Now that the Patriots are through two open practice sessions, some crucial offseason questions have been answered. Bill O'Brien is in charge of the offense, Mac Jones' confidence is just about back, and Jerod Mayo is all but the head-coach-in-waiting.
There are, however, still plenty of unanswered questions out there. That's where our mailbag comes in. We'll be running these sporadically here at WEEI.com to get all of your Patriots questions answered, so be sure to keep an eye out for the thread on Twitter @mikekadlick and @WEEI. Don't have Twitter? Email me at michael.kadlick@audacy.com to submit any questions you may have.
So, without further ado, here's the debut:
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Q: Biggest difference from last years OTAs?
A: Where do I start?
To take the words directly out of Mac Jones' mouth, things feel "normal" again. For the entirely of last season, this offense felt like some sort of pet project that was holding the entire Patriots operation back. Now? It's just football. The energy is back and everyone finally looks to be on the same page. Onward and upward.
Q: Who will be the odd man out in the running back room?
A: Though it's still incredibly early and, as Bill Belichick says, no one is competing for a spot right now, it feels like Ty Montgomery is the Patriots' third-down back ahead of Pierre Strong Jr.
With Rhamondre Stevenson as the bell cow and James Robinson as the spell guy behind him - this is where it seems they're at with their room: Stevenson, Robinson, Montgomery, Strong Jr.
Kevin Harris feels like the odd man out.
Q: DeAndre Hopkins to the Patriots?
A: News broke on Wednesday afternoon that wide receiver DeAndre Hopkins' first free agent visit will be with the Tennessee Titans on Thursday, so New England is already behind the 8-ball.
The Patriots should be involved here. Their current offense is filled with a bunch of No. 2's and would benefit from adding a true No. 1 option who can become Mac Jones' security blanket and can dictate coverage and allow them to find mismatches on offense. The fit feels like a slam dunk, for the right price.
Will he end up in Foxborough when it's all said and done? No, probably not.
Q: Could Mike Gesicki become Mac Jones' favorite target?
A: Don't take my word for it, take Gesicki's:
"Mac's awesome," the tight end told us on Tuesday. "That’s my guy. He’s been incredible as a leader. He's been great out there physically throwing the ball, timing, throwing a very catchable ball and all that kinda stuff, and he likes to have fun so it’s been a cool offseason for us, trying to jell and get on the same page. I think it's been good."
The two clearly already have a great off-the-field relationship, and they're beginning to gel on the field as well. Gesicki's usage has been high so far as New England implemented plenty of 12 personnel through two practice sessions, and the TE/WR hybrid's quickness at 6-foot-6 has been on full display. He's going to be featured in this offense.
Q: Top five Patriots Pro Bowl candidates?
A: This is a fun one. Here goes:
5: CB Christian Gonzalez
4: DT Christian Barmore
3: QB Mac Jones
2: RB Rhamondre Stevenson
1: S Kyle Dugger
Q: Surprise cut?
A: Trent Brown. The Patriots signed tackles Riley Reiff and Calvin Anderson this offseason and, with Brown absent from the team's optional sessions, have been repping as the starting tackles at OTAs.
The re-signing of Conor McDermott and the addition of OT/IOL Sidy Sow in the fourth-round of April's draft add depth pieces along the line - something New England didn't have at all a season ago. This could make Brown and his hefty price tag expendable.
Q: Concerns about the offensive line?
A: Honestly, no. Sure - as I mentioned above, last year was an abomination. But the addition of Adrian Klemm along with several seasoned veterans and a high-upside rookie seems to already be making a difference.
The signing of a true, All-Pro, bookend tackle in free agency would have been helpful - but clearly that was never in the cards. I'm comfortable with where they're at.
Q: Will Kayshon Boutte make the team? Will Demario Douglas?
A: The Patriots wide receiver room was under the microscope at Tuesday's practice with JuJu Smith-Schuster, DeVante Parker, Kendrick Bourne, and Tyquan Thornton all absent from practice. It was the rookies' time to shine.
Both Boutte and Douglas received plenty of reps and looked like they belonged. Right now I'd give Douglas a slight edge over Boutte to make the team given his versatility as a special teamer.
Ultimately, we won't know anything until the pads go on. I expect Boutte to shine when that happens.
Q: Will the Patriots extend anyone before the season? If so - who?
A: The three Patriots primed candidates for contract extensions prior to the regular season are Kyle Dugger, Josh Uche, and Mike Onwenu.
Dugger seems like the most likely candidate given that a) he's the best of the three and b) New England addressed EDGE and IOL in April's draft. They didn't do so at safety.
Kyle Dugger should be a Patriot for life.
Q: Can Malik Cunningham pass Bailey Zappe on the QB depth chart?
A: No. Cunningham has been repping mostly with the wide receivers at Patriots practice, and I expect it to stay that way.
Zappe is the backup. That won't change.
Q: Is this a prove it year for Mac Jones?
A: It sure is. And the third-year QB is ready for it.
Jones got the short end of the stick last season - there's no denying that. But we're onto 2023 now and it's clear that the signal-caller is ready to move on.
Next offseason, the Patriots will have the ability to extend Jones for a fifth year for anywhere from (roughly) $15 and $25 million. If he plays well, it's a no-brainer. If he doesn't, they'll have a decision to make.
So yes - 'prove it year' may be an understatement.
Make sure to follow Mike on Twitter @mikekadlick, and follow @WEEI for the latest up-to-date Patriots and Boston sports news!
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