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Senior Bowl executive director Jim Nagy offered insight into New England Patriots rookie tight end Jaheim Bell in ESPN’s Mike Reiss’ Sunday notes column.

Bell was selected out of Florida State in the seventh round of the 2024 NFL draft. He finished his collegiate career with 95 catches for 1,260 yards and nine touchdowns in total. He transferred to Florida State in 2023 after spending his first three years at the University of South Carolina.

The 2023 season saw him tally 39 catches for 503 yards and two touchdowns for the Seminoles.

His versatility was on display throughout his entire college career. A perfect example would be his game against the Tennessee Volunteers in November 2022, when he carried the ball 17 times for 82 yards, while also catching five passes for 39 yards.

His rare skill set is something that caught Nagy’s eye, and it could prove to be his calling card in the NFL.

“He is extremely versatile,” Nagy told Reiss. “This isn’t true helmet scouting, but there was some similar usage to him and what they got out of Deebo Samuel when he was [at South Carolina], just in terms of some of the slot and running back versatility. There was some fullback usage in there.”

It will be interesting to see exactly where he fits in the Patriots’ tight ends room. Hunter Henry and Austin Hooper are the top veteran options, but Bell will undoubtedly add a strong injection of youth talent.

If he puts it all together right out of the gates, he might not have to wait long to see game action.
 
The New England Patriots focused heavily on the offensive side of the football in the 2024 NFL draft.

One of the key areas they addressed was the offensive line with the team selecting Penn State’s Caedan Wallace and Texas A&M’s Layden Robinson.

The potential upside with Robinson has been one of the biggest questions following the draft. Wallace could get plugged in right away and become a Day 1 starter for the offense.

But what are the expectations for Robinson?

Senior Bowl director Jim Nagy gave insight into what Robinson potentially brings to the table as a player in ESPN’s Mike Reiss’ Sunday notes column.

Robinson started 11 games at the right tackle position in 2023 and missed the final two games due to injury. He was named to the 2023 All-SEC Second-Team.

Nagy noted one specific aspect of Robinson’s game that really stood out to him on the field.

“We spent a lot of time [scouting] him. He had a really good 2021, a little bit of a down 2022 when he was dealing with some injuries, and then had a good 2023,” said Nagy. “He was one of the guys that I felt like didn’t get enough buzz coming out of Senior Bowl week

“… He was really good in the 1-on-1 stuff in pass protection. You watch the team stuff and he was moving people off the ball. He is a powerful in-line player.”

Robinson’s physicality and ability to hold up against the run and pass could benefit the Patriots down the stretch. The unit needs a boost with Cole Strange expected to miss significant time with a lingering knee injury.

The potential for Robinson to be a major contributor is there. It all comes down to development for a Patriots team that has struggled in recent years.
 
New England Patriots linebacker Josh Uche has changed representatives after signing with popular sports agent Drew Rosenhaus, per ESPN’s Mike Reiss.

Rosenhaus initially represented Uche at the University of Michigan.

Uche is coming off a season that saw him record 15 tackles and three sacks. Those numbers were a bit down from the 2022 campaign when he emerged as one of the Patriots’ top pass-rushers. He recorded 8.5 sacks that year.

Uche signed a one-year, $3 million contract to return to New England in March. This gives the Patriots at least one more season with the fifth-year player. The agent change could be notable next offseason when Uche is set to hit free agency.

A strong bounce-back year could put the veteran pass-rusher in a position to maximize his value on the open market. It would also put Rosenhaus in a better position to work his magic on a possible extension with the Patriots.

Reiss wrote:

According to NFL Players Association documents, Uche is now back with Drew Rosenhaus, who had initially represented him coming out of the University of Michigan when the Patriots selected Uche in the second round of the 2020 draft. Rosenhaus also represents veteran defensive tackle Davon Godchaux, who is pushing the team to redo his contract.
Click to expand...
The Patriots are bringing back a stellar defensive unit this season with Uche being a key piece. Another solid season could significantly raise his value and once again force New England to make a tough decision next offseason.
 
The New England Patriots have important contract decisions to make with training camp on the horizon.

Linebacker Matthew Judon and defensive tackle Davon Godchaux are two of the more notable names on a list of Patriots players set to hit free agency next year. As ESPN’s Mike Reiss suggested in his Sunday notes column, one way New England could bridge the gap with the two veterans is by increasing the value of their contract incentives.

This could be particularly lucrative for Judon, especially if you consider some of his more notable contributions. Sacks in particular could be a contract point. Judon has been one of the more productive pass-rushers for the organization during his tenure. He has tallied 32 sacks in three seasons with the Patriots.

Smaller incentives, like games played, could also be something to bridge the gap. Judon missed most of the 2023 season after suffering a torn biceps against the Dallas Cowboys in Week 4. Health will be a key thing to watch this time around for Judon, who turned 32 years old in August.

