The 3-10 New England Patriots have made it to their bye week. Mercifully. But even though there's no game on the docket this Sunday, there's still plenty to discuss, particularly when it comes to the state of this franchise going forward.
For this week's mailbag, we ventured back to Reddit for another AMA (Ask Me Anything) on the r/Patriots subreddit. Once again, we received a bounty of questions about all sorts of big-picture topics, from the job security of the coaches to 2025 NFL Draft prospects to Drake Maye's upside and everything in between. Let's dive right in.
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Fuqwon: It doesn't seem like Mayo is going to be removed. What are the chances of significant coaching staff changes excluding Mayo? Covington gone? Bringing in an experienced HC to mentor Mayo? AVP gone?
Fuqwon, you're on it. Mayo will be back. And as things stand right now, given how Drake Maye has performed, I'd say it's likely that Alex Van Pelt will be back. I even think DeMarcus Covington will be back.
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Ownership has committed to these guys in real tangible ways ($$), and I think they're getting some leeway in that they're all in these positions for the first time. (Van Pelt has been an offensive coordinator, but hasn't called plays every week since he did it on an emergency basis in 2009.)
That said! I could certainly see staff changes. Whether it's adding an experienced voice to help Covington, who has led a defense that continues to have communication issues... Or whether it's making a change in the receiver room...
Whatever it is, they need to make significant improvements in 2025 and the coaching staff should be on the list, even if all three of their top guys are back.
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F---Harambe2016: Realistically, what would it take for Kraft to clean house after this season or is everyone safe regardless of how the season ends? Or who would they be their "sacrificial" lamb so to speak?
My guess is by "clean house," you mean Mayo and Eliot Wolf. I'd be stunned if Mayo wasn't back. I'd be surprised, but not to the same level of a Mayo change, if Wolf was sent packing.
Ownership knew this was going to take time. They want to give these guys in whom they've invested ($$) time to prove themselves worthy of their positions. If there were sacrificial lambs, I think they'd be assistants -- both on the coaching staff and in the front office.
It wouldn't surprise me, for example, if you saw the team move on from people whose contracts are up after this season. Some in the organization were on similarly-termed deals -- meaning up after 2024 -- as Bill Belichick.
kiki_strumm3r: As it stands today, is it unreasonable to think if the team doesn't make the playoffs next year, the entire front office and coaching staff should be gone?
Should be gone is strong, but I guess it depends on how it looks. If they aren't even sniffing the postseason? That might be grounds for a clean sweep. But I don't think you'd hear Jerod Mayo talking about this like a three-year build -- he's mentioned the Lions and 49ers as comps in the past, and neither team made the postseason in Year 2 -- if ownership didn't see it the same way.
They should undoubtedly be progressing, though. A three-win season after a three-win season should be viewed as unacceptable. Especially with this quarterback.
Maye's readiness, in my opinion, puts pressure on everyone (coaches, front office) to hurry up and improve. He's so good that you could argue his presence on the roster should impact ownership expectations in Year 2.
Do they now see it as more of a two-year process since they have The Guy? We'll have to ask them soon.
DefeatFear: Any players you think Patriots should trade for/go after in free agency?
Tee Higgins. He averages 100-plus yards per game in games without Ja'Marr Chase. If he's not a high-end No. 1, I still think he's what they need: a boundary presence that would change how defenses approach them on a weekly basis.
ZookeepergameSad645: Hey Phil, how likely is it that we will be able to attract top of the line free agents next offseason when Chicago and Washington also have promising young QB's and plenty of cap space? Would it make sense to trade for vets on expiring contracts?
You have to offer the most. Veterans on expiring deals are interesting and should be considered. DK Metcalf is a free agent after 2025. He's the best of that group.
Terry McLaurin (I doubt Washington lets him go), Drake London (how good is he?), Garrett Wilson (in division), Deebo Samuel (wearing down?) Chris Olave (health concerns) are all in a similar buckets but aren't ideal adds.
Timberstocker22: Outside of the basic names, what is your big board for three to four prospects the Pats should be seriously looking at in the first three rounds of the NFL draft?
