Patriots brought home bacon in free agency, but this isn't a time for any victory laps
• Do not say anything that even suggests a victory lap.
• Do not, under any circumstances, talk about 'getting back to the Super Bowl,' though the temptation is always great, what with all the banners, trophies and celebratory photos that are festooned throughout Gillette Stadium.
GO DEEPER
At long last, the Patriots made some big-time moves to kick off free agency
Now make no mistake, the Patriots have done a good job shopping for the groceries (© Bill Parcells 1997) this week. Not only were the Patriots big spenders right out of the legal tampering gate, but also they spent more than any other team. It marked the first time the Pats have been No. 1 in anything since Feb 3, 2019, when Tom Brady took a knee to close out their 13-3 victory over the Los Angeles Rams in Super Bowl LIII.
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Yes, the Pats have gone big on defense this week. Coincidence or not, Vrabel made his bones playing defense (when he wasn't moonlighting as an occasional touchdown target for Brady, which was always tremendously entertaining), and the Patriots bulked up in that department. The Pats have already paid somewhere in the neighborhood of $280 million in free agency, most of it going to defensive tackle Milton Williams, inside linebacker Robert Spillane, cornerback Carlton Davis and outside linebacker Harold Landry.
.@brockvereen is a fan of the @Patriots Free Agency moves so far🫡 pic.twitter.com/cPNpWtmUTn
— Good Morning Football (@gmfb) March 11, 2025
Some big questions: What about getting some help for second-year quarterback Drake Maye? What about left tackle? What about a big-time, just-throw-me-the-damn-ball type of wide receiver whose athleticism and route-running know-how will have shirts flying off the shelves at the Patriots ProShop? You could walk front to back at any sports bar within 100 miles of Boston and hear a nonstop whirl of those questions. And that's fair. It's also pretty early in this process. We'll get to that when the Patriots get to that.
For now, let's get back to the Kraft family, and to Vrabel, and to every employee in football ops, from executive vice president of player personnel Eliot Wolf on down. It's too early to even entertain the idea of the Patriots being back in the Super Bowl business, because that's wildly optimistic. What matters is that what the Patriots have done since the end of the 2024 season — the painful decision to part with coach Jerod Mayo after just one year, recruiting Vrabel to come back to Foxboro, and, now, an aggressive pursuit of talent — indicates they are back in the football business.
NE Patriots so far in free agency… pic.twitter.com/uPP3s93VtD
— Jason McCourty (@JasonMcCourty) March 10, 2025
That's what's been missing.
The Patriots won a TOTAL of eight games over the past two years. They haven't made the playoffs since 2021 or won a playoff game since Brady took that knee at Mercedes-Benz Stadium. They will enter the 2025 season with their third head coach in three years. Mixed in there are all kinds of calamities and mistakes, including draft picks who couldn't play, the Matt Patricia-Joe Judge running-the-offense experiment, the mixed messaging on when Maye would take over at quarterback, and on and on. It wasn't just the losing that resulted in all those empty seats as the 2024 season was staggering to the finish line; it was the hopelessness.
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In the old days, when Bill Belichick was on his game and Brady was on the field, the unveiling of the Gillette Stadium Lighthouse, with its 360-degree observation deck and a former Patriots hero standing up there to wave hello to the masses before each kickoff, would have been treated with applause. Instead, it became a punch line.
There appears now to be hope. There appears to be a plan. But all plans, all good plans, come in phases. If Phase 1 was reimagining the coaching staff, Phase 2 is being played out in these early stages of free agency. Next will come the draft, not just the much-discussed No. 4 pick but that chancy lower-round pick that might pay off bigly and quickly.
The Pats landed Matthew Slater in the fifth round in 2008. James White was selected in the fourth round in 2014. Julian Edelman, a quarterback out of Kent State, was a magnificent seventh-round gamble in 2009. OK, there's also Brady in the sixth round in 2000 (199th overall, just before the New Orleans Saints scooped up wide receiver Sherrod Gideon), but what New England did was a miracle on a par with the '69 Mets. (Props to the late Dick Rehbein, who championed the Brady cause.)
