New England Patriots

Patriots rookie wide receiver Ja’Lynn Polk has caught just 10 passes on his 23 targets this season, and head coach Jerod Mayo said Polk needs to stop dropping passes. But Polk thinks his hands are great.

Mayo said Polk needs “to get over this mental hump” and “eliminate the dropped passes.”

But Polk told MassLive.com that he doesn’t see it that way.

“I’m not dealing with [any] mental problems at all. No mental problems,” Polk said. “I believe I have the best hands in the league. So, I feel like my drops, that’s not an issue at all.”

Polk said he has a lot of confidence in himself.

“I’ve got more confidence in myself than anybody has in me,” Polk said. “I just have the mindset of wanting to be the best. So, keep chasing greatness and being the best that I can be.”

Polk needs to play better for Mayo to have that kind of confidence in him.

The New England Patriots used their first free-agent move Monday to add depth at running back. Former Washington Commanders back Antonio Gibson, 25, agreed to terms on a three-year, $11.25 million contract with the Patriots, according to a league source, that will make him the team’s No. 2 running back behind Rhamondre Stevenson.

Antonio Gibson can be a third-down, pass-catching back for the Patriots and occasionally spell Rhamondre Stevenson.

— Chad Graff (@ChadGraff) March 11, 2024

Patriots informed WR DeVante Parker that they are releasing him Wednesday and he now has been given permission to talk to other teams, per his agent Jimmy Gould.

Source: The #Patriots are re-signing WR Kendrick Bourne to a 3-year, $19.5 million contract.

Bourne’s deal carries a maximum value of $33 million and includes a $4.2 million signing bonus.

The New England Patriots are finalizing a deal to trade quarterback Mac Jones to the Jacksonville Jaguars, league sources told ESPN's Adam Schefter on Sunday.

The Patriots will receive a 2024 sixth-round pick as compensation, sources told Schefter. The trade cannot be processed until the new league year begins Wednesday and Jones passes a physical.

Archive.is link: https://archive.is/2024.01.13-121045/https://theathletic.com/5199098/2024/01/13/bill-belichick-jerod-mayo-patriots-head-coach-change-details/

A quick read about the succession plan in Foxborough and the speeding up.

Just some quick thoughts from Rhamondre Stevenson on his struggles this season as we head into an extension-eligible season.

The first 3 picks in the 2024 NFL Draft are now officially set:

1. Bears
2. Commanders
3. Patriots

Archive.is link: https://archive.is/2024.01.06-063750/https://www.bostonherald.com/2024/01/04/inside-the-patriots-fall-to-rock-bottom-in-the-bill-belichick-era/

Unfortunately, another year, another Herald locker room dysfunction piece.

A quick video outlining three scenarios with Bill’s future after this abysmal season:

• Mutually part ways
• Trade Bill for picks
• Introduce a GM

According to Schultz, Kraft and Belichick are meeting next week to discuss the matter and begin figuring out next steps.

Of course, something has to change but this media circus does feel goofy. My wish is probably to keep Bill but just give him a GM. Let him just do X’s and O’s while having a harder deal maker in the GM office.

Excerpt from the article:

NFL Network first reported that Jackson won't travel for the game, citing questions about his reliability. A source told ESPN that Jackson missed curfew at the team hotel Saturday. SI.com had previously reported that Jackson was late to the hotel.

An excerpt from the article:

Telesco told the group that signing Jackson was a mistake, according to multiple team sources. He apologized for continuing to give Jackson opportunities, despite Jackson routinely showing that he wasn't as committed as the rest of the team while being one of the Chargers' highest paid players.

Telesco called the move a "swing and a miss."

New England Patriots coaches have stood by starting quarterback Mac Jones, supporting him despite his struggles on the field the past two weeks. With a rough start today against the Raiders, however, that could change.

Sources say Jones is on a short leash, and a poor opening few series could potentially trigger another QB to take snaps in Las Vegas. It's just not entirely clear who would take those snaps if Jones is benched

From Surrender Index 90 via X:

NE decided to punt to NO from the NO 40 on 4th & 3 with 9:48 remaining in the 3rd while losing 0 to 24.

With a Surrender Index of 39.71, this punt ranks at the 99.6th percentile of cowardly punts of the 2023 season, and the 98th percentile of all punts since 1999.

You probably shouldn't watch this unless you're a sicko who likes to be hurt.

New England Patriots cornerback Christian Gonzalez's rookie season has come to an end due to the shoulder injury he suffered in Sunday's 38-3 loss to the Dallas Cowboys.

Per NFL Network's Ian Rapoport, Gonzalez will undergo surgery to repair a torn labrum that resulted from his dislocated shoulder.

News of Gonzalez's injury came moments after Rapoport reported the Patriots were acquiring J.C. Jackson from the Los Angeles Chargers.

