LIVE Patriots Beat: Brandon Aiyuk Reports + Patriots Vets Report to Camp

CLNS Media Sports Network

Alex Barth and Brian Hines tackle the biggest stories around the Pats as Patriots training camp is set to begin, and trade rumors continue to swirl around receiver Brandon Aiyuk.  0:00 - Starting quarterback update 3:35 - Realistic win expectations 6:31 - Contract discussions overview 9:32 - Judon contract needs 12:29 - Maye vs. Jacoby Brissett 14:48 - Robinson and Caedan 20:43 - Best case scenario 22:14 - Young players' potential 25:06 - Offensive line talent 27:20 - Two tight end offense 29:32 - Coaching staff concerns 32:31 - Breakout player predictions 35:01 - Defensive expectations 37:12 - Utility player role 39:02 - Changes in defense 40:40 - Key player developments 44:33 - Marte Mapu analysis 49:34 - Safety depth issues  ****************************************************  Take the guesswork out of buying NBA tickets with Gametime. Download the Gametime app, create an account, and use code CLNS for $20 off your first purchase. Download Gametime today. Last minute tickets. Lowest Price. Guaranteed. Terms apply.

Transcript

00:00All right, everybody, welcome back into another live edition of the Patriots beat podcast

00:07here on the CLNS media network presented by our wonderful friends over at game time.

00:12It is Brian Heinz back as always with Alex Barth and the Patriots veterans reported to

00:19training camp tomorrow.

00:20Our first training camp practice is tomorrow on Wednesday, but Barth and I were down at

00:26Gillette Stadium today.

00:27We talked to Gerard Mayo.

00:29We talked to four players.

00:31We got into some of the, uh, some stuff that we'll be expecting during training camp and

00:36what those players are expecting.

00:37But, uh, over the weekend, we also got some news.

00:41We got some roster movement before camp here, which usually happens.

00:44We got some trade reports.

00:45So, uh, we'll start with that.

00:47We'll break some of that down and then we'll tell you what Gerard Mayo said today.

00:50And we were talking Brandon Iuke again because we got a little more details on this Brandon

00:55Iuke trade request.

00:57He did report to training camp today, which we can add.

00:59Uh, so he showed up despite requesting a trade, but, uh, we also heard from Mike Florio over

01:06the weekend from pro football talk that a number of teams tried to trade for Iuke during

01:11the draft.

01:12And one of them was the Patriots.

01:14He said they offered, uh, the 49ers a second round pick, which obviously was rejected and

01:20that they were also, you know, Florio said there were teams that were interested in paying

01:24Iuke that magic number, which was 28 million per year.

01:28So if you figure the Patriots were ready to trade a second round pick, you figure they're

01:31one of those teams that were ready to pay Brandon Iuke, uh, 28 million.

01:36So again, it obviously didn't happen.

01:38He's still in San Fran.

01:39He requested a trade, but he's at a training camp.

01:42The Patriots used the pick, you know, they moved back, they got Jalen Polk.

01:45Uh, so I, I don't know what were your just kind of reactions to that rumor.

01:50I still think we're kind of in the same boat where we're not expecting Brandon Iuke to

01:54get traded at this point.

01:55Uh, it will, it'll probably stick with the Niners, but I'd say it's encouraging that

02:01you hear that the Patriots are willing to give up draft capital.

02:03They're willing to invest resources to kind of get a top of the line wide receiver when

02:08these guys become available.

02:10Yeah.

02:11And that's the point.

02:12The story here isn't that they missed out on Brandon Iuke.

02:14I mean, I'm, I'm sure some people will, will, will make it that way.

02:19Maybe that's part of it.

02:20But to me, the story is like, this is the deal.

02:22This is the deal I've been talking about for a while now, second round pick and you

02:27give them the contract and they're ready to do it.

02:29So whether it is Iuke, whether it is somebody next spring, Terry McLaurin, DK Metcalf, like

02:38they're ready to make this deal.

02:39They are ready to put this offer out there.

02:42That is, is the offer it takes to get, you know, a top flight wide receiver.

02:46So all the discussions about, they won't pay a guy or, you know, they're, they're going

02:50to try to do it in aggregate or whatever.

02:53They've tried with Calvin Ridley, the free agency they've tried via trade with Brandon

02:58Iuke.

02:59Like this is something they're working on and they haven't gotten it done yet.

03:03And that's, you know, there's an old saying, you haven't really caught the fish till it's

03:07in the boat.

03:08So this isn't me giving them credit for doing something they haven't done.

03:13But I think we can put the, to the point being, I think we can put the discussion to bed of

03:18whether or not they're willing to do it.

03:20It does appear they're willing to do it.

03:22Now you just need to get the right scenario where they can get it across the finish line.

03:27As I've said, I think that's more realistic in the, like the spring of 2025 than it is

03:35right now, but it does seem like something that they're working on.

