The Quarterbacks Threw More Than The Handful Of Passes From The 7 on 7 Drill.

The media was allowed into the Patriots camp for a day of OTAs in Thursday the 27th. The team did their workouts and the media gave their opinions. There has been criticism over Cam Newton and some fans are saying "he only threw four passes", going off the 7 on 7 drill numbers.

Now it is true that Cam only threw four passes during the 7 on 7 drill, while Hoyer threw only two but that wasn't the only passing drills ran in front of the media.

Phil Perry of NBC wrote, "Patriots QBs did some bucket drill today. Stidham and Jones threw the best-looking deep balls. McDaniels also had QBs do a who-can-hit-the-target-quicker drill. From "hut" to the receiver's hands, who wins? Hoyer beat Jones 2x. Stidham and Cam won one each. Hoyer and Cam tied."

There's no way Brian Hoyer threw only two passes and beat out Jones in a drill. Phil Perry wasn't the only member of the media there, let's look at a second source.

Paul Perillo of Patriots.com wrote, "*Always fun to watch the quarterbacks taking part in bucket drills and we caught a glimpse of that on Thursday. All four alternated throwing deep fades from the 20 into the back left corner of the end zone. The quartet went around six times and none managed to sink one. At one point Hunter Henry joined in on the fun and tried a few throws of his own, but he met similar results."

Since Henry threw, his numbers would've been part of the stats released, especially if he completed more than Hoyers two passes. But these throws weren't part of the 7 on 7 drill and weren't recorded. Did any of the media report any other drills? Yes...

Ryan Hannable of WEEI mentioned the bucket drills and 7 on 7 but included, "There was some 11-on-11 work late in the practice, but that was pretty much a walkthrough."

Hannable doesn't get into a lot about the 11 on 11 and this is voluntary OTAs, the entire practice is a "walkthrough. " Now unless you played football, you might not have a full understanding of what a bucket drill is but yes for quarterbacks, it's throwing to a bucket.

Here's is the definition of a quarterback bucket drill according to the Jerry Campbell football. "Each quarterback throws up to 30 passes during the drill. The buckets are moved to various spots on the field on different days so that the quarterbacks can practice a variety of passes. One day, it might be a 15-yard out. The next day, it could be a 15-yard in, or a deep post..."

So here's the thing. It's okay to be fans of players, and maybe the 7 on 7 drill was the only passing drill that mattered but don't ignore the entire body of work done in front of the media. The media got to see more than 3 or 4 passes from each quarterback.

Seeing as the Patriots ran bucket drills and some 11 on 11, to go with the 7 on 7. The media may have seen around forty to fifty throws. It's fair to say they have an early idea of how each quarterback is actually looking.

So if some are saying Newton is looking the same as last year or that one of the other quarterbacks was looking good, they probably know what they're talking about for at least the first day of OTAs with media. Remember this is where players work on improving, so that when the preseason comes, they don't all look like out of shape bums. 

Is Mac Jones The Spark Plug The Patriots Passing Game Has Been Missing?

Between 2018 and 2019, I criticized McDaniels for playcalling. I even started calling him McVanilla. Fans quickly came to his aid, saying "who does he have to work with."

Someplace midway in 2019 I noticed Brady seemed to have lost accuracy and started throwing to bubbles, throwing at the pass catchers and not to where he should've been. I wasn't sure if Brady was phoning it in or of he was starting to lose it. Fans came to his defense saying, "This is Tom Brady you're talking about!", "cut him some slack he's earned it!", but the next one was my favorite, "we don't criticize Tom Brady ever!"

2020 was the most boring the offense had looked, and it wasn't the play calling. I'd watch the game and had huge issues with the quarterback / quarterbacks on passing plays. I'd notice poor ball placement or guys being open, among other things. 

Paraphrasing a little here but fans said, "The poor ball placement was due was apparently due to not having any weapons. And everything else was due to the issues brought on by the pandemic."

The Patriots drafted Mac Jones in 2021. Some people in the media are saying Cam Newton is still looking like he did in 2020. They're also saying at the moment Mac Jones looks like he knows how to operate the offense already and that the competition between Mac & Cam is closer than what people thought it was.

In 2020 Josh McDaniels added some option runs to the offense but ran the "Brady" passing game. Several people in the media are saying, there won't be a different offense for Cam. That the Patriots are going to continue to run the "Brady" passing offense.

Because there was only one day of open practice, it's too early to know what's going on. However, I will say this. If the Patriots are going to run the passing offense they ran the past few years, Newton's mechanics, accuracy, and anticipation must greatly improve. If Jones and the offense moves the ball better than Cam, Jones will start week one. 

Patriots quarterbacks after day one

Day one of Patriots Camp is now on the books and all eyes are on the quarterbacks. How did they do and who's gonna start week one are the burning questions.

Phil Perry who does the podcast with Tom tweeted Thursday, "7-on-7 work... Newton: 4-for-4, nice diving grab by LaCosse on one Jones: 2-for-3, Wilkerson dropped one when Jones pump faked and put it on his target over the middle Stidham: 2-for-3, missed Jak Johnson wide Hoyer: 2-for-2, completed an underthrown bomb to Agholor."

Perry continued, "Patriots QBs did some bucket drill today. Stidham and Jones threw the best-looking deep balls. McDaniels also had QBs do a who-can-hit-the-target-quicker drill. From "hut" to the receiver's hands, who wins? Hoyer beat Jones 2x. Stidham and Cam won one each. Hoyer and Cam tied."

Cam Newton:

The main thing I read and am hearing about Newton is that he's still not showing good accuracy, meaning he's still throwing to the pass catchers' bubbles. He's worked on his mechanics but still looks like 2020 Cam. He's leading the camp but isn't doing anything to show he's a superior passer to any of the other three quarterbacks. 

Phil Perry tweeted about Cam, "Could see Newton working on *not* tilting his shoulders before releasing early on. Shot one high, one low in drills. Two on-target check-downs in 7v7s. One well-placed out complete to Agholor in 7v7s. LaCosse bailed him out with diving catch on a quick out in the same period."

Perry would go on to say he doesn't see any difference in how Cam is throwing the football from last year. Tom E. Curran who works with Perry would also go on to say that Newton's accuracy hasn't changed.

Bob Socci of 98.5 the HUB wrote the following about Cam Newton, "At first glance, Newton seems slightly slimmer than when he first appeared in Patriots’ shorts and shell last August. But, having just turned 32 after a full decade of service in the NFL, he looks similar in several ways from a fundamental standpoint. His left foot still steps somewhat sideways rather than directly at the target while releasing throws and his ball placement remains inconsistent."

Mike Reiss of ESPN wrote, "Meanwhile, Newton's work also seems to be paying off. His presence is notable, as his voice often booms across the field, and his decision-making appeared decisive Thursday."

Andrew Callahan of the Boston Herald wrote, "Newton’s mechanics were more compact on shorter throws, but they unwound sometimes on longer passes. Overall, a solid day for him."

Mac Jones: 

The main thing I read and hear about 'Big Mac' is besides he needs to work on his frame is, He's an accurate quarterback, putting the ball where it needs to be. Throws a catchable pass but has no zip. 

Phil Perry tweeted Thursday, "Mac Jones, to me, was as advertised. Consistently accurate, putting the football on people’s faces. Threw with anticipation. Moments where he had the football on targets as soon as they came out of their breaks. Caught Matt LaCosse by surprise with one up the seam."

Bernd Buchmasser wrote, "Jones, meanwhile, did look as advertised by all accounts. His arm looked good, while he threw a catchable ball — something wide receiver Jakobi Meyers noted earlier this week during a conference call."

Bob Socci wrote, "Regarding Jones, he looked a lot like his description in most pre-Draft scouting reports. To borrow baseball pitching parlance, he doesn’t light up the radar gun but he has good command of the strike zone."

Tom Curran tweeted, "Accuracy on uncontested throws - which is all we were seizing today - is as advertised. Arm isn’t really live. These are just observations relative to how far he (Jones) may need to go. Fortunately, except for height, the other things he can improve."

Andrew Callahan wrote, "Jones’ scouting report came to life, as much as it could in an OTA practice. He threw regularly with anticipation, worked quickly through his (surely basic) progressions and usually delivered an accurate ball."

Jarrett Stidham:

Not much was said about Stidham Other than he was there. Tom Curran did say on his podcast that Stidham had the best looking arm of the four quarterbacks but had inconsistent anticipation.

Brian Hoyer:

Other than throwing the best pass of the day and not being afraid to throw the ball, there's not a lot being said about Hoyer. Curran did say he thought Hoyer looked the best of the bunch. 

The one thing I did find interesting is that Hoyer was brought in to supposedly mentor Jones but he was working with Stidham on the first day of OTAs with reporters. Mike Reiss's comments about why Hoyer's throwing, which got repeated by Tom Curran on his podcast, I found interesting. "Hoyer's throwing incase Jones beats out Cam."

Bernd Buchmasser wrote, "Hoyer’s underthrown bomb was one of the best plays of the day, with Agholor being able to grab the football despite the imperfect placement."

Overall:

Many who spoke about camp credited Hoyer with the best throw of the day. Last offseason the three quarterbacks on the roster according to many did little to separate themselves. Although Jones is the most accurate, my inference from everything I'm seeing and hearing is that Newton is still doing little to pull himself away from the 2020 quarterback room going into the off season so far. And Mac Jones is impressing and showing leadership skills already, even though it's currently Newton's team.

Does Stidham Still Have A Shot?

