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  1. <?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8"?>
  2. <feed xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2005/Atom" xml:lang="en">
  3.  <title>Pats Pulpit -  All Posts</title>
  4.  <subtitle>Pats Pulpit: A New England Patriots Community</subtitle>
  5.  <icon>https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/community_logos/51321/pp-fav.png</icon>
  6.  <updated>2025-05-22T20:00:22-04:00</updated>
  7.  <id>http://www.patspulpit.com/rss/current/</id>
  8.  <link type="text/html" href="https://www.patspulpit.com/" rel="alternate"/>
  9.  <entry>
  10.    <published>2025-05-22T20:00:22-04:00</published>
  11.    <updated>2025-05-22T20:00:22-04:00</updated>
  12.    <title>Patriots’ Robert Kraft releases statement on passing of Colts owner Jim Irsay</title>
  13.    <content type="html">  
  14.  
  15.    &lt;figure&gt;
  16.      &lt;img alt="NFL: Miami Dolphins at Indianapolis Colts" src="https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/m2ooBjwShiPfvqPX0h5evfre_BQ=/0x0:7962x5308/1310x873/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/74097511/usa_today_24543288.0.jpg" /&gt;
  17.        &lt;figcaption&gt;Grace Hollars/IndyStar USA TODAY Network via Imagn Images-Imagn Images&lt;/figcaption&gt;
  18.    &lt;/figure&gt;
  19.  
  20.  &lt;p&gt;Irsay passed away on Wedensday.&lt;/p&gt; &lt;p id="xmei90"&gt;The &lt;a href="https://www.patspulpit.com/"&gt;New England Patriots&lt;/a&gt; have released a statement on behalf of their owner and CEO, Robert Kraft, about the passing of longtime &lt;a href="https://www.stampedeblue.com/"&gt;Indianapolis Colts&lt;/a&gt; owner Jim Irsay.&lt;/p&gt;
  21. &lt;blockquote&gt;
  22. &lt;p id="mvE1EW"&gt;I am deeply saddened to learn of the passing of Jim Irsay. Jim was a passionate Colts fan whose love for the game of football was only matched by his love for music. He brought a unique spirit and energy into the room and had an unmistakable presence.&lt;/p&gt;
  23. &lt;p id="F8SdD3"&gt;Jim’s boldness defined his legacy, not just as the steward of the Colts, but as someone who never shied away from being unapologetically himself. His contributions to our league and his compassion for his community will leave a lasting mark. On behalf of my family and the entire New England Patriots organization, I extend our deepest condolences to the Irsay family, the Colts organization, and all who knew and loved him.&lt;/p&gt;
  24. &lt;/blockquote&gt;
  25. &lt;p id="Z6kU4b"&gt;Irsay &lt;a href="https://www.patspulpit.com/new-england-patriots-social-media-video-podcasts/2025/5/21/24434879/colts-owner-jim-irsay-dead-nfl"&gt;passed away on Wednesday&lt;/a&gt; at the age of 65. He had owned the Colts since inheriting them from his father in 1997.&lt;/p&gt;
  26.  
  27. </content>
  28.    <link rel="alternate" type="text/html" href="https://www.patspulpit.com/new-england-patriots-social-media-video-podcasts/2025/5/22/24435567/patriots-robert-kraft-statement-colts-owner-jim-irsay"/>
  29.    <id>https://www.patspulpit.com/new-england-patriots-social-media-video-podcasts/2025/5/22/24435567/patriots-robert-kraft-statement-colts-owner-jim-irsay</id>
  30.    <author>
  31.      <name>Pats Pulpit Staff</name>
  32.    </author>
  33.  </entry>
  34.  <entry>
  35.    <published>2025-05-22T17:07:28-04:00</published>
  36.    <updated>2025-05-22T17:07:28-04:00</updated>
  37.    <title>Rhamondre Stevenson has returned to Patriots OTAs, per report</title>
  38.    <content type="html">  
  39.  
  40.    &lt;figure&gt;
  41.      &lt;img alt="NFL: JUN 12 New England Patriots Minicamp" src="https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/ICjuqhpIM3dtj1FE9kP-Hwbagak=/825x121:3159x1677/1310x873/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/74097353/2156772192.0.jpg" /&gt;
  42.        &lt;figcaption&gt;Photo by Fred Kfoury III/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images&lt;/figcaption&gt;
  43.    &lt;/figure&gt;
  44.  
  45.  &lt;p&gt;The fifth-year running back has recently been absent for personal reasons.&lt;/p&gt; &lt;p id="sHqIVl"&gt;The &lt;a href="https://www.patspulpit.com/"&gt;New England Patriots&lt;/a&gt; took to the practice fields on Thursday for their third organized team activity of the spring. Among those present for the session was running back Rhamondre Stevenson, who made his comeback after previously missing time for personal reasons.&lt;/p&gt;
  46. &lt;p id="2Y03vj"&gt;Mike Reiss of ESPN was first to &lt;a href="https://x.com/MikeReiss/status/1925507027163373855"&gt;report&lt;/a&gt; Stevenson’s return. The 27-year-old had sat out a majority of the voluntary offseason program following the death of his father, Robert, back in March.&lt;/p&gt;
  47. &lt;p id="wmwLuA"&gt;“We’re extremely excited to have him with us,” Patriots head coach Mike Vrabel &lt;a href="https://www.patspulpit.com/2025/5/21/24434209/rhamondre-stevenson-patriots-offseason-workouts-vrabel-reaction"&gt;said about Stevenson&lt;/a&gt; earlier this week.&lt;/p&gt;
  48. &lt;p id="AzcIkw"&gt;“I’ve been in constant communication with him. Obviously, our thoughts and prayers with him and his family as they heal and they grieve. I want to be a part of that to help them and get to know him. I met him early on and then he went back, and now those conversations have just been over the telephone.”&lt;/p&gt;
  49. &lt;p id="hRTn1b"&gt;Stevenson originally joined the Patriots as a fourth-round selection in the 2021 NFL Draft, and quickly developed into a valuable piece of their offense. As a consequence, he was awarded with a four-year, $36 million contract extension last summer.&lt;/p&gt;
  50. &lt;p id="IEQxZ7"&gt;His 2024 season, however, fell short of expectations in many respects. While the Patriots’ new-look coaching staff vowed to make him a focal point on offense and he did finish with a team-leading eight touchdowns and 969 scrimmage yards, he also led all NFL running backs with seven fumbles.&lt;/p&gt;
  51. &lt;p id="oEu6su"&gt;Still, the Patriots’ new head coach is confident in what Stevenson can bring to his team.&lt;/p&gt;
  52. &lt;p id="tQNONi"&gt;“He’s going to be a large part of what we do,” said Vrabel. “We’ll just have to determine where he’s at when he’s back here.”&lt;/p&gt;
  53. &lt;p id="lEblUL"&gt;On Thursday, he was back. The Patriots will hold their next OTA session on Tuesday, May 27, with the next session open to the media set for the following day.&lt;/p&gt;
  54.  
  55. </content>
  56.    <link rel="alternate" type="text/html" href="https://www.patspulpit.com/2025/5/22/24435470/rhamondre-stevenson-return-patriots-otas-news"/>
  57.    <id>https://www.patspulpit.com/2025/5/22/24435470/rhamondre-stevenson-return-patriots-otas-news</id>
  58.    <author>
  59.      <name>Bernd Buchmasser</name>
  60.    </author>
  61.  </entry>
  62.  <entry>
  63.    <published>2025-05-22T16:40:31-04:00</published>
  64.    <updated>2025-05-22T16:40:31-04:00</updated>
  65.    <title>Patriots make record-breaking commitment to pair of UDFA signings</title>
  66.    <content type="html">  
  67.  
  68.    &lt;figure&gt;
  69.      &lt;img alt="NFL: New England Patriots Rookie Minicamp" src="https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/fGHLcL9eWAa_djuq1NS53TgqpAY=/127x249:4641x3258/1310x873/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/74097294/usa_today_26134648.0.jpg" /&gt;
  70.        &lt;figcaption&gt;Eric Canha-Imagn Images&lt;/figcaption&gt;
  71.    &lt;/figure&gt;
  72.  
