Patriots

The Patriots defense regressed badly in 2024.

Entering Week 14 with the Twenty first-ranked defense averaging 23.6 points per game, the Patriots continued to go downhill in a 30-17 loss to the Cardinals on Sunday.

New England gave up 395 total yards to the Cardinals, including 163 rushing yards. While the Patriots offense did not move the chains on six third-down opportunities, the Cardinals went 10 for 15 on third-down opportunities.

It was a one-sided loss for New England, as two fourth-quarter touchdowns from Drake Maye made it look like Sunday's rating was barely competitive.

But the Patriots' latest loss could have was a good larger defeat if it hadn't been for the one brilliant spot on New England's defense: second-year cornerback Christian Gonzalez.

In a Patriots defense stricken by several underperforming veterans and an absence of proven playmakers, Gonzalez has been a magic eraser relating to stealing opposing teams' best pass-catchers in 2024.

The 2023 first-round pick (No. 17 overall) has already shut down several top receivers this season and won head-to-head matchups against players like Ja'Marr Chase, Garrett Wilson and Tyreek Hill.

Sunday's game begins at State Farm Stadium, Gonzalez Allowed a passer rating of 71.8 and 56.8% when targetedsaid Andrew Callahan.

Sunday was Gonzlaez's test against Arizona's top wideout: 2024 first-round pick Marvin Harrison Jr. (No. 4 overall).

Harrison — who was a pick after New England chosen Maye — put together a robust rookie campaign for the Cardinals with seven touchdowns this yr.

But against Gonzalez, Arizona's top pass catcher was mostly stuck within the mud.

According to Patriots.com Evan Lazar Gonzalez shadowed Harrison on 21 routes on Sunday – with Harrison managing only one catch for 23 yards on five targets on three pass breakups.

Two of those pass breakups got Arizona eight points off the board, as Gonzalez canceled out two Cardinals touchdowns within the second and third quarters by passing the ball to Harrison in the long run zone.

“I invite you to do that,” Gonzalez said of Arizona QB Kyler Murray targeting Harrison Jr. in the long run zone. “That’s what a corner is. You want them to get in your way. You want to be able to play for your team. When they throw it, try to make the plays that come your way.”

On each splits – which got here on third-down plays – the Cardinals needed to accept field goals through the leg of Chad Ryland.

Gonzalez's plays against Harrison weren't enough to vary New England's fortunes in Glendale, but it surely did confirm that the second-year corner is considered one of the few cornerstones value constructing around in Foxborough.

Christian Gonzalez is currently the very best cornerback within the NFL.

Perfect technique to knock the ball out of Marvin Harrison Jr.'s hands.

ELITE. CB1.
pic.twitter.com/8jrysasvX5

— MLFootball (@_MLFootball) December 15, 2024

Despite Gonzalez's recent lockdown performance against a talented receiver, the previous Oregon Duck wasn't particularly focused on his individual game after one other loss.

“I’m not really worried about it,” Gonzalez said of his playing performance. “I want to win. Whatever the personal stats are, it is what it is, but I want to win.”

If New England goes to take anything remotely positive from this season, it revolves across the promise that each Gonzalez on defense and Maye on offense have shown.

A franchise QB and a lockdown corner are two essential pieces of the puzzle if New England hopes to construct a competitive roster within the near future.

But as Sunday's loss showed, New England needs rather more than simply strong performances from Gonzalez and Maye (19 of 23, 202 passing yards, one touchdown) if it desires to get back on the winning list.

“I mean, it hurts, but we just went to work,” Gonzalez said of moving forward. “I mean, it is what it is. And all we can do is work. I mean, no one really cares. We just have to work harder. So go back in the building, fix this play and get ready for the Bills.”

Patriots

After a discouraging extra time loss to the Titans in Week 9, Jerod Mayo and the Patriots bounced back with a 19-3 victory over the Bears at Soldier Field on Sunday.

It was probably essentially the most comprehensive effort the 3-7 Patriots have put in to this point this season.

While Drake Maye (208 total yards), Rhamondre Stevenson (74 rushing yards) and New England's offense made enough plays to present the team respiration room, the Patriots' defense celebrated against Chicago, sacking nine times in a dominant performance Bears QB Caleb Williams.

But don't count Bill Belichick amongst those impressed by New England's road win.

During his weekly appearance on ESPN's “The Pat McAfee Show,” Belichick focused more on the Bears' sorry state than on crediting the Patriots for his or her performance in a much-needed “real” game.