03:39Yep.

03:40Yeah.

03:41That's the big thing that they're willing.

03:43We saw in free agency, they were willing to pay for one of these guys, right?

03:46Like they offered Calvin Ridley a big deal and now you get the point that they might

03:50trade a pick and pay a guy.

03:52So they're willing to try to go out of their way to acquire one of those guys, but now

03:57you have to do it.

03:58You know, you missed out on Calvin Ridley, Brandon and I, you probably, again, doesn't

04:02look like he's going to get traded.

04:04So whether it's T Higgins makes it to free agency or you have to trade a pick and then

04:09sign him or DK Metcalf, we've talked a lot about like, you have to do it.

04:13But the fact that they know they're, they're in the boat where they know they have to get

04:18one of these, you know, difference makers at wide receiver Mayo said today, you know,

04:22he was kind of indirectly asked about IU because he can't comment on a guy who's, you know,

04:28under contract and another team.

04:29But someone asked them like, if a wide receiver requested a trade, would you be interested?

04:34And he said, you know, we're interested in, you know, upgrading our roster, getting the

04:37best players as possible.

04:39So it seems like they know that they still need, you know, even though they, they drafted

04:44poke there in the second round, they drafted Baker in the fourth.

04:46Like they still know they need a number one or an alpha or whatever you want to call it.

04:51And their actions have showed that they're willing to invest the resources, whether it's

04:56money draft capital or both in order to go get that guy.

05:00So I'd say, you know, it's again, you don't want to give them credit because they haven't

05:05done it, but I'd say it's a positive that it seems like they know that's an issue that

05:08they're willing to go out and try to address.

05:10Yeah.

05:11And now, again, I, I'm not going to give him credit for doing it, but it's, they're making

05:18the right moves, which is the right step.

05:21Yep.

05:22Um, I know it's still probably a next off season thing, but another receiver who's kind

05:30of got some drama going around Amari Cooper, they said he might not report to camp.

05:35I didn't see anything today.

05:36If he actually did report to camp, but you know, Cleveland, Alex, Sam Pelt, the connection

05:41there with, would that be something you'd be interested in?

05:44Maybe a different wide receiver option, uh, beyond IUC there.

05:48And again, I don't know if that would happen, you know, at this point of the, of the calendar

05:52of this football season, but, uh, maybe something, if something happens there, what would Amari

05:57Cooper be interested?

05:58Would you be interested?

05:59So I'd be interested in Amari Cooper in theory, I would actually rather do that now than later

06:06and he's not going to be worth as much.

06:07Amari Cooper's 30.

06:08Yeah.

06:09Right.

06:10He turned 30 in June and historically wide receivers drop off steeply at the age of

06:1430.

06:15He, to me would almost be the bridge guy and I got to pull up exactly what his contract

06:19is.

06:20Um, but 20 million, something like something for, I think he's in the last year of his

06:26deal.

06:27Oh, this last year was deal.

06:28So to me, like, if you just want to get a guy for Drake May now, I would go get Amari

06:32Cooper.

06:33You know, I'd trade a fourth for Amari Cooper today.

06:36Right.

06:37And you have him and he's in Van Pelt's offense again and all that.

06:41And then next year you focus on the big fish because Amari Cooper is not the big fish.

06:46Maybe you keep Cooper, maybe you extend him and maybe next year your wide receiver room

06:51is again, I'll use this one name cause I keep using it.

06:54DK Metcalf, Amari Cooper, Jalen Polk, Jayvon Baker, Pop Douglas, which pretty good, right?

07:02Pretty freaking good.

07:03I mean, I like the idea of Cooper again.

07:06I think he costs less.

07:07I think that is a move you can make an hour during camp.

07:10He's not the answer.

07:13He's not the be all end all though.

07:14And if I wouldn't try a second round pick for him, you know, next year he's 31.

07:19He's going to need new contract.

07:21Like I, I don't think he's a substitute for Brandon or DK Metcalf or T Higgins or somebody

07:27like that.

07:29There'd still be value in getting him though.

07:30It's just different.

07:31Yep.

07:33It's more of like a bandaid option where I use someone who will be here.

07:37He's a bunch of guys.

07:38Yeah.

07:39So, uh, and you know, as Coop says here in the comments, why not see what poke and Baker

07:44can do this year?

07:45That's where it kind of, I've been at for a while.

07:47Like you might as well just see what the kids can, can give you.

07:50I was like the one where I was like, okay, if you can get Brandon, I uke, you know, he's

07:5526.

07:56He's proven to be a top 10 top 12 wide receiver in the league.

07:59Like that's a different story.

08:00But I think where we're kind of at, uh, now in the calendar, it's like, okay, let's see

08:05what these, these young guys can do.

08:08And then, you know, we address this issue, big picture, uh, next off season.