Jordan Palmer is Jarrett Stidham's quarterback coach. Who once learned the Titans playbook in a day. Palmer had learned tips and tricks to learning a playbook and that he can pass along to the quarterbacks he coaches.

Unlike other positions that have it down in two, The typical quarterback takes three seasons to learn a playbook. Most quarterbacks drafted in rounds 3 and 4 are also at least backup grade level to developmental starters when they enter the NFL. Although Stidham was once a 2018 first round prospect, Palmer says Stidham was not at the level when they started working together in 2019.

Palmer said, “What people don’t realize — and I’ve been doing this a long time — Jarrett had as far to go mentally in terms of what he knew, not in terms of intelligence, in terms of what he knew about football, he had as far to go between college and pro as anybody I ever worked with."

Basically Jordan Palmer is saying Stidham was an intelligent person but a quarterback with a low football I.Q. , thus begging the question of what was it that made the Patriots draft him? Palmer basically criticized Baylor for not preparing quarterbacks to play in the NFL.

Palmer then continued on about Auburn saying, "And this isn’t an indictment on his offense. He won a national championship with Cam Newton. I’m just saying, what they expect you to know on offense at Auburn is the furthest thing from NFL offenses. And I think the Patriots offense is the most complex.”

" ... The gap he had to make up was the most significant gap I’ve seen. Out of anybody I’ve trained for the NFL Draft -- and I’ve trained over 35 guys and 10 of them started as rookies, I do this every year -- I’ve never seen a gap like that."

What Palmer basically is saying is that if Stidham had entered the 2018 NFL draft, he would've been a complete draft bust and the best thing that he could've done was return to Auburn for more development. It's a prime example of how off NFL scouts can be in any given year.

Now Stidham reportedly impressed the Patriots in his first season. Not only beating out Brian Hoyer but doing well in practice to make sure that both sides of the ball were ready during the 2019 season. Earning praise from coaches and teammates alike.

After watching the 2020 season, I am not putting the blame on the pass catchers. Yes they were below average but the quarterbacks were worse as passers. If we're being honest.

However speaking of 2020, Stidham had no rookie minicamp that sophomores take advantage of. He had no voluntary or mandatory OTAs to help him improve his game. He suffered an injury in the make shift August training camp. For a development sophomore Stidham was behind the eight ball going into the 2020 season.

Jordan Palmer had this to say about that. "You love to say, ‘Well, he had all offseason.' Well, you don’t learn it all in an offseason. You’re not walking through in the offseason. This guy watches as much tape as anybody. He studies as much as anybody. It’s not just all you see, Pats Nation, in the game. There are things that lead up to that." 

Remember Stidham like Cam Newton was extremely limited in what he could and couldn't do in 2020 to get ready for the season. As a developmental player, and as a sophomore, Stidham needed the extra time with the coaching staff that the league denied due to the global pandemic.

Palmer says Stidham is intelligent enough to run the Patriots offense, that Stidham just has to do his job. Here's what Palmer had to say about 2021 back in March before the Patriots drafted Mac Jones.

Palmer said, "He knows this offseason is the offseason to grab it and take it. Last year, it looked like things were heading in that direction and then Cam coming in ... the way things shook out, I’m not privy to that. But I would assume they’re going to bring someone in to compete and Jarrett’s going to get himself ready to compete and fill in the leadership void on this team and looking to step up.

He knows how important this year is and what’s expected of him. He’s been in this system with Josh McDaniels for a few years now. He’s healthy, he’s in a good spot and it’s time. I think that’s how he looks at it and as his coach out here that’s how I look at it."

Now Palmer is Stidham's quarterback coach. It benefits him to hype up his student. So let's look at what Stidham's teammates had to say about the third year quarterback.

Around the 22nd of December, 2020 James White appeared on the Dale & Keefe show. Here's what White said, “Jarrett is a good football player. Obviously, you could tell that coming in his rookie year learning and things of that nature. He has all the talent he needs to be successful in this league and I am sure he’s probably excited for whenever he gets the opportunity to step out there and I think he will be great whenever he does.”

Two months later, White as a free agent took the time to speak about Stidham again. This is what White told SuriusXM, “Jarrett Stidham, he’s young, he’s talented. I am sure he’s chomping at the bit to get his opportunity. I think he will be a guy that can get some things done. … He works hard. Strong arm, studies hard, prepares hard and it’s tough being a backup. He may not get many reps as he wants to, but he stayed motivated throughout that entire season. He got to play sometimes towards the end of games. He’s a young guy excited to get out there. You want to play those four full quarters and get your opportunity. I am sure he’s working hard this offseason to prove that he can do that.”

White got to work with Tom Brady and has been in the Patriots system long enough that it would be wise to say he is one of the unofficial team captains. So if white believes in Stidham, he's still gotta have the potential in the NFL. 

2020 bridge Patriots quarterback and potential 2021 bridge quarterback Cam Newton had some thoughts on Jarrett Stidham in December of 2020 with the season winding down.

Newton said on the Greg Hill Show, "Man, I’m so proud of Stid, man. We had a chat (Monday) in the QB room, and honestly, his growth and his development is something that really caught my attention. Because I’ve known him enough to know I don’t know if he makes that throw or able to stay in that pocket — a murky pocket, for what it was — and fire an absolute strike to Gun Show.

The first play he was in, he got hit and was down on the ground. And for him to bounce back from that, it just speaks volumes of his growth. I’m always a (proponent) of winning football, and just to see him grow is something that I’m extremely pleased about.”

Now that's one of Brady's go to guys who hyped Stidham up when he was a free agent in February, and Stidham's competition for the starting job hyped him up at the end of the regular season. 

Plus we know that Robert Kraft is a fan, who believes Stidham didn't get an opportunity. Thus we can assume that he will be allowed to compete with Newton for the job.

As Jordan Palmer stated, fans don't get the chance to see practice or coaches game film. We're limited to what is shown on television. One of the members of Colts media, Mr. Lawrence Owens did a film room breakdown on Stidham. What Lawrence said was that Stidham was still a developmental prospect in need of work. Since then Stidham has spent time with Jordan Palmer, worked out at Patriots West, and been in Patriots workouts.

Now everyone assumes that the Patriots won't keep four quarterbacks and that Stidham will be cut. However there is a growing part of the fanbase that believes that although Hoyer was signed as a player, he was actually signed as a quarterback coach. And that Belichick is taking advantage of the rules by signing Hoyer that way because he can spend extra time with Mac Jones.

There are also two more beliefs by the fan base. One is that Stidham was in Belichick's dog house due to the circumstances around his injury and that was the only reason that he was third on the roster to start 2020 and not to take his spot as anything because he was given it back after after week four. 

The other thing people are believing is that Belichick is "wrapping Mac Jones in bubble wrap" for the 2021 season. That he will sit and not play a single snap.

Nobody knows what the true plan is for Brian Hoyer. Stidham has clearly beat him out in the past and it's not unreasonable to think he'll do it again. It's also not unreasonable for the Patriots to cut Hoyer at the deadline and to resign him as an assistant quarterbacks coach. 

Then If you get away from the "Homers," and read what everyone was saying. You'll see several reporters from last season saying that nobody pulled ahead in the quarterback competition. That it was neck and neck until Stidham got injured. 

On top of that, if you watch every time Stidham took the field in relief with exception to the Chargers game, if your honest with yourself; you'll see he looked comparable to Cam Newton as a passer.

Now going into 2021 with both Stidham and Newton having a full offseason, it's very well possible that Stidham could beat out Newton. And it's also possible Stidham stays on as the number two and starts if Cam looks bad, while Mac Jones has a true red shirt year. Note that It's also possible that both Newton and Stidham could be cut and Mac Jones starts. Probability may vary on each scenario but there are a lot of possibilities surrounding the Patriots quarterback depth chart heading into 2021.

Meyers Mum on Cam Newton.

Jakobi Meyers had a Zoom call on Tuesday with the press. From the tone of the interview, I wouldn't get hopes up about Cam Newton being greatly improved until we see it. You'll read what I mean.

While the talk was primarily about the OTAs, devolpment, and the ongoing quarterback competition, Meyers seems to be more open about one teammate.

Meyers told the media, “The whole room I think, it’s nice to go out there and compete. Everyone brings their own different aspect to the game — Mac, Cam, Stid (Jarrett Stidham), Hoy (Brian Hoyer). I feel like it is a great group of quarterbacks. They all work well with each other. They bring a lot of energy each in their own way. I am enjoying Mac and I am enjoying the rest of the guys.”

Meyers wasn't done there. Meyers had more to say about the Patriots first round draft pick when asked. Which seems like a good sign.

 “We haven’t been in a game yet, but the couple of days we’ve had together he’s definitely been easy to work with. He probably won’t run past everybody so throwing and catching the ball is something that has got him to where he is. He’s blessed to have the arm talent he has. It’s definitely nice working with him. He has a catchable ball. All the guys I feel like, they are here for a reason. I feel like that is definitely one of the reasons he’s here.”

Fans should be excited that the Patriots projected future number one wide out is already developing chemistry with the future franchise quarterback. Meyers also indirectly took the opportunity to remind people that he's not Cam. 

Now sure after saying all that about Jones, Meyers has a lot to say the former mvp, right? The first time he's asked about Cam, he deflects the question but the media doesn't give up and eventually they get back around to Cam.

Meyers said the following about Cam Newton the second time he was asked, “I know he does look good right now. Like I said, all the guys definitely have been putting in a lot of work and it’s exciting to see what is coming forward.”

