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EPISODE 77 -AJ Brown and Free Agency!!!
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Transcript
Introduction and Guest Introduction
00:00:00
Savage Boston
Hi guys, welcome back to the Savage Boston podcast. My name is Scott. I'm here tonight and it's St. Patrick's Day. ah Although it's Tuesday, I didn't go out and do a whole lot exciting and drinking Guinness or anything, but ah you know, still St. Patrick's Day. We're like 830 at night.
00:00:17
Savage Boston
A guest on with us tonight that we we haven't had on yet, but ah he's a real kind of up and coming reporter. Respect him a lot online. i like seeing him on Twitter. Ben Belford Belford Peltzman. How are we doing, Ben?
00:00:33
Ben Belford-Peltzman
Fantastic. I really appreciate you having me on tonight. I can't believe we haven't done this before, but here we are St. Patrick's Day. So looking forward to talking some Patriots ball with you for sure.
00:00:44
Savage Boston
Yeah, man. And we're here with co-host per usual. No snooze tonight. We got Brett tonight who's who's usually on here. um All right. So let's
AJ Brown Trade Rumors Discussion
00:00:53
Savage Boston
let's dig in, man. So, um you know,
00:00:57
Savage Boston
Obviously, this is still like, i would say it's still pretty exciting time. We're not out of it completely yet. We're not like, you know, once you remember once comes May, June, you know, especially June where it's absolute dead zone and everyone's just dying for offseason shit. Right. So um we're still kind of free agencies ah still happening, i a little active.
00:01:17
Savage Boston
And I'd say obviously the biggest piece and the most kind of important piece is still yet to fall that we've been all kind of people are getting a little sick of now, but it's obviously AJ Brown. So um with AJ Brown, you know, I think we're like, I don't, people are just reporting things now that aren't news. Do you know what mean? Like you had Schefter today comes out with a, with a video that just says, yeah,
00:01:43
Savage Boston
They might deal him after June 1st. That was like a clip he launched. Like there was nothing new. There's nothing exciting. So um I don't know. i To throw to you, Ben, how is this kind of like played out the AJ Brown saga and your opinion? and And, you know, from your kind of sources and people you talk to, like, how do you envision this scenario kind of playing out?
00:02:07
Ben Belford-Peltzman
Yeah, absolutely. So the last I heard of it was about a week ago. i made it a priority for me when I was at the Combine in Indianapolis to get a feel from all these people I'm talking to um around the league, whether that be with the Eagles or a random guy. You know, AFC team just talking to all these people, people in the sense was they believe that the Patriots are going to get AJ Brown, like they firmly believe that AJ Brown was going to get traded from the Eagles. And this is multiple people.
00:02:38
Ben Belford-Peltzman
Right. And. Then I put out something a few days later about an offer and Diana Rossini, who's been all in on the AJ Brown stuff. There's no, like, it's not a surprise that either she has the agent in her back pocket or AJ Brown herself or a high ego so source.
00:02:55
Savage Boston
Yeah.
00:02:56
Ben Belford-Peltzman
But, She was like, no official trade offer has been made. And I'm like, okay, sure, maybe there's no trade offer in writing that was sent in a formal letter, whatever, to the Eagles, but they've obviously been discussing hypothetical offers back and forth, and that's kind of what I meant to get at at my tweet. um And then... it got There was a lot of talk about a week after the combine leading up to free agency, and in the last few days, last, I would say, five to seven days, talks have just started just with the fact of the Eagles asking the price is so ridiculously high. I mean, you saw what Jalen Waddell went for earlier today. I'm sure we'll get into that later. If he went for that, I mean, A.J. Brown's probably going to go for a little more, though, around the same age. A.J. Brown has a little more production. um Obviously one a Super Bowl with Jalen Hurts and then also is connected to Mike Rabel when Mike Rabel coached A.J. Brown in free agency. So...
00:03:59
Ben Belford-Peltzman
Talks have stalled. They've gotten a little quiet. Now, do I believe that AJ Brown might end up a Patriot? Right now, I would give it a 30% chance that he would end up. I would say 30% chance he ends up with the Patriots.
00:04:11
Ben Belford-Peltzman
About a 5% chance he gets traded, and it's not to the Patriots. And I wish I could do the math, but whatever the rest of that, he stays with the Eagles.
00:04:23
Savage Boston
Gotcha. Gotcha. Yeah. i Appreciate that. Uh, Brett, how do you feel like it's kind of played out to
Draft Strategy and AFC Competition
00:04:27
Savage Boston
this point? do you see any, are you like over it right now?
00:04:31
Bret
I kind of am just because I know that there's going to be a lot of fatigue here because there's not going to be any movement until June 1st. So i think we're all hoping that we get some sort of nugget that pops to get more solidification that it's going to happen.
00:04:47
Bret
But yeah, I mean, when I hit 30%, get a a little concern there because we we need to make a move, right? We need to find someone to be able to fill up that spot.
