Patriots Rumor Per Jeremy Fowler: Patriots have their sights set on Tyler Lockett

[One-If-By-Sea]

Why is Wolfe still around then?

Why was Robyn Glaser heavily involved last year? The Krafts do some stupid stuff.

 

[Wozzy]

Why is Wolfe still around then?

Contract

 

[Wozzy]

Lockett will be 33 years old this season and has statistically declined the past two seasons.

Draft some…

 

[One-If-By-Sea]

How did Kraft show he was "cheap again". God I'm getting so tired of that little meme that has turned from a comment into the truth just because it's been randomly repeated so often without comment.

Was he cheap when he came up with $187MM to buy the Patriots and was then ridiculed for paying so much. And it was only because of him that we didn't have to fight for some expanchise team in the early 2000's and seeing the Pats playing in St. Louis. Or maybe he was cheap when he paid for that new stadium with money AGAIN out of his own pocket and all the hundreds of millions in upgrades without asking for anything out YOUR pocketbooks, like every other NFL own has done since. Maybe get a little get a little thank you there. Or how about all the other things he did for the franchise like being the first to have their own planes. One of the first to have their own nutritionist. When they need a hill for practice....there was a hill and so many others.

Labeled forever because they couldn't figure out how to pay Tom Brady $25MM for 2 years. None of the yahoos have ever explained to me how the Pats who played the 2021 season with no cap space paying Cam $1MM were supposed to pay Tom $25 for the next 2 years. How many players would have had to be let go to keep Tom (assuming Tom ultimately wanted to stay with an aging crumbling roster)

OK sorry for the rant. The Krafts have done more for the Pats and the NE community and local charities than any other pro franchise in the area. So much stuff with so little fan fair and there are a few who really treat them like dirt. It's fine to criticize decisions thy made. I certainly haven't liked all of them, but this stoops personally and dare I say anti-sematic

Hey the BIG LIE is for real folks. If your balls are big enough, and you say it often enough and consistently enough a significant amount of people will start to believe it. Moderator please feel free to edit or delete this if you think I went over the line

You must have missed the players survey where RK was rated a D, one of the worse owner grades. It is not PatsFans rating the owner cheap, it is the players. You don't believe the players either?

You must have missed P Carroll and B Belichick's comments. Both said that RK is cheap. You don't believe the coaches either?

Your proof that RK is not cheap is that others thought he paid too much when investing/buying the Patriots? LOL

 

[p8ryts]

Lockett will be 33 years old this season and has statistically declined the past two seasons.

Draft some…

He always made the big clutch catch. He was always one of my favorite players and always wanted the Pats to get him.

 

[hornetfb85]

Why some are so up in arms about Lockett is f***in hilarious. Who gives a shi*. He’s not gonna get a massive contract…if he sucks he’s gonna get cut…why get all bent out of shape over this guy. He also might be a solid WR that is by all accounts a good guy and a good pro. Might be somebody we’d want around say a rookie WR, Boutte, Douglas and Polk.

For those saying same old cheap Kraft, give some examples other than:
Higgins (never an option)
Godwin (never an option)
Metcalf (stupid option because he never would have resigned here)
Kupp (okay maybe… but he wanted to stay on west coast)

 

[Thelonious]

How did Kraft show he was "cheap again". God I'm getting so tired of that little meme that has turned from a comment into the truth just because it's been randomly repeated so often without comment.

Was he cheap when he came up with $187MM to buy the Patriots and was then ridiculed for paying so much. And it was only because of him that we didn't have to fight for some expanchise team in the early 2000's and seeing the Pats playing in St. Louis. Or maybe he was cheap when he paid for that new stadium with money AGAIN out of his own pocket and all the hundreds of millions in upgrades without asking for anything out YOUR pocketbooks, like every other NFL own has done since. Maybe get a little get a little thank you there. Or how about all the other things he did for the franchise like being the first to have their own planes. One of the first to have their own nutritionist. When they need a hill for practice....there was a hill and so many others.

