Harry may very well be gone by the time the day is over. Doubt we’ll see him when August rolls around.
They have Wilkerson on the roster, too.The WR corps: Meyers, Bourne, Parker, Agholor, Thornton, Harry, Montgomery, Nixon
Assuming Thornton actually turns out to be pretty good (big assumption), that's a solid group for Mac to throw to. And I do wonder if they'll mix in some Marcus Jones somehow.
Wilkerson too, correct? That's a lot of receivers and I definitely think we see 1 or 2 (Harry) used in a trade today.The WR corps: Meyers, Bourne, Parker, Agholor, Thornton, Harry, Montgomery, Nixon
Assuming Thornton actually turns out to be pretty good (big assumption), that's a solid group for Mac to throw to. And I do wonder if they'll mix in some Marcus Jones somehow.
He re-signed in January. Here's their roster: https://www.patriots.com/team/players-roster/Yeah I was going to put Wilkerson on there but I don't even see him listed on the Pats' depth chart on ESPN. So I was like...was his contract up or something?
Ok cool. Add him to the WR mix, though he and Nixon are obviously way down at the bottom.He re-signed in January. Here's their roster: https://www.patriots.com/team/players-roster/
The offense also needed a lot of work, maybe more in some ways long term, given the D had more young guys that didn't get to play last year for injury reasons. He took two CBs which was a need area. Really the only area he didn't add was front 7, but they had 3 guys who basically red-shirted last year, added a guy in a trade and added a hybrid LB/S.So the consensus was that the Pats D needed a huge infusion of youth/speed, so naturally BB picks a ton of offense.
He should be a red-hot commodity after 4 years in the NFL, all spent on practice squads, and now being released.
I'd argue defense is less plug and play and surrounded with more uncertainty in general (defensive performance is far more volatile than offensive from year to year). Offense is so QB dependent that I'd argue it's easier to plug guys in provided the signal caller is in place.Is Def more plug and play? Is the idea to get the Off set for 2022 and then layer in Def for 2023 when you feel you’re ready?
“What plays are we calling? Minicamp plays?” Belichick said, scoffing. “We’re going to coach the team, coach the players, get them ready to go. We’re going to game plan when we have to game plan, play calls, do all the things we need to do to compete in games. Right now, we’re months away from that.”
"Up next on the Patriots Beat Podcast--why Belichick refusing to name a playcaller in May shows the game has passed him by!"Bill Belichick on offensive play-caller: When we get to it, we'll get to it.
Yes. I also get the chance that he does have some sources "in the building" but not particularly good ones so his information seems off. For example he spent some time last year saying there that coaching staff had some issues with the offensive line's offseason work ethic and in game effort. ok, maybe? They weren't great early on its plausible. He pointed the finger at Wynn and Brown. Again, maybe? Those are players he kind of has it out for but who knows. But fast foward to the off-season-- Wynn and Brown two get re-signed/optioned, and he trades Mason and lets Karras (admittedly Karras got a pretty rich contract and was but a pawn in game of football). So that gets me thinking--it seems a little surprising that BB would re-sign two players for one position group with a similar effort issue. Was Bedard right but had the wrong guy? Was there a little issue that he blew out of proportion? Is it all made up?Bedard is difficult to pin down with many of his takes because he’s obfuscatory with where his personal assessment begins and sourced information ends, and he gets SO worked up sometimes that you have to question what is performative and what is the sourced take.
He’s tiresome to me as a result.
Kyed addressed the idea of trading Wynn in his mailbag:Any thoughts on this? Lazar seems think there's a chance the Patriots are changing offensive systems.
One of those deals where I was uncomfortable from the moment I heard about it. Injury issues plus uneven performance made this a dicey proposition. Disappointing he isn’t at OTAs, unless there’s a good personal reason for it.Picking up Wynn’s 5th year option was beyond stupid.
That why Kyed was talking about Brown taking LT reps in OTAsProblem is replacing him would’ve cost the same or more, unless you took a bigger chance on a cheaper player.
Some people speculated similar before last offseason and it didn't happen. I'm skeptical. The Pats like to game plan, I can't see locking themselves in to a more defined scheme like the Shanahan one. And if they wanted to make a dramatic shift in scheme, it would make more sense to do it next offseason when they have the ability to change personnel, too.Any thoughts on this? Lazar seems think there's a chance the Patriots are changing offensive systems.
The right side is (Onwenu and Brown), but Brown did play a year under Kyle Shanahan in SF, and both are pretty athletic for their size. Wynn and Andrews are both small for their positions, and Strange is a great athlete who'd excel in OZ. It's not like the Patriots don't run outside zone; they do, a decent chunk of the time, but they don't major in it like a Shanahan tree team. They value their ability to game plan a lot, and they want to be able to run gap / power vs favorable matchups or zone scheme vs favorable matchups.The idea is interesting (especially at a time when it's tough to find much football stuff to talk about), but would this scheme be a good fit for some of the very large folks who are currently manning the o-line? Seems like that crew is more set up for power than space.
Meanwhile, wide receiver Kendrick Bourne spoke to NESN and ESPN last week and noted the Patriots were running a new system without Josh McDaniels in charge. A source clarified to The Athletic that the system isn’t changing, but the terminology is being simplified.
So maybe they want to shift the balance a bit but continue to do both?The right side is (Onwenu and Brown), but Brown did play a year under Kyle Shanahan in SF, and both are pretty athletic for their size. Wynn and Andrews are both small for their positions, and Strange is a great athlete who'd excel in OZ. It's not like the Patriots don't run outside zone; they do, a decent chunk of the time, but they don't major in it like a Shanahan tree team. They value their ability to game plan a lot, and they want to be able to run gap / power vs favorable matchups or zone scheme vs favorable matchups.
