Category: Patriots Analysis

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.”

Instant analysis of Patriots re-signing S Kyle Dugger to four-year deal

The Patriots had one of the top defensive units in 2023, and Kyle Dugger re-signing ensures that group remains mostly intact.

Kyle Dugger’s contract situation hanging in limbo came to an end on Sunday with the starting safety agreeing to a massive four-year extension with the New England Patriots.

The deal has a base value of $58 million and can go up to $66 million. It contains $32.5 million in guarantees, which is the fifth-most guaranteed money for an NFL safety, per Over The Cap.

At $14.5 million annually, Dugger got a slight bump from the $13.8 million on his transition tag.

The move makes it a near clean sweep for the Patriots in retaining their in-house free agents. It’s also a solid deal for a player like Dugger, who has yet to make an All-Pro or Pro Bowl team in his career.

Make no mistake, he has been tremendously impactful in his role in the Patriots’ defensive backfield, but he has yet to break into that top-tier safety group in the NFL.

Of course, that hardly matters for what he’s meant to New England.

Dugger has stepped up as a leader for the team since Devin McCourty retired last year. The last thing the team wanted was losing McCourty and Dugger in back-to-back years. Dugger’s return should ensure the Patriots remain one of the top defensive units in the league in 2024.

Of course, it can’t answer for the many questions still remaining on the offensive side of the ball. The Patriots are still unsettled at quarterback, the offensive line is a disaster waiting to happen and the wide receiver position still lacks a true No. 1 target.

A better perspective would be considering Dugger’s long-term security clearing the road to a more offensive-focused draft for New England. There is no longer a need to focus on safety with considerations of how Dugger’s contract situation would unfold.

De facto general manager Eliot Wolf can now check that off the list and focus on bigger issues at hand.

Cam Garrity’s official 2024 NFL draft kit

Patriots Wire’s Cam Garrity reveals his top-50 big board and top-10 NFL draft prospects at each position

The New England Patriots are slowly creeping closer to the most important draft in the last 25 years, which is being led by a rookie coach in Jerod Mayo and a rookie GM (de facto) in Eliot Wolf.

We did this piece in 2022 and 2023, and I wanted to continue this yearly tradition as the draft gets closer.

Usually, when the New Year rolls around, I kick off my official draft prep. It’s a few months of diving deep into player tapes and rewatching full games to catch all those situational moments. I keep tabs on college football games year-round, so I’ve got a rough idea of who’s standing out. But come January, it’s time to really dig in.

I have a routine where I laser-focus on one player at a time. I want to get a solid grip on their skills before I slap a grade on them. Once I’ve gone through enough players, I jot down my top-10 for each position and lay out a top-50 list.

But I don’t stop there. I like to check out what other folks are saying, too. I’ll peek at big boards from different sources, different platforms, just to see where the consensus lies. It’s a bit of quality control for my own evaluations. It can’t hurt to make sure I’m on the right track.

Now, the big board? It’s a starting point, sure. But it only works in a vacuum.

As the draft rolls on, positional value, team needs and fit all come into play. So sometimes, player No. 10 might go first overall, and that’s simply because players 1-9 do not make sense for them to grab.

Before we jump right into the kit, here’s a little background of the grading system I use:

ESPN insider has Patriots taking new QB-WR combo in first two rounds of mock draft

Field Yates has the Patriots coming away with a new QB-WR combo in the first two rounds of his latest mock draft

ESPN’s Field Yates has a plan for how the New England Patriots should approach the 2024 NFL draft. Here’s one hint: It includes a quarterback and some playmakers to surround him with.

In his latest two-round mock draft, Yates projected New England to take North Carolina quarterback Drake Maye with the third overall pick. Maye finished up his run with the Tar Heels last season throwing for 3,608 yards, 24 touchdowns and nine interceptions.

The top pick is obviously much easier to project for the Patriots than the No. 34 pick in the second round, which could have the team leaning in a bunch of different directions.

However, Yates projected New England to take South Carolina wide receiver Xavier Legette at No. 34 overall.

Legette was an explosive playmaker for the Gamecocks throughout his career. He recorded 71 catches for 1,255 yards and seven touchdowns last season, averaging 17.7 yards per reception. He tallied 113 catches for 1,678 yards and 12 touchdowns over a five-year span.

One of the best ways to help a young quarterback is surrounding him with playmakers. Legette would certainly fit the bill and give New England’s offense a much-needed spark. Here’s what Yates had to say on the pick:

New lead decision-maker Eliot Wolf has talked about adding playmakers to the New England offense, and at 6-foot-1 and 221 pounds, Legette would bring physicality and explosion. He had 1,255 yards last season and is an outstanding run-after-catch player.

