New England Patriots links 4/13/23 – Mac Jones, Bailey Zappe warm up their arms

Daily news and links for Thursday.

TEAM TALK

• Patriots 2023 Mock Draft Tracker.
• Patriots Draft Prospect Review: Defensive Line. Paul Perillo, Mike Dussault and Evan Lazar break down all the top talent at the defensive line positions in the Draft and which prospects may have a fit with the Patriots. (23 min.)

LOCAL LINKS

• Karen Guregian presents her pre-draft roster projection: Assessing who makes the team, and who doesn’t two weeks before the Patriots hit the draft.
• Zack Cox notes this year’s crop of tight end prospects is viewed as the deepest in recent memory, and one of its headliners, Utah’s Dalton Kincaid is set to meet with the Patriots this week.
• Alex Barth reports the Patriots keep meeting with the top pass catchers in this year’s draft. Their latest visit is with Utah tight end Dalton Kincaid.
• Mark Daniels suggests five rookie tight ends the Patriots could add to play with Mike Gesicki and Hunter Henry.
• Adam London’s NFL Draft Rumors: Patriots taking ‘close look’ at these prospects. ‘At some point, New England is going to need to draft and effectively build up a homegrown receiver.’
• Chris Mason’s Patriots Mailbag: Which young Patriots player will take biggest leap in 2023?
• Chris Mason notes Bailey Zappe was asked about competing with Mac Jones and he says he’ll “take full advantage” if the opportunity to be the Pats’ QB presents itself.
• Justin Leger relays Josh Uche sharing some thoughts on the Mac Jones rumors with Tom E. Curran and Phil Perry.
• Alex Barth points out that JuJu Smith-Schuster has picked No. 7 as his new jersey number.
• Keagan Stiefel notes possible Patriots draft target Ohio State WR Jaxon Smith-Njigba drew a comparison to Julian Edelman per PFF.
• Zack Cox identifies the five biggest Patriots draft steals of the Bill Belichick Era.
• Adam London will be keeping an eye on top QB prospect Tennessee’s Hendon Hooker.
• Mark Daniels relays Mel Kiper saying he sees the Patriots landing an impact player in Round 1. “I think the receiver, the o-lineman, the corner – it could fall pretty well in the first round where they have three very good options if Gonzalez were there, Darnell Wright, the right tackle from Tennessee was there or if they got lucky and Jaxon Smith-Njigba were there,” Kiper said. “What would they do? I don’t know but that would be a good option to have.”
• Zack Cox’ Patriots Mock Draft 5.0. Pats pick Ohio State WR Jaxon Smith-Njigba at 14.
• Nick O’Malley gives us his ‘Belichick-ian’ Mock Draft with picks that would make Patriots fans pull their hair out. Pats make two trades to get out of the first round. /Lolz.
• Zack Cox brings up a rumor from Texans reporter John McClain saying he heard Nick Caserio could land back in New England this offseason — but McClain adds he personally doubts that would happen.
• Chris Mason notes Ted Karras said he gained 100 pounds in a year with a gallon of milk daily.
• Locked On Patriots podcast: Mike D’Abate breaks down Mac Jones and Bailey Zappe’s joint throwing sessions with Tyquan Thornton and DeVante Parker and Mike Gesicki. (32 min.)

NATIONAL NEWS

• Russell S. Baxter (Fansided) Patriots draft picks and draft needs in 2023.
• Eric Edholm (NFL.com) Bailey Zappe will ‘take full advantage’ of any opportunity to become Patriots’ QB1.
• Nick Shook (NFL.com) AFC roster reset: Biggest signings/losses, burning question for each team ahead of the 2023 NFL Draft.
• Brad Spielberger (PFF) The state of all 32 teams before the 2023 NFL Draft. Patriots: Remaining starter needs: T, Remaining depth needs: CB, ED; More.
• Cody Benjamin (CBS Sports) Trade up, trade down or stay put? The best plan for all 31 picks in the first round. Pats should trade down at pick 14.
• Cody Benjamin (CBS Sports) Unpopular 2023 NFL Draft opinions: We polled 12 different CBS Sports experts to get unorthodox first-round takes.
• Jason Owens (Yahoo! Sports) One move each AFC team wishes it had back — or will in the future. Patriots: Letting Tom Brady walk.
• Chris Trapasso (CBS Sports) Weighing whether top signal-callers in 2023 class are better than QB-needy teams’ current options. No Pats.
• Mike Florio (ProFootballTalk) Report: Packers are still holding out for a 2024 first-round pick for Aaron Rodgers.
• Jack Baer (Yahoo! Sports) Report: Jeff Bezos has no plans to bid on Commanders after being blocked by Dan Snyder.
• Pete Prisco (CBS Sports) 2023 NFL Draft Better-Than Team: 25 prospects Prisco likes more than the scouts do.
• Bucky Brooks (NFL.com) Top 5 sleeper prospects in 2023 NFL Draft class. (4 min. video)
• Charles Davis (NFL.com) 2023 NFL mock draft 2.0. Pats pick Oregon CB Christian Gonzalez at 14.
• Matt Verderame (SI) 2023 NFL Mock Draft 8.0. Pats pick Penn State CB Joey Porter, Jr. at 14.