“Younger, Cheaper, Better,” this is the mantra that Mike Vrabel has outlined for the Off-Season. The Draft is one part of it. The College All-Star games are in the books, and now it’s time for the NFL Draft Combine.All four days of the “Underwear Olympics” are broadcast on NFL Network, and results are posted on NFL.com shortly thereafter.Thursday, Feb. 26: 3 PM – defensive line, linebackers, placekickersFriday, Feb. 27: 3 PM – defensive backs, tight endsSaturday, Feb. 28: 1PM – quarterbacks, wide receivers, running backsSunday, March 1: 1PM – offensive lineYou can also find out measurement data (Height, Weight, Arm-Length, Hand Size) that are conducted the day before the actual on-field drills. All week, the NFL Teams are conducting 15-20 minute interviews with players. It is an assembly line where players go from room to room, and a horn sounds in the hotel signaling it’s time for the next interview.Another aspect of the Combine is the medical and physical tests the players are put through. A perfect example of this was Patriots Draft Pick Marcus Cannon. He was a potential 1st round pick in the 2011 Draft. It was discovered during the medical exams in 2011 that Cannon had a lump. The Combine Physical pushed Cannon to get a full examination by a specialist, who revealed he had Testicular Cancer. That diagnosis dropped him until the 5th round of the draft, where the Patriots selected him 138th overall. The Patriots took a chance and found themselves a gem. He went on to win 3 Super Bowls and was a 2nd Team All-Pro.Positions of NeedFree Agency will shape the Patriots’ needs. Edge K’Lavon Chaisson and Safety Jalynn Hawkins are both Unrestricted Free Agents. These are two players the Patriots should target to re-sign but may not be able to due to market demands. If they can’t, it puts a huge hole in the defense and moves these two positions to the top of the team’s needs. Defensive Tackle is a deep position in this draft and a position to watch. Khyiris Tonga is also a Free Agent and should be re-signed. Christian Barmore has a March 9th arraignment date on a misdemeanor assault and battery charge stemming from an incident that took place in August. He also has a quick contract that boosts him into the $20M a year mark. That roster decision is due March 15th. Barmore’s status with the team may depend on the results of the charges. If they end up with two DT vacancies, that will also affect how the team will draft. Tight End is also a position of need. Austin Hooper is a free agent, and he turns 32 next season. Hunter Henry will turn 32 years old next December. Jack Westover was used as a fullback and was not very effective.This draft is to build upon last year’s success. It’s time to add depth to the team. Plan for 2027 and beyond. They need a Right Tackle replacement for Morgan Moses and need depth behind CB Carlton Davis. On the Edge, Harold Landry was not the same player after he sustained a knee injury in the Week 7 Tennessee game. Landry will undergo a knee procedure this offseason. They can’t cut Landry because they would invoke a $19M dead cap hit. The team is committed to him for $16.3M in 2026. That is an outrageous amount for the soon-to-be 30-year-old Edge player. I wouldn’t be surprised to see Landry put on the Physically Unable to Perform list to start the season and never come off of it. I will always be looking for RBs and WRs to improve the roster. The Pats could use some Linebacker help as well, but it may be a lower priority. There is some Day 3 talent at linebacker with 4 6th rounds picks.Combine Players That Might Interest the PatriotsOffensive Line Max Iheanacor RT ArizonaKadyn Proctor LT AlabamaGennings Dunker OL IowaAmil Wagner OT Notre DameWide ReceiverDenzel Boston WashingtonOmar Cooper WR IndianaMalachi Fields Notre DameChase Roberts BYUTed Hurst Georgia StateSkyler Bell UConnChris Brazzell TennesseeChris Bell LouisvilleAll these receivers are 6’ or above. 40 times will be critical for these players. I would like to see 3-cone drills under 7.00, but a lot of these players will not run that drill because it will expose having inadequate quickness.Tight End Eli Stover Vanderbilt – H-Back like Travis Kelce, no in-line blockingEli Rairdon Notre DameSam Roush StanfordDallen Bentley UtahRunningbackMike Washington ArkansasKaytron Allen Penn StateJadarian Price Notre DameLinebackerCJ Allen LB GeorgiaAnthony Hill LB TexasSonny Styles LB Ohio StateJacob Rodriquez LB Texas TechAiden Fischer LB Indiana Owen Heinecke OklahomaBryce Boettcher OregonDefensive TackleLee Hunter DT Texas TechDarrell Jackson DT Florida StateEdgeAkheem Mesidor ED MiamiZion Young ED Missouri
Mason Thomas ED Oklahoma
