Sunday, January 30, 2022

Early Offensive Line Prospects For The Patriots

When Isaiah Wynn and Trent Brown went down at various times during 2021, it was clear the Patriots were in need of at least depth. It's unclear in Onwenue will stay at tackle or go back to guard. Here are some early tackle prospects. Some play multiple positions on the line, at least one also plays tight end.

Evan Neal Alabama 6'6" 360 LBS
TDN "Neal showed the ability to have positional versatility during his career at Alabama, playing both RT and LT. He has the natural run-blocking skill set to play RT, but he plays with better pace in pass pro at LT. He also has the mauler mentality in the run game that allows him to play snaps at guard."

Trevor Penning Northern Iowa 6'7" 321 LBS
TDN "He has aligned at both tackle positions at UNI. While I think he could suffice on the left, I think his skill set is ideally suited for the right side. "

Kenyon Green TXAM 6'4" 325 LBS
TDN "Any team that drafts Green is getting a player that has experience playing four different offensive line positions. Green’s body mass, strength, and athleticism allow him to play in multiple positions effectively. Green’s versatility will serve NFL teams well as they will be able to plug and play him wherever they have a need."

Nicholas Petit-Frere Ohio State 6'5" 315 LBS
TDN "He’s got the length, functional strength, lateral mobility, and skills in space to insert into damn near any offense or concept you could draw up. That appeal gives him a plethora of potential landing spots in the draft. That, plus his left/right tackle experience, sets him up to be an immediate asset."

Ikem Ekwonu NC State 6'4" 320 LBS
TDN "Ekwonu has three years of starting experience at left tackle but has also played more than 200 snaps at left guard."

Rasheed Walker Penn State 6'6" 325 LBS
Sports Illustrated "Walker needs to play more consistently, but his natural tools and flash plays, show a player who can be a high-level starting left tackle in the NFL."

Abraham Lucas Washington State 6'7" 325 LBS
TDN "He has predominantly aligned at right tackle. He projects with sufficient swing ability to left tackle. He doesn’t have much guard flexibility."

Zion Johnson BC 6'3" 315 LBS
TDN "Johnson has two seasons of experience at Boston College playing left guard and one at left tackle. His best position is on the interior but he can play tackle in a pinch if necessary. Johnson is a natural fit in a zone rushing scheme but also holds his own with gap concepts. While he’s best in pass protection, Johnson is a balanced blocker that finds success in the run game and operating in space."

Darian Kinnard UK 6'5" 345 LBS
TDN "He started three games at left tackle in 2018 as a true freshman, leaving him with experience to tap into on both sides of the line of scrimmage and potentially leave him as someone capable of playing four spots along the offensive line if he lands somewhere that shares the vision of playing him on the interior."

Daniel Faalele Minnesota 6'8" 380 LBS
TDN "He's probably raw and new enough to the position that you could transition him to left tackle if necessary or in a pinch, but playing him inside feels like a losing battle given the length of his punch, the irregularities to his game as a new player of the game, and the speed and quickness of which interior action takes place. Swing value isn't great, but it is covered by his ceiling as a starter."

Dare Rosenthal Kentucky 6'7" 327 LBS
PFN "He’s trending up, and he has the athletic upside to be an NFL starter. Day 2 is very much in the realm of possibility. And from there, Rosenthal could be groomed into a formidable NFL left tackle."

Jamaree Salyer Georgia 6'4" 325 LBS
PFN "He profiles well as a potential starter at guard. But his experience at both tackle and guard makes him an appealing, versatile depth lineman right away."

Luke Tenuta Virginia Tech 6'7" 318 LBS
NFL Draft Buzz "Adequate foot quickness to remain outside. Can get to the second level with surprising agility when adjusting to moving defenders. Underrated athleticism, agility, balance, and even straight-line speed to contribute.",

Sean Rhyan UCLA 6'5" 320 LBS
PFN "He also has some positional versatility. Against Oregon in 2020, Rhyan switched to right tackle at times and did not falter. He also projects well inside if NFL teams prefer to see him there."

John McKenzie USC 6'5" 320 LBS
Charles Goldman "He’s shown the versatility to slot in at both offensive guard spots and the right tackle position. I’m particularly fond of what he’s shown in college at the right tackle position."

Nick Zakelj Fordham 6'5" 325 LBS
Bleacher Report "Zakelj has bursts of talent that make you take notice but is hot and cold with a lot of issues to clean up. He is likely a backup for the foreseeable future but has some alluring traits to take a shot on late in the draft."

Obinna Eze TCU 6'8" 335 LBS
Blue Chip Scouting "Can play either side of the offensive line. Looks to be more comfortable on the left. Might be able to make the switch inside to guard."

Myron Cunningham Arkansas 6'6" 325 LBS
TDN "Cunningham has played right tackle and guard before finally finding a home at left tackle. His best position will likely come at right tackle where he isn’t asked to face speed rushers as often and would allow him to be on the strong side where he can excel as a run blocker. "

Austin Deculus LSU 6'5" 325 LBS
Sports Illustrated "Experience right tackle with very good size. Deculus has slow feet (for a tackle) and is a waist bender who will likely transition to guard."

Vederian Lowe Illinois 6'6" 320 LBS
Sports Illustrated "Experienced left tackle who will meet size and length thresholds at the position."

NFL Draft Buzz "Best asset is his strength and disposition as a run blocker. Gives a strong initial punch. Plays with good leverage bends at the knees and sees what he's hitting, showing the ability to roll his hips into the defender and drive him off the line of scrimmage."

Andrew Stueber Michigan 6'7" 338 LBS
Bleacher Report "Overall, Stueber has the stature, length, mental processing and craftiness with his hands in pass protection to make the move inside, carve out a role as a backup and have some developmental upside as a potential spot starter down the road."

Cade Mays Tennessee 6'5" 325 LBS
TDN "While Mays has played every spot along the offensive line, he's best suited to play right guard in the NFL. I also think he is best suited for a gap-blocking run scheme. His resume and projection don’t line up."

Long shots and dark horses:

Chris Paul TULSA 6'4" 325 LBS
TDN "Paul has two years of starting experience at right tackle, one at left guard, and one at right guard. I believe his best spot at the next level is guard, where my concerns about pass sets are mitigated. I don’t believe he is a player that restricts the scheme when playing on the interior."

Blaise Andries Minnesota 6'6" 315 LBS
Sports Illustrated "Blaise Andries boasts elite positional versatility as Minnesota asked him to play left tackle, right tackle and right guard all within the same drive versus Ohio State in 2021 (also played left guard earlier in career) and he looked functional at all spots."

Bamidele Olaseni Utah 6'8" 350 LBS
NFL Draft Buzz "Plays with appropriate wide base and intelligence, instincts and agility to seal the edge. Aggressive extending with power to punch and looks comfortable in space."

Caleb Jones Indiana 6'8" 370 LBS
NFL Draft Buzz "Passes the eye test - impressive frame, thick lower half and overall length. Has the length to recover when beaten but does lose balance when he doesn't bend at his knees. Has a good anchor and hustles to stay alive."

Ben Petrula Boston College 6'5" 325 LBS
TDN "Four-year starter. Started 12 games at center in 2017 and every game in 2018 and 2019 at right tackle before playing every game at right guard in 2020. He’s a powerful dude."

Tyrese Robinson Oklahoma 6'4" 325 LBS
NFL Draft Buzz "Plays with appropriate wide base and intelligence, instincts and agility to seal the edge. Aggressive extending with power to punch and looks comfortable in space.Lone concern is handling the superquick NFL edge rusher. Foot speed and quickness are very good, but not elite."

Tyler Smith Tulsa 6'6"
Charles Goldman "He was one of the best left tackles in the country the year prior. Listed at 6-6 and 332 pounds, Smith is a people-mover in the ground game and the passing game. He’s the ultimate finisher, playing through the whistle, blocking guys into the turf on a down-to-down basis."

Colby Ragland UAB 6'5" 320 LBS
Browns wire "The All-C-USA representative has the ideal length and college production as a three year starter to warrant serious consideration."

Sage Doxtater New Mexico State 6'6" 350 LBS
PFN "Nice-sized prospect with good upside. Stays square, keeps his head on a swivel, and effectively uses body positioning to seal defenders from the action. Remains disciplined with assignments. Works to bend his knees, blocks with leverage, and gets his hands into opponents."
 
Walter Rouse Stanford 6'6" 320 LBS
Sports Illustrated "Players stepping in for established starters due to injury are not typically expected to thrive. Walter Rouse, though, excelled in the starting left tackle role after first-stringer starter Walker Little’s 2019 season ended prematurely. The two-year starter’s appeal as a prospect is derived from his athletic tools."
 
Jordan Reid Michigan State 6'5" 315 LBS
PFN "Versatile lineman who plays with a nasty attitude. Quickly sets up off the snap, stays square, and blocks with a wide base. Fires out to the second level, shows strength, and controls opponents once engaged at the point. Plays bigger than his listed size and works blocks."
 
Ryan Nelson Virginia 6'6" 315 LBS
NFL Draft Buzz "Anchors well and plays with the low center of gravity and natural bend to seal the inside lanes. Has violent hands with hustle to close off bubble screens and lead to flatten linebackers. Nasty demeanor and highly coachable."

One area as long as the Patriots develop that I'm not too worried about is the offensive line. I expect one of these guys at the very least to make the Patriots practice squad in 2022. I mean remember David Andrews was a UDFA, if there's talent Bill will see it.

Saturday, January 29, 2022

Early Middle Linebacker Prospects For The Patriots

Hightower and Van Noy are old. The Patriots need people that are big enough to stop the run but fast enough to cover if need be. They also like versatility. Here's 26 early linebacker prospects for the Patriots. There maybe names excluded if I thought they were too light. And I get this isn't the 80s but teams need linebackers that can tackle tight ends.

Devin Lloyd Utah 6'3" 235 LBS
36 games - 256 tackles - 43 TFL - 15.5 sacks
8 PDs - 5 INTs - 3 TDs - 2 FF - 1 FR

PFN "Lloyd has shown to employ varying stride lengths when reading and reacting to plays. Additionally, he’s versatile. He can line up at MIKE, OLB, the edge, or even as a big slot on occasion. He has the ball skills to make plays in coverage."

