Daily news and links for Thursday
TEAM TALK
- Patriots 2025 Mock Draft Tracker.
- Evan Lazar adds to his 2025 Free Agent Preview: Tight Ends/Fullbacks.
- Mike Dussault continues his 2025 Free Agent Preview: Cornerback.
- Evan Lazar, Paul Perillo, and Mike Dussault break down all the potential free agents that could be a potential fit for New England. (12 min. video)
- Patriots Catch-22: Evan Lazar and Alex Barth discuss 3 up/down from the Combine, preview free agency, league moves; More. (2 hours)
LOCAL LINKS
- Tom E. Curran explores how the Patriots’ offensive line can be overhauled.
- Sara Marshall highlights former Patriots RB Brandon Bolden on working with Josh McDaniels and the kind of offense he would run in 2025. Bolden’s description sounds perfect for Drake Maye.
- Nick O’Malley hears from draft guru Lance Zierlein that Missouri OT Armand Membou is the new trendy Patriots target over LSU OT Will Campbell, but Membou primarily played right tackle in college. The hope would likely be that he could flip to left tackle, which is more valuable.
- Karen Guregian hears from experts weighing in on whether the Patriots should avoid Will Campbell.
- Andrew Callahan profiles 5 potential free agency targets at edge defender for the Patriots.
- Mark Daniels spotlights the best free-agent fits at safety for the Patriots.
- Alex Barth passes along the Mike Reiss report that the Patriots re-signed ERFA CB Alex Austin to a one-year deal.
- Jon Lyons thumbnails 8 free agents the Patriots should be targeting.
- Sara Marshall writes how despite an underwhelming rookie season in 2024, WR Javon Baker has the new Patriots regime excited about his potential.
- Hayden Bird reports Patriots wide receiver target DK Metcalf has reportedly requested a trade from the Seahawks.
- Alex Barth tells us what a D.K. Metcalf trade would look like for the Patriots.
- Michael DeVito is a big fan of the Patriots making a blockbuster trade for WR D.K. Metcalf.
- Matt Dolloff is hearing the Patriots are reportedly concerned about the future of DT Christian Barmore, who recently dealt with blood clots.
- Chris Mason’s Patriots Mailbag: Top 5 Patriots possibilities in 1st round of 2025 NFL Draft.
- Karen Guregian talks with former Patriots OC Charlie Weis who explains why he wouldn’t be so quick to trade QB Joe Milton III.
- Conor Ryan relays Albert Breer on how the Patriots are ‘so far behind’ rest of NFL in several areas beyond the roster. New England hasn’t made itself an appealing destination, thanks to evident dysfunction put on display by ownership over the past year.
- Locked On Patriots podcast: Mike D’Abate and Steve Balestrieri discuss whether the Patriots can secure top free agents to reshape their roster, and which players the team could target; More. (41 min.)
NATIONAL NEWS
- Tyler Sullivan (CBS Sports) Patriots free agency: Five moves New England should make this offseason, including run at Chris Godwin.
- Matthew Berry (NBC Sports) 25 Most interesting things heard at the 2025 NFL Combine. 14. To that point about a shallow WR market; I’ve heard the Patriots WILL do whatever they can to get a real “WR1” for Drake Maye and the new coaching staff. I heard they are knocking on all doors, seeing what they can possibly trade for, and one person told me they heard the Patriots called Philly asking if A.J. Brown was available. Shrug emoji on if that’s true, or what Philly’s answer was, but this much seems certain: New England will aggressively try to upgrade its wide receiver room this offseason.
- Josh Alper (ProFootballTalk) Patriots to tender LB Christian Elliss as restricted free agent.
- Joel Corry (CBS Sports) Agent’s Take: Target prices for 10 intriguing offensive players with expiring contracts, including Sam Darnold.
- Grant Gordon (NFL.com) Chargers release five-time Pro Bowl pass rusher Joey Bosa after nine seasons.
- Tony Camino (NFLTR) Seahawks seeking first & third round picks for WR D.K. Metcalf.
- Chris Emma (670 The Score) 4-time Super Bowl champion Joe Thuney traded to Bears for 4th-round pick.
- Dan Pizzuta (The33rdTeam) NFL offseason QB carousel: Where top quarterbacks will land.
- Charles Davis (NFL.com) NFL mock draft 1.0: QBs Shedeur Sanders, Cam Ward and Jaxson Dart go 1-2-3! Pats pick Penn State Edge Abdul Carter at No. 4. The Patriots need blockers and weapons on offense to help second-year QB Drake Maye, but they just cannot pass on an edge rusher many have as the top prospect in the entire draft class.
- Ian Valentino (The33rdTeam) Pre-free agency NFL Mock Draft 2025. Pats pick Texas A&M EDGE Shemar Stewart at No. 4. The only athletes to ever match what Shemar Stewart did at the draft at his size were Myles Garrett and Mario Williams. Those are two former No. 1 picks who were big hits for their respective franchises. Stewart didn’t produce the same on the field as Garrett and Williams in college, though, totaling 4.5 sacks. New England needs an upside swing, and Mike Vrabel is the type of coach to maximize Stewart’s incredible tools.
- Mike Florio (ProFootballTalk) Bill Belichick launches spring practice as coach of “33rd NFL team.”
- Mike Florio (ProFootballTalk) Bill Belichick, UNC might still do all-access series with a different network.