New England Patriots links 6/18/20 - Big hole at linebacker is big opportunity for Ja’Whaun Bentley

TEAM TALK

• Mike Dussault finds Ja’Whaun Bentley looking to seize the opportunity and return to the potential he showed early in his rookie season.
• Paul Perillo profiles RB Damien Harris, who is leaning on his veteran teammates as he prepares for Year 2.
• Megan O’Brien tackles this week’s Patriots Unfiltered Q&A: Bring in additional competition at QB?
• Video Conference transcript: Ja’Whaun Bentley.

LOCAL LINKS

• Karen Guregian calls this a pivotal season for third-year linebacker Ja’Whaun Bentley. “The hope is, the 2018 fifth-round pick out of Purdue will pick up where he left off as a rookie.”
• Andy Hart says the offseason exodus of veteran linebacker talent has left a big hole on the Patriots defense and a big opportunity for Ja’Whaun Bentley.
• Sean T. McGuire highlights how Kyle Van Noy, Jamie Collins and Elandon Roberts, who all left in free agency, helped Ja’Whaun Bentley.
• Danny Jaillet (PatriotsWire) Why Dont’a Hightower will be MVP for ‘year of change’ 2020 season.
• Evan Lazar’s Film Review: QB Jarrett Stidham, Jedd Fisch, and the Shanahan influence in New England.
• Andy Hart resets the roster at cornerback: New England may have the best cornerback depth chart in the NFL heading into 2020 and not just due to the presence of Defensive Player of the Year Stephon Gilmore.
• Ryan Hannable explains why trading Joe Thuney wouldn’t make sense for Patriots.
• Isaiah Houde (PatriotsWire) Ranking the 21 best running backs the Patriots will face in 2020.
• Joy Manning (BostonSportsChick) Can the Patriots take home their 7th Lombardi in February? /Yes!
• Sravan Gannavarapu (LastWordOnSports) Patriots easiest games in 2020.
• Danny Jaillet (PatriotsWire) Bill Belichick will present at USA Today Sports Awards.
• Robert Alvarez (PatsFans) Chase Winovich slides into the North End Firehouse. /I like this guy more and more.
• Locked On Patriots podcast: Mike D’Abate and Thomas Murphy evaluate the many challenges that the Pats’ coaches expect to face in 2020. (47 min.)
• Patriots Beat podcast: Mike Petraglia and Evan Lazar discuss if Cam Newton or Colin Kaepernick could be a fit at QB for the Patriots (38 min.)

NATIONAL NEWS

• Josh Alper (ProFootballTalk) Ja’Whaun Bentley trying to take “game to the next level” for Patriots.
• Samantha Previte (NY Post) Bill Belichick fired up to prove Patriots can win without Tom Brady.
• Brian Costello (NY Post) Jets-Patriots rivalry is in desperate need of a spark.
• Brian Costello (NY Post) Promising Bills aren’t ready to capitalize on Tom Brady-less AFC East.
• Jason La Canfora (CBS Sports) Predicting the first game started for top 2020 rookie quarterbacks: Tua Tagovailoa has to wait a while.
• Joel Corry (CBS Sports) Agent’s Take: The biggest NFL contracts of the salary cap era for each position, adjusted for 2020
• Albert Breer (SI) Mailbag: Who has the brightest future in the AFC East? Plus, Antonio Brown, Drew Lock, the Jets’ and 49ers’ front offices, and more.
• Dan Hanzus (NFL.com) Predicting each AFC team’s MVP in 2020. Patriots: Tom Brady Stephon Gilmore.
• Jared Dubin (CBS Sports) Ranking top 10 WRs for 2020 NFL season.
• Video (ESPN) Julian Edelman’s hand-eye coordination is wild. (25 second video)
• Adam Schein (NFL.com) Ranking the eight NFL divisions by quarterback. AFC East 7th.
• Chris Roling (Bleacher Report) Ranking the 10 biggest fluke teams in NFL history. 10. 2001 Patriots. /10th???
• Paul Schwartz (NY Post) Bill Belichick as Giants coach first of many Big Blue what-ifs.
• Jelani Scott (NFL.com) NFL considering expanding practice squads to up to 16 players.
• Nick Shook (NFL.com) NFL working to refine COVID-19 protocols, testing guidelines.
• Josh Alper (ProFootballTalk) NFL chief medical officer: COVID-19 protocols “won’t feel normal” because they aren’t.