New England Patriots links 4/05/23 - Soap opera season in full swing

TEAM TALK

• Patriots 2023 Mock Draft Tracker.
• Paul Perillo’s NFL Notes: Reality check: Lamar Jackson not in the cards.
• Downtime: Making music with Patriots DB Marcus Jones. (3 min. video)
• Patriots Unfiltered: Could Patriots trade Mac Jones?, Ramping up for the draft, biggest needs remaining. (2 hours)

LOCAL LINKS

• Mark Daniels does some research and lays out how the rumors about the Patriots trading Mac Jones don’t add up.
• Dakota Randall highlights Mike Florio explaining his report [sort of] about New England shopping Mac Jones this offseason. “I think it’s tenuous and to be determined...I think that for now, he’s a Patriot. He continues to be a Patriot. He’s gonna compete for playing time with Bailey Zappe and it just adds to the overall intrigue as to where this team is, where this team is heading and where it’s going to be a year from now.” /Not much ‘there’ there. It was once considered a brilliant move to have Jimmy G compete with Brady, so why is it bad for Mac to compete with Zappe?
• Karen Guregian discusses the latest from the soap opera playing out in Foxboro and how the level of Patriots dysfunction is growing by the minute.
• Dakota Randall notes Mark Daniels and Andrew Callahan each shut down the Mac Jones trade rumor.
• Zack Cox says a new report casts doubt on the Mac Jones-Patriots trade rumors.
• Dakota Randall notes Bill Belichick had no official comment today but says the rumors are not true.
• Darren Hartwell suggests a Mac Jones-Trey Lance swap amid trade rumors.
• Zack Cox reports the Patriots hosted two D-Line prospects for pre-draft visits. Both Boise State DT Scott Matlock and San Jose State DE Viliami “Junior” Fehokoplayed in the East-West Shrine Bowl.
• Patrick Keefe (StadiumRant) Three more obvious moves the Patriots must make to be elite again.
• Mike D’Abate (Patriots Country) Patriots have a particular set of conditions under which they are willing to pursue Cardinals WR DeAndre Hopkins.
• Pat Pitts (StadiumRant) The Patriots do not need former 2019 MVP Lamar Jackson.
• Soor Vora (StadiumRant) These five struggling NFL teams are on the path to 2023 evolution. Patriots included.
• Keagan Stiefel notes Masters hopeful Keegan Bradley tells a cool Patriots, Bill Belichick story.
• Geoff Magliocchetti (Patriots Country) Pats Vegas? Raiders have hired Danny Amendola, bringing the number of former New Englanders to 15 either on its roster or on staff.
• One Patriots Place podcast: Murph welcomes Karen Guregian to talk all things Patriots. (1 hour)
• Locked On Patriots podcast: Mike D’Abate discusses the latest Belichick-Mac Jones rumors and more. (31 min.)
• Locked On Patriots podcast: It’s Mock Draft Monday with Mike and Murph. (44 min.)

NATIONAL NEWS

• Mike Florio (ProFootballTalk) Bill Belichick has shopped Mac Jones this offseason.
• Cody Benjamin (CBS Sports) Mac Jones trade rumors: Patriots reportedly shopping QB, plus five logical landing spots. /”According to Pro Football Talk”
• Josh Alper (ProFootballTalk) Zay Flowers set to visit Patriots, attend draft.
• Cynthia Frelund (NFL.com) Pro comparisons and analytical team fits for top edge-rushing prospects.
• David Latham (LastWordOnSports) Landing spots for the best remaining free agents.
• Vinnie Iyer (Sporting News) NFL Draft risers and fallers: Anthony Richardson, Jalen Carter among biggest 2023 pro days winners, losers.
• Vinnie Iyer (SportingNews) NFL Draft 2023: Updated big board of top 140 players overall, position rankings.
• Josh Edwards (CBS Sports) NFL Draft 2023: Surprise team takes a QB, veterans getting traded and other possible, but unexpected scenarios.
• Lance Zierlein (NFL.com) 2023 NFL mock draft 3.0: Ravens select C.J. Stroud after trade; Patriots pick Florida QB Anthony Richardson at 14.
• Vinnie Iyer (SportingNews) NFL Mock Draft 2023: 7-round edition. Pats pick Penn State CB Joey Porter, Jr. at 14.
• Kevin Skiver (Sporting News) Why NFL players, executives oppose flexing ‘Thursday Night Football,’ and why league might push it through anyway.

EXTRACURRICULAR

• Michael McCarthy (FrontOfficeSports) Willie McGinest is out at NFL Network.
• Chris Tomason (DenverGazette) Broncos legend John Elway no longer has contractual role with the team.
• Adam Schefter (ESPN) Ex-Cardinals VP Terry McDonough accuses owner of cheating.
• Mike Florio (ProFootballTalk) Cardinals attack Terry McDonough’s character in lengthy response to arbitration claim.
• Mike Florio (ProFootballTalk) NCAA faces massive potential liability for past antitrust violations.