New England Patriots Rumors & News - Pro Football Rumors

Patriots Not Interested In Carson Wentz?

February 10th, 2021 at 6:40pm CST by Sam Robinson

Prior to the Rams landing Matthew Stafford, the Patriots explored a deal for the 13th-year quarterback. Such efforts may not apply to all of this year’s starter-caliber passers on the trade market.

The Patriots are not believed to be a serious suitor for Carson Wentz, according to Jeff Howe of The Athletic (subscription required). While Tom Brady winning a Super Bowl with the Buccaneers has amplified the Pats’ issue at quarterback, they appear uninterested in competing for Wentz.

The Bears and Colts are viewed as the top teams in play for Wentz, for whom the Eagles are seeking a Stafford-type trade haul. Other teams have discussed Wentz with the Eagles as well. Not much has emerged on the Wentz front in the past few days, pointing to teams not reaching the Eagles’ asking price. Philadelphia is tentatively expected to collect a first-round pick for the 28-year-old passer, but nearly a week after rumors emerged the five-year veteran was on the market, he remains an Eagle. The Patriots hold pick No. 15 overall.

A low-cost flier on Cam Newton did not work out for the Pats, who are prepared to try someone else in an effort to replace Brady. The Patriots were interested in Marcus Mariota last year; the Raiders may be willing to trade their backup. And longtime New England QB2 Jimmy Garoppolo‘s status is not certain in San Francisco, with the 49ers in on the Stafford sweepstakes as well.

The Pats passed on the likes of Andy Dalton and Jameis Winston last year, waiting until late June to add Newton. Total QBR slotted Newton 30th last season. Wentz came in at 28th, though he ranked 11th in this metric in 2019 and first in 2017 — prior to his season-ending knee injury.

Panthers Offered 8th Pick For Matthew Stafford, Details On Other Offers

February 1st, 2021 at 2:47pm CST by Andrew Ortenberg

As the fallout continues to pour in from the blockbuster Matthew Stafford/Jared Goff trade, we’ve got some new details on the talks the Lions had leading up to it. Most notably, the Panthers had offered the eighth overall pick in this year’s draft as well as a later pick, Albert Breer of SI.com reports. Many would argue that’s a better offer than what Detroit took from the Rams, two future first-round picks (which could be late ones), a third-rounder, and Goff’s bloated contract.

Taking that deal would’ve given the Lions the seventh and eighth picks this April, giving them a ton of ammo if they wanted to move up for one of the top couple of quarterbacks. Clearly, they didn’t view Goff and his contract as a huge negative like many others do, and this offer from Matt Rhule will likely be the one looked back on most when we reflect on this trade in the years to come. If nothing else this just goes to show how serious Carolina is about upgrading from Teddy Bridgewater, and we’ve heard they’re gearing up for an aggressive run at Deshaun Watson.

Washington offered the 19th pick this April as well as a third-round selection, Breer writes. The Colts discussed packages of picks but never made an offer that included their first-rounder this year, the 21st pick. Although the 49ers did show some interest, they never made a formal offer, which tracks with them being content to run it back with Jimmy Garoppolo.

The Broncos also showed interest but Breer says it became clear early on the price was rising well beyond what new GM George Paton was willing to pay. The Patriots were willing to package a second-rounder with a defensive player although obviously that wasn’t going to cut it and Stafford apparently had no interest in going to New England and reuniting with Matt Patricia anyway.

Interestingly, Breer notes that the Jets checked in over the weekend. All those other teams had been heavily linked to Stafford, but New York would’ve been something of a wild card. Obviously the talks went nowhere, but it’s notable to learn the Jets are at least considering rolling with a veteran passer instead of Sam Darnold or a rookie with their second overall pick.

So, what do you think? Are the Lions foolish for not taking the eighth pick and running with it, or will Goff prove some people wrong?

Stafford Did Not Want Trade To Patriots?

January 31st, 2021 at 7:20pm CST by Sam Robinson

Although the Lions employ several former Patriots, their centerpiece player is not believed to have wanted to travel the other way in this recently formed pipeline.

Matthew Stafford informed the Lions he did not want to be traded to the Patriots, according to Tom Curran of NBC Sports Boston. Other than a trade to New England, Stafford expressed flexibility about his destination, Curran adds. The Rams agreed to acquire the soon-to-be 33-year-old passer for a major haul Saturday night.

The Patriots were interested in acquiring Stafford, Michael Giardi of NFL.com notes. More than six teams sent the Lions offers for Stafford; it is unclear if any Pats-Lions talks progressed to that point.

While the Patriots are undisputedly this century’s most successful franchise and still employ arguably the greatest coach in NFL history in Bill Belichick, the team is low on intriguing skill-position players. Stafford is believed to have preferred a deal to Los Angeles, which presents usual recruiting advantages for free agents and trade candidates. In addition to those advantages, the Rams have two higher-end wideouts signed long-term and multiple promising young running backs.