“The most important thing to me is where the Bears are,” Belichick said. “I mean, they can't defend, they can't move the ball, they can't score points. … They have this All-Star quarterback, these All-Star receivers, the most talented players in the history of football, and the offensive line is a problem, they can't run the ball, they can't protect it.”

Belichick is right that Chicago's pass protection in front of Williams has been nothing short of terrible all season. The Bears gave up more than six sacks in consecutive games for the first time since 1993.

Williams has already been sacked 38 times in nine games this season. For those keeping track, the all-time record for most sacks against a single QB in a season is Houston's David Carr (76) in the 2002 season.

While Belichick gave the Bears plenty of blame for their offensive woes, the former Patriots head coach gave Maye credit for his ability to escape from tight spots and extend plays.

“I think he did a good job being able to climb and run around,” Belichick said of Maye. “I made some play-action plays where they can separate the defense because the running game, if (Rhamondre) Stevenson can get it going, it pulls some of the coverage up and the linebacker up and stuff like that.”

There have been few instances of Belichick praising the Patriots in his various media outings this season.

While Belichick was quick to criticize Mayo and the Patriots after missteps within the media or losses on the sector, he remained largely silent when New England got a win.

After ignoring a lot of the discourse following New England's win over the Bengals in Week 1 and Drake Maye's promising debut against Houston, Belichick once more focused on the Jets' mistakes fairly than the Patriots' own play after their Week 8 victory about New York.

“Just a lot of mistakes by the Jets, and that's what killed them in the end, with Jacoby [Brissett’s] argues. [Kayshon] Boutte made a catch down there,” Belichick said on “The Pat McAfee Show” last month. “There were several drops in the game.

“But just one game where you look at Jacoby – and then [Haason] Reddick came into the game and ran past the quarterback several times, whether it was Maye or Jacoby. … Big home win for the Patriots against the Jets. And [the] Jets are in a tough spot now.”

Patriots

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You know things aren't going well when a head coach appears in front of a global audience and says his soccer team is soft.

That's exactly what Jerod Mayo said about his football team on Sunday after their 32-16 loss to the Jaguars, and based on a few of his players, he's exactly right.

But despite the fact that the Patriots were on a six-game losing streak and have lost their last two games by a mean of 18 points, an encouraging pattern emerged at one point in the sport.

Rookie quarterback Drake Maye is showing early signs of improving his unit by distributing the ball.

Maye has five touchdown passes, essentially the most ever by a Patriots quarterback in his first two starts. based on Patriots PR.

All five of his touchdown passes went to a different receiver.

Second-year receivers DeMario Douglas and Kayshon Boutte had never caught a touchdown pass before fidgeting with Maye. They each have one now. Hunter Henry had been one in all Brissett's favorite targets, but after a pass from Maye, he crossed the tip zone for the primary time this season. KJ Osborn and JaMychal Hasty contributed to the general standings on Sunday.

And that's not even mentioning that Maye's mobility and decisiveness allow him to increase plays and save the offensive line every so often.

The Patriots' offense has been terrible for years and one player isn't enough to repair the issue. That's why the power to nurture others is such a crucial trait for Maye as he assumes the role of franchise quarterback. It's nothing recent for Maye either.

His highschool coach, Scott Chadwick, told a story in regards to the lengths Maye went to make certain his teammates were included during a tournament Video posted to the Patriots' X account.

“Extremely coachable. He listens. He wants to get better and is very smart. “Drake’s junior year we were very good,” Chadwick said. “We averaged 50 points a game this year and Drake came over at halftime and looked at the stats. My middle son was our stats guy, and I said something to him like, “What’s Drake doing?”

“He said, 'Dad, he doesn't look at his stats,'” Chadwick added. “He wants to see how many balls each player caught in the first half. And then he came to me and suggested plays where the guys who hadn't caught a lot of balls could get some balls. He was always focused on making sure everyone was happy.”

Making everyone completely satisfied is an unrealistic expectation. There are 53 players in a football squad and quite a lot of different egos and personalities.

But this struggling Patriots team could use as much help as possible, and Maye is wise to get as many individuals involved as possible. On Sunday, he accomplished passes to nine different receivers.

“He’s got that swag,” Douglas said earlier this week. “He came to the huddle and said 'let's go' and I said 'let's go', I'm ready with you.” I’d run through a wall for him. Team player. My boy Drake, we have now his back.”