When it comes to Cam, Meyers reverts to back to the entire quarterback room or roster. He says as little as possible. Either Meyers is following the Patriots way or Newton isn't making the strides needed to impress Meyers. I'm not gonna decide that. I'll leave that for you to decide. 

Will Belichick Have McDaniels Go Old School In 2021?

Looking at the way the NFL is going and the way the Patriots are built, I do not think we're going to see a lot of traditional 11, 12, or 21 offenses from Josh McDaniels. I believe the Patriots are about to go thin at receiver, regardless if they get Julio Jones or not.

As we all know Cam Newton allows for a very heavy option style run game. While his accuracy rivals NFL backups, his legs make up the difference. Mac Jones is a play action quarterback that can run some RPOs. He doesn't scare people with his legs but his accuracy. While the Patriots may try to continue to keep Newton in the Pocket and run the traditional offense, they are built currently to run something a little different.

I believe the Patriots are built for and are going to evolve to a 13, 14, 22, 23 Personnel set offense. I also believe the Patriots finally have the team with Vitale and Keene to debut a 15 personnel offense set featuring 5 tight ends. They have more than enough inline, move, and h-back tight ends to do it.

With the speed and size of NFL move tight ends, the need for some of the receivers is less than ever before. Sure guys that run a 4.3 are always going to have their place but Slot and flanker roles are slowly being replaced by move (U) tight ends. 

Most teams already use H-Back tight ends instead of fullbacks. In college the H-Backs are being used as Halfbacks. It's only a matter of time before NFL franchises hop on board that bandwagon. Look at guys like Blount, King Henry, and the Patriots rookie Stevenson. Bigger backs are slowly returning.The return of the John Riggins H-back role is nearing. 

The magic three tight end set is upon us and the all tight end set isn't far behind. Bill Belichick is old school football coach and it would take an old school mind to pull this off. 

I have been preaching for years that a modified 3-2-6 defense known as a 5-6 with five defensive linemen and 6 DBs are the future. Dugger and Barmore are the types of players needed for that set. The Patriots have been collecting hybrid players for years. 2020 showed they know how to think outside the box.

And on Offense, Keene, Smith, and Henry are just what the Patriots need to run a magic three tight end set. The thing with the Patriots offensive construction is they can run these concepts with either quarterback, which makes them that much more dangerous. 

They could even Platoon the quarterbacks and do what Pittsburgh did with Tomczak and Stewart in the 90s. Use Cam in the redzone and short yardage situations and Jones the rest of the time. There are so many options for the Patriots in 2021, that teams need to fear the Patriots again.

Patriots Round up for week end May 22nd 2021.

There's a bunch of small stories, questions, and rumors going on with the Patriots but nothing really worth writing another seperate article over. So after spending the past hour seeing what was out there, here is a Patriots roundup of everything going on around the Patriots.

- The Patriots have had talks inside the organization about Julio Jones but will they amount to anything? 

- Julio Jones wants to play with Cam Newton but will he scrap his contract to play with Cam. And what are the Falcons asking for him? Also, is Julio Jones willing to play with another quarterback if Cam loses the competition?

- The Patriots re-signed journeyman quarterback Brian Hoyer. Everyone can agree he's there to help Jones. Is Belichick using Hoyer as a quarterback coach while taking advantage of the rules?

-The Patriots are reportedly impressed with everything they're seeing from Mac Jones, was his ceiling set too low? Can Jones beat out Cam and start week one?

-Fans disagree about what the Hoyer signing means for Stidham and Newton. Will Hoyer even be on the 53 man roster? Could Jones play well enough both Stidham and Newton get cut?

-Did Hoyer really turn down offers from the Jets and Dolphins to stay with the Patriots?

-Are Cam and Stiddy showing more urgency in 2021? Are both quarterbacks viewed as liabilities with their careers on the line, are they both already on the block?

- Patriots bring in a slew of camp bodies including offensive linemen Alex Redmond and James Ferentz. Running back Tyler Gaffney and safety Adrian Colbert.

- Now on his seventh season, could Joe Cardona be on the bubble? Patriots brought in Wes Farnsworth to compete for the position. The average career for a long snapper is only six seasons, If Cardona wins the battle this will be his seventh.

-Did Ernie Adams get a steal with his selection of receiver Tre Nixon and how will the Patriots use him?

-Are fans sleeping on return specialist Gunner Olszewski's ability to play the slot? Belichick appeared to hesitate on playing Meyers in 2020, did he also hesitate on playing Olszewski?

-The Patriots have signed five of their eight draft picks. Jones, Baremore, and Perkins have yet to sign. Does it benefit the Patriots in anyway with them not signing at the moment?

-Half of the Patriots 2020 opt outs are no longer with the team, are anymore currently on the bubble due to opting out on Belichick?

-Julian Edelman has came out and said he's a one team player but the former Patriots in Tampa are badgering him. How much longer can he with stand the pressure, and might the badgering lead to a late season return to Foxboro to spite Patriots south?

-Are Patriots fans expecting too much from Baremore's run stopping abilities? Is Baremore closer to a Richard Seymour 2.0 than Big Vince Wolfork? Baremore is known for his pass rush ability but does he have the run stopping ability fans are expecting?

-Ex Patriots offensive lineman experienced racism or at least discrimination when applying for a head coaching job this spring. Being told by an NFL team, "you're not the right minority." I did cover this but felt it needed to be brought back up.

-Questions over if the Patriots will continue to run a "Big Nickle", "3-2-6" and "Big Dime" or if they will revert back to a 3-4 / 4-3 hybrid defense with the Hightower back.

-A bitter and irrelevant Jim McMahon trying to find another 15 minutes of fame by verbally attacking Bill Belichick.

-Are the Patriots interested in Richard Sherman? Does he have the skills to transition to safety and extend his career? How much does he have in the tank? The rumors are swirling.

- With three kickers on the roster, is Nick Folk a lock for the 2021 nfl season?

-Does Nick Cesario have interest in Stidham? Have there been actual trade talks and is Cesario waiting to see what's going on with Watson before pulling the trigger?

-Patriots do humanitarian work and deliver covid vaccines to El-Salvador. 

-Some of the Patriots roster are viewing 2020 as an extended preseason. Is that how the organization viewed the season, and if so what does that mean for returning players from the 2020 roster?

-Will the the Patriots keep all five tight ends and only four receivers, not including Slater, and run almost exclusively 13, 14, and 15 personnel sets? Are the Patriots set to unleash the 'magic three tight end offense' on the NFL? Will the Patriots bring back the four tight end set and run a five tight end set with Keene in the backfield?

-Did Robert Kraft mention Cam Newton, so not to say the wrong thing and step on Belichick's toes. Was mentioning Cam Newton not to tip teams off for a potential Jones start? Was the Hoyer signing a Bill Belichick contract and Idea or Robert Kraft's?

These were the headlines, questions, and rumors going around the Patriots for the week of Saturday May 22, 2001.

Belichick Is Manipulating The Rules Again.

Even before the 2020 season ended, I was calling for Brian Hoyer to be the next quarterback coach of the Patriots. Hoyer and the Patriots had other things in mind or did they?

Hoyer was thought to of gonna sign with either Miami or New York, both AFC East rivals. However, instead he returned to New England as a quarterback.

With the Patriots having a full ninety man roster, it helps with practice to have four quarterbacks. The 90 man roster can get split into two groups. Having Hoyer means one quarterback doesn't have to go back and forth to burn their arm out in practice.

Another thing to consider is Hoyer is getting paid more as a player but at the same time, can meet more with Mac Jones. Something he would be limited in, if he had stepped into a coaching role. Thanks to the over paid veterans, the CBA hurts development of the younger players. 

At the moment the Hoyer signing is Bill Belichick maneuvering the gray area of the rules. There is nothing but speculation as to what Hoyer means for Newton and Stidham. Hoyer may or may not make the roster but the same can be said for the other two veteran quarterbacks. 

As for now, take the Hoyer signing for what it is. Belichick manipulating the rules again because he can, to get an advantage. The late Al Davis once said "Just Win Baby" and the Patriots are known for "Do your job!" Well Bill is doing both mottos. Let's see how much of an edge Mac Jones can get come the preseason.

It's Asian American and Pacific Islander Month and The NFL Still Has Some Work To Do.

Since the 2020 season, I have wondered why kicker Jonathan Song was a free agent still. Why he went undrafted and was never given a chance to compete for a spot. He's got a better leg then most kickers. Then I saw who his agent was and I thought, maybe he was being blackballed out of the league due to his agent. It was speculation but what if there was something darker under foot.

Nicole Yang of the Boston Globe wrote an article about former Patriots offensive lineman Eugene Chung on May 21, 2021. And in the article Chung makes some very damning statements about an NFL team.

Chung says at one point during his interview, the team executive cut him off and made a very disturbing comment.

Chung says he was told, “It was said to me, ‘Well, you’re really not a minority,’ ” 

Nancy points out in her article that Chung is Korean. 

Chung continued, "“I was like, ‘Wait a minute. The last time I checked, when I looked in the mirror and brushed my teeth, I was a minority'. So I was like, ‘What do you mean I’m not a minority?’ ”

Chung then says he was told, "You are not the right minority we’re looking for.”

Chung continues, “That’s when I realized what the narrative was,” Chung said. “I was blown away, emotionally paralyzed for a split second. I asked myself, ‘Did I hear that correctly?’ 

