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Patriots | Cameron McGrone a limited participant Mon Jun 27, 07:55 PM
New England Patriots LB Cameron McGrone (undisclosed) was a limited participant during offseason workouts because of an undisclosed injury.
Link to storyCameron McGrone player page
New England Patriots WR Tre Nixon 'made an early case as a player to watch when training camp begins,' according to ESPN.com's Mike Reiss.
Footballguys view: When Reiss talks, all Fantasy GMs should listen. A seventh-round pick out of UCF/Ole Miss in the 2021 NFL draft, Nixon has speed to attack all three levels of the defense. He does little things well, like squaring his frame to the line and coming back to the quarterback, but Nixon had to work on his routes when he came out of college. The Patriots have mostly 'meh' wide receivers on the roster, but Nixon is a player we will monitor in deep dynasty formats. |
Tre Nixon player page
Retired WR Julian Edelman once again spoke about a potential return to the NFL. 'The amount of work I have to put into my body to train, to make me confident -- like, that's so much for the output because of the injuries, my knees, this, that. I'm not getting the same output,' Edelman said. 'So now that I've taken a year off and I'm not loading my body, compounding loads every single day, my body feels pretty straight, you know? I've gone and dabbled out and you go run routes. But then, you see when you run routes, the next day, like, all right, I'm not too bad, but I'm already like 10,000 reps behind I feel in my mind.' Edelman has previously said 'we'll see' when asked about a potential comeback and noted he would 'probably' play for the New England Patriots if he does return.
Footballguys view: Edelman has talked about coming out of retirement a couple of times over the last month or so. We'll see if it actually comes to fruition and where Edelman winds up. We always thought he'd wind up with the Buccaneers to be reunited with QB Tom Brady, but staying with the New England Patriots is a possibility as well. First, let's see if Edelman does come out of retirement then we'll see where he goes. |
Julian Edelman player page
New England Patriots C David Andrews had his contract restructured on Friday, June 24. The revised deal creates $2.1 million in 2022 cap space for the Pats by converting $3.15 million of Andrews' money into a signing bonus, according to a source. Andrew's updated cap charge for 2022 is $4.275 million.
Footballguys view: The Patriots only had $200,000 in cap room, so this was necessary. Andrews will be more difficult to release with more of his compensation pushed into the future, but the team doesn't anticipate that they would be parting with one of the stalwarts of their offensive line. |
Second-round draft choice WR Tyquan Thornton (Baylor) and fourth-round draft choice QB Bailey Zappe (Western Kentucky) signed four-year contracts with the New England Patriots on Thursday, June 23. Financial terms of the deals were not immediately disclosed.
Footballguys view: The team moved up in the second round for Thornton when most felt he would be a Day 3 pick. Thornton has a ton of speed...and more speed...but that's about it for his game. He will take the top off the defense, but he has a lot of work to do as a route runner and on contested catches to be a solid pro. Zappe threw for a zillion yards in college and throws a pretty deep ball. We'll watch him in dynasty formats as he begins his pro career as a backup to QB Mac Jones. |
Updating a previous report, first-round draft choice OG Cole Strange (Chattanooga) signed a four-year rookie contract with the New England Patriots on Thursday, June 23. The deal includes a fifth-year team option.
Link to storyFirst-round draft choice OG Cole Strange (Chattanooga) is expected to sign his four-year rookie contract with the New England Patriots on Wednesday, June 22. The deal will include a fifth-year team option.
Link to storyNew England Patriots RB James White (hip) was left off of the 53-man roster projection submitted by ESPN.com's Mike Reiss on Tuesday, June 21.
Footballguys view: There is a good chance that White begins the regular season on the PUP list. The Patriots have a backfield jam-packed with talent. Damien Harris should get most of the carries with Rhamondre Stevenson getting work on the ground and perhaps taking White's role as the pass-catching back. Rookie Pierre Strong has reportedly been standing out at OTAs and minicamp as well. |
James White player page
Jeremy Fowler, from ESPN.com, reports New England Patriots QB Mac Jones was "way too protected" in the Patriots offense in 2021.
Footballguys view: Jones was a game manager last year as he learned the ropes in the NFL. This season - without OC Josh McDaniels - Jones should be asked to do more. The Patriots have a group of 'meh' wide receivers, so don't expect this offense to all of a sudden turn into the Greatest Show on Turf. Jones was bad on deeper throws last year and needs to keep taking positive strides as a passer. From a fantasy lens, you have much better options out there. |
Mac Jones player page
New England Patriots CB Jack Jones has emerged as a contender for the team's starting cornerback position opposite Jalen Mills, according to ESPN.com's Mike Reiss. In one recent mandatory minicamp practice, Jones worked with the first-team defense and consistently had tight coverage against starting-caliber wide receivers.