Leo Chenal, Wisconsin 6'2" 255 LBS
25 games - 178 tackles - 25.5 TFL - 11 sacks
1 PD - 1 INT - 3 FF

Sports Illustrated "A massive linebacker who is relatively light on his feet, Leo Chenal can be a starter in the NFL if he refines his game in coverage."

Alex Wright, UAB 6'7" 270 LBS
31 games - 91 tackles - 19 TFL - 11.5 sacks
5 PDs - 3 FF - 2 FR

BCS "Alex Wright is an EDGE defender you can win with due to incredible athletic traits, versatility, and upside with hand usage. He displays versatile traits that will allow him to play as a stand up edge," and "His large frame, motor, and physicality may allow defensive coaches to place him inside in sub packages."

Quay Walker, Georgia 6'4" 240 LBS
37 games - 137 tackles - 11 TFL - 5 sacks
3 PDs - 1 FR

PFN "He’s a mismatch against tight ends with his size and athleticism, but he can also clog lanes and chase down ball carriers in the box. Walker can be a versatile, tone-setting playmaker for defensive coordinators."

Darrian Beavers, Cincinnati 6'3" 242 LBS
56 games - 230 tackles - 27.5 TFL - 13.5 sacks
1 PD - 1 INT - 2 FF - 2 FR,

Bleacher Report "Beavers projects best as a middle linebacker or strong-side linebacker who can be moved down to the line of scrimmage as a changeup/situational answer. His length, physicality and instant mental processing make him a dangerous run defender with just enough coverage chops to help keep a pass defense unit glued together."

Chad Muma, Wyoming 6'3" 242 LBS
33 games - 266 tackles - 19 TFL - 5.5 sacks
2 PDs - 3 INTs - 2 TDs - 1 FF - 2 FR

Bleacher Report "Muma could play all three linebacker spots with the right coaching, though "Mike" may offer the most natural transition. Muma's run-game skills and elite tackling give him a relatively high floor, while his coverage tools and athleticism open the door for real-deal potential."

Ellis Brooks, Penn State 6'1" 241 LBS
46 games - 230 tackles - 15 TFL - 5.5 sacks
2 PDs - 1 INT - 2 FF - 1 FR

Sports Illustrated "Brooks is a pre-snap communicator and team leader who can impact the game in run and pass defense. The Penn State defender is capable in man and zone coverage and even has the movement skills to work downfield in Tampa Two."

Aaron Hansford Texas A&M 6'3" 240 LBS
36 games - 157 tackles - 18.5 TFL - 7 sacks
6 PDs - 1 FR - 3 Catches 

NFL Draft Buzz "Downhill defender and physical tackler. Uses his eyes to decipher and break down the play, showing good awareness and discipline to sniff out fakes. Plays fast, flows with the action, showing smooth lateral agility and short-area burst. Has good instincts and awareness to quickly find the ball."

Mike Rose, Iowa State 6'4" 250 LBS
49 games - 324 tackles - 41 TFL - 8.5 sacks
8 PDs - 6 INTs - 1 FF - 1 FR

Bleacher Report "Rose's best fit will be at "Sam..." "(he) is a comfortable zone defender at all depths. He does well to track what throwing windows are behind him. He also proved comfortable being the deep "pole runner" in Cover 2 and showed the ability to change directions in open grass. In run defense, Rose was often allowed to fit from the outside, which gave him the chance to beat blocks with finesse rather than power. He has functional speed in and outside the box."

Damone Clark, LSU 6'3" 243 LBS
36 games - 249 tackles - 23 TFL - 10 sacks
4 PDs - 1 INT - 2 FF - 1 FR

PFN "Once Clark improves there, he has the style and communication ability to develop into a potential MIKE or 3-4 ILB at the NFL level. And if he doesn’t see the requisite development there, he still translates well as a WILL or SAM, where his processing skills can be buoyed to an extent by a more reactive, versatile role."

Jack Sanborn, Wisconsin 6'2" 236 LBS
38 games - 228 tackles - 29 TFL - 11.5 sacks
4 PDs - 4 INT - 3 FF - 2 FR

Crabbs TDN "Ideal role: Early-down MIKE linebacker." "He’s cerebral and physically competent in all phases of the position."

James Skalski, Clemson 6' 240 LBS
59 games - 258 tackles - 18 TFL - 8.5 sacks
9 PDs - 1 FF - 2 FR

Sports Illustrated "Experienced linebacker who makes calls for the Tigers defense. Skalski is a high effort defender who does not give up and plays. He shows good eyes to find the ball and is a quick processor, triggering quickly."

Baylon Spector, Clemson, 6'2" 235 LBS
40 games - 191 tackles - 21.5 TFL - 9 Sacks
2 PDs - 1 INT -  1 FF - 3 FR

Sports Illustrated "Deployed as a middle linebacker and SAM, attached to the line of scrimmage before dropping into the flat, Spector finds most of his success when performing pre-determined tasks such as shooting a specific gap."

Micah McFadden, Indiana, 6'2" 235 LBS
42 games - 216 tackles- 36 TFL - 14 sacks
4 PDs - 4 INT - 2 FF - 1 FR

Josh Dooley "Indiana runs a 4-2-5 base defense, so you will see McFadden (pre-snap) in the middle of the field for the vast majority of the game. But his starting point is rarely where he ends up. He is an aggressive, attacking linebacker..." "with great instincts and a high football IQ."

Kana'i Mauga, USC 6'2" 245 LBS
38 games - 205 tackles - 16.5 TFL - 5 Sacks 
6 PDs - 3 INT - 2 FF

PFN "Mauga has experience rushing the passer from different locations, and he can also fill in at different spots on the second level. Particularly in 2019, Mauga rotated between MIKE and OLB quite a bit."

Jesse Luketa, Penn State 6'3" 251 LBS
36 games - 151 tackles - 11.5 TFL - .5 sacks
6 PDs - 1 INT - 1 TD - 1 FR

PFN "Luketa has some impressive elements to his NFL Draft scouting report. An impressive run stopper with disruptive ability in the passing game."

Olakunie Fatukasi, Rutgers 6'2" 240LBS
45 games - 282 tackles - 25.5 TFL - 6 sacks
7 PDs - 4 FF - 3 FR

Randy Mueller “Smart competitive kid who plays with toughness and good football instincts. He makes the calls, the adjustments and is the communicator on defense..." Mueller continued "(Fatukasi) Needs to play ‘MIKE' in a 3-4 scheme..."

Christopher Allen, Alabama 6'4" 252 LBS
34 games - 61 tackles - 18.5 TFL - 7.5 sacks
3 FF - 1 FR

NFL Draft Buzz "Thickly built with classic linebacker size, adequate strength and the smarts to cover up his athletic shortcomings in the right scheme. Has the combination of size and athleticism worthy of development."

Long shots and dark horses: 

Carson Wells, Colorado 6'4" 250 LBS
38 games - 154 tackles - 39 TFL - 17.5 sacks
8 PDs - 3 INTs - 1 TD - 1 FF

NFL Draft Buzz "Downhill defender and physical tackler. Uses his eyes to decipher and break down the play, showing good awareness and discipline to sniff out fakes. Tougher between the tackles than many expect. Fluid and quick drop into zone, covers enough ground to be Tampa-2 "MIKE" and knows where the markers are."

Diego Fagot, Navy 6'3" 240 LBS
42 games - 282 tackles- 35.5 TFL - 9.5 sacks
5 PDs - 2 INTs - 1 TD - 6 FF - 2 FR

Anthony Del Trecco "As the middle linebacker, he had to be one of the smartest players, if not the smartest, on the field..." "He will instantly bring discipline to whatever team he joins. His intensity and passion are second to none." "The Patriots also have strong ties to the Naval Academy."

Jeremiah Moon, Florida 6'2" 245 LBS
46 games - 151 tackles - 14 TFL - 8 sacks
4 PDs - 1 FF - 2 FR

NFL Draft Buzz "Tougher between the tackles than many expect. Fluid and quick drop into zone, covers enough ground to be Tampa-2 "MIKE" and knows where the markers are."

Marino TDN "would be well-served by embracing a lead role on kick and punt coverage to provide his NFL team an X-factor on special teams while being allowed to develop."

Kuony Deng, California 6'6" 240 LBS
40 games - 227 tackles - 10 TFL -  4.5 sacks
8 PDs - 1 INT - 2 FF - 1 FR

PFN "Deng has a wild physical profile and frame. There are simply not many guys at linebacker right now that possess the range, explosiveness, length, fluidity, and strength that Deng does. That alone will make him a highly coveted prospect among NFL teams. You simply do find guys like Deng off the street to play the linebacker position."

Harris TDN "This player is raw..." "However, there is considerable upside if this player gets stronger, adds mass to his frame and develop instincts with more reps at the position."

Christian Albright, Ball State 6'2" 240 LBS
57 games - 257 tackles - 34 TFL - 15 Sacks
11 PDs - 2 INT - 9 FF - 2 FR

PFN "He’s athletic, covers a lot of area, and can make plays in space against the run or covering the pass."

NFL Draft Buzz "Big, aggressive hitter who can lay the wood. Has good awareness to quickly locate the ball, keeping his eyes up and on point."

Tre Williams, Arkansas 6'5" 255 LBS
45 games - 111 tackles - 21.5 TFL - 14.5 sacks
2 FF

NFL Draft Buzz "Brings down quarterbacks much bigger than he is. Very good motor and regularly chases down plays from behind. He has good reaction skills and awareness. Forceful tackler vs. the run."

Charles Goldman "Williams is one of the best pass rushers in this draft class. The Colombia, Missouri native boasts a top-5 pressure percent in the country."

Palaie Gaoteote IV, Ohio State 6'2" 250 LBS
24 games - 114 tackles - 8.5 TFL - 2.5 sacks
1 FR

Brian Lamb "Despite injuries that have limited his time on the field, Gaoteote IV has still shown flashes of what makes him great." "Gaoteote IV has a skillset that puts him near the fourth round."

Chance Campbell, Ole Miss 6'2" 240 LBS
33 games - 216 tackles - 22.5 TFL - 7.5 sacks
5 PDs - 1 INT - 3 FF - 4 FR

Mel Kiper "(Campbell) really helped the Ole Miss defense," Campbell had "been all over the field." A "Solid Day 3 pick."

I have no doubt that if there's a decent linebacker available, Belichick will grab him. I believe that I gave prospects for all three days.  The Patriots have to do something, their linebackers were old and slow in 2021. I also think having safety or outside versatility will go a little ways in making up for any lack of ability in the middle linebacker role.