08:13And, uh, someone said like, who are the top projected wide receivers next year?

08:17Uh, Travis Hunter, I think is going to play corner in the NFL, but, um, it's Luther burden

08:23from Missouri and tech McMillan from Arizona are like the two big prizes at the top there.

08:30Um, I don't, anyone like a Mecca, Uboka could be a first round pick from Ohio state, but

08:35he's more of like that slot role.

08:37So that, like, that's another thing.

08:39If poker Baker, if one of those two guys have a good year, like that could adjust the type

08:44of receiver you need next year.

08:46So, excuse me, but, uh, that could kind of change, but, uh, anything else on a uke there?

08:54Uh, just again, big picture, like good that they're willing to put these resources in,

08:59but now you just have to do it.

09:00So, uh, we'll see what happens there, but, uh, we can transition back to.

09:07Training camp.

09:08Uh, we did get some roster movements over the weekend and, uh, the Patriots placed Terrell

09:14Jennings, a UDFA running back on the PUP list, and they also, well, they placed a linebacker

09:21John Trey Hunter on the PUP list, and then they eventually cut him.

09:25Uh, so they have an open roster spot.

09:28Maybe another running back comes in here now, cause they were already, we were already

09:31talking that they were kind of slim there and then, you know, they put Terrell Jennings

09:35on the PUP list and, uh, we'll see if anyone else lands on that before tomorrow they were

09:41doing conditioning today.

09:42So, uh, you know, Kendrick Bourne, I know Mayo said he was progressing well, but, uh,

09:47Cole strange, maybe someone else lands on the PUP list, but, uh, any thoughts on those

09:53moves or what they could do with this open roster spot here as they enter camp?

09:58Yeah.

09:59I mean, they worked out a couple of players yesterday, Demetri felt and stands out to

10:02me.

10:03Uh, if you've been watching the show for a while, you know, I was a fan of his back during

10:06the 2021 draft converted wide receiver.

10:09So he's that, you know, true pass catching back.

10:11If they want somebody in that role played for Alex van Pelt in Cleveland for a couple

10:16years also has special teams experience.

10:19Getting to that running back room, especially with, um, uh, the kid from, from Florida A&M,

10:26um, going on PUP, who's the running back, the one on PUP Terrell Jennings, Terrell Jennings.

10:31Thank you.

10:32Terrell Jennings going on PUP, just adding, uh, that's a position where I think it makes

10:35sense to add some more competition.

10:37I also do wonder though, with that roster spot opening up, we've seen them in the past

10:41go through the first week or two of camp at 89 players.

10:43See what they need, see what happens.

10:47Maybe there's some veterans that are waiting to sign that once the pads come on, no, they

10:50need to get into camp, Stavon Gilmore and, and you have that spot open for them.

10:55So yeah, I, I wouldn't be surprised if they don't feel it right away, but you know, looking

11:00at the guys that worked out yesterday, Felton would make a ton of sense to me.

11:04Yep.

11:05Felton.

11:06They also brought in, uh, Gary Brightwell, who was a running back, uh, played at Arizona

11:11and then two guards and a defensive tackle.

11:14So yeah, Felton would make a ton of sense for the reasons you kind of laid out there.

11:19So yeah, like they're down, we were already talking about running back and now they're

11:23down another one.

11:24So, uh, maybe something happens there, maybe kicker or something along those lines.

11:29But, uh, Terrell Jennings on PUP, John Trae Hunter, uh, was on PUP and then let go.

11:35So open roster spot, we'll see, we'll probably log off here.

11:38Then 10 minutes later, we'll get a couple more guys on the UP list.

11:42That's how it usually tends to go, but, uh, some healthy guys, uh, Javon Baker is back.

11:48He was dealing with a thumb injury throughout the spring.

11:52You know, he was limited.

11:53He was on the bottom practice fields, uh, most of the spring.

11:56We didn't see much of him.

11:57So, uh, he is back with this thumb injury.

12:00They posted a picture of him catching a ball.

12:02So it looks like he's going to be good to go.

12:03Mayo said he was cleared and then a six round pick Marcellus dial.

12:08I don't think, do we ever find out what was wrong with him?

12:11I don't think we know, but, uh, Mayo said he was cleared as well.

12:16So they'll get dial back in the secondary.

12:19He was limited throughout the spring, uh, in Baker back, uh, as well.

12:23Baker probably, uh, the bigger story I'd say at the, at that wide receiver position,

12:27but, uh, just good to see those two guys back and cleared here as they start, uh,

12:32about to start their first training camp.

12:34Yeah.

12:35And that's, that's a good sign, especially for Baker.

12:37He's, you know, you want him to get in the rhythm of things.

12:39You want him to get going and him being involved is good.

12:42Like we've seen what missing a rookie training camp can do to a wide receiver.

12:46So good news that he's back, that he's cleared it, knowing it was a thumb

12:50injury, it makes a lot more sense.