Footballguys view: Malcolm Butler was expected by some to win the starting spot vacated by J.C. Jackson when he left for Los Angeles in free agency to play for the Chargers, but Jones is obviously creating buzz. No matter who wins the job, the Patriots secondary will be more vulnerable without Jackson, who is a shutdown corner, and the change may force the Patriots to play less man coverage, a hallmark of the Belichick defense. |
New England Patriots RB J.J. Taylor has 'stuck out as the team's best passing-down back' during minicamp, according to Jeff Howe of The Athletic.
Footballguys view: That passing down back role could be open to start the season with James White (hip) iffy to be ready for Week 1. Rhamondre Stevenson has been working on his route running and third down back skills, and the team also wants to get fourth round pick Pierre Strong's speed in the mix, so this will be a situation that gets settled in training camp, with Taylor carrying some momentum from the spring. |
J.J. Taylor player page
New England Patriots WR Tyquan Thornton spent time with the first-team offense during minicamp.
Footballguys view: Thornton is the only true field stretcher in the Patriots wide receiver group, so they should err on the side of playing him over the likes of Nelson Agholor to open up room for the offense to operate. The Patriots offense was usually impenetrable for rookie receivers during the Brady/McDaniels era, but things could be simplified under Bill Belichick, Matt Patricia, and Joe Judge as they try their hand at running the Patriots offense. |
Jeff Howe, from The Athletic, reports New England Patriots WR Tyquan Thornton has "mixed in with the starters" during minicamp.
Footballguys view: The Patriots moved up in the second round to select Thornton in the 2022 NFL draft which was a bit of a surprise because many in the scouting community thought he would be a Day 3 pick. Thornton is fast - really fast - but that's it for his game. He's not polished as a route runner and not incredible at the catch point. It's not the first time the Patriots have reached on a receiver (N'Keal Harry anyone?). DeVante Parker is set to start and Jakobi Meyers can start from the slot. The team is giving Thornton every opportunity to earn the no.2 job opposite of Parker in 2022. Let's see if he can impress in training camp. |
DeVante Parker player page
Jakobi Meyers player page
Alex Barth, from 98.5 The Sports Hub, reports New England Patriots RB James White (hip) could begin training camp on the PUP list.
Footballguys view: No surprise here. The Patriots have a backfield that is jam-packed with talent so they can be wisely cautious with White. The PUP list to begin the regular season is an option, and so is short-term Injured Reserve. Barth believes fourth-round RB Pierre Strong "looks like the best fit" to replace White as a pass-catching back to work in behind Damien Harris and Rhamondre Stevenson. |
James White player page
Free-agent OL Darryl Williams (Chiefs) signed an undisclosed contract with the New England Patriots on Friday, June 17.
Link to storyNew England Patriots RB James White (hip) is a candidate to start the regular season on the Reserve/Physically Unable to Perform list depending on how his recovery goes over the next few months, in the opinion of PatriotsWire's Henry McKenna.
Footballguys view: White can be an obstacle to the value of other Patriots backs as much as he creates value of his own. It sounds like he might not be a big factor in the backfield to open the season, which might explain why Rhamondre Stevenson said his focus this offseason was route running and becoming a third down back. If Stevenson opens the season in that role, it's possible both he and Damien Harris could be solid RB2/Flex plays in September. |
James White player page
New England Patriots fourth-round RB Pierre Strong agreed to a four-year deal worth $4.37 million with a $714,428 signing bonus, per ESPN's Field Yates on Thursday, June 16.
Footballguys view: Strong was a four-year starter at South Dakota State, and the Patriots decided to get him on Day 3 of the draft. He's in a cramped backfield with guys ahead of him on the depth chart like Damien Harris and Rhamondre Stevenson. James White came back for another season, and his role is clearly defined as a third-down specialist. That means Strong will have to wait for his opportunity. He has big-play ability and can even toss some passes on trick plays as well. We love him in dynasty formats. |
Free-agent WR Lil'Jordan Humphrey (Saints) agreed to terms on a one-year contract with the New England Patriots Wednesday, June 15, according to a source. Financial terms were not disclosed.
Link to storyLil'Jordan Humphrey player page
Retired WR Julian Edelman isn't ruling out a return to the NFL in 2022, but notes that if he does come back it would 'probably' be with the New England Patriots. 'I don't know, we'll see,' Edelman said. 'We're staying in shape, but you never know. But I'd probably go back to the Patriots. I love the Patriots. Foxboro Forever.'
