Respect The Quarterback Play

What is an average quarterback? For many it's cracking the top 16. That's not an accurate assessment. Because it puts way too many quarterbacks as below average or bad. When looking at the scale, it should look like this.

13 to 20 are average range. Since there are 32 quarterbacks, 16 and 17 are the most averaged ranked quarterbacks in the NFL. This tier should have the most quarterbacks in it. These guys at the very least should be able to manage a game. While the group below them needs a supporting cast, this group is a little more capable.

From 21 to 26 are below average quarterbacks. These guys need a supporting cast and are the but can still manage a game. These are typically the bridge quarterbacks. Although teams would prefer to get their bridge from the a tier higher.

From 27 to 32, these are guys that are bad. Typically they are either in development or should be backups. There maybe the guy who has fallen victim to circumstances here but for the most part, if your quarterback is here, it's most likely time to start shopping for either a quarterback or a lot of supporting offensive talent.

From ranks 7 through 12, these are the above average to good quarterbacks. They are guys a team can win with that should be able to allow a team to win because of. They might not be able to do it every game but there should be about a 50% chance that they could be trusted to carry the team if needed.

From ranks 1 through 6, these are the good to elite quarterbacks. They can carry a team when need be. They elevate those around them. They are the field generals. And the no questions asked franchise quarterbacks. I listed this group last because it's the most talked about. 

We need to stop acting like those ranked 17 and on are all bad quarterbacks. It's unrealistic and it puts too much expectations on the players. Having a clear tier rank for average players allows for more accurate rankings of the good and the bad quarterbacks. People need to stop expecting every quarterback to be Aaron Rodgers, Tom Brady, Patrick Mahomes, or Lamar Jackson.

There Is No Consensus Path For The Patriots Going Forward

There are conflicting opinions on what the Patriots need to do with their coaching and front office staff. Depending on which camp you fall into, you may think this is going to take a couple of years for Bill to fix or you may think it's gonna take a couple of years for someone else to fix.

Bill Polian basically told Tom E. Curran that the Patriots should keep Bill Belichick and let him do his thing. He acknowledged Bill as still being a good coach. And says Bill finally realized that he needs to rebuild the offense. From what Polian is saying, I guess the question is, will the Krafts allow Bill to do the rebuild, if that is what Bill wants to finally do?

Nick Cattles says there is a mutiny in the Patriots locker room. Is Robert Kraft going to let Bill Belichick handle the locker room. Has Belichick lost the Patriots way? Cattles implies that Bill needs Robert Kraft to meddle and hold Belichick accountable, which is something in the first podcast that Bill Polian says would hinder the progress of the team.

Greg Bedard mentions that offensive line coach Klemm is not with the team and asks if it is a legit medical reason or if it is a more serious issue. Bedard again says not to expect a mid season firing of Belichick. Belichick the general manager got criticized again and they imply he needs to be stripped of the position.

Regardless of the opinion one has, there is another with a different opinion. At the moment, the only concensus is that the 2023 Patriots are a bad and dysfunctional team. And the goes from the ownership down. People can day what they thinks going to happen but nobody knows for certain. Even Robert Kraft. He could fire Bill Belichick and say the team is going to return to the post season and the team could have the following decade as bad it was from '65 to '75.

The Media Wants Belichick Out Of New England.

CBS did a podcast where they say Belichick could be fired after a loss in Germany. They call it a mistake on the Patriots if they do so. They also imply that the Patriots requiring a work ethic from their players is arrogant. That I disagree with. 

Vrabel is a former Patriots player but he is not a true Belichick tree coach. McDaniels peaked as an offensive coordinator. And Flores had too much meddling in Miami from the office. It's funny how people have stopped talking about Mayo.

As for Belichick, CBS mentions something I have mentioned several times. Taking the GM hat away from Bill. I would not completely shut Bill out of the picture. He knows defense. He knows how to build and run a defensive staff and unit. 