Victory laps? Not yet. But to repurpose an old line from the playbook of Ronald Reagan, the former lineman from Eureka College who then played George Gipp in the movies en route to calling plays at the White House, are Patriots fans better off than they were a year ago?
That's a yes. That's a start.
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New York Times
a few seconds ago
- New York Times
Ranking the NFL's 25 best rookie QB seasons of the past 25 years
Playing quarterback in the National Football League is not just one of the hardest jobs in sports — it's one of the hardest anywhere. And playing quarterback as a rookie is even harder. The pressure, the expectations, the degree of difficulty and the absence of any margin for error can confound even the most seasoned veterans. Plenty of rookie quarterbacks — some of the best we've ever seen — weren't ready to start a game during their first year, let alone to lead a team through an entire season. And though plenty have also come out firing, it's important to note that how a quarterback performs during his first season in the NFL is not always an exact harbinger of what's to come. Advertisement With all that in mind, as we prepare for the NFL season, let's look back at the 25 best rookie quarterback performances of the past 25 years: Stats: 331-of-480 passing (69.0 percent) for 3,568 yards, 25 TDs, nine INTs; 891 yards rushing, six TDs Team result: 12-5 (second place, NFC East), lost NFC title game A few first-year quarterbacks have thrown for more yards and touchdowns or had better EPA numbers. But no one on this list was able to enter a rocky situation and completely change the math overnight the way Daniels did last season in Washington — he nearly became the first rookie QB to start a Super Bowl. One of the league's brightest young stars, Daniels set NFL rookie QB records for rushing yards, fourth-quarter/overtime TDs and overall completion percentage. Stats: 319-of-499 passing (63.9 percent) for 4,108 yards, 23 TDs, five INTs; 167 yards rushing, three TDs Team result: 10-7 (first place, AFC South), lost in divisional round Purely from a big-money passing standpoint, Stroud would be No. 1 on this list. His 2023 season was a revelation and immediately silenced draft scouts who questioned whether Stroud was smart enough to handle an NFL offense. At 22 years, three months and 10 days, he became the youngest NFL starting QB to win a playoff game when Houston knocked off Cleveland in the wild-card round. Stroud also set rookie records for passing yards (470) and TDs (5) in a game, as well as most attempts without a pick to start a career (191) and number of games with at least 350 passing yards (3). Stats: 311-of-459 passing (67.8 percent) for 3,667 yards, 23 TDs, four INTs; 282 yards rushing, six rush TDs Team result: 13-3 (first place, NFC East), lost in divisional round Advertisement The 2016 Offensive Rookie of the Year, Prescott notched a sizzling rookie-record 104.9 QB rating. And though it would take him eight years to top that number, the season was an indicator of Prescott's efficiency (66.8 percent for his career) — his rookie completion percentage (67.8) was the NFL record until Daniels broke it. One could even argue the 2016 season was the most accurate of Prescott's career, as his completion rate above expected was a whopping 7.3, easily a career best. Now 32, Prescott hasn't quite lived up to the crazy bar he set as a rookie — he's never topped the .23 EPA/dropback number he notched that year. He has, however, spent the bulk of his run near the top of the league's second QB tier. Stats: 258-of-393 passing (65.6 percent) for 3,200 yards, 20 TDs, five INTs; 815 yards rushing, seven TDs Team result: 10-6 (first place NFC East), lost in wild-card round It's possible this is too low, as RGIII (the NFL's first starting QB born in the 1990s) tore through the league as a dynamic, big-play, dual-threat passer and finished with more than 4,000 total yards. His EPA/dropback of .22 is second only to Prescott's (.23) among rookies this century. Griffin required major knee surgery following the 2012 season and was never the same. He ultimately lost his starting job to Kirk Cousins by 2015. Stats: 