Category: Patriots Analysis

Instant analysis of Patriots selecting OT Caedan Wallace with No. 68 pick

Instant analysis of the Patriots drafting OT Caedan Wallace with a third-round pick

Everyone was left wondering when the New England Patriots were going to address offensive tackle after they used the No. 37 overall pick of the 2024 NFL draft on wide receiver Ja’Lynn Polk.

But it was soon after with pick No. 68 in the third round that the team decided to take Penn State offensive tackle Caedan Wallace.

Ultimately, it’s another solid draft pick by de facto general manager Eliot Wolf. Wallace won’t generate much buzz on paper since he mostly flew under the radar at Penn State playing across from first-round pick Olu Fashanu.

Yet, the reality is he’s a four-year starter at right tackle, who the Patriots view as athletic enough to swing to the left side. When speaking with media members after getting drafted, Wallace said he has played at every position on the offensive line.

If anything, it speaks to the rare athleticism and talent he possesses as a player.

Wallace didn’t always draw the hardest matchups on the right side, but that’s more about how good Fashanu was at the position. There’s no arguing the fact that Wallace was one of the more consistent and reliable right tackles in the country.

The Patriots are essentially rebuilding their offensive tackle depth, and Wallace is a worthy addition to the room. Chuks Okorafor is expected to be in line to take top reps at left tackle, but it’s important to keep in mind that he’d also be moving over from right tackle. So he could potentially get pushed for the starting job by Wallace.

The Patriots are probably not done at offensive tackle, and it could ultimately be an open competition to find the best blindside protector for rookie quarterback Drake Maye in training camp.

Instant analysis of Patriots selecting WR Ja’Lynn Polk with No. 37 pick

The Patriots land a legitimate outside receiving target with Ja’Lynn Polk

After using their first-round draft pick on quarterback Drake Maye, the New England Patriots didn’t waste any time getting him a solid offensive weapon in Washington wideout Ja’Lynn Polk.

There was some thinking that the team would consider taking Texas receiver Adonai Mitchell with the pick, but they opted for the big-bodied former Husky, who made contested catches look routine in college.

Polk is exactly the kind of playmaker the team needed outside the numbers to give Maye an opportunity to stretch the field. No, he isn’t a burner on the outside. So this isn’t the case of a receiver who’s capable of blowing the top off a defense.

What Polk lacks in speed he more than makes up for it with his physicality. He’s a hard-nosed receiver who relishes in contested catch situations and tends to come out on top. In many ways, his ability to win jump-ball situations is what the Patriots have been waiting to see from Tyquan Thornton.

Polk exploded in his final year at Washington with 69 receptions for 1,159 yards and nine touchdowns. However, those numbers came when playing opposite of first-round pick Rome Odunze.

We’ll see if Polk can break out on his own in a Patriots offense that desperately needed someone with his skill set.

Grading the Patriots’ selection of QB Drake Maye

The Patriots addressed the biggest need on their roster with the No. 3 pick

The New England Patriots resisted the urge to trade down and instead chose the quarterback they hope can one day help bring them back to relevance.

North Carolina’s Drake Maye was the pick for the Patriots at No. 3 overall in the 2024 NFL draft on Thursday. It wasn’t necessarily a surprising pick, but there was enough pre-draft buzz to make some question what the team would ultimately do when they were on the clock.

Were they going to get the quarterback and rebuild the roster with the biggest need finally addressed, or would they trade back for more picks to fill out their struggling offense?

The Patriots made the right decision by going with the first option and getting one of the top-three quarterbacks on the draft board.

Maye comes to New England with an exceptionally high ceiling. In fact, his ceiling might be higher than the top-two quarterbacks, Caleb Williams and Jayden Daniels, in the draft. He can make all of the throws on the field, and he’s already an elite deep ball thrower.

The former Tar Heel is also tenacious and always looking for ways to improve, which will come in handy as he works to make the transition to the next level. He clearly has some things to work on including his patience in the pocket and footwork.

But those are both teachable things for a player that really only played two seasons of football in college. In 2022, he looked like one of the best quarterbacks in the country in his first season as a starter with 342 completions for 4,321 yards, 38 touchdowns and only seven interceptions.

With two less games, he finished the 2023 season with 269 completions for 3,608 yards, 24 touchdowns and nine interceptions.