The problem is when it comes to the offensive side of the ball. I do think Belichick can select an offensive coordinator. And I don't have issue with the offensive system. Bill doesn't run the flashy high turnover risk offense the rest of the league runs but he doesn't know how to evaluate offensive personnel. 

Ivan Fears and Scar were two decent coaches. So far the replacements do not appear to know how to coach up the talent. Then there's Troy Brown. He may or may not have developed Meyers but Douglas was said to of been an early day two talent that was undersized. His play is not due to Brown. 

Bill O'Brien does not appear to be able to be the coordinator and the quarterbacks coach. Brining McDaniels back to coach up the quarterbacks could help. And the rest of the non defensive staff has not gotten it done either. And nobody outside the defense seems to know how to teach fundamentals. 

The Patriots didn't know how to use Dwayne Allen. They didn't know to use Jonnu Smith. They didn't know how to use Nelson Agholor or N'Keal Harry. And they don't seem to know how to use Tyquan Thorton, Boutte, or Ty Montgomery. Montgomery is supposed to be a third down pass catching back. And he hasn't been anything. 

Not only do they not know how to use them but at the moment they don't appear to fit in the system meaning they scouted wrong and signed players they shouldn't have. Nothing new, they brought in guys like Sanu and Smith-Schuster, while letting guys like Berrios and Meyers walk.

I think the Patriots can evaluate quarterbacks but do not know how to get the most out of them. Play calling with Newton and Mac are two examples.

Demote Bill to assistant GM and let him continue to do his magic with the defense but put a new GM in charge of the rest of the team.

One quick thought to keep in mind. Bill in 2022 seemed to wanna switch to a McVeigh & Shanahan system. In 2023 the Robert Kraft made Bill revert to the Brady system. And Bill had players on the roster for the system he wanted, that don't fit his current system. Robert Kraft also appears to like pocket quarterbacks and may of been the one behind drafting Mac Jones. 

Robert Kraft has made his presence known the past few seasons, when he typically stays in the shadows. Kraft has to be given blame for his role in the teams dysfunction and collapse. 

Patriots Issues Heading Towards November.

There are a couple of things going around Patriots Nation. From Mac Jones to Bill Belichick, the Patriots have their issues and people are teeing off on them. For the most part people are just wrong.

Listening to the Patriots Talk Podcast interview with the former GM, unless the Patriots believe they're going to be drafting first or second, they have to draft help for Mac. The team cannot afford to trade up Into the number two spot, not even from the number 3. 

I came Into the 2023 season saying Mac Jones was statistically, the same quarterback he was after the 2021 season. That was based on projected stats for the games he missed and the one he was benched for.

The Patriots need to see if they can figure out how to use Thorton this season and if he can get seperation and draw coverage down field.

Will Rogers looks like the best passer in the 2024 NFL Draft to me. The concern is that he is an Air Raid Quarterback, which Alex Barth brought up in the Patriots Beat Podcast. There have been several Quarterbacks to play at a decent level in the NFL, that came from an Air Raid system. 

Jared Golf took the Rams to the Superbowl. Geno Smith is the starting quarterback for the Seahawks. Nick Foles won a Superbowl. Jimmy Garoppolo lead the 49ers to the superbowl. Patrick Mahomes is a multiple time superbowl champion. The Air Raid has a stigmatizism around it but there have been a fair share of quarterbacks to to play in the NFL from those systems. Evan Lazar in a podcast a little further down praises the Air Raid offense.

I don't think the Patriots need to draft Mac Jones' replacement but they do need to get a quality backup quarterback and Rogers could be a guy that could develop into a starter.

So there's talk about the Patriots moving on from Belichick. Dumbest shit ever. Belichick as the head coach is not the issue. The problem is Belichick the general manager. Now if Bill doesn't want to give up general manager duties, them there's an issue with Belichick but until them, any talk about firing Belichick as the head coach  ends to stop. 

The Patriots need a new offensive coaching staff. Listening to Alex Barth and Evan Lazar, the Patriots not only cannot score in the first half this season but they are not able to run the offensive game plan. And they're committing mental errors. Troy Brown has been a coach that I have said needs to go for a few seasons now. He cannot coach seperation. The special teams coaches need to go also, Lazar talked about how bad they are.