  73.  &lt;p&gt;Tight end C.J. Dippre and wide receiver Efton Chism received record guarantees in their respective deals.&lt;/p&gt; &lt;p id="scnVJd"&gt;After already adding a league-high 11 players to their roster in last month’s draft, the &lt;a href="https://www.patspulpit.com/"&gt;New England Patriots&lt;/a&gt; were also among the most active teams in the NFL in signing rookie free agents.&lt;/p&gt;
  74. &lt;p id="PaaD5R"&gt;In total, &lt;a href="https://www.patspulpit.com/2025/5/9/24426978/patriots-sign-8-picks-16-free-agents-2025-nfl-draft-class"&gt;16 of them&lt;/a&gt; initially found their way to Foxborough. Among them were two who were given record-breaking contracts.&lt;/p&gt;
  75. &lt;p id="mOskfF"&gt;According to salary cap expert Miguel Benzan, the deals &lt;a href="https://bsky.app/profile/patscap.bsky.social/post/3lpmzdzsgdk26"&gt;signed&lt;/a&gt; by tight end C.J. Dippre and wide receiver Efton Chism III included total guarantees of $264,000 and $259,000, respectively. For comparison, the biggest such number &lt;a href="https://bsky.app/profile/patscap.bsky.social/post/3lpr2oopqok2l"&gt;previously&lt;/a&gt; given out by the Patriots was $211,000 to running back Jeff Demps in 2012.&lt;/p&gt;
  76. &lt;p id="QmjuA1"&gt;A steady increase in both salary cap space and rookie compensation pool contributed to this development. It is still noteworthy, however, that it took 13 years for the previous record to be bested.&lt;/p&gt;
  77. &lt;p id="TqjfKR"&gt;This suggests two things: 1.) The Patriots under their new-look leadership of Mike Vrabel, Eliot Wolf and Ryan Cowden are willing to invest heavily in certain players that are identified as fits rather than spread the wealth evenly among UDFAs; 2.) They faced heavy competition for the services of Dippre and Chism.&lt;/p&gt;
  78. &lt;p id="fuFGuy"&gt;It is not hard to see why the latter might have been the case.&lt;/p&gt;
  79. &lt;p id="ATwVkq"&gt;Dippre, standing at 6-foot-5 and 256 pounds, started 37 career games between stints at Alabama and Maryland. While not posting eye-opening numbers at either school, he showed himself capable of contributing both as a receiver and a blocker as well as a special teamer.&lt;/p&gt;
  80. &lt;p id="fm3HAc"&gt;Chism, meanwhile, fits the mold of a classic Patriots slot receiver. While lacking size (5’10”, 193 lbs) and straight-line speed (4.71s 40), he had a productive five-year career at Eastern Washington due to his route-running abilities and short-area quickness.&lt;/p&gt;
  81. &lt;p id="bcOoc8"&gt;Both prospects drawing a lot of attention in rookie free agency was no surprise. Neither was the Patriots targeting them, and they ended up making proper investments to ensure adding them to an offense in need of all the talent it can get.&lt;/p&gt;
  82. &lt;p id="3FiLlQ"&gt;Dippre and Chism received $234,000 each in salary guarantees. They also received $30,000 and $25,000 in respective signing bonuses.&lt;/p&gt;
  83. &lt;p id="4ep3Se"&gt;But while those numbers stand out relative to other Patriots UDFA contracts through the years, they do not mean that either Dippre or Chism are guaranteed spots on their roster or practice squad. For that to happen, the two youngsters will still need to prove themselves worthy over the course of the offseason and particularly training camp.&lt;/p&gt;
  84. &lt;p id="xRdUYN"&gt;The jury is still out on that.&lt;/p&gt;
  85.  
  86. </content>
  87.    <link rel="alternate" type="text/html" href="https://www.patspulpit.com/2025/5/22/24435121/patriots-record-breaking-commitment-udfa-signings-dippre-chism"/>
  88.    <id>https://www.patspulpit.com/2025/5/22/24435121/patriots-record-breaking-commitment-udfa-signings-dippre-chism</id>
  89.    <author>
  90.      <name>Bernd Buchmasser</name>
  91.    </author>
  92.  </entry>
  93.  <entry>
  94.    <published>2025-05-22T10:57:54-04:00</published>
  95.    <updated>2025-05-22T10:57:54-04:00</updated>
  96.    <title>New England Patriots links 5/22/25 - Has Josh McDaniels streamlined the offense?</title>
  97.    <content type="html">  
  98.  
  99.    &lt;figure&gt;
  100.      &lt;img alt="NFL: MAY 20 New England Patriots OTA" src="https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/LWR-xGDon60YAxA6mrp1HCO0jjo=/0x5:3900x2605/1310x873/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/74096468/2215579467.0.jpg" /&gt;
  101.        &lt;figcaption&gt;Hunter Henry leaps for a catch during OTAs | Photo by Fred Kfoury III/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images&lt;/figcaption&gt;
  102.    &lt;/figure&gt;
  103.  
  104.  &lt;p&gt;Daily news and links for Thursday&lt;/p&gt; &lt;p id="m3dYGr"&gt;&lt;strong&gt;TEAM TALK&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
  105. &lt;ul&gt;
  106. &lt;li id="MhsoIg"&gt;
  107. &lt;strong&gt;Statement&lt;/strong&gt; from Patriots Chairman and CEO Robert Kraft on the &lt;a href="https://www.patriots.com/news/statement-from-patriots-chairman-and-ceo-robert-kraft-on-the-passing-of-jim-irsay"&gt;passing of Colts owner Jim Irsay&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;/li&gt;
  108. &lt;li id="NSYcKT"&gt;
  109. &lt;strong&gt;Highlights:&lt;/strong&gt; &lt;a href="https://www.patriots.com/video/highlights-from-tuesday-s-patriots-ota"&gt;Tuesday’s Patriots OTA&lt;/a&gt;. (19 second video) &lt;em&gt;/C’mon man, you couldn’t give us 20?&lt;/em&gt;
  110. &lt;/li&gt;
  111. &lt;li id="5u9xSL"&gt;
  112. &lt;strong&gt;Player Poll:&lt;/strong&gt; &lt;a href="https://www.patriots.com/video/player-poll-best-cartoon-of-all-time"&gt;Best cartoon&lt;/a&gt; of all-time? (1.15 min. video)&lt;/li&gt;
  113. &lt;li id="RTKff3"&gt;
  114. &lt;strong&gt;Patriots Catch-22:&lt;/strong&gt; &lt;a href="https://www.patriots.com/audio/patriots-catch-22-5-21-ota-recap-roster-building-nfl-spring-meeting-recap"&gt;OTA recap, roster building&lt;/a&gt;, NFL Spring Meeting recap. (2 hours)&lt;/li&gt;
  115. &lt;/ul&gt;
  116. &lt;p id="5LqFav"&gt;&lt;strong&gt;LOCAL LINKS&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
  117. &lt;ul&gt;
