Nice information: The NFL season lastly begins this week.
The Patriots kick off their season on Sunday at 1 p.m. ET towards Tom Brady’s Raiders, although the GOAT gained’t be again in Foxboro to look at the sport.
With lower than every week to go earlier than the season begins, Patriots followers have a number of questions on their workforce.
We reply them in our weekly mailbag.
@scootgoestweet: What’s the common vibe across the workforce concerning Rhamondre? Henderson is getting the entire hype however they may nonetheless want Rhamondre for lots of carries and to carry onto the soccer. Is the brand new workers excessive on him or is he on his method out?
I have a look at it as a optimistic signal that the brand new Patriots regime spent the offseason shifting on from so many long-tenured gamers or burying them on the depth chart. In the meantime, Stevenson just isn’t solely nonetheless on the workforce, however he spent all summer season because the top-unit operating again.
Kendrick Bourne, David Andrews, Davon Godchaux, Deatrich Smart, Jonathan Jones, Jabrill Peppers, Joe Cardona and Ja’Whaun Bentley are gone, and all summer season it regarded like Kyle Dugger and Anfernee Jennings had been on shaky floor. However Stevenson stays.
My take: TreVeyon Henderson was at all times higher at Ohio State in a timeshare, so it behooves the Patriots to make use of one other operating again, whether or not that’s Stevenson or Antonio Gibson, in a committee method.
I believe Stevenson would be the “lead” again except accidents or fumbling points creep up.
@keef_cheap: Why is BB not beginning at heart? Bradberry has been getting pushed again all summer season
Invoice Belichick? Simply kidding. I do know you’re speaking about Ben Brown.
The Patriots’ workers likes Garrett Bradbury, and I believe there’s worth in having a veteran heart in entrance of a younger quarterback like Drake Maye. However that doesn’t imply Bradbury can’t lose his job. It’s why the Patriots gave Brown and Jared Wilson alternatives at heart this season.
To simplify issues, Bradbury is a greater run blocker, and Brown is a greater cross blocker. If Bradbury’s cross safety points turn into untenable, then maybe we’ll see Brown.
@FettyNoHesi: Will Chism get enjoying time this season?
Efton Chism was so good this summer season, I might personally prefer to see him take the sector, however let’s not fake like he doesn’t have floor to make up. Chism was behind Stefon Diggs, DeMario Douglas, Kayshon Boutte, Mack Hollins and Kyle Williams on the depth chart this summer season. In workforce drills, Maye by no means accomplished a cross to Chism.
However clearly, Chism confirmed sufficient in coaching camp and the preseason to make the 53-man roster. It would take an damage or sputtering offensive manufacturing for Chism to get on the sector.
Now’s a very good time to say that I might need fairly excessive expectations for the Patriots’ large receiver group on the whole this 12 months. We’ll see how Diggs performs this season, however Douglas, Boutte and Hollins all regarded actually good in coaching camp. Boutte particularly appeared to take a leap this summer season.
@Futonlife1: Beginning safeties
Peppers is gone, and Dugger spent the previous few weeks as a backup. So, I might anticipate the beginning safeties to be Jaylinn Hawkins and rookie Craig Woodson.
It appears the Patriots choose speedier, rangier safeties than larger, thumping sturdy security varieties like Peppers and Dugger.
Hawkins clearly has large followers among the many Patrots’ new regime. He’s a workforce chief, and it looks as if he’s totally purchased in with head coach Mike Vrabel.
Hawkins confirmed management qualities final season, as nicely. After an embarrassing Week 17 loss to the Chargers, Hawkins sat speaking with youthful safeties Dell Pettus and Marte Mapu for over an hour after the sport at his locker.
@Kylerulez21: Do you see them shifting on from Dobbs in favor of Cutlets? Might be after Tommy learns the performs in a couple of weeks
I don’t imagine that’s the plan. I believe the Patriots noticed the worth in including a 3rd quarterback to the 53-man roster, for the reason that new third QB rule permits a passer to decorate with out counting towards the gameday roster.
Dobbs has a serious head begin on DeVito with the offense, although it does assist that DeVito is coming from an analogous system with Brian Daboll.
Right here’s the place DeVito (319 performs) and Dobbs (613 performs) rank in some key superior stats during the last two seasons amongst 47 QBs with a minimum of 300 performs:
DeVito
EPA/play: forty sixth
Success fee: forty seventh
Completion proportion over anticipated: thirty fourth
Dobbs
EPA/play: thirty sixth
Success fee: thirty fifth
Completion proportion over anticipated: thirty fifth
It’s value noting that Dobbs has performed in higher offenses in that span of time.