Alex Barth mentioned Josh McDaniels to replace Bill O'Brien as the offensive coordinator. That maybe true but the Raiders are 3-3 and would have to fall apart. The Patriots offense seems to be worse than the 2022 Matt Patricia coached offense. Whether that's due to the roster Bill B. built, the staff Belichick built, or O'Brien's skill level, I don't know.

I wrote a blog yesterday talking about the Patriots problems. They only need two players on defense. They can address that via the draft or free agency. The Patriots need at least 7 offensive players to fix the current roster (Backup quarterback, receiving back, fullback, two different style receivers and two tackles). And that's before the current roster becomes free agent at the end of the season. 

Belichick can evaluate defensive talent as a GM but he needs to lose say over the offensive side of the ball for now. Bill needs a co-gm, whether that's Matt Groh or someone else. Bill Belichick only has a few years left in the tank. Get a co-gm and start prepping for Bill's eventual retirement.

The Patriots Have Basically The Same Needs They Entered The 2023 Offseason With.

Coming into the 2023 offseason, the Patriots needed a few things. Outside corner, Free safety, Nose tackle, Fullback, Receiving back, Slot receiver, Speed X receiver, Backup tight end, Tackle, and both legs. The team acquired Damario Douglas, Mike Gesicki, Gonzalez, and both legs. 

The Patriots signed and drafted a few more players but nobody's worked out. If the team kept this roster to start the 2024 season, it would still need several of those positions plus a backup or developmental starting quarterback.

Defensively, if the Patriots can keep the unit intact, all they need is a run stopping nose guard / tackle and a free safety. It's the easiest unit to fix. And probably the one the staff is most qualified to fix.

On offense, I still have faith in Mac Jones but the quarterback room needs someone that can backup Mac and possibly start. A mid round guy. I like three quarterbacks, Will Rogers from Mississippi State, Shedeur Sanders from Colorado, and Grayson McCall from Coastal Carolina. 

The Patriots need a pass catching slot back. They refused to bring in Calvin Turner Jr from Hawaii. They need a fullback or H-Back but the Patriots don't seem to know how to use the H-Back as a fullback, not since Devlin and Johnson left.

Tyquan Thorton is a deep slot and I will die on that hill. They drafted Boutte and Douglas but they don't have a field stretching speedster at the X and Bourne is an inconsistent Z receiver. Acquiring a guy that can be a speedster at both the X and Z is a necessity. 

The Patriots also need offensive tackles. They drafted a bunch of Linemen in the 2023 draft but they really don't have a quality starting tackle. Trent Brown is not playing good enough in my opinion. 

The Patriots have some pieces they could move before the trade deadline but I would trade for pieces they need. They might not be able to make the playoffs in 2023 but they can get the ship sailing back in the right position.

Trade Uche and Mills for a positions of need. Offensively, Trade Elliot. Bourne and Henry are basically the only viable weapons the Patriots have on offense besides Douglas. And they need that chemistry. Stevenson isn't playing well enough that anybody outside of Vegas would want him. 

The Patriots could fix part of their problems in season. It's all depends on if they want to. I don't know what the mindset is inside one Patriots Place. And I won't pretend to. So all we can do is wait and see.

Twenty Quarterback Prospects To Keep On Your Current Patriots Big Board.

Whether one thinks the Patriots need to replace Mac Jones in 2024 or not, the Patriots need to add at least a backup quarterback to the room. Here are 20 quarterbacks the Patriots should be keeping an eye on in the 2023 NCAA season. With half a season to go, other names may emerge but these guys should currently be at the top of the list.