Friday, January 28, 2022

Twenty Six Early Defensive Line Prospects For The Patriots.

Remember in looney toons, the coyote would paint a tunnel on a wall and the road runner would run through it? That was the Patriots defensive line in 2021. Even with Barmore, they needed Danny Sheldon. I compiled a list of names I think will help the Patriots. The downside is it maybe a bit longer because finding if players declared wasn't easy as it should be. Here are 26 early defensive line prospects that the Patriots could acquire.

Jordan Davis Georgia 6'6" 340 LBS
41 games - 90 tackles - 11.5 TFL - 7 sacks - 1 PD
2 carries - 2 yards - 1 TD

Harris TDN "He displays the positional versatility to play any of the interior defensive line positions. He also shows the schematic versatility to play in an even or odd front scheme."

Phidarian Mathis Alabama 6'4" 312 LBS
46 games - 129 tackles - 16 TFL - 10.5 sacks
5 PD - 3 FF - 3 FR

Bleacher Report "However, in his current state, he will be a good NFL run defender with enough tools to be an effective complementary pass-rusher. Combine that with his ability to be effective all over the interior defensive line, and it's easy to see how he should be a quality starter right away."

Devonte Wyatt Georgia 6'3" 315 LBS
42 games - 113 tackles - 12 TFL - 5 sacks - 3 PD
2 FF - 2 FR

TDN "Wyatt is a very versatile player, showing an ability to align at various spots on the defensive front. He wins playing 1-technique, 3-technique, and even lines up in a two-point stance playing 7-technique rushing from the edge."

Travis Jones Connecticut 6'5" 333 LBS
33 games - 134 tackles - 19 TFL - 8.5 Sacks
1 FR

Bleacher Report "Travis Jones is one of the better true nose guards in this class. At 6' 4" and 333 pounds, he primarily played over or on either side of the center in UConn's defense."

Thomas Booker Stanford 6'4" 310 LBS
41 games - 159 tackles - 20.5 TFL - 9.5 Sacks
1 INT - 8 PDs - 1 FF - 2 FR

Draft Dive "Booker isn’t just stuck on the outside, he has the ability to play inside as a defensive tackle. This could become extremely important for Thomas, as I believe that his skill set is probably better suited for a defensive tackle position at the professional level."

Neil Farrell LSU 6'4" 319 LBS
48 games - 143 tackles - 22 TFL - 7.5 sacks
4 PDs - 1 FF

John Vogel "His body makeup, run defending ability, and gap penetration projects him as the perfect fit as a 1-tech in a 3-4 defensive front at the next level, potentially a low-end starter on day one..." "That being said, he’s capable of playing as a 3-tech as well and could potentially push out as a defensive tackle in a 4-3 gap scheme."

John Ridgeway, Arkansas 6'6" 325 LBS
41 games- 119 tackles - 13 TFL - 3 sacks -  2 PDs
1 FF - 1 - FR- 1 INT

Bleacher Report "He generally does well to control blocks and maintain his balance, even showcasing the ability to rip blockers off of him and cover a decent amount of open grass to make tackles."

Jayden Peevy Texas A&M 6'6" 295 LBS
49 games - 137 tackles - 19 TFL - 6.5 Sacks
1 INT - 7 PDs - 1 FF - 2 FR

NFL Draft Buzz "Delivers a strong punch and uses his hands to shed blocks to make plays in the hole or outside the box. Uses lower-body strength to anchor inside. Plays with leverage at the point of attack whether inside or outside. Keeps eyes in the backfield when inside; moves linemen to either side with strong hands."

Eyioma Uwazurike Iowa State 6'6" 320 LBS
55 games - 146 tackles - 34.5 TFL - 15 sacks
3 PDs - 2 FRs

Sports Illustrated "In addition, it’s a pleasure to watch a guy with his size have a good motor as Uwzurike will regularly chase down plays to the sideline or past the sticks, showing competitiveness."

Jerron Cage Ohio State 6'4" 310
31 games - 22 tackles - 5.5 TFL - 1.5 sacks
1 PD - 3 FR 

OSU "Received plenty of attention from the opponent offensive lines..." and a "Two-time Associated Press Division II first-team all-state defensive lineman..."

Phil Harrison "A team might pull the trigger on him as a depth guy. If not, he most certainly would get a try out as an undrafted free agent."

Long shots and dark horses:

Christopher Hinton Michigan 6'4" 310 LBS
22 games - 55 tackles - 3.5 TFL - 2 Sacks - 4 PD
2 FR

PFN "He has a strong base and an NFL frame, and he’s already a solid run defender. Hinton also has enough explosive capacity to potentially be a three-down player on the interior."

Otito Ogbonnia UCLA 6'4" 320 LBS
37 games - 76 tackles - 8.5 TFL - 4.5 Sacks
6 PDs - 2 FF

Bleacher Report "Ogbonnia will need time and proper coaching to unlock his potential. The flashes of strength and explosiveness are there, but he needs to get better at identifying blocking schemes, as well as improve how consistently he can settle into his anchor. Ogbonnia is a backup or rotational nose guard until he can find more consistency."

Jordan Williams Virginia Tech 6'5" 290 LBS
31 games - 72 tackles - 12 TFL - 6.5 Sacks
1 PD - 1 FF

Sports Illustrated "From this position, he displays the awareness to find the ball carrier and the strength to bring them down..." "Williams has experience playing at zero, one, two, three and five tech."

Tyarise Stevenson Tulsa 6'3" 351 LBS
47 games - 109 tackles - 10 TFL - 3.5 sacks

Blue Chip Scouting "His natural anchor is as stout as they come, and his hand placement off the snap is consistently inside the chest plate allowing him to stack blockers easier. As far as pass rushing goes, there isn’t a ton to get excited about here. He’s got the ability to push the pocket well enough..."

Damion Daniels Nebraska 6'3" 335 LBS
31 games - 83 tackles - 8 TFL - 1 INT - 2 PDs
1 FR

Brian Johannes "Daniels has some versatility to his game as he’s shown the ability to play nose tackle in an odd front or tackle in an even front." "His ability to play in multiple defenses should make him appealing to more teams."

D.J. Davidson Arizona State 6'5" 325 LBS
34 games - 137 tackles - 15.5 TFL -  5 sacks
6 PDs - 1 FR

NFL Draft Buzz "Big-bodied rusher with very good upper-body strength. Strong and stout at the point of attack with the measurables to occupy multiple blockers." Who "plays with leverage at the point of attack whether inside or outside. Keeps eyes in the backfield when inside; moves linemen to either side with strong hands."

Glen Logan LSU 6'3" 339 LBS
42 games - 109 tackles - 10.5 TFL - 7 sacks
3 PDs 

Steven Aellis "Logan profiles as an ideal 4i-technique in a 3-4 base scheme. He will ideally start out as a 1st and 2nd down run defender." "Could really interest teams looking for a run stuffing 4i-technique or 3-technique."

Corey Bethley TCU 6'2" 300 LBS
48 games - 97 Tackles - 20 TFL - 10.5 sacks
2 FR - 1 PD

Tony Pauline "Corey Bethley was productive in his initial three seasons at TCU before suffering a season-ending injury last year. He returned this year and was graded as a potential late-round pick by scouts."

Tayland Humphrey UL Lafayette 6'5" 350 LBS
30 games - 78 tackles - 4 TFL - .5 Sacks - 1 FF
3 PDs

Sports Illustrated "Nose tackle Tayland Humphrey is a run stuffer of the highest caliber at 6’ 5”, 350 pounds"

Tyrone Truesdell Auburn 6'2" 335 LBS
41 games - 79 tackles - 9 TFL - 3 sacks - 1 PDS
2 FR

Jets Fan United "Tyrone plays with leverage at the point of attack whether inside or outside..." "Tyrone provides some secondary interior pass rush, getting most penetration when playing three technique. Has the upper-body strength to rock his opponent back onto his heels."

Jonathan Ford Miami 6'5" 315 LBS
31 games- 60 tackles - 8 TFL - 3 sacks - 1 FF
1 PD

NFL Draft Buzz "Strong tackler. Has good power in hands and can anchor, shed, and chase. Plays with leverage at the point of attack whether inside or outside. Keeps eyes in the backfield when inside; moves linemen to either side with strong hands."

Marquan McCall Kentucky 6'3" 379 LBS
31 games - 57 tackles - 10.5 TFL - 1.5 sacks
1 PD - 1 FF - 1 FR

Sports Illustrated "Traditional nose tackle that will eat blocks and beat up interior lineman off the ball." 

NFL Draft Buzz "He's clearly a boom or bust prospect, but has the unique physical gifts make him a candidate to play up and down the line in either front."

Tahj Sykes So Miss 6'3" 308 LBS
30 games - 64 tackles - 9 TFL - 1 sack - 1 FF

*** southern miss gives some of his games stats but not much else. The defensive tackle lists I looked at had him ranked higher. At the very least, there's film on him.

Kobie Whiteside, Missouri 6'1" 300 LBS
29 games - 81 tackles - 14.5TFL  - 10.5 sacks
3 FR - 1 FF

Sports Illustrated "The NFL places a premium on pass rushers, most of whom work on the edge. But when you can get significant production from the interior, that is just as coveted. Whiteside is big at just under 300 pounds (298) with significant athleticism for his frame."

Taron Vincent Ohio State 6'2" 300 LBS
27 games - 35 tackles - 5.5 TFL - 2 sacks 

NFL Draft Buzz "Rarely goes to the ground, showing good balance from his high school wrestling days. Coordinated with smooth movement skills. High-effort rusher and works through the whistle. Relentless worker, fighting off blocks and battling to the ball. Plays with leverage at the point of attack whether inside or outside. Keeps eyes in the backfield when inside; moves linemen to either side with strong hands."

Noah Elliss Idaho 6'4" 367 LBS
11 games - 29 tackles - 1 sack - 1 FR

Draft Dive "His size and speed combination is scary..." "He really is that big and quick, NFL scouts are going to fall in love with him when they see that combo in person. Nose tackle is a little underrated in the NFL Draft, but I would project Elliss in the 4th to 5th round right now."

I would love the Patriots to pair Davis with Barmore but I don't see it happening. There are good defensive lineman out there. What do the Patriots wanna do with their defense is the problem. Without knowing how they see themselves, we won't be able to full know who they should go after.

