The Big Story – NFL Year Opens: The new business year starts today with the opening of free agency, where the real action takes place over the next 10 days. The next time to add talent is over three days during the 90th annual NFL draft beginning on April 23. And the final big time is after June 1 when teams can cut players and lessen the cap hit by splitting their contracts over 2025 and 2026.
Sports 101: Name the 10 who once played for the Patriots who are in the Pro Football Hall of Fame.
News Item – Patriots FA Start: Despite being flush with free agent cap space with acknowledged huge holes on the O-line and at lead receiver they passed on immediate opportunities to address them right out of the gate. They wouldn’t meet the price of KC and Seattle to bring old friend Joe Thuney and wideout DK Metcalf to Foxboro. The 33-year-old Thuney, coming off a First Team All Pro season, has one year left on his $15 million and cost the Bears just a fourth-round pick to get him. For Metcalf, Pittsburgh gave up a second-round pick and $150 million over the next five years to trade for him. A lot of dough, yes, but that’s the going rate for high-end receivers.
If they had done that, they could have used their fourth overall pick to get a high-value left tackle to fill their three biggest holes, then focused their two third-round picks and remaining FA money to fortify the interior defense, which they started doing by signing Mike Vrabel’s edge rusher in Tennessee, Harold Landry.
So it sounds like more talk, little action again.
News Item – More Patriots Thoughts:
Travis Hunter: Not that the Patriots have to follow it if they decided take Henry. But he was listed as a DB at the Combine, which indicates where many believe he’s best suited to play. Given their previously stated Top 3 need that lowers the odds that NE will take him at 4.
Will Campbell: Does 3/8 of an inch in arm length really mean that much? The LSU left tackle is the highest-rated O-lineman on the Big Board. But the chatter about him is his arms are too short because they measure 32 5/8 inches in length, which is below the accepted 33 inches minimum for a left tackle.
Cooper Kupp: With Metcalf, Tee Higgins, Davante Adams and Deebo Samuel off the table what would you give to L.A. to get the once great but on the back nine wideout? A fourth-round pick?
Joe Milton: It would be stupid for the Patriots to trade their backup QB as the rumor mill is saying they might. They should showcase him in pre-season at least, because a strong showing raises his value even higher.
The Numbers:
30 – in case my Cowboys-loving friend George Copadis has forgotten, the number of years since “America’s Team” last even got to the Super Bowl.
84 – combined points scored by Peyton Pritchard (43) and Derrick White (41) to fill in the gap for the missing Jayson Tatum, Jrue Holiday and Kristaps Porzingis in Wednesday’s 128-118 win over Portland.
Of the Week:
Thumbs Up – Joe Mazzulla: For correctly treating Saturday’s game with the Lakers as more than just a regular regular-season game by playing Tatum 45 minutes, Jaylen Brown 41 and Al Horford a season-high 38, leading to a 111-101 statement win.
Best Game of the Week – Nikola Jokic: For the Larry Bird play-alike putting up the first 30-point, 20-rebound, 20-assist game in NBA history in Friday’s low-scoring 149-141 win over Phoenix.
Radio and TV Broadcasters Phew of the Week: They were spared the arduous task of trying to pronounce the first name of Sox prospect Jhostynxon Garcia for at least another year after he was optioned to the minors last week.
And don’t ask me, I don’t have a clue.
Random Thoughts:
I heard all the chatter about Metcalf not being a good fit for Josh McDaniels’ system. But shouldn’t offensive coordinators find ways to get talented receivers the balls in the way that capitalize on their outstanding skills over just fitting them into the system? Isn’t that what coaching is about?
Sports 101 Answer: The 10 Patriots Famers are Nick Buoniconti, John Hannah, Mike Haynes, Ty Law, Curtis Martin, Junior Seau, Randy Moss, Richard Seymour, Andre Tippett and Darrelle Revis.
Final Thought: True, most are happy with Mike Vrabel as the choice for Pats head coach. But given that the barren roster had far more to do with their going 4-13 than Alex Van Pelt or even Jerod Mayo did, that puts personnel chief Elliot Wolf in the spotlight. With holes all over the roster he needs to deliver at least six players in free agency and the draft who can contribute in a significant way next season. Otherwise they won’t be much better.
Email Dave Long at [email protected].