  118. &lt;li id="1pYYjG"&gt;
  119. &lt;strong&gt;Karen Guregian&lt;/strong&gt; notes that back in April, Josh McDaniels talked at length about &lt;a href="https://www.masslive.com/patriots/2025/05/has-josh-mcdaniels-complex-offense-truly-been-streamlined-one-patriot-responds.html"&gt;simplifying the offense&lt;/a&gt; to make it easier for players to pick up.  But Hunter Henry had an interesting answer when asked if he’s noticed much of a difference. &lt;em&gt;“It’s pretty similar to the past, to be honest with you, in a lot of ways. Obviously, I think compiling stuff, there’s definitely some new stuff. So I guess you guys will have to keep watching.”&lt;/em&gt;
  120. &lt;/li&gt;
  121. &lt;li id="fxrxwk"&gt;
  122. &lt;strong&gt;Jason Ounpraseuth&lt;/strong&gt; warns Patriots fans to &lt;a href="https://go.redirectingat.com?id=66960X1641910&amp;amp;xs=1&amp;amp;url=https%3A%2F%2Fnesn.com%2F2025%2F05%2Fpatriots-fans-dont-overreact-to-drake-mayes-ota-struggles%2F&amp;amp;referrer=sbnation.com&amp;amp;sref=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.patspulpit.com%2F2025%2F5%2F22%2F24435084%2Fpatriots-news-links-5-22-25-has-josh-mcdaniels-streamlined-the-offense" rel="sponsored nofollow noopener" target="_blank"&gt;not fall for the panic bait&lt;/a&gt; and overreact to Drake Maye’s OTA struggles.&lt;/li&gt;
  123. &lt;li id="cvkAH5"&gt;
  124. &lt;strong&gt;Sara Marshall&lt;/strong&gt; spotlights &lt;a href="https://musketfire.com/surprising-patriots-rookie-had-a-lot-of-people-talking-during-mini-camp-01jvn6bf9cj0"&gt;rookie Craig Woodson&lt;/a&gt;, the Pats’ most disliked draft pick who was among the most impressive during rookie minicamp.&lt;/li&gt;
  125. &lt;li id="UKfs2x"&gt;
  126. &lt;strong&gt;Justin Trombino&lt;/strong&gt; looks at the early Patriots schedule and sees a &lt;a href="https://chowderandchampions.com/early-patriots-schedule-will-be-a-huge-test-for-will-campbell-01jvt46tve9t"&gt;huge test ahead for Will Campbell&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;/li&gt;
  127. &lt;li id="Clr8QJ"&gt;
  128. &lt;strong&gt;Mark Daniels&lt;/strong&gt; highlights how CB &lt;a href="https://www.masslive.com/patriots/2025/05/all-pro-cornerback-impressed-with-patriots-rookie-receiver.html"&gt;Christian Gonzalez was impressed&lt;/a&gt; with Patriots rookie receiver Kyle Williams.&lt;/li&gt;
  129. &lt;li id="dWTKWq"&gt;
  130. &lt;strong&gt;Matthew Schmidt&lt;/strong&gt; identifies &lt;a href="https://www.si.com/nfl/patriots/news/one-major-problem-new-england-patriots-not-yet-solved"&gt;one major problem&lt;/a&gt; the Patriots have not yet solved: The interior of the offensive line remains a significant question mark.&lt;/li&gt;
  131. &lt;li id="QE6BR3"&gt;
  132. &lt;strong&gt;Ryan McLaughlin&lt;/strong&gt; mentions how Mike Vrabel &lt;a href="https://musketfire.com/mike-vrabel-seeks-inspiration-for-patriots-work-ethic-from-unusual-place-01jvqkj25pyp"&gt;finds inspiration&lt;/a&gt; from everyday working class people.&lt;/li&gt;
  133. &lt;li id="GPAFsi"&gt;
  134. &lt;strong&gt;Sara Marshall&lt;/strong&gt; reports how Mike Vrabel and Eliot Wolf have established a &lt;a href="https://musketfire.com/eliot-wolf-puts-potential-patriots-drama-to-rest-with-latest-comments-01jvgrprvhkx"&gt;good working dynamic&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;/li&gt;
  135. &lt;li id="VEzpgo"&gt;
  136. &lt;strong&gt;Alex Barth&lt;/strong&gt; explains why the Patriots are &lt;a href="https://985thesportshub.com/2025/05/22/the-patriots-are-on-the-right-side-of-history-with-their-tush-push-vote/"&gt;on the right side of history&lt;/a&gt; with their Tush Push vote.&lt;/li&gt;
  137. &lt;li id="EKLV0q"&gt;
  138. &lt;strong&gt;Mark Daniels&lt;/strong&gt; and &lt;strong&gt;Karen Guregian&lt;/strong&gt; report the &lt;a href="https://www.masslive.com/patriots/2025/05/patriots-workout-former-starting-cornerback.html"&gt;Patriots worked out&lt;/a&gt; former &lt;a href="https://www.prideofdetroit.com/"&gt;Detroit Lions&lt;/a&gt; starting CB Jerry Jacobs. They aren’t expected to sign Jacobs at this time according to reports.&lt;/li&gt;
  139. &lt;li id="FIoVgX"&gt;
  140. &lt;strong&gt;Lauren Campbell&lt;/strong&gt; relays Keyshawn Johnson detailing the &lt;a href="https://www.masslive.com/patriots/2025/05/keyshawn-johnson-details-craziest-sideline-fight-he-saw-that-involved-bill-belichick.html"&gt;‘craziest’ sideline fight&lt;/a&gt; he saw that involved Bill Belichick.&lt;/li&gt;
  141. &lt;li id="5Lp1nb"&gt;
  142. &lt;strong&gt;Nick O’Malley&lt;/strong&gt; catches up with &lt;a href="https://www.masslive.com/patriots/2025/05/where-is-adalius-thomas-patriots-bust-who-famously-didnt-own-a-flying-car.html"&gt;former LB Adalius Thomas&lt;/a&gt;, the former Patriots free-agent bust who famously didn’t own a flying car. &lt;em&gt;/Thomas played well in 2007, but copped a real bad attitude afterward&lt;/em&gt;.&lt;/li&gt;
  143. &lt;/ul&gt;
  144. &lt;p id="SE0awm"&gt;&lt;strong&gt;NATIONAL NEWS&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
  145. &lt;ul&gt;
  146. &lt;li id="pCuQIu"&gt;
  147. &lt;strong&gt;Bill Barnwell&lt;/strong&gt; (ESPN) 2025 NFL offseason: &lt;a href="https://www.espn.com/nfl/story/_/id/45164455/2025-nfl-offseason-afc-teams-best-worst-deals-contracts-draft-picks-superlatives"&gt;AFC teams’ best and worst deals, picks&lt;/a&gt;, more. Patriots — The superlative: Most likely to need name tags at training camp. &lt;em&gt;/Click for more commentary&lt;/em&gt;.&lt;/li&gt;
  148. &lt;li id="nXIluv"&gt;
  149. &lt;strong&gt;Daniel Flick&lt;/strong&gt; (SI) Predicting the &lt;a href="https://www.si.com/nfl/predicting-best-rookie-every-team-2025"&gt;best rookie on every team&lt;/a&gt; in 2025. Patriots: RB TreVeyon Henderson.&lt;/li&gt;
  150. &lt;li id="MszKbI"&gt;
  151. &lt;strong&gt;Iain MacMillan&lt;/strong&gt; (SI) NFL schedule Power Rankings: &lt;a href="https://www.si.com/betting/nfl-schedule-power-rankings-3-teams-that-can-hit-the-over-on-win-total-projection-01jvt7fdjw4y"&gt;Patriots one of 3 teams&lt;/a&gt; that can hit the OVER on win total projection. &lt;em&gt;/Click for commentary&lt;/em&gt;.&lt;/li&gt;
