New England Patriots links 2/23/23 - Linebackers on speed dial: Explosiveness a strength

TEAM TALK

• Patriots 2023 Mock Draft Tracker.
• Key dates on the 2023 NFL / Patriots calendar.
• Paul Perillo writes how Matthew Slater’s impact reaches well beyond the field and how his return will have an impact on the entire Patriots roster.
• Player 1-on-1: Matthew Slater returns for his 16th season. (1 min. video)

LOCAL LINKS

• Andrew Callahan continues to explore potential Patriots draft targets: 4 tight ends to watch in the 1st round.
• Dakota Randall’s Patriots linebackers outlook: Assessing the group’s strengths and weaknesses.
• Zack Cox gives us his Patriots O-Line outlook: Tackle remains top offseason priority.
• Zack Cox details Conor McDermott’s contract and what it means for the O-Line.
• Mark Morse (PatsFans) Potential free agents for Patriots.
• Danny Jaillet (PatriotsWire) ESPN+ analyst Matt Bowen picks the Texans as the best fit for free agent Jakobi Meyers.
• Sara Marshall (MusketFire) Should Patriots repeat history with blockbuster trade for a CB?
• Adam London mentions how PFF Identifies Hunter Henry as a potential cut candidate for 2023.
• Alex Reimer wonders if this will be an offseason full of “Mac-stabbing,” and if the smear campaign will continue.
• Danny Jaillet (PatriotsWire) How do Patriots view Mac Jones vs. Bailey Zappe internally? Albert Breer: New England could trade away Jones if the price is right. /Meanwhile, Robert Kraft: “Over my dead body.”
• Nick Goss ranks the NFL’s top 32 quarterbacks before 2023 free agency and the draft. Mac Jones 18th.
• Greg Dudek notes Matt Cassel ranks Mac Jones 25th, as a bottom tier NFL signal-caller. “There were a lot of ups and downs for Mac Jones this past season. I’m still unsure of what type of quarterback he can be. But we will certainly find out with new offensive coordinator Bill O’Brien returning to the New England Patriots this season.”
• Darren Hartwell highlights Tom E. Curran as a guest on ‘The Rich Eisen Show’ explaining why there’s no chance the Patriots trade Mac Jones in 2023. “Absolutely, positively not. That would happen over Robert Kraft’s dead body.”
• Darren Hartwell hears from Matthew Slater on his reasoning behind returning to the team Pats in 2023.
• Sara Marshall (MusketFire) Newest NFL rule change is all too familiar for the Patriots. /Except prior rule changes worked to hamper the Patriots. This one works to hamper a potential Chiefs’ Super Bowl opponent.
• Michael Hurley wants to know why the New York Jets are such dorks.
• Mike D’Abate (Patriots Country) Patriots coach Matt Patricia interviews for defensive job in Denver.
• Mark Daniels finds that after leaving the Patriots over COVID-19 vaccine, Cole Popovich returns to the NFL.
• Chris Mason’s Patriots Mailbag: Is DeAndre Hopkins, Tee Higgins or someone else Patriots’ best WR fit?
• Staff (Patriots Country) Newsletter: 98.5 Sports Hub host Tony Massarotti suspended for racist joke; $5 Million for swing tackle; Pats part ways with LaBryan Ray; More.
• Nick O’Malley gives us his Patriots 7-round mock draft: Mac Jones gets an elite WR and a new right tackle. Pats pick USC WR Jordan Addison at 14.
• Sean T. McGuire highlights former Seahawks RB Marshawn Lynch admitting he was “boiling” after Pete Carroll’s Super Bowl-altering call.
• One Patriots Place podcast: Clare and Murph welcome Pat Lane to talk all things Patriots. (57 min.)
• A Clare Perspective podcast: Two year anniversary mail bag edition! (45 min.)
• Locked On Patriots podcast: Mike D’Abate and Clare Cooper discuss the latest rumors, the gap between Jones and Bailey Zappe, the Bill O’Brien effect and More. (45 min.)

NATIONAL NEWS

• NFL Nation (ESPN) 2023 NFL offseason questions: 32 teams’ free agency, draft issues.
• Albert Breer (SI) MMQB: Play that set the tone for Super Bowl LVII, next development for Lamar Jackson-Ravens future.
• Andrew Brandt (SI) Business of Football: Big QB contracts are not the problem. Salary cap management is.
• Joel Corry (CBS Sports) Agent’s Take: How to keep NFL players out of free agency; everything to know about franchise, transition tags.
• Gilberto Manzano (SI) To tag or not to tag: Options for every NFL team. Pats not included.
• Cody Benjamin (CBS Sports) 2023 NFL free agency QB market: Projecting contracts, landing spots for Lamar Jackson, Derek Carr, more.
• Jared Dubin (CBS Sports) 2023 NFL free agency wide receiver market: Odell Beckham Jr., Jakobi Meyers headline best available.
• Tyler Greenawalt (Yahoo! Sports) Ranking every team’s QB situation at this early stage of the offseason. ‘Mac Jones in the “Upgrade potential” group that either finished with a below average composite ranking or could see improvements with a different/better passer, or both. But it doesn’t necessarily mean they must find a replacement to succeed’.
• Danny Heifetz (The Ringer) The 2023 NFL Quarterback Commitment Index.
• Matt Cassel (The33rdTeam) Way-too-early NFL Quarterback rankings for 2023. Mac Jones 25th.
• Cody Benjamin (CBS Sports) Ranking every QB to throw a pass during 2022 NFL season. Mac Jones 28th.
• Kevin Patra (NFL.com) All 32 teams’ WR situations ahead of free agency, draft.
• Jeremy Fowler and Jamison Hensley (ESPN) Lamar Jackson, the Baltimore Ravens and an awkward year in limbo.
• Mike Florio (ProFootballTalk) Could Lamar Jackson sit out 2023?
• Chris Trapasso (CBS Sports) 2023 NFL two-round Mock Draft. Pats pick Iowa EDGE Lukas Van Ness at 14.
• Michael David Smith (ProFootballTalk) Broncos interview Matt Patricia for defensive coordinator.
• Myles Simmons (ProFootballTalk) Report: Chargers interviewed DeMarcus Covington for defensive coordinator.
• Charean Williams (ProFootballTalk) Report: Browns expected to hire Bubba Ventrone as special teams coach.
• Mike Florio (ProFootballTalk) Will the 49ers try to get Tom Brady to end his second annual retirement?

EXTRACURRICULAR

• Mike Florio (ProFootballTalk) Netflix, NFL partner on Quarterback series.
• Mike Florio (ProFootballTalk) Michael Irvin names three witnesses who support his claims.