The Third Act.

[Soapy]

Marshall, Whitfield looking to be every down players under Flores tutelage
As soon as Brian Flores was relieved of his duties as head coach of the Miami Dolphins, New England Patriots linebacker Trez Marshall turned on notifications on his phone for Patriots news.

"It made all the sense in the world," said Marshall of the Flores hiring to replace retired defensive coordinator Keith Butler, "I worked out for the Dolphins during the draft process and I could just tell he was a really good coach so you never want to see someone lose an opportunity like he did but I'm really happy he's here."

Marshall's running mate, Gio Whitfield, is also supportive of the hire and the three have been in constant communication since. In an era where voluntary workouts are just that, Whitfield and Marshall have been at everyone, typically wrapping them up with a study session involving Flores and at times head coach Mike Tomlin.

"We want to be every down players," said Whitfield of himself and Marshall during OTAs, "That's something we talk about a lot and you have to earn that, you have to earn the green dot and being the guy that people can rely on."

The helmet with a green dot on the back indicates the one member of the defense who's in contact with the coaching staff between plays, making them the de facto leader of the defense. It was worn by safety Jordan Poyer last season, who played most of the snaps on defense. It's typically worn by a linebacker but with New England rotating so often based on the situation, it was given to Poyer and even twice last season to safety Malachi Moore.

On obvious passing downs, New England went with Jaylon Smith and Marshall but in short yardage, it'd be Whitfield and Shaquille Quarterman. Whitfield and Marshall sparingly played together but were on the field for the last drive of the season when Seattle scored the Super Bowl winning touchdown.

They're hoping to be on the field together more times this season, build chemistry and in return, yield better results.

[Soapy]

'Freak of nature' Agnew draws praise from defense, comparison to Washington
New England Patriots defensive back Jonathan Jones remembers the first time he saw Darnell Washington running in open field with the ball in hands, gaining steam as he went through the secondary.

"Some guys you just know," Jones says of Washington's first OTA outings, "You're getting those same vibes with Dre [Agnew]."

Patriots fourth round pick Dre Agnew had a quiet rookie camp but with tight end Nick Boyle taking some veteran days throughout OTAs, Agnew has flashed in individual and team drills, particularly in the competitive 7-on-7 periods where Agnew's athleticism shines in a non-contact setting.

"Darnell [Washington] was the same way where he was doing stuff and not really reacting to it as a big deal because to him it's normal," Jones continued, "[Agnew] is a different type of athlete but when you see him catch a pass, plant his leg and go the opposite direction, not a lot of guys at that size can move like that."

Washington earned playing time as a rookie despite being behind two veteran and highly paid tight ends in Hunter Henry and Jonnu Smith due to his performance in the preseason, effectiveness as a blocker in the running game, and unique size and speed combination.

Agnew's road to playing time as a rookie won't be as steep of a uphill climb as he's one of only four tight ends on the roster with Boyle being more of a fullback/blocking tight end.

[djp73]

TE sounds explosive, wrong headline

[Soapy]

sounds explosive, wrong headline

Thanks brudda, fixed.

[six7]

that mock draft was wildly off Bundy with the freefall

[Soapy]

After a season of redemption, Thompkins looking forward to a season of domination
While appearing on The Pivot podcast with former NFL players Ryan Clark, Fred Taylor and Channing Crowder, New England Patriots defensive lineman went in depth on his falling out with the Arizona Cardinals, which included striking head coach Kliff Kingsbury during a practice skirmish, his relationship with Mike Tomlin and his vision for the 2025 season with training camp around the corner.

Thompkins, who was drafted in the second round by Arizona, says the issue with Kingsbury and the Cardinals front office started in the off-season when Thompkins elected to sit out of voluntary and mandatory workouts in order to recover from an injury he suffered while working out with the team. Thompkins says upon his return back to the team, he got the 'cold shoulder' from the coaching staff and after initially being told he was drafted to play edge rusher, his preferred position, he was positioned with the interior defensive lineman.