00:04:54
Savage Boston
Thank you.
00:04:57
Bret
I felt like it would be important for us to do that because it might shift how we approach this year's drafts. We're still got to build a roster. I think some of the offseason moves we've done to this point help us to slot what we end up doing in the draft and how we build it out. It just sucks because we've got to wait until June 1st to get it all through. And we're going to hear constant rumors. I think, the obviously, Jalen Waddell's trade announcement today, which – was somewhat out of left field. You know, we knew that the Broncos were shopping. We knew they were trying to find wide receivers. They were even rumored to be in on Brown for a period of time, as is the Rams. And then all of a sudden, everyone's like Jalen Waddle just got traded to the Broncos. So we knew they were shopping. I think that helps because it takes them out of this conversation for AJ Brown, but it also shows there's an arms race going on right now in the AFC.
00:05:48
Bret
You know, the Bills got their guy and DJ Moore now, The Broncos got their guy and Jalen Waddle, you know, who's our wide receiver one. We don't have one on the roster. We got to try to address it.
00:06:00
Bret
The problem is we got to wait till June 1st to see if it even happens. And then even after that, it's not like June 1st at midnight is going to magically come and then the trade is going to be a done deal. It's could be pushed out until the start of the season. And, you know, maybe, maybe AJ Brown camp is going to hold out and that'll help provide some leverage, but It's going to be a long time before it goes through. And I'm at the point where I'm thinking it's 50, 50.
00:06:27
Savage Boston
Well, so just to touch on – there's a lot here, obviously, to this. But to touch on Waddle really quick, you know, number one, would say it's just because Jalen Waddle's comp was basically like a first and was kind of like a fourth-ish, like a three four because they did a swap. You know what mean? His comp was like a one and kind of like a a four.
00:06:47
Savage Boston
Just because Waddle went for that does not mean Jalen – AJ – not Jalen. AJ Brown is going to go. Jalen Brown's not getting traded. It doesn't mean AJ Brown is going to go for that.
00:07:00
Savage Boston
Okay. um My thought first off is what if Howie, like they had potential AJ Brown and Waddle. What if the Broncos wanted Waddle more?
00:07:11
Savage Boston
I mean, is anyone consider everyone's like, Oh, don't know. AJ AJ. Like Waddle is a really good wide receiver. The year and a half year and a half younger. He has less tread on the tires, and he doesn't have a degenerative knee condition that people are actively concerned about. And he might fit Sean Payton's system better.
00:07:30
Savage Boston
So I'm just saying there's there's a reality there where they actually might have wanted Waddle as the option.
00:07:30
Bret
Mm-hmm.
00:07:36
Savage Boston
So just just take that into consideration. And then again, like I think some part of me feels like Howie wants to deal A.J. Brown now.
00:07:48
Savage Boston
Like I have like some part of it. I feel this way. I know the cap makes sense to wait. Like I understand that, you know, i get the whole dead cap scenario in June 1st and splitting it between two years. But I think some part of it is he wants a draft pick, preferably the first round pick in 2026.
00:08:05
Savage Boston
And, and I think he's tried, especially with Diana Rossini that other day where it was like, felt like what, what the hell was going on? Like she was the only one reporting anything. She had like four different reports about hearing from, ah you know, she obviously, she's not saying who she's hearing from, but to me, it felt like she was getting it straight from the Eagles, top of the Eagles. She's like a, I think a Philly girl.
00:08:27
Savage Boston
And like, like, I'm pretty confident she's in with that organization, just like Mike Garofalo's and other guys heavy into that organization. so yeah, Ben, kind of what did you make of that day from Diana? What was going on there? Why were there like four reports in one day flipping the line? You know, what was up with that?
Media Influence in Trades
00:08:44
Ben Belford-Peltzman
So what I've began to notice, and I don't want to get into the draft too much right now because the talk is centered around AJ Brown, but teams will just spill information to reporters to fit their narrative, whether or not that's true or not. And that's especially the case in the offseason.
00:09:03
Ben Belford-Peltzman
um And touching on the draft really quick before we go there later is pretend on the Patriots. And I really, really want, i don't know, ah a prospect, a random wide receiver, I think is going to not be able to fall to number 29.
00:09:20
Ben Belford-Peltzman
I'll go to a reporter and be like, this guy has some health issues. Maybe not health issues. and This guy didn't time well. or This guy has off the field issues or whatever it may be.
00:09:29
Savage Boston
Yeah. Mm-hmm.
00:09:30
Ben Belford-Peltzman
And that's all this is. And I feel like this is the same way with A.J. Brown is front offices are just trying to figure out the best way. to make it a win-win situation. Now, I will say really quick, if the Patriots don't get in on A.J. Brown, and like I said, I'm giving it like a 60%, 70% chance that they don't end up getting A.J. Brown right now, that was much, much lower than few weeks ago, one or two weeks ago.
