An Independent Patriots Blog
Join Chudders and Clazzy Clare as they discuss (and argue about, as usual!) the win in Miami, breaking that curse, and look ahead a smidge to Sunday’s match up against the Steelers.
Clazzy Clare and Chudders bring you a little Patriots chat, in a casual and light hearted show that (hopefully) has you feeling like you’re sitting back and having a laugh with some fellow Patriots buddies!
Join Chudders and Clazzy Clare as they discuss (and argue about, as usual!) the loss against the Las Vegas Raiders and look ahead to Sunday’s match up at Miami.
Clazzy Clare and Chudders bring you a little Patriots chat, in a casual and light hearted show that (hopefully) has you feeling like you’re sitting back and having a laugh with some fellow Patriots buddies!
So, as I sit here ready to write this article about the Patriots and their journey into this 2025 season after a not-so-great loss to the Las Vegas Raiders, I realise that today marks a significant day for me. Five years ago my first ever piece of Patriots content dropped… my first article entitled “Patriots Tight Ends have potential in 2020” went live on the Full Press Coverage website.
My slightly self-indulgent point is twofold. Firstly, it gives me the opportunity to celebrate a milestone for myself, but more than that, it gives me the chance to thank all that have been there for me, helped and supported me. Not to mention be appreciative for those that I can now call friends, some of whom have carved out a very important place in my life. I have been shown such acceptance, generosity, and affection from so many people in relation to the team that I adore.
I am honoured and humbled to be sitting here after five years writing these words to you lovely lot, THANK YOU!
Now, my more Patriot centric point is that this time five years ago, I had no idea where that first piece of fandom writing would get me. Had I managed to pull a Stewie Griffin and time travelled back to tell myself everything that would happen there’s no way I would have believed myself, even if I am pretty trustworthy!
And whilst I’m not much of a betting woman, (although when it comes to sandwich bets, things are a little different, just ask my co-host) I doubt many Patriots fans would have expected what the team went through in those last five years either.
There has been a rebuild following the departure of the best quarterback to ever do it, the rebuild after the GM/Head Coach moved on, and the next man up was possibly prematurely promoted, to this one. The beginning of a new era with a head coach that has 11 years coaching in the NFL under his belt, a trio of offensive line coaches and an extensively experienced defensive coordinator who is known for his success developing defensive linemen. Oh, and did I mention a real and proper offensive coordinator?
So, okay, season one, week one, game one wasn’t completely successful. I doubt my first article was as polished and cheekily amusing as this one is… ahem, moving on…
Now, let me be clear here. As a fan you can feel and have whatever opinion you like, that’s your prerogative… I’m in no way attempting to tell you otherwise. What I am hoping to give is a little entertainment, the opportunity to thank the fan base I am so blessed to be part of, and mostly, to hopefully give you a little bit of a positive perspective.
Yeah, the Raiders kinda had the Patriots’ number in the second half of that game, the rookies did some rookie things (imagine that huh?!?), and the coach is frustrated, stating they were too inconsistent on both sides of the ball to be successful. The quarterback dropped back aplenty, the kicker missed a field goal, and the defense let the Raiders score 20, struggling to stop two of the leagues really good tight ends from being wide open.
But may I reiterate, it’s season one, week one, game one?
They brought in some great free agency pieces, finally managed to draft better than probably my whole five years’ time as content producer put together, and have experienced coaches. Of course, it’s not all sunshine and rainbows, there’s still plenty to get right, but they really do have things there that they can mould into the right stuff.
I mean, we are looking at a sample size of one. One regular season game for Drake Maye with Josh McDaniels, under Mike Vrabel with Stefon Diggs and so on.
A season is a marathon, not a sprint. New players need time to find their feet, new systems need time to click, and new people need time to develop relationships. Anyone ever go on a first date that wasn’t so great but saw the person again because they felt there was something there? I do hope so, and I’ll bet some of you are married to that person now too.