  152. &lt;li id="NRf3Jj"&gt;
  153. &lt;strong&gt;Cody Benjamin&lt;/strong&gt; (CBS Sports) 2025 &lt;a href="https://www.cbssports.com/nfl/news/2025-nfl-owners-meetings-takeaways-key-things-to-know-after-tush-push-upheld-olympics-embraced-more/"&gt;NFL owners meetings takeaways:&lt;/a&gt; Key things to know after ‘Tush Push’ upheld, Olympics embraced, more.&lt;/li&gt;
  154. &lt;li id="9s1Ww8"&gt;
  155. &lt;strong&gt;Albert Breer&lt;/strong&gt; (SI) &lt;a href="https://www.si.com/nfl/nfl-spring-meetings-eagles-keep-tush-push"&gt;NFL Spring Meetings:&lt;/a&gt; Eagles wear down owners defending Tush Push; Plus, more on the Lions withdrawing their open-seeding proposal, the Giants are back on &lt;a href="https://www.sbnation.com/hard-knocks"&gt;Hard Knocks&lt;/a&gt; and the Protector of the Year award.&lt;/li&gt;
  156. &lt;li id="D7Occi"&gt;
  157. &lt;strong&gt;Carter Bahns&lt;/strong&gt; (CBS Sports) NFL eyes &lt;a href="https://www.cbssports.com/nfl/news/nfl-eyes-expanded-international-schedule-roger-goodell-hints-at-16-game-slate-within-five-years/"&gt;expanded international schedule:&lt;/a&gt; Roger Goodell hints at 16-game slate ‘within five years.’&lt;/li&gt;
  158. &lt;li id="v2ObmE"&gt;
  159. &lt;strong&gt;Conor Orr&lt;/strong&gt; (SI) The &lt;a href="https://www.si.com/nfl/tush-push-survival-win-eagles-america"&gt;Tush Push’s survival&lt;/a&gt; is a win for Eagles and America.&lt;/li&gt;
  160. &lt;li id="5BlHze"&gt;
  161. &lt;strong&gt;Josh Alper&lt;/strong&gt; (ProFootballTalk) Ravens, Patriots, Jets and Lions among &lt;a href="https://www.nbcsports.com/nfl/profootballtalk/rumor-mill/news/ravens-patriots-jets-and-lions-among-teams-that-voted-against-tush-push-ban"&gt;teams voting against&lt;/a&gt; tush push ban. &lt;em&gt;/Good!&lt;/em&gt;
  162. &lt;/li&gt;
  163. &lt;li id="tdYupS"&gt;
  164. &lt;strong&gt;Tyler Sullivan&lt;/strong&gt; (CBS Sports) ‘Tush Push’ vote &lt;a href="https://www.cbssports.com/nfl/news/tush-push-vote-winners-and-losers-nfl-keeping-controversial-play-great-for-eagles-but-not-saquon-barkley/"&gt;winners and losers:&lt;/a&gt; Bonus loser: NFL officials.&lt;/li&gt;
  165. &lt;li id="EyxW8K"&gt;
  166. &lt;strong&gt;Steven Ruiz &lt;/strong&gt;(The Ringer) Welcome to the dream U.S.&lt;a href="https://www.theringer.com/2025/05/21/nfl/olympic-flag-football-dream-team-nfl-approval"&gt; Olympic flag football team&lt;/a&gt;. Alternate: Christian Gonzalez.&lt;/li&gt;
  167. &lt;li id="h6kgJ4"&gt;
  168. &lt;strong&gt;Matt Verderame&lt;/strong&gt; (SI) Ranking five candidates for 2025 NFL &lt;a href="https://www.si.com/nfl/ranking-five-candidates-2025-nfl-offensive-rookie-year"&gt;Offensive Rookie of the Year&lt;/a&gt;. No Pats.&lt;/li&gt;
  169. &lt;li id="fhaoWM"&gt;
  170. &lt;strong&gt;Gilberto Manzano&lt;/strong&gt; (SI) Ranking five candidates for NFL &lt;a href="https://www.si.com/nfl/ranking-five-candidates-for-nfl-defensive-rookie-of-the-year-in-2025"&gt;Defensive Rookie of the Year&lt;/a&gt; in 2025. No Pats.&lt;/li&gt;
  171. &lt;li id="ulMyb0"&gt;
  172. &lt;strong&gt;Cody Benjamin&lt;/strong&gt; (CBS Sports) NFL announces new &lt;a href="https://www.cbssports.com/nfl/news/nfl-announces-new-protector-of-the-year-award-top-2025-candidates-include-eagles-49ers-lions-stars/"&gt;Protector of the Year award:&lt;/a&gt; Top 2025 candidates. No Pats.&lt;/li&gt;
  173. &lt;li id="Ct1Ciw"&gt;
  174. &lt;strong&gt;Joel Corry&lt;/strong&gt; (CBS Sports) &lt;a href="https://www.cbssports.com/nfl/news/agents-take-how-off-ball-linebacker-became-the-most-underappreciated-position-on-the-nfl-pay-scale/"&gt;Agent’s Take:&lt;/a&gt; How off-ball linebacker became the most underappreciated position on the NFL pay scale.&lt;/li&gt;
  175. &lt;li id="GiP7Fo"&gt;
  176. &lt;strong&gt;Nick Shook&lt;/strong&gt; (NFL.com) 2025 NFL season: &lt;a href="https://www.nfl.com/news/2025-nfl-season-player-departures-that-will-have-biggest-impact-on-their-former-teams"&gt;Player departures&lt;/a&gt; that will have biggest impact on their former teams&lt;/li&gt;
  177. &lt;li id="b1ZDtS"&gt;
  178. &lt;strong&gt;Mike Florio&lt;/strong&gt; (ProFootballTalk) Colts owner &lt;a href="https://www.nbcsports.com/nfl/profootballtalk/rumor-mill/news/colts-owner-jim-irsay-dies-at-65"&gt;Jim Irsay dies&lt;/a&gt; at 65.&lt;/li&gt;
  179. &lt;li id="ZfXwo3"&gt;
  180. &lt;strong&gt;Staff&lt;/strong&gt; (ESPN) Who are the &lt;a href="https://www.espn.com/nfl/story/_/id/39387572/who-current-nfl-team-owners"&gt;current NFL team owners&lt;/a&gt;?&lt;/li&gt;
  181. &lt;li id="nigszb"&gt;
  182. &lt;strong&gt;Myles Simmons&lt;/strong&gt; (ProFootballTalk) Mark Davis: There is a vision, and &lt;a href="https://www.nbcsports.com/nfl/profootballtalk/rumor-mill/news/mark-davis-there-is-a-vision-and-tom-brady-does-have-vision"&gt;Tom Brady does have vision&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;/li&gt;
  183. &lt;/ul&gt;
  184.  
  185. </content>
  186.    <link rel="alternate" type="text/html" href="https://www.patspulpit.com/2025/5/22/24435084/patriots-news-links-5-22-25-has-josh-mcdaniels-streamlined-the-offense"/>
  187.    <id>https://www.patspulpit.com/2025/5/22/24435084/patriots-news-links-5-22-25-has-josh-mcdaniels-streamlined-the-offense</id>
  188.    <author>
  189.      <name>Marima</name>
  190.    </author>
  191.  </entry>
  192.  <entry>
  193.    <published>2025-05-22T08:43:51-04:00</published>
  194.    <updated>2025-05-22T08:43:51-04:00</updated>
  195.    <title>Patriots player profile: Javon Baker is already feeling the heat</title>
  196.    <content type="html">  
  197.  
  198.    &lt;figure&gt;
  199.      &lt;img alt="Los Angeles Rams v New England Patriots" src="https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/evCrUGrYxPBO_kXBbyPf35N5Y0E=/0x0:3978x2652/1310x873/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/74096086/2188055424.0.jpg" /&gt;
  200.        &lt;figcaption&gt;Photo by Maddie Meyer/Getty Images&lt;/figcaption&gt;
  201.    &lt;/figure&gt;
  202.  