I asked about it, and as soon as the backtracking started, I was like, ‘Oh no, no, no, no, no, you said it. Now that it’s out there, let’s talk about it,’ ” he said. “It was absolutely mind-blowing to me that in 2021, something like that is actually a narrative.”

It's not like Chung isn't qualified and the league has made a big deal about getting minorities into head coach positions.

Nicole Yang wrote, "The NFL has attempted to address its lack of diversity, instituting — and updating — the Rooney Rule to mandate that organizations interview at least two minority candidates for head coaching and coordinator openings. The owners also passed a resolution in November that rewards teams for developing minority coaching talent with draft compensation."

If my memory serves teams are rewarded with third round picks. There was some talk that it could lead to qualified candidates not being given jobs with this rule but Asians were not the ones who were thought to be denied employment due to ethnicity with the Rooney rule.

In her article, Nancy shared a quote from Roger Goodell, where he says, "It’s continually keeping a focus on this, adapting, looking to see what areas we can improve on, and that constant evolution of improvement, to try to make sure we’re doing everything appropriate to give minorities an opportunity to advance in the head coaching ranks or the coaching ranks in general."

Chung says, “For me, in this profession, I don’t think I’m looked at as a minority. Whether that’s good or bad, I don’t know.”

Chung continues on about the struggles he's faced being Korean American. Chung talked about the difficulties he faced both growing up and during his career in the nfl. Saying that he has dealt with racism throughout his life.

In thinking about inequality in his growing up and in his professional career Chung says, “In retrospect, it’s the same thing. It might be on two different levels, but it’s the same thing. It’s just like, ‘Oh, let’s just push it under the rug because it’s these people and it’ll eventually just go away.’ ”

Chung has children that he's trying to help as they face their own issues in society. He acknowledges he tries to keep them in a positive mindset.

As for the NFL, Chung says, “I’m not sitting here bashing the league at all, because there are great mentors and there are great coaches that embrace the difference. It’s just when the Asians don’t fit the narrative, that’s where my stomach churns a little bit.”

Chung is advocating for Asian Americans, especially those in the NFL. American has had a long history of mistreatment of asian citizens. The current global pandemic has brought it to light more than ever. 

Chung says, “I think that’s what can be done, is to put that information out there and let people know. If people don’t know about the temperature of what’s going on out there, they’ll never know.”

Hopefully the NFL looks into this. If people are being passed over because of ethnicity, regardless if it's a coaching or roster spot, the league must issue punishment. There is more than one minority group in the United States and the NFL has benefited and capitalized from all of them, including such stars as Hines Ward, Teddy Bruschi, Troy Polamalu, and Eugene Chung himself .

Julio Wants to leave Ryan to play for Newton because the quarterback lost some arm.

The Patriots would be foolish not to have some interest in Atlanta Falcons receiver Julio Jones. However, Jones has a contract and the Falcons have an asking price that should keep the Patriots at bay.

Michael Holly of NBC sports spoke on Boston Sports Tonight and made some interesting remarks, take a look.

Holly said, "This is gonna surprise you, and it’s gonna disappoint you. It’s bittersweet. Because I love Julio Jones, always have. You’re not gonna believe this. Do you know who he really wants to play with? You won’t believe this. I’m telling you, I heard this today and I said, ‘Are you kidding me?!’ He wants to play with Cam Newton. He likes Cam."

So why does Jones want out of Atlanta? Holly says, “The reason he’s on the trade market, his relationship with the Falcons is terrible. It’s bad right now. He thinks that Matt Ryan — because that was the other thing — he thinks Matt Ryan has lost a little zing on the deep ball.”

Cam has a great personality and is a salesman. He's good at marketing his brand off the field. Anyone who has heard him talk knows that. If Julio is a good friend of his, he probably believes Cam, when Cam says there was reason for his bad play.  

So here are my questions for Julio:

What happens if Cam is the starter the first few weeks and even with the all pro receiver coming in, Newton's struggles continue?

Secondly, what happens if Cam gets beat out by Mac Jones in the preseason? Julio wants to play with Newton, will there be an issue if he doesn't get that chance?

These are reasonable questions to ask. They're also situations the Patriots will have planned for if they are able to bring Julio Jones in. Anyone who read my last article knows I believe Newton's arm makes him a liability after the 2020 season. People are banking that Cam can return to Panthers form. The Preseason will be Newton's chance to show what he's got, and for everyone to come to terms with it.

Cam Newton Is A Liability Until He Proves Otherwise

Why don't I have faith in Cam Newton in 2021? What I saw in 2020 is why and there's data to back it up. I understand that bad players can make players above them worse. It's the the back side of a double edged sword. That's what ended up happening to the Patriots supporting cast in 2021.

Tom Brady played with the 17th best supporting cast in 2019 and was the 17th ranked quarterback, without Newton's rushing ability. Newton played with the 22nd ranked supporting cast and still should've been ranked near his cast. Newton according to NFL.com in February 11th, 2021 was ranked the 32nd quarterback in the league. While some analytics sites have him ranked at 27 or worse.

Player profiler had Newton's receivers as the third best in separation and ever wrote an article saying it doesn't matter how open you are if your quarterback can't get you the football. I'll share some quotes from that article later. 

I decided to see where does Cam rank without his legs according to Player profiler. So I decided to average out his rankings in the different categories they keep to see where he's ranked.

Going off of the 23 categories that apply to Newton In production and efficiency,  Newton as a passer should of been ranked a maximum 26. Decision making and when he messed up come into play however. Which is why even with his legs, Newton ended up ranked 1 to 5 points worse than he should've been. When the quarterback's play is worse by 5-10 tanks than the supporting cast, of course the supporting cast production and ranking is going to drop. 

Here's what Player profiler's Neil Duttonhad to say about Newton. "The same cannot be said for Cam Newton, sadly. His 2020 stint with the New England Patriots did little to suggest that he still has the skills required to be the Cam we knew and loved. Newton averaged just 177.1 passing yards per game on the second-most run-heavy offense in the NFL last season. His 24.5 attempts per game were no doubt banking on his being efficient with the ball. This did not happen. He ranked No. 27 in Adjusted Yards per Attempt with a 5.9 average. There were 31 quarterbacks who boasted a higher Accuracy Rating than his 6.9 mark. He also tossed eight (No. 35) Money Throws against 27 (No. 20) Danger Plays. Granted, Newton was not exactly blessed with a strong cast of receivers. But the Patriots pass catchers did average 1.77 (No. 3) yards of Target Separation. Still, getting open is not much of an advantage when your quarterback sends a Catchable Pass only 73.9-percent (No. 35) of the time. "

Now Dutton is right, Newton's supporting cast wasn't the best but even still he puts the blame on Newton.  Even with the upgrades, Newton's flaws as a passer make Newton a liability whenever the Patriots end up in a passing situation. How bad are Smith and Henry gonna be ranked due to Newton?His Ceiling is crashing down fast.

I have the Patriots with a worst case record of 7 wins and a best case of 14, figuring on a 10 win season. Quarterback play will be a huge factor in the record. I honestly believe Mac Jones could start week one unless Newton learns how to be a consistently accurate passer and a better decision maker.

I know some are going to be like Tom Brady had a new system, didn't know the playbook, didn't have any chemistry with his pass catchers and can't be blamed for how bad he was. While Cam Newton had pretty much all the same issues and won a superbowl. Oh wait, I'm sorry, that was Brady who won the superbowl. 

Maybe he doesn't have the same football intelligence but Newton is a superior athlete to Brady. And yet Cam was still a liability to his pass catchers lack of production and his week three game versus the Raiders was awful, especially in the first half. Which is why, I don't blame covid. Cam was supposed to be an elite quarterback so all the reasons are excuses. 

If Cam was an average quarterback walking into the situation, I would accept some of the excuses as reasons. Now if anyone wants to admit Cam is below average quarterback, that 2015 was a fluke, and Cam was always an average passer at best with good legs, then maybe I can consider accepting some of the excuses but at the moment I cannot.

I mean now that the beer goggles are off, rewatch the Seattle game and you'll see the errors from him as a passer. Newton looked like the 20th - 24th passer beating up on a 32nd pass defense that had no clue how to cover anything. A week later, the Raiders exposed him in the first half. So, I don't blame covid for the struggles after catching it.

So again although the Patriots could win 14 games, with Cam at the helmet, Seven games is just as likely. Cam was re-signed to prove in the preseason that excuses for 2020 were actually reasons, plus to bring in free agents. And Brian Hoyer was signed because Mac Jones is already impressing the coaching staff. The Battle between Jones and Newton will determine if Stidham sticks around in 2021 as the backup or not. 

Patriots former director of player personnel and Current Texans GM apparently wants the Patriots backup quarterback.

The Patriots fought to and nail to keep Nick Caserio from the Texans. Denying him the chance to be a general manager, only to eventually lose him to the Texans. Caserio was a coveted scout or with the title director of player personnel. Patriots Nation respected the crap out of his opinion and understood how valuable he was.

Now Caserio in 2021 is the general manager of the Houston Texans. Which means the Texans know all about how good and bad the players left over from the 2020 season are. 

One such player is Jarrett Stidham, a former fourth round quarterback from 2019. Majority of Patriots fans view Stidham as a bum, a bust; Cam Newton with a lesser running ability. However, as previously stated, fans like the team, also respect Caserio's opinion of players.

Caserio apparently has had his Texans calling the Patriots about trading for Jarrett Stidham. If the Patriots make the trade, it's highly unlikely that the Patriots have their 2022 backup quarterback left on the roster. Leaving a hole to be filled in 2022.