196-of-295 passing (66.4 percent) for 2,621 yards, 17 TDs, 11 INTs; 144 yards rushing, one TD Team result: 15-1 (first place, AFC North), lost AFC title game Context is required to understand how big a deal Roethlisberger's rookie year was at the time. He began the year as Pittsburgh's No. 3 but found himself on the field in Week 2 after an injury to starter Tommy Maddox. Roethlisberger would go on to start — and win — his next 13 games, helping Pittsburgh to the league's best record. Advertisement In his second season, he became the youngest Super Bowl-winning QB, posting a scorching .21 EPA/dropback and proving to be the missing piece Pittsburgh needed for an elite run. Stats: 252-of-393 passing (64.1 percent) for 3,118 yards, 26 TDs, 10 INTs; 489 yards rushing, four TDs Team result: 11-5 (second place, NFC West), lost in divisional round I've long considered Russell Wilson the originator of the transfer portal, as his graduate move to — and subsequent performance at — Wisconsin in 2011 popularized the movement. He showed an ability to immediately fit within a talented roster as a Badger, then was able to do it again as a rookie in Seattle. Wilson and Bobby Wagner were exactly what Seattle needed. The young QB pushed the offense into uncharted waters, posting a .19 EPA/dropback number with a rate of 9.9 air yards per attempt. Stats: 339-of-627 passing (54.1 percent) for 4,374 yards, 23 TDs, 18 INTs; 255 yards rushing, five TDs Team result: 11-5 (second place, AFC South), lost in wild-card round One of the most fearless NFL quarterbacks we've ever seen, Luck averaged better than 10 air yards per attempt as a rookie while showing zero hesitation into tight windows or over the middle of the field. His interception total was high, but his work bouncing back after mistakes was very impressive from a young player. Luck was sacked a career-high 41 times as a rookie (fourth highest in the NFL that year) and kept getting up, willing a group that went 2-14 in 2011 to 11 wins one year later. Stats: 396-of-595 passing (67.6 percent) for 4,336 yards, 31 TDs, 10 INTs; 234 yards rushing, five TDs Team result: 7-9 (third place, AFC West) The NFL record-holder for most passing yards through the first two, three, four and five seasons of a career, Herbert didn't even open his rookie year as the Chargers' starter — he took over in Week 2 for an injured Tyrod Taylor before exploding for one of the most productive opening seasons ever. Advertisement Herbert was the ninth-best NFL starter that year against two-high coverage and ranked among the top 10 in completion percentage above expected (102.4), making it one of the most accurate years of his career to date. Stats: 310-of-517 passing (60.0 percent) for 4,051 yards, 21 TDs, 17 TDs; 706 yards rushing, 14 TDs Team result: 6-10 (third place, NFC South) Newton set the NFL record for total touchdowns by a rookie QB (35) in 2011 (Herbert broke it in 2020 with 36). The former No. 1 pick still holds the league record for total yards by a rookie quarterback (4,784, including a 27-yard reception) and was the league's first 4,000-yard rookie passer. In his first NFL game, Newton threw for 422 yards and had three total touchdowns. He never won a title, but when he was physically right, he was one of the most unique quarterbacks we've ever seen and helped set the table for future dual-threat players. Stats: 376-of-567 passing (66.3 percent) for 3,775 yards, 29 TDs, 12 INTs; 430 yards rushing, four TDs Team result: 10-7 (third place, AFC West), lost in wild-card round A rookie quarterback surviving the experience that is Sean Payton's complex offense is enough to earn a spot somewhere on this list. But Nix did more than survive. There are limitations to Nix's game, but he rarely tries to work outside his capabilities — nor does Payton ask him to. Nix was very efficient for a rookie, piling up 12.5 first downs per game, not far behind Daniels' number of 13.2 (which tied with Josh Allen). Stats: 349-of-542 passing (64.4 percent) for 3,722 yards, 20 TDs, 12 INTs; 544 yards rushing, four TDs Team result: 5-10-1 (fourth place, NFC West) Despite being sacked a league-high 48 times in 2019, the diminutive Murray still hit nearly 65 percent of his