Again, I’m showing, not telling here.
Even so, the fan base has warranted concerns, I just hope that if you felt super curmudgeon-y, I could transpose a little bit of positivity sparkle onto you, because hey, that’s what I’ve been trying to do for these last five years!
We have large expectations that stem from the epic history of this franchise, Pats Nation had it good for so long, and I truly believe we will have it good again, in time. In a time that is filled with instant gratification, we just need a little patience with the potential.
And so, with a huge, massive thanks to you lovely lot for reading this, as well as consuming and supporting my content over the past five years, I say…
It’s on to Miami and as always, go Pats!
Join Chudders and Clazzy Clare as they discuss the final events of the off season and look ahead to Sunday’s match up against the Las Vegas Raiders.
Clazzy Clare and Chudders bring you a little Patriots chat, in a casual and light hearted show that (hopefully) has you feeling like you’re sitting back and having a laugh with some fellow Patriots buddies!
Join Chudders and Clazzy Clare as they discuss all the goings on in the Patriots pre season; from training camp to roster cut downs, surprises and the games in between!
Clazzy Clare and Chudders bring you a little Patriots chat, in a casual and light hearted show that (hopefully) has you feeling like you’re sitting back and having a laugh with some fellow Patriots buddies!
It was tricky navigating the end of the Belichick era and the start of what was in hindsight, a simply too early promotion for not even DC Jerod Mayo. And whilst there are still going to be issues, Vrabel returning to New England and being our leader feels fifty shades of right to me.
The confidence that fans seem to have for the Coach isn’t just due to the eight years he played in New England as one of the most versatile linebackers in the franchise history. It’s not even due to the eight regular season passes, two in the playoffs that were all receptions and resulted in touchdowns. Nor is that due to the fact that he played tight end… okay that one is kinda just for me really. It’s the dynamic mind set, experience, AND the history that Mike Vrabel brings to the table.
Vrabel has 14 years of coaching experience, 11 of those in the NFL, most predominantly at Tennessee. During the six seasons with the Titans he led them to two divisional titles, and three play off appearances. Not to mention he was named the Associated Press NFL Coach of the Year in 2021for leading the Titans to a 12-5 record.
I found a quote in a recent article from Conor Roche of Boston Globe Media and it painted an extensive picture of Mike Vrabel. Andrew Berry, General Manager for the Cleveland Browns said how Vrabel had really made his presence felt during the season he was with the Browns in his generally undefined role.
“Mike’s awesome. He has this infectious energy. He’s a ball coach. He loves being on the grass. He loves being with the players. He loves developing young coaches.” Barry told reporters at the combine in February this year.
“He can coach any position on the field, and has more knowledge in his pinky finger than probably most people would in 20 years of football. New England’s very, very fortunate to hire him. I think he’ll do a great job.”
And this is definitely something I witnessed even myself when I was blessed to attend a few of the Patriots practice sessions. Vrabel gets in there, it’s only the pre season and Vrabel is 2-0 on practice fights and pile ups!
But in all seriousness, I appreciate some fans aren’t quite convinced. You need to see to believe and I respect that. I just think as a fan it’s hard to deny the difference that there is in New England now.
Of course, it’s not all sunshine, rainbows and fist fights. There are performance issues with some players, a few of the same old offensive line niggles for now. Not to mention the New England age old issue of the wide receiver room.
Something that Vrabel was able to bring with him that unfortunately Jerod Mayo just didn’t have at his disposal is other experienced coaching staff. Not to mention the behind the scenes right hand man, John “Stretch” Streicher.
So whilst I appreciate reservations about player performance, meld-ability of some of the position groups, I really truly can not help being beyond confident in this team, in this organisation, in this Coach.
And I get you could be reading this and telling me “yeah but Clazz, the proof is in the playing of games” and I wouldn’t disagree. And I wouldn’t tell you to think anything different, I’m just here to give out a bit of information and entertainment and hopefully keep that positivity level up a little!