00:09:59
Ben Belford-Peltzman
Next year in free agency, you got Drake London, you have Chris Olave, you have Jackson Smith Najigba, you have Puka Nakua, right? These are all big names, and I know this is not what Patriots fans want to hear, especially because we haven't even began the next season yet. They just went to the Super Bowl, right? Many are thinking that this team is one or two players a away. i don't believe that.
00:10:23
Ben Belford-Peltzman
I think that you have to take lack last season what it was. i think they won the games they were supposed to win, and they just got they were really healthy.
00:10:34
Ben Belford-Peltzman
um And down the stretch, they got a little help when they played teams under bad circumstances. Now, I'm not discrediting this season at all, but...
00:10:45
Ben Belford-Peltzman
I don't think they should be going in all in on A.J. Brown. I don't think A.J. Brown alone is going to make this team Super Bowl contender immediately, which is why I think that if A.J. Brown isn't going to work out, maybe fill your team. We we desperately need, they desperately need another edge rusher
Managing Contracts and Cap Space
00:11:02
Ben Belford-Peltzman
that's very weak right now. But next free agent class of the wide receivers are definitely looking pretty good.
00:11:09
Bret
Yeah, the the problem with that though is is we still have contracts to sign on our own end. I mean, I've been waiting to hear the news on Gonzo and what that extension looks like. I think that helps slot us for future if we can try to lock that up because his price tag is only going to go up the longer we hold out and try to make that happen.
00:11:26
Bret
And then you got Drake May coming up shortly thereafter. So understand that the the salary cap going to keep increasing and we're going to be able to make some moves. And yeah, we, we're not going to fix the entire roster in the matter of a year. I don't think AJ Brown to your point makes us a super bowl contender, but I think it keeps us in the conversation, the AFC and we show this past year, if you are able to be in the conversation, the AFC, get the right matchups, have a good run.
00:11:56
Bret
You can find yourself back in the Superbowl. So I look at the AFC and still think, even with like all of the changes that have happened and yeah, our schedule strength and what it's going to be this year versus what it was last year.
00:12:11
Bret
i think you put AJ Brown in that mix. We're in the mix on the AFC. I think you take him out of the conversation. We're fighting to make the playoffs. And just,
00:12:20
Ben Belford-Peltzman
Really quick.
00:12:22
Savage Boston
Yeah.
00:12:22
Bret
Yeah, go ahead.
00:12:23
Ben Belford-Peltzman
Continue. Now, all I was going to say is if you had to rank the priority for the Patriots of either extending Gonzo, extending Drake May, and signing a big name wide receiver, I'm talking someone like Jackson Smith, Nick Jigba, or Puka Nakula, how would you rank those in highest priority to the lowest? Yeah.
00:12:42
Bret
Well, right now, I think it's because the thing is, is also depends on when it's set. Like you couldn't even extend May if you wanted to right now. But so it's gone. So this year. Right. and And I think that's the biggest priority. And I've been saying that like since the jump, when we were even talking about going into free agency and what we need to do, like I basically said that helps to set the table.
00:13:03
Bret
I was a little, you know, concerned with how, you know, we came out and talked about Well, ah you know, he's already on the contract and maybe we don't want to, <unk> we'll see.
00:13:14
Bret
We're in, we're not going talk about any active negotiations or anything like that. It's like, guys, we got to extend them. And he's been vocal about wanting the extension, wanting to stay here.
00:13:21
Savage Boston
Okay, it's not.
00:13:23
Bret
So to me right now, it's priority. Number one is that if you're talking next off season, when may is eligible, and now we're talking about potentially extending him versus signing a wide receiver, I'd say Drake may.
00:13:36
Bret
So in the pecking order, it's three. But I feel like this year it's basically Gonzo get the wide receiver. I was glad we went out and got someone like Vera Tucker because I think that has some good upside and I'd still like them to draft a guard.
00:13:50
Bret
But guard was one of my bigger concerns this offseason and i feel like that could be that could be a home run potentially.
00:13:57
Savage Boston
Well, so again, lots of lots here, lots to touch on, which is good. I think like the, it's an interesting to think about the wide receiver free agents coming next year, I if these guys are all going into year five or year four, year five of their deals and of their what rookie deals.
Free Agency and Offseason Strategy
00:14:15
Savage Boston
And I think, you know, and this brings to like a broader philosophy of team building and how to get elite players, because I think, due to the cap going up so aggressively, we've kind of gotten to the point where young, very talented players just aren't becoming free agents, right? They're just not becoming unrestricted free agents, especially at like the wide receiver position. So it's kind of coming to the point where you have to, A, you have to draft and develop.
00:14:47
Savage Boston
That's like you have you have to like, you have to hit someday on a wide receiver. You have to draft and develop. and and be a good developing team. That's step one for success. I mean, look at the Seattle Seahawks. How did they just win the Super Bowl?
00:15:00
Savage Boston
couple nice free agent and pieces here and there, but in reality, they smashed the draft for like four consecutive seasons. that's That's how they won. mean, you can go up and down the draft. It's literally how they won.