Labeled forever because they couldn't figure out how to pay Tom Brady $25MM for 2 years. None of the yahoos have ever explained to me how the Pats who played the 2021 season with no cap space paying Cam $1MM were supposed to pay Tom $25 for the next 2 years. How many players would have had to be let go to keep Tom (assuming Tom ultimately wanted to stay with an aging crumbling roster)

OK sorry for the rant. The Krafts have done more for the Pats and the NE community and local charities than any other pro franchise in the area. So much stuff with so little fan fair and there are a few who really treat them like dirt. It's fine to criticize decisions thy made. I certainly haven't liked all of them, but this stoops personally and dare I say anti-sematic

Hey the BIG LIE is for real folks. If your balls are big enough, and you say it often enough and consistently enough a significant amount of people will start to believe it. Moderator please feel free to edit or delete this if you think I went over the line

Absolutely right. I do think it is time for Robert to step aside, because the bases for his decisions seem to be getting more whimsical and impulsive all the time, not because he is "cheap." I think Bill is far more responsible than the Krafts for the irresponsibly dismal state of the team by the time he was let go.

 

[Wozzy]

He always made the big clutch catch. He was always one of my favorite players and always wanted the Pats to get him.

If he costs nothing guaranteed, plays for incentives… sure, sign him.

 

[Ray Ray 717]

I don't understand how that is necessarily a bad thing as long as them settling for lesser talent is still valuable to the team. Or should they not make any moves if they get rebuffed? I mean that is a wild statement

Your statement is wild. Not a bad thing? Have you seen our WR corps? The worst in the nfl. Total dumpster fire.

When you miss on a quality WR in FA, you NEED to make a move via make a splash trade OR draft a blue chip WR at 4th overall…not settle in FA for a lesser JAG WR

 

[Thunderhead]

Alonzo Highsmith aids Eliot Wolf in obtaining wide receivers for the New England Patriots Football Team. 2025 colorized.

 

[TinhWoodhead]

Lockett will be 33 years old this season and has statistically declined the past two seasons.

Draft some…

could it be the qb?

 

[Ring 6]

Not an upgrade over what we have really IMO... barely one. I hope they don't sign him, as that would mean they are giving up on bringing in a better vet free agent and putting all their hopes into the draft, which i don't want them to do.

FYI... Lockett's total yards per season have gone down 3 years in a row... 1175 to 1033 to 894 to 600(the steepest drop off) I don't think that trend is reversing. You COULD argue part of that big drop off has to do with the rise of Nijgba-Smith making him the 3rd option behind Metcalf and him last year... and that is partly true i suppose... and it is also true they did some have decent weapons behind him which would eat into any 3rd target's option....

But if he had been a better player they would have found a way to make him the focus in more plays. I would argue the big drop from almost 900 to 600 yards had probably more to do with losing a half step than the other guys on the roster.

So do i want him here on a discount deal compared to better options? Not really. I mean.. who is the most expensive guy on the market at this point ourside of Diggs and Cooper who they could use? What else do they plan to spend their money on if not a WR? Tyron Smith won't cost that much. No guard left is that expensive really so they won't get paid like Cam Robinson or Stanley did (not guard... but you get my meaning). So where does the money go? More on D? Where? Whose left to get that is all that expensive out there on D we could really use?

If they don't plan to spend on WR.... where exactly do they plan to spend? They already got a safety.. 2 LBs... some DL help... Top OL players are gone.... so what's left?

Surely he is an upgrade over what we have. I agree he shouldn’t be funded the answer but along with Diggs and a draft choice he would be useful.


We have about 65 mill left, which is effectively 40 after draft, ps, cushion, etc.

I think he should assume 15 mill for Diggs, or a trade for a WR
That leaves 25. We draft the LT.
We still need another WR and very importantly we need DEPTH at
RB
IOL
DT
DE
EDGE
CORNER

It shouldn’t be about “top players left” it should be about filling the 3 major needs then improving depth across the board with the remaining cap and draft.

 

[TommyD4207]

Ol' Jeremy Fowler has been 0-for-the Patriots all offseason so far.

 

[SammyBlueCat]

You would think over the 15+ years youve been here that you'd realize being a whiny, smarmy c$nt isn't a good personnae

You would think that over the 15+ years you’ve been here that someone pointing out and discussing the shape of the roster, the teams needs and how it could improve wouldn’t result in you crying and calling them names.

There are some people that use this service to argue, argue, argue, and then argue more.

On the other hand, if we are talking about the same poster, name calling is rarely practiced.

 

[BobDigital]

Surely he is an upgrade over what we have. I agree he shouldn’t be funded the answer but along with Diggs and a draft choice he would be useful.


We have about 65 mill left, which is effectively 40 after draft, ps, cushion, etc.