The Patriots made the right decision going with the quarterback because the opportunity to do so is rare. There were no guarantees they’d be in a position to draft a prospect like Maye ever again. Finding the right quarterback is a never-ending rat race for most teams.

There will always be opportunities to go after offensive linemen and skilled position players. The Patriots also already have a true veteran in Jacoby Brissett on the roster to serve as a bridge option for Maye. So there will be no rush to make him the starter right out of the gates.

Honestly, there should be no rush to start him next season, period. The Patriots aren’t competing for a championship, and they should take their time developing their quarterback.

Patrick Mahomes didn’t start his first season in the NFL, and even Jordan Love sat behind Aaron Rodgers before he was finally handed the reins of the Green Bay Packers’ offense. Maye has top-10 quarterback talent if the right mechanisms are in place to bring it out of him.

This is far from a Mac Jones situation as long as the Patriots avoid turning it into one.

Grade: A+

Instant analysis of Patriots selecting Drake Maye with No. 3 pick

It’s a new era for the Patriots’ quarterback position

The pick is in for the New England Patriots in the 2024 NFL draft, and it’s North Carolina quarterback Drake Maye.

I am ecstatic as an evaluator and a Patriots fan. Drake Maye is the best quarterback in this class for me by a very slim margin, but he has the makings to be a top-10 quarterback in the NFL for years to come.

After the Patriots brass teased with trade downs all week, the board fell their way, and they were able to grab their guy.

Maye isn’t perfect, and he needs to work on some things. But his arm talent, poise, toughness, leadership and athleticism is aligned with some of the game’s elite.

The Patriots could look to start him right away, or they might be hoping he will be ready to go at mid-season, which is my guess. In the meantime, Jacoby Brissett will likely be the starter, mentor and eventual backup to Maye.

Maye aligns well with the Alex Van Pelt offense, but that offense will need a lot more pieces before it can get clicking at a high level.

The Patriots, as of now, are on the board again on Friday at pick No. 34, where they will likely target either a receiver or offensive tackle to join their new franchise quarterback.

Here’s every Patriots pick in the 2024 NFL draft

The Patriots have eight picks in total ahead of the 2024 NFL draft

Finishing the 2023 season with one of the worst records in the NFL has positioned the New England Patriots well in the 2024 NFL draft.

Not only do they have all of their picks, including an extra sixth-rounder for trading Mac Jones to the Jacksonville Jaguars, but they’re also picking near the top of the board in every round.

More importantly, they own the No. 3 overall pick in the first round.

That kind of draft capital was unheard of when the Patriots’ legendary quarterback and coach combo, Tom Brady and Bill Belichick, were still tearing through the NFL.

Here’s every pick for the Patriots heading into the 2024 NFL draft:

  • Round 1, Pick 3
  • Round 2, Pick 34
  • Round 3, Pick 68
  • Round 4, Pick 103
  • Round 5, Pick 137
  • Round 6, Pick 180, Pick 193
  • Round 7, Pick 231

The Patriots have plenty of draft picks to get their struggling franchise headed in the right direction.

Of course, their biggest moment will come on Thursday night, when they finally make a decision on the No. 3 draft pick. Without question, it’ll be one of the most important moments in franchise history.

When will the Patriots be on the clock at No. 3 overall?

Here’s when the Patriots should be on the clock

A potential franchise-altering opportunity hangs in the balance for the New England Patriots when they’re on the clock to pick at No. 3 overall in the 2024 NFL draft.

But at what time exactly can you expect them to make their pick?

Looking at previous drafts, in all likelihood, NFL commissioner Roger Goodell will be stepping to the podium to announce the Patriots’ pick around 8:30 p.m. ET.

Keep in mind, that time isn’t set in stone, and the pacing of the show will ultimately determine when the Patriots make their pick.

New England will be in position to select one of the top quarterbacks on the board. They’ll likely be choosing between Jayden Daniels, Drake Maye or J.J. McCarthy. Of course, there’s also the possibility they pass on a quarterback altogether and trade down for more picks.

There are multiple teams looking to move up the board, and if the offer is right, the Patriots would have to consider it.

Patriots expected to draft QB, even in a trade down scenario

Even if the Patriots trade down from No. 3, there’s belief that a trade back up scenario could be in play for a QB

The New England Patriots hold the key to the 2024 NFL draft with the No. 3 overall pick. A potential blockbuster trade scenario could impact the way the entire draft board unfolds.