  203.  &lt;p&gt;Previewing the Patriots wide receiver heading into his second NFL season.&lt;/p&gt; &lt;p id="9REtE5"&gt;After using the third overall pick in the 2024 NFL Draft on quarterback Drake Maye, the &lt;a href="https://www.patspulpit.com/"&gt;New England Patriots&lt;/a&gt; tried to surround him with some weapons. One was second-round wide receiver Ja’Lynn Polk, the other was fourth-round pick Javon Baker.&lt;/p&gt;
  204. &lt;p id="zM6vPK"&gt;Polk’s first year as a Patriots was quiet, and yet he still managed to outperform Baker — a player who already finds himself under some pressure entering his sophomore campaign.&lt;/p&gt;
  205. &lt;h2 id="R9G6Um"&gt;Hard facts&lt;/h2&gt;
  206. &lt;p id="oBPWRE"&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Name:&lt;/strong&gt; Javon Baker&lt;/p&gt;
  207. &lt;p id="dNhod1"&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Position:&lt;/strong&gt; Wide receiver&lt;/p&gt;
  208. &lt;p id="ggUe6s"&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Jersey number:&lt;/strong&gt; 6&lt;/p&gt;
  209. &lt;p id="mmViwz"&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Opening day age:&lt;/strong&gt; 23 (2/18/2002)&lt;/p&gt;
  210. &lt;p id="26FTxP"&gt;&lt;a href="https://ras.football/"&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Measurements&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;strong&gt;:&lt;/strong&gt; 6’1 1/4”, 202 lbs, 78 1/4” wingspan, 32 1/4” arm length, 9 5/8” hand size, 4.54s 40-yard dash, 37” vertical jump, 10’1” broad jump, 7.83 Relative Athletic Score&lt;/p&gt;
  211. &lt;h2 id="aZEQXI"&gt;Experience&lt;/h2&gt;
  212. &lt;p id="NsB7vK"&gt;&lt;strong&gt;NFL:&lt;/strong&gt; New England Patriots (2024-) | &lt;strong&gt;College:&lt;/strong&gt; Alabama (2020-21), UCF (2022-23)&lt;/p&gt;
  213. &lt;p id="TP6dle"&gt;Baker was a highly-productive pass catcher and All-America selection during his high school career at McEachern in his hometown of Atlanta, GA. The four-star recruit then decided to join the University of Alabama after receiving offers from several prominent Power-5 programs. His time with the Crimson Tide, however, was short-lived.&lt;/p&gt;
  214. &lt;p id="fQ6zrL"&gt;In two seasons in Tuscaloosa, Baker appeared in 21 games with no starts and caught just nine passes for 116 yards and a touchdown. Following the 2021 season, he therefore decided that a change of scenery was in order. After initially committing to Kentucky, he instead decided to transfer to UCF.&lt;/p&gt;
  215. &lt;p id="tEeKLh"&gt;Baker spent his junior and senior campaigns with the Knights under head coach Gus Malzahn, and developed into the player he was supposed to become coming out of high school. Between his 2022 and 2023 campaigns, he saw action in 27 games and caught 108 passes for 1,935 yards and 12 touchdowns. A first-team All-Big 12 selection, he ended up getting selected 110th overall in the 2024 NFL Draft by the Patriots.&lt;/p&gt;
  216. &lt;p id="nnkVrt"&gt;Serving as a depth receiver and part-time return man, Baker saw action in 11 games as a rookie.&lt;/p&gt;
  217. &lt;h2 id="30k0mW"&gt;Scouting report&lt;/h2&gt;
  218. &lt;p id="cjBkCl"&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Strengths:&lt;/strong&gt; Baker offers solid athleticism with a workable frame and what was some of the best body control in the 2024 NFL Draft; his concentration and hand-eye coordination were exceptional coming out of college, as was his ability to track deep balls in the air. He can make catches outside his natural frame, and possesses some yards-after-the-catch potential. He also has a natural feel for acceleration and tempo manipulation through his routes, and combines it with the timing and physicality to out-jump and/or out-muscle defenders in contested catch situations.&lt;/p&gt;
  219. &lt;p id="m6QMmA"&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Weaknesses:&lt;/strong&gt; Baker has some solid athleticism but lacks any true blue-chip traits that would give him a clear advantage versus NFL-caliber opponents. His burst and quickness are adequate at best, and mostly on-an-off, and he also can get overwhelmed at the point of attack both against man-to-man coverage and as a run blocker. His route running and anticipation of coverage are a major work in progress, and seemingly limited his level of comfort throughout his first year in the league. Consistency in general is a concern.&lt;/p&gt;
  220. &lt;h2 id="TO4lEy"&gt;2024 review&lt;/h2&gt;
  221. &lt;p id="grJvEl"&gt;&lt;a href="https://go.redirectingat.com?id=66960X1641910&amp;amp;xs=1&amp;amp;url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.pff.com%2Fsubscribe&amp;amp;referrer=sbnation.com&amp;amp;sref=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.patspulpit.com%2F2025%2F5%2F22%2F24434862%2Fpatriots-javon-baker-profile-scouting-report-2025-nfl-season" rel="sponsored nofollow noopener" target="_blank"&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Stats&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;strong&gt;:&lt;/strong&gt; 11 games (1 start) | 90 offensive snaps (8.2%), 28 special teams snaps (6.4%) | 4 targets, 1 catch (25%), 12 yards | 3 kickoff returns, 79 yards (26.3 yards/return)&lt;/p&gt;
  222. &lt;p id="skPcw1"&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Season recap:&lt;/strong&gt; Baker made headlines immediately after hearing his name called in the fourth round of the draft, claiming in his introductory media conference call that he would “make people in wheelchairs stand up.” He had reason to be confident considering his performance as a senior in college.&lt;/p&gt;
  223. &lt;p id="XkX2Dj"&gt;However, he failed to capitalize on his momentum. The people, unfortunately, would have to remain seated.&lt;/p&gt;
  224. &lt;p id="uZoScT"&gt;Unlike second-rounder Ja’Lynn Polk, who was given prominent practice reps from early on in his tenure with the team, Baker spent most of the offseason and training camp with the backups. Struggling with consistency throughout the summer, he entered the regular season as a depth option at the X-receiver spot behind the likes of Tyquan Thornton and Kayshon Boutte.&lt;/p&gt;
  225. &lt;p id="mHmxGS"&gt;Thornton eventually flamed out, as did fellow outside receiver Jalen Reagor, but Baker still failed to crack the rotation. Before playing a career-high 39 snaps in the season finale against the &lt;a href="https://www.buffalorumblings.com/"&gt;Buffalo Bills&lt;/a&gt; and catching his first and only career pass, he was on the field for only 51 snaps of offense and failed to reel in any of his three targets.&lt;/p&gt;
  226. &lt;p id="Blmpjn"&gt;His most noteworthy contributions came in the kicking game, where he ran back three kickoffs for an average of 26.3 yards and a long of 46 yards. On his very next return attempt after that 46-yarder in Week 11 against the &lt;a href="https://www.turfshowtimes.com/"&gt;Los Angeles Rams&lt;/a&gt;, however, he muffed the catch, still decided to take it out, and after gaining of only 16 yards was benched. It was his final of 28 total special teams snaps on the year.&lt;/p&gt;
  227. &lt;p id="WmSVwj"&gt;Not all was bad for Baker in 2024, though; in three preseason games, for example, he caught five passes for 56 total yards.&lt;/p&gt;
  228. &lt;div id="efBM1f"&gt;
  229. &lt;blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-dnt="true" align="center"&gt;
  230. &lt;p lang="en" dir="ltr"&gt;Some Javon Baker clips I liked &lt;a href="https://t.co/xCq3F8JH92"&gt;pic.twitter.com/xCq3F8JH92&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;— Taylor Kyles (@tkyles39) &lt;a href="https://twitter.com/tkyles39/status/1828490736523764120?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw"&gt;August 27, 2024&lt;/a&gt;
  231. &lt;/blockquote&gt;
  232. &lt;script async="" src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"&gt;&lt;/script&gt;
  233.  
  234. &lt;/div&gt;
  235. &lt;p id="Ei8ukU"&gt;However, Baker’s positive moments as a rookie were few and far between. As a consequence, his first season with the Patriots can be classified as a disappointment — particularly given the confidence he expressed upon getting drafted by the team.&lt;/p&gt;
  236. &lt;h2 id="fOHVNE"&gt;2025 preview&lt;/h2&gt;
  237. &lt;p id="mLnEd3"&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Position:&lt;/strong&gt; Rotational X-WR | &lt;strong&gt;Ability:&lt;/strong&gt; Depth player/Role player | &lt;strong&gt;Contract:&lt;/strong&gt; Signed through 2027&lt;/p&gt;
  238. &lt;p id="6dfOEn"&gt;&lt;strong&gt;What will be his role?&lt;/strong&gt; Baker is an outside receiver who moved between the X- and Z-receiver spot during his first year in the league. He was mostly used as an X in 2024, though, and projects as such heading into his sophomore year as well. At the moment, he is primarily competing with the likes of Mack Hollins, Kayshon Boutte and third-round rookie Kyle Williams for what will be a limited number of reps and eventual roster spots at the X position. Given his rookie season, Baker becoming anything more than a package player would be a positive surprise.&lt;/p&gt;
  239. &lt;p id="jDCeN8"&gt;&lt;strong&gt;What is his growth potential?&lt;/strong&gt; In one word: immense. Baker struggled adapting to the NFL game and the preciseness needed to succeed in a pro-level environment. Therein lies his main potential for development: he needs to become a better route runner and improve his chemistry with quarterback Drake Maye, as well as his general understanding of offense and defense, if he wants to have a future with the Patriots and in the league as a whole.&lt;/p&gt;
  240. &lt;p id="Jns4I5"&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Does he have positional versatility? &lt;/strong&gt;Besides moving Baker between X and Z when on offense, he also showed some ability to return kicks. While he aligned deep on only 14 total snaps during his rookie season, and ran back just three kickoffs, he offers some experience and willingness on special teams.&lt;/p&gt;
  241. &lt;p id="qw7nik"&gt;&lt;strong&gt;What is his salary cap situation?&lt;/strong&gt; Heading into the second season of his four-year rookie contract, Baker is carrying a cap hit of $1.164 million — 42nd on the team. That number consists of a $960,000 salary as well as a fully-guaranteed signing bonus proration of $204,149.&lt;/p&gt;
  242. &lt;p id="pupyeh"&gt;&lt;strong&gt;How safe is his roster spot?&lt;/strong&gt; Even though he was a fourth-round pick just a year ago, Baker’s spot on the team is anything but secure. Unless he shows some major development, as outlined above, he very well could find himself on the chopping block come roster cutdown day.&lt;/p&gt;
  243. &lt;p id="PK74Qg"&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Summary:&lt;/strong&gt; Baker was a frustrating player to watch throughout his 2024 season. The natural skill is there, but he was far from putting it all together and become a consistent contributor. Whether that will change under a new offense led by coordinator Josh McDaniels — whose schemes are not necessarily known for their simplicity — will be seen. Fact is, the 23-year-old is likely already feeling the heat and needs to perform to justify being kept in what is a crowded albeit not necessarily settled outside receiver room.&lt;/p&gt;
  244. &lt;p id="h5MmEt"&gt;&lt;em&gt;What do you think about Javon Baker heading into the 2025 season? Please head down to the comment section to share your thoughts.&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
  245.  