Thursday, January 27, 2022

Sixteen Early Potential Receiving And Special Teams Back Draft Prospects In The 2022 Draft

They patriots need to look at bringing in a pass catching back. I don't think J.J. Taylor is the future and who knows what's going to happen with Bolden or White. The offense relies too much on a good pass catching back not to make sure they have depth in youth. Even if it's a UDFA. Here are some prospects the Patriots could acquire from this draft class. 

Quick Note: there are two receivers that I like better as a third down receiving back.

Kenneth Walker Michigan 5'10" 210 LBS
32 games - 481 carries - 5.8 average - 35 TDs
19 catches - 136 yards - 1 TD
7 KRs - 19.9 Average

Bleacher Report "He is comfortable catching the ball, but he will need to refine his routes to expand his game even more. And he has the athleticism and body control to do so."

Wan’Dale Robinson Kentucky 5'11" 185 LBS
31 games - 141 carries - 4.9 average - 4 TDs
195 catches - 2248 yards - 10 TDs
11 KRs - 21.5 average

Crabbs TDN "I think his contributions on special teams, in the screen game, as a vertical receiver or quick game target, and potentially as a scatback out of the backfield will offer an NFL team a sizable menu to work with."

CJ Verdell Oregon 5'8" 210 LBS
37 games - 541 carries - 5.4 average - 26 TDs
59 catches - 619 yards - 4 TDs

Ian Cummings "Going further, Verdell is a capable receiver. He gets open from the backfield and earns yards after catch with his burst and contact balance. Additionally, the Oregon RB flashes suddenness as a route runner, and he can be valuable on schemed catches that give him open space to traverse."

James Cook Georgia 5'11" 190 LBS
46 games - 230 carries -  6.5 average  - 14 TDs
67 catches - 730 yards - 6 TDs
5 KRs - 18.2 yards

Oliver Hodgkinsin "The NFL is looking for running backs who can be factors on all three downs. Cook more than ticks that box. He’s productive as a rusher and a receiver, and he has some blocking acumen. He’s taken snaps in the backfield, lined up as a receiver in the slot, and gone in motion. Cook has even been lined up as a receiver outside of the numbers."

Tyler Allgeier  BYU 5'11" 220 LBS
39 games - 452 carries - 5.8 average - 23 TDs
46 catches - 437 yards - 1 TD
4 KRs - 23.4 average 
27 Tackles - 2 F.F.

Bleacher Report "His full package of traits makes him so much more than just a battering ram. Allgeier's hands and willingness as a pass protector will also allow him to see the field on all three downs."

Kyren Williams Notre Dame 5'9" 195 LBS
26 games - 419 carries - 5.1 average - 27 TDs
78 catches - 675 yards - 4 TDs
14 PRs - 11.6 Average

NFL Draft Buzz "A real talent in the passing game he was used more than just a check down safety valve but often as a featured player on intermediate routes."

Khalil Shakir, Boise State 6' 190 LBS
43 games - 71 carries - 5.8 average - 4 TDs
208 catches - 2878 yards - 20 TDs
24 PRs - 7.5 average - 7 KRs - 23.9 average 

Draft Dive "Shakir is a weapon whenever the ball is in his hands. He is a threat off end-arounds, in the wildcat, and even returning kicks. When lined up at his natural receiver position, Shakir is great at making a guy miss and gaining extra yards. He isn’t a burner, but he quick with his movements and possesses intelligent field awareness. From his time at running back in high school, Shakir has gotten comfortable with the ball in his hands."

Tyler Badie Missouri 5'8" 194 LBS
46 games - 513 carries - 5.4 average - 23 TDs
126 catches - 1149 yards - 11 TDs
27 KRs - 19.4 average 

TDN "Badie’s explosiveness is not limited to backfield carries. He has lined up as a receiver for Mizzou’s offense 61 times this season alone. He has returned 35 kicks in his career. He is a versatile space player for an NFL team."

Tyler Goodson Iowa 5'10" 199 LBS
34 games - 533 carries - 4.8 average - 18 TDs
70 catches - 565 yards - 1 TD

PFN "In addition to lining up in the backfield, he’s taken snaps in the slot and out wide as a receiver. Furthermore, he’s impressive at leaking out of the backfield to pose a receiving threat."

Ronnie Rivers Fresno State 5'9" 195 LBS
52 games. - 680 carries - 5.0 average- 40 TDs
150 catches - 1421 yards - 11 TDs
46 PRs - 7.6 average 

Sports Illustrated "Soft hands and is reliable out of the backfield on check downs. As a receiver he can run routes against LBs and create separation"

Leddie Brown West Virginia 5'11" 216 LBS
43 games - 620 carries - 4.7 average - 27 TDs
86 catches - 604 yards - 5 TDs

NFL Draft Buzz "He has great size to be a classic every-down back in the NFL and is well versed as both a receiver and a blocker so offers versatility scouts crave."

Trestan Ebner Baylor 5'11" 215 LBS
58 games - 343 carries - 4.9 average - 9 TDs
127 catches - 1515 yards - 11 TDs
47 KRs - 25.3 average - 3 TDs
28 PRs - 6.8 average - 1 TD
(No answer on draft declaration)

John Vogel "His versatility makes him a decent third down back, which an NFL team should be willing to take a shot with."

Long Shots and dark horses:

Calvin Turner Jr Hawaii 5'11" 195 LBS
54 games - 581 carries -  5.9 average - 44 TDs
108 catches - 1452 yards - 11 TDs
68 of 151 attempts - 1171 yards -  7 TDs - 7 INTs
40 KRs - 23.7 average - 1 TDs
6 PRs - 7.6 average
55 Tackles

Sports Illustrated "Calvin Turner Jr is a player that wore many hats for Hawaii including RB, WR, Wildcat QB, KR and PR. He is a dynamic athlete that can score anytime he touches the ball."

Zonovan Knight North Carolina State 5'11" 210 LBS
36 games - 419 carries - 5.5 average - 18 TDs
48 catches - 337 yards
30 KRs - 30.8 average - 3 TDs

Sports Illustrated "As a receiver, he is very reliable, showing sure hands as a checkdown or on screens. He pays attention to detail as a route runner, utilizing foot fire and head fakes to create separation."

Isaih Pacheco Rutgers 5'11" 215 LBS 
44 games - 4.33 average - 18 TDs
47 catches - 249 yards - 1 TD
18 KRs - 19.3 average - 5 tackles

NFL Draft Buzz "Solid receiver in the flat, capable of running through tackles on the edge to move the chains. Flexible enough to catch passes thrown behind him."

Raheem Blackshear Virginia Tech 5'9" 198 LBS 
50 games - 410 carries - 5.7 average - 6 TDs
123 catches - 1213 yards - 7 TDs
6 KRs - 28.8 average 

Draft Dive "He showed the ability to run more than just a flat or wheel route. I was also impressed by his hands and body control. On multiple occasions he reached out and snagged off target passes with just one hand. He also showed great ability to twist himself into strange positions in order to reach poorly thrown balls."

Calvin Turner Jr, Tyler Allgeier, and Zonovan Knight are my three sleepers of this bunch. If anyone was gonna threaten B.Bolden it probably be one of those three. All of these guys on this list should be at bare minimum as good as J.J. Taylor.

Nineteen Early Potential Receiver Draft Prospects In The 2022 Draft

Everyone is screaming the Patriots need a number one. I don't really agree. However, if the Patriots bring in a number one it should be a number one in their system. Here are the receivers I am interested in seeing the Patriots acquiring at the moment. They're all not number ones but could possibly improve the Patriots core and might annoy some fans.

Chris Olave Ohio State 6'1" 190 LBS
38 games - 175 catches - 2702 yards - 35 TDs

Bleacher Report: "Overall, Olave projects as a Day 1 starter as an inside and out "Z" WR for any NFL offense due to his comfort level with an assortment of concepts and his steady and consistent play style. His versatile skillset as a receiver can translate to any offense."

Garrett Wilson Ohio State 6' 188 LBS
32 games - 143 catches - 2213 yards - 23 TDs
33 PRs - 6.2 average

Crabbs TDN: "Ideal role: Slot receiver (in a high-volume passing offense) Scheme tendencies: Vertical offense, shallow crossers, option routes, play-action kill shots"

Jahan Dotson Penn State 5'11" 184 LBS
42 games - 183 catches - 2757 yards - 25 TDs
25 PRs - 13.5 average - 1 TD

Matt Holder: "He fits more into the second- or third-round category as I worry that he can only be effective on intermediate and deep routes, given his limited yards after catch skills and ineffectiveness in the red zone. That being said, there aren’t going to be many speed demons who can track the ball and catch it as he can. The Nittany Lion would be an excellent fit as a ‘Z’ or off the line of scrimmage outside receiver, or as a slot that forces safeties to play deep."

John Metchie III Alabama 6' 195 LBS
30 games - 155 catches - 2081 yards - 14 TDs

TDN: "Ideal Role: Metchie has the versatility to play both Z and the slot where he can use his speed to stretch the field vertically."

Justyn Ross Clemson 6'4" 205 LBS
38 games - 158 catches - 2379 yards - 20 TDs

NFLDraftBuzz: "If Ross hadn't had a devastating injury while at Clemson we would likely be looking at him as a day one pick in the 2022 NFL Draft. Currently, Ross represents a bit of a risk - he no doubt is an elite talent as a slot receiver: posses elite hands, has an excellent catch radius, runs perfect routes, and is somehow amazing in the open field."

Romeo Doubs Nevada 6'2" 200 LBS
43 games - 225 catches - 3322 yards - 26 TDs
37 PRs - 12.5 average - 1 TD

John Vogel: "Doubs projects as a Z receiver at the next level, a complementary option, with X receiver potential. He has both size and speed while playing a more physical style of receiver. He could be a starter immediately in the right scenario."

Skyy Moore Western Michigan 5'10" 195 LBS
30 games - 170 catches - 2473 yards - 16 TDs

Stampede Blue referred to Moore as, "the lightning-quick Z receiver," and said, "He’s a great route runner who’s also a lethal deep threat."

David Bell Purdue 6'2" 205 LBS
29 games - 232 catches - 2946 yards - 21 TDs

Bleacher Report: "Overall, Bell projects as a No. 2 type of receiver who can align inside as a "Power Slot" and outside as a Z receiver. His strength, body control and ball skills will get him playing time early in his career, but he needs to continue working on his technique and overall effort to ascend to more."

