New England Patriots links 5/23/23 - DB Jack Jones’ Year 2 bounce-back

TEAM TALK

• Evan Lazar tackles this week’s Patriots Mailbag: With the first two phases [OTAs] focusing mainly on strength and conditioning, teams can now begin playing non-padded football with 7-on-7, 9-on-7, and full team 11-on-11s permitted over the next four weeks, culminating in a three-day mandatory minicamp next month (June 13-14); More.
• Paul Perillo talks about what the Patriots are hoping to get out of kicker Chad Ryland, who brings plenty of experience to Foxborough.

LOCAL LINKS

• Dakota Randall’s Patriots OTAs preview: Five big questions we hope get answered. 1. How will the quarterbacks split reps?
• Mike D’Abate (Patriots Country) 3 Things to watch at Patriots OTAs. 1. Might the Patriots carry three QBs?
• Zack Cox identifies six under-the-radar players he’ll be watching in OTAs.
• Matt Dolloff spotlights six Patriots you didn’t know are coming back for 2023.
• Ian Logue (PatsFans) Patriots Notebook: 1. Onwenu still recovering; James White has advice for Mac Jones; More.
• Doug Kyed reviews the Patriots’ 2022 draft class: Patriots need to maximize talents of playmaker CB Marcus Jones.
• Doug Kyed reviews the 2022 draft class: DB Jack Jones. In an ideal situation, Jones is starting opposite Christian Gonzalez as the Patriots’ top outside cornerbacks with either Jonathan Jones or Marcus Jones in the slot.
• Nick Stevens notes that the PFF simulator has the Patriots outperforming expectations in 2023.
• Karen Guregian talks with some ex-Patriots who are mixed on TNF flex games: Tough on fans, no ‘garbage games’.
• Alex Barth talks about how the Patriots’ 2023 schedule could be impacted by the league’s new ruling allowing flex scheduling for Thursday Night Football.
• Andrew Callahan picks Patriots-Steelers as the regular season game that could get flexed.
• Chris Mason points out that the Patriots were one of the 24 teams that voted for TNF flex games.
• Mark Daniels tells us why the NFL’s new rule that gives each team an emergency QB won’t help the Patriots use it to get creative with Malik Cunningham.
• Alex Barth explains the new NFL rule that could create a unique opportunity for the Pats’ rookie quarterback.
• Locked On Patriots podcast: It’s Patriots Mailbag Monday. Mike and Murph discuss Michael Onwenu’s injury and OTA absence, the Pats’ top receiver, who will inherit the H-Back duties, and more. (42 min.)

NATIONAL NEWS

• Albert Breer (SI) Takeaways: The greatest thing about Jim Brown was the gap between him and everyone else; Plus, a success story from the NFL accelerator program, a look at rules change proposals being discussed this week and more.
• Gilberto Manzano (SI) The 10 teams that improved the most this NFL offseason. No Pats.
• Eric Edholm (NFL.com) NFL’s top 10 most complete teams for 2023 season. /Guess if Pats are included, lolz.
• Gordon McGuinness (PFF) Ranking the NFL divisions by strength heading into 2023. AFC East 4th. Not much is expected from the New England Patriots, but a rebound from third-year quarterback Mac Jones, who saw his PFF grade drop from 78.9 as a rookie to 67.5 last season, would help them at least contend for the No. 7 seed late into the season.
• Sam Monson (PFF) PFF QB Rankings: All 32 starters ahead of the 2023 NFL season. Mac Jones 21st.
• John Kosko (PFF) Ranking the top 30 players over 30 entering the 2023 NFL season. No Pats.
• Zoltan Buday (PFF) Breakout candidates for all 16 AFC teams. Patriots: Christian Barmore.
• Jordan Dajani (CBS Sports) Seven NFL players set for a breakout season in 2023. No Pats.
• Garrett Podell (CBS Sports) Every team’s most anticipated game. Patriots: Week 3 at New York Jets.
• Mike Florio (ProFootballTalk) Thursday night flex is middle finger to in-stadium fans.
• Mike Florio (ProFootballTalk) Saints and Commanders flipped from “no” to “yes,” delivering Thursday night flexing.
• Conor Orr (SI) Fixing ‘Thursday Night Football’ isn’t worth the cost of flex scheduling: The NFL and Amazon badly want to improve their mediocre midweek product, even at the risk of competitive fairness and player safety.
• Mike Florio (ProFootballTalk) One-year nature of TNF flex means 24 votes will be needed to keep it, not kill it, in the future.
• Seth Walder (ESPN) Projected Top 10 2024 NFL draft order. No Pats.
• Andrew Marchand (NY Post) Devin McCourty headed to NBC’s NFL pregame show as family’s media rise continues.
• Staff (NFL.com) NFL announces growth of global markets program with addition of two new clubs, four new markets.
• David Purdum (ESPN) Inside the NFL’s gambling policy and why violations are increasing.