An Independent Patriots Blog
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!
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!
As we roll through the pre season, and I am building my momentum of content producing back up I wanted to take a minute to say thanks, to you.
As some know, I was extremely fortunate to attend Patriots training camp this year including joint practice, and whilst I was beyond lucky to see such a thing, something else I was truly blessed with was the opportunity to catch up with some of the amazing Pats nation peeps.
So this here is a shout out to those I didn’t get to see. The near misses, such as the epic Marima of Pats Pulpit, and the super lovely LKB57 (aka LBattgirl57) mixed up in the bleachers that I just didn’t spot, apologies! To the awesome Tim from Dunkin’ who not only did me a super solid favour, and I did manage a slightly distant wave, I totally owe a selfie to next time I’m Foxborough side!
The legends that I did see. From being hollered at (twice!) by the infamous Patriots Unfiltered webradio show caller Patty from Agawam, and meeting the number one, the first and best Christian, ChriswithaTIAN, Christian Simonelli. To catching up with the super talented Pat Lane of Pats Nation Network. Then there was the utterly amazing hospitality I received at the hands of what were almost strangers to begin with, but now feel part of some amazing Pats fan family, Andy and Gisele Ellis, much love to those two!
A quick mention to the sweet and very lovely Audrey (who I hope reads this as I have no other details of her!) who came over just to say hi and that she enjoyed my work. I was absolutely honoured and humbled that someone took a moment of their time to approach me out at Patriots practice to say they were a fan, words genuinely can’t explain the feeling. Thank you Audrey.
So, Pats Nation, we may disagree and not even view the same perspective. We like different players and have different opinions. But we are always there for each other. As fans of this great team we have seen some severe ups and definitely downs lately. We roll through this thing called life dealing with our personal sh*t along the way, but we go through this as fans. Together and with passion. With fervour, with affection, with feelings and simply, together. Pats Nation forever baby!
The pet adoption event was definitely the talk of the town with little furry friends galore, but the biggest news on day one of camp was the guy with the runaway pup not on the PUP list. Stefon Diggs.
Diggs made an entrance with a cute little buddy, who then proceeded to elude him for a few moments as the furry guy tasted freedom, but sure hands soon prevailed and Diggs “got his guy”.
If you’re a Pats fan that takes in at least some social media hype during the off season, you’ll have seen recently that Diggs seems to be ready to prove himself, working hard to return to practice with a full participation on day one following his torn ACL injury back in October 2024.
Hopping back to the PUP list, the none-furry-two-legged kind that is, and we were informed residents of said list are currently TE Austin Hooper, OT Vederian Lowe and WR Mack Hollins with wide receiver Ja’Lynn Polk a none participant at the first day of practice.
Not the best news if you’re a tight end enthusiast. So am I going to spend training camp praying to the sports deities that perhaps CJ Dupree is a stud… maybe. I shall at least be keeping my eye on him, Jack Westover and Gee Scott Jr. As well as Jahiem Bell as he enters his second year with the team. Whilst obviously hoping Hooper gets back to full health and on the field quick smart!
With only two team periods in the 90 minute session, not in pads, it does feel really early to assess… well… much.
Sure, there were yaps of the o-line looking a little shaky at times and of course the defense is even more difficult to evaluate without the pads, and so I murmur “early days” under my breath whilst I sip my coffee and listen to some of the more negative of the media have a grumble (or maybe even a growl? Sorry, I couldn’t help myself!)
Definitely some positive news came in defensive additions, with the note that Carlton Davis, who had been on NFI, was already suited up and participating in day one, and that Defensive Co-ordinator Terrell Williams was in the building and with the team. Positive from a football standpoint of course, but even more so for Terrell and his family. Football may be our passion but health always comes first, and as a fan I’m relieved that he’s back, if for that reason alone.
With Coach Vrabel out there running around and getting physical it is easy to believe him when he says there’s new energy in the building. It really does feel like a new dawn and a new day to this Patriots fan, and I hope for you lovely lot too. Go Pats!
I jest, but in all seriousness whilst there are some repeated offensive line worries, it’s looking mostly better than last year. I bet Drake Maye is more relieved than you and I too…
There were some mega signings in free agency, and whilst I fully appreciate Morgan Moses needs to prove if he is in fact aging well, like a good bottle of the brown stuff (whiskey I mean), you can’t deny the off-field presence and locker room type impact we have already seen, and its not even July.
Speaking of off-field presence… I’m going to fight and die to protect [Maye] with everything I’ve got.
If Will Campbell’s draft day declaration didn’t give you goose bumps, a lump in your throat, or even tears, then I fear you may be a robot, and I’m sorry I’m the one who has to break it to you.
Now, before any one of you shouts arm length and I have to scowl at you like the fierce little kitty that I am, I appreciate Campbell has to prove he’s NFL calibre. But darn it, he played dayyyyymn well in college as a left tackle and, full disclosure, I’m still superbly happy with the first round draft pick.
And that sums up the 2025 offensive line really, unknown. It’s an unknown entity. Technically better on paper than 2024, with two new tackles, a new center and a lot of weight, on the right side, the only known is returning right guard Michael Onwenu. Even Cole Strange is an unknown after his prolonged injury absence.
The recent addition to the line is the signing of tackle Yasir Durant. Or should I say re-signing? Durant was traded to New England in 2021 from Kansas City but his real career impact was in the UFL. He started every game of the 2024 season at left tackle for the DC Defenders. Not only did the Defenders win the Championship, but Durant was the best left tackle in the UFL. Durant has played right tackle, guard, and as a tackle eligible tight end in the NFL, smush that with his UFL left tackle career and the Pats have possibly got themselves a swing tackle, or one of the best left tackle back ups available.
The signing of Durant could have been prompted by the recent retirement of Wes Schweitzer, or perhaps he was always on the NEP radar. Either way the Patriots lost some of the offensive line veteran presence June 10th when they announced they had moved Schweitzer to the reserve/retired list. At 31 Wes is a veteran of nine NFL seasons with 62 starts, but his final year in New Jersey with the Jets was limited due to injury, and so he leaves New England before he really began unfortunately.
It goes without saying that the retirement of the one and only David Andrews is the biggest loss to New England’s offensive line, and the wound is still fresh so I shall dab my tears and move this along.
With just a few weeks before training camp begins there is plenty of uncertainty on this o-line o’mine, but hey, this is what being a fan is all about, right?!?
And so, I leave you with this you lovely lot. Everyone is entitled to fan their own way, I’m a big ambassador of this. No judgement. You can be super down, you can be uber positive about the additions, or what’s missing on the line, but at the end of the day we are all Patriots baby and football season is almost back!
Join Chudders and Clazzy Clare as they discuss the off season so far, the recent loss from the o-line and the congested wide receiver room!
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!