and

00:25:44 And they can coach around it exactly what that comment said it's it's bill trusting the coaches more than the players

00:25:49 That's I I think Adrian Clem is a very good coach. I love that higher

00:25:54 That's putting a lot on his plate. Yeah, that is putting a ton on his plate and I don't know about that. So

00:26:01 Can you get?

00:26:03 What?

00:26:05 34 because it's two sides 17 times - can you get 35 games of starting caliber tackle play?

00:26:13 Out of Trent Brown Calvin Anderson Riley reef and Connor McDermott can Adrian Clem and Billy Yates and Bill O'Brien get you that I

00:26:20 Don't know. I really don't know if I had a bet I would say no

00:26:26 I I don't think that they'll get you zero because again, I do think Trent Brown can play at a starting caliber level

00:26:34 It's just gonna stay healthy. The other guys are where I start wondering about level of ability

00:26:38 But it's scary. It's a scary group plain and simple

00:26:43 And and there is one caveat here and we can get to that

00:26:45 But I guess Brian just your thoughts on if they stick with the tackles

00:26:50 They're calling tackles a little bit of a foreshadow there to my other point if they stick with the tackles. They're calling tackles

00:26:57 How do you feel about the group?

00:26:59 it's

00:27:01 Where we've kind of been at it

00:27:03 It's the biggest issue and it's the one thing that could really just tank this offense, right? Like we talked about it

00:27:09 at the start there

00:27:12 Mac was so bad under pressure last year and I and he kind of lost that confidence if you have a repeat of that early

00:27:19 In the year like that's when it can kind of go downhill there. So

00:27:22 You kind of put it perfectly like I like Trent Brown

00:27:27 I think he gets you know a little too much hate like he's still a good tackle. Just there's some mental lapses sometimes but

00:27:33 You got to find 17 games out of those other three no matter how you shake it, right?

00:27:40 Or you know, I think how you were going with the CD Sal

00:27:43 Maybe he could play here and or on when new gets bumped out if that's where you were else more with that. So yeah

00:27:50 That seems kind of like their emergency plan

00:27:54 With which what I kind of also want to say

00:27:57 They have a lot of competition along the interior with these rookies that they just drafted and you know

00:28:04 Bill Murray and James for ends and chasing Hines from last year

00:28:07 So if that tackle play really falls off and you really like one of these guys along the interior

00:28:12 Maybe it's time to bump Mike and when you're back outside to right tackle even though they were so reluctant to do that last year

00:28:18 see, but that's and that's the point is will they do that and

00:28:22 They made it very clear last year

00:28:24 We were 30 minutes away from James Ference lining up at left tackle in a divisional game opposite Vaughn Miller

00:28:30 against the bills and Trent Brown was sick, but he was able to get on the field and it didn't happen but

00:28:35 If they were gonna do that, they were never going to play Michael Owen

00:28:38 Oh at tackle they would have brought a tight end in or they would have brought a defensive player over

00:28:44 It was starting to feel like before they moved Michael and went about in their reasoning

00:28:48 Wasn't incorrect, you know, they want they don't want to stunt his growth. They moved him around a ton his first two years

00:28:56 They wanted him to sit in a position and grow in that position. They chose guard

00:28:59 I would have chose tackle because it's a more valuable position

00:29:01 But if you decide we're gonna develop him at guard then you develop him at guard and there is something to be said for that

00:29:07 I did the first two years

00:29:09 I said they need to put him in a position to stick with it because they're screwing with his development because I'm moving him

00:29:13 Around too much. So I'd be a hypocrite if I said otherwise that all being said

00:29:16 He's down the last year of his deal if they know they're not gonna pay him. I know this sounds harsh

00:29:22 But it's the NFL it's a business his development really isn't their issue. It's not it's a one-year thing. He's essentially a rental and

00:29:29 if the other question is

00:29:31 Was it Matt Patricia who didn't want to move him or Bill Belichick?

00:29:35 Cuz if it was Matt Patricia who didn't want to move him well, Matt

00:29:38 Patricia is no longer here and there you go

00:29:40 if it was Belichick, then it's well does he still not want to move him or is he come around because

00:29:44 Their best five involves Michael and when who playing right tackle its Trent Brown left to right Trent Brown Cole strange David Andrews

00:29:52 You'd probably have a battle at right tackle

00:29:56 I really liked what I saw from a Tony Omafi in the spring, but it would be Moffy sow

00:30:01 Chasen Hines Jake Andrews

00:30:04 Bill Murray maybe right I

00:30:07 Feel like I'm missing somebody Roussi Cody Roussi, you know get in there as well

00:30:13 Maybe Andrew Stuber kicks inside to cover like you have options is the point you have options at guard and then Mike Owen went

00:30:20 Oh at your right tackle and that's your best five, but you have to be willing to put him out there

00:30:24 Maybe they don't do it right away

00:30:25 But I will you know, what's the point of no return if they get their ass beat in Tennessee in joint practices?

