-
Mike Reiss, ESPN Staff Writer
FOXBOROUGH, Mass. — Quick thoughts and notes around New England Patriots and NFL:
1. Milton Information: Patriots executive vice president of player personnel Eliot Wolf said above “Podcast Adam Schefter” University of Tennessee quarterback Joe Milton III had “too much talent” to take him in the sixth round of the NFL Draft (No. 193), even though the Patriots selected the North Carolina quarterback Drake Maye at number 3.
Few have a clearer behind-the-scenes look at Milton’s talent than Joey Halzle, who enters his fourth season on the Tennessee coaching staff – first as quarterbacks coach (2021-2022) and then as offensive coordinator (2023-present). Halzle, 38, played QB at Oklahoma (2006-2008) before beginning his coaching career at the school. And he shared room at quarterback – as player or coach – with Sam Bradford (a 2010 first-round draft pick), Landry Jones (round 4, 2013), Drawing course (round 2, 2019) and Hendon prostitute (third round 2023), among others.
“He’s the most talented quarterback I’ve ever been around and I’ve worked with a lot of guys that were drafted very highly,” Halzle said of Milton. “Arm talent, everyone knows about it. Strength, flexibility, running ability — high-level, high-level athlete. He’s a physical model on the football field.”
He tells the story of a summer 2021 workout at the Volunteers’ indoor facility in which Milton was taking an action pass from the left hash mark and threw a ball ‘go’ down right border. Milton’s serve ended up in the rafters, hitting one of the spinning fans.
“It was like, ‘Oh, it’s a little different over there,’” Halzle said. “It was the first of many; the ball falling out of his hand was absolutely crazy.”
Wolf noted the same thing while watching Milton warm up before the Tennessee-Vanderbilt game last season.
But at the same time, it takes more than a strong arm to be a successful quarterback, something Halzle recounted as one of the first conversations he had with Milton when he transferred from Michigan in 2021. They talked about being wary of “things that have been shown to get out of his hands” and committing to a laser focus on fundamentals.
“He’s an upper-body thrower [he came to Tennessee] and one goal was to turn him into a lower body thrower – push the ball with his back foot and let his arms get the ball where it needs to go,” Halzle said, identifying this change as the catalyst Collaboration helps Milton improve accuracy over time.
“It’s all about ‘You have to invest in the parts of the game that are more than just your natural aptitude. You have to invest in learning the defense. Understanding the offensive scheme. Understanding the protections. .’ I think he’s always done that, but he took it to the next level last year.”
Milton, in his first full season as a starter, completed 229 of 354 for 2,813 yards, with 20 touchdown passes and five interceptions. He added 78 rushes for 299 yards and seven touchdowns.
In explaining the Patriots’ thinking in recruiting Milton after landing Maye, coach Jerod Mayo noted Milton’s “cannon for an arm” and how the team “is trying to bring in football players.” good at getting through doors” as your strategy.
“One thing we preach is competition. Nothing is given. It’s all earned,” Mayo said, adding that Milton can also offer value as a moneymaker. scout team guard because “having a guy of that caliber, we’re going to compete.” Some of them [type of QBs] also.”
With veteran midfielder Jacoby Brissett and Maye is on the 53-man roster, Milton and a third-year pro Bailey Zappe can compete for a position. That is, unless the Patriots make the unique move of keeping all four, similar to what the team did in 2000 with Drew Bledsoe, John Friesz, Michael Bishop and sixth-round pick Tom Brady.
Few expected much from Brady that year as the 199th pick, similar to the position in which Milton — who along with the rest of the rookie class came to town on Thursday — found himself.
Halzle pointed out that even though Milton is 24 years old, he has less experience than other prospects, partly due to being “a little shaky” when injuries contributed to him losing the No. 1 spot in the rankings twice. depth chart — first at Michigan, then at Tennessee.
“For me, it’s less about age and more about how many times you’ve been behind center,” Halzle said. “I think one of the most important things for fans to know is that he’s still very much a project and very, very new to starting full-time at this position, so the ceiling for this guy is very high.” High.”