But it wouldn’t necessarily alter the Patriots’ plans.

Per The Athletic’s Dianna Russini, even in the event of a trade down scenario, there is still a strong likelihood that the Patriots continue pursuing a quarterback.

That could mean moving back up the draft board to ensure they secure their quarterback of the future, along with a massive haul from whatever team would be willing to trade for the No. 3 pick.

Russini wrote:

If the Patriots land on a deal to trade out of No. 3, I fully expect them to move back up to grab a QB. Bottom line, I anticipate them coming out of this draft with a top QB.

It would likely take an unprecedented trade offer to convince the Patriots to move down, but coach Jerod Mayo and de facto general manager Eliot Wolf and have openly stated the team is willing to listen to trade offers.

So far, they haven’t received the offer they’re looking for to pass on one of the top quarterbacks in the draft.

Patriots’ dream trade target still remains without a long-term deal

A big move might still be on the table for the Patriots

With Jacksonville Jaguars pass-rusher Josh Allen agreeing to a massive extension on Wednesday, Cincinnati Bengals wide receiver Tee Higgins and Tampa Bay Buccaneers safety Antoine Winfield Jr. are the only franchise-tagged players that have yet to get long-term deals.

ESPN’s Adam Schefter noted that Winfield and the Buccaneers are working towards a new deal, but the status remains the same for Higgins, who has requested a trade.

When it comes to the New England Patriots, all eyes have been on the unfolding situation between Higgins and the Bengals. Higgins has been the dream free agent target for the team this offseason, and there’s still hope they could swing a trade to potentially pair him with a rookie quarterback in the 2024 NFL draft.

A fair bargaining chip would be the Patriots’ 2024 second-round pick, but it would likely have to come with the security of a long-term contract agreement between Higgins and the Patriots. The team clearly isn’t in Super Bowl contention, and they can’t run the risk of the veteran wide receiver walking in 2025.

As for the Bengals, unless they can pull something together at the last minute, it seems like the writing is on the wall with Higgins. They’d be better off finding a suitable trade partner and selecting another receiver in a draft that’s deep at the position.

The Houston Texans ultimately received a 2025 second-round pick for star wideout Stefon Diggs, which has some wondering if the Patriots could get Higgins for less. It’s important to keep in mind that Higgins turned 25 years old this year, while Diggs will be celebrating his 31st birthday in November.

That could be one of many differences that ultimately impacts what deal, if any, gets done with the Bengals.

Vince Wilfork talks Bill Belichick, Jerod Mayo and No. 3 draft pick

Patriots legend Vince Wilfork commented on Bill Belichick, first-year head coach Jerod Mayo and the No. 3 draft pick

Vince Wilfork might have stepped away from the game of football, but he is still very much dialed in on the happenings with the New England Patriots.

And plenty has happened in the last year with an organization that went from a perennial Super Bowl contender to one of the worst teams in football. After 24 years together, the Patriots parted ways with legendary coach Bill Belichick and promoted Jerod Mayo as the new head coach.

That seismic move followed in the wake of a shocking 4-13 finish from the architect behind the greatest dynasty in NFL history.

People have gone back and forth on whether or not owner Robert Kraft made the right decision in moving on from Belichick, but as Wilfork commented in a recent interview with Patriots Wire, all good things come to an end at some point.

“It was bittersweet, you know? Belichick being there for as long as he’s been,” said Wilfork. “When you think about the Patriots, you think about some things—when it was crappy, when they were the best team that the NFL had ever seen for two decades. I had the luxury to be a part of the 2000s in those decades of the winning. What we did, man, it’s going to be hard to do. The amount of winning and the amount of games and the Super Bowls, it’s tough.

“Bill Belichick, I love him. I was sad to see him go, but like I tell people all of the time, all good things come to an end. But it was sad to see him go because he’s done so much for New England, and [I’m] very grateful of him. I’m glad to say I’ve been coached by the greatest coach of all time. I played with the greatest quarterback of all time. I have that stuff to tell my kids and my grandkids when they’re reading about the Patriots of the 2000s. Their grandad can be like, ‘Yeah, I was part of that.'”

Belichick was under fire throughout the 2023 season, mostly for his front office work than his actual coaching on the field. Multiple draft misfires and free agent duds created a firestorm that not even the greatest coach in NFL history could survive.