Footballguys view: Edelman retired just a little over a year ago, and some thought he may wind up with the Buccaneers where he can catch passes from QB Tom Brady again. He's likely to stay retired, but it's interesting to hear that he's given a return a thought. |
Julian Edelman player page
New England Patriots PK Quinn Nordin (undisclosed) reverted to the Reserve/Non-Football Injury list Monday, June 13, after he cleared waivers.
Link to storyQuinn Nordin player page
New England Patriots DT Daniel Ekuale has been suspended for the first two games of the 2022 season.
Link to storyNew England Patriots WR Jakobi Meyers signed his one-year restricted free-agent tender worth a reported $3.986 million on Monday, June 13.
Footballguys view: Meyers got a second-round tender from the Patriots, and he's the most consistent wide receiver on the roster. They added guys like DeVante Parker and second-round pick Tyquan Thornton this offseason to the wide receiver room, but Meyers has strong chemistry with QB Mac Jones and can be moved from the slot (where he mostly plays) to the outside. Fantasy GMs should not be investing much in the Patriots passing game. However, Meyers is WR5 with upside who could outplay his ADP if he scores more touchdowns (only two TD catches in three NFL seasons). |
Jakobi Meyers player page
Free-agent PK Tristan Vizcaino (Chargers) signed an undisclosed contract with the New England Patriots on Friday, June 10. The Texans also released PK Quinn Nordin.
Link to storyTristan Vizcaino player page
Quinn Nordin player page
New England Patriots restricted free-agent WR Jakobi Meyers said he has not signed his tender offer at this point. He said he hopes to sign a long-term contract with the Patriots at some point.
Footballguys view: Meyers was the most consistent Patriots receiver last year. He's worth more than the $3.986 million due on his second-round tender, but the Patriots have no incentive to give him more, and they have spent a lot of money on wide receivers and tight ends lately. He'll probably have to play under the RFA tender. |
Jakobi Meyers player page
New England Patriots fourth-round pick CB Jack Jones agreed to a four-year rookie deal, according to his agent Thursday, June 9. The deal is worth just over $4.4 million and includes a $747,000 signing bonus.
Link to storyNew England Patriots SS Jabrill Peppers (knee) has been a limited participant at mandatory minicamp.
Link to storyJabrill Peppers player page
New England Patriots TE Hunter Henry (undisclosed) has been limited during minicamp this week because of an unknown reason.
Footballguys view: Henry should be the leading pass catcher at the tight end position for the Patriots just like he was last year. There has been talk of TE Jonnu Smith taking a "jump" in his second season with the Patriots, but he was used mostly as a blocker last season and his role may stay the same. Henry earned the trust of QB Mac Jones in 2021, and that chemistry should continue in 2022 giving the veteran TE2 with upside value for Fantasy GMs. |
Hunter Henry player page
New England Patriots WR Jakobi Meyers (undisclosed) did not appear to participate in practice Tuesday, June 7.
Link to storyJakobi Meyers player page
Doug Kyed, from Pro Football Focus, reports New England Patriots RB Rhamondre Stevenson is focusing on "route running and being a third-down back."
Footballguys view: Stevenson is a better receiver than some think. He's built to run between the tackles, but he can catch passes and attack a defense on third downs - especially if he's working on that part of his game. RB James White is the Patriots pass-catching back, but he's getting up there in age and Stevenson could cut into that role. With more passes caught, Stevenson might push for RB2 value for Fantasy GMs in PPR formats. |
Rhamondre Stevenson player page
New England Patriots TE Dalton Keene (undisclosed) has been limited during voluntary workouts over the last few weeks because of an undisclosed injury.
Footballguys view: Keene is a talented H-back and one of the most versatile players on the Patriots roster. He just can't stay healthy over two years in the NFL, including missing all of last season due to a knee injury. |
Dalton Keene player page
Updating a previous report, free-agent PKs Matthew Wright and John Baron also worked out for the New England Patriots on Monday, June 6, per sources.
Link to storyMatthew Wright player page
New England Patriots WR N'Keal Harry will be present at mandatory minicamp when it begins on Tuesday, June 7, according to a source. Harry requested a trade in 2021 and was not present for voluntary organized team activities recently.
Footballguys view: It has been suggested that Harry try to move to tight end to increase his viability. The Patriots could attempt to trade him for late round draft capital, but a release is just as likely, if not more likely since Harry has done nothing to distinguish himself. |
N'Keal Harry player page
New England Patriots OT Isaiah Wynn has arrived for mandatory minicamp Monday, June 6. He didn't participate in the voluntary portion.