New England does hold plenty of cap space, being projected to possess nearly $60MM — and that is if the NFL slots the cap at the previously determined $175MM floor. That could create an opportunity for the Pats, in an offseason when few teams will have considerable space. But they will need to look elsewhere for their quarterback answer, with Stafford bound for L.A.

Latest On Matthew Stafford

January 27th, 2021 at 2:43pm CST by Andrew Ortenberg

This offseason projects as an unprecedented one in terms of quarterback movement. One high profile veteran signal-caller who will definitely be on the move is Matthew Stafford, who is set to be traded after 12 years with the Lions.

We heard yesterday that Detroit was preparing to start trade talks, and it sounds like things are heating up. There’s “significant interest” in Stafford, and “about a third of the league” has already called the Lions to inquire, according to Ian Rapoport of NFL Network (Twitter video link). That would suggest that anywhere from 10-12 teams have already reached out to gauge the asking price.

To that end, Rapoport says the team “should be able to get at least a first-rounder” in any trade. There have been suggestions that the Lions want to wrap things up quickly, and it sure sounds like Stafford could have a new home before too long. The obvious contenders like the Colts, Broncos, Washington etc. are quite likely among the teams who have placed calls, but there are at least a handful of wild card teams at play here as well.

We’ve already heard that the 49ers could be interested in making a deal. Meanwhile, Mike Reiss of ESPN.com says he would be surprised if the Patriots don’t at least sniff around the situation. As he notes though, the return of Matt Patricia to New England’s coaching staff could complicate things if he and Stafford don’t have the best relationship (which isn’t necessarily the case).

Interestingly, Reiss also writes that if the 49ers pull off a trade for Stafford it could have a ripple effect where Bill Belichick is able to re-acquire Jimmy Garoppolo from San Francisco. That would certainly be a crazy arc. Whatever happens, we should have a lot more on the Stafford front soon.

Patriots Were Finalists For Stefon Diggs

January 24th, 2021 at 6:46pm CST by Andrew Ortenberg

The Bills’ thrilling run to the AFC Championship Game almost never happened. It’s unlikely Buffalo would’ve made it this far without Stefon Diggs, and they apparently came very close to losing him to a division rival.

Diggs was very nearly traded to the Patriots this past offseason, Ian Rapoport of NFL.com reports. We had heard back in March that the Pats had expressed some interest, but we didn’t know how close they came until now. Rapoport writes that Buffalo and New England were the two finalists, and that the Vikings gave the Patriots a chance to match the Bills’ last offer.

Bill Belichick declined, and the rest is history. Interestingly, Rapoport adds that Minnesota never intended to trade the star wideout, “but had a number in mind of what it would take if it did.” He also writes that the Bills first tried trading for Diggs at the 2019 trade deadline but were rebuffed.

It’s fun to think about what would’ve happened had Belichick landed the top wideout. Diggs was ultimately traded on March 16th, the day before Tom Brady announced he’d be leaving New England. It’s unlikely that would’ve convinced Brady to stay as it seems his mind had been made up, but it would’ve at least given Cam Newton and the passing game a real viable threat in 2020.

Patriots To Bring Back Matt Patricia

January 22nd, 2021 at 4:26pm CST by Sam Robinson

Weeks after his foray into the head coaching world ended after three playoff-less seasons in Detroit, Matt Patricia found a familiar landing spot. The Patriots are bringing him back to join their staff, Jim McBride of the Boston Globe reports.

The longtime Patriots defensive coordinator will serve in a variety of roles, per McBride and ESPN.com’s Jeremy Fowler (on Twitter). The Pats transitioned to Brian Flores as their top defensive assistant following Patricia’s 2018 exit and have seen Jerod Mayo rise into that role since. Patricia, however, served as New England’s DC for six years and spent his entire NFL coaching career with the franchise prior to relocating to Michigan three years ago.

Patricia will follow Josh McDaniels in trekking back to the Patriots after an HC tenure did not work out. McDaniels returned to the Pats during the 2011 playoffs, ahead of a divisional-round game against the team that fired him (the Broncos), and resumed OC duties in 2012. Patricia will rejoin a Patriots defensive staff that has gotten younger since his exit.

Patricia, 46, became the latest Bill Belichick assistant to struggle away from his mentor. The Lions went 13-29 under his watch and fired him after a Thanksgiving Day blowout loss. After coaching with the Patriots from 2004-17, he will have a chance to reboot his career and provide their staff with extensive experience.

Julian Edelman To Return In 2021?

January 22nd, 2021 at 2:54pm CST by Rory Parks

Patriots wide receiver Julian Edelman played in just six games in 2020 thanks to a knee injury, and there has been plenty of speculation that the three-time Super Bowl champ will elect to call it a career. But it doesn’t sound as if he’s contemplating retirement just yet.

In a recent interview on Barstool Sports’ “Pardon My Take” podcast (h/t Doug Kyed of NESN.com), Edelman was asked if he would “reconsider” his decision to retire. Edelman replied, “What are you talking about? Right now we’re being a dad right now and we’re sitting back and training, getting our body right for the next year.”

