Tag: patriots news

Patriots request to interview Chargers coach for job opening

Marcus Brady has served as an offensive coordinator.

The Patriots requested to interview Chargers passing game coordinator Marcus Brady for their offensive coordinator position, according to ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler.

New England hired Mike Vrabel as its new head coach after firing Jerod Mayo, and now he is looking to build his staff.

Brady finished his first season in Los Angeles. Before coming to L.A. last offseason, Brady was the Eagles’ senior offensive assistant.

Before joining Philadelphia, Brady was with the Colts for five seasons, starting as their assistant quarterbacks coach in 2018.

That year, he helped Andrew Luck finish with one of the best seasons of his career, in which he threw for 4,593 yards and 39 touchdowns en route to winning the NFL’s Comeback Player of the Year Award.

Brady was promoted to quarterbacks coach the following season. In 2020, Philip Rivers finished the season in the top ten in completion percentage (68%) and passing yards (4,169).

He became the Colts’ offensive coordinator in 2021. That year, Indianapolis finished second in the NFL in rushing yards per game (149.4) and yards per carry (5.1) and tied for the fifth-most rushing touchdowns (22).

Before joining the NFL ranks, Brady was an offensive coordinator in the Canadian Football League (CFL) for eight seasons.

Ladd McConkey sets Chargers rookie receiving records in win over Patriots: ‘He’s a baller, man’

The Patriots watched the player they passed on in this year’s draft dominate them.

The Patriots wanted a wide receiver in the second round of the 2024 NFL draft.

New England had the opportunity to select Ladd McConkey with the No. 34 overall pick. They passed on him because they saw him as a slot-only receiver and swapped picks with the Chargers, who took him.

Fast forward eight months later, the former Georgia product came to Foxboro and made the Patriots feel regretful for not drafting him with a monstrous performance that saw him shatter a couple of franchise rookie records.

McConkey set new Chargers rookie records in receptions and receiving yards, as he currently has 77 receptions for 1,054 yards.

McConkey surpassed the player he was asked to fill the shoes of, shattering Keenan Allen’s previous records of 71 catches for 1,046 yards, which he set in 2013.

McConkey finished the game with eight catches for 94 yards and two scores.

After the game, some of McConkey’s teammates heaped high praise on him after reaching such outstanding feats.

“He’s such a tough player. He’s a playmaker and finds ways to get open,” Justin Herbert said, per the team’s official website. “He’s done such a great job of battling injuries and being out there for us.

“He’s a guy we trust on third down. Anytime we go out there, he’s a threat,” Herbert added. “All I have to do is get him the ball and he makes my job so much easier.”

Safety Derwin James, Jr., added: “Ladd is that guy. I told him before the game I wanted him to get to 1,000 yards. I’ve been keeping track for him all year. He got there today and I’m proud of him. He’s a baller, man.”

McConkey will have the opportunity to crack the top 10 for receiving yards among rookie receivers next Sunday against the Raiders. He needs 84 yards to surpass Michael Thomas (1,137).

Chargers inactives: See who’s in and who’s out for Week 17 vs. Patriots

The Chargers will be without Denzel Perryman on Saturday.

The Chargers are about 90 minutes away from kicking off Week 17 against the Patriots.

Here is a look at their inactive players today:

QB Easton Stick (emergency 3rd QB)

RB Gus Edwards

LB Denzel Perryman

OL Jordan McFadden

OL Trey Pipkins III

TE Hayden Hurst

DL Justin Eboigbe

RB J.K. Dobbins was activated from injured reserve on Saturday and will play today.

Chargers Week 17 injury report: 3 players ruled out

The Los Angeles Chargers released their final injury report ahead of the matchup against the New England Patriots.

The Chargers had their final practice today ahead their matchup on Saturday against the Patriots.

Running back Gus Edwards (ankle), linebacker Denzel Perryman (groin) and offensive lineman Trey Pipkins III (hip) have been ruled out for Sunday.