Jackson spent the first four years of his career in New England and became a star playing in head coach Bill Belichick's defense. He was named to the All-Pro second team in his final season with the team in 2021 before signing with the Chargers as a free agent.

Things weren't going well for Jackson in Los Angeles. He struggled mightily before being benched during a Week 6 game against the Denver Broncos. The 27-year-old was back in the lineup the following week, but suffered a ruptured patellar tendon that ended his 2022 season prematurely.

After starting the first two games this season, Jackson was a healthy inactive in Week 3 against the Minnesota Vikings. He was active for Sunday's game against the Las Vegas Raiders, but head coach Brandon Staley didn't use him.

Gonzalez was selected by the Patriots with the No. 17 overall pick in the 2023 NFL draft. He was having a very promising start with 17 combined tackles, three pass breakups and one interception in four games.

The injury occurred in the first quarter when Gonzalez tackled Cowboys running back Tony Pollard. He initially went back to the defensive huddle before going to a knee and holding his arm close to his body.

Depending on how quickly Jackson can get acclimated back into New England's defense, he might have a chance to play at least some snaps for Sunday's game against the New Orleans Saints.

Myles Bryant, who has appeared in all four games this season, could start in Gonzalez's place vs. the Saints.

Patriots cornerback Christian Gonzalez dislocated his right shoulder in the team's loss to the Cowboys on Sunday, per a source. The team’s training staff popped it back into place and he remains in a sling.

The rookie defender is scheduled to have an MRI tomorrow upon the team’s return to Foxborough to help determine the severity of the injury.

During the first quarter of Sunday’s loss, Gonzalez made a tackle on running back Tony Pollard and landed awkwardly on his shoulder. He was looked at by team trainers in the blue medical tent, went into the locker room, and did not return to the game.

ARLINGTON, Texas — Mac Jones will remain the Patriots’ starting quarterback moving forward, head coach Bill Belichick said Sunday after a 38-3 loss at the hands of the Cowboys.

Jones was removed from the game late in the third quarter for backup quarterback Bailey Zappe after turning the ball over three times. One of his two interceptions plus a strip-sack were returned by the Cowboys for touchdowns.

“I didn’t think there was any point in leaving him in the game,” Belichick said when asked why Jones was benched.

Belichick was asked directly if Jones would start Sunday against the Saints.

“Yeah, I just said there was no point in leaving him in the game,” Belichick responded.

Belichick said Jones was not benched for poor performance.

“I just said there was no point in leaving him out there, so I took him out,” Belichick said.

Jones was 12-of-21 for 150 yards with two interceptions. Zappe was 4-of-9 for 57 yards in reserve.

The Patriots also have quarterback Will Grier on their roster. Grier served as an emergency third quarterback on Sunday.

The Patriots have started the season 1-3 with losses to the Eagles and Jets. They were coming off of a 15-10 win over the Jets before Sunday’s drubbing.

idk man. i'm just bummed.

From Adam Schefter on X:

Patriots’ standout pass rusher Matthew Judon suffered a lower bicep tendon tear during today’s loss in Dallas, per source. How much time he will be sidelined for still is being evaluated.

cross-posted from: https://infosec.pub/post/3158719

Via Zack Cox on X:

The Patriots downgraded Jonathan Jones and Cole Strange to OUT for tomorrow’s game.

Third straight game Jones has missed. Strange left last week’s in the third quarter and looked very limited in practice this week.

Atonio Mafi the favorite to start at LG.

cross-posted from: https://infosec.pub/post/3158601

From Tom Pelissero via X:

The NFL didn’t fine #Patriots QB Mac Jones for his actions in last week’s game against the #Jets, per sources.

Any discipline would’ve required sufficient video evidence to support Sauce Gardner’s accusation. In this case, there wasn’t enough.

The Patriots are signing quarterback Will Grier to their active roster off the Bengals practice squad, ESPN’s Adam Schefter reports.

Grier was drafted by the Panthers in the third round of the 2019 NFL Draft out of West Virginia, spending parts of two seasons in Carolina. He got his only NFL action as a rookie, totaling 228 passing yards with no touchdowns and four interceptions in 2019.

Carolina released Grier before the 2021 season, but the Cowboys claimed him off waivers. Grier then spent the 2021 and ’22 seasons as Dallas’s third-string quarterback, but never saw any game action.

After the Cowboys traded for Trey Lance in August, the team released Grier, who then signed with the Bengals practice squad, where he has been for the past few weeks. This also means that Cincinnati will need another quarterback along with backup Jake Browning if Joe Burrow can’t play on Monday.

The Patriots now add Grier to their team as a third stringer behind Mac Jones and Bailey Zappe. New England will face the Jets on Sunday and is also set to play the Cowboys in Dallas next week.