Boston, MA
Patriots mailbag: Is Justin Fields an option at quarterback?
The NFL offseason is moving quickly, and under new leadership, the Patriots will need to make a decision at quarterback soon.
The NFL scouting combine is a week away, and in three weeks, the Patriots will be allowed to speak to impending free agents. The team must have a plan on how they’ll approach their biggest need at quarterback and whether they plan to add that player via free agency, a trade or the draft, before the new NFL year begins on March 13.
Let’s dive into some potential options in this week’s mailbag.
@ZackFitzNFL
Are the Patriots around in the Justin Fields talks?
I’ve been told not to rule out anything at quarterback. If the Patriots would rather take an offensive lineman, wide receiver or a player at another position at No. 3 overall (or trade down), then making a deal with the Bears for Justin Fields seemingly would be an option.
That being said, Fields’ team needs to decide on his fifth-year option this offseason. He’s proven he can be a starter, but he’s in the lower tier among NFL quarterbacks. The Patriots need someone better than that to compete now and in the future. It seems to make more sense to swing for the fences and take Caleb Williams, Drake Maye or Jayden Daniels.
An acquiring team would take on $3.2 million by trading for Fields, so he is a bargain. He ranked 23rd among 32 quarterbacks with a -0.009 expected points added (EPA) per play. He was 21st in PFF grade, 23rd in PFF passing grade and 23rd in QBR.
Fields experienced his best season in 2023, but he’s been in the NFL for three seasons now. How much more will or can he improve?
If Fields is the option, then the Patriots would need to decide between a wide receiver like Marvin Harrison Jr. or an offensive tackle like Joe Alt at No. 3 overall. They need both, but that’s not really an option.
@Deeep_Blue
How active are patriots going to be in the free agent market? Top targets?
They pretty much have to be active in free agency. Not to get too into the nitty gritty, but the Patriots need to spend 90% of the salary cap in cash over the next three seasons. They’re only set to spend $216.2 million in cash over that span. The 2024 salary cap is projected to be $240 million. Even if the cap didn’t rise in 2025 and 2026 (it will), the Patriots are only set to spend 30% of the cap in cash from 2024 to 2026.
So, they need to spend a lot of money over the next three offseasons, and they need better talent.
I’d start with trying to bring back safety Kyle Dugger and offensive lineman Mike Onwenu. From there, I’d try to add a top-flight wide receiver.
@KleaverBlock
Watching the impact that having a 1-2 combo (Mahomes/Kelce) can have, what’s the QB/Receiver combo you’d like after the offseason?
Williams and free-agent wide receiver Tee Higgins.
But Williams seems destined to go in the top two picks, and there’s no guarantee that Higgins will make it to free agency.
Maye and someone like Mike Evans would be more realistic and would still help.
@DomDoesNFL
Do we see a Gilly Lock reunion this offseason?
That depends on what Stephon Gilmore is looking for this offseason. If he wants to win, then New England isn’t the best place to do it. If he wants to earn top dollar, then maybe the Patriots would be a good destination.
@PatsSTH1969
Thoughts on the New Pats ponying up market value + Cash for Baker and taking the draft haul that will come after the Drake Maye and Jaylen Daniels Pro Days? If no Baker take 1 of the 2?
It makes the most sense for Baker Mayfield to return to the Buccaneers.
@boston_fan73
Welcome back, Doug. There has been some talk of the Pats trading down & drafting an OT or WR. If they don’t draft a QB at 3.
What draft classes are deeper for QB, WR, and OL, this year’s class, or next year’s?
Could this push them to take a QB at 3 regardless of player?
It’s too early to assess next year’s draft, but this year’s class has three quarterbacks, three wide receivers and three offensive tackles listed in the top 15 of The Athletic’s draft prospects. It’s tough to do better than that.
All three positions are pretty deep in this year’s class, as well.
@llsoxfans
No question, just hoping you’re doing okay given the circumstances. Good to see you on the Twittersphere. My thoughts remain with your family. I appreciate you!
Thank you. Very much appreciated.
@GoldEP_
Non patriot question will you be watching the ufl
I’ll be monitoring it. Not sure how much I’ll actually be watching, however.
@RickLawsonEP
Do the o-linemen we currently have n the roster fit the new offensive scheme? Based on the new scheme would you keep Onwenu?
The team is still working through whether the coaching changes alter what they look for in offensive linemen. I would still keep Onwenu. You can find a fit for him at guard or tackle.
@Curmudgeon_Mike
With Pats looking at 2-3 years before being relevant should they trade Judon? The “D” wasn’t terrible without him. And they could use more draft capital for the rebuild!
#MailDoug
I’ve mentioned this before, but something will need to be done with Matthew Judon this offseason. The Patriots borrowed from his 2024 salary to give him a raise last offseason. So, they either need to give him a real raise this offseason, an extension or move on from him.
Judon is a team leader, and the Patriots have money to spend. The best option would be to try to make something work to keep him.