00:30:32 Do they adjust do they adjust I think that's something you would have to consider

00:30:35 the other thing that I keep going back to in this

00:30:39 It's not quite the same with city south because we know they see city south's attack when they played him there a tackle and maybe

00:30:44 he gets some reps and

00:30:46 He hasn't played tackle in four years. He hasn't played it since he was a freshman in Eastern, Michigan

00:30:51 the reason I don't include him in

00:30:54 That full group

00:30:56 With with Anderson and in reef and in McDermott is I just think he's a project

00:31:01 Maybe he comes along and and he pushes for a role and he ends up at right tackle. The other thing I wouldn't rule out

00:31:08 Mike Owen when who's rookie year 2020

00:31:11 Tackle in training camp. He'd been a guard since high school. He didn't play tackle in college at all

00:31:18 Didn't play tackle in the summer. There was no spring that year was Kovac didn't play tackle in the summer

00:31:23 And then Trent Brown gets hurt on the first play of the game week one and it's Michael and when I'm running out there, right?

00:31:29 tackle so maybe they're

00:31:31 Even if they don't do something whether it's we don't see Michael went with right tackle. We don't see city south right tackle

00:31:38 It's mafi playing tackle something way out of the blue

00:31:41 They'll do it without practicing it or at least practicing it significantly

00:31:45 Maybe the week leading up to Miami after training camp practice close to the media

00:31:49 They ended up putting him out there, but it wasn't extensive

00:31:52 But I I really hope that they would consider putting my good winter right tackle

00:31:57 I don't think they're gonna do it

00:31:59 That seems like a bill Belichick call in terms of the player development not moving the player

00:32:04 But it's I

00:32:08 It's their best line by a lot, but I just don't think they're gonna do it

00:32:12 I think they trust their tackles and I think they trust Adrian Clem. Yeah. Yeah, I agree

00:32:17 They've spoken very highly of the group. They they brought in at that position this offseason Bill and macro

00:32:25 so I think that's where we're headed, but

00:32:28 It could fall apart

00:32:31 Quickly and you might need on when you out there and that will be the tell right if it's really bad and they still don't

00:32:36 do it like last year then then they're committed to unwind you at guard, but

00:32:41 That that's that's the issue that's the big thing entering the summer is that tackle position so we'll see how that kind of

00:32:48 shakes out when the pads get on and the contact starts, but

00:32:52 that pretty much wraps up the offense if you want to

00:32:56 Hit the ad before we jump over to defense. Yeah, let's get a quick word from our friends at fan do then we'll do defense

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00:34:00 All right, so jumping over to defense do you want to stay in the trenches or start in secondary

00:34:06 Let's let's start the defensive line. Let's just our way back

00:34:09 So I think the main storyline of this group is kind of Lawrence guy, right?

00:34:14 Whether he's gonna report or not here how that contract holdouts gonna shake out

00:34:18 I'm really excited to see a their plan for Keon white

00:34:22 What you know he experimented with kind of a hand in the dirt and a two-point stance throughout the spring a little bit

00:34:27 How's that gonna shake out?

00:34:29 And one thing that Matt Judon said in the spring was that?

00:34:34 He's been working

00:34:36 rushing over guards in the offseason and

00:34:39 That'll be interesting to see if that's just something he's doing or if that's something they have a plan for

00:34:43 kind of like how they moved high tower around a little bit at times and

00:34:47 Make it less predictable where he's coming from

00:34:50 So, you know an offensive line can't chip them with a back or something. That would be just kind of a cool wrinkle

00:34:56 I think because they haven't done that in this time here and if he's talking about that

00:35:00 That would be a cool, you know wrinkle to that past rush. That was already really good

00:35:05 And I think more importantly it's a way to get him and Josh who J both on the weak side because I think what's tough

00:35:11 right now

00:35:12 To get who J on the field full-time is he basically has to play on the strong side if Judon's gonna rush on the weak

00:35:18 Side and they don't want a guy who doesn't it who J doesn't rush with the best discipline

00:35:23 He just kind of pins his ear back and goes

00:35:26 so I

00:35:27 If you can get Judon on the interior and who J coming off the weak side

00:35:31 You can play them both on early downs and still have your strong side edge setter on the field who probably is Keon white

00:35:37 It's interesting. You mentioned him in the you know, kind of with Lawrence guy because that's

00:35:41 That that's the that's the the logical move right there when they drafted Keon white

00:35:46 I think a lot of us looked at that and said, all right, he's Lawrence guys replacement and now Lawrence guys holding out

00:35:52 So if Lawrence guys here if they can work it out, they're gonna play him because they really like him

00:35:57 but if

00:35:58 Lawrence guys not here. I think for Keon white there's gonna be a potential to have a really significant role like a

00:36:03 5560% use a treat role which is a lot for Patriots defensive lineman. Yep. Yeah, I agree with that and

00:36:10 If you want to stick with the the rookie theme playing a lot, right? I one more on the defensive line, too

00:36:17 I'm interested to see bar more because

00:36:19 Definitely we spent a lot of time last offseason talking about how a bar more could make the year to leap and kind of complete

00:36:26 That pass rush be the final picture in that pass rush because you have you know

00:36:30 I'm talking on third downs now when you're letting the guys pin their ear back. You got Jude on on one side

00:36:34 You've got who J on the other and they they haven't had that real interior presence

00:36:39 It's been bar more at times, but he got hurt last year. He was playing

00:36:42 Well, I actually thought he was having a better season than most people realize because the stats weren't there

00:36:46 But it was there on tape he was impacting plays and then he got hurt

00:36:50 Missed a month and a half and then when he came back, he didn't really he wasn't playing the same

00:36:55 I think he was still bothered by that knee injury. So if he's fully healthy now third year, here we go

00:37:00 It's kind of that same thing. Can he be a guy that

00:37:03 Is a presence on the inside and when you have Jude on on your left as the quarterback