The Patriots also have Godchaux up for an extension. He has been one of the more reliable defensive tackles since his arrival to New England in 2021. He has appeared in every game playing at both the nose tackle and defensive line positions. Last season, he recorded 56 tackles and a fumble recovery.

A more lucrative, incentive-based contract could work for him as well. This could be broken down into games played and the number of tackles he records. Having an incentive-based deal would be a strong way of helping to ensure further production.

The Patriots would probably like to have the contract situations settled for Judon and Godchaux by the start of training camp to help eliminate any potential distractions.

Ultimately, it could be a win-win for both sides.

The Patriots would continue to get the production from two of their best veteran players at a reasonable rate, while the players can lean on their actions on the field to work toward bigger bonuses.

This could be the easiest path to tabling extension talks and getting back to the business of playing football in New England.
 
Patriots Christian Barmore - Mandatory Credit: Rich Barnes-USA TODAY Sports

Mandatory Credit: Rich Barnes-USA TODAY Sports

This offseason, the New England Patriots paid a number of their own players before they hit the market, including defensive lineman Christian Barmore.
Barmore, 24, received a massive four-year extension worth up to $92 million ($23 million annually), making him the second-highest-paid player in franchise history after Tom Brady.


View: https://x.com/i/status/1812256912186171733


Over the weekend, Barmore posted a few clips from his recent workouts on his Instagram story, and it doesn't look like he's going to slow down because he got paid.

It might be just a sled, but Barmore will probably be doing this exact same thing to offensive linemen come September.
In 17 games in 2023, Barmore set career highs in tackles (64), quarterback hits (16), sacks (8.5), passes defensed (six) and forced fumbles (one).
 
On Tuesday, the Patriots announced a number of front office moves and shared what the group will look like for the 2024 season.

Four individuals were promoted from within - Pat Stewart (now the director of pro personnel), Sam Fioroni (now the assistant director of pro personnel), Marshall Oium (now the director of football strategy) and Marquise Dickerson (now a pro scout).

Five members were added to the staff from outside of the organization - Alonzo Highsmith (senior personnel executive), Casey Belongia (Midwest area scout), Bob Kronenberg (pro scout), A.J. Richardson (scouting assistant) and Landon Simpson (scouting assistant).

Here's a look at the whole front office:

  • Eliot Wolf, Executive Vice President of Player Personnel
  • Matt Groh, Director of Player Personnel
  • Alonzo Highsmith, Senior Personnel Executive
  • Richard Miller, Director of Research
  • Mike Aronian, Senior Software Engineer
  • Casey Belongia, Area Scout (Midwest)
  • Alex Brooks, Area Scout (Southwest)
  • Maya Ana Callender, Scouting Assistant
  • Emily Capprini, Software Engineer
  • Marquis Dickerson, Pro Scout
  • Matt Evans, National Scout (East)
  • Sam Fioroni, Assistant Director of Pro Personnel
  • Justin Hickman, Area Scout (Northeast)
  • J.T. Hill, Area Scout (West)
  • Josh Hinch, Area Scout (Southeast)
  • Tucker Ingraham, National Scout (Central)
  • Tony Kinkela, National Scout (West)
  • Bob Kronenberg, Pro Scout
  • Nancy Meier, Director of Scouting Administration
  • Marshall Oium, Director of Football Strategy
  • A.J. Richardson, Scouting Assistant
  • Keithen Shepard, Data Engineer
  • Landon Simpson, Scouting Assistant
  • Brian Smith, Personnel Coordinator
  • Bryson Speas, Scouting Assistant
  • Patrick Stewart, Director of Pro Personnel
  • Camren Williams, Director of College Scouting
 
Locks: Rhamondre Stevenson, Antonio Gibson
Bubble: Kevin Harris, JaMycal Hasty
In the Mix: DeShaun Fenwick (UDFA), Terrell Jennings (UDFA)
The Patriots are heading into camp with a projected two-headed monster at running back, similar to how the Browns built their roster with Nick Chubb and his sidekicks over the years.
After signing Rhamondre Stevenson to a four-year contract extension, it's apparent that the 26-year-old is New England's lead back. However, the Patriots also added free-agent running back Antonio Gibson to pair with Stevenson. Despite rewarding Stevenson contractually like a top-10 running back, Gibson will also be a big part of the offense.
We wouldn't expect Stevenson to receive the same volume he saw over the last two seasons. The fourth-year running back was on the field for 64.7% of the offensive snaps in the last two seasons, with back-to-back 190-plus touch campaigns. Stevenson's workload took a toll on him, and his 2023 season ended early due to a painful ankle injury.


