New England Patriots links 2/18/22 – Pats mum so media plays coaching staff roulette

Daily news and links for Friday

TEAM TALK

• Alexandra Francisco reports Mac Jones cracks the top five in NFL jersey sales. /Would have been even higher if they were available anywhere.
• Tamara Brown notes Dont’a Hightower shows year-long support for Boston nonprofit, Year Up.
• Who Tweeted that with Matthew Slater. (2.34 min. video)
• Patriots Unfiltered 2/17: Could Bill O’Brien return?, Development of Patriots young LBs, NFL draft CBs and WRs. (2 hours)

LOCAL LINKS

• Matt Dolloff helps us get to know the key dates on the 2022 NFL calendar.
• Tom E. Curran assesses the state of the Patriots’ offensive line.
• Zack Cox credits Patriots free agent Ted Karras for helping to stabilize the offensive line after a rocky start in 2021. Will he be back for 2022?
• CBS Boston points out the Patriots’ coaching staff remains a major mystery in New England.
• Henry McKenna (PatriotsWire) How will the Patriots run their offense around Mac Jones after coaching exodus?
• Dakota Randall highlights Rosevelt Colvin with some advice on how the young Patriots linebackers can improve.
• Andy Hart identifies the No. 1 priority of the Patriots offseason: Signing J.C. Jackson to a long-term deal to retain him as the playmaking lynchpin in the back end of the defense for the foreseeable future.
• Zack Cox wonders if free agent James White, who underwent hip surgery early in the 2021 season, will return to the Patriots in 2022.
• Dakota Randall takes a look at free agent Matthew Slater: If he decides to return for another season, should the Patriots re-sign the longtime special teams captain?
• Robert Alvarez (PatsFans) Matthew Slater plays game guessing teammate Tweets.
• Adam London notes ESPN insider Jeremy Fowler identifies the Cardinals as the ideal landing spot for Pro Bowl cornerback J.C. Jackson, who is an impending free agent.
• TCrowley suggests five free agents to improve the Patriots’ defense for 2022.
• Evan Lazar’s Patriots Mailbag: is the Belichick-Saban connection blocking Bill O’Brien from returning to Pats?
• Zack Cox’ Patriots Mailbag: Coaching staff still has more questions than answers; Plus: What should the Patriots do at receiver?
• Ian Logue (PatsFans) Five Patriots and NFL thoughts: 1) It’s hard to believe the Super Bowl is already nearly a week behind us, which pushes us deeper into the offseason and more importantly, closer toward the process of building next year’s Patriots team.
• Dakota Randall highlights Scott Zolak predicting New England’s 2022 offensive coaching staff.
• Henry McKenna (PatriotsWire) At what point will Steve Belichick get head coaching interest?
• Darren Hartwell highlights Greg Bedard, Michael Holley and Michael Felger on identifying the five biggest needs entering the 2022 offseason. /Full of rainbows and puppies as you can all imagine.
• Mark Morse (PatsFans) Patriots mock draft #2, Super Bowl, coaches and cap space.
• Hayden Bird relays Scott Pioli as he recalled being ‘in awe’ of Richard Seymour during a scouting trip in 2000, “I hadn’t seen anyone that big, that explosive up close.”
• David Latham (LastWordOnSports) NFL Rumors: Lamar Jackson healthy, Mac Jones content, Deshea Townsend.
• Mike D’Abate (PatriotMaven) ‘World’s oldest New England Patriots fan,’ Myrtle Milledge, dies at age 106.
• Nick O’Malley’s Mock Draft 1.0: Patriots get Mac Jones a No. 1 WR. Ohio State WR Chris Olave.
• Nick Caruso (BostonSportsWave) NFL Draft 2022: Patriots Mock Draft 1.0. Round 1 trade.

NATIONAL NEWS

• Albert Breer (SI) Mailbag: Are the Colts really done with Carson Wentz? Plus, why Kirk Cousins will likely remain on the Vikings, why the Browns will also probably stick with their QB and why coaches are leaving the Patriots.
• Jonathan Jones (CBS Sports) NFL combine 2022: Prospect reps concerned with changes to schedule; bench press, on-field workouts on same day.
• Anthony Treash (PFF) Every NFL team’s most improved player in 2021. Patriots: Adrian Phillips.
• Jeff Kerr (CBS Sports) 2022 NFL Free Agency: Projected free agents, cap space, needs for every team this offseason
• Gil Brandt (NFL.com) 2022 NFL free agency: One free agent each AFC team must keep. Patriots: J.C. Jackson.
• Patrik Walker (CBS Sports) Top 25 NFL free agents on offense in 2022.
• Tyler Sullivan (CBS Sports) Ranking the top 25 NFL free agents on defense in 2022.
• Adam Rank (NFL.com) Five big-name NFL players who should be traded this offseason. N’Keal Harry included.
• Gennaro Filice (NFL.com) 2021 NFL rookie grades, AFC East: Dolphins and Patriots load up; Jets mix good with BAD; Bills, eh.
• Bryan DeArdo (CBS Sports) Five reasons why the NFL may never see another great dynasty: Longer season, impatience among key reasons. /Photo for story shows the Steelers, lol.
• Jason Owens (Yahoo! Sports) Now that Matthew Stafford has changed teams and won a Super Bowl too, the QB market takes on extra intrigue.
• AP (ESPN) Myrtle Milledge, recognized by the Patriots as their oldest fan, has died in Maine. She was 106.
• Tim Kelly (Audacy) How much cap space does each NFL team have currently?
• Chris Trapasso (CBS Sports) Redrafting the 2021 NFL Draft. Pats pick… QB Jalen Mills at No. 15. “19th – Mac Jones goes later than expected, because as the season progressed, it was made more obvious that he was being held up by a very conservative Patriots offense in 2021. He certainly had an encouraging rookie season though, so the Commanders can’t pass on him here.” /Wut?
• Josh Alper (ProFootballTalk) Titans exploring new stadium in Nashville.
• Nick Shook (NFL.com) Buyout for Jim Harbaugh’s new contract at Michigan leaves door open for NFL return.
• Kevin Hanson (SI) 2022 NFL Mock Draft 1.0. Pats pick USC WR Drake London at 21.
• Jeremy Willis (ESPN) Super Bowl commercials: The best of this year’s million-dollar spots. /Missed this one earlier.
• Joe Lucia (Awful Announcing) NFL reportedly seeking upwards of $50 million per year for Super Bowl halftime show sponsor.

EXTRACURRICULAR

• Grant Gordon (NFL.com) Rams, Staffords to cover hospital, camera bills for injured photographer Kelly Smiley.
• Mike Florio (ProFootballTalk) St. Louis settlement allocation remains unresolved.
• Leslie Monteiro (GuyBostonSports) Bad guys win in sports as evident with Kroenke.