Charleston Rambo Miami 6'1" 185 LBS
40 games - 155 catches - 2352 yards - 16 TDs
13 KRs - 25.1 average

Marino TDN: "Both at Oklahoma and Miami, Rambo primarily aligned as an outside receiver with occasional reps from the slot. Ideal Role: Developmental Y receiver. "

Danny Gray SMU 6'1" 180 LBS
35 games - 151 Catches - 2537 - 27 TDs
7 carries - 70 yards - 2 TDs
21 KRs - 21.6 average and 18 PRs - 6.7 average

John Vogel wrote, "Danny Gray best projects as a possession-style Z receiver at the next level with limited upside. I don’t know if Gray can ever be a starter in the NFL."

Jerreth Sterns Westen Kentucky 5'9" 195 LBS
4 years - 371 catches - 3907 yards - 35 TDs
28 carries - 73 yards - 2 TDs
44 PRs - 5.6 average

Andrew Wilbar wrote, "Although Sterns may not have world-class speed, he displays great quickness in and out of cuts. He is also a fantastic route-runner who can consistently create separation. It is true that he has produced on both the inside and the outside, but in the NFL, he will likely be limited to the slot. "

Jaivon Heiligh Coastal Carolina 6'2" 200 LBS
45 games - 191 catches - 2825 yards - 22 TDs
26 PRs - 6.7 average

Chris Pflum said, "He (Heiligh) would be best used as a flanker, or out of the slot, where he can get more free releases and make use of his burst off the line of scrimmage."

Long shots and Dark Horses :

Jaquarii Roberson Wake Forset 6'1" 182 LBS
29 games - 146 catches - 2158 yards - 17 TDs

In 2020 PFF wrote, "The highest-graded slot receiver through Week 9 is none other than Wake Forest’s Jaquarii Roberson. With Waddle out for the season with an injury, Roberson is now the most productive slot receiver, generating 4.25 yards per route run. Not only does that lead the FBS, but it's also twice the FBS average."

Velus Jones Jr. Tennessee 6' 200 LBS
59 games - 120 catches - 1434 yards- 11 TDs
15 carries - 3.9 yard average - 1 TD
122 KRs - 24.4 average - 2 TDs

John Vogel said, "Velus Jones Jr best projects into a spread offense as a #2 “Z” receiver option to compliment the main boundary receiver. Jones works well both on the perimeter and out of the slot and would be a good fit in most NFL offenses."

Jequez Ezzard Sam Houston State 5'9" 190 LBS
23 games  - 118 catches - 2529 yards - 27 TDs
52 PRs - 11.7 average - 28 KRs - 24.3 average

John Blair wrote, "he likely projects solely as a slot receiver in the NFL due to both his size and the fact he is not overly physical."

Jalen Virgil Appalachian State 6'1" 210 LBS
54 games - 98 catches - 1436 yards - 11 TDs
16 carries - 3.4 average - 1 TD
38 KRs - 30.1 average - 3 TDs

NFL Draft Buzz: "A versatile weapon, proving to be effective inside in the slot and outside on the perimeter. Makes plays at all levels of the field." Who is "generally reliable receiver capable of making difficult catches in traffic over the middle or one on one down the sideline."

Jared Smart Hawaii 6' 190 LBS
49 games - 202 catches - 2497 yards - 15 TDs

Another day 3 - Z receiver hindered by coach Todd Graham changing the system and the quarterback play at the university of Hawaii. Smart is a fine case of why mobile quarterbacks lack of focus on their passing skills can hurt a pass catcher. 

Justin Hall Ball State 5'9" 186 LBS
54 games - 318 catches - 3385 yards - 18 TDs
122 carries - 7.1 average 10 TDs
36 KRs - 26.1 average - 1 TD
21 PRs - 8.1 average

NFL Draft Buzz "He is quicker than fast and lacks elite wheels to simply blow by defenders, but he has good football speed. Has a knack for getting open and is a quarterback's best friend - passers just need to toss the ball in his area and he'll come down with it."

Tre Turner Virginia Tech 6'2" 190 LBS
43 games - 143 catches - 2292 yards - 14 TDs
53 carries - 8.3 average - 4 TDs

Marino TDN: "Turner has the makings of a top-three option for an NFL passing game with inside/outside versatility and appeal at all levels of the field."

Ben Natan wrote, "Justin Hall is an explosive player that Ball State uses in their passing game, running game, and special teams. His speed allows him to deliver whenever he gets the ball and the NFL should be interested in a receiver with his ability to make big plays."

The Patriots could use to upgrade their receiving core in 2022. They could use another stretch guy. As far as a number one, i have said it depends on what's considered a number one. Other than Moss, when was the last time the X was the number one in New England? From what I read almost every one of these guys could play the Slot or Z receiver role. Those are the types of receivers I think the Patriots view as a number one, mainly the slot.

Tuesday, January 25, 2022

Overtime, Rules, And Poor Sports.

I've always wanted the NFL to make overtime a full period. Other fans complained that the game would take too long, and sited player safety. Then in 2017 there was a rule change to appease fans. And Fans are still not happy, go figure right?


In 2017 the league agreed that kickers had evolved and gotten good enough to where a field goal under 60 yards was too common, so the league decided that if the recieving team could not beat the opposing team's defense and score a touchdown instead of just taking the field goal, then the other team would get the ball back.

(They should've allowed 65 yard field goals or longer by the receiving team to win as those would be league record kicks.)

The NFL also had decided that if the receiving team got safetied, the game was over as the defense scored. Makes sense right, both teams had a chance to score.

Then the Chiefs and Patriots met in the playoffs. The Patriots went down the field and scored a touchdown. They followed the rules beat the chiefs defense. The Chiefs complained they didn't get a chance to score a touchdown. Few years later the Buffalo Bills would lose to the Chiefs in overtime and both fans and teams again want the rule changed.

Let's say the NFL changes the rule, so that the other team gets the ball after the receiving team gets the ball, what happens then? If they score a touchdown and tie it up, they have to kickoff. And now we just had both teams score a touchdown.

Okay so now if the regardless of how, if the receiving team scores they win but there is still going to be opposition. The other team or it's fans are going to complain that their team didn't get the ball back. They didn't get a chance to tie it back up or take the lead. It's going to be a never ending cycle of crying for rule changes because one team lost.

There are three things that can solve the problem. 

One: tell fans and players no and to deal with a loss.

Two: make overtime a full 15 minute quarter. Team with the lead at the end of the quarter wins. Fans dont complain because a team scores as the clock runs in in regulation that they didn't get a chance to tie or come back, so that should in theory make things more understandable.

Three: Treat over time like a hockey shootout. If the receiving team scores, the other team must score, either to tie or to take the lead. If the other team tries it back up, the processes is repeated. If the receiving team fails to score, the opposing team must score or the process gets repeated. Basically to appease fans, the game will never end until the team that does not recieve the ball in overtime's offense fails to tie the game back up or take the lead.

Although I like the rules the way they are, as a sudden death rule, believe that having a full overtime period, or treating overtime like a shootout the way I described are the only ways to settle the fans problems with overtime. I don't see either rule getting implemented.

However, if the NFL just makes it so the other team gets the ball if the receiving team scores a touchdown, I don't see fans and players being happy with that. Because if the receiving team gets the ball back and scores, fans and players will continue to complain that the other team didn't get the ball back for another chance to tie or win if the receiving team kicks a field goal.

At some point the league has to remind fans and teams that there has to be a loser and the if the defense or special teams aren't good enough to stop the other team, maybe the should focus on improving those phases of their team instead of trying to rig the game so they cannot lose.

Maybe the league should tell teams to consinder "stop paying individual players over ten percent of their team's salary so that they have money to spend in other areas."

There was once a phrase "defense wins championships." They don't just win championships in the superbowl, they win them by making key stops during the games leading up to the superbowl. So to the Chiefs and their kingdom, to the Bills and their mafia, yes losing sucks but you lost because your defense got beat. Improve your defense and call better plays.  Better yet, play better in regulation so you don't have to go to overtime.

Good teams don't change the rules so they can win. They don't hang participation banners after losing a conference championship game. They start work on the next game or the next season after a playoff loss. That's the difference between a team staying competitive consistantly and drafting in the top 10 every few years.

Saturday, January 22, 2022

Hawaii Has A Head Coach. It's Not The Head Coach We Wanted But Is It The Head Coach We Needed?

Hawaii named their new head coach on Saturday. Timmy Chang is the new coach of the Rainbow Warriors family. This was after June Jones turned down the job. Although after listening to Dan Meisenzahl's press conference myself like many walked away thinking they didn't want June, didn't like that the fans wanted June. Wouldn't of fired Graham, and sabotaged the negotiations with June to punish fans. That's what was inferred from the statements released by Meisenzahl.

So the Hawaii kid returns home. Chang was born in Hawaii and played for St. Louis High School. Chang played for the Warriors and set several NCAA records, throwing for over 17, 000 yards at the university of Hawaii. Even though Chang was a great college quarterback he went undrafted and would bounce around the NFL, NFL Europe, and CFL before hanging it up.

From 2012 to 2021 Chang has been an assistant coach. He's bounced back and forth between receivers coach and tight ends coach with short stints as a quarterback coach and offensive coordinator. Chang has never coached in the NFL and this will be his fifth college team he will coach for as Hawaii is taking a risk on a youngster (40 year old) with no head coach experience.

Coach Chang had the following statement after being hired. ""I'm back. I'm home. In my heart, I've never left. Like I've always done, I'm ready to give my all for Hawai'i. The highest privilege in coaching is the right to represent an institution as a head coach. This is beyond indescribable. I get to do it here in Hawai'i, where I am from. I am so proud to represent MY school and state. I'm honored to lead the BRADDAHHOOD."

As for June Jones, he feels no ill will towards Chang saying,  “I always root for my guys, and Timmy Chang, I’ll be rooting for him to get it turned around."

Chang has his work ahead of him. Thanks to Todd Graham and Dave Matlin, UH has lost 19 players to the transfer portal, many of which were key players. And with National signing day being only a few days away.

It's uncertain what the senate investigation will decide about the university but the people at the U before Chang was hired still need be held accountable. The good news is the Todd Graham chapter is almost closed with the signing of Head Coach Timmy Chang. And there are a couple of Hawaii Players in the NFL Draft coming up.

Friday, January 21, 2022

It's the contract, not the player you're upset with.

