Breaking Brad: Recent Episodes
bradwhitaker
Boston Exile shares the latest from Patriots minicamp, plus the Celtics might actually trade Giannis Antetokounmpo.
This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit patscast.substack.com
Boston Exile breaks down Day 1 of Patriots minicamp, Christian Gonzalez and Kayshon Boutte participate, and the Red Sox stick with their GM.
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Will Stefon Diggs find himself back on the Patriots? The latest rumors suggest it could happen. Plus, the Red Sox send Brayan Bello down to Worcester.
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On the first episode of Boston Exile, A.J. Brown gets to work quickly, the latest from Patriots OTAs, Celtics trade rumors, and another depressing story from the Red Sox.
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The New England Patriots finally making the move, bringing in AJ Brown as a No. 1 receiver. PatsCast reacts and asks, "Why not Stefon Diggs too?"
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The 2026 NFL schedule is out! PatsCast breaks down each matchup for the New England Patriots and predicts their final record.
This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit patscast.substack.com
This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit patscast.substack.com
The New England Patriots select EDGE Gabe Jacas and tight end Eli Raridon in a refreshingly new approach to the NFL Draft.
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PatsCast analyzes the Caleb Lomu selection, adding another tackle to protect Drake Maye. Plus, the latest on the Mike Vrabel-Dianna Russini debacle.
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PatsCast previews the New England Patriots approach to the 2026 NFL Draft. Will they draft for need, beef up the o-line or take the best player available?
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After a quiet start, the New England Patriots take an aggressive approach to NFL Free Agency. Are the Pats now a better football team?
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PatsCast breaks down a disappointing day one of NFL Free Agency for the New England Patriots, holding out hope for a major move.
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The New England Patriots release Stefon Diggs, opening up cap space for a major move. Could Alec Pierce or A.J. Brown be coming to Foxboro?
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With cap space to spend, will the New England Patriots make a big splash this offseason? PatsCast examines the realistic scenarios.
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PatsCast breaks down the New England Patriots 29-13 Super Bowl loss to the Seattle Seahawks, plus questions about Will Campbell, Jared Wilson and the 2026 offseason.
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PatsCast previews Super Bowl LX between the New England Patriots and Seattle Seahawks.
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The Patriots have been discounted at every turn this season, yet here they are, heading to the Super Bowl. Is New England the new villain of the NFL?
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PatsCast examines Drake Maye’s shoulder injury and how it might impact the Patriots ahead of their Super Bowl matchup with the Seahawks.
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PatsCast breaks down the 10-7 victory for the New England Patriots over the Denver Broncos, and looks ahead to the Super Bowl.
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PatsCast previews and predicts the AFC Championship matchup between the New England Patriots and Denver Broncos.
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PatsCast looks ahead to the Patriots AFC Championship matchup against the Broncos, breaking down how to stop backup Jarrett Stidham with little intel.
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The New England Patriots survive a defensive battle against the Houston Texans to advance to the AFC Championship against the Denver Broncos.
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PatsCast previews the upcoming rock fight between the New England Patriots and Houston Texans in the AFC Divisional round.
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PatsCast breaks down the New England Patriots 16-3 playoff victory over the Los Angeles Chargers and looks ahead to their favorable playoff path.
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PatsCast previews the New England Patriots and Los Angeles Chargers playoff matchup. Plus, predictions across the NFL Wild Card round.
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PatsCast breaks down the Patriots 38-10 win over the Dolphins, along with the playoff picture heading into the postseason.
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PatsCast breaks down the MVP debate between Drake Maye and Matthew Stafford. Plus, Stefon Diggs is in legal trouble.
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The New England Patriots finish the season 8-0 on the road after an explosive game from Drake Maye, Stefon Diggs and Elton Chism. PatsCast breaks down the blowout victory in New York.
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PatsCast breaks down playoff scenarios among the likely AFC teams and ranks postseason matchups the Patriots should want and avoid.
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Drake Maye and the New England Patriots battle back against the Baltimore Ravens to clinch their first playoff appearance since 2021. PatsCast breaks down the comeback and what’s ahead.
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After a collapse against the Bills, what do the Patriots need to do to enter the playoffs hot and make a real Super Bowl run? PatsCast breaks it down.
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The New England Patriots blow a huge lead to the Buffalo Bills. PatsCast breaks down the game and what it means for the division and AFC.
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The New England Patriots secure their 11th win of the season with a blowout victory over the New York Giants. Are the Pats truly the No. 1 team in the NFL?
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Despite injuries at key positions, the New England Patriots hold on against the Cincinnati Bengals. PatsCast breaks down the win and uncertainty ahead.
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The New England Patriots improve to 9-2 with a 27-14 win over the New York Jets. PatsCast breaks down Henderson, Maye, the uniforms and what’s ahead.
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The New England Patriots aren’t just pulling above their weight, they are a legitimately great football team. Do they have what it takes to reach the Super Bowl?
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The New England Patriots defeat the Tampa Bay Buccaneers with a statement win on the road. PatsCast breaks down a hard-fought victory despite not playing their best.
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The New England Patriots survive an ugly game against the Atlanta Falcons to improve to 7-2. PatsCast examines the setbacks, injuries and resilience coming out of a tough victory.
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New England Patriots quarterback Drake Maye is putting up MVP caliber numbers. Will this continue and what needs to be done to top Patrick Mahomes, Josh Allen and company?
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The New England Patriots show they can win football games quickly with an explosive 3rd quarter against the Cleveland Browns. PatsCast breaks down another blowout win.
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A recent UTEP study shows NFL officials heavily favored the Kansas City Chiefs over the years. Here’s what is says about the New England Patriots dynasty.
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Despite a rocky start, the New England Patriots pick up a resilient blowout victory in Mike Vrabel’s revenge game against the Tennessee Titans.
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The New England Patriots sit atop first place in the AFC East through six weeks, but is it sustainable? PatsCast breaks down the surprising start to the season.
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Drake Maye and the New England Patriots passing game continues to shine, despite bad officiating and a non-existent run game. PatsCast breaks down the 25-19 victory in New Orleans.
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Drake Maye and the New England Patriots may have the NFL’s attention, but how close are they to true contention?
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The New England Patriots pull off a stunning upset victory in primetime against the Buffalo Bills. PatsCast breaks down the statement game from Drake Maye, Stefon Diggs and company.
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The numbers don’t lie. Drake Maye is putting up dazzling numbers so far in his sophomore season with the New England Patriots. Can he become one of the NFL’s best?
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The New England Patriots respond with an explosive 42-point performance against the Carolina Panthers. PatsCast breaks down the positive performance and ahead of next week’s tough matchup in Buffalo.
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The New England Patriots have some tough decisions after another rough game from Rhamondre Stevenson and DeMario Douglas. PatsCast breaks down the options.
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The New England Patriots had plenty of opportunities to take an easy victory over the Pittsburgh Steelers. PatsCast breaks down the ugly performance and offers a glimmer of hope.
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Coming off a hard-fought victory in Miami, the Patriots have an opportunity to start stacking wins. PatsCast breaks down the promising signs with a very easy schedule.
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The New England Patriots escape with a rare road victory in Miami. PatsCast examines Drake Maye’s performance, Rhamondre Stevenson's big game, the defensive adjustments and what still needs improvement.
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Was the Patriots Week 1 loss just rust or a sign of bigger problems? PatsCast takes a look at Drake Maye, his weapons and o-line, and the coaching staff.
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PatsCast breaks down the New England Patriots season opening loss to the Las Vegas Raiders. Does this team have enough?
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PatsCast previews the 2025 New England Patriots and predicts their final record in Mike Vrabel's first season as head coach.
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The New England Patriots have set their initial 53-man roster. PatsCast breaks down who made the cut, who didn’t, and who could still be on the bubble.
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New England Patriots head coach Mike Vrabel has some tough choices after a brutal preseason finale. PatsCast examines the players on the bubble.
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A breakdown of Drake Maye’s ups, downs and whether Patriots fans should be worried. Plus, a competitive practice rounds out Training Camp.
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Rookies Efton Chism and TreVeyon Henderson shine once again, as the Patriots win their second preseason game against the Vikings.
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The New England Patriots faced reality in Day 2 of joint practices with the Minnesota Vikings. PatsCast breaks down a tumultuous day with plenty to learn from.
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This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit patscast.substack.com
The New England Patriots offense struggles for two straight practices. PatsCast breaks down what Drake Maye needs to do ahead of joint practices with the Minnesota Vikings.
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TreVeyon Henderson sparks an explosive night for the Patriots. PatsCast breaks down New England’s rousing preseason performance against the Commanders.
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The Patriots showed up in their joint practice with the Commanders. PatsCast breaks down the offense’s positive day, defensive surprises and a tone-setting brawl with both teams.
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Drake Maye and the New England Patriots offense struggles on Day 10 of Training Camp, while the defense dominates.
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Drake Maye continues to shine and take care of the football at New England Patriots Training Camp. PatsCast breaks down the latest practice.
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PatsCast breaks down the first New England Patriots padded practice, including Christian Gonzalez’s injury, Drake Maye’s performance and some surprising rookie standouts.
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The New England Patriots offense and defense exchange haymakers in the final practice before pads. PatsCast discusses Drake Maye’s improvements and a surprising standout receiver.
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Drake Maye and Stefon Diggs make an early impact, but the New England Patriots offense is still being held back. PatsCast breaks down the good, the bad and the ugly from Day 1 of Training Camp.
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The New England Patriots are expected to be playoff contenders, but are we becoming delusional? PatsCast lays out the strengths and question marks. Plus, the latest on Terry McLaurin.
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This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit patscast.substack.com
Drake Maye is picking up the Josh McDaniels offense at lightning speed. The result? The first competitive practices in years.
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PatsCast breaks down the good, the bad and the ugly from the first day of New England Patriots OTAs. Are Drake Maye’s picks a real concern?
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The New England Patriots land a (nearly) perfect schedule. PatsCast breaks down why 11 wins is not out of the realm of possibility.
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PatsCast dives into a crowded New England Patriots receiver room. Who stays and who goes? Plus, the latest on the Patriots uniforms.
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Following a phenomenal offseason, are the New England Patriots destined for 10 wins? Why it’s not a far reach.
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The New England Patriots add 20 undrafted free agents, but who has a real shot at making the roster? PatsCast breaks down the most promising prospects.
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With new weapons and protection for Drake Maye, what grade do the New England Patriots get after the 2025 NFL Draft? PatsCast breaks down each selection.
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The New England Patriots continue adding talent during the NFL Draft, this time on defense and special teams. PatsCast breaks down the latest picks.
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The New England Patriots focus on adding weapons and protection for Drake Maye on Day 2 of the NFL Draft. PatsCast breaks down the selections.
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The New England Patriots select Ohio State running back TreVeyon Henderson with their second pick. We break down the selection and what it means.
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The New England Patriots have plenty of weapons to choose from heading into Day 2 of the NFL Draft. We examine potential targets.
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LSU’s Will Campbell is officially a member of the New England Patriots. PatsCast breaks down the selection and looks ahead to the next picks.
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The New England Patriots make life a lot easier for Drake Maye in the final PatsCast mock draft of the year.
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Could the New England Patriots add AJ Brown in a blockbuster trade with the Philadelphia Eagles? We examine the latest rumor. Plus, Ashton Jeanty at No. 4?
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With Abdul Carter’s draft stock potentially falling, he might be available at 4th overall. But could the New England Patriots also pass on the blue chip edge rusher?
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The first PatsCast mock draft of 2025! The New England Patriots trade back and stack the offense with high-ceiling players.
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Did the New England Patriots just make a massive mistake trading away Joe Milton? We examine the reasoning behind the decision.
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New England Patriots head coach Mike Vrabel has a strategy, but is owner Robert Kraft willing to do what it takes to improve the organization? We examine after comments from the NFL owners meetings.
