New England Patriots links 3/23/22 - Mac Jones did not get worse because AFC got better at QB

TEAM TALK

• Patriots 2022 Mock Draft Tracker.
• Paul Perillo’s NFL Notes: AFC arms race will impact fight for playoffs.
• Erik Scalavino tackles this week’s Patriots Mailbag: Reactions to the start of free agency.
• Press Conference: James White. (12 min. video)
• The Journey: Kyle Dugger: Dugger’s football journey has taken him from a small town in Georgia, to Lenoir-Rhyne University, to Foxboro, Massachusetts - all for the love of the game. (4.21 min. video)
• Patriots Unfiltered 3/22: Biggest draft needs, AFC QB arms race, free agency updates.
• Pats from the Past podcast: Drew Bledsoe (52 min.)

LOCAL LINKS

• Evan Lazar looks at the latest from Patriots free-agent visits and the top remaining free agents for New England. ‘The second wave is typically when Bill Belichick does his best work.’
• Andrew Callahan talks with an AFC executive about the Patriots free agency. Here’s how he sees Bill Belichick’s latest moves. “...I thought they were gonna be a little bit more active because it’s hard to think — I thought they would have seen there was more of a gap there that they needed to close.”
• Zack Cox thumbnails nine players the Pats could still target in free agency.
• Zack Cox explains why ditching the fullback would be a seismic shift for New England’s offense, but not an altogether surprising one.
• Clare Cooper (PatsPropaganda) So that’s it then at fullback… or is it?
• Scott Edwards, Jr. looks at how the AFC QB carousel impacts Mac Jones’ standing in the AFC.
• CBS Boston points out the Patriots will face off against a pretty talented collection of quarterbacks in 2022.
• Mike D’Abate (PatriotMaven) Patriots Mailbag (Part II): No-no Fournette, Jalen Mills as ‘CB1’ and More.
• Nick Goss passes along the reported details of Trent Brown’s new contract with the Patriots.
• Andy Hart digs around and finds James White as a spring feel-good Patriots’ story.
• Benjamin Allen considers whether a Malcolm Butler reunion is a possibility.
• Darren Hartwell notes Matt Judon’s recruiting tactics in free agency have yet to pay dividends, but WR Odell Beckham Jr. seems to appreciate his efforts.
• Steve Balestrieri (PatsFans) Patriots 2022 Draft Profile: Washington CB Trent McDuffie.
• Hayden Bird relays Mel Kiper’s selection for the Patriots in his latest mock draft: Alabama WR Jameson Williams.
• Sean T. McGuire mentions how OL Terron Armstead joining the Dolphins could impact the Patriots and AFC East.
• Mike Luciano (Musketfire) Patriots being used as leverage for Leonard Fournette is embarrassing.
• Scott Neville notes local prospect, Brown QB EJ Perry, trains with Mac Jones & Jarrett Stidham ahead of the draft.
• Locked On Patriots podcast: Mike D’Abate and Steve Balestrieri discuss the Patriots pursuit of running back Leonard Fournette and the team’s interest in finding a WR1 in the draft. (29 min.)

NATIONAL NEWS

• Experts (ESPN) NFL free agency 2022: Most improved teams, best and worst signings, value deals, gut reactions and more.
• Douglas Charles (BroBible) Would Baker Mayfield be an upgrade at quarterback for the Patriots? /No.
• Gregg Rosenthal (NFL.com) Top 101 NFL free agents of 2022: Just 37 names left after Armstead deal.
• Cody Benjamin (CBS Sports) Most underrated 2022 NFL free agency signings.
• Andrew Brandt (SI) The early top 10 ‘Business of Football’ stories for 2022.
• Dan Hanzus (NFL.com) NFL Power Rankings: Bills hit No. 1! Buccaneers, Broncos up 14 spots after first wave of free agency. Patriots 13th (-3).
• Daniel Jeremiah (NFL.com) 2022 NFL mock draft 3.0. Pats pick Alabama WR Jameson Williams at 21. The Patriots need to get more dynamic weapons for Mac Jones. Though he’s currently recovering from a torn ACL, Williams has elite top speed and toughness.
• Pete Prisco (CBS Sports) 2022 NFL Mock Draft: Three QBs go in the first round and not one of them is a sure thing. Pats pick Texas A&M OL Kenyon Green at 21.
• Danny Kelly (The Ringer) NFL Mock Draft 3.0. Pats pick Florida DB Kaiir Elam at 21.
• Dan Wetzel (Yahoo! Sports) What’s next for Baker Mayfield, who’s out to prove he’s the QB the Browns once thought he was.
• Gary Davenport (Bleacher Report) 49ers must hold on to QB Jimmy Garoppolo for now.
• Jasper Jones (Audacy Sports) Troy Aikman is ‘puzzled’ by Fox letting him walk to ESPN: ‘I don’t know that I ever will get the answer.’