New England Patriots links 2/21/22 - Assume the position: O-line, tight ends under review

TEAM TALK

• Patriots 2022 Mock Draft Tracker.
• Alexandra Francisco has the story of Patriots superfan Kara Doolittle, finding strength from football to fight cancer.
• Video Mailbag: Drafting a dynamic receiver and other offseason burning questions. (2.41 min. video)

LOCAL LINKS

• Mike Reiss shares some quick-hit weekend thoughts: Inside linebacker, cornerback, receiver among top New England needs.
• Steve Balestrieri (PatsFans) Sunday Patriots News: Groh, schematic changes on defense, coaching.
• Karen Guregian’s Sunday NFL Notes: Will Patriots coaching carousel take turn for the better?
• Karen Guregian points out the franchise tag window is set to open tomorrow and considers J.C. Jackson the only Patriot free agent who might be tag worthy.
• Mike Reiss gives us his Patriots offseason preview: Keeping Mac Jones on track, fixing defense top priorities.
• Dakota Randall reviews the tight end position for the Patriots: Will Hunter Henry get some help?
• Zack Cox continues his Patriots positional outlook: Key questions facing the O-line.
• Andy Hart talks about coaching assistant Nick Caley who may be key to Mac Jones’ development.
• Sean T. McGuire relays Dante Scarnecchia explaining the fit of Nick Caley calling plays for the Patriots.
• Kevin Tame Jr. (PatriotMaven) 2022 Patriots draft profile: Kaiir Elam offers playmaking skills and physicality at CB.
• Evan Lazar’s Patriots mock draft 1.0: Pats take stud wide receiver in first round.
• Mike D’Abate (PatriotMaven) Brian Flores to join Steelers’ coaching staff, ending speculation of Patriots return.
• CBS Boston reports Wes Welker leaves 49ers, joins Dolphins coaching staff under Mike McDaniel.
• Mike D’Abate (PatriotMaven) The Butler did It…again? Patriots, Malcolm Butler reunion unlikely, but not impossible. ‘After spending the past year in retirement, Butler was released from the reserve/retired list by the Arizona Cardinals on Thursday.’
• Adam London notes Josh McDaniels paid in the ballpark of $20,000 for that full-page ad.
• Mike Cole doesn’t trust Bill Belichick to build his coaching staff.
• Jim Hackett has the first-of-the-offseason column questioning diminishing returns on Bill Belichick.
• CBS Boston passes along a report that nobody really knows where the Patriots currently stand on Bill O’Brien.

NATIONAL NEWS

• Albert Breer (SI) MMQB: Raheem Morris on the five defensive plays that won Super Bowl LVI; Plus, Doug Pederson on Trevor Lawrence and Trent Baalke, Lovie Smith on the NFL’s lack of black coaches, and much more.
• Peter King (ProFootballTalk) FMIA: ‘You just woke me up!’ Sleepy Aaron Donald explains how he rose to the challenge in Super Bowl 56.
• Albert Breer (SI) GamePlan: What trends from the 2021 NFL season will continue? Before we move on to 2022, here is what executives around the league learned from this past season worth keeping an eye on moving forward.
• Mike Florio (ProFootballTalk) Source: Up to 155 players will announce Scouting Combine boycott on Monday.
• Jack Baer (Yahoo! Sports) Report: Agents of 150+ NFL draft prospects organizing combine boycott over COVID-19 restrictions.
• Mike Florio (ProFootballTalk) NFLPA supports players who choose to skip Scouting Combine.
• Cody Benjamin (CBS Sports) 2022 NFL free agency QB market: Projecting contracts, logical landing spots for Jameis Winston, other veterans.
• Tim Kelly (Audacy Sports) NFL quarterback rankings: Top 10 QBs after 2021 season. No Mac Jones.
• Eric Edholm (Yahoo! Sports) 2022 NFL mock draft: Pre-combine edition. Pats pick Georgia EDGE Travon Walker.
• Ryan Wilson (CBS Sports) 2022 NFL Mock Draft. Pats pick Utah LB Devin Lloyd.
• Mike Florio (ProFootballTalk) The last eight teams to win the Super Bowl coin toss have lost.
• Liz Roscher (Yahoo! Sports) Bruce Arians bites back at report of rift with Tom Brady: ‘That’s such bulls***’
• Nate Bouda (NFLTR) Malcolm Butler ‘definitely’ planning to return.
• Ben Fischer and John Ourand (Sports Business Journal) More time for Goodell? The commissioner is said to be negotiating a new contract. What does it say about him and the NFL’s future?

EXTRACURRICULAR

• Mike Florio (ProFootballTalk) NFL admits it won’t investigate Cowboys voyeurism scandal.