Brian Thomas Jr. torched the Patriots' secondary

Jacksonville receiver Brian Thomas Jr. caught the Jaguars' only touchdown pass of the sport, a six-yard pass that left him wide open.

The coverage of his biggest catch of the day was significantly better. Christian Gonzalez was stride for stride with Thomas, but Trevor Lawrence put the 58-yard ball right where it needed to be and Thomas was capable of focus and produce it down.

He also scored a two-point conversion following Parker Washington's 96-yard punt return. No other Jaguar had greater than 35 receiving yards. It was just Thomas' day. He caught all five of his targets.

Identity crisis

For the second straight yr, Maye was the Patriots' leading rusher. He tied Rhamondre Stevenson for the team lead with 18 yards. The Patriots had 38 total rushing yards.

Earlier this season, Mayo said the Patriots weren't a flowery football team and that running the ball was a key a part of their offensive identity.

After a powerful start in Cincinnati within the opening game, the Patriots' running game has declined to the purpose of being virtually non-existent during the last two weeks. Since the loss to the Dolphins on October 6, no Patriots running back has had greater than 20 yards.

Patriots

The Patriots' offensive line problems were evident after their 20-23 time beyond regulation loss to the Seahawks on Sunday.

After helping New England establish a ground-and-pound game within the team's surprise win over the Bengals in Week 1, the Patriots' offensive line faltered in several elements against Seattle, particularly in pass defense.

With QB Jacoby Brissett having little time to operate within the pocket and scan the sector, the veteran was often forced to rush to avoid bone-crushing hits. Hunter Henry was the one reliable pass receiver once the plays stopped working.

Although Henry gained 109 yards in pass receptions, New England's wideouts only managed to catch three passes for 19 yards within the loss. The Patriots' offense became increasingly one-dimensional as the sport went on.

Brissett was in a position to avoid a lot of the pressure in the primary half, but Seattle landed some tough hits when New England's offensive line began to falter. Brissett was sacked 3 times and hit eight more times on Sunday.

Speech on WEEI’s “The Greg Hill Show” on MondayJerod Mayo was candid when asked about New England's O-line play to date this season.

“I thought the pass defense was average at best,” Mayo said. “They brought players from different sides of the field. Even when they rushed four, they were able to get back to Jacoby.”

“It doesn't have to be a sack to affect the passing game. The bodies around the quarterback affect the passing game. We need to protect Jacoby better, on the offensive line, with the running backs and the tight ends.”

New England's passing game was severely limited by its pass defense issues, with the Patriots only in a position to record one pass attempt of 20 yards in Sunday's loss.

A rookie like Drake Maye could offer greater upside when it comes to arm strength. But putting such a talented QB behind that O-line would likely spell disaster.

As Phil Perry of NBC Sports Boston noted, the Patriots have allowed the NFL's second-highest pressure rate on offense at 44.3 percent through two games.

Through two games per @NextGenStatsJacoby Brissett has the second-highest pressure rate within the NFL (44.3 percent), followed only by Tennessee's Will Levis (53.4).

Brissett also ranks twelfth in EPA per dropback (-0.05) amongst quarterbacks who’ve played two games.

— Phil Perry (@PhilAPerry) 16 September 2024

Things could also worsen before they improve for New England's offensive line, especially because the team makes a fast turnaround ahead of Thursday's primetime game against the Jets at MetLife Stadium.

New England released a prospective injury report on Monday, with three offensive linemen placed on the non-participating list: center David Andrews (hip), guard Sidy Sow (ankle) and tackle Vederian Lowe (knee).

Two other starters were reported to have limitations: tackle/guard Mike Onwenu (wrist) and offensive guard Layden Robinson (shoulder).

Patriots

The Patriots' offensive line exceeded expectations in New England's win over the Cincinnati Bengals last week, however the unit may very well be without several players in Week 2.

Guard Sidy Sow will miss the Patriots' home opener against the Seattle Seahawks for the second consecutive game on Sunday. Sow is recovering from an ankle injury that has bothered him because the starting of the month.

Rookie Layden Robinson helped replace Sow at guard last week. Robinson himself landed on New England injury report However, he’s out this week with a shoulder injury and is questionable to play Sunday. He appeared on the report Thursday when he was a limited participant in practice. Robinson was listed as a full participant for Friday's practice.