2. Practice with Eagle: According to sources, Mayo and Eagles coach Nick Sirianni have discussed holding a joint training session in August in Foxborough. The teams have been regular preseason opponents for years, and if they meet again this year as scheduled — which would be in week two — they plan to practice together. This will be the Patriots’ only joint practice in the preseason.
It is said that Mayo prefers only a single training session, partly to limit the fighting that can sometimes become common on the second day.
3. Schedule a chat: The NFL plans to reveal the 2024 regular season schedule on Wednesday, and while nothing is official until it’s announced, a number of rumors have swirled around the team’s facility in recent days. is that the Patriots are preparing for Mayo’s upcoming head coaching debut. road. Their third pre-season match is also expected to take place, which will give the team clarity on how they plan to handle the travel.
4. Wallace-Robinson duo: Could the Patriots have a rookie on the left side of the offensive line? That was a thought that popped into my head while watching Saturday’s rookie minicamp workout, with a third-round pick. Caedan Wallace (Penn State) opened the scoring at left tackle and fourth quarter Layden Robinson (Texas A&M) is on the left.
With left tackle a big question mark (veteran free agent signee Chukwuma Okorafor is the projected starter) and injury/recovery status at starting left guard Strange Cole creates a level of uncertainty, Wallace and Robinson have a potential opportunity to seize.
“We started texting right after the draft and we’ve been inseparable since we got here,” Wallace said.
5. Baker reaction: The Patriots had six rookies answer questions from reporters after Saturday’s practice and receivers Javon Baker – a fourth-round receiver from Central Florida – is not one of them. Baker created headline on Tuesday of the draft by asking Patriots fans to get their popcorn ready, so maybe that’s not a coincidence.
Mayo’s reaction to Baker’s comments: “Honestly, for me, I want these guys to have character. I want them to feel comfortable talking about certain things. Look, we There will be rules about what to say, but now once he puts it out there, he has to show it every day on the football field. Otherwise, he’s just a talker and you will lost respect in the locker room.”
6. They said: “When I come [pre-draft] visit, I didn’t even know he was the head coach until they told me it was him. Because he’s like one of the players. I like coaches like that; hang out with their players around the building. It’s great to be around a coach like that – a player-led coach.” — TE Jaheim Bellseventh-round pick from Florida State, on his first impression of Mayo
7. Godchaux says goodbye: With NFL commissioner Roger Goodell talking about the possibilities 18-game regular seasonWith just two preseason games under his belt, the Patriots’ defensive tackle Davon Godchaux Open to discussion as long as it has important considerations.
“If you’re going to talk about 18 games then there needs to be two bye weeks. Because 17 games is a lot, just a bye week,” he said last week at a Mother’s Day luncheon he hosted with his wife, Chanel Iman. . “It can be done, as long as guys are professional and take care of their bodies.”
2:17
Davon Godchaux on offseason workouts, the possibility of an 18-game season and
Davon Godchaux on offseason workouts, the possibility of an 18-game season and Jerod Mayo. Video by Mike Reiss
8. Pop explains ‘3’: Patriotic recipient DeMario “Pop” Douglas This year he changed his jersey number from 81 to 3. He wore the number 3 in college at Liberty, as well as in little league, middle school and high school, and explains why it carries add meaning to him. “It was huge because I was raised by three strong women – my mother, grandmother and great-grandmother,” he said.
Indeed, Happy Mother’s Day to everyone.
9. McAfee over Edelman: Raiders general manager Tom Telesco shared a story on ESPN Radio last week about an important part of the Patriots’ history that could have played out very differently. He was serving as director of player personnel for the Colts in 2009 when the team was playing with the first of two seventh-round picks – No. 222.
“I want to draft Julian Edelman,” Telesco said. I have never forgotten that. I just presented it incorrectly.” “When New England drafted him [232nd]It’s difficult because they are our big rival.”
But Telesco said the degree of difficulty was lessened because at pick 222, the Colts landed punter Pat McAfee, who was a lock at the position from 2009 to 2016.
10. Did you know: The Patriots have had 55 quarterbacks in their history; only three of them were selected in the sixth round: Joe Milton III (2024), Kliff Kingsbury (2003) and Tom Brady (2000).