Nelson Agholor was brought in to be the Patriots stretch receiver. Whether or not he was going to be receiver one was up for debate as many thought that role was going to Jakobi Meyers. Since this article isn't about Meyers we won't focus on that. The question is what is the job of a stretch receiver and do the Patriots agree with that?

There were those that wanted Agholor to be a number one but he had about half the targets of Meyers. Although Agholor only caught 37 of his 64 targets, his true catch percentage was 92.5%. Mac was barely 60% accurate throwing him the ball. So that has to take some blame off of Agholor, no?

Agholor was ranked 72 in separation and couldn't make a contested catch only coming away with 25% of them. He was a number four receiver as a contested catch guy. And seeing he was drawing double coverage, his ranking there makes sense. From all the stats listed above, anyone who believes a number one is a big play stretch receiver, then I get why you view Agholor as a failure.

What we saw when Agholor was on the field? He drew coverage as defenses were worried about his speed. What that did was open up the underneath guys and allow Bourne and Meyers to get open. He created the opportunity for others to be productive. If you wanted your stretch guy to do that then combined with his stats, Agholor was a success.

Although we would've all liked Agholor to have had a more productive season stat wise, some of the lack of productivity has to fall on Mac and McDaniels. Overall Agholor did what he was asked to by the Patriots. Agholor had signed a 2 year twenty two million dollar contract with fifteen million in guaranteed. That's pretty big.

So the questions for fans and the team has to be was he worth what he was asked to do? Did his salary create enough production from the underneath routes? And did he do enough as a number two statistically combined with the role he was asked to play and upgrade he added to the offense, warrent his large salary in 2022? That's how we as fans need to look at Nelson Agholor.

I get people wanted a number one but that's not who Agholor was asked to be and we cannot judge Agholor as a big play guy when the Patriots clearly view the slot as a number one. The slot receiver outside of Randy Moss has been the number one guy in New England. Gronk made Edelman's life easier but Edelman was either the number one or a very close second.

If you're wanting to judge someone on a number one receiver's role, you have to compare Meyers to Edelman or Welker and I don't hear anyone in Patriots Nation doing that. However, we must judge Agholor value in comparison to his salary among other number two's. You may or may not still find he's not worth the value but you be doing it accurately. I think many of us are going to find we want his contract restructured and him to take a paycut but what do the Patriots want?

Thursday, January 20, 2022

Numbers Can Be Played With But Will They And Will They Be Done Efficiently?

So Pats cap was busy doing his rounds and gave out some information. One of the reasons he admits to having lower numbers is he says he adjusted for the "proven performance escalator" increases, and the "active roster" bonuses. Now people are going to want a second opinion. Pats cap says use "over the cap". He says they're a little slow but more accurate than spotrac.

Quick note, The Patriots can tender RFAs until March 16th at around 4 pm. They also have until June 1st to mess around with salaries and contracts before it hurts the 2022 season. So there could be a revolving door.

Currently Pats cap says the Patriots only have around three and a half million to play with in 2022. And their carry over is barely six figures. Pats cap admits to being an amateur and says the pats can play around with numbers without cutting and get near forty million. Key note, just because they can doesn't mean they will. I'll talk more about that later.

Evan Lazar noted that a second round tender is just under four million dollars if they tender Jakobi Meyers. Something to think about. Pats cap noted players with a second round tender "don't get offer sheets."

As for JC Jackson, Pats Cap says his salary is in the seventeen to eighteen million dollar range. And he expects they'll try to get him some place in between. He also says if they tag him, they'll have a few days to try and get a deal done. And that Belichick could play with numbers.

Jonnu Smith apparently has the power over his contract as the Patriots cannot afford to cut him and his contract is kinda large to try and move without paying a team to take him. It's complicated but Pats cap says there's a way if the Patriots wanna try that route. 

Agholor is also not likely going anywhere and a trade would hurt the Patriots salary cap. And Pats cap says, "Isaiah Wynn would have to agree to an extension before a trade," would be agreed upon.

If Judon restructures and Henry agrees to an extension, the Patriots could potentially free up close to eleven million dollars in salary cap. Those two and Godchaux, Pats Cap expects the Patriots to play with the contracts of for certain.

And there maybe conversations in the building about who to keep between Karras or Mason with other factors coming into play. Pats cap would see Mason stay. However, remember it's what the Patriots want.

And then the elephant in the room. Can the Patriots bring in a number one receiver via free agency. With a long contract, Pats cap says it can be done. If the Patriots decide to do that, than it comes down to how the Patriots define a number one. Patriots long time offensive line coach thinks that includes slot guys but what does Bill think?

After listening to Pats Cap, there is room for hope. However, this is going off that the Patriots accountants can come up with good numbers, how the Patriots scout their own roster, what the team wants to do going forward and if players are willing to let their salaries be played with. There's a lot of what if's in the conversations that were had with Pats Cap and Both Evan Lazar and Phil Perry. So take it as a positive spin but understand that things could still go very wrong. And we'll probably see some head scratching moves.

This is going to be a long offseason.

What Defines A Number One Depends On Interpretation

I don't know if I'm going to have enough to write about this but I have something to say on the subject. For years the Patriots had Julian Edelman and fans cried for a number one. Anything saying Edelman was a number one was met with disagreement or that he wasn't a real number one. People wanted Randy Moss, Dez Bryant, and at the end of Jules's career, OBJ. 

I heard Scarnecchia talk about number ones. So I asked,  was a number one a big play guy or security blanket? Was a number one exclusively a stretch guy or could they be a slot guy. After someone I respected answered, I realized I wanted to hear what I wanted to hear. So thank you Ray Rauth for speaking your opinion. Ray doesn't like yes men, and I see why. So I realized on occasion, I need to learn to agree to disagee when it's not a question of morals.

A Stretch guy draws coverage down field and opens stuff up underneath. They catch the over the shoulder passes. They are typically good at contested catches which means they might not be the best at separating. Which means number one's as stretch guys occasionally have to be forced the ball. And because they have to run sprints so much, they also occasionally take plays off.

Slot guys have agility and acceleration. They're good at the underneath and intermediate stuff. They're good over the middle and especially in the quick passing game. They're also normally good at getting open off the snap. A number one slot is normally a possession receiver that's typically always open. But they're not always a head of the sticks so they have to be good at getting YAC. They're also often prone to injury due to taking so many shots across the middle. 

When I was young I remember Joe Montana throwing to Jerry Rice. My father is a huge Niners fan. They had other guys but Rice was their speedy number one. He was the big play guy. He was what it meant to be the number one. In my teens, the 90s, my teens are a bit of a blur but I remember 2 pass catchers from the Bledsoe era. Terry Glenn who wasn't around long, and Ben Coates. Coates was the number one. From my memory looking back 20-27 years ago. Coates got a lot of check down and over the middle throws. He was Bledsoe's security blanket. 

Rice and Coates were both number one targets, with very different skill sets. The 49ers also had Brent Jones but while he was a security blanket, he wasn't a number one. (A security blanket and a number one aren't always the same thing.). Just like although the Patriots had Agholor he wasn't the number one, Meyers was but Meyers was also a security blanket. Agholor got paid a lot of money to open up the underneath stuff. And when he was out, we say teams didn't care about Harry or Wilkerson trying to go down field and came up.

Getting another stretch guy in free agency or the draft could be helpful but so could a slot guy that can get open from the snap. I admit the Patriots need another stretch guy but I also think they need another reliable slot guy. And another pass catching back. Do the Patriots need a true number one, no. They can make due with a bunch of number twos and elite number threes.

However, a number one would or could be helpful but it all depends on the system fit. Change an offense for one player and it could mess up the entire offense. Don't change the offense to fit the player and the player suffers. Hence a declining Cam Newton couldn't operate the Patriots passing game and his passing stats and performance showed it.

So scheme fit is a must and if that means passing on a number one, so be it. The Patriots gotta do what's best for the team. Over the past 20 years, even thought some don't acknowledge it, the Patriots have had three number ones. Edelman, Welker, and Moss but it comes down to how one defines a number one. If one defines a number one as a big play guy, then the Patriots only had one. And it's disagreements that don't matter, no matter how important sports is or isn't to human civilization.

The Two Head Dragon Leading The Patriots Defense Was Actually A Multiple Headed Hydra.

Ignoring the players lack of execution, speed, age, and injury, the Patriots may have had a bigger issue. The defense seemed demoralized after the bye and didn't seem to have the energy that they had prior. There is talk that over the Patriots last five games including the playoffs, that they didn't like the game plan. They didn't like how they were used. Steve Belichick is getting all the blame but is he responsible?

Jarod Mayo had more responsibility than realized. It's well believed that Steve Belichick is the head defensive coach but that might not be true. It's why teams want him as their head coach. Look at what NBC Boston wrote.

Tom Curran of NBC Boston "Which leaves Mayo third in line. But I’m told Mayo’s role is a lot bigger than perceived. And though the possibility of naming Mayo and Steve Belichick co-defensive coordinators was broached by the team, my understanding is that idea fell flat."

Just because Mayo is not wearing the headset doesn't mean anything. Bill plays mind games, he does things for show. By not placing the headset on Mayo is he trying to hide Mayo's value by making it look like he does less or Steve's by letting him take the blame?

What is Matt Patricia's role with the Patriots? In July, Andrew Callahan said, "Matt Patricia is now officially a Senior Football Advisor..." but has that changed?

After Patricia's return D-Mac said the following about Patricia, "He’s kind of been involved in everything. It’s a unique advantage and understanding, kind of similar to Josh McDaniels, who was also a head coach. To be able to talk to those guys about anything (is great)." 

D-Mac said he wasn't just there to be a mentor but to be part of the team. Saying, "Matty’s been able to be part of a bunch of different things because he has a unique viewpoint, and me as an older player who’s been with him, what he meant to the defense and now to have him back I think will overall help the whole building. Players, coaches, staff members just to be able to have open dialogue with him and let him use his experience and knowledge (is valuable).”

Eagles beat writer Bill Burr wrote the following about the Patriots defensive problems, he credited the Patriots defense including,"the brain trust, with Bill Belichick, Matt Patricia and co-defensive coordinators Steve Belichick and Jerod Mayo participating in the game plans.

Those guys are supposed to be game-planning the other team’s running backs, which usually means controlling the clock and, when up two scores, the game."

Burr also said the following about the Patriots defense performance during regular season, "The Patriots defense, in five of its seven losses, couldn’t get the other team’s offense off the field at the end of a game."