I don't see any evidence they want to shift the balance? I think it's people wishcasting based on liking with Shanahan does.So maybe they want to shift the balance a bit but continue to do both?
The "evidence" (such as it is) was from things seen at some spring practices, at least according to Evan Lazar. Seems like they extrapolated way too much from a few voluntary minicamps things.I don't see any evidence they want to shift the balance? I think it's people wishcasting based on liking with Shanahan does.
The offensive system is not changing, but the terminology for the system is being simplified so that rookies/newcomers can pick it up faster.The offensive play calling was in focus during the pair of open practices during organized team activities, with Matt Patricia, Joe Judge and Bill Belichick taking charge during various team periods. There might be some clarity forming on the matter.
As Belichick and his staff ironed out their practice plans each day, the coaches predetermined who would lead each period, according to sources. It had been speculated — with Patricia taking charge of the run-based periods and Judge in control of the pass-based periods — there might be a run-game coordinator and pass-game coordinator this season. However, that hasn’t been the case so far, according to a source.
Belichick has not yet decided who will call the plays during the season, but it’s trending in Patricia’s direction, according to a source. Patricia and Judge are each preparing for the possibility of calling plays, but Patricia’s workload this spring has suggested he’s the early favorite to handle that responsibility.
It sounds like Wynn is still ticketed for LT. Howe's sources say that they knew Wynn wouldn't be at the voluntary part of OTA's and wanted to use this period as time to get Brown comfortable at LT in case Wynn gets hurt. He did say that Wynn has decent trade value around the league, but nothing is happening at the moment.Meanwhile, wide receiver Kendrick Bourne spoke to NESN and ESPN last week and noted the Patriots were running a new system without Josh McDaniels in charge. A source clarified to The Athletic that the system isn’t changing, but the terminology is being simplified.
McDaniels was the Patriots offensive coordinator for the past 10 years, including eight with Tom Brady at quarterback, so it became an extremely difficult system to learn for veteran additions and rookies alike. The revamped terminology should be easier to learn — think word association rather than memorization. This should help younger players and new additions pick up the offense much quicker.
Harry, the 2019 first-round pick, is now a long shot to make the roster at his traditional position barring injuries ahead of him on the depth chart. Harry's best chance might be to ask about a possible switch to tight end to compete with Asiasi and Keene as TE3 behind Hunter Henry and Jonnu Smith.
Belichick addressed the terminology stuff in his typically vague way today:Jeff Howe with a great column yesterday centered around the offense heading into minicamp.
He indicated today that his sources tell him that it's "trending towards" Matt Patricia being the play caller on offense. He also said that there is no passing game/running game coordinator thing going.
The offensive system is not changing, but the terminology for the system is being simplified so that rookies/newcomers can pick it up faster.
It sounds like Wynn is still ticketed for LT. Howe's sources say that they knew Wynn wouldn't be at the voluntary part of OTA's and wanted to use this period as time to get Brown comfortable at LT in case Wynn gets hurt. He did say that Wynn has decent trade value around the league, but nothing is happening at the moment.
Other notes
--They'd take Hightower back if he wants to continue playing.
--Cole Strange is impressing everybody and is being compared to Joe Thuney.
--Other players who his sources say have impressed: Stevenson and Harris, Parker, Bourne, Meyers, Agholor, Ty Montgomery, Bentley, and the "top wave of DBs especially Malcolm Butler".
https://theathletic.com/3350313/2022/06/06/patriots-minicamp-preview-offense/
https://profootballtalk.nbcsports.com/2022/06/07/bill-belichick-its-a-good-time-to-streamline-things-offensively/“Well, we’ve had a lot of changes offensively in the last couple of years,” Belichick said. “It’s a good time to streamline things. We did that defensively a couple of years ago and feel like this is a good time to do it offensively. So, yeah, there’s an element of that every year.”
Does that mean the Patriots are running a new offensive system? Belichick was asked that and had a three-word answer.
“I don’t know.”
He responded to, “How big are the changes you’re making?” in a similar way.
“I don’t know,” Belichick said. “We make changes every year. I wouldn’t be able to rank them.”
Later asked if the Patriots were more just changing their offensive terminology, Belichick again said, “I don’t know” — this time smiling and shaking his head.
“Yeah, I mean, if [you’re asking] if we’re going to run the veer offense, no, that’s not what we’re doing,” Belichick said. “I’m not really sure what we’re talking about here.”
Agreed, I like thisThis would be a welcome change moving Brown to LT and Wynn to RT
View: https://twitter.com/DougKyed/status/1534230022055157763
Howe also reporting this:Belichick addressed the terminology stuff in his typically vague way today:
https://profootballtalk.nbcsports.com/2022/06/07/bill-belichick-its-a-good-time-to-streamline-things-offensively/
Howe reported that they've done this previously, Something to keep an eye on but wouldn't read too much into it yet.This would be a welcome change moving Brown to LT and Wynn to RT
View: https://twitter.com/DougKyed/status/1534230022055157763
Wow. This offseason, people have been very negative about their LB depth, picking a guard in the first round, the WRs being underwhelming, and concerns at the corner.Other notes
--They'd take Hightower back if he wants to continue playing.
--Cole Strange is impressing everybody and is being compared to Joe Thuney.
--Other players who his sources say have impressed: Stevenson and Harris, Parker, Bourne, Meyers, Agholor, Ty Montgomery, Bentley, and the "top wave of DBs especially Malcolm Butler".
https://theathletic.com/3350313/2022/06/06/patriots-minicamp-preview-offense/
Oh god, we're doing MINICAMP completion percentage now??Good reviews for Mac today including 21/23 and focusing on being more of a vocal leader. Parker had a big catch as well.