The 23-year-old played one hundred pc of the snaps in his first NFL game last week. Robinson didn’t allow a sack or draw a penalty against the Bengals. He also received a run-blocking rating of 64.0 from Focus on skilled football.

The Patriots might also be without running back JaMycal Hasty on offense, whose participation is questionable on account of a knee injury. He didn’t play against Cincinnati because Antonio Gibson and Rhamondre Stevenson saw the sphere ahead of him.

Defensive end Deatrich Wise Jr. and safety Kyle Dugger round out New England's questionable players heading into Sunday. Wise Jr. is coping with a shoulder injury, based on the injury report. He has been a limited participant in practice all week.

Wise Jr. recorded two total pressures last week, based on PFF. He played lower than 50 percent of the defensive snaps in Week 1.

Dugger, who was placed on the injured list Thursday, is coping with an ankle injury. He has been limited in practice the past two days. Dugger played all 51 defensive snaps last week, allowing only one pass reception, breaking up one pass and forcing a fumble to stop a touchdown in the primary half.

The Patriots listed the next players as full practice participants of their Week 2 injury report: center David Andrews (non-injury/rest), Gibson (hip), linebacker Anfernee Jennings (wrist/knee), tackle Vederian Lowe (abdominal), safety Jabrill Peppers (hip), Stevenson (non-injury/rest) and linebacker Joshua Uche (foot).

Most notably, Seattle listed running back Kenneth Walker III as questionable on account of an oblique abdominal muscle injury, an injury Walker gave the impression to be affected by last week against the Broncos.

Kickoff is scheduled for Sunday at 1:00 p.m. Eastern Time.

Morning sports update

Damien Woody's response to the Patriots' win: While Patriots fans are having fun with the Monday morning experience of an unexpected road win against the Bengals in Week 1 on Sunday, a few of them also need to savor the commentary from pundits and experts on the result.

Former Patriots center Damien Woody was considered one of the more distinguished examples, speaking during a “Get Up!” segment on ESPN.

When asked about his biggest surprise of the primary week, Woody referred to his former team.

“The Patriots,” said Woody, “are playing away against the Cincinnati Bengals.”

New England was capable of record a 16-10 victory due to effective defense and running plays. Woody was impressed with this formula.

“Look, the Patriots defense is damn good,” he said. “They're going to give a lot of teams a lot of problems.”

On offense, Woody praised the Patriots' running back and quarterback.

“They were efficient. They ran the ball with Rhamondre Stevenson, and Jacoby Brissett was just efficient. Didn't have to do anything. Just didn't mess it up.”

Results and fixtures:

The Patriots defeated the Bengals 16-10 on Sunday in Week 1 of the NFL season, earning a win in Jerod Mayo's first game as head coach.

The Red Sox lost 7-2 to the White Sox on Sunday, while Chicago (despite being considered one of the worst teams in baseball history) managed to avoid being swept. Boston begins a brand new three-game series against the Orioles tonight at 7:10 p.m. at Fenway Park.

More from Boston.com:

The recent name of PWHL Boston: The local PWHL team has unveiled its long-awaited name and will likely be Boston Fleet.

Among the Patriots’ outstanding statistics: The return of Christian Gonzalez was excellent news for New England.

Patriots CB Christian Gonzalez covered Ja'Marr Chase on 20 of his 28 routes yesterday.

On these plays, Chase was limited to a few catches for 14 yards.

Really strong return for what looks like a special young corner. pic.twitter.com/HuTLpPAnTZ

— Field Yates (@FieldYates) 9 September 2024

Boston Marathon winner Marcel Hug can be a Paralympic dynasty: The seven-time Boston winner secured his third consecutive Paralympic marathon title on the ultimate day of competition.

With DOMINANT power, Switzerland's Marcel Hug, also referred to as “The Silver Bullet”, wins Paralympic gold for the second time in a row within the Men's Marathon T54.

CNBC and Peacock pic.twitter.com/NwTUrYdaL1

— NBC Olympics & Paralympics (@NBCOlympics) 8 September 2024

On at the present time: In 2002, the Patriots played their first game at Gillette Stadium in a 30-14 Victory over the Steelers on Monday Night Football. New England, the defending Super Bowl champions led by Tom Brady and Bill Belichick, had just burst into the football highlight.

Daily highlight: Two plays from the Patriots' win deserve a mention. The first was Kyle Dugger's incredible tackle that forced a fumble near the goal line and helped New England take points away from the Bengals.