00:37:09 Shoot on on your left and who J on your right and bar more up the middle

00:37:13 You can't really overly help blocking any of those guys because if you leave any of them one on one, they're gonna kill you

00:37:19 So I I'm bar more looked healthy in the spring. He looked explosive in the spring

00:37:23 I want to see continuation of that and I want to see him get going because if he really gets going

00:37:28 It's another strong layer for this defense. Yeah

00:37:32 I mean they were what like third in the league and sacks last year and that was with far more missing a good chunk of

00:37:37 Game, so yeah if he's in there, he's healthy and explosive

00:37:42 Like he looked at the beginning of the year and then he kind of looked

00:37:45 Those last two games of the year when he kind of got his feet back under him

00:37:48 That's gonna be just another level as you mentioned there that make a really good pass rush even better potentially, but

00:37:56 You can jump back a level to the linebackers. I mean Marte Mappu, right?

00:38:01 Like that's one of the players to watch throughout this throughout the summer

00:38:06 We'll see if he's in that red non-contact jersey, right?

00:38:09 He had the torn pack so he was, you know, technically limited throughout the spring even though there was no contact

00:38:15 He was rotating between linebacker and safety. I hope they keep him at that second level

00:38:20 I think he would just be such a really good pair next to Juwan Bentley

00:38:23 Just a real like sideline to sideline athlete just something they haven't

00:38:27 Had on their defense in recent years, even though they've kind of been looking for it, right?

00:38:32 It was like the cam mcgroons of the world. So

00:38:35 He looks like a real kind of fit in that role and I'll be excited to see if they still

00:38:41 Trot him out there for a high clip right out of the gate

00:38:44 Yeah, I look I actually don't mind them moving around a little bit

00:38:48 I think he should primarily be an off-ball linebacker, but

00:38:51 Just to keep the offense guessing claim it safety occasionally blend him up in the slot occasionally line him up with the star occasionally

00:38:58 but he's the guy to watch because

00:39:00 in the spring

00:39:01 Checked every box. You can realistically check in a spring practice and a non padded install practice, which is in everything. I

00:39:08 Said this back then I'm sticking with it

00:39:10 The question still it even for that

00:39:13 Athletic linebacker role like Fred Werner. I think it's like 225 Matt Milano. I think it's like 227 something like that

00:39:20 mop who's 216 6 3 2 16 so he's undersized

00:39:26 Compared to the undersized linebackers like he's undersized for an undersized linebacker that being said he played shot out of a candidate

00:39:32 Sacramento State is a much higher level of competition

00:39:36 But if he can hold his own with the physicality once the pads come on and I hope he's not in non-contact

00:39:41 To start the summer like he was in the spring and I get why he was in the spring

00:39:45 But if he can hold his own

00:39:47 when when the contacts there

00:39:49 We're talking about a potentially really special player

00:39:53 So that's that's forget, you know what to watch by position that I think is one of the biggest things to watch in all of camp

00:39:59 is

00:40:00 How is Marte Mop who handling? I don't I I'm not gonna say like how's he handling shooting the a gap?

00:40:06 Cuz he realistically should never have to do that. That's why Juwan Bentley's here

00:40:09 but

00:40:10 when he has to tackle a running back in space when he has to fight for a tight end through a tight end for ball and

00:40:15 Coverage or fight through the block of a tight end to get to a running back

00:40:18 How's he doing with with in those sorts of situations because that's kind of that last step for him to cross

00:40:23 Yep, the Niners list Warner at 230. So that's like 15 pounds right there and as an undersized guy kind of himself so

00:40:31 That contacts how he'll handle that will be a big thing and I saw someone in the comments

00:40:39 Online backer Mac Wilson

00:40:42 He'll kind of be interesting because he kind of fell out of the rotation at the end of last year and he was

00:40:46 Strictly a special teams player

00:40:48 Kind of seemed like it was gonna be between him and Raekwon McMillan for a roster spot and then McMillan goes down

00:40:54 he's out for the year, so

00:40:56 Look Mac Wilson opened the spring kind of next to Juwan Bentley in that role. So

00:41:01 kind of with Marte map who is are they gonna open with Mac and

00:41:04 Mapu has the chance to take it over. They just kind of kind of go to Marte Mop who right out of the gate

00:41:10 But I'd say I think they're gonna go to mop who out out of the gate. I hope spring. Yeah, I

00:41:16 Mac Wilson didn't play a snap after week 10 last year on defense. I had him off my roster projection

00:41:21 I did between him and him free Jennings for that last linebacker spot

00:41:25 That's something else to watch a linebacker to that that strong side early down outside linebacker

00:41:30 The role that was the Anthony Jennings last year

00:41:32 I would think Jennings is still the leader to win it

00:41:35 But I think between him Mac Wilson if you want to include Ronnie Perkins

00:41:39 I think that it's those three guys for one spot. I gave it to Jenning

00:41:43 To Jennings, but yeah, I I think Mac Wilson is a good special teams player

00:41:47 I think that's why he's here and he gives you some depth but

00:41:50 It they had mop who out there in a red non-contact Jersey a lot

00:41:55 Like with the number ones constantly and they this is a team that will take any chance

00:42:00 They can't a redshirt a player barrier rookie or whatever and they gave him every single opportunity. So I think that

00:42:07 It's I I think that it's gonna be Marte Mop who to start. Yeah

00:42:12 I hope they I hope they do that right just get the kids out there get the speed the athleticism and

