Emptying out the notebook from two busy days in Phoenix ...
There's little question, after talking to Patriots and league sources at the annual meeting earlier this week, that at least some segments of the organization would like to do more around Mac Jones, similar to what the Eagles and Dolphins did last season.
But how are they going to do it?
The Patriots reached out early on DeAndre Hopkins but haven't been active since then. It could have been their normal due diligence — the Patriots make a call just about every time a player might be available. Odell Beckham seems like a long shot as he prefers more secure contenders. Jerry Jeudy seems to be the strongest option even if Sean Payton continues to say they're not shopping the player (or the more expensive Cortland Sutton).
“We’re excited to have them on our football team,” GM George Paton said. “Two young players in their prime. I think Sean said it best: We’re not interested in trading them. When you’re in my position, you get a lot of calls. We’ve gotten calls from those players. And so we anticipate them being here.”
Don't let the words fool you: the Broncos are interested in moving both players, they're just driving a hard bargain. NFL sources think that will soften in the week leading up to the draft, or after it.
Jeudy would help the Patriots, but it's no sure thing — and his contract would basically make it a one-year tryout. It would be the same situation as the Brandin Cooks deal — Patriots traded for him, picked up his fifth-year option, but traded him in the offseason before the Rams gave him a big deal. Patriots basically tried out Cooks for a year, didn't love what they saw, and dealt him away. Jeudy would be in the same situation.
But the Patriots will have competition for Jeudy when all is said and done.
So if Hopkins, Beckham and Jeudy don't happen, what next?
Well, there's obviously the draft where three impact receivers should be available at different stages of the first round (if the Patriots trade down from 14): Ohio State's Jaxon Smith-Njiba, Boston College's Zay Flowers and TCU's Quentin Johnson (Bill Belichick was at his pro day this week).
What are the odds the Patriots would go that route? According to multiple sources at the league meetings, it would be a surprise if the Patriots drafted a receiver in the first round — if at all.
The coaches have started to dig into the process — that happens in every organization this time of year — and the early reviews are that they have not been blown away by anyone.
Now, all of that can change during the process, and there's always the Belichick x-factor when he goes rouge from the consensus. And there could be another x-factor this year: Robert Kraft.
Kraft and Belichick have been a little at odds over Jones, even in their contradictory public statements. The sense is that, at least for this season, Kraft experts Belichick to do right by Jones and put him in the best possible position to succeed — one year after the coach did the exact opposite. If the Patriots can't find a veteran option — which is the preferred route — could Kraft push the issue on drafting a receiver high? Nothing is being ruled out at this point.
Mac Jones drama "overblown"
Is Belichick mildly irritated by Jones? Yes, but I couldn't find anyone that feels it's a big issue in the organization. Jones has a lot of support on the coaching staff and much of last season is water under the bridge at his point, with Belichick admitting his fault and some of the issues being chalked up to Jones' youth.
The feeling is, like any young player, he needs to mature a little and step up his leadership. Yes, there were issues against the Cardinals and Raiders, but what's been forgotten is that Jones really straightened up in the final three games in those areas and played better football on the whole. That combined with Bill O'Brien, and most feel the Patriots will be fine at QB this season.
Other areas for upgrades
Along with receiver, some in the organization wanted to see more done at linebacker and cornerback in the offseason, and are holding out hope that it could come via the draft.
Probably the most surprising player to return the organization: linebacker Mack Wilson. Sources around the team were stunned Belichick Ok'd that move.
(Adam Richins for BSJ)
NICKEL PACKAGE
1. Sean McDermott will call the Bills' defensive plays after Leslie Frazier left on a sabbatical.
“It's heading toward me, and really at this point, I'm gonna be the play caller,” McDermott told reporters this week. “But at the same time, have tons of confidence in the guys that we have around me that if I need to toss it to them from time to time, I can do that.
“It'll be different. It's been a little bit since I've done it. And then you add the head coach piece on top of that, but it's been done before. It’s what I did coming up through and something I’m very comfortable with.