I think he should assume 15 mill for Diggs, or a trade for a WR
That leaves 25. We draft the LT.
We still need another WR and very importantly we need DEPTH at
RB
IOL
DT
DE
EDGE
CORNER

It shouldn’t be about “top players left” it should be about filling the 3 major needs then improving depth across the board with the remaining cap and draft.

Well going back to WR... the issue becomes 'who do you cut?'

Mack Hollins is a lock due to his contract situation for this year.
Polk is a lock as they will not give up on young 37th overall pick after 1 year. Nor should they.
If you sign Locket... he will be a lock due to his contract.

Who else should be a lock?

Well Boutte probably 2nd year player... was just 22 last year and on VERY cheap deal the next 2 years... He is an ideal back of the roster WR with still some upside... While not exactly uncuttable.. but is he the kind of player you want to let walk THIS YEAR? I certainly don't. I want to see if he can improve more as a young guy on that very cheap contract.

Then there is Douglas He's a little older as he turned 24 near the end of last season but is again, on a very cheap deal and now entering his 3rd season. At this point is is fair to say he has less upside than Boutte, but still should have some and is on a very cheap contract too. More importantly though... he was the most targeted guy outside of Hunter Henry on the roster by Mac (and do they keep Hunter after this year? Maybe not). While better players are obviously good... keeping some familiarity is good for a young QB too. I don't think he's a LOCK lock, but I'd like to keep him this year and think the Pats would too.

Bourne is completely cuttable due to his age and contract situation though. And i think he will 100% be cut and will be happy with the almost 5M in cap space he'll open up. Nothing against him, just business.

But right now on the roster I think they have 4 WRs they really should try to keep for this year. Ideally they add help in free agency (which would be short term help as things stand now) and draft a guy to be a long term answer who can grow with Maye.

I think adding 2 vets on 1 year deals would be a bad idea for Maye... You throw away any chemistry he's built with players year 1 (as Boutte and Douglas will now either be on riding the bench or gone). Then after a year of building chemistry with these vets you make him start over again in year 3 outside of the rookie they draft (cause Polk may well complete his flame out and Hollins is old).

So here comes Maye year 3 having Travis Hunter (hopefully) or some other highly drafted WR as his number 1... Probably trying to rebuild his chemistry with Boutte... and... who else?

To me the ideal situation is 1 vet 1 draftie. After this year the vet moves on... we draft another WR... Douglas and Boutte are still there and cheap on the roster as comfort options Maye knows as he gets use to the new #2 option as Hunter Henry who he has relied on a lot may be a hard cut that year. That to me is a much smoother transition for a young QB to make. Then even if Douglas and Boutte bounce after that year he will have had time to build chemistry with his new top 2 options and we're good to go.

 

[SammyBlueCat]

Honestly for what he’d be fetching salary wise it wouldn’t suck to bring him in.

Hes a solid hand and the team needs some veterans on that side of the ball.

Lockett is a really crafty and intelligent player, which is something our locker room could sorely use. This feels like someone that can contribute as a three or four, but can also help all the other young players become pros.

His quickness is not what it used to be.

He is a good high character guy so if his contract demands are not super high, he could be a good influence for the younger players already here.

 

[Ring 6]

Well going back to WR... the issue becomes 'who do you cut?'

Mack Hollins is a lock due to his contract situation for this year.
Polk is a lock as they will not give up on young 37th overall pick after 1 year. Nor should they.
If you sign Locket... he will be a lock due to his contract.

Who else should be a lock?

Well Boutte probably 2nd year player... was just 22 last year and on VERY cheap deal the next 2 years... He is an ideal back of the roster WR with still some upside... While not exactly uncuttable.. but is he the kind of player you want to let walk THIS YEAR? I certainly don't. I want to see if he can improve more as a young guy on that very cheap contract.

Then there is Douglas He's a little older as he turned 24 near the end of last season but is again, on a very cheap deal and now entering his 3rd season. At this point is is fair to say he has less upside than Boutte, but still should have some and is on a very cheap contract too. More importantly though... he was the most targeted guy outside of Hunter Henry on the roster by Mac (and do they keep Hunter after this year? Maybe not). While better players are obviously good... keeping some familiarity is good for a young QB too. I don't think he's a LOCK lock, but I'd like to keep him this year and think the Pats would too.