It’s no secret that the Patriots need a top weapon at the wide receiver position. They were unable to land one in free agency, and now, that puts them in a position where they need to land a playmaker sooner rather than later.

Legette could prove to be a high-value weapon early in the second round, after New England addresses a pressing need at the quarterback position.

How Bills trading WR Stefon Diggs directly impacts Patriots

There are some great takeaways for the Patriots in the Stefon Diggs trade

The AFC East division got a little weaker on Wednesday with the Buffalo Bills agreeing to a trade that sent four-time Pro Bowl wide receiver Stefon Diggs to the Houston Texans.

Josh Allen not having his best receiving weapon is an automatic benefit for the New England Patriots considering they’ll be facing him twice this year. Not only have the Bills lost Diggs, but they’ve also lost Gabriel Davis. It’s like Thanos snapped and the top-two wideouts in Buffalo are suddenly gone.

The thought of playing a weakened Bills team is a good thing for the Patriots, but more importantly, the hope should be the potential C.J. Stroud domino effect.

For years, the Houston Texans have been laughed at and perceived as one of the joke franchises in the NFL. Then they selected Stroud at No. 2 overall in the 2023 NFL draft, won a playoff game and are now having the sort of offseason that has them looking like a legitimate Super Bowl contender in 2024.

As Sirius XM’s Geoff Schwartz put it, selecting the right rookie quarterback can change a franchise immediately.

No one is laughing at the Texans now.

The Patriots are in a rare position with the No. 3 overall pick in the 2024 NFL draft. This is a draft where the No. 1 pick at quarterback could be interchangeable between three players: Caleb Williams, Jayden Daniels and Drake Maye.

Not only could hitting on one of those players drastically improve the on-field product for the Patriots immediately, but it would also make New England a significantly more attractive destination for free agents. That means no more hearing owner Robert Kraft blame a failed signing on state income tax and the player’s significant other (yes, that happened).

If anything, this proves how vital it is to have the right man under center to even have a chance to compete for championships. The Patriots were spoiled with nearly 20 years of Tom Brady, and now, they’re trudging their way through the same hamster wheel of finding a quarterback that has entrapped teams for decades.

There are no guarantees that drafting Maye or Daniels will get them off that wheel, but there’s also no doubt that both prospects give them their best chance of doing so.

Patriots insider predicts expensive price for No. 3 draft pick

Patriots insider believes it could take a lot more than two draft picks to get the Patriots to trade down

There has been speculation as to whether the New England Patriots would trade the third overall pick in the 2024 NFL draft. ESPN’s Mike Reiss doesn’t believe it’s out of the question, but he does think it would take a haul for the organization to give up their first-round pick.

By haul, he means multiple picks and an established player. That player would likely be someone who could make an impact on the offensive side of the football immediately.

“Hi Geoff. Something I mentioned yesterday in discussion on this topic — my opinion is that it would take an established player (e.g. Justin Jefferson) plus multiple first-round picks,” said Reiss, when answering a question from a fan on social media.

It would be a hefty asking price for a premier draft pick.

New England could build for multiple years with the draft selections, while also getting a cornerstone piece needed to jump-start the franchise right away, if a team was willing to give up that much.

What would it cost Patriots to trade for 49ers WR Brandon Aiyuk?

What would it cost to trade for 49ers All-Pro WR Brandon Aiyuk, and would the Patriots be willing to pay up?

Whether it’s in free agency or the 2024 NFL draft, it’s clear the New England Patriots need a top wide receiver.

A recent report claimed the Patriots are looking into the trade market, and one of the names that immediately comes to mind is San Francisco 49ers receiver Brandon Aiyuk.

The All-Pro receiver has turned into one of the 49ers’ best offensive weapons in the passing game. He recorded 75 catches for 1,342 yards and seven touchdowns last season. It was his second season in a row with 1,000 receiving yards.

The 49ers received trade offers for another star wide receiver in Deebo Samuel last year. However, they did not budge on any of the offers they were given. There were even draft day proposals in play, but they were not enough.

The Athletic’s Matt Barrows, who covers the 49ers, believes a similar situation could be in play for Aiyuk.

I think a similar scenario is in play for Aiyuk, who has excellent chemistry with Brock Purdy: The 49ers will listen to offers but it will take something monumental to let him go.

There is a bit of intrigue here, as the Patriots own the No. 3 overall pick of the draft, which could be used as a trade chip in a potential deal. But then again, the team could also just use it to select Marvin Harrison Jr.

Regardless, the Patriots might have to pay a premium price if they have any hopes of prying Aiyuk away from the 49ers.