throws while maintaining his presence as a dual-threat player. He showed better arm strength as a rookie than some expected, was confident in all areas of the field and emerged as a perfect fit in Kliff Kingsbury's offense (which is a good one for young QBs). Advertisement Stats: 351-of-562 passing (62.5 percent) for 3,541 yards, 20 TDs, six INTs; 489 yards rushing Team result: 5-12 (fourth place, NFC North) Daniels' historic season certainly stole some thunder from Williams, the No. 1 pick in 2024. However, it's not fair to suggest Williams had a 'bad' or 'disappointing' season. Williams had a stretch of 354 throws without a pick last year, an NFL rookie record. And in similar fashion to Murray, he did this while being sacked more times (68) than anyone in the NFL — even if plenty of those were his own fault. Stats: 265-of-434 passing (61.1 percent) for 3,440 yards, 16 TDs, 11 INTs; 104 yards rushing, one TD Team result: 11-5 (second place, NFC South), lost in wild-card round The Offensive Rookie of the Year in 2008, Ryan became the NFC's first rookie quarterback to start every game and take a team into the playoffs. Ryan's performance was critical in helping revive an Atlanta franchise that had lost Michael Vick and dealt with Bobby Petrino just one year prior. Stats: 126-of-204 passing (61.7 percent) for 1,699 yards, 19 TDs, eight INTs; 269 yards rushing, two TDs Team result: 4-12 (fourth place, AFC South) Watson made just six starts in 2017 (Weeks 2-7) before going down with an ACL injury in early November, but he was on pace for a potentially historic run — his numbers stretched over the full season would've given him a shot at 4,000 yards passing and 50 touchdowns. Stats: 310-of-486 passing (63.8 percent) for 3,725 yards, 27 TDs, 14 INTs; 131 yards rushing Team result: 7-8-1 (third place, AFC North) Let the record show that Mayfield's run in Cleveland didn't end because he never made plays. Consistency was certainly an issue, but he also had some great days — such as throwing for more than 500 yards combined with seven touchdowns (and zero interceptions) in two wins over the Bengals or his near 400-yard passing performance in a two-point loss at Baltimore to close the season. Stats: 114-of-170 passing (67.1 percent) for 1,374 yards, 13 TDs, four INTs; 13 yards rushing, one TD Team result: 13-4 (first place, NFC West), lost NFC title game Purdy's rookie year was sort of the opposite of Watson's, in that he started the season's final five games (and attempted 37 passes in relief the game before that stretch), leading the 49ers into the playoffs with an incredibly accurate showing. Purdy was fearless over the middle that season, earning a .47 EPA number on attempts between the numbers. Advertisement Stats: 285-of-470 passing (60.6 percent) for 3,271 yards, 21 TDs, six INTs; 344 yards rushing Team result: 6-10 (fourth place, AFC South) It's fair to wonder what might have been for Minshew had the Jaguars not landed the No. 1 pick and the right to draft Trevor Lawrence in 2021. Minshew was very good as a rookie and played well early in 2020, despite the talent around him. He hasn't earned a full-time role since, but Minshew remains an accurate, confident passer — one who has outperformed his sixth-round draft slot. Stats: 312-of-535 passing (58.3 percent) for 4,042 yards, 22 TDs, 15 INTs; 213 yards rushing, six TDs Team result: 6-10 (fourth place, NFC South) Turnovers have always been a problem for Winston, and his rookie year was no exception. But Winston never let a mistake throttle back his aggression. He became the youngest player in NFL history (21 years, 363 days) to throw for 4,000 yards in a season. Stats: 352-of-521 passing (67.6 percent) for 3,801 yards, 22 TDs, 13 INTs; 129 yards rushing Team result: 10-7 (second place, AFC East), lost in wild-card round To date, 2021 remains the best year of Mac Jones' career — and by a good amount. However, the Patriots did him zero favors. Jones' rookie year was the last in New England for Josh McDaniels. Matt Patricia was Jones' OC for Year 2 and his play has dwindled ever since. Stats: 225-of-338 passing (66.6 percent) for 2,276 yards, 15 TDs, 10 INTs; 421 yards rushing, two TDs Team result: 4-13 (fourth place, AFC