  246. </content>
  247.    <link rel="alternate" type="text/html" href="https://www.patspulpit.com/2025/5/22/24434862/patriots-javon-baker-profile-scouting-report-2025-nfl-season"/>
  248.    <id>https://www.patspulpit.com/2025/5/22/24434862/patriots-javon-baker-profile-scouting-report-2025-nfl-season</id>
  249.    <author>
  250.      <name>Bernd Buchmasser</name>
  251.      <name>Taylor Kyles</name>
  252.    </author>
  253.  </entry>
  254.  <entry>
  255.    <published>2025-05-22T07:43:24-04:00</published>
  256.    <updated>2025-05-22T07:43:24-04:00</updated>
  257.    <title>Morgan Moses embracing role as mentor to Will Campbell, Patriots’ young linemen</title>
  258.    <content type="html">  
  259.  
  260.    &lt;figure&gt;
  261.      &lt;img alt="NFL: MAY 20 New England Patriots OTA" src="https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/w-6HBfeHedV9bcwC_iAScSgzXbA=/0x254:1057x959/1310x873/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/74095991/2215577784.0.jpg" /&gt;
  262.        &lt;figcaption&gt;Photo by Fred Kfoury III/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images&lt;/figcaption&gt;
  263.    &lt;/figure&gt;
  264.  
  265.  &lt;p&gt;Moses signed a three-year deal this offseason.&lt;/p&gt; &lt;p id="gZtKmu"&gt;Despite &lt;a href="https://www.patspulpit.com/"&gt;New England Patriots&lt;/a&gt; head coach Mike Vrabel breaking the huddle to conclude the team’s second organized team activity on Tuesday, the work was not finished for a pair of offensive tackles.&lt;/p&gt;
  266. &lt;p id="NF8mQn"&gt;As players departed the practice field to the locker room, veteran right tackle Morgan Moses stayed behind with rookie Will Campbell. The two remained for over 10 minutes working on and talking through different footwork and hand placement techniques before being joined by a handful of fellow young lineman.&lt;/p&gt;
  267. &lt;p id="gEtvgd"&gt;Through their short time together being teammates, that extra work with Campbell is nothing new for Moses, which has impressed the 34-year-old veteran.&lt;/p&gt;
  268. &lt;p id="UUVsUG"&gt;“The way he approaches the game. He’s eager to learn. He asks questions every day. He’s like, ‘Bro, can we get some sets?’,” Moses said following practice. “And just talking football. His locker is right beside mine, so we get to talk about football all day.&lt;/p&gt;
  269. &lt;p id="MjQYI9"&gt;“And obviously, he’s a stud, man. He’s played great football in college, and so now he’s just trying to figure it out where, like, every week, you’re going against somebody that has a guy so just fine tune, not trying to change stuff, but just fine tuning the things he’s learned in college and taking him to the NFL and just on the field and getting challenged every day.”&lt;/p&gt;
  270. &lt;p id="t4dC8k"&gt;As Campbell assumed his expected spot at left tackle in the Patriots second practice, Moses was opposite of him on the right side. The veteran, who has logged 158 career starts, was signed to a three-year deal this offseason to help hold down the right tackle spot which was the weakest point on New England’s offensive line last season.&lt;/p&gt;
  271. &lt;p id="nP5v2Y"&gt;Moses’ impact is expected to extend off the field as a leader, which was shown on Tuesday despite him being a limited participant in practice as he recovers from an offseason knee surgery.&lt;/p&gt;
  272. &lt;p id="GJShCR"&gt;“I think it’s the biggest thing. I’ve been blessed to be under a lot of great tackles. I played with Trent Williams for five, six years, and just being able to learn from him and just take it on the field,” Moses said. “It’s vital because being a vet that’s played 12 years, and being able to sprinkle those little things to those guys and see them use them in practice and get better, and just build a toolbox for themselves. It’s good for everybody.”&lt;/p&gt;
  273. &lt;p id="7c5sxq"&gt;Besides staying late after practice, Moses has stayed late to watch film and taken teammates out to dinner as he helps the younger players in the offensive line room along. He credited fellow veterans Garrett Bradbury and Wes Schweitzer for additionally being “phenomenal” for the room.&lt;/p&gt;
  274. &lt;p id="UYvN8i"&gt;It’s all part of the process — which can be difficult for lineman with no contact allowed in this portion of the offseason — to be at their best when the season rolls around.&lt;/p&gt;
  275. &lt;p id="8HB6S2"&gt;“The offensive line is a unique position because in the offseason, you’re training against a bag all day and then you got to go out there and block a live moving object,” Moses said. “It takes the guys a little bit of time to get acclimated to the speed and stuff. Really just coming out here, learning the plays, being in the huddle, listening to Drake [Maye], seeing what Drake sees, everybody being on the same chord, just playing football and having fun.&lt;/p&gt;
  276. &lt;p id="ZX9tf5"&gt;“We’re building the identity. We got a lot of new players, a lot of young players who are going to be out there playing this year so just getting them comfortable with the schemes and terminology so we can go out there and play fast.”&lt;/p&gt;
  277.  
  278. </content>
  279.    <link rel="alternate" type="text/html" href="https://www.patspulpit.com/2025/5/22/24434494/morgan-moses-mentor-will-campbell-patriots-young-lineman"/>
  280.    <id>https://www.patspulpit.com/2025/5/22/24434494/morgan-moses-mentor-will-campbell-patriots-young-lineman</id>
  281.    <author>
  282.      <name>Brian Hines</name>
  283.    </author>
  284.  </entry>
  285.  <entry>
  286.    <published>2025-05-21T19:45:15-04:00</published>
  287.    <updated>2025-05-21T19:45:15-04:00</updated>
  288.    <title>Colts owner Jim Irsay dead at 65, team announces</title>
  289.    <content type="html">  
  290.  
  291.    &lt;figure&gt;
  292.      &lt;img alt="Washington Commanders v Indianapolis Colts" src="https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/5GMgBN-Sqy3Kw8_Vh4a5DzCQbnQ=/1546x441:7255x4247/1310x873/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/74095502/1443448122.0.jpg" /&gt;
  293.        &lt;figcaption&gt;Photo by Justin Casterline/Getty Images&lt;/figcaption&gt;
  294.    &lt;/figure&gt;
  295.  
  296.  &lt;p&gt;Irsay passed away on Wednesday.&lt;/p&gt; &lt;p id="kqn41U"&gt;Jim Irsay, the owner of the &lt;a href="https://www.stampedeblue.com/"&gt;Indianapolis Colts&lt;/a&gt;, has passed away. The organization announced his death on social media on Wednesday afternoon.&lt;/p&gt;
  297. &lt;div id="MxPBoW"&gt;
  298. &lt;blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-dnt="true" align="center"&gt;
  299. &lt;p lang="zxx" dir="ltr"&gt;&lt;a href="https://t.co/TZg4kMpdAj"&gt;pic.twitter.com/TZg4kMpdAj&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;— Indianapolis Colts (@Colts) &lt;a href="https://twitter.com/Colts/status/1925334697208430913?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw"&gt;May 21, 2025&lt;/a&gt;
  300. &lt;/blockquote&gt;
  301. &lt;script async="" src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"&gt;&lt;/script&gt;
  302.  
