New England Patriots links 2/24/23 - Special teams spotlight: Punter, coaching questions loom large

TEAM TALK

• Patriots 2023 Mock Draft Tracker.
• Teaser: Behind-the-scenes at the Shrine Bowl. (1 min. video)
• Patriots Catch-22: Evan Lazar and Alex Barth’s position-by-position NFL Scouting Combine preview. (1 hour)
• Patriots Unfiltered 2/23: NFL Combine preview, draft options & blue chippers. (2 hours)
• Patriots Black History Month Roundtable featuring Deatrich Wise Jr., Josh Uche, and Andre Tippett. (24 min.)

LOCAL LINKS

• Grady Richard (MusketFire) 3 “simple” ways the Patriots can improve next season. 1. Become a more disciplined team. /Good point.
• Zack Cox gives us his Patriots Special Teams outlook: Big questions loom after dismal season.
• Luke Ervin (SportsBlog) Examining offensive tackle options in free agency.
• Mark Daniels suggests five tight ends the Patriots could sign if they cut Jonnu Smith.
• Dakota Randall acknowledges Robert Woods isn’t what he once was, but says he could be an intriguing option for New England.
• Andy Hart misinterprets fans’ desire for the team to acquire proven WRs as a dislike of Tyquan Thornton. /...’Eesh.
• Keagan Stiefel thinks the Patriots won’t be in the mix for recently released LB Bobby Wagner.
• Matt Dolloff explains why the Patriots should embrace a quarterback competition with Jones and Zappe.
• Andy Hart notes The Athletic asserted this week that the Pats not only has one of the best groups of edge rushers in the NFL but that New England fields “arguably the NFL’s best pass-rushing duo” in Matthew Judon and Josh Uche. While that seems a rather bold statement, it certainly can be backed up by statistics.
• Sara Marshall (MusketFire) The Patriots’ biggest draft busts of the last 5 years.
• Chris Mason notes Matthew Slater informed Bill Belichick he wanted to return in a 2-minute conversation in a hallway at Gillette.
• Khari Thompson points to “pride” as what landed Matt Patricia and the Patriots, led by Bill Belichick, in purgatory.
• Harrison Reno (Patriots Country) ‘Building the Patriots’: Offseason documentary release date revealed. Patriots fans are going to get an unprecedented look inside the organization.
• Zack Cox notes Danny Amendola reveals a new detail about Super Bowl XLIX, the last Patriots Super Bowl played at Arizona’s State Farm Stadium. ‘Bill made it a mandatory seven-stud game’.
• Mark Daniels reports the Broncos passed over Matt Patricia and Rex Ryan for defensive coordinator.
• Alex Barth says Matt Patricia may still end up in Denver, despite not landing defensive coordinator job.
• Jerry Thornton notes Darren Waller says ‘Brady to the Raiders was a lock’ in 2020, until Jon Gruden killed the idea at the last minute.
• Pats Chat podcast: Doug Kyed and Michael Hurley discuss the returns Matthew Slater and Conor McDermott, potential WRs New England could take in the 1st round, the increase in ticket prices; More. (55 min.)
• Locked On Patriots podcast: Mike D’Abate takes on the most-asked Patriots questions today. (34 min.)

NATIONAL NEWS

• Bill Parcells (The33rdTeam) How ‘type’ grading system allows NFL teams to reduce draft bust risk. Includes story about drafting Tedy Bruschi.
• Pete Prisco (CBS Sports) 2023 NFL free agency rankings: The 100 best free agents.
• Arjun Menon and Brad Spielberger (PFF) Landing spots for PFF’s top 50 free agents. Patriots acquire CB Jamel Dean and T Orlando Brown, Jr; Texans acquire Jakobi Meyers. Baltimore gets Jonathan Jones.
• Zach Tantillo (PFF) One key stat to know for PFF’s top-25 free agents in 2023. 7. WR Jakobi Meyers. Stat to know: Meyers recorded a 119.6 passer rating when targeted in 2022 – a career-high and good enough for sixth among receivers with at least 65 targets.
• Cody Benjamin (CBS Sports) 2023 NFL free agency mock draft: Derek Carr to Commanders, Jimmy Garoppolo to Dolphins, plus 30 other moves.
• Sam Monson (PFF) 2023 NFL free agency: Players who could be overpaid. Jakobi Meyers included.
• Gordon McGuinness (PFF) 2023 NFL Free Agency: Buy-low candidates at every position.
• Cynthia Frelund (NFL.com) Restructure or release? AFC players who could be cap casualties. Hunter Henry included.
• Brad Spielberger (PFF) Five trades to watch out for in the 2023 NFL offseason. Brandin Cooks to the Patriots.
• Sam Monson (PFF) Top 2nd-year breakout candidates for the 2023 NFL season. Pats: Marcus Jones.
• Eric Edholm & Nick Shook (NFL.com) 2022 NFL rookie grades: Ranking the classes, 1 to 32. Pats 23rd, Grade C.
• Sam Monson (PFF) Highlighting the top 101 players from the 2022 NFL season. Pats: No. 73 Michael Onwenu,
• Charles Robinson (Yahoo! Sports) 2023 NFL mock draft 4.0. Pats pick USC WR Jordan Addison at 14.
• Tom Fornelli (CBS Sports) NFL 2023 Mock Draft. Pats pick Iowa EDGE Lukas Van Ness at 14.

EXTRACURRICULAR

• Sophie Weller reports Tom Brady lands a new deal with SiriusXM for the podcast: “Let’s Go!” with Brady, Larry Fitzgerald and Jim Gray.
• Michael Hurley sees Sean Payton’s DC candidates as an indication he has a blind spot for defense
• Edward Sutelan (Sporting News) What is Sky Cave Retreats? A look inside Aaron Rodgers’ darkness retreat location in Oregon.