Furthermore, if fans are right that Stidham is garbage, than why would Caserio want him? General managers and scouts can be wrong on occasion but is this something you're willing to gamble on, even with Jones being the future? We all know that good backup quarterbacks are hard to acquire.

The question fans must ask themselves is do the Patriots wanna risk trading a potential starting quality back up or do they want to risk hanging on to a developmental quarterback that could be a bust. It's a gamble that could backfire.

Remember fans didn't see practices. They only saw television broadcasts and not coaches tape. Fans have no idea how good or bad the players really are or what the opinion of the players are by coaches, scouts, and exes. 

So forget everything we've seen from Stidham. Ask yourself this, do you really wanna give your former director of player personnel the ability to nitpick and take players he wants off your roster, and how much are you going to charge him.

What If the Newton Herd is right?

The Patriots re-signed Brian Hoyer and everyone in Patriots'nation went nutz. Not because he was going to start but because of what he meant for the quarterback room and depth chart.

Now of you read my blogs, you know I believe that the Hoyer signing was made because Mac Jones impressed during rookie minicamp enough to put Newton on the bubble next to Stidham. However, let's say I am wrong. 

If I am wrong and the Cam Newton bandwagon is right, then Jarrett Stidham is on the block by himself. Stidham had a lot of love and praise going into the 2020 season but after dealing with majority of the things Cam faced during the 2020 off season and losing the starting job by default due to injury, Stidham never seemed to regain favor with Belichick.

So if Hoyer put Stidham on the bubble, it means Stidham has to do what he was expected to do in 2020. Beat out Cam Newton for the starting job because unlike 2020, Hoyer is not there to be the number two guy on the roster, Jones has that spot locked up. Can Stidham do that, can he beat out Newton?

With missing the critical development during the 2020 offseason, probably not but it's not impossible. He still had a lot of work heading into the 2021 offseason. And he continued to meet with a quarterback coach after the season.

Stidham has to show urgency, organizing "Patriots west" is not enough. And it doesn't appear having Robert Kraft as a fan means anything. Kraft appears set to let Belichick call the shots after seemingly putting him on blast before the draft.

Stidham looked comparable to Newton as a passer in 2020. Unfortunately that was Cam at his worst but Stidham also showed flashes of potential. However, the Patriots passing offense did seem more efficient when Stidham was on the field stinking it up. And Newton was a backup grade passer in 2020, saved only by his legs. Which is why Cam was between the 27-32 quarterback in the NFL in 2020

If Houston doesn't go after Stidham via trade, Stidham has to turn those flashes of potential into a raging inferno over the next few months or he could be a cutdown casualty. Competition in business is supposed to bring out the best, well football is business. Let's see who elevates their game.

Patriots have a new position battle.

Joe Cardona has been the Patriots long snapper since 2015 and is under contract until 2022 which will be eight seasons. The typical career length for a long snapper is six years.

Some fans were looking to the draft for the Patriots to bring in Cardona's replacement but it appeared the Patriots were set on Cardona for another season.

On May 19th, the Patriots signed veteran long snapper Wes Farnsworth to the 90 man roster. This will add competition to the position. Normally Cardona would be considered safe but seeing as he's a year past the career norm for the position, there is no guarantees.

With all eyes on the quarterbacks, this makes just another position battle that will go under the radar in 2021. 

The Hoyer signing means Cam is just at much as risk as Stidham.

The Patriots re-signed twelve year veteran Brian Hoyer and the fan base that knighted Cam Newton as the heir to the Brady empire, immediately denounced Stidham and said he was cut. I on the other hand have a different opinion. 

See currently Newton was the only veteran on the roster with real starting game time experience. Newton signed a contract worth about $5 million plus incentives. Hoyer's contract is presumably only around $1 million dollars. Hoyer now ads extra both starting and game experience to the roster.

Now I bet you're wondering what I am getting at, and no I am not suggesting Hoyer will be the starter in 2021. We all saw what happened against Kansas City and know Hoyer should be a quarterback coaching assistant. 

What I am suggesting is that the quarterback competition maybe closer between either Jones and Newton or Stidham and Newton or both. If One or both young quarterbacks is playing as well or better than Newton, than it makes sense to bring on a cheaper veteran and to cut Newton if the youngsters play well enough 

But we haven't heard anything that says either of the young quarterbacks especially Stidham are doing anything special this off season, you say.

NFL Network’s Mike Giardi said on the air the following the week of April 22nd. “There is a pretty good feeling about what Jarrett Stidham has done over the course of this offseason. They like sort of his demeanor right now, they feel like there’s a bit more urgency to his operation, if you will. He’s the one who organized the workouts on the West Coast earlier this offseason. Maybe Jarrett Stidham is saying, ‘I’m not done just yet; this isn’t Cam’s job just yet.’”

Add to that Robert Kraft's comments from around the same time. "“I think he’s a great young man and I know that he’s eager to compete and look for an opportunity to play. One thing I like is that he’s shown great initiative in putting these workouts together on his own out in California, (I'm a) really big fan of his. I’m not sure he’s really been tested. ... We all know, long-term, we have to find a way — either Jarrett Stidham or someone new we bring in.”

Obviously they drafted Mac Jones but there was also thought that to avoid a Gino Carmazzi situation, that the Patriots only played Stidham sparingly during the 2020 season, and thought at the end, playing Buffalo in garbage time would give Stidham more experience than playing the Jets.

As for Jones, reports out of rookie minicamp is that he's impressing the coaching staff with his ability, leadership, and knowledge. Keep in mind that Stidham is eligible to be and should also be at rookie minicamp. That means the two young quarterbacks should be gaining ground on Cam. If one or both show that they can potentially overthrow Newton, Newton could be on the chopping block right next to Stidham, waiting to see who's head is gone.

As for Newton, Kraft said to TMZ around May 15th, "“We’re excited to have (Mac Jones), but I’m excited to have Cam Newton, too." Kraft also hinted that he's glad he does have to get his hands dirty dertiming who's gonna be the quarterback and who's gonna be on the depth chart.

This could be one of the most controversial and aggressive position battles fans of the Patriots have seen in a long while. However, don't be surprised if Jones, Hoyer, and Stidham are the survivors at the end of the preseason. 

Or you could doubt me as much as every one doubted me when I was saying throughout the first four weeks of the 2020 season, that Newton wasn't the long term future of the franchise before the bandwagon turned on him after week five. I'm not right all the time but I've been right pretty much over Cam Newton. 

If Stidham didn't get hurt last season, I have no doubt he would've been given the starting job. Seeing as several reporters said nobody was pulling ahead in the competition late in August. And I have no doubt that Newton is on the bubble right next to Stidham at this moment in time.

The Eleven Quarterbacks I have wanted since 2012 to be the Heir to Brady kingdom.

Looking back at the past ten drafts, there were eleven quarterbacks I really wanted the Patriots to draft. What I look for typically is intelligence and accuracy. Quarterbacks have to impress me, for me to let accuracy slide or decision making slide. So I decided to take a look and see how ten of the eleven have faired as Mac Jones has yet to play a game. Also I respected Belichick's opinion on the quarterbacks taken but outside of Brady I have thought the backups could be better.

2021=Mac Jones rookie season has not startered.

2020=Jalen Hurts

In 15 games started 4. Completed 52% of 148 passes for 1061 yards with 6 touchdowns and 4 interceptions. Average 5.6 yards with 3 touchdowns on 63 carries. 1 catch for 3 yards.

2019=Ryan Finley

Has started 4 of the 8 games he's played. Completed only 48.7% of his 119 attempts for 638 yards with 3 touchdowns and 4 interceptions. Average 6.8 yards with 1 touchdown on 21 carries.

2018=Mike White

No nfl stats 

2017=Zach Terrell

No nfl stats

2016=Kevin Hogan

Started 1 of 8 games played. Completing 59.4%of 101 attempts for 621 yards with 4 touchdowns and 7 interceptions. Averaged 9.8 yards with one touchdown on 18 attempts.

2015=Brent Hundley

Started 9 if 18 games. Completing 59.1% of his 337 attempts for 1902 yards with 9 touchdowns and 13 interceptions. Averaging 6.7 yards with 2 touchdowns on 46 carries. 1 reception for 10 yards. 

2014=Seth Lobato 

no NFL stats.

2014=Logan Thomas

Started 23 of 58 games. Completed 27.3% of his 11 attempts for 124 yards and a touchdown. Averaged 1.7 yards on 3 carries. Caught 107 passes for 987 yards and 8 touchdowns. (Tight End Convert)

2013=Tyler Wilson

No nfl game stats

2012=Kellen Moore

Started 2 of 3 games. Completed 58.7 of his 104 passes for 779 yards with 4 touchdowns and 6 interceptions. Averaging -.5 yards on 2 carries.

Like in real estate, everything is about location. Every one of these players would've benefited from development in the Patriots quarterback room. While Hurts and Jones are post Brady era, the rest would've been an under study for the greatest quarterback of all time.

Mac Jones Fits the Patriots offense but does the Patriots offense fit what Fans and the media wanna see?

Last year, I got tired of hearing people say name the Erhardt-Perkins offense that the Patriots run, if Brady was truly a system quarterback. So I went back to everything I knew about the offense, read what I could find. And came up with the "Air West Spread" is the Erhardt-Perkins offensive system the Patriots ran for so long with Brady and Belichick.