12:51You, you saw him in the spring where he would like run routes with the

12:54receivers and they just wouldn't throw him the ball.

12:56So that makes a lot more sense of good on him.

12:59He very easily could have said, you know what?

13:00I'm just, I'm hurt practice today, but he got out there.

13:04He got the mental reps in that's important.

13:06Um, and then with dial, you know, steep, steep competition.

13:09It's the cornerback room.

13:10So you, you, you miss camp.

13:11You're not going to make the team at that position.

13:13Definitely not.

13:14So he had to get back out there and it sounds like he'll be back out there.

13:17Yep.

13:18So I think that was all the news, right?

13:22I didn't miss anything there.

13:24I uke, I think that was pretty much it.

13:26Yeah.

13:27UP guys, the cut and then, uh, yeah, Baker and dial are cleared.

13:31All right.

13:32So that is up to date news there before the first practice

13:36of training camp tomorrow.

13:37We will take a very quick break here.

13:39We'll hear from our friends over at game time, and then we will, uh, get

13:43back in, talk about a little bit of what Gerard Mayo had to say

13:47down at Gillette stadium today.

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15:18Might have to update that because the Red Sox are no longer hot, but,

15:21uh, um, draw Mayo spoke, uh, this morning down at Gillette, um, hit

15:27on a few big things, quarterback position, offensive line.

15:31Uh, the first thing he had to say though, was everyone was present.

15:35There won't be any training camp holdouts.

15:38Uh, and then the obvious two we all looked at was, you know,

15:41Matthew Jude on Devon Godchild.

15:42We know those guys are interested in new car, uh, contracts and

15:46Mayo kind of made it sound like he's interested, uh, in giving those to them.

15:51He called them like, you know, impactful, special players, uh, on the defense.

15:56He said they still have a great relationship with them.

15:58He wants them to be here.

16:00Elliot Wolf wants them to be here.

16:02Uh, but they still don't have a contract adjustment.

16:06So are you expecting anything before 11, 11 AM tomorrow when we take the

16:13field for the first training camp, or is this going to kind of linger

16:18into camp and have you kind of changed your opinion on anything since,

16:23uh, we were on here last Wednesday about paying either of these guys

16:26or giving them new money on their deals.

16:29I still think Jude on, it's a guy you try to bring back.

16:31I mean, the windows closed to maximize his trade value.

16:33So whether that's, you know, I, I give him, I definitely give him

16:37the money to play this year.

16:39If I got to tackle one more year on.

16:40So be it.

16:41Um, God, Sean, I'm a little less enthusiastic about paying.

16:45He has some money on his deal.

16:47He's older.

16:48It seems like his role could get phased out of the defense.

16:52I'm not expecting much before 11 tomorrow.

16:54Cause you got to remember these guys just got back in the building and I'm

16:57sure they'll talk some about it today, but I, the, the window I use is like,

17:01are, are you on the field for the first day of pads?

17:03Are you going?

17:03Cause I think we're going to see both guys limited tomorrow and

17:06limited for the first few days.

17:07And you know what they can be?

17:09They've been in this league a long time.

17:11They, they know what they're doing.

17:13The next couple of days are essentially the football

17:15equivalent of icebreakers.

17:16So if they, if, you know, Matthew, Jude on, it's not on the field tomorrow,

17:20whatever can, can they get something done by the first day of pads?

17:23If not, that's when you kind of start to take a longer look at it and say, all

17:27right, is there something we need to know, worry about here?

17:29Should they be talking trade things like that?

17:32Yep.

17:32And Mayo said like the expectation is they'll practice if they're here, but.

17:37That probably is like more when the pads come on, right?

17:40Like they can make it kind of easy.

17:42So that's a good kind of deadline.

17:45They are, when you think that'll be Monday, they practice Wednesday,

17:48Thursday, Friday, they're off Saturday.

17:50And then they practice Sunday, Monday, Tuesday.

17:52So like Monday, Tuesday, Monday or Tuesday.

17:56Yeah.

17:57They're never really clear the exact rules.

17:59And cause I think it's like, you have to be five days in with an off day,

18:04but does today count as a day?

18:07And are they going to do it as soon as possible?

18:09Cause I think if you wait until the second day you're eligible, you get

18:12like an added padded practice or something, the rules are a mess, but

18:17early next week, I would say.

18:19Yep.

18:20Can they go, they can go pads two days in a row.

18:22Right.

18:23You can go two in a row.

18:25They rarely do, but no, they'll go two in a row.

18:28I think it's, you can't do more than three and four.

18:32So you couldn't go, you couldn't go four or five.

18:36I think you can go three in a row, but it has to be an off day the next day.

18:40It can't be no pad again.

18:42There it's, I mean, we're, we're, we're, I, this is for all the nonsense

18:49bureaucratic red tape that exists in the NFL rule book.