  303. &lt;/div&gt;
  304. &lt;p id="zfUlvg"&gt;We are devastated to announce our beloved Owner &amp;amp; CEO, Jim Irsay, passed away peacfully in his sleep this afternoon. Jim’s dedication and passion for the Indianpolis Colts in addition to his generosity, commitment to the community, and most importantly, his love for his family were unsurpassed,” the statement reads.&lt;/p&gt;
  305. &lt;p id="04aXCk"&gt;“Jim will be deeply missed by his family, the Colts organization, and fans everywhere, but we remain inspired by his caring and unique spirit.”&lt;/p&gt;
  306. &lt;p id="2jacgl"&gt;Born to former Colts owner Robert Irsay, he inherited the organization in 1997 at the age of 37. The youngest owner in the NFL at the time, Irsay oversaw the Colts winning their first Super Bowl since moving to Indianapolis as well as the construction of the team’s state-of-the-art Lucas Oil Stadium.&lt;/p&gt;
  307. &lt;p id="iZCOlN"&gt;Irsay was 65 years old.&lt;/p&gt;
  308.  
  309. </content>
  310.    <link rel="alternate" type="text/html" href="https://www.patspulpit.com/new-england-patriots-social-media-video-podcasts/2025/5/21/24434879/colts-owner-jim-irsay-dead-nfl"/>
  311.    <id>https://www.patspulpit.com/new-england-patriots-social-media-video-podcasts/2025/5/21/24434879/colts-owner-jim-irsay-dead-nfl</id>
  312.    <author>
  313.      <name>Bernd Buchmasser</name>
  314.    </author>
  315.  </entry>
  316.  <entry>
  317.    <published>2025-05-21T19:04:43-04:00</published>
  318.    <updated>2025-05-21T19:04:43-04:00</updated>
  319.    <title>Patriots player profile: Jabrill Peppers can still be a tone-setter on defense</title>
  320.    <content type="html">  
  321.  
  322.    &lt;figure&gt;
  323.      &lt;img alt="Indianapolis Colts v New England Patriots" src="https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/rz9dzXW-k5rKX0QBnwqPhVuffKU=/72x228:3569x2559/1310x873/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/74095450/2189466463.0.jpg" /&gt;
  324.    &lt;/figure&gt;
  325.  
  326.  &lt;p&gt;Previewing the Patriots safety heading into his ninth NFL season.&lt;/p&gt; &lt;p id="9REtE5"&gt;The &lt;a href="https://www.patspulpit.com/"&gt;New England Patriots&lt;/a&gt; defense will have a new look in 2025, but some of the old guard still remain. Among them is Jabrill Peppers, a starting safety who arrived in 2022 after stints with the &lt;a href="https://www.dawgsbynature.com/"&gt;Cleveland Browns&lt;/a&gt; and &lt;a href="https://www.bigblueview.com/"&gt;New York Giants&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;
  327. &lt;p id="omhvRE"&gt;Peppers has been a mainstay on defense since joining the Patriots, but he finds himself in a challenging position: he will need to prove himself coming off what might just have been the most challenging season of his career.&lt;/p&gt;
  328. &lt;h2 id="R9G6Um"&gt;Hard facts&lt;/h2&gt;
  329. &lt;p id="oBPWRE"&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Name:&lt;/strong&gt; Jabrill Peppers&lt;/p&gt;
  330. &lt;p id="dNhod1"&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Position:&lt;/strong&gt; Safety&lt;/p&gt;
  331. &lt;p id="ggUe6s"&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Jersey number:&lt;/strong&gt; 5&lt;/p&gt;
  332. &lt;p id="mmViwz"&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Opening day age:&lt;/strong&gt; 29 (10/4/1995)&lt;/p&gt;
  333. &lt;p id="26FTxP"&gt;&lt;a href="https://ras.football/"&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Measurements&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;strong&gt;:&lt;/strong&gt; 5’10 7/8”, 217 lbs, 30 3/4” arm length, 9 5/8” hand size, 4.46s 40-yard dash, 35 1/2” vertical jump, 10’8” broad jump, 19 bench press reps, 9.10 Relative Athletic Score&lt;/p&gt;
  334. &lt;h2 id="aZEQXI"&gt;Experience&lt;/h2&gt;
  335. &lt;p id="NsB7vK"&gt;&lt;strong&gt;NFL:&lt;/strong&gt; Cleveland Browns (2017-18), New York Giants (2019-21), England Patriots (2022-) | &lt;strong&gt;College:&lt;/strong&gt; Michigan (2014-16)&lt;/p&gt;
  336. &lt;p id="ljiYSo"&gt;A five-star prospect and one of the highest-rated recruits in the nation coming out of Paramus Catholic High School in Paramus, NJ, Peppers received scholarship offers from some of the most prestigious programs in college football. Starting out as a cornerback, he steadily expanded his scope under head coach Jim Harbaugh and by his 2016 redshirt junior season was a do-it-all piece in the Wolverines’ secondary, on special teams and even on offense.&lt;/p&gt;
  337. &lt;p id="XtadI2"&gt;Named a unanimous first-team All-American and receiving several individual accolades including the Paul Hornung Award, the Lott Trophy, and the Big Ten Defensive Player of the Year award, Peppers decided to forgo his final two years of eligibility. Despite having played only 27 games in college, he was selected 25h overall by the Browns in the 2017 NFL Draft and made an immediate impact on their defense.&lt;/p&gt;
  338. &lt;p id="ralkzt"&gt;Primarily aligning as a deep safety, Peppers showed promise in his first year as a system. However, his playing time decreased during his sophomore campaign and his role started to change: the Browns decided to use him all over their secondary and not in one pre-defined spot. He performed well, but was nonetheless traded to the Giants after his second season in a move also involving star wide receiver Odell Beckham Jr.&lt;/p&gt;
  339. &lt;p id="kImCNE"&gt;Peppers went on to spend three seasons in New York, and established himself as a quality box safety. The Giants consequently exercised his fifth-year contract option to keep him in the fold through 2021, but he suffered a torn ACL halfway through the season.&lt;/p&gt;
  340. &lt;p id="xGb10m"&gt;Even though he had started 59 games over his first five seasons in the league, Peppers experienced a slow free agency period in 2022. He eventually was picked up by the Patriots in early April, signing a one-year, $2 million deal to come to New England. That contract was the first step in what would become a solid tenure with his new club: over the next three years, Peppers added 26 more starts to his résumé as a jack of all trades in the Patriots’ defensive backfield.&lt;/p&gt;
  341. &lt;h2 id="30k0mW"&gt;Scouting report&lt;/h2&gt;
  342. &lt;p id="cjBkCl"&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Strengths:&lt;/strong&gt; Even though he will turn 30 later this year, Peppers has a strong athletic foundation and combines the speed, burst, agility and strength needed to perform various tasks in his role as a versatile safety. In general, this versatility is one of his best traits: besides the athletic skill he also provides the experience, football intelligence and natural instincts to seamlessly transition between positions, and to play at a high level both against the run and the pass as well as in man and particularly zone coverage looks.&lt;/p&gt;
  343. &lt;p id="TjAFRk"&gt;Peppers is a tone-setter and able communicator, who was voted a captain by his peers in 2024. He is a physical defender who makes his presence felt when coming downhill from the second level, and also is a solid tackler who uses advanced angles and click-and-close reaction to his advantage. He has the vision to maneuver through traffic to get to the ball carrier, while also offering a nose for the football; he has the ball skills to complete interceptions and be competitive in contested catch situations, and has a violent punch against ball carriers.&lt;/p&gt;
  344. &lt;p id="m6QMmA"&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Weaknesses:&lt;/strong&gt; Peppers carries out his assignments at a high level, but is not equally suited against all types of defenders. He is better against tight ends or bigger-body receivers, for example, than shifty slot-type operators. Even though his vision is generally good, he can come in too hot at times when shooting gaps in the run game. He also offers little as a pass rusher, and has only 8 combined pressures in three seasons as a Patriot.&lt;/p&gt;
  345. &lt;h2 id="TO4lEy"&gt;2024 review&lt;/h2&gt;