The Patriots have shown it's adaptability with the likes of with quarterbacks like Brady, Cassel, Hoyer, Garoppolo, Brissett, Newton, and Stidham being able to run it at varying degrees of success depending on their ability and understanding of the system. He'll even Danny Etling showed it's versatility with a long run versus the Giants in the preseason.

When the Patriots drafted Rob Gronkowski and Aaron Hernandez, they showed it's adaptability. Flash forward to 2020, when Cam Newton was signed and we saw the option runs utilized, just more of how adaptable the offense is. Granted the option plays looked like Dave Kreig trying to run the hurry up at the end of his career. Unfortunately, with a supporting cast that only fell five spots, Cam's inability to throw with pin point accuracy and instead being a bubble thrower, was a huge part of the downside in 2020. Along with a list other red flags., regardless if there's an excuse or not.

The draft Network's Benjamin Solak spoke about the Patriots' rookie quarterback and the transition to the Patriots offense. 

Solak said “Make no mistake: Jones is not a scheme fit in New England. Not the scheme they ran with Brady, at least. And either the player must take massive strides to fit in that offense, or the offense must undergo massive changes to fit the player in order for Jones to find success under Belichick, McDaniels, and the Patriots.”

I disagree with Solak about Jones being a scheme fit with the Brady offense, however I believe his athleticism is good enough that the Patriots can continue to mix in RPOs or even the wildcat. According to Pro Football Focus, the Patriots ran 70 RPOs in 2020, compared to only 4 with Brady in 2019.

In his article, Solak talks about Brady and Jones and basically describes Jones as in need of a Cam Newton vertical offense. Now while Jones can run the RPO, one of the big knocks on him is his arm strength. The deepest the Patriots want Jones throwing the ball is 40-50 yards. He is not a vertical game quarterback which Solak suggests the Patriots need evolve into for Jones. 

After reading his article, which I'll post below, I'm convinced that Solak wants to Patriots to set Cam up for a comeback and to be the quarterback for the future, while setting Jones up to fail. My assessment could be wrong but it's based off all the scouting reports I've read about Jones and how they seem to defer from what Solak says Jones needs to be successful.

The Patriots can make necessary adjustments to suit Mac Jones but to drastically change the offense for Mac Jones is absurd. Eapecially when suggesting that they evolve their offense into something that is a weak point for Jones. The Patriots do not want Jones throwing the long ball consistently.

Jones can run the Brady offense, and will do it successfully when the time comes. People are bored of the Patriots offensive success and want to see more risky play.  That's not a formula for long term success. The Patriots knew this, and all I'll say is it's why Justin Fields is in Chicago and not New England.

Here's Solak's article for anyone interested. https://thedraftnetwork.com/articles/mac-jones-fit-new-england-patriots-offense-belichick-mcdaniels

Former AFC East quarterback Chad Pennington spoke about Mac Jones.

Chad Pennington was made of glass. That was the only knock I ever had on his game. When healthy, the guy could pick apart any defense because he put in the work and could read them. There has been comparison of Mac Jones to Pennington and as long as Jones can stay healthy, I don't think any Patriots fan has room to complain about that.

Pennington spoke recently with Tom Curran of NBC sports, probably because the folks at Dear Patriots Nation were booked, and Colts Law were covering the Indy express. Pennington discussed a few things including the comparison of the Patriots young quarterback. Here's what he had to say.

As for how important is it for a quarterback to sit and learn? Pennington said, “It was everything for my career. We don’t put enough emphasis on a young quarterback just learning how to be a professional. And a lot of that has nothing to do with the scheme and what’s happening between the white lines. It’s just learning how to take care of business across the board in every aspect of your life. We’re coming from college where all we do is train, go to school and play ball. That’s it.

Now we step into a world where we've got to worry about finances, we've got to worry about writing checks, we've got to worry about all these different things and – oh yeah – play professional football. There is certainly some time that needs to be (devoted) to what your routine is, what your daily schedule is, your organization to your life so that you can be successful on the field.”

Pennington spoke about how important it is for a young quarterback entering the league to be properly developed, saying, “I do understand what’s happening in our league. Our league is much younger now. Our younger players are asked to play and be more productive at an earlier part in their career. I understand that. But from a quarterback perspective, I think that three-year process is really important. And even though Sam (Sam Darnold) was given three years, was the right structure of the organization and the right players around him to be successful? That’s really the question to ask.

Even with a guy like Mac Jones, what are the organizations doing to develop that? Obviously, you saw that great talent in the player. So now it’s up to you to bring that out. You can’t just place it all on the player.”

So what does Pennington think about Jones being compared to him? Pennington says, “I can see where people can see some comparisons. He’s a very accurate quarterback. He’s certainly that prototypical accurate passer that I think the Patriots have always liked to have in their system. And when it comes to mobility, we are very similar. He ran a 4.8 (40-yard dash). I ran a 4.8 coming out of college.”

The Dolphins liked that 4.8 enough that Pennington was the initial wildcat quarterback for the Miami Dolohins. Had Pennington been more durable, the formation might still be in heavy use today.

So what are Pennington's final thoughts on Mac Jones? Pennington said, “I say, ideally – and this is just Chad Pennington talking – if I put my general manager or head coach hat on, ideally I would love to see Mac Jones take a Patrick Mahomes route where Patrick Mahomes is able to learn from a great veteran in Alex Smith. He was able to make mistakes behind closed doors and didn’t have to answer to why he made those mistakes.

He’s young. He’s gonna make those mistakes. And then those keys can be handed to him down the road. Is that one year? Is that two years? Don’t know. But ideally speaking that’s what you’d be looking for.”

Pennington basically drilled home timing and proper development. Making sure that Jones was ready to play before throwing him in there. Everyone knows about Gino Carmazzi and Josh Rosen, and how they played before they should've. Everyone saw what lack of developmental time did for Jarrett Stidham in 2020, missing the normal offseason. Pennington basically says the best thing for the Patriots to do, is to avoid falling into traps teams set for themselves if they want Jones to succeed.

Check out the rest of Pennington's interview here: https://www.nbcsports.com/boston/patriots/chad-pennington-has-unique-perspectives-mac-jones-cam-newton

Patriots 2021 schedule and record prediction

The Patriots schedule was announced and I have made my predictions. The Patriots should start the season 2-0 with wins over the Dolphins and Jets. The saints game can go either way but I am going to have the Patriots beat Winston early in the year and be 3-1 over the first four games. Losing to Tom Brady in his Return.

I would think the Texans beat the Patriots but with Watsons issues, that's a Pats win. I think they'll lose to Dallas and split Texas. I don't believe Cam can Keep up with Prescott. I think Herbert will slip into a sophomore slump and the Patriots will post back to back victories over LA and the Jets. Going 6-2 over the first eight games.

The Patriots will beat the Panthers in Carolina but will then drop four in a row, losing to Cleveland at home, Atlanta in Atlanta, Tennessee at home and Buffalo in Buffalo. That puts the Patriots at 7-6 at the bye.

After the bye, the Patriots will be the Colts in Indianapolis. Come home to beat Buffalo and Jacksonville. Then travel to Miami where they will lose in a defensive battle. Bringing the Patriots record to 10-7.

There are five victories that I have down for the Patriots that could easily be losses. Saints, Texans, Chargers, Bills werk 16, and Jags. There are also four losses that could be victories. Dallas, Cleveland, Atlanta, and Tennessee. With that the Patriots floor is 7 wins, their ceiling is 14 wins, and the expectation is 10 wins.

Hawaii says goodbye to a Legend

Although he never amounted to anything in the NFL after getting drafted by the Washington football team. Colt Brennan didn't stop trying. He was given a chance to play with the Raiders but didn't make it past the 53 man cut. That would be the last chance to play in the NFL.

His hope's of the NFL were finished when he got into a serious car accident in November of that year. Brennan tried out for the UFL, CFL, and Arena league but playing football just wasn't the cards. However, the car accident would prevent any further attempts due to a brain injury.

In Hawaii Brennan was a legend. He set all types of NCAA records and helped the Rainbow Warriors crack the top 25. In 2006, Brennan threw for 58 touchdowns and over 5500 yards. He would finish 6th in Heisman voting in 2006, and 3rd in 2007. 

Brennan would help the Rainbow Warriors to a 28 and 11 record. With appearances in both the Sugar and Hawaii Bowl. Splitting the bowl games. 

For my fellow New England Patriots fans, the best way I can describe what Brennan meant to Hawaii is Drew Bledsoe. The Same way Bledsoe revived a dead team is exactly what Brennan did for Hawaii. He made hawaii football cool again and gave fans hope that one day, even with the rules rigged against them, that the Rainbow Warriors Nation could one day hoist the National Championship Trophy. 

I don't know much about him outside of football besides the car accident but to those of us who support Hawaii Football, Colt Brennan will always be a legend. It's sad that he past away at age 37 earlier this week. 

ESPN wrote, "Only hours earlier, Colt Brennan had tried to enter a detox program at an area hospital, but he was turned away because there were no beds available."

It's always sad when people in need get turned away from medical facilities. It's even worse when that leads to situations like this. Maybe his death can help lead to changes in the system an extra funding, so that others don't go through the same situation.

There are still some questions around his death but it appears related to pain killers. As the family awaits closure, Vicariously Patriots sends it's condolences. Number 15 will forever be remembered.

Belichick screwed up the offense.

The Patriots built an offense around a strong line and pass catching tight ends, that are essentially tackles that play receiver. The team also had two starting running backs in Sony Michel and Damien Harris. The offense was adaptable to what ever style of offense the Patriots wanted to run. To most the Patriots nailed the draft offensively but there are some that think the Patriots failed on offense.