18:52And it, you know, about the salary cap being a pain in the ass and all that.

18:56There is nothing that is quite cracking the Rosetta stone.

19:01Like trying to figure out the rules for padded practices.

19:04It's insanely complex.

19:06I couldn't tell you why, but it is so.

19:11Yeah.

19:11I mean, maybe they go like Wednesday, Thursday, Friday, Sunday, no pads

19:17Monday, Tuesday pads, and then they're off Wednesday.

19:19So maybe that's how it works, but early next week they'll be in pads,

19:23at least one of those days.

19:24So that, that'll be a good kind of deadline to watch those Jude on.

19:28Uh, in God Shaw situation, see how those continue to unfold now that they're back

19:33in the building, see if they make any progress.

19:34I will say we've, I think Mike Reese had like, they've been talking to Jude on.

19:39So there's been some communication there.

19:40We haven't really heard much at all from if they've been talking to God Shaw.

19:44So, uh, it seems like my light just went out there.

19:48I don't know what happened there, but, uh, it seems like they're kind of on the

19:50same page, like Jude on seems to be the preference, right?

19:53Like you want that guy on your defense.

19:56So then maybe we'll see what happens with God shop.

19:57But, um, other things Mayo had to talk about QB one.

20:03Uh, he said, Jacoby percent is the most pro ready guy.

20:07He comes out of the spring where, uh, he was the top quarterback in the spring.

20:11Uh, he is going to open the summer as the top quarterback, but, uh, he did not rule

20:16out Drake may kind of taking advantage or earning the starting job.

20:21He said, he'll have the opportunity if he kind of comes out, uh, and, and lights it

20:25up, right?

20:26Like, and he could earn that job.

20:28And, uh, he kind of said, and whether how much you want to put into this, whether

20:33it's just, you know, speaking words, he said he was asked like, well, outside

20:37factors impact Drake maze timeline.

20:39We've talked so much about, well, you sit them down for the first month while they

20:43still figure out this offensive line.

20:45He said, Mayo said it was just kind of, he's got to outperform Jacoby.

20:49That's all he's really worried about.

20:50So, uh, are you buying that?

20:52And are you okay with this plan that they're still rolling with Jacoby

20:56entering the summer as the starter?

20:57And we're, you know, kind of taking it slow with Drake may, but if he kind of

21:02tears it up on the practice field, he can, he can still earn that spot.

21:06Yeah.

21:07I mean, he is, I don't disagree with anything.

21:09Gerard Mayo said today, like he looked like the starter in the spring.

21:13They were operating in the spring.

21:14Like he was the starter and he should, who else would come into

21:17camp, I guess, as the starter.

21:18You're not going to have Drake may come into camp now.

21:20Can he win it in camp?

21:21Yeah.

21:23Um, and I may be more convinced now than I was before that there

21:26is a chance he can start week one.

21:28I still don't think it's going to happen, but I think there's a chance.

21:30Um, cause Mayo was really hammering home that was lost in that.

21:33I think people get excited about the headline of Gerard Mayo saying Drake

21:36may can start with one, well, it may, it was also like he has to really

21:40blow it out of the water, right?

21:41He has to really, really impress us.

21:43So I, I still think it's going to be to go over set week one, but it sounds

21:49like they're leaving the door open.

21:50Like, I don't think that was coach speak.

21:51I think that was said with conviction.

21:53So we'll see it's on Drake mays plate now to be able to go

21:57out there and take the job.

22:00Yeah.

22:01I still think he has a chance.

22:02I still think he has a chance.

22:03I just think he's that talented, but, uh, you know, we've talked

22:06a lot, like Jacoby deserves some respect too.

22:09He's not going to like roll over and just give this thing to him.

22:12But, uh, I think may can make a really, you know, good surge when he

22:16said, when Mayo said, like, if he lights it up, I just thought like of

22:19that Mack Jones practice first, the giants were like, where he just

22:23took that job from cam new and like, it's up to Drake may, if he has one

22:27or two of those practices late in the late in the summer after, you know,

22:31he has a consistent performance throughout, like he could take that.

22:34But, uh, is he going to be able to, is he going to get the blocking

22:37needed to have that kind of performance?

22:39Yeah.

22:39That's what I was going to say.

22:41Do you think it's coach speak that like the outside factors

22:45have nothing to do with this?

22:46Like it's just Jacoby verse Drake, or do you think like they, they know

22:52like if the offensive line is a real mess, we can't put Drake may back

22:55there, even if he maybe does or earn the starting job, I mean, I think

22:59if he proves that it can be a non-issue, but that's again, going above and

23:03like, if he goes out from the preseason, he's throwing dots constantly

23:06pressured, then yeah, you put him out there, but that's a massive, massive,

23:10massive ask, and I don't think it's fair to count on him to do that.

