Tag: ronnie perkins

Report: Former Patriots third-round pick LB signs with Broncos

LB Ronnie Perkins was reportedly claimed off the Patriots’ practice squad.

The Denver Broncos claimed former New England Patriots linebacker Ronnie Perkins off the practice squad on Monday, according to multiple media reports.

Perkins never played a snap for New England. He was drafted by the organization in the third round of the 2021 NFL draft. Injuries plagued him throughout his tenure with the Patriots. He spent most of his rookie season on injured reserve and appeared in a preseason game this year.

Perkins was a miss in a class that included key contributors for New England. Quarterback Mac Jones and running back Rhamondre Stevenson were undoubtedly the crown jewels of the group. Now, Perkins will get a fresh start on a Broncos team that could use the help.

Patriots coach Bill Belichick has historically had success in the draft, but the draft misses have been piling up as of late. Perkins’ exit is just another recent example of that fact.

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Winners and losers from Patriots’ 23-7 loss at Tennessee

Who are the winners and losers from New England’s final preseason game?

On Friday night, the New England Patriots visited the Music City to take on the Tennessee Titans in their final 2023 preseason game. While the Patriots’ meager 57 team passing yards and 55 team rushing yards drove the way for a less-than-satisfying offensive performance, they still had some standout stars in the 23-7 defeat.

But what Friday’s game did best was give those players on the fringe of making New England’s final 53-man roster one last shot to prove themselves and give the team a reason to keep them around for at least the start of the season.

Here are some winners and losers from the game.

Studs and duds from Patriots’ preseason finale loss to Titans

Who were the studs and duds for the Patriots on Friday night?

The preseason didn’t end the way the New England Patriots hoped in Friday’s road trip meeting with the Tennessee Titans in Nashville. There were issues on offense, defense and special teams that culminated in a 23-7 loss for New England.

The Patriots opted not to play their starters in this game, while the Titans trotted starters on the field for several plays. Even starting quarterback Ryan Tannehill got in on the action briefly.

It wasn’t the most exciting game given the constant struggles along the offensive front. Bailey Zappe, who received the starting nod, looked helpless against the Titans’ defensive front. On defense, the Patriots did show some promise, but they also struggled keeping scrambling Titans quarterback Malik Willis in check.

Let’s take a look at the studs and duds from the game.

51 days till Patriots season opener: Every player to wear No. 51 for New England

Here’s a list of every Patriots player to wear the No. 51 jersey number

The New England Patriots are officially 51 days away from their regular season opener, which means we’re continuing out countdown series by listing every player that has ever worn the No. 51 throughout franchise history.

Third-year linebacker Ronnie Perkins currently wears the number that has been draped across the jerseys of 24 total Patriots players in the past. Former All-Pro linebacker and current Patriots linebackers coach Jerod Mayo was one of those players.

The former first-round draft pick stepped in as one of the new-age players to take over roles previously held by defensive legends like Tedy Bruschi and Mike Vrabel. He helped kick-start the second half of the Patriots’ three Super Bowl victories in a 17-year span.

Here’s every Patriots player that has ever worn the No. 51 (via Pro Football Reference):

5 takeaways from the Oklahoma Sooners performance at the NFL Scouting Combine

Five takeaways from Oklahoma Sooners at the 2023 NFL Scouting combine.

One of the biggest weekends for the football world just came to completion. This weekend served as a massive evaluation tool for determining the future of the next stars of the NFL.

Oklahoma has no shortage of stars in the pro ranks at the moment but has the opportunity for a number of players to hear their names called in April.

Seven Sooners made the trek to Indianapolis to participate in the NFL Scouting Combine.

The Oklahoma Sooners, as a whole, put on a fine display of athleticism as multiple players put up great testing numbers. Social media was set ablaze watching [autotag]Anton Harrison[/autotag], [autotag]Marvin Mims[/autotag], and [autotag]Jalen Redmond[/autotag] test. With the combine over, these former Sooners will begin preparing for their pro day.

Here are five takeaways about the Oklahoma Sooners from the NFL Scouting Combine.

Patriots place OLB Ronnie Perkins on injured reserve

Ronnie Perkins is headed to IR for the Patriots.

The New England Patriots are placing second-year outside linebacker Ronnie Perkins on injured reserve in their first move to cut down to an 80-man roster on Tuesday.

With Perkins going on IR before the final 53-man cut, it means he won’t be able to return until the following season. So this move will officially bring an end to his 2022 season.

The former third-round pick out of Oklahoma is still waiting for his first meaningful snap on an NFL field. He was inactive for 13 games last season before going on injured reserve on December 17.

“I’ve been focused on coming in this year ready, coming in stronger, coming in in shape, ready to help the team however I can,” Perkins said back in June. “It’s definitely sad to see those guys go, Jamie, KVN, High but it also tells us it’s time to step up. We can’t lean on those older guys anymore, it’s time to step into their shoes.”

Stay tuned as more information becomes available on this developing story.

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In a new defensive scheme, Jalen Redmond on track for breakout season

After losing three key figures from last year’s defensive front, Sooners DT Jalen Redmond is projected to be one of college football’s breakout stars.

