New England Patriots links 1/19/22 – Pats can’t punt on addressing special teams in offseason

Daily news and links for Wednesday

TEAM TALK

• Patriots 2022 Mock Draft Tracker.
• Mike Dussault reports the Patriots are locked into the 21st overall pick.
• Patriots sign offensive lineman Arlington Hambright to a future contract.
• Erik Scalavino tackles this week’s Patriots Mailbag: On to the ‘22 offseason.
• Paul Perillo’s NFL Notes: Pats need to make some speedy decisions.
• Mike Dussault notes Mac Jones, Patriots teammates share season-ending messages on social media.
• Highlights: Mac Jones’ top plays 2021 season. (11 min. video)
• Patriots Unfiltered: Biggest offseason needs, evaluating the 2021 season, Bills recap. (2 hours)
• 2001: A Patriots Super Bowl Sound Odyssey – Episode Four, The Snow Bowl. (50 min.)

LOCAL LINKS

• Bill Burt explains why the 2021 Patriots season was a success. “Maybe even … get this … a booming success.”
• Alex Barth poses five questions pressing the Patriots to start the 2022 offseason. 1. The futures of Devin McCourty and Dont’a Hightower.
• Dakota Randall identifies three turning points for the Patriots’ roller-coaster season. 1. Damien Harris’ red-zone fumble against Dolphins.
• Mike D’Abate (PatriotMaven) Notebook: Back to the futures, Pair of Patriots activated from COVID/Reserve; More.
• Ricky Doyle explains why it’s safe to say Mac Jones won over the Patriots’ locker room.
• Andrew Callahan ranks J.C. Jackson, Devin McCourty and all the Patriots’ free agents by signing priority.
• Evan Lazar looks at who the Pats should prioritize the most among their pending free agents.
• Mark Morse (PatsFans) Patriots free agents: Who stays and who goes?
• Hayden Bird notes Jakobi Meyers and Ted Karras expressed interest in returning to the Patriots.
• Jerry Trotta (MusketFire) Here are the Patriots’ biggest cap hits for 2022 season.
• Dakota Randall highights Ted Karras’ glowing review of ‘great leader’ Mac Jones. ‘I have just a ton of respect for Mac Jones’.
• CBS Boston notes Mac Jones makes his first Instagram post since August, says Pats career is just getting started.
• Sean T. McGuire digs into advanced stats to see if the Patriots would have benefitted on the field if they had Jimmy Garoppolo instead of Mac Jones. /Insert eye-roll emoji here.
• Darren Hartwell explores a possible Calvin Ridley trade.
• Thomas Carannante (MusketFire) 3 offseason trade packages that could help Patriots land Calvin Ridley.
• Ryan Hannable shares some coaching thoughts: Feels like Joe Judge could return to New England.
• Andy Hart addresses five early questions for the Patriots offseason. 1. Coaching staff changes?
• Adam London highlights Mike Florio on a potential coaching problem in New England, how Bill Belichick might have set himself up to be in a very difficult spot with his sons on staff.
• Bill Burt discusses the 20-year anniversary of Jermaine Wiggins’ greatest game on a historic night in Pats history. ‘The game changed my life forever.’
• Robert Alvarez (PatsFans) Former Patriots RB Kevin Faulk elected to College Football Hall of Fame.
• Robert Alvarez (PatsFans) ICYMI: Louisville hires Deion Branch to be Director of Player Development.
• Michael Hurley finds Tom Brady is still mad about the 49ers drafting Giovanni Carmazzi.
• Murph (E2GSports) Is Rams tackle Aaron Donald DIRTY? ‘There’s a precedent to this matter with Donald.’
• Patriots Talk podcast: Tom E. Curran and Phil Perry share their 3-point plan for the Pats’ early offseason. (35 min.)

NATIONAL NEWS

• Brian Mazique (Heavy.com) Under-the-radar Alabama WR called ‘prototypical Patriots slot receiver.’
• Jeff Legwold (ESPN) NFL rookie rankings: Our final top 10 for the 2021 season, including Micah Parsons at No. 1, two Dolphins and only one QB. 2. Mac Jones
• NFL Nation (ESPN) Offseason needs and priorities for all 32 NFL teams: Free-agency and 2022 draft targets, plus coach questions.
• Bryan DeArdo (CBS Sports) Divisional round lookahead, as Tom Brady and the Bucs face a lethal Rams’ pass rush.
• Cameron Filipe (Football Zebras) Blakeman, Torbert, Hochuli, and Hussey are Divisional Playoff referees.
• Mike Florio (ProFootballTalk) “Super” wild card round wasn’t.
• Cody Benjamin (CBS Sports) What we learned from wild-card round of 2022 NFL playoffs: Brady still in championship form, Chiefs cruising.
• Nate Davis (USA Today) 32 things we learned from 2021 NFL wild-card round: More excitement ahead?
• Jeff Kerr (CBS Sports) NFL coach carousel: Predicting which coaches will land in each open spot.
• Tory Barron (ESPN) From Tom Brady to The Rock: The best ManningCast moments of the season.
• Mike Goodpaster (TheGruelingTruth) The 10 most controversial games in NFL playoff history. /No. 7 the real controversy.
• 30 for 30 (ESPN) The Tuck Rule trailer: Tom Brady and Charles Woodson relive the controversial call from the 2001 AFC Divisional Round between the Patriots and Raiders, premiering Feb. 6 on ESPN. /We need this?