Go Pats!
There are tonnes of discussions in regard to the wide receiver battle, especially around the dynamic looking Efton Chism III, but what about tight ends, and what is the knock on effect of all these tough receiver choices?
Currently, as I write this article, the Patriots have seven tight ends on the roster. They did have one official fullback, but Brock Lampe was placed on injured reserve due to an undisclosed injury. By being placed on IR, he will be forced to miss the entire 2025 season, unless he is waived by the Patriots with an injury settlement, and so Josh McDaniels may be looking elsewhere in the tight end room if he wants that proper FB back on his roster.
You all know of veteran Hunter Henry, heading into his fifth season with the Patriots and could quite easily be branded the QB binky with his dependability. Unarguably the TE2 on this roster is Austin Hooper. Another seasoned vet of 10 years in the NFL, heading into his second year on the Patriots.
So that’s TE1 and TE2, what about 3, and dare I say… 4?
We have number 88, 6’2 and 241 pound Jahiem Bell, selected by the Patriots in the seventh round of the 2023 draft. Bell played in 15 games in 2024, a key piece of the special teams unit, which is usually the best way for tight end to get his foot in the door, and finished the season with 2 receptions for 20 yards.
Jack Westover has the high honour of number 87 on his back, and is a name that has been popping up in preseason plenty. Also in his second year, Jack comes in at 6’2 and 245 pounds, played in three games, mostly on special teams in 2024, and is looking like a decent blocker who McDaniels could perhaps turn to as that coveted FB many of us are longing for on the roster sheet. Westover played in 52 career games at the University of Washington, and recorded 46 receptions as a redshirt senior, the fourth most in a single season by a UW tight end.
CJ Dippre sports number 82, and was signed this May as a rookie free agent. CJ played 52 career games with 37 starts and stacked up a total of 65 catches for 782 yards and 3 touchdowns. CJ is definitely a bigger bodied TE in this current group hitting 6’5 and 256 pounds.
Gee Scott Jr was the second tight end rookie free agent the Patriots picked up this year, and the rookie spent five years with Ohio State, converting to tight end after his first year as a wide receiver. Scott comes in at 6’3 and 240 pounds, and presently wears number 80.
Bringing up the rear, so to speak, is a guy that may have flown beneath your radar who sports number 49 (not my favourite when it comes to TE numbers). Previously of the Las Vegas Raiders, Cole Fotheringham only signed with the Pats July 30th, but he has already played plenty of snaps in the recent preseason games. Cole originally entered the NFL as a rookie free agent with the Raiders May 2022 out of Utah, and spent his first two seasons (2022-23) on the Raiders practice squad before being elevated for two games late in the season. Fotheringham bounced from Vegas to Houston and Denver in practice squad roles before the 6’4” 245 pounder hit New England this summer.
And because I simply cannot get enough of tight endage, here are the snap counts for the five tight ends vying for those precious roster spots:
Pre Season game 1 against the Washington Commanders
| Offence snaps | Special teams | targets | receptions | yards | |
| Fotheringham | 18 | 1 | – | – | – |
| Scott Jnr | 18 | – | – | – | – |
| CJ Dippre | 15 | 5 | – | – | – |
| Westover | 13 | 10 | – | – | – |
| Bell | 9 | 9 | 1 | 1 | 18 |
Pre Season game 2 against the Minnesota Vikings
| Offence snaps | Special teams | targets | receptions | yards | ||
| Fotheringham | 31 | 5 | 1 | 1 | 6 | |
| Scott Jnr | 13 | – | – | – | – | |
| CJ Dippre | 23 | 7 | 1 | 0 | 0 | |
| Westover | 23 | 3 | – | – | – | 1 tackle on ST |
| Bell | 9 | 6 | 1 | 1 | 10 |
With the deadline for roster cut down approaching, it really is all eyes on the pass catchers, whichever type you prefer! Go Pats!