00:15:14
Savage Boston
So for the Patriots, if we talk about somebody, you know, let's say they don't go in on A.J. Brown. They're like, we you know, it's just – How he wants a one and a two. We don't value him there. We value him at a two and a four. He's got this knee condition. He's probably got what? Two really good years left. You know what i mean? Like they're doing their math here and everyone online is like, Oh, AJ's good. Sell the font. It's like, Whoa, Whoa. Like these guys are building a fucking program, dude.
00:15:39
Savage Boston
This is a program. Like, they're trying to build something for a decade. This is not just jump on the opportunity now. Like, you have to build this. So, it has to make sense draft pick-wise. I think if it's someone like Drake London, who I love. Drake London is a stud. Or, you know, Najigma, I can't imagine, doesn't get signed for 40. He'll probably get extended, I think.
00:16:00
Savage Boston
This offseason, like, isn't isn't he eligible this offseason? I don't remember. But um he's going to get $40 million a year. They're going to give him a ton of money. um But again, Nakua, he won't leave.
00:16:12
Savage Boston
know I mean? Like, these guys won't be able to leave. So, again, in my opinion, someone like Olave or Drake London... or maybe two of the guys, again, I i think Olave's one, they might be able to get out of there. But like you have to give serious assets for these players, and then you have to give them a boatload of money.
00:16:31
Savage Boston
Which brings you right back to the same thing i just said a minute ago, which is draft and develop. Because guys aren't letting these dudes into unrestricted free agency.
00:16:42
Savage Boston
Just like good offensive tackles. Like ah good offensive tackles don't hit free agency. We've been talking about it. Everyone's like, Oh, replace Will Campbell, bump Campbell, the left guard. Like who plays left tackle? Like we've talked about, obviously for, for weeks, months, whatever. So again, yes, it's really important to have good weapons, but it just has to make sense. And you can't leverage, you can't leverage everything for, for right now.
00:17:10
Savage Boston
You have to also plan to build a program, you know, But I would say like, there's just, there's a lot here and it's, and it's been, you know, the off season has been, it feels short because they're obviously we're just in the Superbowl, but there's still a lot playing out.
00:17:28
Savage Boston
Let's say Ben, would your, how, how the free agents came to be and who they've signed, is this kind of aligned with your general picture of what you thought would happen?
00:17:40
Savage Boston
Or has this kind of free agency played out in a different way than you kind of thought would, would happen?
00:17:48
Ben Belford-Peltzman
Brett, you want to go first?
00:17:52
Savage Boston
Brett, free agency. Has this kind of played out how you wanted it to?
00:17:57
Bret
For the most part. I mean, I think the one – so, like I said earlier, I was glad they got a guard. I wanted them to get a guard. I thought it'd be more of a veteran older guy, but I think Vera Tucker is one of those signings where it could be a steal. I mean, it's it's a risk, but, you know, it's a risk-laden contract and see what goes on. But I thought that was one of the key signings, and I'm glad they did add Dobbs because it was really important for them to get a wide receiver. Yeah.
00:18:27
Bret
you know, we thought we maybe they would get chase on, but they decided to change course, get Draymond Jones. I think the one that like surprised me the most, we talked about it before they ended up signing a tight end was Julian Hill, because that was like a real contract that they gave to that guy three years, 6 million for a guy that was making like 3 million total on his prior contract.
00:18:49
Bret
I mean, he's a blocking tight end. So that's good. It's going to fit the McDaniel system. I would say that was one that, i don't I don't really like. I like on paper because he's young, but other than that, I don't really like the idea of him on ah as a tight end, and I hope that doesn't change what they're going to do there because we have to address the tight end position.
00:19:09
Bret
ah Henry's on the back end of his career. He's never been a great blocker, and he's going to continue to lose a step, so... If we don't address it, we're going to be in trouble.
00:19:20
Bret
Maybe this is someone like diamond in the rough, but I'm highly skeptical. So I would say by and large, I think the moves made sense. And I think they kind of aligned with the positions I'd like to see them address.
00:19:33
Bret
I just think tight end was one that was probably the most surprising. And then I'll just touch on Bayard, I think was ah really good upgrade. Only challenge there is it's a one year deal. So I wish there was a little bit more length there, but I think he is an upgrade.
00:19:46
Savage Boston
Good deal though.
00:19:47
Bret
So
00:19:48
Savage Boston
7 million with like 2 mil of incentives. It's a good, it's just a good deal. Like one year.
00:19:52
Bret
it's a good contract, but it's one year, you know?
00:19:54
Savage Boston
Yeah. i like to Yeah. i like the contract. but I like the one year. Just come on in and ball out. How do you, how are you feeling Ben about it?
00:20:02
Ben Belford-Peltzman
Yeah, the first thing that sticks out to me is i believe the Patriots didn't get rid of any or didn't have any free agents sign anywhere. That's very worrisome, if that makes sense. I feel like the players who left are replaceable.