"It felt like a betrayal and I think they were just trying to push my buttons," Thompkins admits he frequently acted out during team meetings and practices during the training camp which led to fines.

It all boiled over during a practice where Thompkins was pushed into quarterback Kyler Murray by an offensive lineman and then scolded by Kingsbury who sent him running as a punishment. When Thompkins returned to the drill, he delivered a hit on Murray which led to an all out brawl where Thompkins says Kingsbury grabbed him and Thompkins reacted by punching him.

"I was sent home and then told that I had left the team," Thompkins took responsibility but also said a lack of structure within the Cardinals organization led to confusion on both parties, "I wasn't sure if I was suspended, off the team, I didn't know what was going on because some people are telling me to stay home, some people are asking where I'm at and why I'm not at the facility. When I showed up, they released me from the team."

Thompkins met with Tomlin a few days later for a workout and while Thompkins has chosen to keep the conversation private, he said it was all he needed to hear to sign with New England begin his 'redemption season' which included 4.5 sacks and nine tackles for loss in twelve games.

With the team opting not to resign Deatrich Wise Jr, he enters the 2025 season as the likely starting five-technique in New England's base 3-4 scheme but he's also bullish on getting some run at defensive end in sub packages as an edge rusher, Thompkins preferred position.

"I got to show up and dominate," Thompkins told The Pivot, "I've been wanting to be an edge rusher since I was in high school but everyone said I was too big and put my ass inside so if I get the opportunity this season, this training camp, I got to dominate and prove myself right."

Thompkins' development, specifically at edge, will be something to keep an eye on as New England lost its top pass rusher in Von Miller. Here are some other storylines to closely monitor throughout camp and preseason:

1. Can Kenny Golladay bounce back from his struggles at OTAs?
   The 31-year old receiver struggled mightily in OTAs, especially when lined up against Jaire Alexander whose on a bit of a comeback tour. A sneaky good free agent pickup, Golladay's roster spot is likely not in question but it'll be foolish to lock him in as a full-time starter following his performance in the spring.
   
   New England signed receiver Zeke Fowler, a former third round pick, to its roster as a training camp addition to add some more size to the position but he's not the only that will be on Golladay's heels. While a different type of receiver, Odell Beckham Jr. is also capable of playing on the outside and was one of New England's better receivers when targeted last season.
   
   Ideally, the two outside receivers are Golladay and Charleston Rambo, a combination of size and speed that forces defenses to protect against plays down the field, a big focus this season for the offense and Mac Jones. This would allow Beckham Jr, Rondale Moore and Jarvis Landry to do their work in the intermediate area which should be wide open.
   -
2. Will any of the camp invites make the roster?
   In addition to Fowler, New England also signed UDFA offensive tackle Daniel Allen, veteran running back Kene Nwangwu, fullback Colt Bentley, UDFA fullback Caleb Saunders, veteran cornerback Rasul Douglas, UDFA cornerback Curtis Williams and defensive tackle T.J. Slaton Jr. along with George Abraham, the do-it-all prospect out of North Dakota State.
   
   Abraham might be the most interesting of the bunch although he does have probably the toughest path to making the roster. A high school quarterback, Abraham starting nine games at the position for the Bison before making the switch to receiver for his junior season where he also continued to play a little bit of wildcat quarterback. A poor combine showing with a sub 4.6 time resulted in him going to the fifth round before being released after rookie training camp by the New Orleans Saints.
   
   The Saints tried Abraham out at receiver but is currently listed on the Patriots roster as a quarterback where his film from his sophomore season is certainly intriguing as he's a good athlete with a decent arm. It remains to be seen where New England trots Abraham out at but quarterback could make sense as a project piece behind veterans Mac Jones and Matthew Stafford.
   