Boston, MA
Red Sox Icon David Ortiz Urges Boston To ‘Make It Rain’ For Free-Agent Slugger
The Boston Red Sox hive mind doesn’t always come to a perfect agreement on what they want the team to do. That is, of course, unless David Ortiz is asking for it.
A three-time World Series champion, Hall of Famer, and one of the most clutch players of all time, Ortiz is unquestionably on the Red Sox’s all-time Mount Rushmore. Even though he retired in 2016, he’s still closely woven into the fabric of the organization.
Ortiz sees what we all do: this Red Sox team is close to being ready to contend for the playoffs, but there’s one key ingredient missing. He made his feelings known about what he hopes the front office does between now and Opening Day to address that issue.
On Saturday, Ortiz relayed a simple message to the Red Sox: spend whatever it takes to get one more big bat.
“There’s still some guys out there that we can still go for, and I think we have a really good front office,” Ortiz said in an appearance on NESN. “To put a good lineup together nowadays is not that difficult. What you got to do is just make it rain, and you can go pick a few guys. Now pitching, on the other hand, is the toughest thing to put together.
“We got pitching. Pitching can always stop good offenses. The playoff is a playoff pitching (staff) we got right now. We line up a couple of thunders in the lineup to help (Rafael Devers) and the rest of them boys — one good bat would do.”
Ortiz and NESN host Tom Caron both strongly hinted at the end of the interview who that big bat could be: former Houston Astros All-Star Alex Bregman. Manager Alex Cora also signaled earlier in the day that Bregman would be a great fit in Boston.
Bregman isn’t quite Ortiz, but he does have one thing on him: the career record for OPS at Fenway Park. He has a wild 1.245 mark in 98 plate appearances in Boston throughout his career.
When David Ortiz asks for something, the Red Sox would usually be wise to follow through. And it seems he wants Bregman. Will that move the needle in the suites at Fenway?
More MLB: Red Sox Predicted To Land Ex-Padres $28 Million Gold Glover In Free Agency Surprise
Boston, MA
Greater Boston enjoys a light snow, travel not significantly impacted – The Boston Globe
The snow showers come from a weakening system approaching from the Great Lakes that tapped into some of the moisture from a strong storm passing south of New England.
The region was spared the worst precipitation of the storm thanks to persistent sub-freezing temperatures earlier this week, which pushed it south toward its current location off the coast of North Carolina, Nocera said. New England’s light snowfall is on the northern fringes of the storm.
Nocera added that this weekend’s “decorative snow” will not significantly impact ground travel.
The Massachusetts Port Authority issued a travel advisory for flight delays at Boston Logan International Airport. According to the flight tracking website Flight Aware, as of around 1:00 p.m. 212 flights were delayed at Boston Logan and another 15 were cancelled.
Margo Griffin, a teaching associate at the University of Cambridge in England, was initially worried about driving through the snow on her way to get coffee in Cambridge, but said the view from the Charles River was worth the trek.
“I thought it might be a problem, but I just decided to go ahead with the plan, and I’m enjoying walking through the snow,” Griffin said.
Other Boston-area residents who spoke to the Globe Saturday morning were happy to wake up to the winter scene on Saturday.
“I am feeling wonderful about the snow. I haven’t seen it in a long time,” said Barbara Delollis, a communications lead at Harvard Business School.
Delollis already made snow day plans.
“We want to go out and have some fun in the snow, and take a lot of pictures and just remember this moment, because we don’t know how much more snowfall we’re going to see in the Boston area anymore with climate change,” Delollis said.
Talia, a Cambridge resident, said that the snow had no effect on her plans to attend synagogue with her two-year-old son Saturday morning.
“It feels nice and seasonal, which is cool because climate change is terrifying,” she said.
Snowstorms can still occur, despite warming temperatures from climate change, Nocera said. Although Saturday’s snowfall cannot guarantee heavy snow this winter, there is a slightly higher chance of snow towards the end of the month as cold temperatures ease.
Materials from previous Globe stories were used in this report.
Boston, MA
Boston College drops Hockey East contest to Merrimack
The second-ranked Boston College men’s hockey team suffered its first home loss of the season, falling to Merrimack by a score of 5-2 in Hockey East action on Friday night at Kelley Rink. The Eagles jumped out to a 2-0 lead early in the second, but the Warriors scored the next five. BC falls to 12-4-1 overall and 6-3-1 in Hockey East, while Merrimack improves to 8-10-1 overall and 4-5-1 in league play. The Eagles opened the scoring midway through the first period when Oskar Jellvik one-timed the rebound off an Aram Minnetian shot that was saved by the Merrimack goaltender. Minnetian’s shot fell right into the path of Jellvik for the quick shot into the open net to put the Eagles in front. BC added to its lead shortly into the second period when Brady Berard scored a short-handed goal. Merrimack responded 32 seconds later with a power-play goal to get on the board, before scoring the game-tying goal less than one minute after that. The Warriors took the lead nearly three minutes later when Merrimack scored its third goal of the period. The Warriors scored twice in the third period to push their lead to three. Jacob Fowler made 23 saves while Nils Wallstrom had 27 stops for Merrimack.
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