00:20:19
Ben Belford-Peltzman
um Tonga, Chason, Jack Gibbons, Alex Austin. I would have liked to see Hawkins resign with the team. I feel like he was really valuable to them, but I love Craig Woodson back there. He was really good as a rookie and might end up being the best out of that draft class or close to it. um and Looking at the all the signings, obviously the one that sticks out the most is Romeo Dobbs.
00:20:45
Ben Belford-Peltzman
Four years, 68, believe, and That is a deal that's pretty front-loaded, like, most of the money, like, they can get out of it after two or three years, i believe.
00:20:57
Ben Belford-Peltzman
um and i I think that was someone that teams or that fans are very content with. You know, they don't they don't really, really love it.
00:21:05
Bret
Thank you.
00:21:08
Ben Belford-Peltzman
They don't hate it. They're just content. Like, oh, like Jacoby Myers, like receiver, someone who can be reliable.
00:21:15
Savage Boston
Mm-hmm.
00:21:17
Ben Belford-Peltzman
Now, is he going to put up the production that Stefan Diggs did last year? I don't know. But all I'm hoping from him is he can become a security blanket for Drake May, someone on third down that can have that dig, that slant, that out-out, kind of like how Diggs played last year.
00:21:34
Ben Belford-Peltzman
And then touching on what Brett said, they definitely need a tight end. I don't believe Julian Hill is going to be the long-term guy. hunter henry is getting old in age um i personally and i was also talking to some people in the combine some patriot supporters and they were sharing a similar sentiment as me is if the patriots could manage to trade up and get sadiq out of oregon if sadiq would have dropped to like the 23 to 27 range around then i would love love love of the patriots trading up
00:21:44
Bret
Thank you.
00:22:08
Ben Belford-Peltzman
um a few picks, grabbing Sadiq. He is a great tight end, but he's also just a playmaker. And that is someone who I would be very, very thrilled with the Patriots getting in the draft.
00:22:23
Savage Boston
Yeah. Sadiq is, um, Sadiq's pretty dynamic. I mean, I don't know who you guys think is best comp is, but I think it's probably like Kyle pits, you know, like just a very, very, like people forget how fast Kyle pits was too. Like cop pits is big and fast. Sadiq ran like a four, three, seven. if I'm doing that off memory. I think that's right.
00:22:40
Savage Boston
Um, which that's, that's crazy, dude. Like for, for a tight end man, like it's like that other kid, Eli Stowers from, um, Purdue, I think is a Purdue. Um,
00:22:49
Ben Belford-Peltzman
Mm-hmm.
00:22:50
Savage Boston
I forget, but Eli Stowers, that other tight end that also had just a freaky combine. I mean, his his numbers were absurd, the athleticism. So, you know, people are like, oh, these positions are getting faster and better. What's happening at the combine now is the players that are working out are only the top tier athletic players and everyone else is just sitting out.
00:23:10
Savage Boston
Dude, Denzel Boston, the wide receiver, he didn't even run the fucking 40.
00:23:12
Bret
Shout out. Yeah.
00:23:17
Savage Boston
at his own pro day, he's like, noh I'm not gonna run. Like, dude, what are you going to run on this? Like, that can't be good for your draft status. If you're like, yeah, I'm going to run like a four, six, five. Like, I don't know what Denzel Boston is going to run, but again, it makes people think, do we want another contested catch big guy, slow guy?
00:23:35
Savage Boston
You know what i mean Like, because otherwise you would, you'd run at the combine. That's, that's all i'm getting across is these guys should run complete tangent back to the Patriots Sadiq. Yeah, Sadiq's a monster.
00:23:45
Bret
Thank you.
00:23:47
Savage Boston
He's a beast. I just think there's going to be guys that you need that are going to be there at 31. There's going to be somebody that fits a need for you that's a good enough player to take, in my opinion, i mean unless you trade it away.
00:24:01
Savage Boston
But again, it would be someone like TJ Parker from Clemson, or it would be, I don't know, like maybe an offensive tackle slips and falls. Like who's that?
00:24:11
Savage Boston
I in court or whatever. figured how you say his name. Like there's a couple of good offensive tackles that like, they want a tackle. They need a tackle. Like Morgan Moses isn't long for the league.
00:24:21
Savage Boston
Like if he gets through all playing all the games next year, that would be miraculous. So like, they They could get a tackle. They could get an edge. They could get a tight end. They could get, like, wide receiver. There's so many options here as to where they could go.
00:24:38
Savage Boston
um And, yeah, and this is – it's open. But, like, there's still – again, there's still a possibility that um just – they still trade the pick for a player. So, you know, let's see. That's all i'll say is let's see. um I mean, as far as –
00:24:56
Bret
Yeah.