Footballguys view: There was speculation that Wynn could go on the trade block if the team had already decided that they won't sign him to a long term deal after his fifth year option was exercised for this season. If the team feels good about what they saw from Justin Herron while Wynn was away recently, they could look to deal Wynn if the price is right, but the trade front is quiet right now. |
Free-agent PK Tristan Vizcaino (Chargers) is working out for the New England Patriots Monday, June 6.
Footballguys view: Nick Folk is going to be the Patriots kicker, but the team might be looking for someone to push Quinn Nordin, who is potentially the kicker of the future after being signed to a futures contract this offseason, but he hasn't been seen at voluntary OTAs yet. |
Tristan Vizcaino player page
New England Patriots OG Cole Strange has been playing at left guard with the first-team offense at organized team activities.
Link to storyNew England Patriots TE Dalton Keene is facing a make-or-break year, ESPN's Mike Reiss writes. Reiss also notes Keene's best bet to make the roster is as an H-back.
Footballguys view: Keene has missed most of the last two years, including all of last season, due to injuries. He's an H-back who can help as a runner or receiver. Keene has strength as a runner and versatility to move all over the formation (he was a high school QB too), but he's got to stay healthy in order to make the 53-man roster. |
Dalton Keene player page
Mike Reiss, from ESPN.com, reports New England Patriots WR N'Keal Harry is a long shot to make the 53-man roster at his normal position. His best bet to make the team might come with a position switch to tight end.
Footballguys view: Harry has been a first-round bust, and if he moved to tight end he could compete with guys like compete with Devin Asiasi and Dalton Keene as the no.3 tight end behind Hunter Henry and Jonnu Smith. We'll have to see if the Patriots want to potentially waste time with such a move. In super deep dynasty formats, you can get Harry for cheap. Go ahead and buy low if you think a change of scenery will help the former first-round pick. |
N'Keal Harry player page
Mike Reiss, from ESPN.com, reports New England Patriots QB Mac Jones is getting rave reviews from his teammates when it comes to leadership. "It's just at another level now," receiver Kendrick Bourne told ESPN. "He's more comfortable, more confident. He knows what's going on, and the muscle memory is there [from having gone through it] -- OTAs, then camp, and the season. He's just more locked in, more secure in his position."
Footballguys view: Ah yes, it's OTA season and that means 'teammate says other teammate is better than ever' time. In all seriousness, this report and Bourne's opinion does match up with everything we've heard about Jones all offseason. Who knows who is going to call plays, but Jones has taken on a leadership role in this offense and is looking to avoid the sophomore slump in 2022. |
Mac Jones player page
Evan Lazar, from CLNSMedia.com, reports New England Patriots head coach Bill Belichick remains heavily involved in the offense. From his observations, it looks like Matt Patricia was a run-game coordinator while Joe Judge seemed to be a passing-game coordinator.
Footballguys view: The Patriots have not named an Offensive Coordinator since Josh McDaniels left to be the head coach of the Las Vegas Raiders. It looks like they may take a college football approach when it comes to structuring the offense by having one coach overseeing everything (Belichick) with another coach guiding the run game (Patricia) and another coach building the passing attack (Judge). Now, we'll have to see which one of these coaches will call plays for the offense. QB Mac Jones has reportedly taken ownership of the offense, and that should help. |
Evan Lazar, from CLNSMedia.com, reports from New England Patriots OTAs that their top three receivers have been DeVante Parker (X), Kendrick Bourne (Z) and Jakobi Meyers (slot). That means WR Nelson Agholor has been working as no.4 on the depth chart.
Footballguys view: Fantasy GMs aren't looking to the Patriots passing game, and they're especially not getting excited about Agholor. We'll see what kind of progress QB Mac Jones can make in year two of his career. The Patriots are implementing a zone-rushing attack to lead the way on offense. The running game will set things up for Jones and this group of 'meh' receivers. |
Nelson Agholor player page
Evan Lazar, from CLNSMedia.com, reports it could take a year for New England Patriots rookie WR Tyquan Thornton to make an impact as he develops his route tree and adds weight.
Footballguys view: The Patriots reached when they moved up for Thornton in the second round of the 2022 NFL draft. He's super fast and can take the top off the defense. However, Thornton needs to add strength to his frame (and his playing style), plus he needs to be a much better route runner. New England has had a tough time identifying wide receiver talent in the draft, so it wouldn't surprise if Thornton turns in a disappointing career. It's on him to improve - and the speed is certainly there - but only dynasty GMs should be monitoring the speedy rookie at this time. |
Mac Jones player page
New England Patriots C David Andrews (shoulder) has not been fully cleared for practice because he is still recovering from shoulder surgery.