00:42:17 if there's some rookie mistakes live with it, but it will benefit you in the long run and

00:42:22 Speaking of rookies Christian Gonzalez. I just love watching Christian Gonzalez in the secondary, but

00:42:28 He seems like a lock at that kind of boundary corner. So

00:42:33 How they rotate in the safeties kind of play into this just that whole rotation in the secondary

00:42:40 well will be interesting it with Jack Jones were assuming it looks like right now, but

00:42:45 You know, we'll kind of see how that whole rotation shakes out as the summer goes along

00:42:49 Yeah, honestly, I kind of put the Jack Jones thing to the side for now

00:42:55 I mean that's a legal process that's gonna be handled in that regard. I don't think we're gonna get an answer

00:42:59 For a while. Yeah on that and then the team will handle that when they handle it

00:43:04 I'm just curious with Christian Gonzalez. Obviously people know what I think of him

00:43:08 I think he's gonna be a stud NFL corner

00:43:11 His floor is tremendously high but for any player for a first overall picks

00:43:17 There is an adjustment period to getting to the NFL and I'm curious what that is for

00:43:21 Gonzalez because this defense can't truly hit its potential until Christian Gonzalez is locked in is that that CB wanted is it a couple months?

00:43:29 Is it a month? Is it a couple weeks? Is he ready now? Is there going to be like virtually no learning curve for him?

00:43:34 So that's more of a joint practice thing. How does he look against Deandre Hopkins in Tennessee?

00:43:38 How does he look against Christian Watson in Green Bay those sorts of things?

00:43:42 but I'm I'm not worried about his ability to be a starting NFL corner number one NFL corner, but

00:43:47 How how much does he need to learn? How quickly does it need to learn to get there?

00:43:51 That's what I'm gonna be excited about. Mm-hmm

00:43:54 How we the speed right the speed of the game physicality again? He's got AJ Brown waiting for him in week one

00:44:00 So you hope he gets off to a good start there. That could be a bad welcome to the NFL moment

00:44:07 But yeah, like there's no I'm not really concerned about him at all like long-term

00:44:11 I think he just has all the tools and everything you need to be like an elite cornerback in the league

00:44:17 so we'll just see how long it kind of takes him to ease into things but

00:44:21 Like the safety, I think the big thing the safety you will see how the you know, replacing Devin McCordie. That'll be big

00:44:27 if they're just gonna keep rotating spin the dial back there or if they kind of

00:44:33 you know lean more into two high looks or if they're gonna just gonna

00:44:36 Maybe one of these guys becomes more of a free safety type build and then Jalen Mills is another one

00:44:43 I think I really like him against tight ends

00:44:46 I think that that would be a really good role for him because they've had issues covering that position in the past few years with

00:44:51 Duggar and co so a

00:44:53 Lot of just opportunities back there and you know, they can do all sorts of things with those guys in the secondary

00:45:01 I'm more so just cuz I think we know they're gonna rotate and they should be rotating and that's the best way to replace

00:45:07 Devin McCordie based on what they have but

00:45:09 when they go into

00:45:10 the two-minute trail when they go into third and ten when they get into the joint practices and it's one verse ones and it's third

00:45:16 and ten, right

00:45:17 Who who are the deep safeties? Who is the deep safety or who are the deep safeties in those situations?

00:45:24 Because you can rotate all you want there are going to be some high leverage situations in who do you go to in those spots?

00:45:30 I think that is gonna be very telling how they like

00:45:33 I mean this applies the whole defense right because their their corners are kind of interchangeable as well, but

00:45:38 Who is in that center field role who is covering the deep middle of the field?

00:45:42 When they get into a god-haven't situation on defense, I think that's gonna be monumentally important and I'll add to that

00:45:47 I hope we see Jabril peppers

00:45:49 if it's not in that role, I just hope we see him on the field on third downs because I

00:45:53 He's a guy for me. I

00:45:57 Think he has massive breakout potential. I think he might have as much breakout but to outside of the rookies

00:46:01 I think he might have as much breakout potential as any player on this team. He had a

00:46:05 Rough start to his career. He was misused in Cleveland. It was ugly

00:46:09 Goes to New York had a really good 2020 season

00:46:13 Tours ACL early in 2021. She wasn't able to replicate it comes here has to learn a new playbook

00:46:20 Is still recovering from that injury, you know the whole thing with the ACL right as it's you know

00:46:25 You miss a year and then there's like a recovery year and you don't get back to yourself for two years

00:46:30 So now he's been in the system. He's been in the playbook. He's familiar with the defense. He's fully healthy all of that and

00:46:36 He people mentioned the Chinese a wrecking ball

00:46:39 Physical player tone setter just nasty mean as a player

00:46:44 He's actually a really nice guy

00:46:45 I enjoy talking to him but like just

00:46:47 Not a guy you want to see coming at you on a football field at all

00:46:50 And I I think there's it's also really smart player

00:46:53 I I think he is if there's one knock he's over aggressive at times

00:46:57 But don't I think aggressiveness and football IQ sometimes get conflated and they shouldn't be I

00:47:01 Think there's a chance for him to be a real playmaker for them this year

00:47:05 and I hope they put him on the field in a spot to make plays and whether that's

00:47:08 Look, so the three safeties are gonna be Duggar Phillips and and in peppers

00:47:14 Whether that's Duggar we've talked about Duggar playing more free safety. So I think if Duggars at free safety

00:47:21 It's peppers in that role that Duggars usually in or was in most the time last year when McCordy was at free safety or

00:47:27 Is it playing?