Head coach Jim Harbaugh said Edwards reaggravated his ankle injury from last week’s game against the Broncos.

Perryman also reaggravated his groin injury last week.

Running back J.K. Dobbins (knee), who was designated to return from injured reserve, is questionable. Harbaugh said Dobbins had a good week of practice.

Tight end Will Dissly (shoulder), tight end Hayden Hurst (illness) and safety Elijah Molden (knee) are questionable for Week 17.

Cornerback Cam Hart, who did not play last week against Denver due to a concussion, does not carry an injury designation and will play.

NFL announces date for Chargers vs. Patriots Week 17 game

The Chargers will have nine days to rest before their next game after they face the Broncos.

The Week 17 game between the Chargers and Patriots will be played next Saturday, Dec. 28, at 10:00 am PT, the NFL announced Tuesday.

The league announced a tripleheader featuring matchups between the Broncos and Bengals, along with the Cardinals and Rams.

The game will be televised on NFL Network. Chris Rose, Ross Tucker and Steve Wyche will be on the call from Gillette Stadium in Foxborough, MA.

The last time the Chargers and Patriots met was in 2023, and Los Angeles won, 6-0. New England leads the overall series, 27-16-2.

Report: Chargers have shown interest in trading for WR K.J. Osborn

The Chargers are looking to add another weapon for Justin Herbert.

According to Boston Sports Journal’s Mike Giardi, the Chargers are one of the teams that has shown interest in trading for Patriots wide receiver K.J. Osborn.

Osborn hasn’t been that productive this season in New England, only with seven catches for 57 yards and a touchdown in six games. But he’s proven to be impactful in his professional career.

In four seasons with the Vikings, where he played before signing with the Patriots, Osborn caught 160 passes for a total of 1,865 yards and 16 touchdowns in those games

Currently sitting at 5-3 and well positioned to make the playoffs, Los Angeles finds itself as buyers ahead of the trade deadline. And it appears the team wants to bolster the wide receiver room.

Ladd McConkey has impressed in his rookie season. Quentin Johnston has shown signs of improvement in his sophomore campaign. D.J. Chark has yet to make his Charger debut due to a hip injury.

This is a position that could benefit from another playmaker for Justin Herbert, as the Bolts continue to find their stride in the passing game.

Report: Patriots waiving former 2022 NFL draft pick offensive lineman

Another one bites the dust for the Patriots’ 2022 NFL draft class

The New England Patriots have informed third-year offensive lineman Andrew Stueber he is being waived, according to a report from ESPN’s Mike Reiss on Monday.

Stueber entered the NFL as a seventh-round draft pick after playing offensive tackle during his collegiate run at Michigan. However, he has been taking reps at guard during OTAs.

His chances of making the roster at that position were never good considering the depth in place. He’d have to play catch-up with Sidy Sow, Atonio Mafi, Nick Leverett and Michael Jordan. The Patriots also used a fourth-round pick in the 2024 NFL draft on Layden Robinson.

So Stueber was clearly on the outside looking in.

Stueber never got an opportunity to gain any traction early on after suffering a hamstring injury as a rookie. He then spent the 2023 season on the practice squad at a time when the Patriots actually needed help at the tackle position.

That never boded well for his future with the team.

Chargers named ‘best team fit’ for OL Mike Onwenu

Jim Harbaugh coached Michael Onwenu at Michigan.

The Chargers’ offensive line is in need of a revamp, and ESPN’s Matt Bowen believes Patriots’ Michael Onwenu is a player who can add some talent. 

Here is why Bowen believes Los Angeles is the best fit for Onwenu:

Besides left tackle Rashawn Slater, the Chargers are devoid of offensive line talent. Coach Jim Harbaugh would love to add a 6-foot-3, 330-pound people-mover in the run game. And Onwenu proved with the Patriots this season that he also has the ability to hold an anchor in pass protection at either guard or right tackle, which would help Justin Herbert. Los Angeles has to get better up front this offseason, so look for the club to make some cuts in order to clear cap space and address this unit.

