Patriots 2022 Season

[Vermont Green]

Finally, a WR. 

[Neurotic Guy]

And a punter.

[Goldstar88]

Pats first pick in the 4th round: Jake Andrews-C

Add K Chad Ryland and G Sidy Sow.

Glad to see a center and a guard selected though I haven’t the slightest idea whether either project to be starter quality.

Took a kicker with a pretty valuable pick. Don’t know anything about the guy but I imagine he must be pretty good.

Glad for any knowledgeable folks to assess the selections.

I love the Sow pick. He can play any of the three interior line positions and was one of the best run blockers in college last season. I do wonder if the Pats are planning to move Onwenu back to RT. Their picks of Andrews and Sow (along with the other FA additions) seem to indicate they either know they won't pay Onwenu after this season, or that they'll move Onwenu to RT and roll with Trent Brown, Onwenu and their other additions (Reiff, Anderson, McDermott, etc.) in a rotation at tackle.

David Andrews is 31 and getting older, plus he's dealt with some injuries. I think this new Andrews (Jake Andrews) might just be backup in 2023, but insurance for beyond that.

Yeah, I think you could be right on this.

[gouki88]

Boutte is a really good value pick in the 6th round. I remember at the start of this college season he was being thought of as a day 2 guy at worst. He didn't have a great year, but his RAC ability and knack for weaving through defences makes him a legit chance.

Demario Douglas is an explosive undersized WR. Screams K/PR guy with some ability to chip in on offence.

Love the pickup of Sow. I think he can slot in right away, hard to find many issues with his game. Big, athletic, and balanced. Hand work can probably do with some work.

Jake Andrews is a good IOL pickup, has a really strong understanding of how to use angles to his advantage. Not a great athlete, but his versatility to play G and C is intriguing.

Atonio Mafi is essentially a big rhino of an O-lineman. Hugely strong, but has little to no lateral mobility. Good lead blocker in the run game with his massive power though.

Baringer the punter is a good pick for the 6th. If he can rein in his power on finesse punts he will be good.

No thoughts on Speed or Bolden.

The kicker in the 4th round, Ryland, astounds me as a selection. Just do not see the need to trade up for that. Oh well

[Vermont Green]

In my mind, the biggest need or weakness was O-Line.  They signed two vet tackles and drafted 3 more O-linemen.  None of these 5 should be expected to be studs, but lots of added depth.

Trent Brown is back, not sure what to make of him.  Has been one of the best at times and other times not so much.  Hopefully with a better overall line and better coaching/scheming, it will raise all boats as they say.  The O-Line should be better, we'll see how much better.  A little bit better OL can make a QB look a whole lot better.

I checked and saw that Isaiah Wynn is still out there, he has not signed anywhere.  I wonder where he is going to end up and if coming back on a kind of make good type of short contract is something he would consider (or that the Patriots would offer).  Injuries and consistency are what is preventing teams from offering a long term contract.  If he hasn't gotten a desirable offer at this point, it seems like he isn't going to get one.  He is going to have to settle for a lesser contract from someone.  Seems the best environment for him will be to come back with the Patriots.

[gouki88]

Malik Cunningham as an UDFA is interesting. His final season was a significant step backwards, but in 2021 he was super dynamic. Not a great arm, but slippery in the pocket and can pick up scrimmage yardage. I'd like to take a flyer on him as a backup.

Lumpkin is nothing really.

Jourdan Heilig is probably us hoping for another Schooler

[Goldstar88]

How likely is it that Jack Jones gets off with just community service and/or fines for this? Do you think the Pats cut him.

According to NFL.com, Jones faces two counts each of possession of a concealed weapon in a secure area of an airport; possession of ammunition without a firearm identification card; unlawful possession of a firearm; carrying a loaded firearm; and possession of a large-capacity feeding device.

[Roy H.]

Jones' defense:  institutional racism + he had no idea

https://www.yahoo.com/news/were-not-answering-lawyer-patriots-182314837.html

[Goldstar88]

Jones' defense:  institutional racism + he had no idea

https://www.yahoo.com/news/were-not-answering-lawyer-patriots-182314837.html

Did social media/the media conjure up this as well? 

Jones has had legal issues before: In 2018, he was arrested after breaking into a Panda Express in Santa Paula, Calif. He initially faced felony charges of commercial burglary and conspiracy to commit a crime, but the charges were reduced to misdemeanor commercial burglary after he pleaded guilty. He served 45 days of house arrest as part of his plea deal.

[Neurotic Guy]

Jones' defense:  institutional racism + he had no idea

https://www.yahoo.com/news/were-not-answering-lawyer-patriots-182314837.html

Did social media/the media conjure up this as well? 

Jones has had legal issues before: In 2018, he was arrested after breaking into a Panda Express in Santa Paula, Calif. He initially faced felony charges of commercial burglary and conspiracy to commit a crime, but the charges were reduced to misdemeanor commercial burglary after he pleaded guilty. He served 45 days of house arrest as part of his plea deal.

Jones is innocent till proven guilty and entitled to (and wealthy enough to have) a vigorous defense.  We have limited information on Jones - 4 or 5 disciplinary incidents since his freshman year in college countered by some solid corner play in the 2022 NFL season.  And now an arrest for what seems to be a flagrant violation.

Does being a young Black man with priors have influence on how Jones is adjudicated in the court of public opinion?  My guess is that with some folks it does.  And although the conclusions some draw about his character might be tainted by racial bias, that doesn’t make him innocent.  It’s a social reality that physical appearance, in the absence of knowledge of character, can influence what we think of someone. In this case there is clearly a history, but equally clear is that none of us really know much about him as a human being. Yet, my guess is that many people have already decided they know who he is. Hopefully the judicial system will judge fairly - hear mitigating factors if they exist - and judge based on the facts that are presented.