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With Travis Hunter and Abdul Carter now likely going top three, will the New England Patriots reach for a tackle like Will Campbell at No. 4?
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This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit patscast.substack.com
The New England Patriots find Drake Maye a true No. 1 receiver, signing Stefon Diggs to a team-friendly deal. Full analysis and draft speculation.
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The New England Patriots could land a blue chip player in Travis Hunter or Abdul Carter at the 2025 NFL Draft. But who’s the better fit for the Pats?
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The latest on Stefon Diggs and his visit with the New England Patriots. Will Drake Maye finally get his No. 1 wide receiver? Plus, desperation at left tackle.
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What should the Patriots do if Travis Hunter and Abdul Carter are off the board and they can't trade back? Plus, New England makes a key veteran addition to the offensive line.
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After an aggressive first day, signings have stalled for the New England Patriots. How should they address receiver and left tackle in free agency?
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The New England Patriots take aggressive to a new level. We examine Milton Williams, Morgan Moses, Harold Landry and more, while looking ahead at what’s to come.
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With the franchise tag deadline past, the New England Patriots have the cash to purchase an elite offensive line and weapons for Drake Maye.
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Rob Gronkowski is reportedly considering a return to the NFL. A New England Patriots reunion? Plus, Mike Vrabel shares some valuable nuggets.
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We examine various draft night scenarios for the New England Patriots. Should they stick and pick, or trade back?
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What the New England Patriots can learn from the Philadelphia Eagles and their Super Bowl victory. We provide a roadmap to contention.
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With the most cap space in the NFL and plenty of draft capital, we take a look at potential trade targets for the Mike Vrabel-led New England Patriots.
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Some of the latest mock drafts show Travis Hunter falling to the New England Patriots. How would Mike Vrabel use him and is tackle a greater priority?
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We examine the hiring of Mike Vrabel, Josh McDaniels, Terrell Williams and what to expect from the New England Patriots coaching staff.
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Josh McDaniels will return to the New England Patriots as offensive coordinator. We examine the decision and what’s next for Mike Vrabel, Drake Maye and the front office.
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With the New England Patriots introducing Mike Vrabel as their next head coach, we ask: Who’s really running things?
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The New England Patriots have announced Mike Vrabel as their next head coach. We examine the decision, potential coordinators and changes to the Patriots front office.
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With Mike Vrabel set to interview with the New England Patriots, we break down the full list of head coaching candidates and assess their seriousness.
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The New England Patriots waste no time firing Jerod Mayo. Who will be the next head coach? Plus, the Pats squander the No. 1 pick thanks to Joe Milton's performance.
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Does New England Patriots owner Robert Kraft have the fortitude to fire head coach Jerod Mayo? We make a prediction on Mike Vrabel, Ben Johnson and Mayo.
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Currently holding the No. 1 pick in the 2025 NFL Draft, should the New England Patriots tank their season finale? Plus, the latest Mike Vrabel rumors.
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The New England Patriots suffer their worst loss of the season against the Los Angeles Chargers. What should Robert Kraft do with an organization in turmoil from top to bottom?
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The New England Patriots kept it close and improved their draft position after falling to the Buffalo Bills. Is Jerod Mayo and the coaching staff off the hook?
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Mike Vrabel interested in the New England Patriots? We examine whether or not Vrabel’s the right fit and what it will take for Robert Kraft to move on from Jerod Mayo.
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New England Patriots players and coaches throw their offensive coordinator under the bus after a blowout loss to the Arizona Cardinals. We explain why the hot seat should extend beyond Alex Van Pelt.
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We look at Jerod Mayo, Alex Van Pelt and DeMarcus Covington to examine who should return to the New England Patriots coaching staff next year.
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Could we see Bill Belichick coaching at the college level? Why his interviews with North Carolina aren’t just smoke and mirrors.
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With a tough remaining schedule, the New England Patriots have a real chance at landing the No. 1 pick in the 2025 NFL Draft. If so, should they take the best available talent or trade back?
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Breaking down the heartbreaking Patriots loss to the Colts: Drake Maye and the offense shines, self-inflicted mistakes and questions surrounding the defense’s collapse.
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If the New England Patriots don’t show up this week, it’s time for Robert Kraft to seriously reconsider the coaching. We break down the troubles and what needs to be done.
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The New England Patriots get blown out on the road against the Miami Dolphins. We break down the good, the bad, the ugly and how they can still salvage the season.
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Patriots rookie Drake Maye has done more with less. We rerank the top four rookie starting quarterbacks and ask the question, “Who would you rather have?”
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Why the New England Patriots are still getting better, despite a close 28-22 loss to the LA Rams. We examine the improvements made with Drake Maye and the coaching staff.
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The New England Patriots are trending like Bitcoin, especially with the return of Christian Barmore. We examine if Patriot Way 2.0 is sustainable.
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Patriot Way football returns, as the New England Patriots dramatically upset the Chicago Bears 19-3. Is the rebuild finally working?
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Do Robert Kraft and the New England Patriots have the guts to move on from Jerod Mayo to bring in an offensive mind like Ben Johnson? We explore some potential scenarios.
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With Drake Maye progressing faster than expected, it’s time for the New England Patriots to step up and win games. We break down the changes needed, starting with the coaching staff.
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Despite Drake Maye's clutch buzzer beater, the Patriots fall short in overtime to the Titans. We examine the baffling coaching decisions and what’s next for the Pats.
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When will Patriots rookie Drake Maye return to the field following his concussion? We break down the NFL’s concussion protocol and the absurdity of it all. Plus, news on Josh Uche.
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Despite losing Drake Maye, the Patriots lead a comeback victory behind Jacoby Brissett. Are the Pats turning things around, or are the Jets just a garbage heap of an organization?
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Despite new life with Drake Maye, the New England Patriots are regressing. Join us as we examine the coaching situation and outlooks for the future.
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Despite a 1-5 start, hope has never been higher for the New England Patriots organization. We examine what they should do in the short and long term now that Drake Maye is the franchise quarterback.
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New England Patriots rookie Drake Maye shows many sparks in his first start, but the defense lets him down. We examine Maye’s debut and the coaching staff’s long-standing issues.
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Drake Maye has a unique opportunity to turn the tide in New England. We provide the roadmap for returning the Patriots to the promise land.
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The New England Patriots finally pull the trigger! Drake Maye is set to make his starting debut against the Houston Texans. We examine what took so long and look ahead.
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We examine whether or not the New England Patriots will trade for Devante Adams and explain why the Pats receiving corps is better than you think.
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We dive into the costly mistakes that derailed the New England Patriots and find a few silver linings in their loss to the San Francisco 49ers.
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New England Patriots rookie Drake Maye might not be the best fit for Alex Van Pelt’s offense. Will AVP play to the strengths of his rookie quarterback?
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Join us as we dive into the struggles of the New England Patriots offensive line, tracing issues not just to Eliot Wolf, but also a series of poor decisions by Bill Belichick.
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The New England Patriots give Drake Maye the nod after going down 24-3 to the New York Jets. Is this the passing of the torch or just garbage time minutes?
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New England Patriots veteran QB Jacoby Brissett has had his struggles, but is it entirely his fault? We break it down with the film.
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The New England Patriots squander a late lead and lose to the Seattle Seahawks in overtime. We break down the struggles and silver linings.
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The New England Patriots are not treating Drake Maye like a typical backup. Will we see the rookie on the field sooner rather than later?
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While it didn’t show up in the box score, we explain why New England Patriots rookie receiver Ja’Lynn Polk was one of the best in the NFL last Sunday.
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The New England Patriots might have something after their upset victory over the Cincinnati Bengals. Is this actually a good football team?
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We make the case for the New England Patriots potentially upsetting the Cincinnati Bengals. Here’s what they need to do for Jerod Mayo and company to start 1-0.
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Patriots head coach Jerod Mayo unveils his plan for Drake Maye as backup to Jacoby Brissett. Plus, the latest on the o-line, Javon Baker, Brandon Aiyuk and looking ahead to Cincinnati.
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Jerod Mayo names Jacoby Brissett the New England Patriots starter. Will we ever see Drake Maye this season? Did he get a fair shot?
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The New England Patriots add some much needed o-line help via waivers and Jerod Mayo lets it slip on the starting QB.
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The New England Patriots have their 53-man roster! We dive into some of the surprising decisions and what they mean for the season ahead.
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Why mixed messages from New England Patriots head coach Jerod Mayo may be forcing the team to choose Drake Maye over Jacoby Brissett.
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Why Jerod Mayo won’t be the reason Drake Maye sits his rookie year. Plus, we look ahead to the Patriots preseason finale against the Commanders.
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Drake Maye continues to strengthen his case for the starting QB role over Jacoby Brissett. Plus, shake ups to the Patriots o-line after Vederian Lowe's injury.
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New England Patriots head coach Jerod Mayo finally acknowledges a QB battle with Drake Maye and Jacoby Brissett, but are the Pats really considering the rookie for the starting job?
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The Patriots finally acknowledge a QB competition, not just in words but through their actions. Can Drake Maye win the job? Plus, a look at the new offensive line combinations.
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Drake Maye shines in his first extensive look in a New England Patriots uniform, while Jacoby Brissett struggles. Is it time to give the rookie a shot?
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The New England Patriots have traded their best defensive player, Matt Judon, to the Atlanta Falcons. We examine Eliot Wolf’s first major trade.
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Despite weaker protection, Drake Maye outshines Jacoby Brissett at joint practice with the Eagles. But the Patriots have far greater issues than the quarterback.
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Why Drake Maye is getting a bad rep and looking ahead to his biggest three days as a member of the New England Patriots.
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After Joe Milton’s strong preseason performance, are the Patriots handling him and Drake Maye correctly? Plus, we look ahead to a big week against the Eagles.
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Joe Milton shines in his preseason debut. Will there be a competition with Drake Maye sooner rather than later? Plus, the Patriots defense shows they’re real.
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The New England Patriots can outbid for star receiver Brandon Aiyuk, but will it be enough? Plus, Drake Maye’s ups and downs and the o-line situation.
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The New England Patriots and Brandon Aiyuk trade rumors are getting real. Plus, a physical day at Training Camp and the latest on Matt Judon.
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Young Patriots receivers have continued to perform at Training Camp. So why are they ranked dead last in the NFL?
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Drake Maye has a strong performance at Patriots Training Camp after a rough few days, but is Joe Milton the real quarterback of the future?
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Drake Maye has another rough day at Patriots Training Camp, the latest on Matt Judon and an offensive line coming together.
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The New England Patriots offense takes a leap forward in the team’s first padded practice. Plus, more on Christian Barmore, Matt Judon and Davon Godchaux.
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Despite the offense’s struggles, New England Patriots rookies still shine on Day 3 of Training Camp. We instill some optimism for Foxboro’s young core.
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The Ghost of Matt Patricia returns Day 2 of New England Patriots Training Camp. We explain what it means and attempt to stay optimistic about the future.
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Examining the first day of New England Patriots Training Camp, the competition between Drake Maye and Jacoby Brissett, and some surprising standouts from practice.
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What to watch for heading into New England Patriots training camp with a new quarterback, head coach and GM. Can Drake Maye win the job?
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Brandon Aiyuk is unable to come to terms on a contract extension with the San Francisco 49ers and requests a trade. Should the New England Patriots make a deal?
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Just how close is Drake Maye to being the New England Patriots starting quarterback? We examine what needs to be done for the rookie to leapfrog Jacoby Brissett.
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We examine why the New England Patriots are yet to extend Matt Judon after an offseason of re-signings with other foundational players.
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The New England Patriots have a crowded receiving room with some under-the-radar talent. We examine who makes the team and who gets cut.
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New England Patriots running back Rhamondre Stevenson signs an extension, but was it for too much and too long?
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How the New England Patriots can learn a thing or two from the past by watching the Boston Celtics and their championship run.
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The San Francisco 49ers have told star receiver Brandon Aiyuk they don’t want him back long term. Will the New England Patriots make a trade?