After losing three players from their defensive line to the NFL, the Oklahoma Sooners will turn over 75% of its front four from a year ago. With that much turnover, the Oklahoma Sooners will need to find new stars to rely on upfront.

One such player is returning defensive tackle Jalen Redmond. Redmond played just 309 snaps last season but was an important piece for the Sooners down the stretch. Redmond enters 2022 as a key piece to Brent Venables’ defense.

Steve Lassan of Athlon Sports expects Jalen Redmond to be one of the breakout players in college football in 2022.

Considering the track record of new Oklahoma coach Brent Venables in producing standouts along the defensive line, it’s safe to assume the Sooners will have a couple of all-conference candidates at the end of 2022. Redmond is our pick to shine, as he has accumulated 21.5 tackles for a loss and 10 sacks over 24 games since ’18. – Lassan, Athlon Sports

Redmond has the explosiveness and the first step to be a terror for the Oklahoma Sooners. His ability to create penetration will make life difficult on opposing offensive lines and quarterbacks in 2022. The talent’s always been there, but the good fortune of health hasn’t.

After sitting out the 2020 season due to COVID concerns, Redmond was limited to eight games in 2021. And in those eight games, he was still incredibly productive. He had eight tackles for loss and 3.5 sacks. Had he played the full 13-game season, that would translate to six sacks and 13 tackles for loss.

Redmond came through in the most important games of the season. Against Baylor, Iowa State, Oklahoma State, and Oregon, Redmond came up with eight total tackles, 5.5 tackles for loss, and two sacks. And, of course, there was the fumble return for a touchdown against Iowa State.

In 10 games as a redshirt freshman, Redmond led the Oklahoma Sooners with 6.5 sacks. He had more sacks as a redshirt freshman than Ronnie Perkins. Let that sink in.

With Perrion Winfrey off to the NFL, the onus is on Redmond to be the wrecking ball on the interior for the Oklahoma Sooners. In a Venables defense that has produced the most sacks and the most tackles for loss over the last decade, Redmond could fit right in.

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3 biggest concerns surrounding the Patriots defense

The Patriots defense has concerns heading into training camp.

The New England Patriots have a lot of question marks heading into training camp. Many of the concerns are centered on the defensive side of the football. With a revamped secondary and a new-look linebacker group, the Patriots have a lot to sort out.

For some of these players, they will have to take on roles that they have not encountered at this point in their career. For others, it will be about stepping up and making an impact in a bigger way. In some cases, it may seem risky. However this could be a year where we truly find out the impact of previous drafts.

Today we take a look at three concerns surrounding the defensive unit, as new pieces look to keep pace.

4 Patriots breakout candidates for the 2022 season

These four players could break out for the Patriots in 2022.

It has been a busy last year for the New England Patriots organization as they look to continue building for the future. After a playoff appearance in January, New England shifts its focus to the 2022 campaign.

New England will have a familiar group of players to help lead the charge, such as Mac Jones, Damien Harris, Hunter Henry, and Jakobi Meyers.

Beyond that, the organization has depth at several positions. Some of that depth got tested last season while others have been waiting in the wings for their opportunity to take the field. Now, 2022 could be their chance to shine.

Today, we take a look at four potential breakout candidates for the organization.

Ronnie Perkins says Rhamondre Stevenson’s pro transformation is amazing

Ronnie Perkins has been Rhamondre Stevenson’s teammate going back to Oklahoma. So Perkins has unique perspective on the running back.

Ronnie Perkins and Rhamondre Stevenson had vastly different experiences during their rookie seasons with the New England Patriots.

The Patriots drafted the Oklahoma Sooners prospects with back-to-back picks in the 2021 draft. Perkins went in the third round and Stevenson went in Round 4. But Perkins ended spending the season as a depth option and barely saw the field while Stevenson quickly cracked the running back rotation and put up 133 carries, 606 rushing yards and five touchdowns with 14 catches for 123 yards.

“I was kind of amazed at him, for real. I’m not even going to lie,” Perkins said during minicamp on June 7. “I feel like he played a kind of different style of football (in 2021) than he did in college. In college, he could guys miss but he was more downhill in college. And now, just being in the NFL, I can really see how good his feet is. To be that size, he’s got some good feet.

“He wowed me last year. I’m sure he’s going to wow me this year.”

Stevenson’s ability to evolve with the Patriots system was key to the running back seeing the field. When James White went down with an injury, New England needed a player who brought a change of pace and a splash in the passing game. Stevenson, even with an oversized body type, looked explosive in the open field and on screen passes.

Perkins, meanwhile, had a much bigger transformation to undergo. He moved from defensive end to outside linebacker, a substantial leap that entails coverage and an increased focus on run defense. Perkins couldn’t simply spend all his snaps rushing the passer. The newly-minted linebacker is excited about that transition and appears poised to break into the rotation on defense in 2022. As for Stevenson, Perkins expects big things.

“(Stevenson) worked his butt off,” Perkins said. “And I’m ready to go against him in training camp.”

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