The areas people are bringing up as the reason why they failed is the Patriots drafted Mac Jones in the first and Stevenson in the fourth. Although Stevenson can help replace Burkhead this year, and might play a bigger role next, while Jones gives the Patriots an accurate quarterback that they haven't had since the 2019 season; they were bad picks. 

Joseph Nocco of Clutch Points wrote about Stevenson, "However, it just seems as though the Patriots could have tabbed a much better player in this position, one that can make an immediate impact come 2021-22."

Everyone knows the fourth round is where impact players are the most plentiful. Silly me. Now Although I had Shelvin from LSU higher on my board and think he would've been more of what the Patriots needed, instead of Barmore; I was happy with Stevenson.

Perhaps the Issue is that the Patriots didn't draft Stevenson to play quarterback. As almost everyone who has an issue with Mac Jones, doesn't care about accuracy and would sacrifice it for running ability. There were many running backs and receivers that could've been drafted at 15 for the Patriots to select. But perhaps that's not the entire issue.

The Patriots used their draft picks to fill their needs. However, they also didn't  love Jones. If they had they would still have holes, and Mac Jones would be getting paid a lot more. They obviously weren't in love with Justin Fields because they could've out bid Chicago. That means they failed to mortgage the future to trade up with the 49ers for Trey Lance. 

It's clearly bad strategy by the Patriots. Mobility and mortgaging the future are what's trending now in the NFL. Everyone is doing it. Belichick had a chance to do both in one fair swoop and failed. This is just another case of Belichick the general manager hurting Belichick the head coach. 

Accurate quarterbacks don't win games. The Patriots needed to draft the next Jamarcus Russell, Tim Tebow, or RG3. Someone needs to tell Belichick this. And you don't plan ahead for the departure of either James White or Sony Michel. You over pay for a veteran or gamble in the draft and ait their replacement next year and struggle through 2022. 

Seriously, the media needs to get over themselves. Belichick has a formula that has worked for twenty years. Just admit you want the Patriots to become the team they were before they drafted Drew Bledsoe and get it over with. The media wants the Patriots to be mediocre but guess what. Not as long as Belichick is still general manager and head coach.

If Gronks cool with Belichick, why is he a Buccaneer?

When Rob Gronkowski was traded to the Buccaneers so that he could come out of retirement, everyone assumed it had something to do with Bill Belichick. Rob Gronkowski went onto ESPN and settled that part of why he left.

Here's what Gronk told Greenberg, “It’s always been a great relationship actually and I’m super blessed just to have the nine years that I had there, big time. I’ve learned so much throughout my time there. But I would say the relationship is fine. I mean, I really haven’t talked to (Belichick) at all since I’ve been traded to the Tampa Bay Bucs, but if I see him in the streets, if I see him out at an event, a football event, wherever it is, a charity event, I have absolutely no problem with him.

I feel like we would just kick it off like we normally would, any event. Talk some football real quick, because you know he’s got to always talk football, and just catch up quick. But I feel like there’ll be no problems at all and we’ll just kick it off like how we normally do.”

Gronk was obviously hurt when he retired from football in 2019. However, the Patriots could've used him in 2020 and could've found a way to extend and adjust his contract for him to play in 2020. So the question is this, if Gronk had no beef with Belichick, what was his beef with the organization? 

Now one could say that he only wanted to play with Brady, that's possible. However, it's also possible that he didnt want to play for the Patriots any longer. It's possible he didn't want to play with Stidham or Newton. Or it could be that they just didn't want him back. 

I mean after all, Gronkowski missed 29 regular season games during his time with the Patriots and lord knows how many playoff games. That's almost two full regular seasons out of his nine with the Patriots. The real issue between Gronkowski and the Patriots; And why he's a Buccaneer, we may never know the whole truth.

Brady playing to 50 is once again becoming a thing.

In October of 2015, Sports illustrated quoted Tom Brady saying he wanted to play another decade. With Brady saying quote, "I’d like to play a long time, yeah, a long time. There’s a lot that goes into playing well. I’ve played with a lot of great teammates, but I want to play for a long time. Maybe 10 more years. I think that’s probably what my goal is.”

Something happened after Brady made those comments. In May of 2017, Brady spoke with ESPN. Here's what he told them. ""I always said my mid-40s, and naturally that means around 45. If I get there and I still feel like I do today, I don't see why I wouldn't want to continue.

If you said 50, then you can say 60, too, then 70. I think 45 is a pretty good number for right now. I know the effort it takes to be 40. ... My love for the sport will never go away. I don't think at 45 it will go away.”

The Patriots were trying to force Brady into retirement is what happened. They had Jimmy Garoppolo, who was set to take over the team. Brady who had always played on his terms, was having the team dictate his career. Even after the Garoppolo trade, Brady was unhappy, and 45 was still the number talked about.

Fast forward to 2021, Brady is in his second year with the Buccaneers and happy again. Jason Licht the Buccaneers general manager spoke about Brady on the Rich Eisen show. Here's what Licht said.

“I told him if he wants to play until he’s 50, and he’s still playing and he feels like he can still play, he can play until he’s 50."

Brady has done his best to set his name in the NFL. We have seen records fall. Dan Marino, Brett Farve, Joe Montana, and  Peyton Manning have all seen records fall to Brady, Brees and others. 

There are two records that it's nearly impossible for a quarterback to get to in the modern NFL. Steve Debergs & Vinny Testaverde both started at age 44. And George Blanda played 19 seasons as a quarterback and retired at age 48 having to convert to kicker. While Starting at age 44 might be breakable, if Brady can Break Blanda's record of playing to 48 without switching positions, it's doubtful any quarterback will ever break that. Thus Tom Brady's name will likely hold a record for 50 years after he retires. 

I Don't Fault The Packers, Rodgers Is A Premadonna

In 2020, the Green Bay Packers drafted Jordan Love, quarterback from Utah state, at pick 26 of the NFL draft. This reportedly upset franchise quarterback Aaron Rodgers, who is under contract until he's forty. Becoming an unrestricted free agent in 2024.

In 2018 Aaron Rodgers completion percentage dropped from 64.7 to 62.3. In 2019 it dropped to 62.0. His touchdown pass percentage dropped from 6.7 to 4.2 in 2018 and only climbed to 4.6 in 2019. And his QBR fell from 66 to 58 in 2018 and continued to drop to 52.5 in 2019. His bad throw percentage was 19.4 in 2018 to 21.2 in 2019. His drop percentage was under five percent in 2018 and 2019. And he was on target less than seventy five percent of his throws with a 74.7%. 

In 2019 he had a true completion percentage of 68.7, a clean competition percentage of 72.0. He was 25 in pressured completion percentage, 29 in play action competition percentage, his spoorting cast was ranked 14th and his receivers were first in seperation. And he was protected 85.3% of the time. His production premium ranking for the 2019 according to player profiler was 23rd.

Looking at his adjusted passing on pro football reference, There are a lot of inconsistencies between the 2016, 2017, 2018, and 2019 seasons. All in all drafting a quarterback to sit and develop behind Rodgers made sense in 2020 and still to this day makes sense. 

Now Aaron Rodgers is coming off a MVP season. Why would it make sense? Look at Tom Brady for that answer. Brady seemed to of lost his fire until Jimmy Garoppolo became a threat. That's what Love did for Rodgers. Rodgers had chased his coach out of town, he grew complacent and was playing like it. The Packers reminded him in the NFL that older players don't have job security, regardless of what they're career resume says. Rodgers to prove he was still the guy worked his butt off and had an MVP season.

To help the offense, the Packers drafted 3 offensive lineman, a running back and a receiver. Making sure that Rodgers won't be ending up on his back. They also got him two guys that can catch. The offense wasn't the only thing the Packers addressed but putting players around Rodgers makes sense if they want to keep him happy.

Let's look back at 2020. They drafted Rodgers a running back, a tight end and 3 offensive linemen. In 2019 they drafted a center, tight end and running back. And because it's the last relevant draft class in 2018 they drafted 3 receivers, and a tackle. That's just the draft, not including what they've done via free agency.

So addressing the offense should not be considered an issue for for the 37 year old quarterback. So what is the problem for the 37 year old quarterback? The problem is, is that at age 36 he was forced to face his own career mortality. He's upset that the Packers could ever think about one day replacing him. Anyone who says "well they didn't talk to him and ask permission to draft a quarterback," doesn't understand how business works. And the Packers are a corporation.

With Rodgers recent history, the number of collarbone and other injuries he's had, the Packers window to get a successor developed is thin. Rodgers contract bought them time and the Packers were never likely to let Love start before his fifth year.

Rodgers coming out and saying how unhappy he is after they have spent that much draft capital on offensive weapons prior to and after the 2021 draft, and after they got rid of McCarthy, just goes to show why he's unbecoming of a franchise quarterback. And why I'm glad the Patriots drafted Mac Jones instead of trading for the premadonna Rodgers.

Mike Lombardi Believes Jones Will Have A Red Shirt Year.

Before the Patriots made a single draft pick in the 2021 nfl draft, the quarterback depth chart went Newton, Stidham, and Dolegala. After the draft, the quarterback room really hasn't changed much. With Dolegala being shown the door with the selection of one Mac Jones.

Currently, Cam Newton is quarterback number one but there is some division over who currently is quarterback number two before Jones and Stidham report in seven days for rookie minicamp. While some fans believe that Jones is the number two guy that could be the starter, not everyone agrees.

