A bunch of newsy items on the Patriots today. Here's the latest:
- Jalen Mills is returning to the Patriots — days after they told him that they intended to release him. According to Jordan Schultz, Mills "plans to go back to safety next season." The move will leave the Patriots with about $11 million in cap space, which is about what they need to operate during the season.
The Patriots eliminated the 2024 season from Mills' contract, meaning you can add him to the list of pending free agents after this season.
As we wrote this weekend, the Patriots' setup for 2024 is extremely curious (cue a flurry of contract extensions to make this moot).
- The Browns have dropped out of pursuing WR DeAndre Hopkins. The Falcons, Ravens, Bills and Patriots are among the teams rumored to still be in.
- The Browns are still in on Broncos WR Jerry Jeudy even though the asking price is still a first-round pick plus another player or pick. Also in that report:
But Benjamin Allbright of Denver’s KOA-FM reports that the Broncos would listen to an offer for a second-round pick and a player, which the Browns could possibly pull off. The Broncos supposedly at least pondered an offer for a second- and fourth-rounder, possibly from the Patriots.
- Former Patriots punter Jake Bailey spoke with Dolphins reporters and had a few interesting things to say, according to Joe Schad of the Palm Beach Post:
"You know, there's a lot to unpack," Bailey said Wednesday. "And a lot of it is between them and me, partly. I've talked to Coach (Bill) Belichick about this and how, you know, we want to talk about all this stuff. Obviously, you don't want to end up on a list like that, ever. And, you know, confusion was a lot of it. And I think we're just past it, now at this point. It was something that happened. And it was something that was unfortunate for both sides. And you know, now I think both parties are in a better situation."
"A lot of it had to do with squatting a ton," Bailey said of a season-long injury. "I did not grow up squatting, loading my back with back squats. I didn't do it at all in college. I tried to be more a part of the program. And it just really backfired the whole season I was doing it. It really made my accuracy struggle. And it just was kind of a sad, sad thing to have happen. I haven't squatted since really week 15 or 16 and feel pretty good."
BSJ ANALYSIS
On Mills ...
Well, all offseason we listed him as our top option at free safety if Devin McCourty retired, and it looks like that might come to fruition.
However, don't write anything down yet. This is more of the Patriots running things back on defense, but Belichick is still going to take a look at several options come practice, and then decide.
I'm sure Jonathan Jones, Adrian Phillips, Myles Bryant and Joshuah Bledsoe will all get some looks. Wouldn't be surprised if Marcus Jones gets a few looks. The Patriots always go into every training camp with an open mind.
If Belichick thinks that, say, putting Jonathan Jones at FS and Mills back at CB, then he'll do that.
None of this, to me, eliminates the screaming need for the Patriots to take a potential (even a year out) No. 1 and long cornerback in the first round.
On Hopkins and Jeudy ...
From what I've heard, the Patriots are still somewhat involved in both and are waiting for their price point to hit as far as compensation. While Hopkins is much more expensive, you can easily do some cap tricks to make his Year 1 cap number very manageable.
Jeudy could be similar to the Brandin Cooks trade. Cooks also had his fifth-year option due right after his trade. Patriots picked it up but traded him after the season. It was essentially a tryout, and the Patriots did well to recoup the first-round pick. They could do the exact same thing here. And if the Patriots land Jeudy ... I wouldn't put them at contender level. He has a lot to prove but certainly there would be positives about him coming to the Patriots with Mac Jones and Bill O'Brien.
On Bailey ...
Certainly interesting to hear a player admit that he and Belichick have spoken and agreed to talk about each other in a certain way.
The squatting stuff harkens back to Rob Gronkowski, Tom Brady and Alex Guerrero. There was a lot of head-butting about the Patriots' old-school methods.
I don't think it's a big deal, just notable. Bailey seems like kind of a drama queen. Of course, he is a kicker.