Daily news and links for Friday
TEAM TALK
- Highlights: Tom Brady at the 2003 Pro Bowl. (3 min. video)
- Patriots Unfiltered: Staff updates, NFL draft talk, offseason outlooks. (2 hours)
LOCAL LINKS
- Matt Dolloff lays out how for the first time in a quarter-century, the Pats defense will have a new style under Vrabel.
- Andrew Callahan notes Drake Maye opens up about Mike Vrabel, Josh McDaniels, and the 2025 season.
- Chris Mason tells us what Drake Maye wants to improve in Year 2.
- Mark Daniels highlights Drake Maye on why he’s fortunate to be coached by Josh McDaniels.
- Mark Daniels highlights Drake Maye saying he had several Pats mentors, including Jacoby Brissett, Matthew Slater.
- Jerry Thornton appreciates the Patriots crushing their coaching hires this time around.
- Luke Graham gives Pats fans a first look at Ryan Cowden as Patriots personnel executive.
- Matt Dolloff reports the Patriots are retaining Ben McAdoo for Mike Vrabel’s offensive staff.
- Nick O’Malley notes that currently it’s unclear what role Ben McAdoo will have on Vrabel’s staff.
- Andrew Callahan passes along a report that the Pats are targeting Colts assistant DB coach Justin Hamilton to join the defensive staff. Hamilton finished his only season in Indy, which followed a year with Vrabel in Tennessee.
- Karen Guregian talks with Brian Baldinger, who sees Joe Milton’s stock rising due to a lack of QB prospects.
- Phil Perry suggests four Senior Bowl standouts who could interest the Patriots in the draft.
- Taylor Kyles goes 1-on-1 at the Senior Bowl: Florida DL Cam Jackson – Illinois WR Pat Bryant – NC State OT Anthony Belton – BC OL Ozzy Trapilo.
- Michael DeVito spotlights Michigan DT Mason Graham as an under-the-radar potentially brilliant top draft pick for the Pats.
- Chris Mason’s Patriots mailbag: Breakout candidate in Mike Vrabel’s defense?
- Hayden Bird highlights Rob Gronkowski explaining the difference between the Patriots and Chiefs dynasties; Gronk also joked about his inability to correctly predict recent Super Bowl outcomes.
- Locked On Patriots podcast: Mike D’Abate and Steve Balestrieri discuss key coaching changes; Senior Bowl prospects on defense and More. (38 min.)
NATIONAL NEWS
- Logan Ulrich (NFL TR) AFC Notes: Vrabel Explains Josh McDaniels Hire, Dalton Kincaid, Bills, Jets, Patriots.
- Andrew Brandt (SI) The AFC Championship game exposed the NFL’s Luddite approach to technology; Plus, the league’s two best-run teams are in the Super Bowl and thoughts on head coach hires.
- Jeff Kerr (CBS Sports) 2025 NFL offseason: One thing every team needs to do. Patriots: A No. 1 wide receiver, a No. 1 running back along with an offensive line that doesn’t allow a sack rate of 9.0%.
- Jordan Dajani (CBS Sports) One free agent each team should prioritize signing in offseason. Patriots: Baltimore OT Ronnie Stanley.
- Danny Heifetz (The Ringer) The winners and losers of the NFL coaching carousel: Six teams have new head coaches this offseason; one is still weighing its options. So it’s time to see which teams are off to a great start for 2025 and which appear to be stuck in neutral. Winner: Mike Vrabel.
- Chad Reuter (NFL.com) 2025 NFL Draft: Five prospects who stood out in East-West Shrine Bowl.
- Daniel Jeremiah (NFL.com) 2025 Senior Bowl: Top 12 standouts from week of practice.
- Frank Schwab (Yahoo! Sports) Super Bowl referee is Ron Torbert: Which penalties has his crew called most often?
- Frank Schwab (Yahoo! Sports) Chiefs officiating: A look at the key controversies this season.
- Staff (NFL.com) NFL Honors: Picks for MVP, Coach of the Year and six other Associated Press 2024 NFL awards.
- Nate Tice & Charles McDonald (Yahoo! Sports) 2025 NFL mock draft 5.0. Pats pick LSU OT Will Campbell at No. 4.
- Around the NFL (NFL.com) NFL looking into allegations against Ravens K Justin Tucker of inappropriate behavior during massage sessions.