Bourne is completely cuttable due to his age and contract situation though. And i think he will 100% be cut and will be happy with the almost 5M in cap space he'll open up. Nothing against him, just business.

But right now on the roster I think they have 4 WRs they really should try to keep for this year. Ideally they add help in free agency (which would be short term help as things stand now) and draft a guy to be a long term answer who can grow with Maye.

I think adding 2 vets on 1 year deals would be a bad idea for Maye... You throw away any chemistry he's built with players year 1 (as Boutte and Douglas will now either be on riding the bench or gone). Then after a year of building chemistry with these vets you make him start over again in year 3 outside of the rookie they draft (cause Polk may well complete his flame out and Hollins is old).

So here comes Maye year 3 having Travis Hunter (hopefully) or some other highly drafted WR as his number 1... Probably trying to rebuild his chemistry with Boutte... and... who else?

To me the ideal situation is 1 vet 1 draftie. After this year the vet moves on... we draft another WR... Douglas and Boutte are still there and cheap on the roster as comfort options Maye knows as he gets use to the new #2 option as Hunter Henry who he has relied on a lot may be a hard cut that year. That to me is a much smoother transition for a young QB to make. Then even if Douglas and Boutte bounce after that year he will have had time to build chemistry with his new top 2 options and we're good to go.

You would have
Diggs Lockett Draft pick Douglas
and everyone else competing for 1 or 2 spots.
Polk certainly isn’t a lock, he literally graded as the worst WR in the NFL last year.

I understand building chemistry but I see no sense in doing it with bad players.
Diggs and Lockett wouldn’t sign 1 year contracts. I would expect Diggs to be here 2 or 3 yrs, Lockett returning would be based upon how he rookie progresses and whether there is room.

I’d like to have a WR corps where we have to make tough cuts rather than having to keep bad players. We had the worst WR group in the NFL last year, by far, and still do. There isn’t a single one that I would be upset to replace. Douglas should get a good slot receiver, but no one else compares to NFL caliber 1,2or3.
I think the main difference we have is the spot that would be WR2 until the rookie takes it and WR4 after that. I am not happy with anyone on the roster in that role, but wouldn’t consider it a disaster, as long as we get a 1 and a high draft pick, no later than our early 2nd.

 

[Ring 6]

His quickness is not what it used to be.

He is a good high character guy so if his contract demands are not super high, he could be a good influence for the younger players already here.

A reliable smart veteran guy added to a receiver room with absolutely no reliability. Makes sense

 

[Ring 6]

You must have missed the players survey where RK was rated a D, one of the worse owner grades. It is not PatsFans rating the owner cheap, it is the players. You don't believe the players either?

You must have missed P Carroll and B Belichick's comments. Both said that RK is cheap. You don't believe the coaches either?

Your proof that RK is not cheap is that others thought he paid too much when investing/buying the Patriots? LOL

People have an affinity for Kraft. They view him as the savior if the franchise because they feel without him it would have moved.
I don’t live in the community, I did when I was a kid, but haven’t since and live 3 hours away.
To me if the Patriots were in Foxboro or another city, it wouldn’t make much of a difference to me, but I can see people who live in the community feeling they owe something to Kraft, liking him, and wanting to defend him.

 

[TommyD4207]

You would have
Diggs Lockett Draft pick Douglas
and everyone else competing for 1 or 2 spots.
Polk certainly isn’t a lock, he literally graded as the worst WR in the NFL last year.

I understand building chemistry but I see no sense in doing it with bad players.
Diggs and Lockett wouldn’t sign 1 year contracts. I would expect Diggs to be here 2 or 3 yrs, Lockett returning would be based upon how he rookie progresses and whether there is room.

I’d like to have a WR corps where we have to make tough cuts rather than having to keep bad players. We had the worst WR group in the NFL last year, by far, and still do. There isn’t a single one that I would be upset to replace. Douglas should get a good slot receiver, but no one else compares to NFL caliber 1,2or3.
I think the main difference we have is the spot that would be WR2 until the rookie takes it and WR4 after that. I am not happy with anyone on the roster in that role, but wouldn’t consider it a disaster, as long as we get a 1 and a high draft pick, no later than our early 2nd.

I get your reasoning.
I just don't see the sense of signing Diggs AND Lockett, when neither of them will be here when the team starts to actually get good. Get one to bolster the roster, sure ,but neither of them are long-term solutions.