   Nwangwu will have plenty of opportunities as New England will likely rest Damien Harris plenty in the preseason and the only challenger for the fourth running back spot is John Rhys Plumlee whose been a practice squad after thought so far in his career.
   -
3. Finding a home for second round pick 'linebacker' George Marshall
   Marshall worked out with both the safeties and the linebackers during OTAs this past spring and is listed on New England's roster as a linebacker. Marshall struggled at times during the 7-on-7 periods that he participated in, even when covering running backs and tight ends.
   
   If Marshall is going to be strictly an off-the-ball linebacker, the road to playing time is tough with Trez Marshall and Gio Whitfield above him, two former first round picks that played really well last season. There are also veterans Jaylon Smith and Shaq Quarterman that graded out very well last season when given the opportunity.
   
   The best path to playing time for Marshall might be to continue putting on weight and becoming an outside linebacker in New England's 3-4 scheme where Ronnie Perkins, Micah Webb and DeAngelo Malone played last season.
   
   Perkins is gone and even with the addition of first round pick Keilan Britt to the room, there is more likely to be a rotation at that position that Marshall can crack in than inside linebacker.
   -
4. Jonathan Jones making the transition to playing primarily free safety
   During his first stint with New England, Jones was a versatile piece that New England used everywhere on special teams and on defense, lining up in the nickel, sometimes on the outside and even at deep safety on occasion.
   
   Since 2022, Jones has strictly been a nickel corner but so far in the spring, it's been at safety where Jones has lined up exclusively. The expectation is for Jones to replace Jordan Poyer, who remains a free agent. He'll have some competition in Ashtyn Davis and he might still be called to play nickel or dime from time to time depending on the game plan, but for now, Jones is the team's starting safety and listed as such on the roster.
   -
5. It's a contract year for Roger McCreary, Charleston Rambo and DeAngelo Malone
   New England's 2022 draft was a pretty good one, landing two starters in McCreary and Rambo and additional rotational guys in Malone, offensive lineman Nick Ford whose started a few games and core special teamer Leon O'Neal Jr.
   
   Rambo went over a 1,000-yards last season while McCreary bounced back to have a very good season as New England's nickel corner. They'll be interesting study case, market wise, as neither are WR1 or CB1 material but are both very good and productive players for New England, the type where letting them test the market could result in them landing big deals elsewhere.
   
   While a market will certainly be there for Rambo and McCreary, it's put up or shut up time for Malone. He flashed in 2023, recording six tackles for loss and five sacks but saw his role reduced in 2024, playing nearly half the snaps and losing playing time to All-Rookie selection Micah Webb who finished the season with eight sacks and was the AFC Defensive Rookie of the Year.
   -
6. Chemistry between Rondale Moore and Mac Jones
   New England invested a lot of money between the two with their combined cap hit totaling over $45 million in an effort to modernize the passing offense and help the offense be more explosive.
   
   Mac and Moore seemed to find a groove in the spring which will need to continue throughout camp as perhaps no other free agent signing in recent years will be under more scrutiny from the watchful eyes of fans than Moore who plays a high visibility position.

[Soapy]

that mock draft was wildly off Bundy with the freefall

yeah i manually edited the draft rankings near the top because i got tired of the CPU drafting QBs high even if the team already has a good QB

[Soapy]

Abraham leads Patriots to comeback win over Eagles in opener
The New England Patriots went winless last year in the preseason due to a combination of bad coverage and turnover prone quarterback plays from their backups. It was Philadelphia's Kyle Trask that would be intercepted twice while George Abraham would make winning play after winning play, leading New England to a 26-21 win over the Eagles to open the preseason.

It was a quick night for Mac Jones and the first team offense whose first two drives went nowhere, going 1 of 4 for 12 yards with two of the incompletions being drops by Darnell Washington. Matthew Stafford would finish the first quarter, failing to complete a pass as Philadelphia took the 10-2 lead, surrendering points only on a safety they suffered in the first drive.