Head coach Jim Harbaugh will want to do everything possible to improve the run game, and what better way to do so than by adding a people-mover like Onwenu to the roster? 

Additionally, Harbaugh is familiar with Onwenu, having been his coach at Michigan from 2016 to 2019.

Onwenu is coming off his rookie contract with New England, and he is a player who can offer solutions at guard and right tackle.

It’s vital that Los Angeles make changes up front to help improve the offense, and the organization will look to make some cuts to clear up cap space to pursue players like Onwenu. 

Chargers trade J.C. Jackson to Patriots

J.C. Jackson is going back to where he started his career.

J.C. Jackson is going back to where he started his career, as the Chargers traded him to the Patriots on Wednesday.

Los Angeles and New England swapped sixth- and seventh-round picks in 2025. The Chargers are converting most of the $9.33 million Jackson has left in base this year into a signing bonus to facilitate the trade.

After signing a five-year, $82.5 million with L.A. last offseason, Jackson was limited to five games last season due to a ruptured patellar tendon.

Upon returning, Jackson struggled against the Dolphins and Titans in Weeks 1 and 2, thus leading to him being a healthy scratch in Week 3 against the Vikings. He was active in Week 4 but did not play a single defensive snap.

Jackson played in seven games for the Chargers, recording 18 tackles, five passes defended and one interception.

For the Patriots, they get a player who had a lot of success with them, which included 25 interceptions in 62 games.

As for Los Angeles, it’s unfortunate that they didn’t get the All-Pro level of play from Jackson, but they made the right move to deal him now, knowing the situation was not going to get any better and save some money in doing so.

Chargers CB J.C. Jackson ‘confused’ by benching in Week 3 vs. Vikings

J.C. Jackson sounded off on the Chargers’ decision to bench him.

The start of the 2023 season hasn’t been all sunshine and rainbows for Chargers cornerback J.C. Jackson. Jackson, who returned from a season-ending patellar tendon injury, struggled in the first two games. As a result, he was a healthy scratch last Sunday in Los Angeles’ win over the Vikings.

This happened a day after a warrant was issued for Jackson’s arrest after he failed to pay a $600 fine and attend a four-hour class on reckless driving from when he was charged with driving 100 mph in South Attleboro, Massachusetts, in 2021 while he was a member of the Patriots.

But Jackson’s benching wasn’t a result of his legal situation or health concerns related to the knee. Brandon Staley said it was a “coach’s decision” after the game and followed it up on Monday by saying, “just the overall product, from the beginning of the week to the end of the week.”

Jackson was asked about being benched and said he was confused by it.

I’m still kind of confused on why. I can’t put my opinion on it. It was a coach’s decision. It was above (me). I’m not in control. This is not my team. So that’s what I’m saying. I can tell you I’m confused, I don’t know what’s going on. But that’s not the real answer of why I didn’t play last week or why I didn’t start. That’s above me.

On Thursday, Jackson admitted that he is still not fully recovered from his knee injury.

“That’s exactly what it is, I’m not 100 percent,” Jackson said. “I know that the doctors know that. I’m not 100 percent so I’m doing my best. We’re giving the team what they want. I’m doing my best and I don’t know what they expect me to do.”

Jackson signed a five-year contract worth $82.5 million with the Bolts last offseason after earning All-Pro honors in his final season with New England. They have yet to see him play at that caliber, but he remains confident that he can get there.

“I know what I can do,” Jackson said. “I know that I can help the team so it kind of frustrates me that I’m not starting and that coach has me sitting out, and I’m one of the best players on the team. I’m one of the best [defensive backs] that we have.”

It remains to be seen if Jackson will play this weekend or what his role will be when the Chargers host the Raiders.

“It is going to be determined by what happens in practice this week,” Staley said.