Certain factors outside his control contributed to Stevenson's dip in production. However, after breaking out with 1,461 scrimmage yards on 5.2 yards per touch in a career year in 2022, Stevenson's efficiency took a significant hit last season, finishing with 857 total yards on 4.4 yards per touch. Furthermore, Stevenson's yards per carry dropped a full yard from 2022 to 2023.
According to NextGenStats, a major part of Stevenson's decline was linked to the blocking he received from the offensive line. Last season, Stevenson's average speed at the line of scrimmage was 8.97 MPH, compared to 9.43 MPH two years ago. The Pats RB1 wasn't generating as much speed and, at times, was being contacted in the early stages of the rush.
As a result, his ability to break tackles suffered, with his yards after contact production decreasing by a full yard as well (3.8 in 2022 to 2.8 in 2023). You can make a strong case that Stevenson's rushing efficiency suffered because the openings weren't there due to poor blocking. However, based on what we know about running backs, the increased workload could also be catching up to him.
Due to the latter statement, one would expect Gibson to platoon with Stevenson this season. Along with having a receiver background to contribute in the passing game, Gibson has the explosiveness to generate yards in the outside zone system the Patriots are expecting to run.

​


Running back Antonio Gibson at mandatory minicamp on June 12, 2024.

Eric J. Adler/New England Patriots
Running back Antonio Gibson at mandatory minicamp on June 12, 2024.
In 2021, Gibson rushed for over 1,000 yards in Scott Turner's offense in Washington. The 2020 third-round pick fell out of favor with the Commanders coaching staff, but his 4.39-speed still plays, allowing him to burst through cutback lanes and get the edge on outside zone schemes.
Gibson will likely see most of his snaps come in passing or sub-back situations, but seeing him cut into Stevenson's early-down workload wouldn't be shocking. As a 225-pound back, Stevenson's skill set might not lend itself to OC Alex Van Pelt's ideal rushing scheme.
Chubb is also a bigger back, so it's not impossible for Stevenson to thrive on outside zone. Plus, the Browns began incorporating more gap schemes for various reasons last season. Cleveland featured trap/counter, duo, and other gap designs, so it's in AVP's bag. Still, you wonder how much Van Pelt will pivot if Stevenson's style doesn't translate, whereas Gibson's high-end speed is typically what you see in traditional zone backs.
Elsewhere on the running back depth chart, New England also has a wide-open battle ensuing for the third and potentially fourth running back spots. In 2023, the Browns only carried three running backs on their initial roster, so it's possible that Van Pelt won't need a fourth. With that said, there isn't much proven NFL talent at the position behind Gibson and Stevenson.
Patriots running back Kevin Harris running drills at OTA practice on May 20, 2024.

Photo by Eric J. Adler
Patriots running back Kevin Harris running drills at OTA practice on May 20, 2024.

Kevin Harris, the current favorite to win the roster spot, has 34 career rushing attempts in his first two seasons. Harris runs hard with a bruising style, forcing a decent eight missed tackles on his 34 career attempts. Veteran Jamycal Hasty is the other back with NFL experience on the roster. Hasty has been functional as a pass-catcher out of the backfield in the spring and has 357 career special teams snaps, including 16 career kickoff returns.
Although it's a different coaching staff, Hasty's skill set resembles former Patriots fan favorite Brandon Bolden – a core special-teamer who can play running back in a pinch. Two undrafted free agents make up the rest of the running back room at the moment, with all this being a long-winded way of saying they could use more proven depth at the position.
Early on, the Patriots might give Harris a chance to earn a role as the third running back. However, if things aren't breaking his way, the Pats could look to make a late addition a la Ezekiel Elliott last summer. Elliott joined the team in mid-August after being released by the Cowboys. With running backs often available late in the offseason, that remains a possibility for the Patriots, who want to be a productive rushing team.
With Van Pelt at the helm, the Patriots rushing attack will be the engine of their offense. Being a strong rushing offense serves as the foundation for hunting explosive plays through play-action sequencing on early downs, which is the hallmark of this system.
New England needs a bounce-back rushing campaign to maximize the West Coast offense they're transitioning to this season.
 
 
Earlier this offseason, the New England Patriots honored legendary quarterback Tom Brady with a ceremony to celebrate his induction into the team's Hall of Fame.

Throughout the night, Brady shared the stage with a number of his former teammates and coaches, who all received cheers from the crowd of fans, former players/coaches and celebrities.

However, one former Patriot received a larger ovation than the others - Hall of Fame wide receiver Randy Moss.

As Moss began to speak, fans interrupted him with applause that lasted minutes, and the now-retired wideout was moved to tears.

Earlier this week, Moss spoke with Kay Adams on “Up & Adams,” and shared his feelings about that moment.

“We go up onstage, and I was always told, ‘This moment is about Brady, his greatness.’ So the standing ovation happened,” Moss said. “I waited for them to stop, waited for it to end, and all of a sudden, it kept going, and I think my emotions just got the best of me. It really felt good, and I don’t even know where the hell the tears came from, but they just came.”

Moss was one of the best players to ever don the Patriots jersey. In four seasons with the team, he recorded 259 receptions for 3,904 yards and 50 touchdowns.

His performance in the 2007 season will be remembered forever, as his 23 receiving touchdowns in those 16 games are still the most in a single season.

Things may not have ended the best for Moss in New England, but it's great that fans got to show him their appreciation.
 
 
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