FOXBOROUGH, Mass. — Count New England Patriots defensive tackle Christian Barmore among head coach Mike Vrabel’s biggest fans. Barmore — who revealed Thursday t

Big picture thought on the Patriots' schedule, which comes out tomorrow: It sets up well for them. -- Nine home games. -- No games west of New Orleans. -- One of the easiest schedules in the NFL based on current Super Bowl odds.

cross-posted from: https://infosec.pub/post/18986911

Patriots rookie wide receiver Ja’Lynn Polk has caught just 10 passes on his 23 targets this season, and head coach Jerod Mayo said Polk needs to stop dropping passes. But Polk thinks his hands are great.

Mayo said Polk needs “to get over this mental hump” and “eliminate the dropped passes.”

But Polk told MassLive.com that he doesn’t see it that way.

“I’m not dealing with [any] mental problems at all. No mental problems,” Polk said. “I believe I have the best hands in the league. So, I feel like my drops, that’s not an issue at all.”

Polk said he has a lot of confidence in himself.

“I’ve got more confidence in myself than anybody has in me,” Polk said. “I just have the mindset of wanting to be the best. So, keep chasing greatness and being the best that I can be.”

Polk needs to play better for Mayo to have that kind of confidence in him.

cross-posted from: https://infosec.pub/post/9576990

Patriots informed WR DeVante Parker that they are releasing him Wednesday and he now has been given permission to talk to other teams, per his agent Jimmy Gould.

cross-posted from: https://infosec.pub/post/9550650

The New England Patriots are finalizing a deal to trade quarterback Mac Jones to the Jacksonville Jaguars, league sources told ESPN's Adam Schefter on Sunday.

The Patriots will receive a 2024 sixth-round pick as compensation, sources told Schefter. The trade cannot be processed until the new league year begins Wednesday and Jones passes a physical.

cross-posted from: https://infosec.pub/post/9550673

Source: The #Patriots are re-signing WR Kendrick Bourne to a 3-year, $19.5 million contract.

Bourne’s deal carries a maximum value of $33 million and includes a $4.2 million signing bonus.

cross-posted from: https://infosec.pub/post/9577039

The New England Patriots used their first free-agent move Monday to add depth at running back. Former Washington Commanders back Antonio Gibson, 25, agreed to terms on a three-year, $11.25 million contract with the Patriots, according to a league source, that will make him the team’s No. 2 running back behind Rhamondre Stevenson.

Antonio Gibson can be a third-down, pass-catching back for the Patriots and occasionally spell Rhamondre Stevenson.

— Chad Graff (@ChadGraff) March 11, 2024

Called every damn thing on the Pats and let the Commanders get away with an obvious facemask. Fuxking bullshit.

cross-posted from: https://infosec.pub/post/3199022

ARLINGTON, Texas — Mac Jones will remain the Patriots’ starting quarterback moving forward, head coach Bill Belichick said Sunday after a 38-3 loss at the hands of the Cowboys.

Jones was removed from the game late in the third quarter for backup quarterback Bailey Zappe after turning the ball over three times. One of his two interceptions plus a strip-sack were returned by the Cowboys for touchdowns.

“I didn’t think there was any point in leaving him in the game,” Belichick said when asked why Jones was benched.

Belichick was asked directly if Jones would start Sunday against the Saints.

“Yeah, I just said there was no point in leaving him in the game,” Belichick responded.

Belichick said Jones was not benched for poor performance.

“I just said there was no point in leaving him out there, so I took him out,” Belichick said.

Jones was 12-of-21 for 150 yards with two interceptions. Zappe was 4-of-9 for 57 yards in reserve.

The Patriots also have quarterback Will Grier on their roster. Grier served as an emergency third quarterback on Sunday.

The Patriots have started the season 1-3 with losses to the Eagles and Jets. They were coming off of a 15-10 win over the Jets before Sunday’s drubbing.

idk man. i'm just bummed.

From Adam Schefter on X:

Patriots’ standout pass rusher Matthew Judon suffered a lower bicep tendon tear during today’s loss in Dallas, per source. How much time he will be sidelined for still is being evaluated.

Via Zack Cox on X:

The Patriots downgraded Jonathan Jones and Cole Strange to OUT for tomorrow’s game.

Third straight game Jones has missed. Strange left last week’s in the third quarter and looked very limited in practice this week.

Atonio Mafi the favorite to start at LG.

From Tom Pelissero via X:

The NFL didn’t fine #Patriots QB Mac Jones for his actions in last week’s game against the #Jets, per sources.

Any discipline would’ve required sufficient video evidence to support Sauce Gardner’s accusation. In this case, there wasn’t enough.

There were fears of DL Daniel Ekuale having a torn bicep which look to have a sort of confirmation with him headed over to the IR. Best of luck to him in healing up and it's another blow to already ailing defense that has still maintained high quality.

cross-posted from: https://infosec.pub/post/2818909

The Patriots are signing quarterback Will Grier to their active roster off the Bengals practice squad, ESPN’s Adam Schefter reports.

Grier was drafted by the Panthers in the third round of the 2019 NFL Draft out of West Virginia, spending parts of two seasons in Carolina. He got his only NFL action as a rookie, totaling 228 passing yards with no touchdowns and four interceptions in 2019.

Carolina released Grier before the 2021 season, but the Cowboys claimed him off waivers. Grier then spent the 2021 and ’22 seasons as Dallas’s third-string quarterback, but never saw any game action.

After the Cowboys traded for Trey Lance in August, the team released Grier, who then signed with the Bengals practice squad, where he has been for the past few weeks. This also means that Cincinnati will need another quarterback along with backup Jake Browning if Joe Burrow can’t play on Monday.

The Patriots now add Grier to their team as a third stringer behind Mac Jones and Bailey Zappe. New England will face the Jets on Sunday and is also set to play the Cowboys in Dallas next week.

A bit of a tangential one but I figured we all needed a lil' boost after this weekend.

Honestly, they made lots of mistakes, but showed lots of poise and execution at key moments.

Mac was not great, but again, showed poise and execution in the face of his own errors, or drops.

Kendrick Bourne was a treat!

LET'S GO!