Boston Herald reports what they heard at Combine

[Hugepatsfan]

My expectation is that we sign a bonafide starting receiver to go with Boutte and the Hollins/Williams are the 3/4. Douglas and Chism battle it out for #5. If Chism wins, Douglas gets traded because he’s too expensive to keep at #6 after that playtime escalator. Chism can be kept as #6 for another year though if it comes to that.

If they draft with a highish pick or sign a second locked in player, then Douglas probably gets moved immediately IMO. Then Chism is kind of “stuck” at WR6 again. Unless he can beat out Williams or Hollins, but I don’t see it.

Wouldn’t surprise me if Chism is a contributor by the end of his rookie deal, but I also don’t view him as someone they really need to find time for. He’s a different style of player and build of course, but I could see him being Hollins replacement heading into 2027 in a sense that they’ll let him go and that will be how Chism gets elevated to the game day roster consistently and can be a package player.

End of the day though opportunities are there. He can force the issue with good play and he’ll get his chances in camp/preseason. This is just how I’d handicap his chances going in from what I see.

 

[bakes781]

This was a great podcast by The Boston Herald’s Doug Kyed and Andrew Callahan, who revealed what they learned from league sources at the combine:


They said that it sounds like:

• The Pats are probably keeping Barmore and Diggs. The people that they could potentially replace both with are not as good and while the price tag is a little big on both, if they wanted to replace them with comparable players in free agency, they are probably paying just as much. The team views Barmore's off field problems as worse than Diggs'.
• The Pats are in on Crosby and Brown, but they're not sure if the asking price or timing will work to swing a trade on either.
• Tonga is probably walking, not because he suddenly did better in the playoffs, but because more teams have developed as suitors for him in a weak DT free agency.
• They aren't in on Likely (the TE). They probably want more of a big bodied blocking tight end. Maybe Otton?
• The Pats like the positions of need in the draft (TE, EDGE, etc.)
• Gonzo is going to get paid.
• The Pats might bring Hawkins back because he isn't viewed as strongly by the rest of the league.
• The Pats aren't talking to any free agency offensive tackles.

Anyway, I thought it was a great listen to get a sense of where the team is right now.

Good to know they aren't a reliable source lol

 

[mike_usagisan]

Good to know they aren't a reliable source lol

I was thinking the same thing!

 

[Thelonious]

I'd rather spend a high draft pick, even the first pick, on a promising draftee WR than waste resources on some "proven" WR who is a season or two away from being a has-been and who will cost far more. Draft and develop. All this silly fanboy stuff, snatching at every shiny object that comes along, is a waste of time and money.

 

[Zuma]

I'd rather spend a high draft pick, even the first pick, on a promising draftee WR than waste resources on some "proven" WR who is a season or two away from being a has-been and who will cost far more. Draft and develop. All this silly fanboy stuff, snatching at every shiny object that comes along, is a waste of time and money.

The Patriots had talent issues at the end of the 2024 season. Yes they had a great draft but they also spent wisely which helped the team go to the Super Bowl. I expect the team to make smart FA decisions again. I prefer Pierce because....no draft picks.

 

[Thelonious]

The Patriots had talent issues at the end of the 2024 season. Yes they had a great draft but they also spent wisely which helped the team go to the Super Bowl. I expect the team to make smart FA decisions again. I prefer Pierce because....no draft picks.

I would certainly prefer Pierce, in large measure for the same reason: we need picks I think we are midway - not in the final phases - in the rebuild from the dregs of the league and should still be in draft and develop mode. I very much doubt Pierce will go at a reasonable enough price for a team in our position. Maybe if we were in "one or two players away" mode, but, notwithstanding our surprising (lucky?) SB appearance, we are not there yet, at all.