Things got going a little bit in the second quarter with second-year quarterback Derrick Samuel leading New England down the field a few times as the running game also got going with Kene Nwangwu leading the way with 111 rushing yards and Kenneth Walker III adding 95 but New England settled for three field goals in the second quarter to take the 11-10 lead.

Philadelphia would retake the lead after stripping Abraham for a sack and returning it for a touchdown. After the swapping of field goals to end the third, Abraham would score two touchdowns in the final quarter to win the game.

It was a mixed bag performance from the linebackers
Surrendering nearly 170 yards on the ground is never ideal from your linebacker play but after the defense settled in following Miles Sanders' 55-yard run, the linebacker play got a lot better as the game went on.

Rookie George Marshall started the game at outside linebacker and struggled to keep containment but in the second half played almost exclusively inside, leading the team in tackles with eleven. It was a short but impactful night for Trez Marshall who recorded two tackles for loss in the three drives he played.

Micah Webb also had an up and down night with recording a safety early in the game but then allowed the long touchdown run with a missed tackle on Sanders and was largely a non-factor after that while rookie Keilan Britt, who replaced Webb in the second half, flashed a ton with four tackles, two tackles for loss and a sack.

DeAngelo Malone was also having a good game before leaving with an injury.

First team offense looked out of sort
Jones completed just one pass to Darnell Washington before Washington dropped two other passes and threw a near interception intended for Kenny McIntosh who didn't have a good game on the ground after being held to four yards on his three carries.

Even after Jones left, the first team offense stayed on the field through the first quarter with Matthew Stafford and it was more of the same with a passing game that was out of sync and a running attack that wasn't getting any push against Philly's first team defense.

None of the 'first' team receivers caught a pass or were targeted so it was a bit of a waste of an outing for that unit although it was notable that the first team offense at receiver consisted of Charleston Rambo, Rondale Moore and Odell Beckham Jr. Kenny Golladay and Jarvis Landry rolled with the first team with Landry dropping his only target of the night and Golladay being targeted for a deep ball in coverage that he was unable to come down with.

Drops continue to be a problem at tight end but Agnew flashes
Dre Agnew led the team with twelve receptions for 137 yards but he also had four drops to add to Washington's two and Harrison Bryant also had two.

Agnew looked smooth out there and if he can limit the drops, he could be a factor as a rookie in the intermediate passing game. He seemed to have good chemistry with Abraham who found him in stride and allowed him to do work after the catch with 55 of his yards coming there.

It'll be interesting to see how much Washington is pushed by Agnew and Bryant because while the intentions were for him to be TE1, his play in training camp has been mediocre at best and his first preseason game didn't help his case.

New England might have found something in Abraham, Nwangwu
New England added Abraham and Nwangwu as 'training camp bodies' but they might be real players that have a legitimate shot at making the roster.

The offense looked best with Abraham at the helm as New England started running some RPOs with options for Abraham to keep it which he did to the tune of 53 yards rushing although the three fumbles, two of which were covered, will need to be fixed.

Nwangwu looked explosive coming out of the backfield to the tune of nearly eight yards per carry and he also caught four passes. The fact that John Rhys Plumlee didn't even play bodes well for Nwangwu's chances of making the roster and now he'll be pushing for playing time and carries with Damien Harris likely resting this preseason.

[Soapy]

Abraham takes advantage of 'veteran day' for Stafford, continues to build momentum
It was a big week for George Abraham who played quarterback in a game for the first time since his sophomore season at North Dakota State. Abraham's performance earned him some extra snaps with the scout team and also ran the second team offense on Tuesday as Matthew Stafford had a scheduled veteran off day.

It was notable that it was Abraham, and not Derrick Samuel, who ran with the second team offense after Samuel spent last season as New England's backup. Samuel took scout team snaps this week along with Thomas Miller. Abraham was one of the highlights of Tuesday's practice along with receiver Zeke Fowler who won a couple of 50/50 balls that Abraham threw his way.

