Taking a snapshot view, we are once again on top of the available cap space.

Source: https://x.com/tylermwebb/status/1848739986004124119

LONDON — Drake Maye sat on the bench at his familiar spot on the New England Patriots sideline, stuck and unable to get back on the field as the team’s defense was slowly shredded. For more than 11 minutes of game time, the defense couldn’t get a stop — even though all of Wembley Stadium knew a run was coming. “Shoot,” Maye said afterward, “for a while in the second half, we had one drive the whole half.”

GO DEEPER

Jaguars beat Patriots 32-16 in London as New England falters: Takeaways

Because of the defensive disaster that the Patriots have become, it’s easy to overlook how well Maye has played in his first two starts. After going 20-for-33 passing for 243 yards and three touchdowns in his debut last week against the Texans, he followed it up with a 26-for-37 day for 276 yards and two more scores Sunday against the Jaguars. In two games, that’s 519 yards, five touchdowns against two interceptions and a 65.7 completion percentage. Seven games into the official start of this rebuild,

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.

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

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.

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.

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.

Archive.is link: https://archive.is/2024.01.13-121045/https://theathletic.com/5199098/2024/01/13/bill-belichick-jerod-mayo-patriots-head-coach-change-details/

A quick read about the succession plan in Foxborough and the speeding up.

Just some quick thoughts from Rhamondre Stevenson on his struggles this season as we head into an extension-eligible season.

The first 3 picks in the 2024 NFL Draft are now officially set:

1. Bears
2. Commanders
3. Patriots

Archive.is link: https://archive.is/2024.01.06-063750/https://www.bostonherald.com/2024/01/04/inside-the-patriots-fall-to-rock-bottom-in-the-bill-belichick-era/

Unfortunately, another year, another Herald locker room dysfunction piece.

A quick video outlining three scenarios with Bill’s future after this abysmal season:

• Mutually part ways
• Trade Bill for picks
• Introduce a GM

According to Schultz, Kraft and Belichick are meeting next week to discuss the matter and begin figuring out next steps.

Of course, something has to change but this media circus does feel goofy. My wish is probably to keep Bill but just give him a GM. Let him just do X’s and O’s while having a harder deal maker in the GM office.

Excerpt from the article:

NFL Network first reported that Jackson won't travel for the game, citing questions about his reliability. A source told ESPN that Jackson missed curfew at the team hotel Saturday. SI.com had previously reported that Jackson was late to the hotel.

An excerpt from the article:

Telesco told the group that signing Jackson was a mistake, according to multiple team sources. He apologized for continuing to give Jackson opportunities, despite Jackson routinely showing that he wasn't as committed as the rest of the team while being one of the Chargers' highest paid players.

Telesco called the move a "swing and a miss."

New England Patriots coaches have stood by starting quarterback Mac Jones, supporting him despite his struggles on the field the past two weeks. With a rough start today against the Raiders, however, that could change.

Sources say Jones is on a short leash, and a poor opening few series could potentially trigger another QB to take snaps in Las Vegas. It's just not entirely clear who would take those snaps if Jones is benched

From Surrender Index 90 via X:

NE decided to punt to NO from the NO 40 on 4th & 3 with 9:48 remaining in the 3rd while losing 0 to 24.

With a Surrender Index of 39.71, this punt ranks at the 99.6th percentile of cowardly punts of the 2023 season, and the 98th percentile of all punts since 1999.

You probably shouldn't watch this unless you're a sicko who likes to be hurt.