East) Maye got off to a bit of an awkward start, as he began the year as the backup despite looking ready to hold the No. 1 job post-training camp. He finally got the nod in Week 6 and kept his head above water the rest of the way, all while guiding one of the least talented rosters in football. DRAKE MAYE! RHAMONDRE STEVENSON! @PATRIOTS TIE IT UP! — NFL (@NFL) November 3, 2024 Stats: 257-of-428 passing (60.0 percent) for 2,971 yards, 14 TDs, 12 INTs; 180 yards rushing, two TDs Team result: 11-5 (second place, AFC North), lost AFC title game One of four quarterbacks on our list to lead his rookie squad to a conference title game, Flacco was the only rookie starter on a talented, veteran roster in Baltimore. He played with enough maturity, however, to support an always-productive Ravens defense in John Harbaugh's debut season. Advertisement Stats: 259-of-402 passing (64.4 percent) for 2,919 yards, 14 TDs, 12 INTs; 209 yards rushing, one TD Team result: 7-9 (third place, NFC North) Younger fans of today's game need to know that Bridgewater was on his way to potential stardom before suffering a devastating and career-altering knee injury in 2016. Early in his rookie campaign, Bridgewater replaced Matt Cassel and played his best football down the stretch before taking the Vikings to the playoffs in his second season (and earning a Pro Bowl nod). Stats: 230-of-370 passing (62.2 percent) for 2,818 yards, 19 TDs, 10 INTs; 252 yards rushing, two TDs Team result: 3-13 (fourth place, AFC South) Mariota threw four touchdown passes in the first half of his first NFL game and eventually tied Mark Rypien for most touchdowns by a rookie through three starts (8). The former No. 2 pick posted a combined 45 touchdowns over his first two seasons before injuries and inconsistency caught up with him. Stats: 379-of-607 passing (62.4 percent) for 3,782 yards, 16 TDs, 14 INTs; 150 yards rushing, two TDs Team result: 7-9 (fourth place, NFC East) Wentz's 379 completions set an NFL rookie record — that number stands now as the second highest of his career. His mark of 3,782 pass yards is also the second best of his career, as Wentz's boom-or-bust debut season paved the way a stellar 13-game run to open 2017. Wentz suffered a knee injury in Year 2, but the Eagles still captured a Super Bowl title. Stats: 284-of-459 passing (61.9 percent) for 3,027 yards, 24 TDs, 12 INTs; 279 yards rushing, two TDs Team result: 4-12 (third place, NFC East) Jones' rookie year was the best of his career to date — and it's probably the chief reason Saquon Barkley is no longer in New York. Jones threw nine more TD passes as a rookie than in any season since, and his performance served as catalyst for the eventual extension the Giants would come to regret. (Illustration: Demetrius Robinson / The Athletic; Photos: Andy Lyons, Tom Pennington, Jonathan Ferrey / Getty Images) Spot the pattern. Connect the terms Find the hidden link between sports terms Play today's puzzle
USA Today
2 hours ago
- USA Today
Making up 22 & 21 in our Raiders countdown to kickoff. Who wore it best and wearing it now
I have to fall on the sword here. I neglected to do the put out the countdown to kickoff pieces from over the weekend. I picked it up come Monday, but I just couldn't pass over those numbers and not give those players their due. So, here they are from Saturday and Sunday which were numbers 22 and 21 in our countdown. No. 22 Who's wearing it now: CB Eric Stokes Stokes was one of the Raiders key free agent signings this offseason. With a complete overhaul of the secondary this offseason, he was pegged as a starter early on and that has remained the case. The former first round pick spent his first four seasons in Green Bay, but not since he was a rookie has he started a full season. He gets a shot at a career revival in Las Vegas. Who wore it best: CB Michael Haynes Haynes was already a six-time Pro Bowler when he joined the Raiders in 1983. Just in time to start all three of the team's playoff games and Super Bowl XVIII. He would make three more Pro Bowls in Silver & Black, splitting his 14-year career evenly between the Patriots and Raiders. He was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 1997. No. 21 Who's