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49ers, Patriots To Attend Justin Fields’ Pro Day

April 12th, 2021 at 9:55am CST by Zachary Links

The 49ers and Patriots have committed to attend Justin Fields’ second pro day, according to Albert Breer of The MMQB. Fields’ showcase has been set for April 14th at Ohio State, while fellow quarterback Trey Lance will take the field on April 19th.

[RELATED: Trey Lance To Hold Second Pro Day]

Fields and Lance plan to have the NFL staffers run the throwing sessions, rather than their throwing coaches. Both players are eager to show that they can adapt to any system — specifically, the 49ers’ system, because they hold the No. 3 overall pick. In recent weeks, the buzz out of SF has largely pointed to Mac Jones, the Alabama quarterback who may be viewed as a safer choice than Lance or Fields.

The 49ers and Patriots are the only clubs to have committed to Fields’ pro day part two, Breer hears. Ideally, Fields would probably like a larger group, one that includes teams like the Bears. The Bears are currently out of range for this year’s top five QBs, but they could trade up as high as No. 4 to find a younger alternative to new QB Andy Dalton.

Niners brass skipped Fields’ first pro day, opting instead to see Jones at Alabama. However, assistant GM Adam Peters was still on hand, a sign that they still have Fields in consideration.

Patriots Loom As Trade-Up Candidate?

April 9th, 2021 at 10:40pm CST by Sam Robinson
  • Washington looms as a team that appears interested in trading up for a quarterback, but the team may have company. The Broncos and Patriots loom as other candidates to move up the board for a passer, according to NFL.com’s Ian Rapoport (video link). A trade-up maneuver would not cost the Broncos (No. 9) what the Patriots (No. 15) would have to pay. New England is usually big on trading back and accumulating picks, but the franchise zagged by splurging in free agency this offseason. And its QB situation is considerably different from what it was when Bill Belichick trade-downs were commonplace. Both teams would benefit from the run of quarterbacks pushing non-QB prospects down the board, but neither appears to have a viable long-term answer. The Broncos are planning to add to their Drew Lock-centered QB room and discussed Matthew Stafford and Sam Darnold. But Lock may remain unchallenged going into the draft.

This Date In Transactions History: Patriots Trade Brandin Cooks To Rams

April 3rd, 2021 at 11:10am CST by Ben Levine

When Brandin Cooks was traded to the Patriots in 2017, there was hope that the wideout would stick around New England as one of Tom Brady‘s top targets. About 13 months later, Cooks tenure with the team had come to an end. On this date in 2018, the Patriots traded the wide receiver to the Rams.

Cooks was plenty productive during his lone season in New England, with the wideout leading the air attack (alongside Rob Gronkowski) following Julian Edelman‘s season-ending injury. The receiver finished the regular season having hauled in 65 receptions for 1,082 yards and seven touchdowns, and hee continued producing in the postseason, catching another 19 receptions for 292 yards.

That performance apparently wasn’t enough, as the Patriots sent him out on April 3, 2018. Perhaps the team was wary of Cooks’ impending free agency following the 2018 campaign, or perhaps they thought Brady and Bill Belichick‘s clout would land them a comparable (and/or cheaper) receiver via free agency. Either way, New England ultimately sent Cooks and a fourth-rounder to the Rams in exchange for a first-rounder (a pick that eventually turned into lineman Isaiah Wynn) and a sixth-rounder. The Rams subsequently signed the receiver to a pricey five-year, $81MM extension (including $50.5MM guaranteed).

Even though Cooks didn’t last all that long is Los Angeles, it’s hard to be too critical of the Rams. Cooks had a 1,200-yard season during his first year with the Rams, but he fell off in 2019, compiling only 635 yards from scrimmage in 14 games. Following the season, the Rams paired Cooks with a fourth-rounder and sent him to the Texans for a second-rounder (which ultimately turned into receiver Van Jefferson).

Similarly, it’s hard to be too critical of the Patriots; after all, Wynn is a fine consolation. However, the Patriots’ motivation for the trade has never really been explained. While the financial reasons were obvious, it was assumed that the organization would subsequently replace Cooks spot in the lineup. The team was also especially shallow at wideout after Danny Amendola signed with the Dolphins.

While New England would be connected to a number of receivers throughout that 2018 campaign, the team never did anything to significantly improve their receiver corps. That 2018 squad finished without a 1,000-yard receiver, with running back James White leading the squad in receptions. Per usual, that didn’t end up mattering all that much; the Patriots still won the Super Bowl that season after beating (you guessed it) the Rams. While the Patriots selected receiver N’Keal Harry in the first round of the 2019 draft, they never really added another veteran receiver like Brady desired, an issue that was exacerbated after Gronkowski’s sudden retirement. That 2019 campaign would ultimately be Brady’s final season in New England.