00:24:58
Savage Boston
The rest of the draft plays out, like we talked about before, drafting developing is is so important of these teams. And I think you know you could go back to how Bill did it for the last decade before he left, and we've done this up and down here, that when Bill was drafting and lost the ability to draft and develop, it really hurt the team. And everyone knows how talent how much of a talent deficit the team was in.
00:25:25
Savage Boston
until variables kind of had to come in and pick up the pieces here so i basically think i would probably give this offseason b b plus like really good solid i don't think it's like oh mega home run like sign everybody you know but i think that's a really solid offseason where they've they've addressed a lot of needs um brett you had to grade it what would be what what kind of grade would you give the offseason
00:25:50
Bret
Grading it today, i would say ah b minus. You know, I think it's hard to say for sure. Like I said, I like generally what they've done on paper.
00:26:05
Bret
I think they seem like they've brought in the right guys. Just on a side tangent, I do want to, like, get away from the whole concept that we're always going to bring in guys that either went to Ohio State or Tennessee and their former Brable guys.
00:26:17
Savage Boston
Or from Ohio or...
00:26:19
Bret
Like, I really hope that's not a trend we get caught up on because at that point, I'm just going to be like, you know, what the fuck? Like what's going on, Brable? That I think is part and parcel what got us into trouble with Belichick is he was drafting from guys that he know the coaches and he wasn't always drafting from people that he didn't. So we'll see. But yeah, on paper today, probably B minus.
00:26:43
Ben Belford-Peltzman
Yeah, I would go um solid B. And I feel like also, like, one of my least favorite things is the day after the draft ends because everyone will give their draft grades and they haven't watched any of these players play one down of football, like,
00:27:00
Ben Belford-Peltzman
in the NFL, of course. um So i would love to reevaluate this offseason, like, probably six months from now, seven months from now, when they actually start playing games.
00:27:12
Ben Belford-Peltzman
But based off the free agency signings, b it would go to a B plus, a minus if Veritaker can stay healthy next season. I feel like that's a big if. um He played almost every game in the first two years of his career, and then the last two years, he's been suffering a lot of injuries, which is Not really his fault, but just how it kind of happened. But if he can stay healthy this year, I mean, A-. Yeah.
00:27:39
Bret
Yeah, no, I agree. Like I said, I think he could be a steal. But if you look in retrospect at last year's offseason, like I would say it was an A. You know, I mean, we basically flipped the roster in the matter of a year that to Savage point earlier, he just said like he inherited a depleted roster and he flipped so many guys in the offseason.
00:28:03
Bret
Every free agent signing you look at you go, that worked out perfectly, you know.
00:28:08
Savage Boston
To bring up small a small – this is not really counterpoint, but just to add to it, you look at the teams that ge you'd give A's this offseason. Like, you know, if you list it as like – you list out of the teams that you'd give an A, virtually all of them are asses.
00:28:24
Savage Boston
I mean, they're ass teams. And they literally like to save face. have It's like this cyclical thing. You keep like the teams that suck have to spend the teams at
Team Spending Patterns and Strategies
00:28:34
Savage Boston
the top.
00:28:34
Savage Boston
Like, like what do the Chiefs You know what mean? Do the Chiefs do a lot?
00:28:37
Bret
I know.
00:28:38
Savage Boston
Did you love this offseason? Like they signed a running back.
00:28:39
Bret
That was
00:28:40
Savage Boston
People were really into that. You know what i mean? Like if you're a Chiefs fan, you're like, okay, but they traded away their number one corner. They, at their other corner left, you know, they cut a tackle. Like if you're, again, if you go back to the chiefs, you're like, okay, is that team a lot better right now? The Kansas city chiefs from last season?
00:28:59
Savage Boston
Not really. Like, do you like what the bills did? The bills brought in DJ more who they're paying a truckload to.
00:29:07
Bret
Mm-hmm.
00:29:07
Savage Boston
You know, versus they they got rid of their defensive head coach. Now they just hired their OC. How's their defense going to be on Buffalo? Do we have any idea how the defense is going to play there? Are they going to be a glass cannon?
00:29:20
Savage Boston
You know what I mean? Are they just going to be... I don't know what what's a good comp, but what team, like um Cincinnati Bengals, like going to be Joe Burrow now where they can, they can bomb it. They can play offense, but they just have a horrific defense. So, I mean, it's going to interesting where these goes. Like the teams that spend big are typically the shitty teams.
00:29:40
Savage Boston
It's hard to have that balance out where you get what the Patriots did, where you get a pretty good team adding what feel like hopefully quality pieces.
00:29:40
Bret
Yes.
00:29:49
Savage Boston
Yeah. you i'll ask I'll ask the next question in this way because obviously I have my own opinion, but I like this phrase. It's called, if behavior is a language, what does the Patriots offseason tell you?
00:30:02
Savage Boston
okay And I like this phrase. It's like a therapy phrase. If behavior is a language, because and'll and I'll say my opinion first, right if behavior is a language, they got a fullback, a blocking tight end, an offensive guard, an all-around wide receiver.