Burr credited the defense as a strength for the Patriots but also said it was a weakness. And he laid blame with the coach staff along with the players. Although Mac sometimes put the team behind, Burr said in the defense prevented him from making "fourth quarter comebacks because they couldn't get him the ball."

Greg Bedard said to those hyping the Patriots defensive ranks to look at their games from Indianapolis to the playoff loss to buffalo and said the defense was "last or near last in DVOA, and over their last four games they were average in DVOA."

There were multiple people giving instructions to the defense. Matt Patricia was free to offer advice but when, where, and to whom? Did he have his say in the game planning? It looked like it. Then there was Steve and Mayo being "co coordinators," were they always on the same page? And didn't Bill take over the defense at one point this season?

There were too many roosters in the hen house. Add that to Age, lack of execution, covid, and injury and it was a cocktail for disaster. The Patriots should come back stronger in 2022 but they have some issues to fix with the coaching. They need one voice, maybe two with Bill being the second. Having four or more guys giving their say is led to problems, even if the team won't admit it publicly.

Wednesday, January 19, 2022

Farm Trucks Breakdown When They're Not Kept Up And So Do NFL Defenses.

Steve Belichick has come under fire. Fans want him stripped of his play calling duties because his defense looked a bit too much like the Matt Patricia defense this past season. Fans are ignoring some things. Yes the defense needs addressing but the problem isn't completely the defensive play calling, ability to execute has to be taken into account.

The Patriots played the Bills, Colts, and I'm going to include the Dolphins after the bye. We're not gonna talk about Jacksonville but the other three teams should all be wildcard worthy. Idk what happened in Miami but they had the talent. Where was Judon and Barmore? They didn't play so well in the final games. And I get Judon was getting held but still. Plus we knew Barmore wasn't a run stopper like Wilfork but his pass rush ability could've been better.

Van Noy, Collins, and Hightower, the three boogie men looked old. They can still be support pieces but they're not fast enough to be the defensive starters. And what happened with Winovich and Uche? They were non factors this season. 

J.C. did okay but he cannot cover some of the better pass catchers. And the team has no depth in the secondary. The safeties are hybrid linebackers. The secondary is built to play the big nickle or 3-2-6 and it missed both Gilmore and Jones's presence.

The team has some players returning from the injured reserve in 2022 but they need to get younger and faster on defense. They need a true nose guard that can disrupt the pocket so that Barmore more can be more of an interior pass rusher. They need younger linebackers who have some speed, they need an outside corner and a free safety to backup or replace McCourty.

Steve Belichick needs to get away from Matt Patricia but he was not the entire problem. The Patriots defense was like a broken down farm truck, it was serviceable but when it had to do the heavy pulling, it just couldn't get'er done. As fans we've gotten so used to a dominant defense that we have to look for a scapegoat and just like with the offense, we're blaming the coordinator. We're in a rebuild. The Patriots don't have the Brady offense and they don't have the Bruschi defense, sorry. 

Bill Awarded Future Contracts, New England Is On To 2022.

The Patriots signed six names to futures contracts. Of those six most will be camp bodies but there are two names to keep an eye on. Kristian Wilkerson and Quinn Nordin. This doesn't make either a lock to be in camp come August but the Patriots seem to like them.

Let's start with Nordin. He spent part of the season on the injured reserve before being placed on the practice squad. The Patriots spent a lot of time in the offseason with Nordin but his accuracy was inconsistent at best. If Nick Folk is re-signed Nordin could spend another season on the practice squad. The same is true if they draft a kicker but I think if Folk is not brought back that Nordin will be in a competition for the job.

Wilkerson got some time towards the end of the season. He's more of a Z than an X in my opinion. The Patriots tried him while Agholor was out. He's shown chemistry with Jones and could sneak on to the roster as a number 4 receiver in 2022. Him and Harry seem like they're set for a battle if Harry is still around in 2022. Wilkerson could be a play maker but only if he doesn't have to fill in for a bigger role.

Future contracts means the team has started their moves for 2022. The players are taking some time to rest but I'm pretty sure Belichick is hard at work preparing for the upcoming free agency and draft. I think Bill needs to give his Coordinators some film to watch to learn improve their play calling but it's good to know Bill isn't sleeping. Patriots nation we're on to 2022.

Sunday, January 16, 2022

The Patriots Season Is Over, Time To Start The Offseason Work.

The Patriots went into 2019 the defending superbowl champions and went on to play in the wildcard weekend where they lost to Tennessee. As long as they had Tom Brady, they were a contender. So it was just a little more demoralizing when fans found out he had already checked out and was planning to sign elsewhere.

In 2020 Jarrett Stidham and Cam Newton would compete for the starting job. Newton was the favorite to win the job but with exception to his legs, he never really looked better than Jarrett Stidham. The Patriots would finish 7-9 and miss the playoffs. The pass catchers were below average but the quarterback play was way worse. The Patriots' quarterbacks showed it don't matter how athletic they are if they can't complete a pass.

In 2021 the Patriots made upgrades to the offense. They signed four pass catchers and drafted a quarterback in the first round. There was a split on whether or not Mac should start. By the end of the preseason, many had been converted into thinking Mac Jones should sit including myself. So Bill Belichick cut Cam Newton and named Mac Jones the starter. Go figure, right.

Anyone who seen Cam Newton play in Carolina this season knows Bill made the correct decision. Mac Jones would game manage and at times play like a rookie. The Patriots had a few close games but did their job for the most part and finished 10-7. Like in 2020, if a few plays had gone their way and they could've easily won 14 games but it is what it is.

I had the Patriots with Mac as the starter as a 7 win team but I thought Cam's legs and experience could net them 9 wins with potential to make the playoffs if things went well. Mac Jones was more NFL ready than a lot of people thought. So reflecting back on the 2021 season, I believe the Patriots were truly a double digit win, wildcard team. The thing with "wildcard" teams is they should be a level below the division winners.

Had the seeding of been different, the Patriots could've gone toe to toe with the Cincinnati Bengals, who beat the Raiders 26 to 19. However seeding did not benefit the Patriots and they were out coached. And out played. This wasn't something new. Since the bye week, the Patriots have lacked urgency and it's shown. The Bills did their job but the Patriots also helped Buffalo by beating themselves.

The Patriots looked slow on defense. And although Barmore is improving, the interior of the defensive line cannot stop the run. Offensively today they couldn't catch the ball. They still don't have a guy that can get separation the way Edelman did. Plus when Agholor's not on the field, this season, defenses aren't afraid of the other guys going deep. The offensive line is inconsistent and there's been a lack of focus and hustle from the entire roster.

The Patriots have needs to address on the roster without a doubt but Robert Kraft called out the coaches during the 2021 offseason. And they need to get called out again. The coordinators need to do a better job scheming and using personnel. The rest of the staff has to not only get the roster prepared for game day but they have to do a better job developing them. 

I don't expect there to be any news coming out of Foxboro until after the superbowl with exception to coaches being interviewed. I expect a lot of film watching and meetings internally between Kraft, Belichick, and the rest of the coaching staff. Stuff we won't know about. There should be a chance that someone gets demoted or fired. There were areas that just weren't well coached this season. Changes need to be made in some fashion.

The Patriots aren't going to have a ton of money to spend this offseason, so a lot of their roster moves are going to have to come from the draft. An area Kraft said the Patriots would have to do better in going forward. Belichick was given credit for the 2021 draft, can he keep it going? Only time will tell. Until then it's going to be a long offseason. 

Friday, January 14, 2022

Todd Graham Is No Longer Head Coach Todd Graham.

Head coach Todd Graham was hired to bring the Rainbow Warriors of Hawaii to bowl games and to win championships. Under his leadership Hawaii would have an 11-11 record and would be invited to two bowl games, playing in one of them as the pandemic and recent events would prevent them from playing in the second. However Hawaii would also see controversy under his reign as head coach. Controversy that would see senators not only speak out on the football program but investigate it.

On Friday January 14, 2022 after talking with athletics director for the University of Hawaii, Coach Todd Graham stepped down from the football program. This came a week after an on going investigation by the Hawaii state Senate in which there was severe testimony against Graham, the staff, and the program. By quitting Graham walks away from approximately one and a half million dollars give or take but also saves his name unless the state Senate decides to go public with the findings.

Graham released a statement upon showing himself the door. In his escape out of town Graham said, "I am grateful to have had the opportunity to serve as the Head Football Coach at the University of Hawaiʻi. for the past two seasons. After much prayer and reflection with my family, I have come to the conclusion that I will step away as head coach of the Rainbow Warriors, with a very heavy heart. I want to give my thanks and appreciation to the players, staff and coaches who persevered through all the challenges of 2020 and 2021. It wasn’t easy, but they all fought the good fight and we did things the right way.

Our staff poured our hearts and souls into our players and truly made a difference in their lives. I could not have asked more of their commitment, work ethic and love for our players and football program. But it is clear to me that I must step away and do what is best for me and my family and my health. I honor, value and love all of my players and coaches and I wish you the very best. The University has not asked me to step down. I am leaving solely for my family and my health. We have laid a strong foundation for future success, and I will always be cheering you on!"

Graham states that he has laid a strong foundation for the future of the program. A foundation that saw many good players leave the program including the starting quarterback, starting running back, and one of if not the top defender on the team. Overall 19 players in total left the program, several before the season was even completed. That made the Warriors short on players with the number on covid protocols and thus they could not compete in the bowl game in December.

It is unclear what the findings of the investigation is but the investigation must be seen to it's completion. Hawaii now begins it's search for their next head coach. Hopefully it will be someone with NFL experience that can get more alumni into the pros and bring in more money for the university. The desire is that Graham's successor have ties to the university. I am okay if the coach does not come from pride rock as long as they can accept the culture from the islands.  Maybe someone like former LSU running backs coach Kevin Faulk.

I think the more important questions that needs be asked now is how much damage did the Todd Graham era do to the program and what will it take to fix it. Those are answers that will come with the results of the Senate investigation. It's sad that players had to go public but it's doubtful this situation would've been handled if they hadn't. It's time to come together. 

Mālama ka 'ohana i ka pōhaku

Wednesday, January 12, 2022

Is Mac Headed Up The Mountain, Is He Stuck, Or Will He Fall Like A Leaf?