00:47:30 Peppers at free safety to move Duggar up like that's the kind of things you can do with it

00:47:33 But they should both be on the field a lot in key situations

00:47:35 Yeah, I'm a huge fan of peppers and bill to bill. You're a Michigan guy, right? So that doesn't know Wisconsin

00:47:43 Oh, okay. Thank you. The Pat's the Pat's pulpit group is very big on the Big Ten. Yeah, we are. We're big ten

00:47:51 Yeah, cuz Keegan's Ohio State. No, it's bright. It's the other Brian's, Michigan. Yeah, right

00:47:56 It's why I never work for you guys, I'm SEC three

00:48:01 But uh

00:48:04 Yeah pepper. I mean you heard bill rate about him, right?

00:48:07 And he looks just I posted the picture the Patriots put out today like he looks sick at number five. Yeah

00:48:13 Like that. Yeah, it's back in at number five. Yes where the Heisman like he's ready on to break out year to Brill peppers

00:48:19 I'm really feeling it. Yeah

00:48:21 Maybe you can get a punt return even though Marcus Jones should only handle punt returns, but right him with the ball

00:48:28 Him with the ball is just fun to watch. So yes

00:48:32 If we want to take that to special teams because a lot of battles are gonna be there on the special teams

00:48:39 Technically at all three positions, even though they're not gonna cut Joe Cardona after making him the highest paid lawn snapper

00:48:46 but

00:48:48 I'm looking more kicker

00:48:50 Chad Ryland Nick Falk

00:48:53 You think Ryland fourth round pick bigger leg at this point can handle kickoff duties. He has the upper hand. It's just

00:48:59 How can he can he handle the pressure right? Can he handle the preseason games as he performed during them?

00:49:07 And now that like I say that the wind patterns and Gillette with the new scoreboard

00:49:12 That'll be interesting to watch special teams wise. We should have that in stadium practice than the one preseason game, obviously, but

00:49:19 That's kind of where I'm at on the special teams unit besides my guy Jordan Healy

00:49:25 Who I think is gonna be the are you DFA on the roster here or my early favorite for you DFA on the roster?

00:49:30 Okay, we'll get into that. Yeah, the the battles are big. I don't think it's a massive battle of kicker

00:49:35 I think it's Rylan just being a fourth round pick

00:49:38 They traded up to get him full fell off at the end of the year last year. I

00:49:42 Punters a lot closer. I've said this I think punters a toss-up. I think it's 50/50 right now between Beringer and Waitman

00:49:48 The the thing I'm really interested in is how are they going to handle kickoffs and kickoff returns with the with the new rules and kick

00:49:54 offs

00:49:55 There's only so much you can do is

00:49:56 There an equivalent because what they used to like to do is kick the ball to the one and make the other team return it

00:50:01 And trust your coverage team

00:50:03 That's a little different now because if you kick the ball to the 20

00:50:07 Or sorry, if you kick the ball to the 25, whereas that's the you know, that's the new line of demarcation

00:50:12 Yeah, they're gonna get better field position than if they got touchback

00:50:14 They're gonna return that if you can't get to the one they're gonna take a fair catch all the time. Is it?

00:50:20 Yeah, does it become do you kick the ball to the 15 and kind of give them a tough decision?

00:50:25 Can you get 10 yards there or are you gonna just take the fair catch? And then on the other side?

00:50:30 I I wonder if there's an element of

00:50:33 So if you look at the numbers in college

00:50:35 Nobody returns kickoffs anymore ever since they put this rule and that is now the NFL ruling

00:50:39 There are some teams that will go six the whole year

00:50:42 They'll have six seven kick returns total because they're just like we're not gonna deal with this. We're not gonna take the risk

00:50:47 we're gonna call for a catcher and you thought 25 and the only time they return kicks is when it's kicked short of the

00:50:51 25 which

00:50:53 Again, you can't do because it's not the same as kicking it to the one in trying to cover if you kick it short

00:50:59 Of the 25 you've already yielded yardage no matter what

00:51:02 I

00:51:04 wonder if

00:51:05 They're going to return more kicks. Even if they are a little further back simply because

00:51:10 Teams aren't going to be covering kicks a lot teams aren't going to may not be practicing as much

00:51:16 Covering kickoff returns because they don't have to do it to the Patriots

00:51:19 Look at that and say this is something we don't think other teams are gonna be prepared for

00:51:22 We got a couple of really good returners Marcus Jones to grill peppers to Mario Douglas

00:51:27 We're gonna run out of time of kicks this year and make teams defend it because other teams aren't and we're gonna be different

00:51:32 So it's gonna be super interesting to see how they handle that. Yeah, if they show their hand because Nick Falk said like

00:51:38 Teams might not show how you're gonna you know what their plan is during the preseason, right? That's true

00:51:44 Be more like a surprise

00:51:46 And he also said like he wouldn't be surprised Nick Falk said he wouldn't be surprised that there were more squib kicks, right?