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New England Patriots rookies Drake Maye and Ja’Lynn Polk stood out at minicamp, among others. We share highlights and what’s to come heading into Training Camp.
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With the success of the Boston Celtics, just how far have the New England Patriots fallen? Can Boston become a football town once again?
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The New England Patriots offense shows up on the first day of minicamp. We talk about Drake Maye’s best day yet as a member of the Patriots.
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How the New England Patriots are taking various approaches, including virtual reality, to develop Drake Maye into a franchise QB.
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New England Patriots future hall of famer Tom Brady will go down easily as the greatest quarterback of all time. We rank his five greatest drives.
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Boston Sports Journal’s Greg Bedard did his research on potential red flags among New England Patriots rookies. We go through each player and what they need to overcome.
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The New England Patriots offense has life again after their most recent OTA practice. How Drake Maye and Javon Baker are improving, and can Tyquan Thornton finally become the receiver we’ve wanted.
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Denver Broncos receiver Courtland Sutton is looking for more money that may be in the New England Patriots budget. We examine why Sutton would be a strong fit.
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Las Vegas thinks the New England Patriots will be the worst team in 2024. We explain why the Pats are being overlook and could potentially make the playoffs.
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New England Patriots starting left guard Cole Strange’s injury is perhaps the greatest mystery this offseason. We examine if Strange still has a future with the organization.
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Bailey Zappe finds himself taking 2nd team reps at New England Patriots OTAs. Is this an indication Drake Maye will be 3rd on the depth chart? What about Joe Milton?
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We share updates from Day 1 of New England Patriots OTAs on both the offense and defense, Drake Maye showing progress and learnings on the QB situation.
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Looking at the 2024 New England Patriots schedule, we figure out the best time for Drake Maye to make his starting debut.
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The New England Patriots face a brutal path, but it could be a lot worse. Why the 2024 schedule is better than it seems.
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New England Patriots QB Drake Maye has some issues to clean up beyond just his footwork. We tell you what they are and how he can fix them.
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We tell you what it will take for the New England Patriots to trade for Tee Higgins. Plus, the Pats add four new rookies.
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New England Patriots rookie minicamp is underway! We break down Drake Maye’s adjustments, the rookie receivers and o-linemen. Plus, Eliot Wolf is officially promoted.
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With the 2nd toughest schedule in the NFL, are the New England Patriots 17-game underdogs? How will this impact the decision to play Drake Maye?
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There's a realistic chance Bailey Zappe remains the backup if Drake Maye is not ready. We explain why he's likely a Jacoby Brissett injury away from playing.
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The New England Patriots are struggling to comply with the Rooney Rule after punting on their GM search. Why you can't blame candidates for turning them down.
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Exploring Drake Maye's potential as the Week 1 starting quarterback for the New England Patriots and what steps he needs to take to secure the position.
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Why Netflix's The Roast of Tom Brady was exactly what the New England Patriots needed after a decade of tension.
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The New England Patriots have some work to do after the recent NFLPA report card. We propose 5 major upgrades to the fan and player experience.
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Why the New England Patriots should make Eliot Wolf the formal GM. And is Jerod Mayo quite literally removing the Patriot Way?
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Rhamondre Stevenson reveals major changes to the New England Patriots offense. We explore what it will look like under Alex Van Pelt.
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The New England Patriots bring in real talent with undrafted free agents. Plus, Christian Barmore signs long term.
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Breaking down each selection of the 2024 NFL Draft from the New England Patriots and providing a final grade. Do the Pats finally have an offense?
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The New England Patriots find their X receiver, UCF's Javon Baker and add a potential starting guard. Do they finally have a real offense?
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The New England Patriots finally get their tackle, Caedan Wallace from Penn State. As a right tackle, can he develop into a much needed left tackle to protect Drake Maye?
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Washington's Ja'Lynn Polk is now a member of the New England Patriots. Is he the missing piece needed at receiver?
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The New England Patriots have many options on Day 2 of the 2024 NFL Draft at tackle, receiver or even trading for a veteran like Brandon Aiyuk.
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The New England Patriots find their future franchise QB, Drake Maye at 3rd overall. We provide instant reaction to this historic pick.
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San Francisco 49ers star receiver Brandon Aiyuk could be traded on draft day. The New England Patriots have the ammunition to make an offer. Can they pull it off?
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More J.J. McCarthy smoke surrounding a potential New England Patriots selection. We explore how the Pats can have their cake and eat it too.
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According to a recent report, the New England Patriots might trade down if they can't select Jayden Daniels and draft Michael Penix Jr. We examine the fit.
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The New England Patriots have ample opportunity to jumpstart their rebuild by trading back in the NFL Draft. We provide three offers they can’t refuse.
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The Jayden Daniels camp is reportedly not please with the Washington Commanders. Might he fall to the New England Patriots? Plus, A.J. Brown talk!
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North Carolina prospect Drake Maye has the raw talent to be a star in the NFL. We make the case why the New England Patriots should draft him.
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The New England Patriots express sudden interest in Michael Penix Jr. with a Top 30 visit. Might Marvin Harrison Jr. be back in the conversation?
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Michigan QB J.J. McCarthy visits the New England Patriots. We make a case for why J.J. could be the franchise quarterback of the future.
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Tom Brady teases unretiring and returning to the New England Patriots, but how realistic is it?
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The Washington Commanders have been quiet. What if they take Drake Maye at No. 2? Where does that leave the New England Patriots?
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Assuming the New England Patriots draft a QB at No. 3, should they prioritize tackle or receiver? We go over the options at both positions.
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New England Patriots exec Eliot Wolf is reportedly pushing to draft J.J. McCarthy. Is it real or a smokescreen? We examine how McCarthy might fit in New England.
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Could the New England Patriots acquire Justin Jefferson trading back with the Minnesota Vikings? Is there a different scenario where they could trade back and still get J.J. McCarthy?
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Forgotten New England Patriots QB Bailey Zappe is putting in the offseason work. Does he stand a chance at winning the starting job?
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The New England Patriots sent their full cohort to observe Drake Maye at North Carolina's Pro Day. Does his impressive performance change anything?
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Will the New England Patriots draft Michigan's J.J. McCarthy at No. 3? Or might the Washington Commanders snag him first? We analyze why his draft stock his risen dramatically and why teams may want to reconsider.
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New England Patriots owner Robert Kraft has high expectations for a rebuilding team. We discuss whether Kraft is being realistic or delusional.
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New England Patriots head coach Jerod Mayo gets transparent at the NFL Owners Meetings. But did he say too much? We examine the new 'open approach' at 1 Patriot Place.
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Is Drake Maye the next New England Patriots franchise quarterback? We examine why the Pats may not be falling in love with the North Carolina prospect and if it's somebody else.
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After months of negativity, Drake Maye is rising up the mock NFL Draft boards again. We examine what the New England Patriots and Washington Commanders might do.
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Why the narrative surrounding the New England Patriots offseason is missing context. Things look brighter than most think.
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Measuring the top NFL Draft quarterbacks by a new metric - who comes through in the clutch? We ask if the Patriots should factor this into their draft decision. Plus Stephon Gilmore rumors.
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The New England Patriots have reportedly rebuffed trade offers for the No. 3 overall pick. We discuss what this means and who the Pats might draft.
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With J.J. McCarthy moving up most draft boards, why the New England Patriots may opt to draft him at No. 3 overall. We also analyze the K.J. Osborn signing and The Dynasty docuseries.
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The New England Patriots are yet to make a big splash this NFL offseason. Are they being too cheap, or does Eliot Wolf deserve some praise?
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Will the Minnesota Vikings trade up to No. 3, allowing the New England Patriots to quickly rebuild with more draft capital?
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If it costs a low-value draft pick, why shouldn't the New England Patriots make a trade for Justin Fields?
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The New England Patriots lose out on Calvin Ridley after the Tennessee Titans win the bidding war, but did they overpay for what many consider a No. 2 guy?
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The New England Patriots make a big offer to Calvin Ridley, but is he just using the Pats as leverage to go back to Jacksonville?
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The New England Patriots add Jacoby Brissett as a bridge quarterback and re-sign o-lineman Mike Onwenu to a three-year deal.
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The New England Patriots have some options at receiver, some cheap, others expensive. Which is the best route for getting the offense on track?
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The New England Patriots trade Mac Jones to the Jacksonville Jaguars for a 6th round pick. What it means for the QB room in New England.
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Hunter Henry re-signs with the Patriots, is Drake Maye's draft stock plummeting, plus the Pats add depth at tackle.
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The New England Patriots look to add star power with Saquon Barkley and L'Jarius Sneed. Why they might actually be able to pull this off. Plus Kyle Dugger gets tagged.
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Why the New England Patriots HAVE to look at Russell Wilson as a cheap bridge and how the narrative surrounding him is untrue.
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Could we see Baker Mayfield in a New England Patriots uniform? How this changes everything. Is he really the best option at QB?
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The New England Patriots reportedly plan to take a QB with their first pick in the NFL Draft. Will it be Drake Maye or Jayden Daniels? What will surround them?
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The NFL Players Association comes out with an unflattering report card for the New England Patriots. What will this mean for potential free agents?
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New England Patriots de facto GM Eliot Wolf confirms he will be interviewing top-tier NFL draft quarterbacks and addresses potential changes to the team.
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Will the New England Patriots opt for Marvin Harrison Jr. at No. 3 instead of a quarterback? We propose a solution so the Pats can have their cake and eat it too.
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Why recent reports about Drake Maye being Mitch Trubisky is designed to play into the hands of the New England Patriots. Don't buy it.
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A different New England Patriots coaching staff offers insight heading into the 2024 NFL offseason regarding the offense, the QB position and overall philosophy.
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The latest New England Patriots moves show Jerod Mayo is quite literally putting his money where his mouth is heading into NFL Free Agency.
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The fastest and most realistic plan for getting the New England Patriots back to Super Bowl contention this offseason.
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Can the New England Patriots make the move up the century, trading up to draft USC's Caleb Williams at No. 1? What will it take?
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The latest New England Patriots mock draft shows them trading for Justin Jefferson and Justin Fields, jumpstarting a quick rebuild.
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Why the New England Patriots should draft Marvin Harrison Jr. at No. 3 and develop a young QB like J.J. McCarthy. A plan for the future that will pay off big.
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With Patrick Mahomes and the Kansas City Chiefs picking up their third Super Bowl title, has he leapfrogged Tom Brady as the greatest of all time?
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Making the case for the New England Patriots keeping Mac Jones and providing weapons around him. Plus, is Eliot Wolf the new GM?
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Why the New England Patriots acquiring Justin Jefferson makes a lot of sense, not just for the Pats, but the Minnesota Vikings.
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The latest story on Mike Vrabel tells an interesting story about today's NFL. Why guys like Vrabel, Belichick and Bieniemy find themselves out of a job.
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The New England Patriots could select a tackle with third overall pick. We explain why this is a TERRIBLE idea and explore a few better scenarios for the draft and free agency.
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The New England Patriots have hired Alex Van Pelt as offensive coordinator. We examine the next Patriots offense and who to expect at quarterback in 2024.
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We analyze some potential New England Patriots draft targets for rounds 2 through 4 coming out of Senior Bowl week in Mobile, Alabama.
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With the New England Patriots continuing to seek an offensive coordinator, could Josh McDaniels be making a return? We examine some of the concerns in bringing McDaniels back and why it might work.
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Mac Jones reportedly was told to ask for a trade from the New England Patriots after his solid rookie year. We examine why, what's happened since and if the Pats should keep him on the roster.
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Who is the best fit for the New England Patriots to select at No. 3 overall and who will be available?
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With significant salary cap space, New England Patriots head coach Jerod Mayo says the team is prepared to burn cash. We examine the top free agents the Patriots will target.