23:14Yep.

23:15Yeah.

23:15And that could be tough to show in the practice fields when you're not

23:19getting, you know, you're not getting touched, like, and that's another

23:22thing with, with may, like his legs are such a game changer.

23:25Like he was a great scrambling quarterback.

23:27He had one of the higher efficiencies as a college scrambler.

23:32So that, that could be a big factor that we don't really get to see

23:35on the practice fields, but on the preseason games, uh, more so.

23:39So, uh, that's the quarterback position.

23:42The other kind of only position he talked about Mayo.

23:45That is, is the offensive line.

23:48Um, he kept reiterating like the best five.

23:51We're going to play the best five.

23:52We're going to play the best five.

23:54Didn't pigeonhole Mike and when new into a tackle or guard seems like

23:59they're just trying to find that best five as they were in the spring, when

24:03they started with big Mike at a right tackle, a little bit of breaking, uh,

24:08breaking news here related to something we were talking about earlier is a guy.

24:13No, according to Jordan Schultz, the Browns and star wide receiver,

24:16Mari Cooper have agreed to a restructured one-year contract guaranteeing

24:20his 20 million and adding an additional 5 million per sources Cooper

24:25entered and gives the stats.

24:26Yeah.

24:27Uh, that guy's not getting traded.

24:28Yeah, not, not, not this year.

24:30He is, he will be a Cleveland Brown in 2024.

24:33Yeah.

24:33So we can, we can throw that one out.

24:36All right.

24:37But Hey, maybe it's free agency next year and you can get them for a year, but

24:41maybe, uh, yeah, that's still, that's still a bandaid option if he's 31 years

24:45old, but all right, scratch the Mari Cooper thought from, from existence, but,

24:49uh, offensive line, uh, wasn't, you know, pigeonholing again on when new into

24:57guard or tackle, we saw him in the, the sprain open at tackle and then ended,

25:03uh, the sprain kicked inside the guard.

25:06Uh, he was also asked about trucks of core for, and he said, you know, based

25:09off his, uh, experience, he's most likely going to start at left tackle,

25:15which is what we kind of expected.

25:16So, uh, Oh, line is, is such a big question.

25:20We've talked about it so, so much over the past few months.

25:25Uh, what, what'd you think of his comments?

25:28And I don't know, do you think they should have a plan for big Mike?

25:32Or do you like that?

25:32They're like, okay, let's just kind of see if maybe Caden Wallace takes like

25:38earns a right tackle spot and then big Mike can play right guard or Nick

25:41Leverett or one of those, you know, Leighton Robinson, one of those

25:43guards forces, but big Mike outside.

25:46Would you rather have a concrete plan or do you like that?

25:49They're kind of keeping this open and maybe let it in the best five, uh,

25:52come to them and work their way out.

25:55Um, I, I, you know, it seems like the, the doors open for Michael

25:59and when we play guard, kind of like you said, they're the best five,

26:02whatever that is, whatever that's going to be, um, we'll find out in camp.

26:07Now the struggle with that is that's going to continue into the regular season.

26:15Right.

26:15I've talked about this.

26:16Like you can't necessarily get that done in camp.

26:19So the offensive line is going to be a work in progress in the regular season.

26:23As I've been saying, and at that point, we will see if, if they can

26:28keep the quarterback protected, but there's that, that group's going to be a

26:33major, there's going to be a lot of moving pieces there all summer, because

26:36you move Michael and when I went inside now, who's your starting right?

26:39Tackle.

26:40Um, he's outside.

26:41He still don't know about guard backups are going to be important.

26:43Wherever Michael and when it is, he needs to have a good backup because

26:47you're probably going to have him flip at something like he, there's a real

26:49change, he's going to flip at some point and go back to the other spot.

26:51Who's the backup left tackle.

26:53They're really locked in on Chooks core for, but I've given my thoughts on that

26:58plan and if he doesn't work out, what's plan B right.

27:02Is it Cain Wallace?

27:03But if Michael and when who's playing guard Cain Wallace has to be your

27:05starting right tackle, probably.

27:07So now you're talking about Calvin Anderson, but Darian low, or if not,

27:10in Cain Wallace is, is there, what happens when Mike owned, when

27:13who has to kick back inside?

27:15Like, are you keeping Cain Wallace at left tackle and

27:18going to the next right tackle?

27:19Are you moving Wallace out there?

27:21There's very little depth.

27:23As much as we talk about the starters being an issue, there's very little depth.

27:26So it's going to be a work in progress.

27:29I think throughout the summer and I really think into the fall and it sounds

27:33like they kind of are aware of that.

27:35Yep.

27:36I still think they'd be at their best with big Mike at right guard and then

27:42Caden Wallace at right tackle.

27:44Cause I mean, you get both of those guys more at their natural position.

27:48Like I would be higher on Caden Wallace if he just plays right tackle.