00:30:14
Bret
Thank you.
00:30:18
Savage Boston
Right? On offense. To me, that tells me they want to be able to run the fucking football. Period. So, I'll throw a Ben to you. If behavior is a language, Ben, what does the offseason tell you about how the Patriots kind of want to take it?
00:30:35
Ben Belford-Peltzman
Yeah, I mean, you nailed it on the head right there. That is exactly how I would say. I feel like definitely there were stretches last season where they just did not run the football well at all.
00:30:46
Bret
Thank
00:30:46
Ben Belford-Peltzman
And yes, there was some um some of the times, some games specifically down the stretch that they got it together and could manage her run the football.
00:30:49
Savage Boston
Thank you.
00:30:55
Ben Belford-Peltzman
But if Rabel could run the football 50 times a game, he would do it every single game. like That's just who he is. you know like Going back to when he was with the Houston Texans and Ohio State, like that is how their offenses facilitated the football. They ran the ball and met had the pass go off of the run, not the run go off the pass. um And I feel like these signings definitely play a big part in that. um And some of the time, like...
00:31:24
Ben Belford-Peltzman
It wasn't Stevenson or Henderson's fault. It was the offensive line. And that's what happens when you have two rookies on the blind side, on the weak side of the offensive line in Jared Wilson and Will Campbell. And I feel like putting Jared Wilson back in the center is going to be a move that is...
00:31:40
Ben Belford-Peltzman
goes unnoticed because Jared wellson jod Wilson does so well at center. Like if he does, if he plays really well, not many people going to notice it because he's just playing well.
00:31:53
Ben Belford-Peltzman
And I feel like that's what's going to end up happening. And if those five can stay healthy and hopefully Will Campbell can get back to how he was before his health, um then I feel like they're in a good spot there.
00:32:07
Bret
Well, you can always say the best sign of a good offensive lineman is that you don't ever hear or talk about them. That's how you know they're doing a good job.
00:32:14
Ben Belford-Peltzman
Yep.
00:32:15
Bret
And then, yeah, Rabel, I mean, Tennessee Titans, he ran the rock with Derrick Henry all day long. He loves to run the ball. But to me, if I was to look at the body language and the language of the Patriots this offseason, I would say they're not overreactionary. I think they' so they have a plan, and I think they're working their plan. So,
00:32:35
Bret
while we talk a little bit about there's an arms race and we want to see them splash and like going into the opening of the free agency, we really want them to jump on Alec Pierce. um Didn't happen, looked at it after the fact.
00:32:48
Bret
I would have liked to have seen them trade for Pittman. I still kind of wish they had trade for a guy like Pittman. Cause I don't feel like we would have been as, you know, we're basically AJ.
00:32:58
Savage Boston
Brett loves Pippen.
00:32:59
Bret
Well, we're AJ Brown or bust at this point. And it's like, Pittman would have been an upgrade. And it wouldn't have cost us much and we still could have drafted and it would have worked. And I just think ultimately it would have been nice to make that move.
00:33:10
Ben Belford-Peltzman
Okay.
00:33:13
Bret
But other than the AJ Brown stuff, where I think it's like, we're all in on AJ Brown. I think every other move has been kind of steady. Like we work on the plan. This is what we want to do. We're signing contracts that make sense. We're positioning ourselves long-term. We're not going to overreact. We're not going to like not do anything. We're going to just do what we do. And that's where I would say it gives me confidence long term that they're continuing to build off of what they did last year and the moves that they're going. So we'll see what happens with the draft, how they approach it.
00:33:48
Bret
But that's my interpretation. They're just they're sticking with the plan.
00:33:51
Savage Boston
No.
00:33:52
Bret
They have ah they have an identity and they want to go with it.
00:33:55
Savage Boston
Now, Ben, from you being at the combine and stuff like that, just want throw it out there.
NFL Combine Insights and Draft Needs
00:34:00
Savage Boston
Is there anyone that you think or heard that you believe the Patriots like? Like who's someone that they like in the draft or you might have heard is someone they might be interested in targeting?
00:34:13
Ben Belford-Peltzman
Honestly, um there's not like a specific player because there's just so many players right now that they're doing their due diligence on. But some positions and this might, I mean, if there's no, this is not like breaking or anything, but obviously they want more help when it comes to the pass rush.
00:34:32
Ben Belford-Peltzman
you know, um and that's partly because of the players who departed in free agency and partly because even before that, like, they were not doing too well, you know.
00:34:32
Savage Boston
Yeah.
00:34:42
Ben Belford-Peltzman
Sure, they went out to get Draymond Jones, um and I think he's going to be in better shape than he was last season physically, which will allow him to attack the quarterback a little better than he did last season and two years ago, but that's still not enough, you know.
