New England Patriots links 3/04/22 - Burn Baby Burn: It’s a good year to need wide receivers

TEAM TALK

• Erik Scalavino talks about the report of the NFL dropping COVID protocols, bringing NFL life in 2022 back to normal following two years of pandemic-related restrictions.
• Mike Dussault wonders if another international player could be on their way to New England.
• Paul Perillo profiles Alec Lindstrom and Zion Johnson, the latest prospects looking to continue Boston College’s legacy of producing NFL offensive linemen.
• Mike Dussault talks about a trio of Oklahoma draft prospects with high praise for former teammates Rhamondre Stevenson and Ronnie Perkins.
• Alexandra Francisco posts Patriots nominee for the Walter Payton Man of the Year award Lawrence Guy participating in the virtual visit with Children’s Hospital and fielding adorable questions.
• Patriots Unfiltered 3/3: Updates from the NFL Combine, What to do about J.C. Jackson. (2 hours)

LOCAL LINKS

• Evan Lazar gives us ten takeaways from Thursday night after wide receivers put on a show at the Combine. This wide receiver class is filled with burners for the Patriots to add more speed on offense.
• Mike D’Abate (Patriot Maven) Notebook: Coaches at the Combine, Jackson’s return looking less likely and More.
• Samuel Decoste’s Patriots Combine Notebook: WR speed (and Wes Welker’s clone) on display in Indianapolis.
• Alex Barth discusses the wide receiver standouts from Day 1 of the combine t’s a good year to be a team that needs to add a receiver – especially a burner.
• Khari Thompson re-evaluates Mac Jones as QBs work out at the 2022 combine: Though some are still unsure about Mac Jones’s ceiling, others suggest last year’s success was only the beginning.
• Khari Thompson highlights Oklahoma OL Marquis Hayes as he talked at the Combine about his face-offs in college with the Patriots’ Ronnie Perkins. ‘A different breed.’
• Khari Thompson notes the Patriots met with Notre Dame RB Kyren Williams at the combine.
• Karen Guregian explores whether Boston College prospects Zion Johnson and Alex Lindstrom could help the Patriots in the Draft.
• Alex Barth updates his 2022 Patriots pre-draft meeting tracker.
• Matt Dolloff mentions that Jonathan Jones, a key piece of the Pats’ secondary, is well on his way to return in 2022.
• Danny Jaillet (PatriotsWire) Patriots offseason preview: Where does New England stand at EDGE?
• Nick Stevens suggests the next Trey Flowers could already be on Patriots’ roster.
• Henry McKenna (PatriotsWire) Free agency preview: Patriots can’t let Ted Karras get away.
• CBS Boston passes along a report that Devin McCourty intends to play in 2022.
• Andy Hart asks, ‘Is Bill Belichick old or just really experienced?’ /So much noise this time of year.
• Zack Cox looks at whether Nick Caley is ready for a major role in the Pats’ new-look coaching staff.
• Andrew Callahan notes NFL executives expect Jerod Mayo will leave Patriots soon for head-coaching job.
• Zack Cox hears from Kyle Van Noy floating another possible explanation for the Patriots’ late-season nosedive. ‘I think there was a lot of guys who potentially could have been sick.’
• Steve Balestrieri (PatsFans) Patriots Mock Draft 1.0, Pre free agency edition.
• Patriots Talk Podcast: Tom E. Curran, Khari Thompson and Henry McKenna discuss what role Bill Belichick may have in Mac Jones’ development amid turnover on the coaching staff. (43 min.)
• Next Pats podcast: Phil Perry and Dane Brugler make the case for Alabama WR John Metchie’s fit with the Patriots.

NATIONAL NEWS

• Josh Alper (ProFootballTalk) Devin McCourty training with the intent of playing in 2022.
• Conor Orr (SI) The short, sweet era of mercenary star QBs may already be over: We seemed headed for another offseason of several top-tier quarterbacks swapping teams. But that looks unlikely for now and the near future.
• Charles Robinson (Yahoo! Sports) 2 years into pandemic, NFL is eliminating COVID-19 testing.
• Christopher Price (SportswriterDad) When it comes to the combine, you should take everything with a grain of salt. Everything.
• Josh Edwards & Chris Trapasso (CBS Sports) NFL Scouting Combine 2022 results, takeaways: QBs, WRs and TEs run 40-yard dash, compete in drills.
• 2022 NFL Combine tracker (NFL.com) Top performers, participants, live results and commentary.
• Nick Shook (NFL.com) Tyquan Thornton’s 4.28 40-yard dash headlines fastest receiver class ever at the Combine.
• Chad Reuter (NFL.com) 2022 NFL Scouting Combine winners and losers, Day 1: Chris Olave, Malik Willis impress.
• Mike tannenbaum (ESPN) Inside NFL teams’ pre-draft prospect interviews at the combine: Wildest questions, blown answers and more.
• Eric Edholm (Yahoo! Sports) NFL draft: QB or not QB? That’s the question ... with the 2023 draft also in mind.
• Charles Nuamah (HowTheyPlay) 62 Quarterbacks with the largest hand sizes in NFL history.
• Jeff Legwold (ESPN) Pitt QB Kenny Pickett’s hands measure 8½ inches, smaller than any QB currently in NFL.
• Cody Benjamin (CBS Sports) Top underrated 2022 NFL free agents: A look at some of under-the-radar veterans set to hit the market.
• Charles Robinson and Eric Edholm (Yahoo! Sports) NFL podcast: Combine Takeaways, Part I: Rodgers/Wilson/Watson whispers, Kliff extensions & Giants willing to trade anyone.