Is there any takeaway from this trade? Maybe, but I’ll probably end up pulling something with this stretch. Brady was clearly dissatisfied with his weapons during his final seasons in New England. At the time of this trade three years ago, there were already whispers of tension within the Patriots organization. We can only assume that the quarterback wasn’t happy about the trade made on April 3, 2018, and it could have been one of the many reasons (or at least a contributing factor) that ultimately led Brady to walk away from the organization.

Patriots Notes: Kraft, Newton, Stidham, Free Agency

March 31st, 2021 at 7:44pm CST by Ben Levine

The Patriots went 7-9 during the inaugural season of the post-Tom Brady era, making it the first time New England had missed the postseason since 2008 (when the team was forced to rely on Matt Cassel in place of an injured Brady). Robert Kraft and the entire Patriots brass are focused on getting back to the playoffs, and they made that clear when they handed out an NFL-record $165MM in guaranteed money during the early parts of free agency.

“What happened here last year was not something to our liking. We had to make the corrections,” Kraft said (via ESPN’s Mike Reiss). “In all the businesses we’re involved in, we try to take advantage of inefficiencies in the market. We were in a unique cap situation this year and it allowed us to try to [fix] things we missed, to a certain extent, in the draft. So this was our best opportunity.”

While Bill Belichick and the Patriots front office were able to patch some holes by spending in free agency, Kraft also acknowledged that this strategy isn’t a recipe for long-term success.

“In the end, if you want to have a good, consistent, winning football team, you can’t do it in free agency. You have to do it through the draft. I don’t feel we’ve done the greatest job the last few years and I really hope, and I believe, I’ve seen a different approach this year,” Kraft said.

Tight ends Hunter Henry and Jonnu Smith, linebacker Matt Judon, and wideout Nelson Agholor were among the Patriots’ major free agent acquisitions.

Let’s check out some more notes out of New England:

  • Kraft seemed to excuse quarterback Cam Newton‘s uneven play in 2020, noting that the veteran was joining a new team during an abbreviated preseason, had COVID-19, and dealt with an inconsistent receiver corps. “In fairness to Cam, I’m not sure he had the proper weapons around him last year,” Kraft said. “I really do believe Cam getting COVID, and what it did to the team, it changed a lot. Now we’ll get a chance to see…Players on the team, in the locker room, really love the guy. In the end, I trust Coach Belichick’s ability to build a team, and put the right players in the best position to succeed.”
  • While the owner seemed to hint that Newton would be under center next season, he also kept the door open for former fourth-rounder Jarrett Stidham, who was expected to receive more playing time during his sophomore season. “I don’t know that Jarrett has ever really gotten a fair shot,” Kraft said. “We have to wait and see what happens, and we still have the draft. … Quarterback is the most important position on the team. One way or the other, we have to get that position solidified.”
  • While the Patriots certainly had the ability to spend on free agents, Reiss writes that Belichick’s “cachet” was a major reason why the Patriots were able to recruit players. “This opportunity couldn’t be passed up because of the prestige, being coached by some of the best coaches in the NFL,” said linebacker Raekwon McMillan. “Coach Belichick told me that he’s been watching my career. For a player, you’re talking to a Hall of Fame coach, that really inspired me.”
  • Former defensive coordinator Matt Patricia rejoined the organization this offseason as an assistant, but Reiss notes that the coach’s role has continued to evolve. Patricia has spent recent weeks helping to negotiate and finalize contracts, thus serving “as an added layer of support to Belichick,” per Reiss.

Latest On 49ers’ Trade, QB Plans

March 29th, 2021 at 12:45pm CST by Andrew Ortenberg

The 49ers pulled off a stunner this past week when they traded with the Dolphins to move up to the third overall pick in next month’s draft. It was a move with significant implications that will have a domino effect around the rest of the league.

Now we’ve got some more details on how exactly the blockbuster went down and San Francisco’s plans moving forward, courtesy of Albert Breer of SI.com. Interestingly, although we heard the 49ers and Jets didn’t have talks about a trade for the second overall pick, the 49ers “did have some internal discussion” about Sam Darnold, Breer writes. It’s confirmation that after missing out on Matthew Stafford, San Francisco still was mulling other veteran options before ultimately opting to roll with a rookie.

Breer also writes that the 49ers’ scouts gave management a “bleak” picture of the 2022 quarterback class, reinforcing the need to make a move in this draft cycle rather than next. The 49ers and Dolphins started talking trade “about three weeks ago,” and the talks were kept a tight secret.