27:53Cause that's where he spent the last four years at, uh, at Penn state.

27:56Right.

27:56And he was a third round pick.

27:57So you, uh, so you can say maybe you can expect that guy to play, uh, right

28:01up the gate more at his natural position.

28:03So I think that would be the best, you know, the whole right

28:06side is natural position.

28:07City.

28:07So at left guard is kind of his natural position.

28:11You know, he played there at college, but he played right.

28:13Uh, last year's rookie year, but then, you know, chooks, a core four is

28:16the big question at left tackle.

28:18That's a switch and it's a guy who's kind of been a, you know, borderline

28:22like starting right tackle, uh, throughout his career.

28:26And then as you said, the depth, like it's Calvin Anderson, the left tackle,

28:30what's going to happen with all these guards, right?

28:32Like Leighton Robinson, Nick LaBrette, like still have Antonio Maffi, Jake

28:35Andrews, so, uh, there's just tons of questions on the offensive line.

28:40And, uh, we'll, we'll get like the second half of these preseason games

28:44are going to be like, very important for a ton of these guys.

28:48Like last year against the Titans, that preseason game, like they

28:51couldn't move the ball because the offensive line was just a mess.

28:54So we're going to get some important snaps for a lot of these guys

28:58because they have a lot of bodies, but, uh, can some of these guys

29:01kind of separate themselves in those preseason games, that's going

29:03to be, uh, important for them.

29:06Because again, like go back to whatever the Pat, whatever the hell

29:09the pad rules are like, they're not in pads often, uh, in camp, like

29:14contact is, is pretty limited.

29:16So, uh, those preseason games will be big for those guys, but yeah,

29:20tons of questions on the starting five, the backup five, like it's

29:25plenty, plenty to work out over the next, next few weeks there

29:29along the offensive line.

29:31Right.

29:32Yep.

29:33Uh, anything else from Mayo?

29:35Those were kind of the big things, quarterback, offensive line.

29:39Uh, everyone's present Jude on God shot included.

29:43Um, one other interesting kind of note I thought was, uh, and we've

29:49talked about there, I don't know if we talked about this on the show.

29:51I've wrote about it a few times, but, uh, they're starting

29:54practices later this year.

29:56Bill would start them at nine 30, uh, currently scheduled practices

30:00are at 11 AM and Mayo was asked about that today and he said, they're

30:05kind of, they used to have meetings at the end of the day and instead

30:08they're going to take those meetings and put them at the beginning of

30:11the day so you can kind of get in, you can correct your mistakes from

30:15the previous day, you have everything kind of fresh in mind, and then

30:17you can just hit the practice field.

30:19Uh, right after that, which I think that kind of makes more sense.

30:23I don't know, just fresh in mind, your performance and

30:25everything as, as you take the field.

30:27So, uh, instead of, you know, seeing it late in the day and then

30:30going home and maybe losing that.

30:32So I think that kind of makes some sense.

30:34John Bentley too said like you play games later in the afternoon.

30:37So they have to deal with the heat now and everything.

30:40Uh, little change there, but, uh, anything else from Mayo or, uh, we

30:46talked to David Andrews, Jacoby Brissett, Jonathan Jones, and who else?

30:52Who am I missing?

30:54Jacoby Brissett, uh, John Bentley.

30:56Yeah.

30:56So, uh, anything else from any of those guys that stood

31:00out to you or, or anything?

31:02The practice timing thing's interesting.

31:04Just.

31:05You know, later in the day, there's a conditioning element to that too.

31:08Mayo said they'd stagger the practice times.

31:10I think we're going to see, you kind of knew, I don't want to say every

31:14Patriots practice was the same under Belichick, but like, I don't know.

31:19Maybe it was me having done this long enough.

31:20Like there were three or four kinds of practices and you sort of knew within

31:24the first half hour, what you were going to get, it definitely feels like

31:28things might be more varied this year.

31:29I don't know if that's good or bad.

31:31It just, that kind of was the vibe I got today is that there's going to be

31:35more variants from practice to practice, which we also sort of saw in the spring.

31:39I'll be in a very limited sample size from the players.

31:42Not much.

31:43It's crazy that Jonathan Jones is the longest tenure

31:45defensive player on the scene.

31:47I just, I feel as if I didn't feel old enough.

31:51Did you see yesterday?

31:52The jets announced their throwbacks, which are the uniforms they wore.

31:55It was like the Mark Sanchez jerseys.

31:57And right.

31:58So I guess they're actually the sixties ones, which those were revival of,

32:01cause they have the great face mask, not the green, but like it's still, and

32:05those jets, those are the best jets uniforms with the shoulder stripes,

32:08a little patch, white helmet football on the side, but, um, John Jones being

32:13the oldest defensive player on this year, not oldest, but longest tenure

32:15defense player, and it seems crazy and still doing it and he's going to be a

32:19good player he got asked today where he's going to play, cause that's

32:21obviously been a big question.

