The Official 2025 New England Patriots Thread

[HuskyHawk]

The Coaching Staff is complete. Looks pretty impressive. I'm excited. Drake Maye won the ping pong championship at the Pro Bowl, so 2025 is off to a winning start. Now just crush free agency and the draft.

 

[Deepster]

The ping pong thing is a joke, right?

 

[HuskyHawk]

The ping pong thing is a joke, right?

Sort of. He beat Micah Parsons at the Pro Bowl to win annual Battle of the Paddles.

 

[Deepster]

Sort of. He beat Micah Parsons at the Pro Bowl to win annual Battle of the Paddles.

And you realize that has absolutely 0.00000000000% with anything actually related to next seasons Patriots record. Right?

 

[HuskyHawk]

And you realize that has absolutely 0.00000000000% with anything actually related to next seasons Patriots record. Right?

It has as much to do with it as Rolling Rock does with UConn winning. It was just an off the cuff comment that it should be good mojo, don’t take it so seriously.

 

[Deepster]

It has as much to do with it as Rolling Rock does with UConn winning. It was just an off the cuff comment that it should be good mojo, don’t take it so seriously.

You make that line hard to discern.

 

[Dove]

The ping pong thing is a joke, right?

Nope. It's a precursor to greatness.

Hand-eye coordination.
Reflexes.
Will to win.

 

[Deepster]

Nope. It's a precursor to greatness.

Hand-eye coordination.
Reflexes.
Will to win.

Shut up, Dove.

 

[maple]

I'm excited for the 2025 season. I would be ecstatic if we could make a wildcard game, but for now I will just take seeing an improvement over the last few god awful seasons.

 

[Husky25]

I'm excited for the 2025 season. I would be ecstatic if we could make a wildcard game, but for now I will just take seeing an improvement over the last few god awful seasons.

That would be a Washington-esque type improvement. It could happen, but what Washington did was ridiculous. OTOH, The Patriots might be set up for it. They have a competent HC and staff, a quarterback already in house, and $100M in cap space.

Because they don't need a QB, they can focus on numerous other areas of need. My preference would be on the lines.

Abdul Carter might be the best player in the draft and EDGE is an need, but he seems undersized and up & down vs. the run. The NFL is still currently a passing league, but the Lions and Eagles are showing what a balanced attack can do. Could very well go #1 and might not be available at #4.

Mason Graham is an interior DL, stout vs the run, and would pair nicely with Barmore, who should be good for the entire season. Seems to be ranked ahead of OL1 on many boards.

Will Campbell - Gotta keep Maye off the ground and the Patriots desperately need help on the OL.

Travis Hunter would immediately be a #2 receiver and probably Maye's top target by the end of the season. Still, Maye needs time to get him the ball. He's also the best Corner in the draft and would potentially give the Patriots the best duo of outside defenders since Browner and Revis. While I'd personally prefer to address either of the lines in the 1st round, this type of athlete is tough to ignore.

The Patriots pick #4 so unless, no one picks a QB before them, they simply take who is left and get ready for Friday, but I don't see that happening. Each one of the top 3 needs a QB. Cam Ward is going to one of Nashville, Cleveland, or East Rutherford.

 

[HuskyHawk]

Really exciting free agency period coming up. My wish list ahead of the draft:

• Ronnie Stanley LT, option B Cam Robinson.
• Milton Williams DT or plan B Levi Onwuzurike (his DL coach is our DC)
• CB: Ward or Reed
• Higgins if he isn't franchised, trade for Kupp if he is.
• Jamien Sherwood LB Jets
• Teven Jenkins IOL
• Chase Young on a one year prove it deal

If most of the obvious hole are filled before the draft, you can focus on BPA. Maybe Hunter at #4 or trade back and get Mykel Williams. I think Campbell is a risk now. If the Pats get an aging LT like Stanley, could use a 2nd rounder on a LT. Would live to get Jaylin Noel or Mathew Golden. Maybe Restapo from Miami. Need help at Edge and DT.

 

[Waquoit]

They need a proven WR or two.

 

[Deepster]

Really exciting free agency period coming up. My wish list ahead of the draft:

• Ronnie Stanley LT, option B Cam Robinson.
• Milton Williams DT or plan B Levi Onwuzurike (his DL coach is our DC)
• CB: Ward or Reed
• Higgins if he isn't franchised, trade for Kupp if he is.
• Jamien Sherwood LB Jets
• Teven Jenkins IOL
• Chase Young on a one year prove it deal

If most of the obvious hole are filled before the draft, you can focus on BPA. Maybe Hunter at #4 or trade back and get Mykel Williams. I think Campbell is a risk now. If the Pats get an aging LT like Stanley, could use a 2nd rounder on a LT. Would live to get Jaylin Noel or Mathew Golden. Maybe Restapo from Miami. Need help at Edge and DT.

All that cap room and you're still trotting out Antonio Gibson and Kendrick Bourne?

And, on that topic, all the available RB/WR talent seems to be guys who's best years are passed them and teams are going to overpay for them. Higgins is probably the best? But I fear about him once he gets the bag.

 

[Husky25]

Why bag on the 3rd down receiving back and 5th receiver?

RB is very much plug and play and the Patriots have bigger needs along both lines than they do split out wide or in the backfield.