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Jerod Mayo and the New England Patriots begin interviews for the offensive coordinator role. We examine two new candidates and whether Josh McDaniels is still in the mix.
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In an effort to distance himself from Bill Belichick, is Jerod Mayo overcorrecting what's worked for so long with the New England Patriots? We examine how Mayo should take initiative.
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Examining why it's vital the New England Patriots bring back Kendrick Bourne and what else the team can do to beef up that receiving corps.
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The Atlanta Falcons are making moves to bring in Bill Belichick. But could we see the Dallas Cowboys or Philadelphia Eagles make a push?
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With Bill Belichick out the door, the New England Patriots are reportedly trying to keep his son Steve Belichick. If so, does he have a shot at the defensive coordinator role?
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Jerod Mayo is officially head coach of the New England Patriots. But was Mayo behind the leaking of Bill Belichick's departure weeks ago? We examine how the process played out.
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The New England Patriots and Bill Belichick have agreed to part ways after 24 seasons. We look back on the greatest run in sports history and discuss the future for Belichick and the Patriots organization.
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The stars are aligning for Mike Vrabel to become the next head coach of the New England Patriots. Will it happen? What does this mean for Bill Belichick? Are the Atlanta Falcons a possibility?
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Bill Belichick and Josh McDaniels may both return to the New England Patriots next season. We examine why this likely won't work and offer a radical solution for reinvigorating the team.
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With New England Patriots head coach Bill Belichick set to meet with owner Robert Kraft to discuss his and the team's future, we examine Bill's potential pitch for staying with the team.
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The New England Patriots drop the season finale to the New York Jets 17-3, securing a top three pick. What does this mean for Bill Belichick's future? Who should they select in the 2024 NFL Draft?
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Forget drafting a QB early, why the New England Patriots should strongly consider drafting Ohio State's Marvin Harrison Jr. if he's still available.
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With Jerod Mayo now taking shots saying he's "rubbing people the wrong way" in New England, we examine why this is actually a good thing for Mayo's potential future as Patriots head coach.
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Could the College Football Playoff National Championship include a future New England Patriots quarterback? We examine Washington QB Michael Penix Jr. and Michigan QB J.J. McCarthy's fit in Foxboro.
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The New England Patriots are in a difficult situation., with a potential victory over the New York Jets harming the franchise. What should they do? Do things change if Robert Kraft wants Bill Belichick to stay?
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Why the New England Patriots losing to the Buffalo Bills 27--21 puts them in the best position going forward. Is Bailey Zappe proving he can be an NFL starting QB? What should the Pats do in the NFL Draft?
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With the Denver Broncos benching Russell Wilson for the remainder of the season, might we see the New England Patriots go after the veteran quarterback as a free agent in the offseason? Would Russ be a solid fit in Foxboro? Why if Bill Belichick is back, that may become a real possibility.
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New England Patriots head coach Bill Belichick is making a strong case to keep his job after multiple primetime victories. Just how will Belichick pitch Patriots owner Robert Kraft, and is it already too late for him to save it?
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Might Bailey Zappe be the starting quarterback of the future for the New England Patriots? Or is he forever relegated to a backup role? We examine Zappe's journey as a quarterback and tell you why his best days might still be ahead of him.
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The New England Patriots might actually have something after their surprise 26-23 victory over the Denver Broncos on Christmas Eve. We explore what this means for Bailey Zappe, Bill Belichick, the NFL Draft and what the offense might look like heading into 2024. Might losing out on Caleb Williams or Drake Maye be a blessing in disguise?
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The New England Patriots may have defeated the Pittsburgh Steelers 21-18 on Thursday Night Football, but it was the tale of two halves that taught Bill Belichick and company a valuable lesson on how to win in today's NFL.
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We praise the New England Patriots defense, break down why Bailey Zappe isn’t the answer at quarterback and discuss how the team fell this far.
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The New England Patriots continue to descend into the NFL basement, with a 10-7 loss to the New York Giants to fall to 2-9. We analyze the state of the organization and attempt to find silver linings.
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The New England Patriots are at a crossroads between moving on from Bill Belichick and deciding who is next in line. We examine the top candidates to replace Belichick and select the best choice for the 2024 NFL season.
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After a potential career-ending performance against the Indianapolis Colts, New England Patriots quarterback Mac Jones’ starting job hangs in the balance. However, if practice is any indicator, it doesn’t look like Jones will be losing his job anytime soon.
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New England Patriots head coach Bill Belichick is reportedly out the door at the end of the season, and according to an NFL insider, it has already been decided where he will coach next season.
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The New England Patriots benched Mac Jones with a chance to win the game in Germany. Why the Patriots failed to beat the Colts, and what does it mean for Bill Belichick and Mac Jones’ immediate future?
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The Patriots came to the defense of Josh McDaniels moments before his firing. See how the drama unfolded in Vegas and will the Pats take him back?
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Reaction to the New England Patriots and their team now that the NFL Trade Deadline has passed. Will injuries hamper this team, or does it present a real opportunity? Also, why fans shouldn’t give up on this team just yet.
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[TRANSCRIPT]
Welcome to Breaking Brad. The New England Patriots suffered a 20-7 loss to the Miami Dolphins in Week 1 to open the season, and there’s a lot to consider when thinking about what this 2022-23 Patriots will look like and how they’ll ultimately finish. With that in mind, here are five takeaways from their Week 1 performance.
No. 1: Mental Mistakes are Becoming Normalbb
Yes, ever since the departure of Tom Brady, the errors that used to be uncharacteristic of Bill Belichick’s squad, committing turnovers, particularly fumbles, missed assignments, penalties - jumping offsides in crucial moments; these have all become fairly normal.
Bill Belichick, who used to rule with an iron fist when Brady was on the team, has become much softer on his players. You heard him after the game on Sunday, basically saying, if it weren’t for those mistakes, we could have had a chance at winning the game. Contrast that to the Tom Brady era, when the typical response was simply, “we need to play better, we need to execute better, we need to coach better.” Now, it’s a lot of fluff that we’re not used to seeing from Bill over the last two decades.
Perhaps he’s still trying to get his players to buy-in to their new system, new coaches, etc. But does Bill really think so low of this team, he has to pretend they’re playing better than they really are just to get their confidence up? If that’s the case, it’s cause for concern.
That being said, I’m really not that discouraged after this loss. I was expecting the Patriots to lose considering they always seem to lose down in Miami, even during the Brady era. Which brings me to point . . .
No. 2: The Mistakes Are Fixable
The first turnover came on a fairly egregious no-call on a hold against DeVante Parker that was deflected and intercepted. The Pats were driving the ball fairly easily up until that point, and were likely to end up in the end zone or settling for a field goal. So, I’m not going to worry about that play too much.
The big mistake that really hurt them, came on a strip sack against Mac Jones resulting in a touchdown, a Sack 6, that wasn’t really the quarterback’s fault. Either Trent Brown, the left tackle, should have picked up the safety blitz, or it was on Hunter Henry to either stop him or provide a quicker check down. Not sure exactly what happened there, but as expected from a tumultuous Training Camp, the offensive line communication broke down and cost them those seven points. Not a great look, but certainly as this offensive line spends more time together in this new zone run-type system, one would expect those mistakes not to occur as often.
Then there was the 4th & 7 in the final seconds of the first half. Kyle Dugger took a bad angle on Jaylen Waddle, who easily broke through the defense and scored a heartbreaking touchdown, giving the Dolphins a 17-0 lead heading into halftime. I can tell you, Dugger, who otherwise had a terrific game, will not make that mistake again. That’s a correction that can be made.
You take out those two plays where the Pats shot themselves in the foot, they would have been in the game and potentially could have won. Again, don’t love Belichick making that point, but it is the truth. In the NFL, the margin for error is small. If they avoided those mistakes, the Patriots might have actually looked okay.
No. 3: Kendrick Bourne is in the Dog House
Kendrick Bourne, who was arguably the Patriots first or second-best receiver last year, only played a couple of snaps on Sunday, which included an explosive, down-the-sideline gain, their biggest of the day.
Bourne reportedly did not buy into the adjustments Bill Belichick was making during Training Camp, he got into multiple fights in joint practices, and as a result, he’s being punished for it. You hope that will change soon, because he adds an element to that offense that can be a real gamechanger.
Bourne was frustrated on the sideline after getting pulled following his great catch. The very next play, Nelson Agholor made a boneheaded fumble, which the Dolphins recovered, ruining any chances of a late comeback.
No. 4: The Play Calling Wasn’t the Issue
With all the talk about the Patriots moving former defensive coordinator Matt Patricia to offensive play-calling duties, there really didn’t seem to be any issues there.
Even without Josh McDaniels, the Pats stuck with a lot of the old, power run-heavy offense, while mixing in some of the new elements. I could easily have seen Josh McDaniels calling the same game and getting a similar result.
That wasn’t the issue, it was the execution.
And finally, No. 5: The Running Game Played Well
The Patriots basically had to abandon the run in the second half because they were playing catch-up, but in the first half, the running backs ran the ball nine times for a total of 41 yards. While those numbers don’t exactly jump off the page, when you think back to where they were during Training Camp, with Damien Harris and Rhamondre Stevenson getting stuffed over and over again, things actually looked fairly normal.
There is a lot to build on there.
Overall, there is no reason to panic just yet about this Patriots team. The mistakes that were made on Sunday, were enormous mistakes that cost them the game, but they were also fixable mistakes. My only concern: is the culture changing in Foxboro? Maybe Bill will get somewhere by going soft on his players in the final years of his coaching career. But at some point, he has to say, this isn’t working, and become a hardass again.
Next week’s game in Pittsburgh should be a real test. It’s a winnable game, but in a tough environment. If the Pats can minimize some of these mistakes, they should be able to walk away with a victory and get back on track. That’s a big if right now.
Be sure to like this video, subscribe and hit the notification bell. Until next time, this is Breaking Brad.
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[Transcript]
Welcome to Breaking Brad, cooking up only the hottest of takes for you this evening.
Of all the teams one would expect to make a blockbuster move, few had the Cleveland Cavaliers at the top of their list. But that’s exactly what is happening.
According to Shams of The Athletic, Cleveland is trading Collin Sexton, Lauri Markkanen, Ochai Agbaji and three first-round draft picks, along with two pick swaps, to the Utah Jazz in exchange for Donovan Mitchell.
And while it will be exciting to see Mitchell play in Cleveland with a young, talented roster, this trade got me thinking, Danny Ainge is at it again.
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Yes, if you’re unfamiliar, Danny Ainge, the former GM of the Boston Celtics who traded away Paul Pierce and Kevin Garnett for multiple high-value draft picks that ultimately turned into Boston’s current, championship-contending roster, just did basically the exact same thing in Utah.
Ainge is blowing the whole thing up, stacking future draft picks, and ensuring Utah remains a successful organization for years to come. Mind you, Ainge also recently brought in four additional first-round draft picks when he traded Rudy Gobert to the Minnesota Timberwolves.
So, when all is said and done, in these two trades alone, Danny Ainge has brought in seven unprotected first round draft picks, and three first round pick swaps. And by the way, Sexton, Markkanen and Agbaji, are all decent players. Not going to make up for the loss of Donovan Mitchell and Rudy Gobert, but a few years down the road, Utah will be filled with talent and the Jazz will be contending for a championship.
Overall, the Jazz could have as many as 15 first round draft picks through 2029. They have three next year alone. And if the Cavs struggle at all from 2025 through 2029, those are going to be high-value lottery picks. The future is bright in Salt Lake.
I don’t know how Danny got away with this again. Cavs fans have reason to be excited in the short-term, but they got absolutely fleeced in this deal. They traded away their future, and for what? To be the fifth best team in the Eastern Conference? Darius Garland is good, they have a strong starting lineup, Kevin Love is coming off the bench in all likelihood, but is that team beating Boston, Milwaukee or Philadelphia? I don’t think so.