Also, here's Jonathan Jones stopping a fourth down ball by almost immediately determining what the Bengals were as much as and running at full speed (and making an excellent tackle at the top too).

Patriots

The selection is there.

Patriots coach Jerod Mayo told reporters Wednesday that he had decided which quarterback would start within the Patriots' season opener on Sept. 8 against Cincinnati.

He didn’t tell reporters which quarterback he had chosen.

“We've made a decision, we just haven't communicated it yet. Honestly, I want the guys to hear it from me first before they hear it from anyone else.”

Wednesday was a busy day because the Patriots continued to work on their roster after trimming it all the way down to 53 players on Tuesday, Mayo explained when asked why the announcement couldn’t be made presently.

“As much as you want to have team meetings, sometimes time doesn’t allow it,” Mayo said.

The Patriots choose from an experienced quarterback Jacoby Brissett and Drake Maye, No. 3 overall pick. Mayo confirmed that he has the ultimate say on which quarterback will start.

“If you want to talk about the process, Alex (Van Pelt) and I can have those conversations, but he also gets input from his coaches and ultimately the decision is mine.”

Mayo later added that Eliot Wolf had an influence on the decision-making process.

“He definitely has his opinion, but I would say again, it's my decision,” Mayo said. “A lot of people have opinions on things and I've lost quite a bit of sleep trying to think about those things, but ultimately I would leave it up to myself.”

Brissett said in a recent interview on WEEI that he continues to be the starting quarterback. Brissett was named the starter before training camp, but a late push by Maye has modified the conversation and made the competition significantly tighter.

“I think all players, not just the quarterbacks, have to have the confidence that they should be starters,” Mayo said. “I won't go into too much detail on that. That's his opinion and we all have one.”

Mayo said last week that Maye has outperformed Brissett. However, there are concerns about having the rookie quarterback play behind a struggling offensive line. Mayo noted that things could change after his decision is announced.

“I think it's important to remember that what's good for the team today may not be good for the team in a few weeks,” Mayo said. “I think the challenge is you want to win every single game now, but we're also trying to build something special here.”

Patriots

During training camp and the two-week preseason, the Patriots' offensive line was one in all the weakest spots on the team.

The important reason for that is the shortage of a real, solid left tackle and the inconsistency of getting five linemen represent the primary team – and which position on the road they play.

Mike Onwenu is attempting to prove his reliability in all positions. In his short time in New England, Onwenu has already excelled as right guard and right tackle.

This preseason, he's done somewhat of each. And on Saturday, he reiterated his confidence that he can play anywhere along the road, even at a position he's never played before: center.

“I’m sure I could,” said Onwenu when asked if he had ever played center. “I haven't done it yet, but I know how to snap and stuff. So I'm sure. … Every summer I practiced snapping, just in case. Kind of a last resort.”

Fortunately for Onwenu, the middle position is one in all the few positions on the Patriots' offensive line that’s already set, with eight-year NFL veteran David Andrews set to take over those duties again in 2024.

As for the road as a complete, Onwenu knows it's a piece in progress. The 2023 Patriots had one in all the worst offensive line groups within the NFL, and despite all of the work Eliot Wolf and New England put into rebuilding in the primary yr after Bill Belichick, the offensive line hasn't been significantly improved.

The Patriots drafted Chukwuma Okorafor and Caedan Wallace, but each are primarily right tackles – or no less than they were until this offseason. Vederian Lowe has seen numerous motion at left tackle, but he still lacks consistency because the preseason draws to a detailed.

However, Onwenu trusts that the group at his side will take the crucial steps in practice to enhance as a unit.

“Every day has been good, some days we've gotten worse, but every day is a day to try new things, get better and compete,” Onwenu said. “It's more our technique or our own individual thing that's happened rather than us being beaten by the opponent.”

Patriots

The Patriots chosen wide receivers Ja'Lynn Polk and Javon Baker within the second and fourth rounds, respectively, of the 2024 NFL Draft to offer some backup for Drake Maye.

However, before they assist out their recent quarterback, the receivers gave one another a helping hand. Polk and Baker trained together in Florida leading as much as the draft and met while playing college football on opposite ends of the country (Polk played at Washington, Baker played at UCF).

Two weeks after each were drafted by the Patriots, Polk told reporters at rookie minicamp on Saturday that he was looking forward to working with Baker again

“It’s pretty cool for us to be here together and be together again,” Polk said. “A great receiver, a dominant player, a very confident player. He knows exactly what he can do and what he can do out on the field.”

