1 – The Patriots need a quarterback.
No, this isn’t yet another commentary on the uncertain future former first-round pick Mac Jones faces in in his critical third season in New England.
Nope, with reports indicating that the Patriots will be releasing veteran journeyman backup quarterback Brian Hoyer the simple fact is that New England needs to add at least one QB to its depth chart to join the competition with Jones and second-year backup Bailey Zappe.
That guy could arrive via trade, free agency or April’s NFL Draft.
If the latter option is the route taken, the perfect pick to add to the New England QB room is Tennessee’s Hendon Hooker. Hooker represents two words that should very much appeal to Bill Belichick: value and upside.
The value comes due to two key factors in that Hooker is a 25-year-old prospect coming off a torn ACL that ended his collegiate career.
Upside comes in the fact that Hooker probably has first-round talent, given his 6-3, 217-pound frame and crazy production for the Volunteers over the last couple years that saw him lead the nation’s best offense to the tune of 58 touchdown passes compared to just five interceptions for Tennessee in 2021-22.
Hooker has the obvious potential to be a modern, dual-threat starting quarterback in the NFL, even if there may be a developmental period as he jumps from the Tennessee system to what Bill O’Brien would ask him to do in New England.
But for a team that has questions about its starting quarterback and simply needs to add a body to the QB mix, Hooker just might be the perfect value, upside second-day draft pick for the Patriots. If Jones returns to his rookie form and locks down the starting job in 2023 then Hooker could become a backup and developmental trade chip in New England. If Jones continues to struggle the way he did a year ago, Hooker can get healthy and provide a possible alternative both in body and playing style as Belichick and the Patriots continue to try to return to contender status in an AFC that is loaded with quarterback talent.
All things considered, Hooker might just be the perfect QB draft fit in Foxborough this spring.
2 – Devin McCourty’s retirement announcement this week was not unexpected. The longtime New England captain and safety has been talking about retirement dating back to the two weeks leading up to Super Bowl LIII. The veteran deserves to walk away on his terms, but there is no question he could still play. Heck, McCourty was the only Patriot to log more than 1,000 defensive snaps last fall while starting all 17 games. That durability, reliability and availability – he started every game over his final seven seasons in Foxborough and in 10 of his 13 season overall – was just one of the many things that made McCourty one of the greatest players to ever wear a Patriots uniform. His on-field contributions to winning were obvious, but they also may have been surpassed by the value that his leadership and professionalism brought to Robert Kraft’s organization. Few New England players, if any, have left the kind of mark on the field, in the locker room and on the community that compares to what McCourty was able to accomplish. As Belichick always reminds us, roster turnover and change are constant in the NFL world. Finding a way to fill the massive void left by McCourty’s retirement, a darn near impossible task, is going to be one of the more significant challenges faced by the 2023 Patriots.
3 – McCourty’s retirement closes the door on the impressive 2010 Patriots draft class that not only included the All-Pro cornerback-turned-safety late in the first round, but also future Hall of Fame tight end Rob Gronkowski in the second round. While the group is highlighted by the two Hall of Fame-caliber top picks – New England traded down in the first round for McCourty while moving up in the second for Gronkowski – the class also included the troubled-but-talented tight end Aaron Hernandez, solid linebacker talent Brandon Spikes, an offensive lineman in Ted Larsen who started 88 games over 10 NFL seasons and even more-than-respectable punter Zoltan Mesko. A run of bad drafts had Belichick’s ability in that area being doubted of late, but that 2010 group was the stuff that Super Bowls are built upon.
4 – Speaking of Patriots punter draft picks, 2019 fifth-round pick Jack Bailey saw his tumultuous New England career come to an end this week. The former All-Pro was released by the Patriots less than a year after he signed a lucrative extension with the team last August before finishing the season on injured reserve and a suspended list. That suspension could void the remaining guaranteed money on the contract and will be at the center of a grievance field by Bailey, who was seemingly in line for a bounce-back year last summer when he was crushing the ball in training camp action. That bounce-back season never came to fruition as Bailey was the worst punter in the NFL statistically before the injury. What happened to Bailey’s on-field success and off-field relationship with the Patriots is story to be told. It’s also a reminder of how fleeting stability and success can be in the NFL, especially when it comes to specialists in the kicking game.
5 – With the NFL’s negotiating period set to begin on Monday and free agency coming on Wednesday, time is running down for teams to re-sign their own free agents. At this point, guys may figure it’s worth getting to the open market to see what is out there. Still, last-minute deals to re-sign players can’t be ruled out. While top free agents like wide receiver Jakobi Meyers and cornerback Jonathan Jones should probably test the open waters at this point for their own best financial interests, a couple other defensive backs might be worthy re-signing candidates before free agency opens. Jabrill Peppers brought a unique physicality and attitude to his safety position a year ago, a style that is rare these days. Though there may be some redundancy with his skill set alongside Kyle Dugger and Adrian Phillips, it would be nice to see him remain in the secondary mix for at least another season. Meanwhile, Myles Bryant became a bit of a target for both opposing offenses and critical New England fans, but bringing him back to the competitive mix for a group that’s razor thin at both cornerback and free safety would at least offer experienced competition to the retooling back end.
6 – The NFL dispensed it compensatory draft picks – those awarded to teams for net losses in free agency the prior year – this week with New England earning a pick after the fourth round for J.C. Jackson’s departure and a selection after the sixth round for Ted Karras’ exit. Those two additional picks give Belichick, Matt Groh and staff 10 selections in April’s draft: Nos. 14 (Rd. 1), 46 (Rd. 2), 76 (Rd. 3), 107 (Rd. 4), 117 (Rd. 4), 135 (Rd. 4), 184 (Rd. 6), 187 (Rd. 6), 192 (Rd. 6), 210 (Rd. 6). With New England’s highest first-round pick since selecting Jerod Mayo at No. 10 overall in 2008 and six of the first 135 picks, the Patriots have the assets to attack a critical offseason. Those picks could be utilized to inject youthful talent into the roster or to chase veteran talent on the trade market. It’s a very important offseason in New England and the 10 draft picks will be at the center of that in some form or fashion.
7 – While the attention around Aaron Rodgers, Lamar Jackson and the No. 1 pick in the draft have made it feel in recent days like the NFL offseason is in full swing, it actually really gets under way this week. The free agency negotiating period that begins on Monday at noon will only inject more life into the NFL rumor mill. Then when the new league year begins on Wednesday, kicking off free agency at 4 p.m., there will be a flurry of signings and trades that can then become official. With all due respect to college basketball, the biggest story in sports this mid-March week will likely be the NFL. Football is king and will flex its muscles dominating the headlines yet again. How active Belichick’s Patriots will be in the action remains to be seen, but business is about to pick up and New England has plenty of business it needs to get done this offseason.