00:51:53 So maybe that's something you see to try to pin teams back, but but that is still the I guess you can't yeah

00:51:58 You can't fair catch a squib kick. So that's an interesting one

00:52:00 Yeah, but he said I just pulled up the quote

00:52:03 He's like it's a tough the squib kicks a tough kick because you know, you're at he said you're at the mercy of the football

00:52:10 You don't really know right aim it as well, right? So

00:52:13 It's a risk, but if you could perfect it in a way as much as you could perfect something like that

00:52:20 Maybe that's beneficial to you

00:52:22 The problem is you need the ball to get inside the 25 for that to essentially be effective and that's very hard to do

00:52:27 So I will see I just I'm fascinated to see

00:52:30 What they come up with with Joe judge and cam Accord come up with because they're gonna do something different. They love

00:52:35 Pushing the boundaries of whatever these rules are every time there's a rule change

00:52:41 They go right up to that line and stress test it

00:52:44 So I'm really interested to see what they're gonna do with this new kickoff rule

00:52:46 though

00:52:46 hopefully the new kickoff rule doesn't last and they go to the XFL because I think the XFL rules excellent and

00:52:51 I think that would be a ton of fun in the NFL. I want to hear more about Jordan Healy from you though. I

00:52:57 Just think based off what we saw in the spring right him working

00:53:03 With Slater with cam a cord like primarily he didn't do any defensive

00:53:08 Defensive drills. I just think that

00:53:11 That's a position a guy we've seen or a role

00:53:14 We've seen guys hanging around it right and that's something right that I find noteworthy and I'm not sure

00:53:20 Cody Davis is gonna be ready right for the start here. He was

00:53:23 Kind of limited with that, you know, he tore his knee up at

00:53:27 like midway through last year and things kind of fell off and

00:53:31 We'll see if he's ready or not

00:53:33 But I mean healing was like a primary special teams player at Appalachian State like he didn't play much defense there either

00:53:40 So I think he's like 50 snaps his whole career

00:53:43 Yeah

00:53:44 like

00:53:44 He's just kind of like an intriguing guy and the fact that they're putting them right in that role from the jump

00:53:49 that just kind of jumped out to me and

00:53:51 That could be like this UDFA guy that they like

00:53:56 Yeah, no, I could see that

00:53:58 Is your favorite Johnny Lumpkin in that department I

00:54:02 Had healing on my roster. I'd love to see Johnny Lumpkin make the team because I

00:54:07 Freaking wow where swear for me on the pod. Yes, just a freaking massive tight end

00:54:13 I mean you put him next to Trent Brown and you run the ball in the goal line behind them

00:54:17 you're gonna have a fun time, but I

00:54:19 My favorite would be Johnny Lumpkin because I just seems like a fun player

00:54:24 But like the guy actually I do think it's gonna be healing. I really do

00:54:27 Yeah, I like him. What do you think about?

00:54:30 The rugby drop for the kid, okay. Well now I'm just having flashbacks

00:54:37 Now maybe I look I think they're gonna experiment with everything not in game

00:54:42 I think they're gonna run things in practice and just kind of talk about things in meetings, but I'm not ruling anything out

00:54:48 I'm not ruling anything out

00:54:50 Yeah, especially with

00:54:54 Joe judge and like they have more brainpower back. Yeah, and Joe judge is like good at special teams

00:54:59 So yeah, he can get creative on that side. So it'll be really interesting

00:55:02 Just going through

00:55:05 Special team like Chris board like primary special teams guy obviously

00:55:10 But he has the ability to play some linebacker if they need him to it's not like a Brandon Kane

00:55:15 Situation or someone like right strictly special teams like if they need

00:55:19 Chris board in a pinch to play some linebacker. He could play some defensive snaps

00:55:23 I've compared Chris board to kind of like a defensive version of brain of old and I

00:55:27 You're gonna see my defense a little bit

00:55:28 He'll short yardage situation where maybe they like say it's a third one and in they want you know

00:55:34 They want to be able to run linebackers downhill mop who comes off Chris board comes in

00:55:38 He becomes that second downhill linebacker. I think that's

00:55:40 His Roy. I could see him get like a hundred snaps defensively something in that ballpark. I

00:55:46 agree there

00:55:50 Special teams don't matter. I don't I wouldn't go that far. I

00:55:54 Think there's I mean the league has de-emphasized it. Yeah

00:55:59 You still got to cover punts

00:56:01 You still got it all

00:56:03 Yeah, I wouldn't I wouldn't go that far

00:56:05 Yeah, I

00:56:07 Know people want to say oh, you don't need special teams players on the roster because it's a chance to criticize bill

00:56:13 Franklin if you want to criticize bill, you don't need the 0.9 percent of the salary cap that he's paying Chris board. There is

00:56:20 Much lower hanging fruit right now if you want to come after bill then

00:56:25 them making

00:56:27 Joe Cardona the highest paid long snapper for like two months and by the way, he isn't anymore. It's now the Ravens guy

00:56:33 so I

00:56:35 And yeah, there's so many point I was at there

00:56:37 They lost games last year because the special teams investing in special teams is not a bad idea

00:56:40 You want to come after bill right now?

00:56:42 There's much easier ways to do it than the special teams thing. Yep. I

00:56:47 Agree, I agree there

00:56:50 Zappy cut for Cunningham. I don't say no

00:56:56 Different things so I don't think so

00:56:59 Cunningham probably will still be used. He was a receiver right there in the spring. So yeah

00:57:04 Yeah, and he's he's gonna be his receiver. Maybe the scout team quarterback and I think he ends up on the practice squad. Yep

00:57:11 Alright, let me ask. Let me ask you something Brian here before we wrap up

00:57:14 So I I get this question a lot

00:57:18 Yeah, it's people who weren't fans who are going to camp. How do I watch like if I want to learn about the team?

00:57:24 How do I watch?