Mike Lombardi who has ties to the Pats, spoke about the Patriots depth chart on his podcast and it's clear what he said will not sit well with all fans of the six time superbowl champions.

Lombardi said, "“I think it’s a year [until he becomes the starter]. I think, look, they’re going to coach the [bleep] out of him. They’re going to get him in there, he’s gotta be smart as hell. Here’s what you have to do to play quarterback for the Patriots. You have to have great intelligence. Great intelligence. You have to have really great anticipation with the football. And you gotta be deadly accurate. Those are the things, those are the three things that Mac Jones does.

Give him directions to the weight room. Because I promise you, that body will change. I promise you by April the 30th next year, Mac Jones will look like a different human being. That body will change. Because they’re going to change that body.”

The big knock on the the Patriots last year was they ran the Brady offense. Yeah they added in some option runs for Newton but the passing plays were still designed for a guy who could throw from the pocket and do it accurately. 

Jones won't be asked to run an option, and he'll barely be asked to run but everything else from last year will be the same. Sure they added tight ends but it's still gonna be similar concepts. With that Jones should run the offense better. Jones turns 23 right around week one, so sitting Jones his rookie year should not hurt him.

The thing that made Tom Brady great wasn't just his desire to improve mentally but physically. If I am Jones, at least for the 2021 off season, I am entering the TB12 clinic to work with Brady and learn what he can about how to improve physically. Nothing football related really, just find out how to get a head physically. 

Now while the Patriots are working on getting Jones up to speed, I expect them to play Stidham where they can. They spent a forth on the kid and they're going to want to get some value on him. Right now, he's worth about as much as a UDFA. That's not good because it means he has no trade value. Stidham could be a good long term backup for the Patriots but the Patriots aren't known for keeping backups that long.

With that, when Cam faulters and cost the Patriots games because he's not accurate enough, expect the Patriots to be make the switch to Stidham. Stidham showed in 2020 that he is no less accurate than Cam, with the same decision making abilities. 

The Patriots are reported to have the sixth easiest schedule, so that might not be until November before they have to switch quarterbacks, if Newton can holdout to after Thanksgiving, Stidham might have to fight with Jones to see the field but being that he's now playing for his career, there's more pressure on Cam than just following Brady. With that, I believe cam will be benched by no later than after the second week of October for the 2019 backup who will also be playing for his career.

Sony will be playing for his career in 2021

The Patriots drafted Sony Michel in 2018 and since, Michel has rushed for 2292 regular season yards in 3 seasons, carrying the Patriots to a superbowl 53 victory. On Monday the Patriots decided not to exercise Michel's fifth year option.

Michel was set to make over four million if his option was picked up. Michel is now on a prove it deal, not only for the Patriots but for the entire NFL.

In 2020 Michel started six and played in nine games. He averaged 5.7 yards in 79 Carrie's for a total of 449 yards. That's not bad seeing has he lost his job to Damien Harris but the lack of production in the passing game has really hurt Michel's value. Michel is only averaging just under 9 catches a season for about 80 yards.

Michel must show improvement in year four in the passing game. If Michel stays on his trajectory, he should play in 13 games and rush for around 785 yards. Being that he has to split carries with Harris, a successful year on the ground for Michel will be 500 yards +/- 15 yards on the ground in 17 games. That's figuring he splits time with Harris.

If Michel can find a way to average 4.7 yards or better in 2021, he can see someone playing that money if he stays healthy. However if he is averaging 4 - 4.2 or less, Michel will be lucky to see over two million a season from any team. Honestly I can see the Patriots offering Michel two and a quarter to two and a half million next offseason, question is how bad does Michel want to get paid.

Sapp discovered red flags with Patriots DT Barmore before the draft.

Apparently back in March, Warren Sapp went to work with Christian Barmore to help get him ready for his rookie season. Sapp spoke about his experience with Barmore and Patriots Nation, it wasn't good. Sapp spoke on the Pewter Report podcast.

Sapp said, “Let’s wait for the evaluation because what I saw when I went over to the Yo Murphy Performance (Compound) was not even third-round material.”

Many Patriots fans were saying Barmore was a first round prospect and wanted the Patriots to take him at pick 15. Barmore fell to the team at pick 38. Could teams of seen what Sapp saw or was it coincidence...

Sapp said, “I had a chance to get him on the football field and walk him through the five steps to the quarterback, and if they’re telling me that this is a first round guy then Aaron Donald really did get blocked 70 percent on the double teams. I just promise you this, if these eyes right here that you’re looking at are telling a lie about talent, then shoot me. I won’t talk anymore football. If this kid’s a first-round pick then I won’t talk football (on social media) for a full year. I won’t make a tweet or an Instagram post unless the kids’ playing sports. It’s nothing personal, but I’ll take off a whole year if Barmore is a first-round pick.”

Apparently Barmore didn't impress Sapp. Now it wasn't his job to but if you get the chance to take pointers from a former superbowl champion, you want to do what he says, you want to impress him. Especially since Sapp is a member of the media. It's clear Sapp felt like he wasted his time.

Sapp continued, “I got up at 5:30 a.m. and drove to Tampa to get there by 10:30 a.m., I threw my hat and my lovely ROKA sunglasses . . . I’ve thrown my hat and my sunglasses, and at one point I’m sitting there like, ‘Do this,’ and he’s doing something else. To the point where another person said, ‘You’re not doing that,’ and he looked at both of us like, ‘What?’ So I tried it one more time, and then when he didn’t do it that time I picked up my glasses and my visor and I walked off. I didn’t say another word to anybody. I just left.”

Barmore looked good on television, so would the league scouts notice what Sapp saw in person?

Sapp said, “I guarantee you they do because what you look at as a scout is the eye test on the tape. He was in the National Championship and I thought, ‘that the kid was a baller’ myself. I couldn’t wait to get up [to Tampa to work Barmore out.]”

Sapp talked about why he went to the facility to watch Barmore and what he hoped to accomplish that morning.

Sapp continued, “I’m not coaching you up, I’m just watching what you’re doing to see if I can shave a little corner for you because I’ve watched the position. These eyes aren’t going to lie to me four feet down.”

Sapp had been asked what the issue with Barmore was, was he uncoachable or did he need overly simplistic elongated directions. Sapp's response: 

“Both, If I tell you to swing your left arm and you move your right, I’ve got a real issue – and that’s just one example. Trust me. For me to throw my visor and throw my $300 glasses, I’m telling you. I’m like, ‘Is there something wrong with me?'"

I've heard fans hype Barmore since he was drafted. I've also read a lot of scouting reports on him and the one thing I can say is that almost everything that fans brag about, Reports say he does inconsistently. What I'm saying is temper expectation. Barmore is a 2 down developmental guy to start and if what Sapp says is true, his development could take a lot longer than anticipated. Barmore's reports read like a boom or bust candidate and Sapp's experience suggests bust. Let's hope the Patriots have a better time working with the lad 

We know who but what did the Patriots Draft?

The Patriots' draft is in the book but from the looks of it, it sounds like there are a lot of misconceptions of what to expect from the Patriots draft class. After everything I have read, I will tell you what I see from this class.

Mac Jones. Jones has been compared to Tom Brady & Joe Montana, mid level starters, and bottom tier starters & backups. If you're talking the Tom Brady from 2001, then maybe. Jones should come in between the 16-20 starter range as a rookie. He still needs some development  but he is not Dave Kreig at the end of his career. His speed and mobility are deceptive. He's not going to rush for 400 yards a game but he has the ability to rush for 170 +/- yards a season or 10 yards a game. When defenses give him space to pick up 3-4 yards and slide.

Barmore has been compared to Big Vince. He's strong, versatile and can play anywhere on the defensive line. Unlike Wilfork, he's a better pass rusher than run stopper, and he consistently gets struggles on one on one blocks in the run game. Barmore is more along the lines of Richard Seymour. 

Perkins is an edge rusher for a 4-3 scheme. But he's more suited to be a 3-4 outside linebacker for the Patriots. Like Barmore he's inconsistent in the run game and can struggle to get off blocks. He's probably closer to a Shane McCallian than Rob Nickovich.

Rhamondre Stevenson's was a big bruising back with solid hands but he lost 20 pounds. He's an excellent pass catcher and although he might be a better runner than him, he should be the next Rex Burkhead. 

Cameron McGrone is an athletic linebacker that with some development, should be used the same way the Patriots used Jamie Collins. I'm not saying he's the same freak that Collins was but should be used similarly. McGrone is coming off an Injury and should be redshirted majority of the 2021 season.

Joahuah Bledsoe is another development safety. He is just like Kyle Duggar in that he should be able to come in and also play that hybrid linebacker role. He's also versatile enough to play corner and will probably be one of the teams nickel backs. If he makes the roster, he'll probably be the guy to give Duggar breaks.

William Sherman at the moment should be the swing tackle the team has been looking for since it let Waddle go. He will also serve as an emergency interior lineman. Luckily the Patriots have a solid line so he'll be in development.

Tre Nixon has been compared to Malcolm Mitchell but he's closer to Chris Hogan. He can beat people deep occasionally but he's mainly an intermediate to short route guy. He's also rumored to be selected 100% by Ernie Adams. It's unsure if he has special teams ability but he never played any.

I hope this sheds some clarity to what the Patriots have in this draft. Hopefully we see some UDFAs roll in soon. Until then who's ready for OTAs and rookie minicamp?