Even with Belichick gone, that firestorm has continued in the form of the recent “The Dynasty: New England Patriots” docuseries, which caught heat from former players and coaches for leaning too hard on the negatives of the legendary coach’s run.

Rob Gronkowski, Rodney Harrison and Devin McCourty are just a few Patriots legends that have spoken out against the docuseries publicly. While Wilfork himself hasn’t seen the docuseries, he has heard the comments regarding the negative portrayal of Belichick, and he didn’t like any of it.

“I didn’t like the comments of how it went. I think Bill deserves a lot more credit than what was portrayed in there,” said Wilfork. “So I just stay away from it. I’m going to tell you like I tell everybody else. Bill Belichick is the best head coach that ever coached the game of football. People can sit down and talk about Lombardi and Andy Reid and all of that good stuff, but let me tell you something: Lombardi didn’t have to deal with salary cap. And Bill did that with the salary cap and the way the game changed.

“Andy Reid—I like Andy as a coach—but my thing is, I’m a Bill Belichick guy. He’s won it in New York, and what he’s done in New England, it speaks volumes. I’m going to always respect Bill, and I’m going to always be grateful of Bill Belichick for the career that I had and what he taught me on and off the field. I would tell anybody he’s the greatest coach of all time. Until somebody come and surpass him, that’s what it is.”

Belichick will be a tough act to follow for Mayo, who now faces the herculean challenge of supplanting the greatest coach of all time.

Wilfork spent many years with Mayo in New England, and he’s seen enough to give him confidence that the Patriots picked the right man for the job. He believes Kraft and even Belichick himself saw something in Mayo from the start.

“I’m happy for my brother, Jerod Mayo, because I think he’s ready for it. I think he’s going to bring a lot to it, and I’m excited for him,” Wilfork said. “He’s getting a shot, and it’s obvious that Mr. Kraft sees something in him. But Bill Belichick saw something in him as well. As a rookie, Jerod was a captain. He has the attributes to lead. He’s not anything shortage of a leader. So he’s going to hopefully get that team in the right direction.

“It may take him a little bit because he has to build a roster and do all of those things. So I don’t look for instant success, but I do see things heading in the right direction, and hopefully, he has the time to build that team and get us back the way we need to go.”

One way to ensure the team gets back on track is making the right decision with the No. 3 overall pick in the 2024 NFL draft.

The Patriots have a rare opportunity to go after a potential franchise quarterback or trade down for more draft picks. There have been strong opinions on both sides.

Some view the quarterback position as too important to pass up, especially when a draft is as rich with talent as this one. However, others fear another Mac Jones situation if the offensive line and skilled positions aren’t drastically improved from the 2023 season.

If Wilfork was wearing the general manager hat, he knows exactly what he’d do with the No. 3 pick.

“Quarterback. I’d go quarterback because this quarterback draft is so strong. You don’t know next year what it is,” Wilfork said. “I’m going quarterback because I’m not going to get the receivers. I’m not going to get the top skilled position players coming to my team if I don’t have a quarterback. It’s hard to sell a program and an organization if they don’t have a quarterback.

“You can’t go out and land big receivers in free agency without a quarterback. It just doesn’t happen. I would go quarterback, absolutely. I would not trade out of it. Quarterback is my first pick. We have a lot of them there, and I think we’re going to be okay with the ones that are going to be available. And I would start my franchise back over with getting me a franchise quarterback.”

Patriots Hall of Famer Vince Wilfork details eye-opening USO tour experience

Former Patriots legend Vince Wilfork will be hosting the USO’s annual gala event

Former New England Patriots legendary nose tackle Vince Wilfork spent over a decade battling in the trenches of some of the most memorable games in existence.

Super Bowls, AFC title games, AFC East divisional battles and regular season rivalries against the likes of Peyton Manning’s Indianapolis Colts, Ray Lewis’ Baltimore Ravens and Ben Roethlisberger’s Pittsburgh Steelers—Wilfork has competed with the very best the game of football has ever seen.

That alone makes him a hero to seemingly everyone but himself.

Wilfork, a two-time Super Bowl champion, four-time Pro Bowler, five-time All Pro and Patriots Hall of Famer believes the real heroes are the ones fighting a different kind of battle.

Those heroes are away from their families for extended periods of time, missing out on holidays, birthdays and sporting events. Those heroes selflessly put themselves in harm’s way to protect their friends, families and complete strangers thousands of miles away.