Other teams inquired about trading for the third pick, and those other teams “were told only that Miami had a strong offer for it,” but not from whom. Breer confirms the Patriots inquired about Jimmy Garoppolo earlier this offseason, but still says that Garoppolo isn’t available in a trade.

That’s in large part because San Francisco “believes it has a championship roster,” and doesn’t want to give the keys over to a rookie blindly before even seeing them in practice. It sounds like if whatever quarterback the 49ers draft at three comes in and looks great during OTAs and training camp, then Garoppolo could be moved over the summer, which Breer speculates about as well.

No matter what happens next, it was a bold move by Kyle Shanahan and John Lynch. We won’t know the full scope of the fallout for quite some time.

Patriots’ Stephon Gilmore Open To Extension

March 29th, 2021 at 11:53am CST by Zachary Links

Stephon Gilmore “would be very open to signing a new deal” with the Patriots, according to Albert Breer of SI.com. There hasn’t been much buzz about an extension for the Patriots cornerback lately, but the two sides could iron something out to put the recent trade rumors to bed. 

Gilmore is currently set to count for $7MM against the Patriots’ books. That’s not a ton of money for Gilmore, who earned 2019 Defensive Player of the Year honors, but it’s the final year on his deal. Sooner or later, the Pats will have a decision to make — do they want the 30-year-old on a pricey multi-year deal? Or, would they rather trade him now in exchange for draft capital?

The Patriots have discussed trades for Gilmore over the past year, but the more recent offers might not be to their liking. Last year, Gilmore was limited to just eleven games, thanks to COVID-19 and his season-ending injury. Meanwhile, his coverage numbers slipped — Pro Football Focus slotted him just 61st among corners last season.

The Patriots — or one of the league’s 31 other teams — will have to take Gilmore’s expected ask into consideration. Jalen Ramsey, Marlon Humphrey, and Tre’Davious White all moved the market last year with their $17MM+/year extensions. Despite Gilmore’s weak 2020, he’s in for a significant pay raise. If the Patriots don’t plan on paying J.C. Jackson top-CB money, they could use this opportunity to lock up Gilmore while his leverage is lacking.

 

 

Kyle Love Retires From NFL

March 28th, 2021 at 3:40pm CST by Zachary Links

Defensive tackle Kyle Love announced his retirement on Sunday (via Instagram). Love, 34, did not play in 2020 and he will not seek NFL employment for 2021. 

Love entered the league as an undrafted free agent out of Mississippi State in 2010. He spent three seasons with the Patriots, appearing in 41 total games before being diagnosed with diabetes and waived with a non-football illness designation. He appeared in only three contests from 2013-14 while playing for the Chiefs, Jaguars, and Panthers, but he eventually reestablished his career with Carolina. From 2017-2019, Love appeared in at least 37% of the Panthers’ defensive snaps. Last year, after six years with the Panthers, he agreed to join the rival Buccaneers.

Love was set to serve as a rotational piece behind of Vita Vea and Ndamukong Suh, but he was released before the final cut in September. We here at PFR wish Love the best in retirement.

Patriots Made Late Push For Joe Thuney

March 28th, 2021 at 1:12pm CST by Zachary Links

Before Joe Thuney left for the Chiefs, the Patriots made a late push to keep him in New England, according to Ben Volin of the Boston Globe. In addition, the Bengals and Chargers were also in on the standout guard. 

[RELATED: Chiefs Sign Joe Thuney]

The Patriots shocked everyone by tagging Thuney last year. This time around, they opted against cuffing him again at a 20% increase, but they still tried to keep him with a multi-year offer. Ultimately, the Chiefs won out – they were the first team to put an offer on the table for Thuney and it proved to be the most lucrative of the bunch. The longtime starter is now tied to Kansas City for five years at a whopping $80MM. The first two years are fully guaranteed at $32.5MM. Meanwhile, Year 3 goes from guaranteed-for-injury to 100% guaranteed in 2022, so $48MM of the deal is effectively locked in. Thuney didn’t come cheap, but he’ll help to fortify a line that has lost starting tackles Eric Fisher and Mitchell Schwartz.

When Thuney went elsewhere, the Bengals pivoted towards lower cost moves, such as re-signing guard Quinton Spain. Unless they make a splashier signing like veteran Nick Easton, they’ll probably look to find a starter early on in the draft. Meanwhile, the Chargers managed to ink All-Pro center Corey Linsley and versatile lineman Matt Feiler, so Justin Herbert should be well protected.

In addition to those aforementioned teams, the Jets also tried to land Thuney. He’s long been a target of Gang Green – they were planning to make a big push for him last year, too, up until the Patriots kept him from the open market.

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