Of course, his reference to getting his body right for next year is hardly a definitive declaration that he will return to the field, especially since he later said he is just “decompressing” for the time being and doesn’t “necessarily” know what the interviewer meant when he brought up the topic of retirement. Nonetheless, Kyed believes all signs are pointing towards an Edelman return.

The Patriots’ receiving corps left much to be desired in 2020, and Edelman’s absence made an already bleak situation even worse. So while the Pats could cut their franchise icon and save $4MM of cap space in the process, one would think that if Edelman wants to play, New England will be happy to have him, even if his age and the wear-and-tear on his body force him into a more limited role. Plus, the club will already be flush with cap space, so the extra $4MM it would save with an Edelman release probably wouldn’t be worth it.

The Pats could use some of their cap room to sign a free agent wideout or two, as the market is likely to have a few appealing options. Players like Kenny Golladay and Chris Godwin could get hit with the franchise tag or sign extensions with their current clubs before free agency opens, but a decrease in the salary cap might make that more difficult. Meanwhile, Allen Robinson, JuJu Smith-Schuster, and Corey Davis might all be marketing their services in March.

Patriots Notes: Opt-Outs, Ziegler

January 19th, 2021 at 8:55pm CST by Ben Levine

The eight Patriots players who opted out of the 2020 season were asked to return for year-end physicals last week, writes ESPN’s Mike Reiss. Wideout Marqise Lee and running back Brandon Bolden have both said they plan to play in 2021, and Reiss opines that safety Patrick Chung, tight end Matt LaCosse, and fullback Danny Vitale will also return. However, the writer is much less certain that offensive tackle Marcus Cannon and linebacker Dont’a Hightower will be back in New England.
While Dave Ziegler was always an underdog in the Broncos GM search, he parlayed that experience into a “multiyear contract and pay bump as Nick Caserio‘s successor” in New England, writes Reiss. The Patriots assistant director of player personnel eventually withdrew his name from the search in Denver, and Reiss writes that this is a “reflection of the decisiveness that has earned him a measure of respect in the Patriots’ offices over the past eight year.”

Updated 2021 NFL Draft Order

January 18th, 2021 at 11:08am CST by Zachary Links

With the Divisional Round in the books, the 2021 NFL Draft order is mostly complete. The Rams, Browns, Ravens, and Saints now have their draft spots locked in, though the Rams’ first-round pick belongs to Urban Meyer and the Jaguars. The Rams traded those rights to Jacksonville as a part of the Jalen Ramsey blockbuster.

Here’s the updated draft order, through the top 28:

1. Jacksonville Jaguars
2. New York Jets
3. Miami Dolphins (via Texans)
4. Atlanta Falcons
5. Cincinnati Bengals
6. Philadelphia Eagles
7. Detroit Lions
8. Carolina Panthers
9. Denver Broncos
10. Dallas Cowboys
11. New York Giants
12. San Francisco 49ers
13. Los Angeles Chargers
14. Minnesota Vikings
15. New England Patriots
16. Arizona Cardinals
17. Las Vegas Raiders
18. Miami Dolphins
19. Washington Football Team
20. Chicago Bears
21. Indianapolis Colts
22. Tennessee Titans
23. New York Jets (via Seahawks)
24. Pittsburgh Steelers
25. Jacksonville Jaguars (via Rams)
26. Cleveland Browns
27. Baltimore Ravens
28. New Orleans Saints

Eagles To Interview Josh McDaniels

January 16th, 2021 at 2:15pm CST by Sam Robinson

After an unusually quiet start to his offseason, Josh McDaniels will be part of this year’s HC interview circuit. The Patriots OC will meet with the Eagles about their top coaching job, Bo Wulf and Zac Jackson of The Athletic report (subscription required).

The frequently sought-after coordinator will meet with Jeffrey Lurie on Sunday. While McDaniels is certainly one of the more polarizing candidates available, he has already begun recruiting staffers in the event he can land the Philadelphia gig, per Jackson and Wulf. That strategy turned out to have notable consequences in Indianapolis.

McDaniels spurning the Colts three years ago led to the Eagles losing OC Frank Reich. Their offense has not been quite the same since, and the unit cratered this season. McDaniels, however, is not coming off his best season. While he was in place as Patriots OC when Tom Brady grew from Super Bowl winner on a defense-powered team into an MVP, McDaniels could not coax much from New England’s Cam Newton-directed offense. However, the Patriots battled frequent injury issues and have not had much in the way of weaponry over the past two seasons.

Even after McDaniels backtracked on his Colts commitment, the former Broncos HC remained a candidate in 2019 and 2020. The Eagles, though, are the only known team to reach out to the veteran coordinator this year. McDaniels joins fellow Pats staffer Jerod Mayo among those in consideration for the Eagles job.

McDaniels would be tasked with rebooting Carson Wentz‘s career. The Eagles have told candidates they plan to “in an ideal world” keep Wentz for next season, Mike Garafolo of NFL.com notes (video link). Wentz’s status helped drive a wedge between ownership and Doug Pederson (and Wentz and Pederson), but Pederson’s ouster has improved the former starter’s prospects in Philly.

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