32:22He said forever.

32:24So we're still have to wait at least another day on that answer.

32:26But, um, no, you know, I, I thought it was interesting.

32:30Tom Curran was on NBC sports, Boston last night, and he said something along

32:37the lines of like the, and this quote stood out, obviously, cause it sounds

32:41like something our friend Mike Catholic would say the Patriots need a bunch of

32:44SpongeBob's, they need a bunch of guys that are just super eager to go and

32:47ready to work and smile on their face.

32:49Even if it's not going to be easy, whatever, like, you know, you talk to

32:53the leadership of the team today.

32:55So obviously it comes with a grain of salt, but you know, a guy like David

32:59who is not going to be here in the Patriots or the next contention.

33:02We know Jonathan Jones was in his thirties and is in a contract year.

33:05Jacoby Berset, whose replacement is in the building.

33:08Yeah.

33:08Um, these guys all seem to get where they're at and what this year

33:12is about, and that's not a given.

33:14Now it's really easy to say that on July 23rd, let's see what happens when

33:18getting into the season and they lose some games and where they're at there.

33:21But this continues to be a case of, and I said this about the coaching

33:25um, when they were hired and we talked to them for the first time, they get it.

33:30I think there's an understanding in the building of where this team is at.

33:33Now you got to act the right way.

33:37On top of that, you can't just get it and head in the right direction.

33:40You have to act accordingly, but I do think there is, I do think the people

33:46at the top, whether that be the coaches, whether that be the leadership of the

33:49players guy, I mean, the four guys we talked to today, I would assume we're

33:53all going to be captains, right?

33:54David Andrews has been a captain for a long time.

33:57John Bentley has been a captain for a long time.

33:59I has John Jones been a captain.

34:01He should be, should have been.

34:02Not only he hasn't been, I don't think it's a Julian Edelman scenario where

34:06like he should be, but he doesn't want to be, um, that was always the theory

34:10anyway with Edelman, um, and percent, you know, starting quarterback will

34:13be a captain you would think.

34:14So, um, yeah, these guys, these guys all seem like they get it.

34:20And you hope that trickles down and you hope the attitude's right.

34:22But they, they seem to be on the right, on the right page.

34:26Yep.

34:27And Mayo was even asked like what a successful season looks like today.

34:31And right.

34:32Good point.

34:33He kind of said, uh, I have the quote right here.

34:35He says, in my eyes, it's really about the foundation.

34:38Have we put together a good foundation of a combination of young and

34:41older players to really start competing?

34:43It would be great to get up here and say, we're going to win a super bowl.

34:46But once again, it's about the process.

34:48I tell you guys all the time, it's about process and

34:50progress, uh, and moving forward.

34:52So yeah, they, as you said, they all seem to kind of know where

34:56they're, where they're at right now.

34:58Like they're not the chiefs.

34:59They're not the dynasty Patriots.

35:01So like, they're not the super bowl favorites going into the year.

35:03Like this is kind of year one of this retool, rebuild, whatever

35:07you want to call it, like lay that foundation.

35:10You have some intriguing young pieces, uh, some good veterans,

35:14like they could still win some games, but, uh, just lay that foundation.

35:18Uh, what's the saying on their wall process progress, something, something.

35:24I don't know, but lay that, lay that foundation.

35:27Like this, this is like, this is what you're going to build off of, uh, moving

35:31forward and they all seem to kind of know that, which, uh, seems like

35:34they're in a good spot, but again, it's July 23rd, uh, we haven't

35:37even had a training camp practice.

35:39Uh, we'll, we'll see if that can kind of continue, even if things start to

35:42go South, uh, during the year and whatnot.

35:46Uh, any last thoughts, any, anything indeed, or we can get on

35:51to training camp day one tomorrow.

35:53Yeah.

35:54We're we're on a camp.

35:55That's where we are on to camp.

35:57If you missed any of our training camp previews, we have a defensive

36:02preview and an offensive preview, two separate episodes on the YouTube.

36:07Uh, page.

36:07So go check those out in preparation for tomorrow.

36:10We will be back, uh, tomorrow at, at some point after practice to break down day

36:16one, you can, uh, make sure you subscribe to the channel, turn on a notification.

36:21So you do know when we are going to go live.

36:23You can also follow Alex on Twitter at real Alex bar for live training camp

36:27updates and head over to 98, five, the sports hub.com to read all his Patriots

36:32written coverage from today and training camp moving forward.

36:36And same for me at I am Brian Heinz on Twitter and Pat's pulpit.com for all

36:41our written Patriots coverage over there as well.

36:44So thank you all for tuning in with us today.

36:46And we will see you tomorrow at day one of Patriots training camp.

36:50We made it.

36:51We'll see you guys there.

36:52Right.

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