INDIANAPOLIS — The NFL combine officially kicks off on Wednesday with select coaches and general managers addressing the media. Prospects begin meeting with the media on Thursday, and on-field testing begins Friday.
Coverage of the workouts will be shown on NFL Network through Monday.
This is one of the most anticipated drafts in recent memory for Patriots fans, as the team needs to draft some impactful defensive players and will in all likelihood be drafting a quarterback with the hope he will be Tom Brady's successor.
WEEI.com will be on site in Indy all week providing full coverage.
Here are five things to watch from a Patriots perspective.
1. Matt Patricia's press conference
Patricia will have his first meeting with the media since his introductory press conference the week of the Super Bowl. The new Lions coach likely will be asked about the Malcolm Butler benching from the Super Bowl, but don't expect an answer. It likely will remain a mystery. It will also be worth keeping an eye on 49ers GM John Lynch and head coach Kyle Shanahan's press conferences, as Jimmy Garoppolo's new contract likely will come up. These will take place Thursday morning. New Titans head coach and former Patriots linebacker Mike Vrabel will speak Wednesday, as well. As has been the case in recent years, Bill Belichick and Nick Caserio are not scheduled to speak to the media.
2. Which quarterbacks are connected to Patriots?
Friday is the day quarterbacks meet with the media and it's likely several of them say they have met or will meet with the Patriots. While it's easy to say this means the Patriots are interested, keep in mind the Patriots will likely meet with almost all the quarterbacks. The thing to watch is official visits and which QBs visit Gillette Stadium for private workouts. Saturday is the on-field portion and it will be worth seeing which ones stand out. New England seems likely to use one of its two second-round picks on a quarterback, so any of the high first-round prospects likely aren't even on the Patriots' draft board, but any late first to fourth-round prospects are worth keeping an eye on to see who stands out.
3. Who are the best front-seven players?
It would seem the biggest draft need for the Patriots is someone in the front-seven, especially an athletic linebacker. One of the biggest weaknesses this past season was a lack of speed from the position and it appears something the organization will look to address. Perhaps the Patriots use their first-round pick on this position and thus get one of the better players available. It will be worth paying close attention to the on-field workouts on Sunday, as this is when these players will be tested. Typically, the Patriots like leaders and if a player was a college captain they may be given higher consideration than someone who wasn't.
4. Potential running back steals
According to the draft experts, the running back class is one of the deepest in years and the Patriots may look to select one in the mid-to-late rounds. They haven't selected a running back since James White in 2014, so now may be the time. Dion Lewis seems likely to sign elsewhere, Rex Burkhead may return, but it's not guaranteed, and Mike Gillislee's status is up in the air as he could be a cap casualty. Now seems like the right time to draft a running back later in the draft, so any running backs projected to go from the third-to-seventh round are worth watching as the Patriots may be seeking a steal.
5. Any news with Rob Gronkowski
With all of the NFL community gathered in the same city for the next few days, it's likely the status of Gronkowski will be brought up and perhaps some hints on what he will do in 2018 might come out. As things stand now, it's very possible the tight end doesn't play football next season. Not only has his body taken a beating over the years, NBC Sports Boston's Tom E. Curran reported he didnt enjoy himself in 2017 and even contemplated retirement during training camp last summer. Everything factored in may prove not worth going through another NFL season for the 27-year-old. Perhaps more than any other NFL player, Gronkowski can market himself outside of football and still make a decent salary. With how big the story has got in recent days, it seems to be one of the biggest topics across the league and thus more information may come out.