00:57:26 How last year was your first year covering camp right? You didn't cover camp at 21. I

00:57:30 Mean I was there every day, but like yeah credential. Okay. Yeah. Yeah. So like

00:57:37 Do you feel more prepared this year to watch camp as a reporter than you did last year?

00:57:41 I'd say so just knowing I mean I've been going to

00:57:44 Camp since oh seven was actually my first year. I remember was specifically because I

00:57:50 Was I was a little kid like too scared to ask Randy Moss for an autograph and my dad pointed out Wes Welker

00:57:57 That was my dad's best call. He's like go get that guy. He's gonna be really good Wes Welker, but um

00:58:03 but yeah, it is like you learn where to look for things right and how to

00:58:08 Like the speed tempos what to judge and stuff like that

00:58:13 So the more you go, I think you definitely fall into kind of a rhythm right like you do with everything, but

00:58:19 Yeah, I mean look I I went from the time I was you know, I was going back at Bryant College

00:58:25 Yeah, and I got trampled by a bunch of people trying to get Tom Brady's autograph in 2002

00:58:30 So I but it's funny how I went every year as a kid and I even

00:58:34 You know and then even not even the Patriots

00:58:37 I went to college and I was covering the football team there the d3 football team and it's crazy

00:58:41 When you actually have to report back what you see from a practice and take things away from a practice when there's like stakes you have

00:58:47 To write about it

00:58:49 It's crazy

00:58:50 how

00:58:51 Hard it is to pick up like tangible information other than this guy made a nice player this guy didn't so

00:58:56 For people who are going to camp and want to actually learn about the team and like really be able to take things away like

00:59:01 We do like what kind of advice would you give them?

00:59:03 Well that you like based on stuff you learned last year

00:59:07 I think like you're not like kind of set you're not gonna see everything right like you're gonna I mean we work together a lot

00:59:15 I think like everyone down. Yeah, you're bouncing stuff off people

00:59:18 Definitely brain if you want to like really get into it you need binoculars. That's my big thing. You need binoculars

00:59:26 but um, I'd say

00:59:28 Kind of like

00:59:31 You know, it's look for like tempo like when the music's on like that's one of my big cues like music comes on the

00:59:38 ones verse ones like that's when you're really getting some

00:59:42 11 on 11 stuff that you should really be paying attention to look who's lining up in different places

00:59:47 Don't just always like don't always be too concerned about

00:59:51 Where the balls go in or what they're doing like big thing of camp is the positional battles, right?

00:59:56 So look who's lining up different places

00:59:58 How are they rotating and stuff the personnel groupings? I think that's a big big part of camp just in general right there

01:00:05 Yeah, I think that's a really good point. I would say kind of along the lines what you said

01:00:11 And this was a big thing

01:00:13 I learned from my first year moving on if you just say I'm gonna just watch the play play out and and I'm gonna

01:00:19 Watch the action from there. You can do that and I do that sometimes but the reality is like if you do that

01:00:24 You didn't see the receiver get open. You just saw him catch the ball

01:00:28 You didn't see how the pass rusher got to the quarterback. You just saw that he got there

01:00:31 you missed the move in there and

01:00:33 there is something to be said for following the ball, but if that's all you do all you're gonna do is watch the quarterback and

01:00:37 My thing is like decide on any given play whether using your binoculars or not

01:00:43 Decide what you want to watch

01:00:47 Before the play happens, so it's I'm gonna watch this wide receiver on this player

01:00:51 I'm gonna watch this tackle against this defensive end on this player

01:00:54 I'm gonna watch you know, I'm gonna just watch Marte Moppou and whatever he does and he may not end up near the ball

01:00:59 But you can still learn something from that

01:01:01 and kind of tying in with that like you said know what

01:01:06 Get an idea of what the drills are

01:01:08 Padded practices are worth more than unpadded practice you weigh those more

01:01:13 One on ones as fun as they are to watch generally

01:01:16 You don't take as much away from that because like for instance wide receiver corner one on ones

01:01:19 Certain routes and certain coverages would dictate the corner past the wide receiver off to the safety

01:01:24 But there is no safety in one on ones that just happens. So let's not say there's nothing you can take from that but

01:01:29 You know you get to seven on sevens. It's a little more involved and then 11 on 11s to your point

01:01:34 When we I don't want to speak for you

01:01:36 But I think a lot of people who cover the team most of our big takeaways come from the 11 on 11 periods

01:01:42 I would say for me

01:01:44 75 80 percent of what I present as my takeaways

01:01:47 Come from those 11 on 11 periods and if they're in the red zone like and then even within the 11 on 11

01:01:54 It might be heightened right? Are they in the red zone? Is there music playing? Like you said to stimulate simulate crowd noise

01:01:59 Do they have the sticks out?

01:02:01 Are they moving the down markers are they actually trying to pick up first downs is the clock running?

01:02:05 Are they in a two-minute drill and it can be?