Footballguys view: Andrews is a stalwart for this line, and the success of the offense will depend on its performance. We're also watching left tackle Isaiah Wynn's absence from OTAs. New England doesn't have proven depth behind their starters, so they need to keep the top five on the field. |
New England Patriots TE Jonnu Smith recently spoke about the importance of organized team activities after missing out on them in 2021. 'I definitely missed a lot last year,' Smith said. 'Minicamp, I had a thing, so my offseason was choppy. I had some great things like my baby girl being born, and I had some unfortunate setbacks as well. I definitely missed some quality time here, and I recognize how valuable that time is. And I'm just here to take advantage of that.'
Footballguys view: ESPN's Mike Reiss said Smith is "looking for a year two jump." Smith understands where he wants to be and how he must get there. He was a top-10 fantasy tight end in 2020 with the Titans, but in his first season with the Patriots last year his performance fell off as TE Hunter Henry got more work. Fantasy GMs should consider him a TE2 with upside. |
Jonnu Smith player page
New England Patriots TE Jonnu Smith admitted that skipping voluntary workouts and suffering a hamstring injury last year put him behind in learning the offense. He arrived early for voluntary workouts this season.
Footballguys view: Smith was an immense disappointment after being the first free agent signing for the Patriots in an offensive spending spree. He'll share targets with Hunter Henry, and be the second option of the two in the red zone. Smith won't have fantasy value in redraft, but could be of use in deep TE premium best ball drafts. |
Jonnu Smith player page
Zack Cox, from NESN, reports New England Patriots RB James White (hip) was cleared for on-field drills at offseason workouts.
Footballguys view: This hip problem had kept White bedridden for months. He had offseason surgery to repair this hip problem, but White is able to return to practicing now. The seasoned veteran doesn't need every rep, but he does need to show he's not slowed down by this hip problem. We imagine they'll keep White somewhat limited in the offseason, but he should be a full go by the time training camp starts. |
James White player page
Greg Bedard, from Boston Sports Journal, reports New England Patriots player have been "alarmed" with what they've seen from the team's offensive coaching staff and lack of direction on offense "There is a high-level of concern about what is going on with the Patriots." Bedard said.
Footballguys view: This is an...interesting report to be sure. The Patriots have not named an offensive coordinator to replace Josh McDaniels. Most think Joe Judge or Matt Patricia will be responsible for playcalling duties...which is also interesting because both are defensive-minded (and special teams) coaches (and failed head coaches). We'll see what this means for QB Mac Jones and the Patriots as they stumble through the post-Brady era. |
Mac Jones player page
Jeff Howe, from The Athletic, reports the New England Patriots are "ecstatic" with QB Mac Jones offseason dedication. According to Howe's report, Jones has spent long hours at Gillette Stadium, often beating the coaching staff into the building.
Footballguys view: Jones is a grinder, and he always has been dating back to his days in college at Alabama. He's taking ownership of the offense per Howe, accentuating plays he likes while shutting down plays he's not a fan of. We'll see if the Patriots trust him to do more than lead their run-heavy offense in 2022. From a fantasy perspective, Jones is a low-end, highly efficient QB2. |
Mac Jones player page
New England Patriots LB Cameron McGrone (knee) has been able to be on the field this offseason and is picking up the defense, according to linebackers coach Jerod Mayo.
Link to storyCameron McGrone player page
New England Patriots LB Josh Uche will be 'an important piece to the puzzle for us going forward,' according to outside linebackers coach Steve Belichick.'I see (Uche) being an important piece to the puzzle for us going forward. There (are) a lot of factors to it besides what he's going to do. We have to see what everybody else does and work the pieces around from there. I see Josh being a big part of this defense. ... Josh is another guy who's doing everything right, who's putting a lot of hard work in, setting up as well as he could to help us out on the field once we get to camp,' Belichick told WEEI.com.
Footballguys view: Uche has some versatility and could be a breakout candidate entering his third year. The 2020 second-round pick should be monitored if he's on your waiver wire in IDP leagues. |
Josh Uche player page
New England Patriots fourth-round pick RB Pierre Strong is viewed as a potential long-term replacement for RB James White.
Footballguys view: Strong has great footwork and the speed to create his own space. He can also be used as a gadget back who can throw passes from the backfield on trick plays (went 9-for-9 with six touchdowns as a passer in college). Strong has good hands as a receiver, but ball security is a concern after five fumbles as a senior at South Dakota State. |