New England Patriots links 1/21/22 – Offseason outlook: Tackling OT and DT decisions

Daily news and links for Friday

TEAM TALK

• Mike Dussault addresses 10 burning Patriots offseason questions. 1. What to do about J.C. Jackson?
• Erik Scalavino: Patriots finalize their 2022 opponents.
• Memorable Moments: Kraft family to celebrate 28 years of owning the New England Patriots. (4.10 min. video)
• Patriots Unfiltered 1/20: Analysis of 2021 season, burning offseason questions, Divisional playoffs picks. (2 hours)

LOCAL LINKS

• Evan Lazar presents a five-step offseason plan for the Patriots to continue rebuilding their roster. 1. Keep Mac Jones in the weight room and get him with Tom House ASAP.
• Ian Logue (PatsFans) 5 Needs for the Patriots heading into the offseason. 1) Patriots need offensive tackles.
• WEEI suggests we ignore the noise: Despite all the negativity, the future in Foxborough is still really just all about Mac Jones.
• Zack Cox offers one thought on every Patriots offensive player after the 2021 season.
• Dakota Randall offers one thought on every Patriots defensive player after the 2021 season.
• Mike D’Abate (PatriotMaven) Hold the line? Patriots facing tough decisions at defensive tackle heading into 2022
• Tom E. Curran digs into who does what on the Patriots’ coaching staff, and why.
• Ryan Hannable says the proper perspective is needed when judging the Patriots over the last few seasons, and Matthew Slater summed it up nicely.
• Zack Cox addresses his Friday Patriots Mailbag: Which redshirt player will have greatest 2022 impact? Plus: What comes next for New England’s O-line?
• Khari Thompson forecasts the Patriots’ biggest free-agent decisions this offseason: Keeping J.C. Jackson seems like a no-brainer. Retaining veteran mainstays like Dont’a Hightower might be a more difficult question.
• Andrew Callahan writes ‘by most statistical accounts, Mac Jones’ rookie season was a roaring success. By his teammates’ remarks this week, next year should be even better.’
• Dakota Randall notes Mac Jones is among five Patriots with the highest PFF grades in the 2021 season.
• Steve Atkinson (NutsAndBoltsSports) The future is bright for Mac Jones.
• Ricky Doyle relays an unnamed AFC executive who isn’t too high on Mac Jones’ potential with New England despite a strong rookie season. “He’s cerebral, but his arm is weak, which will hurt him in that division in cold-weather games… Good rookie year but needs a lot of things around him.”
• Ryan Hannable relays Devin McCourty sharing his thoughts on whether or not to keep playing after 12 seasons.
• Ryan Hannable highlights Devin McCourty on the loss to Bills: ‘Steve Belichick called everything we had.’
• Quinn Riley (BostonSportsWave) Patriots free agency tracker: New England has 21 players who could hit market this offseason.
• Ryan Fowler (TheDraftNetwork) Six WRs Patriots should target in 2022 NFL Draft.
• Matt Dolloff says the Falcons have a price range for Calvin Ridley; should the Patriots go for it?
• Alex Barth revisits his preseason Patriots predictions.
• Karen Guregian gives us the lowdown on the NFL’s divisional round matchups.
• Michael Hurley says the Dallas Cowboys remain stuck in Loserville, USA, and makes his Divisional round picks.
• Darren Hartwell tracks the NFL teams with interest in Patriots coaches, execs.
• Zack Cox Patriots Rumors: Josh McDaniels is candidate for Raiders head coach position.
• Mike Kadlick reports Jerod Mayo and Dave Ziegler are set to meet with the Las Vegas Raiders.
• Patrick McAvoy reports TD Garden goes bonkers for Mac Jones, Hunter Henry and David Andrews.
• Tom Westerholm tells us what Bill Belichick said to Josh Allen after wild card game. “We didn’t have an answer.”
• Zack Cox notes Tom Brady and Bill Belichick have different views on if the Tuck Rule play had been ruled a fumble, does Tom Brady ever become Tom Brady?

NATIONAL NEWS

• Josh Alper (ProFootballTalk) Devin McCourty: I’m going to take my time and see what happens for the future.
• Lorenzo Reyes (USA Today) Josh Allen opens up about ‘special’ meeting with Bill Belichick after wild card victory.
• Jonathan Jones (CBS Sports) NFL insider notebook: Vikings top ranking of head coaching openings, Mike McCarthy digging himself a deeper hole; Plus divisional round picks.
• Andrew Brandt (SI) Business of Football: How fired coaches’ contracts and the end of the NFL season work.
• Ben Solak (The Ringer) Four things to watch for in the Divisional Round.
• Doug Farrar and Mark Schofield (TouchdownWire) How each of the 8 remaining teams can win in the divisional round.
• Nora Princiotti (The Ringer) The NFL’s peaks and valleys led to the right teams in the promised land.
• Nick Shook (NFL.com) NFL Divisional Round showdowns: Deebo Samuel or Davante Adams? Josh Allen or Patrick Mahomes?
• Brandon Anderson (ActionNetwork) The case for & against all 8 remaining NFL teams winning the Super Bowl: Chiefs, Bills, Bucs, Packers; More.
• Bucky Brooks (NFL.com) Who needs a Super Bowl LVI win the MOST? Aaron Rodgers tops the list.
• Gregg Rosenthal (NFL.com) Divisional Round picks: 49ers over Packers among three upsets this weekend.
• Staff (ESPN) NFL divisional-round playoff game picks, schedule guide, bold predictions, odds, injuries, matchup keys and more
• Pete Prisco (CBS Sports) NFL divisional round playoff picks: Bills knock out Chiefs in thriller, Rams topple Tom Brady, Bucs.
• John Breech (CBS Sports) 2022 NFL divisional playoff bracket, picks: Bills stun Chiefs in thriller, Rams shock Tom Brady’s Buccaneers.
• Vinnie Iyer (Sporting News) NFL picks, predictions against spread: Chiefs edge Bills; Packers, Buccaneers roll in divisional playoffs.
• Frank Schwab (Yahoo! Sports) NFL against-the-spread picks: You can make a case for Bills or Chiefs in great showdown.
• Tyler Sullivan (CBS Sports) NFL divisional round odds, picks: Aaron Rodgers gets first playoff win over 49ers; Bengals cover vs. Titans.
• Alaina Getzenberg and Adam Teicher (ESPN) Manning-Brady 2.0? Why Patrick Mahomes vs. Josh Allen could be AFC’s next great QB rivalry. /If you have to force it, it is’t there.
• Kevin Clark (The Ringer) Be grateful every time we get Patrick Mahomes vs. Josh Allen in the playoffs: It’s hard to sustain long quarterback rivalries in the modern NFL. Let’s hope the Bills and Chiefs buck the trend.
• Conor Orr (SI) Ranking the NFL’s eight head coaching vacancies.
• Michael David Smith (ProFootballTalk) Rob Gronkowski moving up the all-time playoff receiving record lists.
• Mike Florio (ProFootballTalk) Will Tom Brady surprise everyone and retire after this season?
• Mike Florio (ProFootballTalk) Jon Gruden’s case against the NFL goes to court on February 23.