01:02:08 multiple of these I it all at once and you kind of get an idea of where the stakes are and any given drill and

01:02:14 You know what those high-impact drills are

01:02:16 So that that certainly helps another piece of advice I'd give I don't judge players by one bad play

01:02:24 That's really not how we do it when we say a guy had a bad day

01:02:27 It doesn't mean he won made a bad play because a guy might get burned bad on one play and that's notable

01:02:33 Like a corner, right? But then the rest of the day he's step for step with every wide receiver. That's not a bad day

01:02:39 Where's maybe there's a receiver? That's a step or a corner. That's a step behind the receiver

01:02:43 So it doesn't look that bad, but he did get beat but he's a step behind on every single route

01:02:49 That guy had a worse day than the guy who got beat by 10 yards once and was competitive on every other rep. So

01:02:54 Be be heads like be careful with that

01:02:57 You want to get to big picture and the last piece of advice I'd given I think this is the best piece of advice

01:03:02 for somebody who really wants to watch practice the way a reporter watches it and I do this all the time because I

01:03:07 Showed up, you know the first day to cover practice and I felt super overwhelmed. Like I actually have to relay this stuff now

01:03:14 This is just me here with my dad or my friends whatever and something. All right, I need get the most important information

01:03:19 What is that?

01:03:20 Well, it's probably whatever bill Belichick's watching or it's probably whatever at the time Josh McDaniels is watching or whoever

01:03:26 so if you don't know where to start and

01:03:28 Because we said like alright watch this watch that but how do you know what to watch when?

01:03:32 Knowing what the drills are helps like if you know, it's a run drill

01:03:35 Don't watch the receiver because you're just gonna see run outs

01:03:37 but like

01:03:38 Watch what bill Belichick's watching watch what bill o'brien's watching watch what charade mayo's watching because what they're looking at is probably pretty important

01:03:46 if because they're the ones who are gonna ultimately decide what the team looks like and I think

01:03:51 To another extent you see maybe the coaches are interacting with the player a certain player more often that can be a sign that a guy

01:03:57 Is gonna make the team that's how?

01:04:00 You know, sometimes we figure out who the UDFA is gonna be are they getting certain attention from the coaching staff?

01:04:04 So yeah, if you're gonna go down watch camp, it is free and open to the public

01:04:07 Atulet Stadium, that's just some advice for how to watch it like us. Yep

01:04:12 I saw I couldn't find the comment someone asked if they're gonna do more days and there's the four they and that or the three

01:04:18 They announced they're gonna have another one that weekend and then they'll have bill announce more as they go. They'll

01:04:26 Believe they're gonna do the in in stadium practice that they do every year probably and I would assume so

01:04:31 Yeah, the total will probably be a little lighter this year because they're going to Tennessee and they're going to Green Bay

01:04:37 Which is you know, unfortunate, but they will announce more as they go

01:04:42 It's gonna be about ten practices in Foxborough. That's that's what it should end up being and I'd say

01:04:48 They don't go

01:04:50 Usually like that first Friday or that weekend is when they're first in pads, right?

01:04:56 Did you so they have to see if they can't go in pads until the fourth day?

01:05:00 So it'll be once it'll be that Saturday or Sunday, whatever it is. That's the first day pads and then

01:05:05 They usually the first few days are usually like all red zone work, right?

01:05:10 So if you go, I mean last year the whole thing was red zone. Yeah

01:05:13 If you get there early enough

01:05:18 So my advice either get there really early or get there right when practice starts because if you get there really early you can go

01:05:24 sit on the bleachers you want to be in the end zone closer to the hill like closer to where you walk in because that's

01:05:29 Where that when they go one-on-one ones on ones like 11 on 11 first team on first team

01:05:34 That's where they go and they lived there in red zone last year

01:05:37 So if you want to get there really early you can get those seats on the bleachers

01:05:40 The opposite and this is a risk but my favorite spot when I used to go is if there's too many people

01:05:46 Only if there's too many people they won't let you do this unless they deem it an overflow crowd

01:05:50 This won't happen Thursday won't happen Friday might happen Wednesday. It's usually on the weekend. They let people go up on the ramps

01:05:58 Like on the other side and you're not near it

01:06:00 But you can see everything and you basically get to watch practice in all 22

01:06:04 so no guarantee you get to go up there and if not, you're gonna I mean you're the last one there you're gonna get the

01:06:09 last pick of seats, but

01:06:11 That's my advice for that. Mm-hmm. I just I don't think they've done the

01:06:18 Country, I don't think they've done that since like Isaiah. Yeah, they haven't done that a long time

01:06:23 Oh, no, they did it

01:06:26 They did do something last year. I don't think it was no it was punts. They did it was I don't care

01:06:31 I don't think it was for a day off though. I think it was just like a friendly competition thing

01:06:35 Yeah, I don't know. I don't know what they got for it, but they'll do the they always do like the rookie slip-and-slide

01:06:42 that's always a good one, even though it's hard to see it's far away, but

01:06:47 They do they do some fun stuff. It's a good fan experience - there's plenty of stuff to do besides watch practice

01:06:54 Even though you know, that's the big thing. Obviously you can get autographs. Maybe Alex will give you an autograph if you ask nicely

01:07:01 That's any any last thing you're looking forward to here for can I said I'm just geared up I'm ready to go

01:07:10 It's about time. So

01:07:13 That'll do it for us here. We'll be back

01:07:17 Sometime I don't know if we'll be back before we Tuesday. Yeah, just one more refresher before

01:07:22 Yeah, the fun begins but make sure you are subscribed to the YouTube channel turn on the Patriots press pass notification

01:07:31 So you do know when we go live?

01:07:33 Follow Alex on twitter at real Alex Barth go read all his training camp preview and other work at 98 5 the sports hub

01:07:39 Calm you can follow me on twitter

01:07:41 I am Brian Hines go read all my training camp work over at pats pulpit calm and we will see you guys next week

01:07:49 [BLANK_AUDIO]

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