I think their first-round pick should be either Travis Hunter or Will Campbell, and I think they'll have a chance at one or both.
Some have the Patriots as the most likely team to end up with the No. 1 overall pick. Even if they don't, there's a chance a couple of QB-needy teams talk themselves into Sanders/Ward near the top of the draft, leaving the Patriots -- if they're picking third or fourth -- with a shot at one of the two best non-QBs in the class.
Hunter is the best player in the draft. My buddy Mike Renner from CBS just joined me on Next Pats and said that as a receiver, he could be a Garrett Wilson type. Similar physical profiles. Similarly movable pieces all over the formation.
I think an ideal first-three-rounds haul would be something like:
- Hunter or Campbell
- Texas OT Cam Williams or WR Isaiah Bond (gambling on traits at whichever spot wasn't hit in Round 1)
- Iowa State CB Darien Porter if he gets there (massive outside-the-numbers guy to play opposite Gonzalez) or LSU CB Zy Alexander (another long cover corner)
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DrDotrat: With the understanding that the Patriots couldn’t address all of their needs in last years free agency and draft…. Which position should they (or would you) target using their premium draft pick (round 1) this year - OT, WR, CB, other?
This is a cop-out, but it depends on the player. If it's Travis Hunter, I'm taking him over anyone. If it's Will Campbell vs. Tetairoa McMillan, I'm probably going Campbell.
The problem with this draft is that it isn't loaded with talent at the premium spots, so you better hit on that first pick. No guarantee you're filling an immediate need with your second.
burnerdadsrule: Looking at last year's draft, we took 3 OL talents but the line still has major issues. This year's draft seems thin at top, so it doesn't seem like there's anyone coming to the rescue. Where do you feel the Pats are heading in reassessing their process for picking, developing, and deploying the offensive line?
I think they simply need to be more aggressive. They can't assume they can develop these guys they take on Day 2/3.
Pay one. (Garett Bolles looks like he's getting to free agency. Closer to the end than the beginning... but he's a left tackle.) Draft one early. (If that means trading up to draft one you love, do it.) Trade for one.
Attack it with an enthusiasm unknown to mankind, as Jim Harbaugh would say. Because if you get cute and hope right tackles can flip to left tackle, or you assume lower-tier starters can become average starters for you, you're probably overvaluing your ability to coach/develop. Pay -- with draft capital or actual capital -- for talent.
BAF_DaWg82: Where do you have Drake Maye ranked among the other quarterbacks from this draft?
I had Maye ranked as the best QB prospect in the draft before the draft. I still feel the same way, meaning I think -- all things being equal -- he'll have the best career.
Jayden Daniels has had the best performance this season, I think, but that doesn't surprise me. He had more than twice the number of college starts Maye had.
Also... it's closer than some want to make it out to be. What Maye is doing with the cast around him, to me, makes his season maybe the "most impressive" even if it's not the "best."
4ndy1211: What are your expectations for next year? Is Maye top ten already?
I'm not sure I'd put Maye in the top 10 for his play this year. But I am sure there aren't 10 quarterbacks I'm taking over him for the next three years.
Mahomes. Allen. Jackson. Burrow. Herbert... That's it. That's the list. He has that kind of ceiling, and I'd pass on taking any other quarterback in order to see where that ceiling ultimately sits.
Expectations for next year? They should be in the playoff hunt into December and win at least seven games.
SmartName_: On a scale of 1-10, how attractive a destination would the Patriots be considered in the coming offseason? Does a clearly promising quarterback outweigh the coaching staff with a lot left to prove?
If you're talking about free agents? No. 1 is money. No. 2 is opportunity. And you can define opportunity however you'd like.
If it's opportunity at lengthening a career and getting to a third contract... if it's marketing opportunities... if it's opportunities to win... I think the Patriots are probably somewhere around a 5 or 6.
They were probably a 2 last offseason. That increase is all the quarterback. Both this offseason and last they had oodles of money to spend.
Potatoman_is_taken: Does Curran take more pride in his Belichick or his Kraft impression? Which do you think is better?
His Kraft is by far his best, IMO. I don't know how accurate it is. But it's his best.