00:34:56
Ben Belford-Peltzman
Like, there's not a lot of death behind him. so I feel like that's something they're going to target. Now, obviously, um they don't really have a swing tackle right now with Vidarian Lowe leaving. um And if they draft a tackle in the first three rounds, I'm sure Twitter's to be like, you know, Will Campbell's replacement like and start a competition. And as soon as, um not to throw anyone out under the bus, but as soon as maybe a reporter like Ben Vaughn or someone who goes to training camp and sees this competition taking place and then
00:35:31
Ben Belford-Peltzman
you know, saying, oh, Will Campbell's job is all lost. No, no. But in all seriousness, like, I feel like going to get a swing tackle within the first three rounds because Morgan Moses, again, he stayed healthy for the most part last season, but feel like he's 36.
00:35:48
Ben Belford-Peltzman
Oh, he's 36. Like, he's around then.
00:35:49
Savage Boston
Yeah, it's up there.
00:35:50
Ben Belford-Peltzman
um And obviously, Will Campbell was injured last season. So a swing tackle and an edge rusher for sure.
00:35:58
Savage Boston
Yeah. Yeah, it's – they do have a lot of – I mean, one of the biggest question marks – I mean, it's such a vital position, a huge question mark is like, what does Harold Landry look like next year?
00:36:13
Savage Boston
You know, and I know he had a big knee, you know, he had a big knee injury too. We're all giving, you know, Will Campbell the benefit of the doubt. Like he'll be a lot better after a year's years's worth of rehab. But like, you know, Harold Landry had a huge injury and he could not bounce back. I mean, he was basically a non-factor for like the the second half of the season. So, I mean, if he can come back and be some of what he was, that gives you something. But like,
00:36:40
Savage Boston
I think they're, they're just so desperate for that three down true edge. Again, someone like that we've heard they're into would be like, you know, was it Zion, ah Zion Young from Missouri? Is it Zion Young? Everyone talks about him. They like him as an edge or TJ Parker.
00:36:58
Savage Boston
um There's a couple freaky athletic edges too. If they don't, if they go a different direction in round one, but like, You know, if it's a battle between an edge and wide receiver, this is where Twitter gets crazy, right? Because I'm always in Twitter land and people are crazy about the wide receiver position. I mean, it's like every year, all anyone wants is go all out on every top. like And it's, you don't always hit. You have to take your best player available.
00:37:24
Savage Boston
If the best player available is a wide receiver, then take the wide receiver. If Omar Cooper Jr. is there and you love him, take him. If Makai Lemon drops and you love him, take him.
00:37:35
Savage Boston
But don't reach because that's where Bill really started losing it I mean, he fell in love with fourth-round talent that he would take in the first round. And, like, you know, again, we don't have to rehash it all year by year, but, like, you got to get the real best player available. And I'm hoping we get a little more specific reporting-wise as we get – kind of closer to the draft of who they love, but I just don't know.
00:38:01
Savage Boston
i don't know what we're going to get. i feel like it's been coming out of the Patriots has been very, it's felt a little hush hush, especially around a lot of AJ Brown stuff. It's felt like it's been real closed down.
00:38:13
Savage Boston
And the reason why we heard a lot through the combine, because everyone's over there talking to other teams, talking to other reporters and you get a little bit more information. So, um yeah, it's, it's felt pretty, it's felt pretty locked down. So, um but yeah, this has been, it's been a wild, I guess a wild beginning to the off season thus far. And I think, um you know, we're all kind of still trying to ride the high man and and try to keep it going. You hate to get to the Superbowl and not be able to
00:38:44
Savage Boston
have kind of a great performance the next year leading up. So I'm sure we'll start getting more draft heavy as, as unless we got any other crazy news. But we'll get more draft heavy as it goes in the next like little while.
00:38:56
Savage Boston
um Any final thoughts, Ben, anything you want to get off your chest before we shut it down?
00:39:02
Ben Belford-Peltzman
No, I really appreciate you guys having me on again. I really appreciated it. I had a great time. And I guess I'll do a little plug, Patriots Beat on all platforms.
00:39:12
Savage Boston
Yeah.
00:39:13
Ben Belford-Peltzman
I also write for Pro Football Network about the Patriots. um
00:39:18
Savage Boston
Yeah. Yeah.
00:39:19
Ben Belford-Peltzman
I'm a freshman at Syracuse. All the things, just trying to get off my chest. But, yeah, in all serious seriousness, thank you, you guys, for having me on.
00:39:29
Savage Boston
That's great, man. and And now we're realizing that you are quite literally half our ages,
00:39:35
Ben Belford-Peltzman
but
00:39:38
Savage Boston
which is great. Appreciate it and have a great time. I'll go right into dad mode. I'll be like, you know, just have a wonderful time and try your best.
00:39:46
Bret
Enjoy college.
00:39:46
Savage Boston
Okay.
00:39:48
Ben Belford-Peltzman
Will do, for sure.
00:39:48
Savage Boston
Have a great time. All Ben. Thanks for coming on, man. We appreciate it. Peace.
00:39:54
Ben Belford-Peltzman
Thank you.