And another thing to keep in mind. I did a story on this yesterday. LeBron James wants to play with both his sons Bronny, who will enter the league in a couple years, and Bryce two years after that. He was quoted in Sports Illustrated saying:
“I’d definitely be looking at who got first-round picks in 2024, 2025, things of that nature; 2026, ‘27. I pay attention to that type of stuff.”
I would have never envisioned LeBron in Utah, but the chances of that happening just went up significantly.
Good for Danny Ainge, that man’s still got it. And happy for the Cavs, they’ll do very well in jersey sales over the next two years.
Okay, moving on.
Today, the Denver Broncos just made a significant step to ensure they have a real starting quarterback for years to come, after many failures since Peyton Manning.
The Broncos have extended Russell Wilson’s contract five seasons, at $245 million, with $165 million of that guaranteed. That means Wilson could remain in Denver through the 2028-29 NFL season, although there is a potential out in 2026, which I would not expect him to take. That means when Wilson is set to become an unrestricted free agent in 2029, he’ll be 41 years old.
As much as I like Russell Wilson, who would be near the top of my list of quarterbacks to build a team around, he’s not Tom Brady. He’s a mobile, dual-threat quarterback, who’s taken lots of hits behind poor offensive lines over the years. And that might improve this year - Denver’s offensive line ranks 16th in the league, according to Pro Football Focus, so right in the middle of the pack.
But how is Russ going to be playing four-five years from now? I have no doubt he’ll put in the effort and take care of himself, but will his body hold up. He’s going to need to become a strict pocket passer, in my opinion.
This is a real gamble by the Broncos organization, which I kind of understand. It’s been failure after failure finding a quarterback. Drew Lock wasn’t the guy, and if you remove Peyton Manning out of the equation, they haven’t had a top quarterback since John Elway. And no, Jay Cutler, Jake Plummer and Brian Griese don’t count.
Look, WIlson is a future Hall of Famer, he never missed a game his first nine seasons in the league. Still played 14 of 17 last year, despite a broken finger. But, and this is a fascinating statistic from Mike DeCourcy of Sporting News: Russell Wilson has been sacked more than 35 times in all but two of his 10 years as a starter in Seattle. Tom Brady, by comparison, that’s only happened twice in his entire career.
I could be wrong, but we’ll see how he holds up.
Okay, final story of the day.
The New England Patriots will be taking their talents to South Beach well in advance of their Week 1 opener against the Miami Dolphins.
As we’ve seen in years past, when the Patriots go down to Miami, particularly early in the season, the blistering heat and humidity often takes a toll. In fact, since 2013, all those trips with Tom Brady and Super Bowl-champion teams, New England is just 2-7 at Miami. Yes, two wins in their last nine trips. And most of those were not very good Dolphins teams.
So, in an effort to acclimate the Patriots to a difficult environment, against what could potentially be a very good Miami Dolphins team, they will travel south on Tuesday, five days ahead of their first game.
Now, this won’t be the first time the Pats have dealt with the heat over the last few weeks. There was a fairly bad heat wave in Foxboro where temperatures reached the high-90s during Training Camp. The Patriots also just returned from a week-long trip to Las Vegas, where they practiced in similar temperatures with the Raiders before their final preseason matchup. But the cliche rings tried and true, it’s not the heat, it’s the humidity that will likely be an issue in Miami, in the thick of hurricane season. There’s always a chance of rain and thunder showers.
But with all these trips, heading out to Las Vegas, a week of practice in Miami, the Pats will likely have another extended trip later in the season when they take on Arizona and Vegas back-to-back; this provides a real opportunity to build team chemistry - which they really need.
At the very least, the offensive line needs that time to build trust and communication, with some of these zone run concepts they’ve struggled with all Training Camp.
I’m chalking this one up as a loss. I refused to bet on the Patriots in Miami even when Tom Brady was there, and their 2-7 record there over the last nine seasons shows why. That said, if they’re able to go down to Miami, with all the hype of adding Tyreek Hill, and DeVante Parker goes off against his former team, that would be one hell of a way to start a season that most Pats fans are very worried about.
Okay, that’s it. I’ve got a fantasy football draft to join. If you’re drafting these next few days, be sure to check out my recent video “Best Fantasy Football Draft Tips for the 2022 NFL Season,” which includes advice on how to draft players for consistency - there’s nothing worse than a fantasy team that doesn’t show up.
Be sure to like and subscribe. Will be back next week. Until then, this is Breaking Brad.
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[Transcript]
Welcome to Breaking Brad, cooking up only the hottest of takes for you this evening.
The New England Patriots have a 53-man roster. But perhaps more importantly, some of the surprise players that were waived by Bill Belichick, have been signed to the practice squad. Will go over that in just a minute. But first, let’s go over the full roster.
At quarterback, no major surprises. Mac Jones, obviously, followed by Brian Hoyer and Bailey Zappe. Hoyer looked great in the preseason, has more zip on his throws than in year’s past. And Bailey Zappe is a rookie, a bit of a work in progress, but reminds me a lot of Mac Jones. He’ll likely be the eventual backup.
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At running back, Damien Harris and Rhamondre Stevenson top the list. Ty Montgomery will be a strong third down back. We hope his ankle injury isn’t very serious. But that’s also what Pierre Strong Jr. is for, he was drafted by New England in the 4th round this year.
Pats are very deep at wide receiver, even without an obvious No. 1. Jakobi Meyers back in the slot, followed by DeVante Parker who should have a huge impact. Nelson Agholor, hope he has a bounce back year as a speedy vertical threat. Then Kendrick Bourne, a pleasant surprise last season. And lastly, Tyquan Thornton, arguably the fastest receiver to ever enter the league, set a record in the 40 yard dash at the Combine this year. He just underwent shoulder surgery, so you hope to see him sometime before midseason.
Just two at tight end: Hunter Henry, who had an incredible year last year. Could be a fantasy sleeper, potentially a 10 touchdown guy. And Jonnu Smith, a bit of a disappointment last year, but you hope he bounces back after a full year learning the system in New England.
The offensive line isn’t a big surprise, with Trent Brown, Cole Strange, the rookie left guard drafted in the first round, David Andrews at center, Mike Onwenu, Isaiah Wynn (who rumor has it is on the trade block), Justin Herron, Yodny Cajuste (had a great camp), and Chasen Hines who earned that last spot.
Now, shifting to the other side of the ball.
Over on the defensive line, look at that depth, with Christian Barmore and Davon Godchaux, who both improved by leaps and bounds this offseason. Lawrence Guy, Deatrich Wise, Carl Davis and Sam Roberts.
The linebacker positions look even better, which is a big deal after that pathetic performance in Buffalo during the playoffs. On the edge, Matt Judon is obviously a Pro Bowler, Josh Uche shows a lot of promise, and Anfernee Jennings had a tremendous camp as well. DeMarcus Mitchell is also on the list, he’ll help more in the kicking game.
On the inside, perhaps the greatest improvement in speed, after Ja’Whaun Bentley you have Raekwon McMillan and Mack Wilson, both players can sprint sideline-to-sideline with the best of them. Jahlani Tavai also another special teams guy, who may contribute on defense if any of the above go down.
At corner, the loss of J.C. Jackson hurt, but the Pats now have a ton of depth, so much they didn’t even need Terrance Mitchell on the roster. He was expected to start at the beginning of Training Camp, but rookies like Jack Jones and Marcus Jones are showing a lot of promise. They made the roster, in addition to Jalen Mills, Jonathan Jones who will go up against Tyreek Hill in Week 1, Myles Bryant and Shaun Wade.
And finally, the deepest position on the roster, safety, the Patriots bring back captain Devin McCourty, Kyle Dugger who’s really begun to move into a leadership role. Adrian Phillips, Jabrill Peppers, a veteran who was added this offseason, and Josh Bledsoe covering the slot in year two of his career. Looks like he dropped off the page.
Overall, while there’s nobody there that really jumps off the page as a superstar beyond maybe Matt Judon, that’s never been the Patriots. And once again, Bill Belichick has filled his 53-man roster with a lot of value and depth. Plenty of guys who can step up when somebody goes down. This is as deep a roster as I can remember. The question is, can they implement their new offense in time for Week 1 against Miami? Or perhaps they go back to the old way of doing things. We will find out very soon, but this should be a good team if those growing pains aren’t too bad.
Okay, moving on.
We have a 53-man roster now, and yesterday we went over some of the players cut or waived by Bill Belichick. Many big surprises, like Lil’Jordan Humphrey and J.J. Taylor. Luckily those guys are coming back, signing with the practice squad.
And I’m very happy they weren’t snagged by another team. Let’s take a look:
Three offensive linemen top the list: Bill Murray, a defensive lineman last year who just transitioned to guard. Big achievement for him to make the practice squad. Kody Russey is an undrafted rookie, has spent a lot of time playing center. We could see him if David Andrews goes down. And James Feretnz, who was basically downgraded to the practice squad after a rough training camp and preseason. He’s played in 27 games over the last four seasons with the Pats.
J.J. Taylor is thankfully still around. If Ty Montgomery remains injured heading into the season, expect him to play that third down, James White role at running back. Kevin Harris, had a few impressive carries in the preseason. He was drafted in the 6th round this year.
Then at receiver, Matt Sokol has been a frequent practice squad player for the Pats over the last three seasons, so he’s back there. Tre Nixon, had a strong summer, dominated many practices at training camp, but just was not consistent enough to make the team. That said, I would expect to see him with Tyquan Thornton out. Either Nixon, or the final guy, Lil’Jordan Humphrey, who dominated during the three preseason games. Arguably New England’s best player this preseason. I’m amazed he wasn’t snagged by another team. He’ll be back, and could fill in as a third string tight end too if needed.
On defense, you have defensive tackle LaBryan Ray who had a great mini camp. Jeremiah Pharms, can play a number of different positions, had a couple run stuffs against the Raiders in the preseason. That was good enough to make the team. And then Harvey Langi, a linebacker that’s played 38 career games, will add a veteran presence to the squad.
Happy to see Cameron McGrone is back. He would have been one of the top linebackers in the 2021 NFL Draft out of Michigan, but an ACL injury dropped him quite a bit. He sat on the sideline last year, and is still looking to get back on track. This is a guy to watch out for, a potential star if he can get healthy and stay on the right track.
Brad Hawkins, an undrafted safety also out of Michigan, has picked up a spot. A lot to contend with at the safety position on the Patriots, so this just adds even more depth.
And last, but certainly not least, veteran Terrance Mitchell, arguably one of the more expensive practice squad players on a roster. He was expected to be New England’s No. 1 corner at the beginning of Training Camp, but the development of the young guys dropped him way down. But looks like he’s sticking around. I wouldn’t be surprised if we see him back real soon. Mitchell has a history of being a solid lockdown defender, who forces a lot of fumbles.
So, the Pats got nearly everyone back that they waived, except for tight end Devin Asiasi, who signed with the Bengals. He was underwhelming for the Pats in two seasons, despite being a third round draft pick.
This is a good practice squad. A lot of these guys are going to contribute this year. Once again, the Pats don’t have many stars, but they check all the boxes in the depth department.
Okay, last story for today.
We all know the plan for LeBron James is to play another couple seasons with the Lakers, see where his son Bronny is drafted when he enters the league, and then join that team, wherever that may be.
A pretty good 2-for-1 deal if you ask me. Even if Bronny isn’t the No. 1 prospect, he’ll likely go No. 1 with teams knowing LeBron comes with him.
But that would mean LeBron would turn 40 his first season playing with his son. But a la Tom Brady, it doesn’t sound like LeBron wants to retire anytime soon after that.
According to Sports Illustrated, LeBron doesn’t just want to play with his 17-year-old son, Bronny. He also wants to play with his 15-year-old son, Bryce.
LeBron was asked about playing with Bryce and said: “I feel like I could play for quite a while. It’s all up to my body, but more importantly, my mind. If my mind can stay sharp and fresh and motivated, then the sky’s not even a limit for me. I can go beyond that. But we shall see.”
