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Mike Reiss, ESPN writer
FOXBOROUGH, Mass. — Quick thoughts and notes on the New England Patriots and the NFL:
1. Newbie Report: When quarterback Drake Maye arrived at his weekly press conference with reporters last week, he was wearing a long-sleeve hoodie that included the Patriots logo and the words “2024 rookie class.”
Maye has served as the third pick so far. The rest of the class not so much.
The Patriots (3-8) visit the Dolphins (4-6) on Sunday (1 p.m. ET, CBS), and although Maye will make the seventh start of his NFL career by breathing life into the offense, the lack of ability on the field The contributions of his ’24 classmates have been notable for a franchise with a stated goal of drafting and developing.
Of the team’s eight picks, seven were on offense, and coordinator Alex Van Pelt said the team holds promise that they will emerge.
“I think they’re all going to be good players for us. They’re at different points in their development and progression right now, but I feel like all the guys we brought in in that class will be able to help us in the future,” he said.
Second-round pick Ja’Lynn Polk, a wide receiver from the University of Washington, has had more opportunities than the rest. The 37th pick has played 358 of 711 snaps, but his production hasn’t matched his playing time, with just 11 receptions for 80 yards and two touchdowns.
Maye has tried to elevate the 6-foot-1, 203-pound Polk, who is not a burner but showed a knack for contested catches and tight windows in college. That hasn’t manifested itself in the NFL yet.
“I think he’s going to be a great player in this league,” Maye said. “They throw him there at different times, to block some, and we need to find a way to get him the ball.”
Meanwhile, third-round pick Caedan Wallace, a Penn State offensive tackle who opened the season off the bench and started in Week 3, suffered an ankle injury on Sept. 29 and has been on injured reserve since. . He is expected to return “soon,” according to Van Pelt.
Fourth-round pick Layden Robinson, a right guard out of Texas A&M, has started six games but has recently fallen out of favor after struggling against Titans defensive tackle Jeffery Simmons on Nov. 3. An ankle injury suffered on October 20 against the Jaguars stunted his momentum, and offensive line coach Scott Peters noted that he was playing well in that game before departing, noting his ability to play with power and physicality.
“He’s a hard worker and has a good future,” Peters said.
Fellow fourth-round pick Javon Baker, a receiver from Central Florida, was pulled from last week’s game as the top kickoff returner due to ball-handling and communication issues. He’s played just 19 offensive snaps this season, and Van Pelt said he “will make plays for us down the stretch once he gets familiar with the whole system.”
Patriots special teams coordinator Jeremy Springer said rookie Javon Baker will return kicks again after being pulled in last week’s game, possibly as soon as this week.
“I’m definitely not giving up,” he says, adding that he can do a better job training him.
“When the… pic.twitter.com/1CjZqLrh7m
—Mike Reiss (@MikeReiss) November 22, 2024
Quarterback Joe Milton III, a sixth-round pick out of Tennessee, has spent the year as the third-string quarterback behind Maye and veteran Jacoby Brissett. He has been awarded practice player of the week three times as a scout team leader, and coach Jerod Mayo noted that he has taken advantage of the team’s virtual reality system behind the scenes.
And Jaheim Bell, a seventh-round tight end out of Florida State, has spent the year as the No. 3 option behind veterans Hunter Henry and Austin Hooper. He has played sparingly on offense (25 plays), with one reception for one yard, making his main impact on special teams.
“He’s doing it the right way, working hard,” Van Pelt said.
With six games remaining in the regular season, an ideal scenario for the team would be for some rookies to build positive momentum heading into the offseason. Van Pelt maintained a positive tone despite the modest results.
“That’s a talented group of guys,” he said. “We were excited about them when we drafted them, and we are excited about them now, too.”
2. More energy from Maye: Among the areas Maye has aimed to improve is his energy in the huddle before short-yardage running plays, while wondering what he could do to energize his teammates in those situations, especially in the red zone. Quarterbacks coach TC McCartney confirmed that is something that is regularly discussed between Maye, Brissett and Milton.
“Part of that is definitely part of knowing the situation and going into the huddle and encouraging the guys,” McCartney said, adding that Van Pelt has made the point.
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3. Setting the Barmore Pace: Defensive tackle Christian Barmore has been limited to one practice each of the past two weeks since returning after being diagnosed with blood clots, and he played 21 snaps in his season debut last week (three tackles). It is part of a medical plan to facilitate his return to the mix, which is why he will continue to play a prominent role on game day.
“He’s been in all of our meetings and he’s a smart guy. When he comes in, he knows what to do and how to do it. It’s just about getting game reps,” defensive coordinator DeMarcus Covington said.
4. Improved areas: Mayo said that in his initial team meeting last week he highlighted areas in which the team has grown since the start of the season and then identified new goals to achieve. He believed that the players “really took that stuff seriously.”
Left tackle Vederian Lowe said there was a big improvement in the offense’s ability to move the ball (consecutive 300-yard games), with a message that the key now is finishing those drives (only three touchdowns in the last nine area trips).
Meanwhile, safety Kyle Dugger said he noted that communication between defenders has greatly improved since the start of the season, while there was a need to produce more turnovers (one in the last five games).
5. Without pads: Some players were surprised when Mayo did not have players in full pads for the first Wednesday practice of last week. One player noted that Sunday’s matchup against the Dolphins is more about speed, so lightening the load would ideally have them better prepared to meet the challenge in that area.
Players are expected to put their pads back on next Wednesday, knowing that a more physical, run-based Colts team is coming to town.
6. Choose number 6. With six games remaining in the regular season, the Patriots are projected to have the No. 6 pick in the 2025 NFL draft. ESPN NFL draft analyst Matt Miller’s most recent mock draft had two quarterbacks of field off the board within the first four picks, which would be ideal for New England considering it already has that position well represented with Maye.
It’s early, but imagining Maye throwing to someone like University of Arizona receiver Tetairoa McMillan is intriguing.
7. Enduring Gonzo: When cornerback Christian González unexpectedly appeared on the injury report on Friday (hip/questionable), it was a reminder of how durable he has been this season, one of the questions surrounding him after a rookie season in which he was limited. to four games. after tearing the labrum in his right shoulder.
González has started every game, participating in 98% of the defensive plays, more than any other player on that side of the ball.
8. Stranger in the center: Cole Strange, the Patriots’ 2022 first-round pick out of Chattanooga, returned to practice for the first time Wednesday after rupturing the patellar tendon in his left knee last December. Although his entire NFL experience has been at left guard, the coaching staff began their work at center, where his long-term future could lie.
“We thought we’d put the ball in his hands and see what it looks like,” assistant coach Scott Peters said, noting Strange’s quickness and intelligence as important traits for the position, and how his former team, the Browns, liked him. to get out of the draft.
9. They said it: “He’s the main reason I’m here. It’s no secret. I had a couple different options; it’s fun when you’re in an offense like this with a coordinator who wants to distribute the ball. Last week, six different guys had more than four catches, so the beauty of the scheme is distributing the ball.” — veteran tight end Austin Hooper (23 catches, 231 yards, TD), on how OC Van Pelt’s presence led him to sign with the Patriots last offseason
10. Did you know? Dolphins quarterback Tua Tagovailoa is 6-0 in his career against the Patriots, which is tied with Earl Morrall for the second-most wins without a loss against New England in Patriots history. Pro Football Hall of Famer John Elway, who played for the Broncos, was 10-0 in his career against the Patriots.