Those are the real heroes to Wilfork, who recently spoke with me about his USO tour overseas visiting with United States military personnel.

“It was so amazing, just to be in the presence of the troops, our military and their families—and just to kind of see how things operate on a daily basis. …To be able to watch and understand what all they do to keep us safe, it was just, I’m trying to find the word. I can’t even describe it. I was in awe,” Wilfork told Patriots Wire. “So many people take what we have in America for granted, even down to being able to take your kids to school, go grocery shopping, go enjoy a night out at dinner, go to the movies—to enjoy family time and understand that we’re safe.

“A lot of people don’t understand what goes into making sure America stays safe. So this trip meant the world to me because I’m actually looking at the heroes in their eyes. It’s easy for them to look at me and say, ‘Oh, you played football, you’re my hero.’ No, let’s get one thing understood: You guys are our heroes. You are my heroes. The least I can do is come pay and show you the respect that I think they don’t get a lot of recognition of.”

The USO holiday tour included Wilfork and five other celebrity guests on an eight-day tour visiting service members in the United Kingdom, Poland, Romania and Germany.

It was an opportunity for Wilfork to peek behind the curtains and see the price of freedom firsthand. Seeing the daily duties, training exercises and the incredible amount of coordinated work it takes to run things effectively was an eye-opening experience.

On one hand, Wilfork could compare the amount of discipline he saw on display to the way he lived his life playing football, but then again, there was also a clear difference and a line that should never be blurred.

“I don’t get it twisted. Football is very similar to the military because it’s a discipline and the teamwork and what it takes, but we’re different because in football, I can make a mistake,” Wilfork said. “I can make a mistake, and I can go to the sideline and dust it off and go home at night and say, ‘Okay, next week, I’m going to be better.’

“But when our troops make a mistake, it costs lives. People don’t understand how much of a perfectionist they have to be because one mistake, it could cost a platoon, it could cost a unit, it could cost a person their life. So I always keep those separated because I understand what I did for a living was a game. This game they’re playing is real life. They don’t get a do-over.”

The consequences for mistakes can be deadly, and so many brave men and women take those risks daily in an effort to preserve the freedoms all Americans enjoy.

Wilfork’s main goal is to bring recognition to those individuals and their incredible acts of heroism. It all plays right into him being appointed as the MC of the USO’s annual gala event on April 11, which serves to honor the USO Service Members of the Year.

The former NFL nose tackle admitted he has been moved by the stories he’s heard in individual conversations with troops. But there was one story in particular that really got to him. This story was about a soldier that had been blown up multiple times while on duty.

“I was with one guy, just hanging with him and stuff. He’d been deployed two or three times and he’d been blown up two or three times. He’s still living,” said Wilfork. “Just to hear his story and how much the military means to him. How much he takes care of his brothers and go to war with his brothers at the drop of a dime. It just goes to show you the mental capacity and mental strength of our troops and what it means to be ultimately a teammate that don’t want to let their brother and sister down.

“It’s not about them. …It’s about their brothers and keeping us safe. They don’t think about or feel sorry for themselves. That was one story that really stuck out to me because here I am, I can get being blown up one time, but three times? And you still love it and still do it and won’t even blink an eye. That showed me so much gratitude that they had towards our country and towards us Americans—and what they’re willing to do to protect our country.”

Wilfork will continue honoring the troops when serving as the MC for Thursday’s gala event, which will be attended by Congress members and senior government and military leaders at The Anthem in Washington, D.C.

The excitement he feels to host such a great event trumps any nerves. This is an opportunity to create memories, while simultaneously bringing awareness to some of the many incredible stories that often go unheard.

People spend their lives looking for heroes in movies, sports, video games and television shows. But the truth is the glitz and glamour doesn’t always come with real acts of heroism. Sometimes, those acts aren’t noticed at all.

But it doesn’t stop those special human beings from doing them. That’s why those individuals are the real heroes.

“I’m looking forward to just meeting the people that’ll be there. Just being around these guys and the Service Members of the Year and guys that have made decisions that keep us safe,” said Wilfork. “I’m just looking to soak all of that in and hang out and meet new people and share some stories.

“…I’m not nervous. I’m more excited than nervous or anything. …I’m just looking forward to being able to meet everybody and just letting them know how much it means to me and my family, to let them know how much we appreciate them as Americans.”