New England Patriots links 3/31/22 - Mac trucks into Year 2

TEAM TALK

• Patriots 2022 Mock Draft Tracker.
• Alexandra Francisco reports Brian Hoyer and family visited MSPCA-Angell in Boston: The Patriots QB got a first-hand look at all the work his My Cause My Cleats non-profit does for animal welfare.
• Community: Mac Jones donates $100,000 to Boys & Girls Club of Metro South. (1 min. video)

LOCAL LINKS

• Mike D’Abate (PatriotMaven) Mac on track: Patriots QB Mac Jones determined to take the next steps for success.
• Jake Levin highlights Trent Brown explaining why he still has a chip on his shoulder.
• Jerry Trotta (MusketFire) Projecting Jabrill Peppers’ role with the Patriots.
• Mike Reiss gives us a breakdown of every 2022 NFL free-agent signing by the Patriots, and how each will impact the upcoming season.
• Nick O’Malley highlights Robert Kraft’s interview with The Athletic’s Jeff Howe: For Mac Jones to make Year 2 leap, Patriots need more from some ‘21 free agents.
• CBS Boston gives us an updated look at the Patriots’ draft picks in 2022.
• Alex Barth continues his Patriots draft preview: Tight ends and fullbacks.
• Cam Ventura (BostonSportsWave) 3 Players Patriots should consider trading up for in Round 1.
• Quinn Riley (BostonSportsWave) While Michigan S Daxton Hill may be perfect fit for Patriots long-term, New England has to focus on short-term.
• Nick O’Malley Draft Notebook: George Karlaftis, Purdue’s ‘Greek Freak,’ could be what the Patriots pass rush needs.
• Phil Perry offers up his latest mock draft: Patriots dip into Michigan pool for speed on D — after trading out of the first round.
• Nick Caruso (BostonSportsWave) Patriots mock draft 3.0: Post free agency. Pats pick Alabama WR Jameson Williams at 21.
• Dakota Randall Patriots Rumors: Why DK Metcalf trade unlikely despite receiver need. Metcalf is entering the final year of his rookie deal.
• Alex Barth reports new Patriots assistant coach Ross Douglas remains front and center scouting wide receivers.
• Nick Caruso (BostonSportsWave) Patriots 2022 offseason: How to salvage AFC renovation.
• Michael DeVito (MusketFire) Grading the Patriots’ offseason moves on offense so far.
• Mike Luciano (MusketFire) Bill Belichick’s reason for trading Shaq Mason doesn’t give Pats fans enough answers.
• Michael Hurley says Tom Brady clearly won the power struggle with Bruce Arians in Tampa Bay.
• Alex Barth talks about the continuing Buccaneers’ retirement saga.
• Locked On Patriots podcast: Mike D’Abate and Clare Cooper discuss the 2022 outlook of Jonnu Smith and the development of Mac Jones in the upcoming season and beyond. (36 min.)

NATIONAL NEWS

• Albert Breer (SI) Mailbag: Do the Packers and Chiefs go after other top wide receiver talent? Plus, Baker Mayfield’s prospects, Brady’s future, Davis Mills’s potential and more.
• Joel Corry (CBS Sports) Agent’s Take: Breaking down 20 notable multi-year contracts handed out this offseason.
• Mark Schofield (TouchdownWire) How Bill Belichick might employ Jabrill Peppers.
• Danny Heifetz (The Ringer) Breaking down every team’s needs entering the Draft. Patriots: CB, LB, OT. “For the 10th year in a row, receiver is an issue for this team. But this time around, the need at cornerback is even more pressing.”
• Anthony Treash (PFF) 2022 NFL Draft: Day 2 prospects who could pay off big.
• Michael Renner (PFF) Ranking the strongest position groups in the 2022 NFL Draft.
• Gil Brandt (NFL.com) 2022 NFL Draft: Ten teams that most need to ace their picks. Patriots 5th.
• Bucky Brooks (NFL.com) 2022 NFL mock draft 3.0: Pats pick Auburn CB Roger McCreary at 21.
• Michael Middlehurst-Schwartz (USA Today) NFL mock draft 2022. Pats pick Boston College G Zion Johnson at 21.
• Gregg Rosenthal (NFL.com) Top 101 NFL free agents of 2022: Highest-ranked players still available.
• Doug Farrar (TouchdownWire) The best bargains of the NFL’s 2022 free agency class (so far).
• Nate Davis (USA Today) NFL power rankings: How have free agency, trades reshaped 2022 pecking order in offseason? Patriots 10th (-2).
• Mike Florio (ProFootballTalk) Report: Tom Brady knew Bruce Arians was stepping down the day Brady returned, or the next.
• Jenna Laine (ESPN) With Tom Brady and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Todd Bowles is aligned to succeed.
• Conor Orr (SI) “Bruce Arians’s decision to walk away on Wednesday, specifically...to give Todd Bowles a crack at coaching Brady and to keep him from a horrifically whitewashed coaching cycle (where he’d almost certainly be low-balled and stuck with a non-competitive quarterback), was about as good as we can ask for nowadays.” /Think it may have been better for Arians to just do it, not announce it. Not his intention but it’s demeaning.
• Jake Trotter (ESPN) What’s next for Deshaun Watson and the Cleveland Browns? And what about Baker Mayfield?

EXTRACURRICULAR

• Mike Florio (ProFootballTalk) Daniel Snyder remains on four NFL committees.
• Madeline Coleman (SI) Report: Goodell not the one deciding whether Deshaun Watson violated NFL policy. /Goodell Shaggy: “It wasn’t me”
• Mike Florio (ProFootballTalk) NFL has five-owner committee working on St. Louis settlement issue.