TEAM TALK
- Evan Lazar gives us the key takeaways from our first glimpse at the Pats offense led by Bill O’Brien and Mac Jones. Offense focusing on ‘building our own thing’ as offseason program continues.
- Paul Perillo’s OTA Blogservations: Early impressions of the offense showed a much more cohesive unit under the direction of Bill O’Brien and a refreshed Mac Jones.
- Mike Dussault writes about the Patriots defense beginning to set a foundation for 2023 with most of their starters back in the fold, along with a promising crop of rookies that could be poised to chip in right away.
- Press Conferences: Bill Belichick (10 min. video) - Mac Jones (9 min. video)
- Press Pass: Day 1 of OTAs - Matthew Slater, Ja’Whaun Bentley, Mac Jones, and David Andrews. (1.30 min. video)
- Photos: Patriots OTAs - May 23 and May 31.
- Patriots Playbook: Day 1 of OTAs, expectations for rookies; State of the Patriots superfan roundtable. (2 hours)
LOCAL LINKS
- Taylor Kyles writes about rebuilding the passing game: Empty formations. The Patriots’ empty use dipped in the post-Brady era, but Bill O’Brien’s presence could unlock a forgotten strength of Mac Jones’ game.
- Mark Daniels details the passes thrown by Mac Jones and Bailey Zappe at Patriots OTAs.
- Phil Perry observes Mac Jones looks like clear lead dog among Pats QBs
- Zack Cox shares his OTAs Observations: Mac Jones looks like clear QB1 in new offense; Plus: A notable new role for one highly paid UDFA.
- Chris Mason gives us 11 takeaways from the Patriots’ first open OTA. 1. Jones treated as QB1, 2. Judge’s role comes into focus; More.
- Alex Barth’s Patriots OTA Notebook Day One: Finally back on the field. 1. Quarterback competition? 2. The Patriots’ most versatile rookie?
- Mike Kadlick shares his observations from OTAs: Bill O’Brien takes charge. Tight end Mike Gesicki is smooth. He’s a wide receiver in a tight end’s body who should become a threat in the passing game immediately; More.
- Matt Dolloff has 8 takeaways from the Pats’ first open practice. 1. It’s Mac’s job to lose, 2. Joe Judge back where he belongs, 3. Receivers on the move; More.
- Doug Kyed’s OTAs observations: Young playmaker starts out hot; Rookie kicker Chad Ryland can get a head start on winning the job with Folk a no-show. He did miss a field goal wide left. More.
- Jordy McElroy (PatriotsWire) 5 leftover notes and highlights from Wednesday’s OTA. 1. Malik Cunningham isn’t just a quarterback.
- Doug Kyed says Mac Jones wouldn’t get into specifics about how much Bill O’Brien brought from Alabama or how similar the Patriots’ current offense is to what the team ran in 2021 under Josh McDaniels. But it sounds like Jones and O’Brien are on the same page.
- Doug Kyed notes the Patriots are still figuring out how to use top undrafted free agent Malik Cunningham.
- Doug Kyed mentions that JuJu Smith-Schuster was among 11 players not spotted during Wednesday’s OTAs session but adds that he has been around this spring.
- Mike Reiss reports Matthew Slater rips kickoff rule, questions the NFL’s motives and insinuates that Goodell is more concerned with appearance, than player safety or data. /Go Slate!
- Mike Reiss reports Bill Belichick took responsibility for the team having two OTAs taken away by the NFL, and backed assistant coach Joe Judge.
- Nick Stevens notes Dante Scarnecchia called WEEI to school Christian Fauria on the value of OTAs. ‘Fauria, in the middle of the The Gresh and Fauria Show, said that OTAs are useless. Scarnecchia, who said he was driving home from the hardware store, was so incensed by Christian’s comment that he felt compelled to call in and preach the value of the spring football workouts that are basically pad-free practices.’ /Must have left a scar...
- Tyler Milliken passes along some key Tweets from Day 1 of Patriots OTAs.
- Nick Stevens talks about Conor Orr predicting the Patriots win the AFC East.
- One Patriots Place podcast: Nick Stevens joins Clare and Murph to talk all things Patriots. (1 hour video or apple)
- Locked On Patriots podcast: Mike D’Abate discusses the leadership of Bill O’Brien, the desire of Mac Jones and the displeasure of Matthew Slater regarding the kickoff rule changes. (29 min.)
NATIONAL NEWS
- Myles Simmons (ProFootballTalk) Mac Jones on Bill O’Brien as OC: It’s been really good, it’s been normal.
- Coral Smith (NFL.com) QB Mac Jones excited to work with new OC Bill O’Brien, says he’s ‘like a walking dictionary.’
- Myles Simmons (ProFootballTalk) Bill Belichick: I wouldn’t say offense is starting from scratch under Bill O’Brien.
- Marc Sessler (NFL.com) NFL’s most improved teams in 2023? 10 rosters on the rise this offseason. No Pats.
- Adam Schein (NFL.com) Bold predictions for 2023 NFL season: 9. Bill Belichick’s final season in New England is playoff-free. “I think the Bills and Jets each win at least 11 games, while the Dolphins hit double digits. The Patriots? Feels like 7-10 or 8-9, and that’s actually a credit to Bill Belichick’s brain. No disrespect to the best coach in football history, but this roster is a distant fourth in the AFC East. Mac Jones is average, at best. His receiving corps is subpar. Belichick’s defense will be typically solid, but you need firepower in this stacked AFC.”
- Joel Corry (CBS Sports) Agent’s Take: Why post-June 1 designations play significant role in helping teams manage salary cap.
- Doug Farrar and Greg Cosell (TouchdownWire) The Xs and Os with Greg Cosell: Why are quarterbacks struggling against two-deep coverage?
- Albert Breer (SI) 10 NFL star veterans who could still switch teams this offseason.
- Mike Florio (ProFootballTalk) Roger Goodell did plenty of arm twisting on fair catch rule.
- Kevin Skiver (Sporting News) Patriots special teams ace Matthew Slater decries new NFL kickoff rules: ‘Let’s talk about some of the real issues’.
- Mike Florio (ProFootballTalk) Bill Belichick agrees with thoughts of John Harbaugh, Andy Reid on kickoff changes.
- Mike Florio (ProFootballTalk) Where will DeAndre Hopkins’s next contract fall among other receivers?
- Mike Florio (ProFootballTalk) Tom Brady’s path to owner-player isn’t as complex as previously believed.
- Tyler Greenawalt (Yahoo! Sports) NFLPA reportedly unable to collect $41.8 million in revenue stemming from crypto connections.
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