DeVito had a 51.3 PFF grade and 52.2 PFF passing grade in 2024 and a 62.0 PFF grade and 64.4 PFF passing grade in 2023. Dobbs had a 56.7 PFF grade and 61.1 PFF passing grade in 2024 and 65.9 PFF grade and 59.9 PFF passing grade in 2024.
DeVito had 80.4 and 81.6 PFF and PFF passing grades, respectively, this preseason. Dobb’s PFF and PFF passing grades had been 61.3 and 59.2, respectively, this preseason.
That is all to say that Dobbs has performed higher during the last two years, however it’s comparatively shut, and there could possibly be a method that DeVito might catch up.
From watching Dobbs this summer season and all through his profession, he seems to be a comparatively streaky participant who chances are you’ll not know what you’re getting from on a day-to-day, week-to-week or year-to-year foundation.
@VanillaVick10: Hello doug, love you doug. All I need to hear is your predictions for mayes stats this season. A ceiling and a ground. As a particularly optimistic fan, I see the ceiling at 4200 cross yards 800 rush 33 cross tds and seven rush tds
You is perhaps setting expectations too excessive with these numbers.
How about 3,600 passing yards, 500 dashing yards, 25 touchdowns and 12 interceptions?
@toro1566: Do you suppose Invoice deliberately sabotaged the roster in his last few years?
No, I don’t. But it surely’s fairly onerous to justify his first two 2022 picks, particularly. Cole Unusual was a projected third-round choose, and Tyquan Thornton was a projected fifth-round choose. They usually went within the first and second spherical.
The Patriots took 10 gamers that 12 months. 4 are presently out of the league, three are on apply squads, together with Unusual. Simply three are on 53-man rosters, and solely Marcus Jones stays on the Patriots.
That being stated, Belichick’s 2023 draft may wind up being considered one of his higher ones. Christian Gonzalez is without doubt one of the NFL’s greatest cornerbacks, and Keion White, Marte Mapu, Kayshon Boutte, Bryce Baringer and DeMario Douglas stay on the Patriots. Jake Andrews seems to be like he’s going to be the Texans’ beginning heart, and Chad Ryland is the Cardinals’ kicker.
@TonyViola3: Do you suppose Marcus Jones performs some on offense this 12 months?
Jones did say that offensive coordinator Josh McDaniels is aware of he can play offense.
So, that’s an enchancment from final 12 months, when Alex Van Pelt discovered that out halfway via final season.
@Cmerc5: Trying on the present roster, what do you suppose the most important want is?
On offense, it could be offensive line depth on the whole. Ben Brown, Marcus Bryant, Vederian Lowe and Caedan Wallace are the highest reserves.
And on protection, I might say inside linebacker. It’s Robert Spillane, Christian Elliss, Jack Gibbens and Mapu, a transformed security. They’ve Mark Robinson on the apply squad and Jahlani Tavai eligible to return from injured reserve. Exterior of Spillane, it’s a reasonably inexperienced group.
@cmahnjr: Is that this actually a severe 53 man roster? I used to be optimistic however seeing the depth chart this looks like one other rebuilding 12 months. Inform me why I’m improper? Please. lol.
You is perhaps improper based mostly on the Patriots’ schedule. They’ve the third-easiest energy of schedule.
However it is a rebuilding roster. The brand new regime frankly didn’t have quite a bit to work with, and the roster had a weak base. So, they improved the place they may, however quite a bit will rely upon the 2025 draft class.
@SoxPatsCsplswin: What would it not take for Kyle dugger to see vital enjoying time this 12 months?
An damage or poor efficiency from Hawkins or Woodson, which isn’t out of the query. I believe there could possibly be a task for Dugger as a field security in sure conditions, however time will inform.
@jpas351: Had been you shocked that the workforce didn’t add any deal with depth to the apply squad?
I do know it occurred after this query, however the Patriots did signal former Raiders beginning offensive deal with Thayer Munford. He had a very good season in 2023 as a run blocker.
@Mr_Snax: Will the Pats come near spending to the cap this season
No. However they’ve talked about being on a two-year plan with the cap. The Patriots really presently have destructive cap house for 2026, however they’ll be again within the black after carrying over this 12 months’s cap house. There’s additionally a simple $35 million to shed from subsequent 12 months’s cap.
@BenjaminnSmithh: What are your ideas on the brand new rivalry uniforms?
I believe they give the impression of being good. I don’t essentially love alternate uniforms that don’t use a workforce’s main brand colours, although. It’s common within the NBA and MLB, so it was solely a matter of time earlier than the NFL did it, as nicely. It’s just a bit bit unusual turning on a sport and never instantly figuring out what workforce is enjoying. I believe that can occur quite a bit when the Patriots are carrying storm blue.
I even have a number of nostalgia for the Bledsoe blues and want they might return as a throwback or alternate. It’s time.