Will Rogers, Mississippi State, Sr

"Will Rogers is an accurate pocket-passer that thrives on timing. He delivers very catchable passes in the short-to-intermediate regions of the field. Rogers delivers the ball to his receiver with a quick release. There is some mobility to his game—he can extend plays with his legs. Similar to a point guard in basketball, Rogers runs the Mississippi State offense to the play-caller’s design. With impressive ball placement, he leads his receivers and provides opportunities to run after the catch. Extremely calm and poised in the pocket, he is rarely rattled. His game reminds me of New England Patriots QB Mac Jones." - Damien Parson

2023 midway stats: completed 61.4% of 171 passes for 1,275 yards with 10 touchdowns and 4 interceptions. -1.7 yard average on 23 carries. 

Shedeur Sanders, Colorado, Jr

"Sanders sees the game like you would expect from the son of one of the game’s all-time greats. His passing ability is accentuated by sound decision-making, effective accuracy, and a confidence in the pocket. And yet Sanders, after making the jump from Jackson State to Colorado in 2023, feels like he’s still just scratching the surface of what he’s capable of." - Kyle Crabbs

2023 midway stats: completed 72.3% of 303 passes for 2,420 yards with 21 touchdowns and 3 interceptions. -0.3 yard average on 73 carries with 3 touchdowns. 

Grayson McCall, Coastal Carolina, Sr

"Grayson McCall plays and leads with a gritty and tough mentality. He showcases enough zip in the short passing game. His frame and dual-threat ability can expand the offensive playbook. He’s capable of working off the read option, RPO, and power run game. Also, his mobility affords the opportunity to create second-reaction opportunities and off-script plays." - Damien Parson 

2023 midway stats: completed 64.8% of 196 passes for 1,675 yards with 8 touchdowns and 6 interceptions. 0.6 yard average on 45 carries with 1 touchdown.

Rogers and Sanders are currently expected to be day two selections, providing Sanders doesn't return to school. McCall is expected to be a day three pick. All three guys fit the Patriots mold as a passer. While they may not all have elite athleticism that fans look for. Honestly, I'll never get why fans and scouts would rather have JaMarcus Russell clones over players closer to someone like Chad Pennington but that's just me.

Yes, I am aware that I have the concensus number one pick outside of my top three. While he is a good quarterback, he needs to improve as a passer. I would welcome him into New England but he's not my top pick.

The other 17 quarterbacks to watch: 

Brady Cook, Missouri

Kurtis Rourke, Ohio

Jayden Daniels, LSU

Bo Nix, Oregon

Cameron Ward, Was St.

Cam Rising, Utah

Michael Penix Jr, Was

Michael Pratt, Tulane

Caleb Williams, USC

Drake Maye, NC

Spencer Rattler, South Carolina

J.J. McCarthy, Michigan

K.J. Jefferson, Arkansas

Kenyon Slovis. BYU

Jason Daniels, Kansas

Dillion Gabriel, Oklahoma

Jaxon Dart, Ole Miss

The Patriots Have Talent On Offense

Belichick, O'Brien and Mac Jones, I don't know who to blame but this thing that the team doesn't have any talent is fraudulent. They have talent, it's just not the Dolphins or Chief's roster build.

The Patriots have a good duo for first and second down in Stevenson and Elliot. The line could be better but Stevenson needs a lead blocker and Pharaoh Brown can be that. Elliot, doesn't need the lead blocker as much.

When Stevenson is on the field, Brown, Gesicki, Henry and Douglas should be on the field with him. And the team should be running play action when Stevenson is on the field. When Elliot is on the field, pull Brown and mix up using the other receivers.

One problem is, Montgomery is not James White and he's not Brandon's Boldon. The Patriots do not have a reliable slot-back for third down and Tyquan Thorton hasn't shown us that he can draw coverage down field the way Nelson Aguilar did in 2021. When the team had an experienced offensive coordinator. 

The Patriots should have four starting Linemen but they're not playing like it. The offensive line is last in the league in pass blocking. They should never of let Wynn go but they did and they don't have an answer for it, four weeks in. 

The core of this offense, the talent is once again, Elliot, Stevenson, Henry, Douglas and Gesicki. Those are the guys around Mac Jones. It's about putting the right package on the field around the quarterback and calling the right plays. 