LeBron going beyond the sky, through the ozone layer, all the way to outer space, to face the Martians.
So, does that mean LeBron will sign another two-year contract to play with Bronny? Then, become a free agent, and sign a contract with Bryce’s team? Also, will Bryce and Bronny even be good enough? These are all questions that will need to be answered.
But I would not be surprised to see LeBron James play, not just at age 40, but well into his 40s. With all the advances in sports and nutritional science, and all the hard work he continues to put in, I think he can do it.
Now, do I think he’ll reach Tom Brady status and play at 45 and beyond? Probably not. He relies on his athleticism much more than Brady. Those physical traits tend to break down greatly for folks in their 40s, if they haven’t already in their 30s.
Alright, that’s it for today’s episode. Be sure to like this video and click the subscribe button. Will be back tomorrow. Until then, this is Breaking Brad.
Breaking Brad is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber.
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[TRANSCRIPT]
Welcome to Breaking Brad, cooking up only the hottest of takes for you this evening. Going to be a bit of a short one today, but that doesn’t mean there’s nothing newsworthy.
That’s because it’s cut day in the NFL, the final and most painful one, where teams are required to drop their roster size from 80, all the way down to 53, with a few practice squad players in between.
The New England Patriots, as of this recording, haven’t fully released their 53-man roster, but there have already been many notable cuts that some may find surprising.
The first one is cornerback Terrence Mitchell, who seemed like he would be the main DB opposite Jalen Mills early in Training Camp. A veteran presence, who had some success with the Houston Texans, especially as a lockdown corner that can force fumbles. Now, Mitchell likely would have made the team if it weren’t for his salary, and the surprising development of newly-drafted corners Marcus Jones and Jack Jones. So, this is actually great news, because it shows the Pats have been largely successful at getting younger and faster at the cornerback position.
Devin Asiasi and Dalton Keen will go down as two failed early draft picks in recent years. Both former 2020 3rd round picks will not make the roster at the tight end position. There was a lot of hope for these guys, but it just didn’t pan out. Not a great look for Bill Belichick. Those two make N’Keal Harry look like Tyreek Hill. They combined for a grand total of five career catches.
Some other cuts, Kevin Harris, the other running back named Harris, who the Patriots drafted in the 6th round this year, was waived by the team. Not a huge surprise there, considering the depth they have at that position. But perhaps a bigger surprise at that position, J.J. Taylor, who looks like James White’s doppelganger out there, will not be playing the James White role, at least for now. He was cut by the Pats as well. That’s encouraging news for Ty Montgomery, who went down with an ankle injury in their final preseason game against the Raiders. Hopefully he’ll be back and healthy in that third down back role very soon.
Cam McGrone is another surprising cut. There were high expectations for the speedy, athletic linebacker, but he never was able to bounce back from his college injury and make the roster. It is, however, an encouraging sign with the depth the Patriots now have at that position.
Justin Bethel, a veteran special teamer, was also cut in a surprise move. Lil’Jordan Humphrey, who dominated the preseason, perhaps as the Patriots best receiver (also played tight end a little). He was waived as well.
A full list of the Patriots roster cuts should be available on Patriots.com very soon, probably by the time you watch this video. Something also to note, some of these players may re-sign depending on the IR moves made by the Patriots, they could be on the practice squad. Hopefully that’s the case for players like Lil’Jordan Humphrey and J.J. Taylor.
Moving on to the next story . . .
With NFL teams required to bring their rosters down to 53 players today, the Kansas City Chiefs, an organization with a plethora of talent at the wide receiver position (even after losing Tyreek Hill) have informed Josh Gordon of his release.
Gordon played 12 games with Kansas City last season, following suspension No. 6 of his career. He collected just five catches, 32 yards and a touchdown. Not exactly dazzling numbers, but makes sense on a roster that deep.
Gordon intends to continue playing, tweeting out: “Appreciate all the Chiefs kingdom has done for me and my family this past year. Thanks for the opportunity and the many memories. Excited to see where the next part of my football journey takes me #itsabusiness #dreamchasing.”
I still expect Josh Gordon to contribute somewhere. Not New England, despite many on Twitter suggesting otherwise. They just have too many receivers to begin with. Perhaps a team like the Packers, who could use some help at that position, or maybe the Bucs, since Gordon has a strong relationship and experience playing with Tom Brady.
Gordon has made a lot of news over the last decade for violating the NFL’s substance abuse policy, mainly for smoking cannabis. However, the substance abuse policy has now changed, as they no longer will be testing players for THC. So, there is less of a risk to signing Gordon at this point in his career.
Last story tonight, I told you this would be a short one.
Want to follow up on this story that broke yesterday evening, with the San Francisco 49ers making the decision to keep Jimmy Garoppolo. What does that mean for Trey Lance, and the future of the quarterback position in San Francisco?
Well, one thing is for sure, if the Niners are keeping Jimmy G, after basically saying they were trading him and naming Trey Lance their starting quarterback in the offseason, there is a good chance Lance is on a short leash. Clearly Kyle Shanahan, John Lynch and company do not trust Lance to be their starter, at least at this time. Garoppolo will be waiting in the wings, and I would bet he starts at least a few games this season.
So, the real question is, if that happens, Lance isn’t ready and the Niners have to resort to Jimmy G, thinking ahead to next year’s NFL season, when Jimmy G is gone as a free agent and Lance is the only guy left, will they hand him the keys again? Will they take away the keys before Week 1 this season? It’s not looking good, and this is an extremely talented roster that should be competing for a Super Bowl right now. I mean, they nearly made it back last year with Garoppolo.
Well, I know a certain quarterback playing in Tampa, who grew up in the San Francisco Bay Area, who would love to finish his career close to home. The Niners goofed in 2020, when they passed on Tom Brady. I’m sure right now, if they had to choose between Jimmy G, Trey Lance, or Tom Brady, they would jump at the idea of having Tom Brady. I mean, he was just named the No. 1 player, currently in the NFL by his peers.
Assuming Brady doesn’t retire next year, which I don’t think is a big assumption (his retirement this year was fake, he wanted to get released and go to the Dolphins),he would have to be interested in playing for San Francisco. It just makes too much sense.
It always seemed inevitable to me, if Brady didn’t finish his career with the Patriots, it would be with his childhood team, the Niners. Especially when you consider the talent on that roster. It’s analogous to what Tampa was two years ago when Brady decided to go there, but with a more stable, buttoned-up organization.
Brady would get one of the best coaches in the NFL, the best rosters and be close to his family. It’s a no brainer.
Okay, that’s it for today’s quick episode. Be sure to like and subscribe, hit that notification bell. Will be back tomorrow. Until then, this is Breaking Brad.
Get full access to Breaking Brad at breakingbrad.substack.com/subscribe
[TRANSCRIPT]
Welcome to Breaking Brad, cooking up only the hottest of takes for you this evening.
The New England Patriots dropped their third and final preseason game on Friday, 23-6, in an embarrassing defeat that leaves a sour taste in everyone’s mouth less than two weeks out from their regular season opener, on the road against the Miami Dolphins.
It’s hard to know where to start. Jarrett Stidham, New England’s former third string QB, shredded the Patriots starting defense. On the offensive side of the ball, Mac Jones threw an interception that dropped right in the middle of a five-man, Raiders stand-up meeting. Running back/receiver Ty Montgomery, who’s had a tremendous camp, went down with an ankle injury and may be out for a period of time. He didn’t practice on Monday.
Even the special teams are struggling. Mind you, these were the Patriots starters going up against mostly second and third string Raiders players.
So, what may be the cause of this Patriots team having their single worst training camp and preseason in more than two decades?
As crazy as it sounds, I think a lot of that blame has to fall on Bill Belichick, who destroyed any semblance of continuity from the way New England has done things over these last 20+ years.
Mac Jones fit in the Tom Brady/Josh McDaniels offense like a glove. But now in his second season, he has to learn a new offense, which his o-line doesn’t seem to be picking up, thus hampering the protection that’s been so consistent in New England.
Belichick named a former defensive coordinator, basically the de facto offensive coordinator, Matt Patricia, who has no experience in this area, much less implementing a Kyle Shanahan-esque stretch offense that’s never been run in New England before.
Moreover, Patricia’s official title is offensive line coach, so he’s not giving as much attention to them as a traditional o-line coach normally would.
And this Patriots team, with all the criticism, actually has a fairly talented roster. They’re deep at receiver, with DeVante Parker, Jakobi Meyers, Nelson Agholor, Kendrick Bourne, and Tyquan Thornton, one of the fastest receivers we’ve seen in New England in a long time. They got two stud tight ends in Hunter Henry and Jonnu Smith. Lil’Jordan Humphrey may be contributing there as well.
Perhaps the best safety group in the NFL with Devin McCourty, Kyle Dugger, Adrian Phillips and Jabrill Peppers added to that.
Speed on the defensive line and linebacker positions that weren’t there last season. And plenty of options to go to at the cornerback position, depending on the many receiver combinations the Pats might face this year.
And let’s not forget Mac Jones, who showed up to camp in incredible shape, and many are expecting to make a Joe Burrow-style leap in Year 2.
So, what the hell is going on?
My worry is, Bill Belichick is pulling a Gregg Popovich and going soft. He’s become much friendlier with players since Brady left (becoming a player’s coach if you will), more practices in shells (not pads), and more days off than we’ve ever had. Remember no days off?
He also changed the offense to incorporate the zone run, which is supposed to be an easier concept to learn for new players (although that certainly hasn’t been the case so far).
It’s understandable there’s going to be some growing pains, particularly after losing Josh McDaniels, one of the best offensive coordinators in football. But last season was a bridge year - and the Pats played well all things considered. They made it to the postseason with a rookie quarterback, the offense really wasn’t the issue by the end of the season, it was the speed and athleticism of the defense. They seem to have upgraded there.
This is the year where Pats fans should be going, “Alright, it’s time to compete with the Bills, Chiefs and Bengals.” Instead we’re going, “Will this team finish 7-10?”
One of the big complaints from Tom Brady and Gronk following their time in New England was the Patriots are such a difficult organization to play for. There is a lot expected of each player, and not a lot of time for rest, recovery or fun. It seems Belichick really took that to heart.
But that’s what made the Patriots so great, being the most disciplined organization in the NFL. Now, it looks like all that discipline is on the coaches (poor Matt Patricia is doing like four different jobs), and not falling on the players like it used to. Meanwhile, in Tampa, Tom Brady is upset about the lack of coaching and discipline in the Bucs organization.
The grass isn’t always greener on the other side, and if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it. Maybe the Pats can mix in some of these zone run concepts, bootlegs and play actions we see in LA and San Francisco. But don’t veer away from what’s worked well for so long - a strong power running game and an Erhardt-Perkins/west coast-style offense.
This could be a very good team if they don’t blow the whole thing up.
Alright, speaking of Tom Brady . . .
Every year, each player in the NFL gets an opportunity to cast their vote to identify the best players in the league heading into that season.
And look, I’m as big a Tom Brady fan as they come. I’m not one of those rare disgruntled Patriots fans - I think Brady’s the GOAT, no question about that. I’ve always admired his work ethic and competitive spirit, especially because he’s not really that athletic of an individual. He’s never had the strongest arm, although the velocity has improved since his early 20s. He’s slow as molasses, but managed to develop some of the best footwork in the pocket we’ve ever seen. He’s accurate, knows what’s coming before the ball is snapped.
But at 45 years old, in a league with Patrick Mahomes and Josh Allen, don’t forget Aaron Rodgers, Aaron Donald - I would be very hesitant to say he’s the best player in the NFL right now. But that’s exactly how the players in the league feel.
Mind you, this was not a survey asking for the best overall player, throughout their career. Brady would certainly top that list. This is the best player, right now, entering the 2022-23 NFL season.