 

[HuskyHawk]

All that cap room and you're still trotting out Antonio Gibson and Kendrick Bourne?

And, on that topic, all the available RB/WR talent seems to be guys who's best years are passed them and teams are going to overpay for them. Higgins is probably the best? But I fear about him once he gets the bag.

Bourne is likely to be traded or cut. Gibson is a backup/3rd down back, and a pretty good one. They will add a RB in round 3-4 (I personally favor Devin Neal from Kansas). It's a super deep RB class this year. WR class is weak at the top after Hunter, but I honestly think they'll draft Travis Hunter and make him WR1. Then add a vet, either Kupp via trade or maybe Darius Slayton.

Boutte flashed a little and inside reports are that Javon Baker is the most talented WR on the roster and the new staff is trying to get his head right, get him proper coaching. Polk too. Douglas is a nice slot. There's talent at WR, but it's young and has not been coached well.

The priorities in FA are LT, DT and DE/Edge/OLB plus a CB2. I don't think Higgins is a $30m a year WR but Cinci just tagged him. Godwin is not being tagged but is coming off injury. But anybody who thinks the main weakness of this roster is WR/RB doesn't know enough about the team.

 

[Deepster]

Gibson is a backup/3rd down back, and a pretty good one.

Really? What is your measuring stick there? He is as average as they come. For a 3rd down RB, he had 23 catches for 206 yds and 0 receiving TDs (1 rushing). He had 11 games with 9 receiving yards or less.

My point here is you've trumpeted the massive cap space and predicted a big upswing this coming season....yet don't seem to have any plan for putting weapons on the field with Maye. None of the guys you've listed above are going to push last year's offense any further next season and you need FA talent to do that quickly.

 

[HuskyHawk]

Really? What is your measuring stick there? He is as average as they come. For a 3rd down RB, he had 23 catches for 206 yds and 0 receiving TDs (1 rushing). He had 11 games with 9 receiving yards or less.

My point here is you've trumpeted the massive cap space and predicted a big upswing this coming season....yet don't seem to have any plan for putting weapons on the field with Maye. None of the guys you've listed above are going to push last year's offense any further next season and you need FA talent to do that quickly.

The issues on offense were mostly the offensive line.
The issues on defense were mostly the defensive line and linebackers (including injuries).

"Weapons" is a bunch of nonsense. Maye played half a season and they couldn't give him any time. They drafted four WR the last two years. Gibson, in a McDaniels run offense is going to look like a more explosive version of James White. Stephenson will be fine but they need somebody to push him. They can draft Travis Hunter, play him at WR and watch him become Justin Jefferson. Plus add a Vet because the room is too young.

Edit: the Jets had Wilson and Adams plus two very good RBs. How did that work out for them? The game comes down to QB and line play.

 

[Husky25]

Really? What is your measuring stick there? He is as average as they come. For a 3rd down RB, he had 23 catches for 206 yds and 0 receiving TDs (1 rushing). He had 11 games with 9 receiving yards or less.

My point here is you've trumpeted the massive cap space and predicted a big upswing this coming season....yet don't seem to have any plan for putting weapons on the field with Maye. None of the guys you've listed above are going to push last year's offense any further next season and you need FA talent to do that quickly.

Surrounding Rodgers with his handpicked weapons went so well for the Jets.

 

[Deepster]

Surrounding Rodgers with his handpicked weapons went so well for the Jets.

I never thought I’d see the day Pats fans used the Jets as a comparison. Wow.

 

[HuskyHawk]

I never thought I’d see the day Pats fans used the Jets as a comparison. Wow.

It's not about the Jets for me. I have been saying for about 2-3 years now, that what I watched happen to the Running Back position is happening to Wide Receiver too.

Go back to 2009 and earlier and almost every draft had 3+ running backs in round 1. They got paid a lot. Premium position. Then the talent level got so high that 3rd round rookies were giving you everything your 1st round pick did. Bucky Irving was fantastic last year in round 4 (I wanted the Pats to draft him).

The change in college offenses to air raid style and extreme pass to run ratios plus the star power and big contracts for guys in the NFL has led to a huge increase in WR talent. Suddenly every draft has probably 10-12 starting caliber WRs. For smart teams it is becoming more like RB. Niners traded Deebo and have Aiyuk on the trade block? Why? Because last years's rookie Pearsall (despite getting shot) is already their WR1. So are: Worthy, McConkey, Nabers, Odunze, Harrison, Brian Thomas, and Keon Coleman. Legette probably becomes that this year for Carolina. Rashee Rice immediately became the Chiefs top WR the year before. Zay Flowers and Jayden Reed too. Addison would have but he's opposite Jefferson. Tank Dell?

It's become a position where you just keep loading up in the draft. Jets will dump Adams in part because Corley is going to be good. So I am not worried about "weapons" at WR. Baker or Polk may thrive now. They'll draft another guy too and Boutte and Douglas are already pretty solid.

 

[Husky25]

I never thought I’d see the day Pats fans used the Jets as a comparison. Wow.

'Cause you are missing the forest for the trees.

 

[HuskyHawk]

 

[HuskyHawk]

Big Day today:
DT Milton Williams
CB Carlton Davis
LB Robert Spillane
OT Morgan Moses
Yesterday
LB/Edge Harold Landry