Rookie tight end Dre Agnew also started getting work with the second team offense over Harrison Bryant and Nick Boyle, who is more of a situational blocker for New England. Agnew had a couple of nice grabs but struggled in the running game with fellow rookie Tyrion James blowing him up a few times to disrupt the running game.

In some roster news, New England placed Ja'Wuan James on IR and added two offensive tackles on the roster in Vederian Lowe and Martinas Rankin.

[Soapy]

Mac, TVD duel it out in first half of Detroit Lions win over New England Patriots
It was an uneventful and lackluster outing for Mac Jones and the New England Patriots first team offense that failed to get anything going in two drives against the Philadelphia Eagles in the preseason opener.

Jones and the offense got it going against the Detroit in a duel with Tyler Van Dyke who would throw four touchdowns and 285 yards in Detroit's 38-35 win over New England on Friday.

Jones led two scoring drives, going 9 of 11 for 89 yards and a touchdown before being replaced by Matthew Stafford in the second quarter. Stafford also had a bounce back performance after failing to complete a pass in the opener, going 4 of 8 for 81 yards and a score to make it 28-17 at the half.

New England had a shot to win it in the fourth quarter but a 38-yard completion to Dre Agnew was called back as the rookie tight end stepped out of bounds before making the catch. Agnew still finished the day with 134 yards on nine receptions, all from quarterback George Abraham who played the entire second half, throwing for 169 yards and a touchdown but had a controversial fumble in the redzone on a play where Abraham was hit while trying to slide which would prove to be costly.

It's not just hype anymore at this point, Agnew deserves snaps with the first team offense
Even with two drops and despite Darnell Washington having a good game (3 receptions, 44 yards), it's time to see some more of Agnew who had an incredible acrobatic touchdown catch where he tipped the ball to himself in the endzone while spinning around and drawing contact.

He's doing it against a second team unit but he's also doing it with a quarterback that last played receiver for North Dakota State prior to training camp. New England lucked out with drafting Washington in the later rounds to eventually replace Hunter Henry and seemed to have lucked out once more, trading up to select a sparingly used converted linebacker at Alabama to replace Jonnu Smith, two guys they were paying a bunch of money to.

The passing defense is once again a concern
Roger McCreary was held due to a minor hip injury he suffered in practice this week but even without him, giving up 285 yards and four touchdowns in a half is unacceptable.

There was a coverage bust early in the game where Jonathan Jones seemed to have gotten turned around and left Van Jefferson wide open in the slot and throughout the game, New England struggled when Detroit was in bunch formations.

The coverage from the linebackers was also poor with T.J. Hockerson catching 11 passes for 83 yards and another tight end in Isaiah Likely going for 58 yards and four receptions.

New England's run defense has the potential to be special
No matter which unit was in, New England was stout against the run with five tackles for loss and limiting Detroit to 95 rushing yards which stopped them from being able to put the game away earlier and allowed for New England to get back into it.

George Marshall and Gio Whitfield had good games while Trez Marshall continues to be a menace when he's allowed to play downhill and fast. The versatility of the front seven is going to be special to watch as under Brian Flores, New England is lining up in both 3-4 and 4-3 looks in short yardage situations and have the personnel and depth to do so at a high level, particularly with their young linebackers.

Mac and the offense get it going with some big plays
New England opened the game with a 27-yard completion to Rondale Moore, a 9-yard completion to Charleston Rambo, back to Moore for 4 yards and then back to back thirteen yard completions to Washington and Odell Beckham Jr. to set up the 15-yard touchdown to Jarvis Landry.

The second drive ended with a field goal but it was a positive step for an offense that looked completely anemic in the opener. The Patriots also went no huddle in that first drive which got Mac in rhythm and kept Detroit's offense on its toes.

In the second half, Kenneth Walker III broke a 78-yard touchdown which are the kind of plays and drives that New England wants more of as they relied too heavily on long drives last season.