According to the players, Tom Brady is No. 1, Aaron Donald at No. 2, Aaron Rodgers at No. 3, then Cooper Kupp, Jonathan Taylor (who I like, great for fantasy, but wouldn’t put at No. 5 just yet), T.J. Watt, Davante Adams, Patrick Mahomes at No. 8, Jalen Ramsey, then Travis Kelce at No. 10. So, Josh Allen didn’t even make the top ten. In fact, he landed at No. 13, behind Myles Garrett and Derrick Henry for some reason.
While I would probably put Brady in the top five, maybe not No. 1, there is certainly a case to be made he’s still the best. His numbers last year: first in touchdowns, first in passing yards, first in first downs, and his offense led the league in points and touchdowns.
The only reason Aaron Rodgers beat him in the MVP race last season, Rodgers threw fewer picks and closed the season better than Brady.
Would you still put Brady at No.1? Let me know in the comments.
Okay, so we are in the last week before Week 1 of the NFL season officially begins, which means the vast majority of fantasy football drafts will take place between now and Labor Day. And fantasy football is frustrating for many. You put in so much time prepping, and then end up with a completely different team than you expected. Or maybe you’re impressed with the players you have on paper, but those players lay the occasional goose egg far too often.
For those fantasy football players, this video is for you. I have five valuable pieces of advice that should prevent you from banging your head on the coffee table by Week 6.
My first piece of advice: Do Not Draft Josh Allen.
“But Brad, Josh Allen is the best fantasy quarterback in the NFL. That’s stupid advice.” No it’s not (unless you’re able to get him in the 5th round).
But I guarantee, somebody in your league is going to use their first or second pick on Josh Allen. Don’t be that guy who uses a first or second round pick on a quarterback.
Drafting Allen early could mean missing out on a top running back or wide receiver that just won’t be available in the second or third round. There will be an opportunity to draft Patrick Mahomes, Aaron Rodgers, Tom Brady, Justin Herbert, Kyler Murray or Joe Burrow later. We’re not talking about a major downgrade by passing on Allen.
And that leads me to my second piece of advice: Draft Value at Positions Where There Isn’t a Ton.
The first that comes to mind: tight end. There’s one reliable, consistent tight end in all of the NFL, and that’s Travis Kelce. Sure, many think Mark Andrews from the Ravens is comparable. But when you look at their overall body of work, is there any tight end you should trust more than Travis Kelce? No!
Don’t be afraid to use a first round pick on Kelce, or even Andrews. Because if you wait too long to draft a tight end, and Kyle Pitts is off the board, then George Kittle, then Darren Waller (who really wasn’t that reliable last season), there’s a short list of about four or five players who can contribute at tight end on a consistent basis. Then it’s, you know, Hunter Henry. Either a touchdown or a goose egg. Don’t put yourself in that position. Draft Kelce if you can.
Consistency is vital, that’s why for my third piece of advice: Look for Players with Low Variance (or High Consistency).
There are websites that measure this. FantasyPros.com has a table that ranks all draftable players by their week-to-week consistency. They call it quality starts percentage.
Just to give you an example, players like Dalvin Cook, Joe Mixon and Nick Chubb all rank in the top 10 of most draft boards. But those players provide quality starts roughly 50% of the time. Meanwhile, Austin Ekeler is about 88% of the time. Najee Harris from Pittsburgh, 76% of the time. Draft those guys instead.
I guarantee, nobody in your league is drafting players by consistency. They’re just looking at the ESPN or Yahoo ranking and looking at the name that pops.
Now, this may not help you win every week. But you will average more points, and that will translate to wins and a better playoff position.
Another piece of advice: Don’t Be Afraid to Make Aggressive Moves After Week 1.
Your team is not set in stone. There is so much parity in the NFL, and you can find out a lot of information on rookies and dual threat players in Week 1. If you have a league with free agent cash instead of a waiver wire, don’t be afraid to spend it early.
Some things to watch for:
Rookie running backs getting a majority of their team’s snaps
Players that suddenly play two positions, i.e. Cordarrelle Patterson and Deebo Samuel last season.
Mid-level receivers getting a disproportionate number of targets, particularly on teams that don’t have a deep receiving corps. I’m looking at you Baltimore.
And quarterbacks with vastly improved offensive lines. I mean think about what Joe Burrow did last year with falling jenga pieces in front of him. Imagine what he can do now that he has some protection.
Don’t fall in love with the players you drafted. Cut some of those guys after Week 1 if you see any of these surprises crop up.
And finally, my last piece of advice: Be Strategic Drafting a Kicker.
This is not as important as the others, but it can come in handy. Conventional wisdom is to draft a kicker on a team with a good offense. More chances down the field means more field goals, right? Not exactly.
What if that team typically gets in the end zone, like the Kansas City Chiefs? What if they go for it on fourth down a lot, like the Chargers?
If you try to guess who were the top three kickers in fantasy football season, you’d probably put Justin Tucker somewhere in there. After all, he’s the best kicker in the NFL.
But he wasn’t in the top three. The top three kickers were Daniel Carlson from the Raiders, Nick Folk from the Patriots, and Chris Boswell from the Steelers.
The key here is to draft a kicker on a team that has a solid offense, but not a great one. Last season, the Raiders, Patriots and Steelers, none were top-tier offenses, but they certainly weren’t bottom-tier either. They were moving the chains, but often settling for field goals on red zone appearances.
That’s what to watch out for. Don’t worry so much about the kicker. These are professionals who typically make their field goals. That’s why it’s such a big story when a kicker misses multiple kicks. Worry about the team they play for. That may give you a 5-10 point edge.
Alright, that’s it, but before I go, I wanted to note this story that just broke.
According to Adam Schefter, Jimmy Garoppolo will remain with the San Francisco 49ers this season. He restructured his deal to contain a no-trade and no-tag clause, meaning he will become a free agent before next season.
Jimmy G will be the backup behind Trey Lance, and many expected Garoppolo to be traded before the season starts. Looks like that’s not the case. Not exactly a show of confidence for San Francisco’s young quarterback, Lance. We’ll see how long Jimmy G stays on the bench.
I’m a believer that when healthy (and that’s a big when), Jimmy Garoppolo is one of the better quarterbacks in the NFL. He nearly made it back to the Super Bowl last year, and has shown he can lead a complex Kyle Shanahan offense.
You know, I was expecting the Cleveland Browns to make a run at him. 11 games with Jacoby Brissett is rough, but I guess Jimmy G is staying with the Niners. Perhaps the greatest backup in the history of football.
Okay, that’s it for the show. If you like what you’ve heard, be sure to subscribe, like and hit the notification bell. Will be back tomorrow. Until then, this is Breaking Brad.
Get full access to Breaking Brad at breakingbrad.substack.com/subscribe
[TRANSCRIPT]
Welcome to Breaking Brad, cooking up only the hottest of takes this fine evening.
Going to start with some Los Angeles Lakers talk. According to ESPN, the Lakers finalized a deal to bring Utah Jazz guard Patrick Beverley to LA, in exchange for Talen Horton-Tucker and Stanley Johnson.
Calling Patrick Beverley a Utah Jazz guard is a little misleading, since he finished last year with the Minnesota Timberwolves, and spent quite a bit of time before that with the LA Clippers. But Beverley was in Utah because he was acquired in the Rudy Gobert trade.
GM Danny Ainge, who built today’s Celtics young corps along with the KG, Pierce, Allen Big 3 in Boston, is now with Utah and clearly wants to clean house. Will be interesting to see what happens with Donovan Mitchell.
But what’s even more interesting is the direction the Lakers seem to be moving with this trade. Like the Brooklyn Nets, the Lakers - lot of offensive talent, not enough defensive talent.
The Beverley addition adds a physical, get in your head, defensive presence that’s been missing from the Lakers for quite some time. And boy, he will make up for a lot. In the last five seasons, Beverley has held opponents to just shy of 42 percent shooting, the second best in the NBA among players who’ve defended at least 2,000 shots.
More importantly, Beverly is on an expiring contract next season for $13 million. That means after this season, the Lakers will have nobody on the books other than LeBron James and Anthony Davis, both with max contracts.
So, they could potentially bring Beverley back, if all works out, but the Lakers will have more than ample room to build whatever they’d like around LeBron and AD.
Now, the real question is, are the Lakers going for it all right now, or will the 2022-23 season be a bridge year. Well, that answer depends on what happens with Russell Westbrook (who by the way has a history of not getting along with Beverley, like many ball-heavy point guards).
I’ve been criticized on Twitter many times over the years for not being in the Russell Westbrook camp. Triple-doubles are fun, but point guard rebounds don’t win games in the NBA. They never have, and they never will. When the shot goes up, I want my point guard running to the hash mark so he can call for the outlet pass and spark the transition offense.
I also don’t want my point guard, the field general of the roster, to burn out their legs by the 3rd quarter, so they’re useless heaving up shots, turning the ball over and making poor decisions during the most important part of the game.
More people are realizing this, and I’ve noticed, those people chirping in my ear saying Russ is the best player in the NBA, have gone noticeably silent over the last few years.
Sure, he’s fun to watch play, no doubt about that. But he still can’t shoot, particularly from three, his usage is too high, he has two game modes: 110% and too tired to play well, and he’s not a great defender.
The Lakers, you have your point guard now. Look, Beverley is not going to jump off the page on the offensive side, but he’s not going to hurt you either. Sure, the Lakers still need a shooter, but that was never Russell Westbrook.
LA can’t win with Russ, he’s a liability, and they should do everything they can to trade him. The problem is, who is going to take him at his enormous salary?
LeBron James defended Russ, perhaps for morale reasons, saying he “can’t wait for him to go off this season!” But LeBron knows who Russ is, and he knows he’s stuck with him for another season.
Look, I like Russell Westbrook as a person. He’s a good guy, has had an enormous impact on the game of basketball, on the OKC community. But most people have accepted at this point, he’s a liability for their team.
There may always be that 10% who put Westbrook up with Jordan, Russell, Kareem, Oscar Robertson. But as time goes on, those people look more and more ridiculous.
Alright, moving on.
The NFL season is just around the corner, and I’m a firm believer it’s never too early to make predictions. I won’t get into Super Bowl talk just yet, but here are my predictions for Week 1 of the NFL season, starting with . . .
The Bills vs. Rams: What a start to the season - you have the defending Super Bowl champs going up against the NFL’s best up-and-coming team, arguably the favorite to win it all this season. Because of that, I’m picking the Bills to win a close one, 27-23. Josh Allen rushes for two touchdowns, throws for 300 yards, and outduels Matt Stafford who may have health issues, and has a new offensive line in front of him that isn’t quite ready for that Bills defense.
Buccaneers vs. Cowboys: The Sunday night game on NBC. This will be Todd Bowles first game as head coach of the Bucs. I do think the Dallas defense will have some success getting to Brady, but I think Tampa’s defense will completely stop Ezekiel Elliott and at least contain Dak Prescott. The Bucs win 17-14 in a defense-heavy battle.
Patriots vs. Dolphins: As much as I would love to pick my Patriots, and shut up all the critics who say the Pats have no idea what they’re doing on offense, this is a tough one to make that argument. Even when the Pats are good and the Dolphins bad, they don’t win in Miami, especially early in the season when it’s 90+ and humid. New England’s defense looks a lot better, but I think they’ll struggle to keep up with Tyreek Hill, who will catch at least one deep bomb from Tua, and Mac Jones will be sacked at least three times due to an offensive line still learning the communication of a new offense. Dolphins win 24-17.
49ers vs. Bears: Although I’m skeptical about Trey Lance, I’m even more skeptical by the amount of talent, both players and coaches, being placed around Justin Fields. The Niners pummell the Bears 30-10 in a game that’s over midway through the first quarter.