  346. &lt;p id="grJvEl"&gt;&lt;a href="https://go.redirectingat.com?id=66960X1641910&amp;amp;xs=1&amp;amp;url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.pff.com%2Fsubscribe&amp;amp;referrer=sbnation.com&amp;amp;sref=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.patspulpit.com%2F2025%2F5%2F21%2F24433729%2Fpatriots-jabrill-peppers-profile-scouting-report-2025-nfl-season" rel="sponsored nofollow noopener" target="_blank"&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Stats&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;strong&gt;:&lt;/strong&gt; 6 games (6 starts) | 372 defensive snaps (33.3%), 15 special teams snaps (3.4%) | 39 tackles, 3 missed tackles (7.1%), 1 forced fumble | 10 targets, 7 catches surrendered (70%), 44 yards, 1 INT | 3 quarterback pressures (3 hurries) | 1 special teams tackle&lt;/p&gt;
  347. &lt;p id="skPcw1"&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Season recap:&lt;/strong&gt; Even though the Patriots as a whole struggled in 2023, Peppers had a successful individual campaign and fully established himself as a key presence in a post-Devin McCourty safety room. As a result, the organization — even under new leadership — decided to award him with a three-year, $24 million extension that would pair him up with fellow starter Kyle Dugger through 2027.&lt;/p&gt;
  348. &lt;p id="SrJidV"&gt;Early on during the 2024 season, Peppers wasted no time showing why the team invested in him. Despite nursing hip and shoulder ailments, he played 100 percent of snaps in three of the first four games of the season (and would likely have made it 4-of-4 if not of the blowout nature of a Week 3 contest against the &lt;a href="https://www.ganggreennation.com/"&gt;New York Jets&lt;/a&gt;). Along the way, he was his usual reliable self in the box.&lt;/p&gt;
  349. &lt;p id="iRT4n0"&gt;Peppers showed his usual mix of physical play, good anticipation and reaction, and even managed to catch the Patriots’ first interception of the year in Week 4 versus the &lt;a href="https://www.ninersnation.com/"&gt;San Francisco 49ers&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;
  350. &lt;div id="xRtqMQ"&gt;
  351. &lt;blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-dnt="true" align="center"&gt;
  352. &lt;p lang="en" dir="ltr"&gt;Pep made the pick! &lt;a href="https://twitter.com/JabrillPeppers?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw"&gt;@JabrillPeppers&lt;/a&gt; | &lt;a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/NEPats?src=hash&amp;amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw"&gt;#NEPats&lt;/a&gt;&lt;br&gt;&lt;br&gt; : FOX &lt;a href="https://t.co/llTsBkS728"&gt;pic.twitter.com/llTsBkS728&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;— New England Patriots (@Patriots) &lt;a href="https://twitter.com/Patriots/status/1840524259183177954?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw"&gt;September 29, 2024&lt;/a&gt;
  353. &lt;/blockquote&gt;
  354. &lt;script async="" src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"&gt;&lt;/script&gt;
  355.  
  356. &lt;/div&gt;
  357. &lt;p id="nDFpYp"&gt;Unfortunately for the Patriots and Peppers, that pick would remain his last big play for a while. The following weekend, ahead of a game against Miami, he was arrested at his home on charges of alleged domestic violence and drug possession. He sat out that contest, and eventually was moved to the commissioner’s exempt list by the NFL — serving what was essentially a suspension.&lt;/p&gt;
  358. &lt;p id="V3Gew9"&gt;With his trial date set for January, Peppers was ultimately reinstated, but not before having missed eight combined games and having lost his prior status as a team captain. When he returned to the field in early December, however, it was like he had never left — albeit only briefly.&lt;/p&gt;
  359. &lt;p id="z37dBq"&gt;In his first game back, in Week 13 against the &lt;a href="https://www.stampedeblue.com/"&gt;Indianapolis Colts&lt;/a&gt;, he played all 62 defensive snaps and registered a season-high 10 tackles as well as a forced fumble. He continued to play a sizable role against Arizona after the Patriots’ bye, but the following week hurt his hamstring in practice. The injury ended up costing Peppers the rest of his season; he was declared inactive in Weeks 16 and 17 before being sent to injured reserve for the season finale.&lt;/p&gt;
  360. &lt;p id="tKNLI0"&gt;Three weeks after the season came to an end, Peppers was acquitted on all charges.&lt;/p&gt;
  361. &lt;h2 id="fOHVNE"&gt;2025 preview&lt;/h2&gt;
  362. &lt;p id="mLnEd3"&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Position:&lt;/strong&gt; Multiple safety | &lt;strong&gt;Ability:&lt;/strong&gt; High quality starter | &lt;strong&gt;Contract:&lt;/strong&gt; Signed through 2027&lt;/p&gt;
  363. &lt;p id="6dfOEn"&gt;&lt;strong&gt;What will be his role?&lt;/strong&gt; While primarily a box safety before arriving in New England, Peppers has played a diverse role in the team’s secondary over the last three years. The expectation is that his usage will look similar under a new coaching staff; even with fourth-round rookie Craig Woodson joining the team, Peppers projects as a starter and do-it-all player at the safety position.&lt;/p&gt;
  364. &lt;p id="jDCeN8"&gt;&lt;strong&gt;What is his growth potential?&lt;/strong&gt; Entering his ninth season as a pro, Peppers very much is an established presence in the NFL. Time will tell how he will perform in a new environment, but the room for growth at this stage in his career appears to be relatively marginal.&lt;/p&gt;
  365. &lt;p id="Jns4I5"&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Does he have positional versatility? &lt;/strong&gt;As noted above, Peppers is a versatile player capable of carrying out several different assignments. While best suited to play closer to the line of scrimmage than in the deep parts of the field, he has shown that he can still do so without too much of a drop-off. Having a player like this available allows New England to be multiple with its coverage looks and remain stout against the run even out of nickel and dime looks.&lt;/p&gt;
  366. &lt;p id="qw7nik"&gt;&lt;strong&gt;What is his salary cap situation?&lt;/strong&gt; As part of the three-year extension he signed last summer, Peppers is counting $6.45 million against New England’s cap this season — a number that includes $4 million in guarantees: $2.5 million of his $4.5 million salary are guaranteed, as is his entire $1.5 million signing bonus proration. In addition, $300,000 of his $850,000 per-game roster bonuses and his $150,000 workout bonus are classified as likely to be earned.&lt;/p&gt;
  367. &lt;p id="PFEzeo"&gt;&lt;strong&gt;How safe is his roster spot?&lt;/strong&gt; In an effort to rebuild the culture, the Patriots have parted ways with several veteran leaders since Mike Vrabel’s arrival in January. From that perspective, Peppers might be on notice as well. That being said, his cap situation and strong play when on the field last season suggest that he should be given a chance this season to prove himself to Vrabel and his new staff.&lt;/p&gt;
  368. &lt;p id="PK74Qg"&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Summary:&lt;/strong&gt; Peppers is a quality safety who was one of the better players on the Patriots defense when available in 2024. His combination of age, lack of ties to the new regime and unsatisfactory recent history means that he will be under a bit of pressure this coming season, but there is no denying he can still be a valuable piece of the puzzle as well as a tone-setter on and off the field.&lt;/p&gt;
  369. &lt;p id="h5MmEt"&gt;&lt;em&gt;What do you think about Jabrill Peppers heading into the 2025 season? Please head down to the comment section to share your thoughts.&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
  370.  
  371. </content>
  372.    <link rel="alternate" type="text/html" href="https://www.patspulpit.com/2025/5/21/24433729/patriots-jabrill-peppers-profile-scouting-report-2025-nfl-season"/>
  373.    <id>https://www.patspulpit.com/2025/5/21/24433729/patriots-jabrill-peppers-profile-scouting-report-2025-nfl-season</id>
  374.    <author>
  375.      <name>Bernd Buchmasser</name>
  376.    </author>
  377.  </entry>
  378. </feed>
  379.  

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