“I anticipate still doing everything else. I mean, maybe cut a little piece of the pie off and share it over here or over there, but outside of that, I'm pretty comfortable with what that entails.”
McDermott was last a defensive play-caller for Carolina from 2011 to '16. The Panthers improved from 27th to 18th to second in points allowed and finished among the top 10 in that category four times under McDermott.
GM Brandon Beane was with McDermott in Carolina and thinks the decision will reignite McDermott and be good for the Bills.
“I saw a guy go against some really good quarterbacks and some really good offensive minds, whether it was the head coach or the offensive coordinator calling plays,” Beane said. “I think it'll be good. You know, change always happens in our business, and I see a fresh look on his face, a little bit of excitement to do it. I think our players will be excited to hear that as well.”
Frazier did a good job for the Bills, but I think people forget how good McDermott was as a DC. With McDermott and Vic Fangio in Miami now in charge of defenses, the AFC East sledding got a little tougher this offseason.
McDermott also is a big fan of former Patriots RB Damien Harris.
“I just love the combination of size, some power and speed,” McDermott said. “Now, listen, he’s got to stay healthy, because it’s great to have all of that, but if you’re not healthy, you’re not helping us. So we’re going to have to do our part to help him with that and help manage those areas, and he’s going to have to do his part in that, as well, but I think that was a good pickup for us.”
2. Sean McVay thinks CB Jalen Ramsey will "shine bright in Miami."
“There will be some comfort and familiarity with a lot of the different things that coach Fangio will ask him to do,” McVay told reporters. “I have no doubt that he’s going to shine bright in Miami.
"He’s really excited about his next chapter. He’ll do a great job for those guys, but we’re going to miss him a lot. ... It’s tough. Because he did such a great job for us. I think about when we traded for him in ‘19, and the spark that he immediately brought us. What he was able to do in such a short period of time and how he became a leader, how instrumental he was in a lot of the success that we had.”
3. The Jets and Ravens are said to have interest in WR Odell Beckham Jr., and both teams met with him at the league meetings.
“I’ve had some productive conversations with Odell’s agent, Zeke Sandhu,” Jets GM Joe Douglas told reporters. “Odell is obviously a really talented player. He worked out for several teams a few weeks ago. We’ll see how that process plays out, but we have had conversations.”
The Jets already have Garrett Wilson, Allen Lazard, Mecole Hardman and Corey Davis at receiver.
“I think the more weapons, the better,” Douglas said. “This could be an opportunity to add a unique talent. We feel great about our room as it’s currently constructed. Just having an opportunity to add a player like Mecole Hardman, championship pedigree, unbelievable speed, great run after the catch. ... He does so many unique and special things as a player. It adds a special dimension to our offense.”
Said owner Woody Johnson: "The fact that Odell Beckham, a man of his character and the quality and his ability, would consider us and want to be with us if that’s what he wants is pretty much a compliment."
4. Falcons owner Arthur Blank tried to explain why his team was heavy into the Deshaun Watson market, but are passing on Lamar Jackson.
“I would say with Lamar, I think every club does their on evaluation,” Blank told reporters. “We certainly did a form of an evaluation. We had a discussion amongst ourselves, I wasn’t involved in those. The coach did (Arthur Smith), Terry (Fontenot) did and Rich (McKay) was involved in those as well.
“We just came out a period of time … last year we set a record for the most dead money in the history of the NFL. In my 21 years as an owner, we had close to the least amount of cap room than we’ve ever had before. This year we had a healthy amount of cap room. Not very much dead money, a little bit, not much.
“Having compensation at 25% or so tied up in one player, we’ve lived through that. It definitely can put a lot of restraint on your ability to round out a roster and to have the depth on the roster given 17 games and the nature of this game, it still a contact sport ... we need to build a team.”
5. If you wanted to get an NFL projection on former Patriots QB Jarrett Stidham, Payton gave his take:
“He’s young, but he’s somebody we had a good grade on coming out (of college),” Payton said. “We like the player. … In this case, I think it’s a No. 2 that his arrow is moving in a direction where he can become an NFL starter in our league. The evaluation was pretty crystal clear for all of us.”