Saints vs. Falcons: Despite the (maybe) retirement of Sean Payton, I’m expecting some continuity in New Orleans since that organization tends to be well run. Michael Thomas will be back, Chris Olave was picked up in the first round, Jameis Winston has something to prove. I’m not sold on Marcus Mariota on the Atlanta side, although I like Kyle Pitts and Drake London. 24-14 Saints, who run away with it in the 4th quarter.
Vikings vs. Packers: The Minnesota Vikings are one of the more underrated teams heading into the season. I think Kevin O’Connell is a great hire. They still have Justin Jefferson, they still have Dalvin Cook, and Kirk Cousins is still a competent quarterback. I think it may take some time for the Packers to get going, particularly with the loss of Davante Adams. That Aaron Rodgers contract is big, they don’t have a lot of room to bring talent around him. Vikings win 27-21 in an upset (that’s not really an upset in my opinion).
Browns vs. Panthers: Unless Cleveland pulls the trigger and trades for Jimmy Garoppolo, I’m just not sold on Jacoby Brissett. This should be an easy win for the Browns, but I think Baker Mayfield, who was recently named the starting QB for Carolina, is going to have something to prove against his former team. He’s really stepped into a leadership role, according to many reports. Baker keeps it together, only throws one pick, Christian McCaffrey goes off and the Panthers surprise the Browns with a 17-14 victory.
Steelers vs. Bengals: I really like the new offensive line the Bengals have managed to build around Joe Burrow this offseason. Cincy is a really good team, considering they nearly won the Super Bowl without a real o-line last year. I like what Pittsburgh is doing. I hope Kenny Pickett starts, I think he’s already earned it. George Pickens is another steal at the wide receiver position for the Steelers. But it’s too early, particularly against the defending conference champs. Bengals win 27-20.
Eagles vs. Lions: I know everyone has fallen in love with Detroit because of Hard Knocks. I think this will be a close game, but in the NFC East there’s the Eagles and there’s everyone else (sorry Cowboys fans). Philly now has A.J. Brown, Jalen Hurts will have a solid game in the air and on the ground. Eagles win 20-17.
Colts vs. Texans: Last year, all Indy needed was a consistent, competent quarterback. They got that in acquiring Matt Ryan. Houston is still rebuilding, and they were outscored by the Colts 62-3 in their two games last season. Colts win fairly easily, 27-10.
Ravens vs. Jets: I think this will be a close game, not because I think the Jets are that much better, but because I think Baltimore is one of the more overrated teams heading into the season. Lamar Jackson went from MVP, to a top 10 quarterback. What do we get this year? Joe Flacco will likely start for the injured Zach Wilson, and he’s certainly out for revenge against his former team. But ultimately, the Jets come up short, 21-20 Ravens.
Jaguars vs. Commanders: There is a lot of buzz after the Jags acquired Doug Pederson to replace Urban Meyer’s hilarious lone season as head coach. Trevor Lawrence looks better, but so does Carson Wentz on the other side being coached by Ron Rivera. I’m expecting a very low-scoring game, with Washington ultimately taking the victory on a last-second field goal, 10-7.
Giants vs. Titans: Tennessee is in a weird limbo situation. I think fans expected more out of them last year after making a run the year before. Luckily, they’re playing the Giants in Week 1, in the beginning of the end for Daniel Jones’ time as a starter in the NFL. Titans win 27-14.
Chiefs vs. Cardinals: This is a tough start to the season for Arizona, who started so hot last year. Unfortunately, vibes are not great in Phoenix, after it was revealed their $230 million quarterback Kyler Murray has discipline problems, so much that studying had to be written into his contract. That was later removed, but at the end of the day, Kansas City is still Kansas City, they lost Tyreek Hill but added Juju Smith-Schuster. Chiefs win 34-24.
Raiders vs. Chargers: Many are expecting great things out of Las Vegas after adding Davante Adams and Josh McDaniels as their new head coach, and somehow Derek Carr went from underrated to overrated in a single offseason (I don’t really understand that). The Chargers, however, bring back a more experienced Justin Herbert (a potential MVP), and they’ve added Khalil Mack and J.C. Jackson to that defense. I think the Vegas o-line really struggles, and the Chargers take the victory 24-21.
Last but not least, the Broncos vs. Seahawks: Russell Wilson returns to Seattle for one final show for the fans, against a rebuilding franchise. I’m not buying the Broncos just yet, but I am buying them for this game. Denver wins 24-13, in a game that was never really that close.
So, that’s it for my Week 1 predictions. Let me know if you agree or disagree
Now, before we leave, I want to end with this:
[VIDEO OF TERRELL OWENS RUNNING 40-YARD DASH]
That was Terrell Owens, who looks like he can still play, running a 4.38 40-yard dash. Mind you, he’s 48 years old. Tyquan Thornton, drafted by the Patriots this year, set a record at the Combine running 4.28, only a tenth of a second faster than Owens, who is 26 years older. Incredible.
That’s it for tonight’s episode. Will be back next week. Until then, this is Breaking Brad.
Get full access to Breaking Brad at breakingbrad.substack.com/subscribe
[TRANSCRIPT]
Welcome to Breaking Brad, cooking up only the hottest of takes this evening. Going to start off as usual with some football.
The New England Patriots had a much improved performance in their second day of joint practices with the Las Vegas Raiders on Wednesday.
On Tuesday, the offense couldn’t do a damn thing, particularly the running game, as the offensive line is still having troubles adjusting to the new zone run offense, which is supposed to make things a lot easier, especially for new players coming in (Cole Strange, for instance, seems to be picking things up nicely), but there’s a lot of different communication elements we’ve never seen a Bill Belichick team deploy.
Once again, the Patriots offense seems to play at their best when running the hurry-up, two-minute offense. During the first two-minute period, Mac Jones hit DeVante Parker on screen, followed by completions to Jonnu Smith and Ty Montgomery (a very underrated pickup this offseason), before Nick Folk kicked a 47-yard field goal.
Then in the final two-minute drill, Hunter Henry caught a couple of balls, one on a deep seam route, and the other in the end zone. There were team celebrations, and it was a real bounce back from yesterday, although the two-minute period was really their only success in the first practice with the Raiders.
In other 11-on-11 drills, Jakobi Meyers made the catch of the day with an over-the-shoulder catch in the back of the end zone from Mac Jones. Meyers had a second touchdown later, and Ty Montgomery also added a TD of his own.
The defense, who were up and down on Tuesday (but still played much better than the offense), also had an improved performance in the second day of joint practices with the Raiders. Matt Judon, for instance, picked up a sack, a pass breakup and a run stuff, while Josh Uche and Christian Barmore added constant pressure.
Perhaps more importantly, Davante Adams, who single handedly tore up the Patriots defense on Tuesday, particularly corner Jalen Mills, looked like a normal human being. Mills broke up a pass to Adams, and forced incompletions guarding Keelan Cole and Tyron Johnson.
Myles Bryant, however, continued to struggle guarding Hunter Renfrow, but Jack Jones and Terrance Mitchell looked strong in one-on-ones. So, mostly positive news to report about the DBs.
Some other news, Isaiah Wynn worked with the athletic staff for most of practice, while Justin Herron filled his spot on the o-line. This is a bit different, it was Yodney Cajuste at right tackle, so the offense is mixing things up a little. Some are speculating whether or not Wynn is on the trade block, considering he’s in the last year of his contract and was basically downgraded from left tackle (the most important o-line position for protecting right-handed QBs), to right tackle.
The Wynn stuff has been interesting - is he hurt, disgruntled, adjusting to a new role? We should find out more over the next couple of weeks.
Overall, a solid day of practice from the Patriots against a pretty good team, the Las Vegas Raiders (certainly better than Carolina last week). The energy was high, Mac Jones played well, the running game was able to do stuff, and Ty Montgomery really looks to be a solid running back/receiver that Belichick will be able to use in a number of ways.
The defense also continues to be the biggest bright spot for the Patriots this Training Camp, particularly their speed, depth and versatility. This is a pleasant surprise considering what happened in the Wild Card Playoffs against the Buffalo Bills in January, when they didn’t punt the football a single time all game.
[TGL GOLF VIDEO PROMO]
So, last week we reported that Tiger Woods was getting together with some of the top PGA golfers to find new ways to revamp the PGA, in a response to the Saudi-backed LIV Tour plucking players away and doubling their net worth in a single paycheck.
Well, Tiger works quickly. Either that, or the PGA had this up their sleeve for quite some time.
On Tuesday, Tiger and Rory McIlroy announced the launch of a new high-tech golf league in partnership with the PGA, called the TGL.
The TGL is basically a team competition that will take place each Monday night, over the course of 15 weeks, with a semifinal and championship round at the end of the season. This new competition will “showcase matches fusing advanced tech and live action from a custom-built venue.”
Each team will have three players, and there will be a grand total of six teams in the first season, so 18 golfers total. As of today, only Tiger and Rory have committed to the TGL.
Tiger said in a statement, “Embracing technology to create this unique environment gives us the ability to move our sport into primetime on a consistent basis alongside so many of sports’ biggest events.”
The TGL will not kick off until January of 2024, presumably providing LIV Golf enough time to move their sport into the Tron Legacy Universe.
Well, see if this works out. The PGA is also reportedly growing the tour championship purse, prize money and field.
It’s still too early to tell how successful LIV Golf will be, but they seemingly have an endless supply of money and are yet to acquire a television deal.
Either way, today’s announcements from the PGA prove one thing: competition is good. There’s no way the tour would have considered significantly growing prize money and adding a high-tech golf league if it weren’t for the LIV Tour.
At the end of the day, most people find golf to be very boring. This is a real opportunity to change that and bring in new fans to the sport.
Now, I know there are golf fans that won’t like this. If you think baseball fans are rigid when it comes to rule changes, think of how bad fans of the PGA are, likely with an average age of 72. Luckily, the PGA had the guts to try and grow their brand, instead of preserving their brand while LIV Golf has all the fun.
This is great news in my opinion. I hope it works out. More importantly, I want to see John Daly perform on a cyber golf course. That would be fun.
Okay, so last story of the day.
Major League Baseball has already released their regular season schedule for 2023, which I truly find to be hilarious. The NFL schedule release is like a major event. People are sifting through Twitter looking for leaks, trying to find out who the Cowboys are playing on Thanksgiving a day early. Meanwhile, baseball just releases their schedule in the middle of the night before the previous season is even over.
But like the PGA, baseball hasn’t been afraid to make significant changes, and next season’s schedule is certainly one of them.
All 30 teams are set to play, well, all 30 teams.
This will be part of a new balanced schedule that will provide fans more opportunities to see opponents they wouldn’t normally see - similar to what the NBA does.
Now, this will change the way division games are played. Instead of 19 games against each team within their division, teams will now only play 13 games against each team. And as a Red Sox fan, looking at the American League East this year, I couldn’t be happier to hear that.
Now, unlike the NBA, these changes won’t mean that every team will visit every city each year, but they will be guaranteed one series against each team from the other league.
Overall, each team will play 52 games against divisional opponents, 64 games against teams in the same league (the American League or National League), outside of their division, and 46 total games against interleague opponents.
Now, I understand baseball purists will not be happy about this. They’re still pissed they don’t get to see pitchers strikeout every nine batters, but ultimately this is the right move for a sport that’s been slowly dying since the heydey of the steroid era (when baseball was most fun).
While this is great news, I don’t exactly think it will bring baseball back. What we need to see is Major League Baseball put an emphasis on marketing their stars, not the teams.
Right now, there are two stars in baseball: Shohei Ohtani and Mookie Betts. Bryce Harper maybe. That’s insane. There has never been more elite talent. Baseball needs to learn that fans want to see the personality and foibles of some of the best players.
For example, Kyle Schwarber is having an incredible season. He’s second in the league in home runs, has a funny personality, and nobody outside of Philadelphia gives a damn. That needs to change.
But ultimately, this is a strong step in the right direction for America’s pastime.
Alright, that’s it for tonight. Be sure to click the subscribe button, like this video and hit the notification bell. Until next time, this is Breaking Brad.
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