Baker showed that confidence in his first meeting with the media after New England chosen him. When asked what Patriots fans should expect from him, Baker replied: “I make people stand up in wheelchairs. Bring your popcorn.”

But Baker also told reporters that day that there was already “a connection” between him and Polk, adding that he, Polk and Maye would “bring back the winning mentality that everyone in Boston likes.”

Polk and Baker continued that connection of their early days in Foxborough, spending 13-hour days together on the Patriots' facility for a rookie minicamp.

“Me and Javon, after we get everything done, we'll get our food and before we go to the hotel… we'll go in there, catch pitchers, one of the equipment guys will go in with us,” Polk said. “We're trying to find our routine and our schedule and do our best to get the guys in the room and ourselves to feed off the vets and be able to pick their brains and figure out what they're doing “It’s exciting to be a part of something like that.”

The results of the early bond between Polk and Baker has already caught Mayes' attention, as each receivers played in rookie minicamp.

“You look good,” Maye said. “They made some 7-on-7 plays, I threw a few behind them and they still made the catches. I don't know if we've had one on the ground yet, knock on wood. That's the goal out here: to get out here, put routes on the air and be 100%. These guys are going to be very special players.”

Sixth-round pick Marcellas Dial, who was the one defensive player the Patriots chosen within the draft, was also impressed by Polk and Baker.

“They are two explosive guys who play with a chip on their shoulder,” Dial said after practice. “When you compete against them, you realize they know what they’re doing.”

While the bond between Polk and Baker garnered attention through the Patriots' rookie minicamp, the main target stays on the quarterback throwing them the ball.

Polk seems to know this.

“This is the guy here,” Polk told reporters, pointing at Maye.

Patriots

Patriots scouting director Eliot Wolf is poised for certainly one of the primary big moments of his tenure within the New England highlight.

In some ways, Wolf serves because the Patriots' general manager – he was front and center from a media perspective and stated on the scouting mix that he could be the one to determine New England's selection.

Still, Wolf isn’t the actual GM, a job that continues to be unfilled. And given the recent report that team president Jonathan Kraft might be “heavily involved in the process,” fans will likely have questions on the Patriots' post-Bill Belichick structure.

Now, just before the draft, Wolf sat down with radio co-host and commentator (in addition to former Patriots quarterback) Scott Zolak discuss the situation.

“I think we’re good to go,” Wolf said of New England’s position heading into Thursday night. “We're well prepared, we've talked to a lot of people, we've seen a lot of film, we have all our information, we're working the phones and dealing with the coaches. It was good. It was a good process for us.”

Who precisely the Patriots need to recruit stays unclear to forecasters. Inside the constructing, Wolf noted that the group had analyzed as many scenarios as possible.

“I think we do,” he said when asked if New England’s front office agreed with the plan. “It's been going well so far and if you pick three players, only two players will come off the board ahead of us. So we will go through all the scenarios except for the trades that might come up while we are on the clock.”

Currently, Caleb Williams stays the near-unanimous prediction that the Bears will take him first overall. Jayden Daniels is predicted to go to Washington (at barely lower security) because the No. 2 pick. Once those players are gone, the draft becomes less predictable (starting with the Patriots' third overall pick).

New England needs a quarterback. The added weight of attempting to make the correct alternative at this particular position isn’t lost on Wolf.

“It's a major, potentially franchise-changing decision for the organization, so it's definitely something we weighed heavily,” he said. “It is the most important position in professional sports, as has been well documented.”

One of the more interesting scenarios for the Patriots inevitably involves trading the third pick to amass additional picks or players to assist construct the team's undermanned roster.

Wolf admitted that he’s involved with other teams a couple of possible trade. What's much more interesting is that he admitted that the trade scenarios may not fully develop until it’s the Patriots' turn to determine to draft, because the draft is already underway.

“We received calls from different teams for our first picks. Nothing serious yet,” he explained. “Sounds like there are some teams that are maybe more motivated if you listen to the whispers out there then maybe we'll hear more when we're on the clock.”

Beyond the first-round selection, New England could have seven additional picks. It offers a useful opportunity to extend depth at a lower cost.

Specifically, Wolf mentioned “skill positions” as a spotlight.

“It’s a deep draft at many qualifying positions and we feel like we can add to our roster in many ways this weekend.”