Get caught up with the latest news and rumors surrounding the New England Patriots as they welcome in a new staff for the 2024 season.
Patriots reporter claims Bill Belichick "never believed" Tom Brady would actually leave the team
As soon as Bill Belichick announced he was leaving the Patriots last month, countless bombshell reports and rumors began flooding out of New England, most of which painted him in a bad light.
Besides the alleged tension between him and Robert Kraft, much of the conversation involved the handling of Tom Brady and his departure from the team in 2020, a situation that most believed happened due to Belichick.
The expose pieces published since his press conference have doubled down on that, claiming the head coach had been ready to move on from the quarterback for years leading up to his eventual exit. But now, NBC Sports Boston's Tom Curran, in a piece published earlier this week, has revealed a new detail.
According to the longtime Patriots reporter, Belichick never believed Brady would leave New England, despite his desire to see him go. Sources even said he spoke to the quarterback in the days before the announcement of him leaving as if he were still on the team and not a pending free agent.
“Belichick never truly believed Brady would leave. Even when the two men met just days before Brady’s contract expired, sources said Belichick said the Patriots couldn’t carry a salary cap hit of more than $22.5 million.”
Considering how the whole situation transpired, it's odd to think Belichick didn't see the inevitable fate of his desires and behavior. If he was unwilling to pay Brady what he was worth and build a competent offense around him, why would he choose to stay?
Clearly, he was wrong about Brady never leaving, as he did in March of 2020. He then went on to prove the Patriots had no reason to have turned their backs on him even more by winning a Super Bowl with the Buccaneers during his first season there.
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Christian Gonzalez appears to be recruiting former college quarterback
Apparently, Matthew Judon isn't the only current Patriot willing to put on their GM hat and recruit players they want to see join them in New England because we can now add Christian Gonzalez to that list.
The early frontrunner for last season's Defensive Rookie of the Year award has taken to social media to seemingly hint at his desire to see his former teammate and soon-to-be NFL rookie quarterback Bo Nix join the Patriots.
The cornerback's comment on Nix's Instagram post in mid-January caught the attention of many fans, as he suggested the two team up again, perhaps in the NFL.
Christian Gonzalez to Bo Nix via Instagram.
— Zeke (@ZekeTelemaco) January 13, 2024
Would you want to see the Patriots draft Bo Nix if he’s still available in the second round? pic.twitter.com/QatD5HmPlD
Gonzalez furthered speculation under a post the Patriots made on their Instagram, which showed highlights from this week's Senior Bowl. He responded by saying, "Hey Bo," as Nix was included in the posted clips.
Because the team needs a quarterback, it's possible the former Oregon duo could reunite in Foxboro next season. Nix is projected as an early second-rounder, which the Patriots could snag with the 34th overall pick. But if they go with a quarterback in the first round, he will end up drafted by a different team instead, thus breaking the possible reunion.
NFL draft expert Daniel Jeremiah would be "stunned" if the Patriots don't take a quarterback with No. 3 pick
Once it was clear the Patriots would have the third overall pick in the upcoming NFL draft, it was immediately decided they would draft a quarterback to replace Mac Jones and Bailey Zappe. Because they haven't had a selection that high in nearly 30 years, it seems like the most sensible and predictable decision for a team needing a significant offensive roster rebuild.
However, because analysts have suggested the top two quarterbacks, Drake Maye and Caleb Williams, will be the first two off the board, and the third-ranked player, Jayden Daniels, is quite a ways behind them, perhaps the Patriots will go with wide receiver Marvin Harrison Jr. instead and hold off until the second round for their next signal caller.
That hypothetical scenario has gained some steam recently, especially since Jerod Mayo did not dismiss the idea of Jones regaining his QB1 role next season. But NFL draft expert Daniel Jeremiah expressed he would be "stunned" if the Patriots went that route, as he believes they will certainly take a quarterback.
Daniel Jeremiah on the Senior Bowl broadcast says he’d be “stunned” if the #Patriots do not go QB at No. 3.
— Brian Hines (@iambrianhines) February 1, 2024
Of the top three teams, he adds Washington is the team he’s not “100% percent sure” will go QB.
Given how high they're picking and the players available at that position, it would make the most sense to go for a quarterback with the third pick, only if they like who's left on the board. If not, there's no reason to pass up on Harrison Jr. and maybe look at Bo Nix or Michael Penix Jr. later in the first, if not early in the second round.
Fortunately, we don't have too long to wait until the draft, with just over 80 remaining between now and night one.
Mac Jones was allegedly envious of Zach Wilson's treatment from the Jets in 2023
If you thought the behind-the-scenes details regarding Mac Jones and the Patriots haven't been strange enough, this newest report will surely put it over the top.
On top of everything that has been reported since the end of the 2023 season, nearly all of which has been unflattering about Bill Belichick's treatment of the quarterback, the latest reveal from MassLive's Mark Daniels claims Jones expressed his envy of Zach Wilson's situation to a Jets staffer after their final matchup of the season.
“On the other sideline Zach Wilson, who was drafted the same year as Jones, also lost his starting job,” Daniels wrote. “But the Jets had been upfront with their struggling quarterback. The Athletic reported that the Jets told Wilson they were going to trade him in the offseason. According to a source who was on the field pregame, the Patriots quarterback was so bothered by his team’s lack of communication, he told a member of the Jets’ staff that he appreciated how their organization handled Wilson’s situation."
Because we have since learned that Jones wasn't told he was going to be demoted to third string, nor was he informed he would be a healthy scratch to end the season, it makes sense that he would be a bit jealous of New York being upfront with Wilson, even if it weren't what the quarterback was hoping for.
But it's also crazy to imagine that Jones's situation in New England was so bad that he was envious of Wilson's experience in 2023, which wasn't considered all that fun either. It just goes to show how chaotic things were off the field despite their attempt at making things look smooth throughout the year.