wearing it now: No one Who wore it best: WR Cliff Branch At the time of his retirement, he was the NFL's all time leader in playoff receiving yards. A title that remained until Jerry Rice eventually broke it. Branch spent his entire 14-year career with the Raiders. He twice led the league in receiving touchdowns, made four Pro Bowls and was a part of all three Super Bowl winning squads. After his retirement in 1985, Al Davis spent the rest of his life trying to find another of him. He never did. It took until 2022 for Branch to be inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame. By which time he had passed away. Not getting the honor of taking that stage himself will forever stick in my craw. Honorable Mention: CB Nnamdi Asomugha The 6-2 college safety was selected by the Raiders in the first round of the 2003 NFL Draft. He was switched to corner and in his third season became a full time starter. His fourth season, he picked off eight passes. And that's when quarterbacks simply stopped throwing his way. His next four seasons, he was on an island on the left side, closing off that side of the field. And his lockdown abilities had him named a Pro Bowler three times and twice and All Pro. Then, just like Charles Woodson before him, once he hit 30, Al Davis wasn't willing to pay him to stay, so he left for elsewhere. He would start two more seasons in Philadelphia and one season in San Francisco and call it a career.
Newsweek
5 hours ago
- Newsweek
Kyle Shanahan Singled Out for San Francisco 49ers' Injury Issues
Based on facts, either observed and verified firsthand by the reporter, or reported and verified from knowledgeable sources. Newsweek AI is in beta. Translations may contain inaccuracies—please refer to the original content. The San Francisco 49ers were absolutely ravaged by injuries last season, which played a massive role in their disappointing 6-11. And once again this summer, the 49ers are once again experiencing medical issues. So, what is the reason behind San Francisco's inability to stay healthy? Is there a deeper problem here? More news: Raiders Shockingly Predicted to Cut Ties With New Fan Favorite Well, Matt Barrows of The Athletic identified what he feels is the reason for the Niners' constant injury problems, and he thinks it may be Kyle Shanahan's rough coaching style. Head coach Kyle Shanahan of the San Francisco 49ers stands on the sidelines prior to an NFL football game against the Los Angeles Rams, at Levi's Stadium on December 12, 2024 in Santa Clara, California.... Head coach Kyle Shanahan of the San Francisco 49ers stands on the sidelines prior to an NFL football game against the Los Angeles Rams, at Levi's Stadium on December 12, 2024 in Santa Clara, California. More"I don't think there's any question, however, that the 49ers practice harder and faster than most NFL teams, including in training camp," Barrows wrote. "... Kyle Shanahan wants his players accustomed to the speed and intensity required in the regular season. He wants players to build what he calls "a callus" during training camp. Achieving that callus comes with a cost. That, at least, is my theory on why they have so many injuries each summer — they're being pushed harder than most teams." It's important to note that Barrows isn't necessarily saying that Shanahan's strategy is a bad thing. Heck, it worked in 2023 when the 49ers made it all the way to the Super Bowl. But there is no doubt that holding such intense practices has its downsides. San Francisco had arguably the most talented roster on paper heading into 2024, but the Niners were never able to get anything going consistently last year due to so many of their top players being sidelined. More news: Colts Could Trade Anthony Richardson to Struggling AFC Opponent The 49ers also subtracted some key pieces over the past several months, so they have absolutely lost a decent chunk of their shine since last fall. Perhaps they really did miss their window two years ago. Or maybe they are on the verge of a bounceback in 2025? Regardless, San Francisco obviously needs to stay healthy in order to produce any type of revenge campaign this coming season. For more on the Raiders and NFL, head to Newsweek Sports.
