New England Patriots links 3/01/24 – Friday Combine Schedule: Defensive backs, tight ends

Daily news and links for Friday.

TEAM TALK

• Patriots 2024 Mock Draft Tracker.
• NFL Combine Day 3: Mike Dussault and Evan Lazar spotlight Tight Ends, Safeties and Cornerbacks. (8 min. video)
• Patriots Unfiltered: Latest from the NFL Combine, NFLPA player survey on NFL facilities. (2 hours)
• Patriots Catch-22 podcast: Evan Lazar and Alex Barth talk NFL Combine and what has stood out in the first three days. We discuss potential Patriots prospects and rank the QBs in the draft. (2 hours)
• Patriots Draft Countdown podcast: Mike Dussault and Evan Lazar are at the NFL Combine, joined by ESPN’s Matt Miller. (32 min. video)
• Throwback Photos: Patriots at the NFL Scouting Combine.
• Patriots Dynasty Doc recap: Episodes 5 & 6. (26 min. video)

LOCAL LINKS

• Karen Guregian and Mark Daniels report the Patriots have an offer on the table for key free agent safety Kyle Dugger, according to a source.
• Andrew Callahan wonders why Eliot Wolf is rebuilding the Patriots on an audition basis. Word is that the Krafts have not guaranteed Eliot Wolf anything past the draft. Wolf, like the rest of the Patriots’ front office, is replete with lame-duck executives and scouts, a rarity in the NFL, where most teams prevent their chief evaluators from ever reaching the end of their deals. /Interesting.
• Mike Kadlick says the Patriots reportedly met with J.J. McCarthy, Bo Nix as the team’s QB due diligence continues.
• Mike D’Abate notes the Patriots have reportedly met with top WR prospect Marvin Harrison, Jr. at the Combine.
• Alex Barth spotlights the Combine standouts from yesterday: Defensive linemen and linebackers.
• Alex Barth discusses reports from The Athletic and MassLive that the Patriots are expected to target a quarterback with the No. 3 pick.
• Nick Stevens talks about the report saying the Patriots plan is to completely remake the quarterbacks room.
• Tom E. Curran resets the roster at the tight end position: 2023 performance, 2024 contract status and assessing the position’s offseason priority. Is it time to draft a tight end?
• Chris Mason’s Patriots Mailbag: Why did Jerod Mayo backtrack on ‘burn some cash?’ Plus, questions on Robert Kraft, NFL Draft plans, and hypothetical trade scenarios.
• Richie Whitt posts the video clip of Tom Brady in a new ad for his sports apparel company, beating his 40-Yard Dash from 2000. /Self-deprecating Brady is pretty funny.
• Alex Barth picks the top six quotes from The Dynasty Part 5 and Part 6.

NATIONAL NEWS

• Danica Creahan (Yahoo! Sports) How to watch the 2024 NFL Combine today: Schedule, times, TV channel; More.
• Josh Alper (ProFootballTalk) Caleb Williams won’t do medical testing at the Combine.
• Eric Edholm, et al. (NFL.com) 2024 NFL Scouting Combine: What we learned on Thursday in Indianapolis. 1) Rising DT Braden Fiske puts on a show.
• Chad Reuter (NFL.com) Combine stock up/stock down, Day 1: Braden Fiske, Dallas Turner sizzle.
• Josh Alper (ProFootballTalk) Jerod Mayo: I kind of misspoke when I said we’ll “burn some cash” this offseason.
• Myles Simmons (ProFootballTalk) Nick Caserio: The league is always better when people like Bill Belichick are around.
• Jori Epstein (Yahoo! Sports) NFL insiders tell why RBs won’t be getting big deals; Teams hesitate to pay big money to running backs, and many around the league don’t see it changing. The reasons are all about the modern game.
• Mike Florio (ProFootballTalk) Jets won’t find a trade partner for Zach Wilson, without eating most of his 2024 compensation. /Oof.

EXTRACURRICULAR

• Jason Owens (Yahoo! Sports) NFL reportedly tested first-down tracking technology that could replace chain crews
• Sean Leahy (Yahoo! Sports) ‘Tush push’ sticking around, says NFL exec Troy Vincent: ‘Don’t punish a team that strategically does it well’. /Unless you’re the Patriots who excelled at leaping over the line to block field goals but had the play banned — because ‘someone “might” get hurt.’ No injuries, but suddenly “might” was enough.
• David Steele (Sporting News) From March, 2017 — NFL’s leaping ban is the lazy way out, makes fun and talent illegal. /Here’s LB Shea McClellin and his leaping MNF field goal block vs. the Ravens.
• Charean Williams (ProFootballTalk) Competition Committee is expected to propose change to grounding rule.
• Charean Williams (ProFootballTalk) Special teams coaches could propose requiring two returners on kickoffs.
• Mike Florio (ProFootballTalk) Some NFL executives downplay NFLPA survey results, because of course they do.