And for Mac, he needs to trust his line and play smarter. Mac Jones's arm is as strong as Chad Pennington's arm. He's just been making uncharacteristic decisions.

Honestly, the problem at The moment is the trifecta of Belichick, O'Brien and Mac Jones. Not one of them individually but them collectively.

Three Areas That Hurt The Patriots

The Patriots have plenty of areas for improvement going into week two. They lost 25 to 20 because they gifted points to the eagles on multiple occasions.  While there were several players that had an impact and could get called out, here's ny three areas where I had issue.

Kendrick Bourne only caught 54% of his 11 targets. Although he caught 2 touchdowns, their were 5 passes that he didn't bring in. One he dropped and one he turned into an interception by not catching after getting his hands on it. Bourne's first half for most of it was not great. In fact, his day was inconsistent.

The offensive line was not up to par. They let their quarterback get pressured 27 times. They gave up 2 sacks, 4 quarterback hits and caused Mac Jones to scramble twice. The line only allowed Stevenson to rush for a 1.9 yard average on 12 carries.

And the the defensive line allowed 3.8 yards per carry. Almost every time the Eagles rushed up the middle it was a 3+ yard gain. The Patriots are still an open door in the middle of the line. They need a nose tackle or nose guard to clog the middle on the first two downs.

I don't know what the Patriots can do besides coach but they're gonna need improvement going forward or there's going to be a lot more close games like this.

Patriots Sign Jalen Reagor To The Practice Squad.

The Patriots signed Jalen Reagor to the practice squad. He was drafted in the first round by the Eagles in 2020. And has played for the Eagles and Vikings.

Reagor has only appeared in 45 games, being targeted 124 times, catching 72 of them for 799 yards and 4 scores. He's got 18 carries under his belt. He's also had a combined 73 returns over his career. Taking one punt to the house.

I went looking for to see what I could find out of college. Many said he could do alot but he was listed often as a Z or deep slot. His main problems where drops, route running, physicality, and consistency. Speed and versatility were the main things people talked about with him as his pros. Not much has changed.

His NFL comparisons were: Curtis Samuel, Stefon Diggs, Corey Coleman, Mecole Hardman, Randell Cobb, Percey Harvin, James Washington, D.J. Moore, and Tyreek Hill. I came across Samuel, Hardman, and Cobb a few times as comparisons. 

I saw him listed as an elite number two or low tier number one. He's the typical type of Patriots, with that being said. He brings skills that Tyquan Thorton was supposed to bring but if the Patriots can get consistency out of him, he also brings the skills that Kendrick Bourne has. And Bourne's in a contract year. Something to monitor for now.

Strong's Out, Wheatley's In, Patriots Make Trade.

In 2022 during the fourth round of the NFL draft, the Patriots selected Pierre Strong. Strong was expected to be a possible replacement for James White and possibly Damien Harris. Strong did see much time during his rookie year.

In 2022, Strong touched the ball as both a ball carrier and receiver, a total of 17 times for 142 yards and a touchdown. Unfortunately, Strong did not emerge as the back he was expected to be during the 2023 preseason and the Patriots traded him away for tackle Tyrone Wheatley.

Wheatley, who was buried on Cleveland's depth chart, is 6'6" 320 pounds. Wheatley went undrafted out of Stony Brook. Although he's viewed as a tackle, Stony Brook listed him as a tight end. It'm thinking subpar Mike Williams vibes.

According to The Football Database Wheatley played in 37 college games, starting 14 before entering the 2020 NFL draft. Wheatley turned 26 in February.

According to Oliver Thomas over at Forbes, "His 95.6 run-blocking grade qualified for second among tackles around the league in the preseason."

While Many list Wheatley as a developmental project, there's not much about his skill set. However, his dad played in the NFL and pretty much everyone has said that About the 26 year old. I guess that's all we need to know. 

Being acquired so late in the process, it's a pretty safe assumption that Wheatley makes the 53 man roster. I would also assume that the Patriots will be keeping Kevin Harris on the 53. In my roster projection, I have J.J. Taylor getting added once they place someone on injured reserve.