Coming in to the 2021 season Mac Jones was said to be the most NFL ready quarterback. His floor was supposed to be the highest of the top quarterbacks but he was also said to have the lowest ceiling of the rookie crop. Mac Jones was the best of the rookie quarterbacks in 2021 but many people are saying he's not going to get much better. So who is Mac Jones?

Pro football reference ranks Mac Jones as the number 13 quarterback in the NFL. That's average to slightly above average. Again, if Mac was coming in with a higher floor, then that's not a bad place to be. And the Patriots got a productive year as he led them to the playoffs in his rookie year. Let's continue with his stats.

As a rookie Mac finished 8th in completion percentage and 13th in yards. Mac finished 14th in touchdowns but was 10th in interceptions. Jones was ranked 14th in throwing for a first down. Guys gotta get open on that stat but Jones has to see them and get them the ball.

People complained that Jones was a check down or game managing quarterback. I don't care about that. All I care about is was he moving the football, so Jones being ranked 15th in yards per attempt doesn't bother me. Jones was ranked 26th in sacks, that's great. Jones was sacked less then Aaron Rodgers, Russell Wilson, Ben Roethlisberger, Matt Ryan, David Carr, Joe Burrow.

The problem was when the Patriots needed Mac Jones to lead them from behind, he didn't do it enough. Mac was in the bottom third of the league with 1 game winning drive. Mac also only had 1 fourth quarter comeback. The Patriots were in a lot of close games this season but there were a few they got behind because of Jones.

There was mentioning this season of Mac Jones "took it hard," that he was "beating himself up." I've never worried about Mac hearing foot steps. I've never worried about his ball security. Nor have I worried about his arm strength. My concern over Mac is that he's a perfectionist and struggles to let things go. 

There were three times in front of the media during the offseason where Mac had to be calmed down and talked to by Cam Newton, Brian Hoyer, Josh McDaniels, and David Andrews. How many times have we heard Mac saying he needs to play better, that he can play better? Add to that the little comments his teammates have made about him after a loss. 

This is the Patriots, they're not gonna come out and say Mac was rattled by making mistakes but one can put two and two together. I have heard people say Mac is what he is. Mac is a slightly above average quarterback that beats himself by not letting go of mistakes. If that's who the Patriots drafted and they cannot fix him, he may win games but it's doubtful he'll ever be a championship quarterback. It's a shame because he has everything else needed to be successful in the nfl.

Mac Jones has his first playoff game coming up against the Buffalo Bills Saturday night in Buffalo. The game is expected to be in cold and wintery conditions. The Patriots may need Mac to step up and the weather is sure to cause a few errant throws. If the game is on the line, does Mac have the mental toughness to let things go and win the game or will he beat himself. That is what Patriots fans need to know.

This is not about fixing his confidence so much as fixing his mentality. There was a question asked about if he should be benched for Hoyer. My answer is the Patriots gotta do what's best for the team. If Mac is unable to clear his mind and focus, then yes. If the game is close late and Mac is a liability, bring in Hoyer if need be. Mac won't handle being benched well but both being benched or losing is going to have him beating himself up. So the team has to come first.

Fingers crossed that Mac doesn't let us down because his emotional control brings up memories of Ryan Leaf. And that's the last thing anyone wants because Leaf had a very short career in the NFL. Like Leaf. Mac has promise but unlike Leaf, Mac has better mental health care and Mac still has a chance to beat his demons. Patriots Nation, we're on to Buffalo and all we can do is hope if we need Mac he comes through.

Is It Time To Consider Replacing McDaniels As The Offensive Coordinator.

I've been adamant for years that the Patriots do not need a number one receiver. That all the Patriots were lacking with how they spread the ball around was a decent number two quality stretch receiver. While I still believe they don't need a number one, they seem to have an issue with getting the ball down field when they shouldn't.

Nelson Agholor has proven to draw coverage. That's what a true stretch receiver will do. Whether Agholor a number one or a number two, it doesn't matter, he's getting the defenses attention. The problem is Agholor is not getting targeted but the question is why. If the problem is Mac Jones, that can be fixed. If the problem is lack of separation, because he's getting double coverage that could explain that. However, there might be another reason.

Josh McDaniels has admitted to not using N'Keal Harry properly in previous seasons. Harry called out the Patriots earlier this season and demanded a trade. Then later this season McDaniels admitted that he's done a bad job at using Jonnu Smith and needs to do a better job at getting him the ball. There are some that that think Jonnu is a better tight end then Henry, I disagree but it still doesn't change things. McDaniels isn't doing a good enough job.

I have said for years that the league has caught up to McDaniels. That he should stay a coordinator and not be promoted. There are those now saying that McDaniels was a product of Brady. That might be the consensus around the league as McDaniels hasn't been requested for coaching interviews. Jacksonville was a place that was believed could be a fit for the Patriots coordinator.

If McDaniels cannot figure out how to use a stretch receiver, a contested catch receiver, or a move tight end properly than the Patriots really need to think about replacing him. The offense has been on the vanilla side since 2018. The pass catchers got the blame, as fans asked who Brady and Cam had to throw to. Now there were some that blamed McDaniels in 2019 and Newton in 2020 but the pass catchers got the majority of the wrath. Which is why Dorsett, Byrd, and Izzo are gone.

On the season Agholor has 64 targets, Smith has 45, and Harry has a lonely 22. Two of the three are thought to be better pass catchers than Brandon Bolden who has 49 targets. Agholor is fourth on the team in targets. While Jakobi Meyers has over 120 targets. Meyers targets could be on Mac Jones but it could be on McDaniels as it would appear that he doesn't know how to scheme at least three of his players open.

There are people that have said the problem isn't with the players the Patriots draft, that it's been with development. Robert Kraft appeared to put blame on the coaching staff this past offseason. With what we've seen from the Patriots offense this season, the problem maybe with how they're used and not their development. 

McDaniels is believed to be the front runner for the job after Bill Belichick steps down. However with how things are looking, if McDaniels cannot find away to use his weapons, it maybe time to cut strings. Was Tom Brady carrying Josh McDaniels? McDaniels didn't work in Denver and the Rams were also quick to dump the coordinator. The more the Patriots pass catchers struggles. The more it looks like that was the case.

Thursday, January 6, 2022

Sports Leagues Aren't The Only Ones The Have To Respect Player Safety.

As a rookie RGIII played with a bad knee in the playoff game against Seattle. It was reported that head coach Mike Shanahan was advised to sit his star quarterback. RGIII would get hurt in the fourth quarter and his career was never the same. Washington has denied that they were ever told to sit RGIII. That was almost a decade ago.

During the 2020 season, Tom Brady played with a torn MCL in his left knee. The injury was not reported.The Buccaneers would go in to win a superbowl. And of course the Buccaneers would say they didn't think his injury was that bad.

A season later and there is issues concerning Antonio Brown. First thought, it's AB. However, He said he was cut in game for refusing to play injured. Video of him leaving the stadium doesn't help him. The team tried to act like they had zero knowledge, and tries to pin all blame on to AB. AB released some documentation stating otherwise and was quickly released.

League rules state, "It is NFL policy that information for dissemination to the public on all injured players be reported in a satisfactory manner by clubs to the league office, the opposing team, local and national media, and broadcast partners each game week of the regular season and postseason (including for the two Super Bowl teams between the Championship Games and Super Bowl)."

Bruce Arians has a history of playing injured players. And in the NFL, winning comes before everything, followed by money. Now there are old school fans who still believe that you play injured. Who believe in the Al Davis mantra of "Just win baby."

I spoke with a cowboys fan, who is also my supervisor about the AB thing. And it changed this article. He believes all blame falls on AB. He said "if a guy is too injured to play, he won't play. If he wants to play injured, the team can't stop him." I pointed out that the coaches have say who goes on the field regardless of who wants to play but he insisted that "if AB wanted on the field, the team couldn't stop him." 

By his logic, if all 53 guys decided they wanna play offense then all 53 guys have to be allowed on the field if they all walk on at the same time.

Any ways the supervisor goes on to say that "a player decides whether he wants to put his health before his career or money, or if he wants to put money before his health. They can't be made to sit and they cannot be made to play. They have free will."

I told him If a guy refuses to play, he runs the risk of being cut and potentially black balled out of the league. If a guy plays hurt he runs the risk of ending up like RGIII or worse. Either decision has money implications but if a player refuses to play, they're likely to be tainted by their team.

My supervisor responded to that with "there's no such thing as black balling. A league cannot tell a team that they cannot sign someone and that if a team refuses to sign a player, then they have to be a trouble maker or a bum. It's why Kaepernick isn't playing. He's a bum."

I ignorned the Kaep part because I am at work and because I had a lot to say on that which could cause issues I don't need. I'll say this if he wasn't advocating, he would of had a backup job at the bar minimum. Whether he had the skills to still be playing, I don't know.

I asked what label he thought a player would get if they were hurt, refused to play, got into a disagreement with the coaches about it, and then went public with it after being told of punishment for refusing to play.

He responded "It's still the players decision to play football. He can get another job." Basically implying that a player has all power over their careers and a team or league has little to none. 

There are those like myself that believe that the players are human and have to be treated as such. We know that player safety takes a backseat to winning and money. And we want not only an investigation into what happened in Tampa but reform throughout the game.

However, there are fans like my supervisor, who stand bye the Buccaneers. Who don't believe that any coach or team that makes their players play injured are doing any wrong. They don't care if injuries are reported and think the players and modern rules are too soft. Old school fans that believe "if they can walk, they can play."

The point of this article is not only does the NFL have to do a better job at enforcing rules and defining what's acceptable behavior from non acceptable behavior, while changing the mind set on player safety; as fans we have to demand the same thing from fellow fans. Players aren't just meat puppets and we cannot allow them to be treated as such by are fellow fans.

Yes there's some risk to playing professional sports. They play knowing they could get injured. There's no reason that the games shouldn't evolve to limit injuries while staying true to the sport. There's a difference in knowing you might get injured and expecting to be asked or required to play injured. Safety rules are put in place for a reason, like it or not. And it is the team that needs to be held responsible if found violating those rules. And those involved punished.

Not long ago Matt Schaub was the quarterback of the Houston Texans. When he got hurt, the hometown fans in Houston cheered and celebrated. That was a sick display and something unbecoming of any fanbase. Any fan that calls athletes soft needs be educated and if they still hold no regard for player's health and safety, they need be exiled. We need to show unity as a fanbase that this mindset will not be tolerated.

Changing the game starts with the fanbase because without us, there is no professional sports league.