Ndame Tucker ED Western MichiganDerrick Moore, MichiganSafetiesEmmanuel McNeil – Warren S ToledoZakee Wright S Penn StateGenesis Smith S ArizonaBud Clark S TCUCornerback Davison Igbinosun CB Ohio StateDomani Jackson CB AlabamaKeionte Scott CB MiamiDaylen Everette GeorgiaCombine Snubs These are the top players by their positions that were snubbed by the Combine. They will have to wait until their Pro days to show what they have got.Quarterback Mark Gronowski, IowaRunning Back Kaelon Black, IndianaWide receiver Tyren Montgomery, John CarrollTight End Dan Villari, Syracuse – report below indicates the Patriots met with Villari at the Senior BowlOffensive line Riley Mahlman, WisconsinLinebacker Shad Banks Jr., UTSA – he was interviewed by the Patriots at the Hula Bowl. Impressive speed and wowed as a Special Teams player in the East West Shrine game with two tackles.Cornerback Devon Marshall, North Carolina StateSafety Cole Wisniewski, Texas TechPer NEPatriotsToday on X – The following players were interviewed by the Patriots at the Senior BowlDE TJ Parker ClemsonDE Dani Dennis-Sutton Penn StateS Jalen Stroman Notre DameRB Kejon Owens Florida InternationalWR Lewis Bond Boston CollegeTE Dan Villar SyracuseOT Kage Casey Boise StateTuesday was Stanley Morgan 71st BirthdayI have been a long proponent for Stanley Morgan to be named to the Pro-Football Hall of Fame. This from Patsfans.com Patriots Forum Moderator jmt57“Stanley Morgan is a two-time All Pro and four-time Pro Bowl receiver, despite playing on extremely run-oriented offenses. He led the NFL in touchdown receptions in 1979, and in yards per reception in three consecutive seasons (1979-81) – with an astounding 22.8, 22.0 and 23.4 yards per catch. His 19.2 career yards per catch ranks as 10th best in NFL history. In 1986 Morgan set what was then a franchise record with 1,491 yards receiving, playing an integral part on the first Patriot team to make it to the Super Bowl.In 1981 Morgan broke his own franchise single game record with 182 yards receiving against the Dolphins; that milestone would last for 17 years until rules and penalties enhanced the passing game immensely.Despite the NFL’s thumb on the scale that makes comparing stats from different decades difficult, to this day Stanley Morgan still holds the Patriots career record for receiving yards (10,352), games with 100+ yards receiving (38; ten more than #2’s Wes Welker and Rob Gronkowski) and yards from scrimmage (10,843). When he departed Foxborough after the 1989 season he also held franchise records for receptions (534; now 4th), receiving touchdowns (67, now 2nd); points by a non-kicker (408, now 2nd), all-purpose yards (11,468, now 2nd).There are two mysteries in regards to Stanley Morgan’s legacy.First, why did it take the Patriots eight years to induct him into the team’s Hall of Fame?And secondly, why is he not in the Pro Football Hall of Fame?On August 27, 2007 Stanley Morgan was finally inducted into the Patriots Hall of Fame. Despite playing on run-heavy teams in the pre-Bill Polian ‘let’s change the rules to favor Peyton’ Competition Committee, Morgan had nearly 2,500 more career receiving yards than any other player in franchise history.”Note: Polian is still on the Senior Hall of Fame voting committee and didn’t vote for Bill Belichick or Robert Kraft. The contributors have to compete with the Veteran players for entry into the Hall. Sone voters will not vote for contributors over players.Comings and Goings Zak Kuhr Named Defensive CoordinatorThe Pats made it official by naming Zak Kuhr Defensive Coordinator. This was a well-deserved promotion. I believe the rest of the league saw this coming because the Patriots wouldn’t give their permission for Kuhr to interview with other teams for heir Defensive Coordinator positions. The Patriots were required to adhere to the Rooney Rule to “foster and provide opportunity to diverse leadership throughout the NFL.” They accomplished that by interviewing two minority coaches, one of which was Ephraim Banda, Safeties coach at Cleveland. Although he was not hired for the DC position, keep an eye out on him. Mike Vrabel spent time with Cleveland in 2024 and with a new Head Coach and Defensive Coordinator coming to Cleveland, Banda may not be safe. Mike Reis also reported that Vinny DePalma, who did a fine job stepping up for Kuhr as Inside Linebacker coach, is expected to be elevated into Kuhr’s former role. This is a remarkable accomplishment for the 2nd year coach, who graduated from Boston College after a fine 4-year career (2018-2023). He has served as a defensive assistant for the Patriots in the last two seasons.Patriots lose another Assistant CoachIt was reported Thursday that Patriots Assistant Defensive Coach Milton Patterson will not return next season. He is the second assistant to leave the team this offseason.Crossley Signs Futures ContractBrandon Crossley signed back with the team. Crossley, 25, was originally signed by New England as a rookie free agent on May 9, 2025, out of Southern Methodist (SMU). The 5-foot-11, 186-pounder, was released on Aug. 26 and signed to the practice squad on Aug. 27. He was released the next day (8/28) but returned to the Patriots in Week 12 when he was re-signed to the practice squad (11/26). He spent the rest of the regular season on the team’s practice squad until his release on Jan. 6.
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About Mark MorseMerrimack Valley native and lifelong fan of the New England Patriots. My earliest memories of the Patriots were attending as a child with my dad, the off-season practice at Phillips Academy. I was at the Patriots game at Harvard Stadium in 1970 where Bob “Harpo” Gladieux was called out of the stands by the stadium announcer over the PA to play in the game. Analyzing the draft since ESPN first started to televise it in 1980 and former writer for the Lowell Sun Newspaper.View all posts by Mark Morse
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