The Patriots picking up these two defensive players off of the waiver wire, anything they had shown to warrant that? And why let a young kicker with a strong leg go over an aging one? – Ben Smolin

It's hard to predict what if anything young players claimed off waivers might provide in the future. Clearly the original teams felt the players weren't ready to earn roster spots at this time, which doesn't necessarily mean they're not worthy of taking a look at. But it also would be fair to say that young players in their first three seasons don't cost much in terms of salary so if they show they're worthy of developing they usually stick around. That's one reason why you see teams typically keeping their draft picks – they're cheap. Both Eric Johnson and Curtis Jacobs would fall into that category as Johnson is in his third year while Jacobs is a rookie. The Patriots will be able to work with them over the next few weeks (all players claimed off waivers need to remain on the active roster for at least three weeks) to see if they believe the potential exists for those individuals to help the team.

As for the kicker, Joey Slye performed better during training camp then Chard Ryland did. Slye also showed the stronger leg. In terms of age, Slye will turn 28 next month while Ryland will turn 25 in October. That's not choosing between a young guy and an aging kicker. Slye was the better option during the summer.

If your crystal ball said that Joey Slye would prevent the Patriots from claiming the No. 1 pick and trading it down for two playmakers (LT and CB) and impacting the roster rebuild, would you have kept Chad Ryland? – Larry G.

Absolutely not. As I mentioned above, Slye performed better during camp than Ryland did and for that reason I would have kept him. Jerod Mayo has to make the moves he believes will most help his team win games. You don't start a season with the goal of earning the No. 1 pick in the draft. You try to put together the team the best way you can to try to have as much success as possible. So, no, I don't believe you go with an inferior player with the thought of losing games on purpose.

I know some people might be upset over Drake Maye not being named the starter. I, however, agree with it. It gives Maye a chance to learn the system and see how other teams play, as well as it gives the Patriots time to work out kinks in the offensive line. My question is do you see Drake Maye becoming the starter at some point this season? – Mark Bushnell

I would say most people are disappointed that Maye won't be the starter in Week 1, but I haven't heard much outrage over it. Most people understand that Maye just turned 22 and has a lot of developing to do before he will be a finished product in the NFL. He showed a lot of promise during the summer and there's a lot of excitement surrounding him as a result. I would expect him to move into the starting lineup at some point during the season for sure. Figuring out exactly when is difficult, but assuming Jacoby Brissett stays healthy I could see a change being made toward the end of October or the beginning of November. But that's tough to say because we have no way of knowing how the season will play out at this point.

Before the 2024 draft, everyone knew two things: the first pick would be a quarterback and the Patriots desperately needed a left tackle. Why did they pick a wide receiver with the second pick and not a left tackle? I mean, what good is a shiny new quarterback if the line cannot protect him? – Kenn Scott

This is definitely a legitimate second guess. Tackle was just as glaring a need as wide receiver and there were a couple of options available at the top of the second round to choose from, specifically Kingsley Suamataia, Roger Rosengarten, Blake Fisher and Patrick Paul. That's four tackles who went in the second round after the Patriots took Ja'Lynn Polk. In fairness, Polk looks like he'll be a contributor in his rookie year and has added some depth to the wide receiver position. However, the team still lacks a true left tackle option. If the Patriots didn't like any of the choices that followed Polk, then a trade up into the bottom of the first round would have made some sense. Perhaps Tyler Guyton or Jordan Morgan would have been options at that stage. But the draft is done and there's no use worrying about something that can't be changed at this point.

As much as I'm excited to see Drake Maye, I'm more concerned about aiding his long-term development than our record this year. Paying a premium to improve the offensive line feels like a worthwhile investment in the long run as we've seen so many young quarterbacks ruined by playing behind a terrible line. I'd gladly see the team pay over the odds to raise the quality of the protection for the next couple of years in the hope that the rewards are far greater. Whether players are available is another matter, but do you think it would be worth it to overpay in a trade now for at least one tackle, or is it something that you feel can wait till the offseason to tackle longer term? – Alex Marr

At this point I don't see any options at tackle that would be worth investing anything of significance in, other than the long-shot possibility of grabbing the disgruntled Trent Williams from San Francisco, which now seems out of the question as he is staying with the Niners. Otherwise, there isn't much available other than banged up veterans on the street like David Bakhtiari, who wouldn't be worth investing too much in given his injury history. For the 2024 season, what you see is pretty much what you get.

Now that the first offseason is nearly in the books and the roster and practice squads are more or less decided, what do you think of Eliot Wolf's first crack at it? Obviously, it's far too early to judge the draft class but thoughts on free agency roster building and re-signing their own players? Personally, I think he was unlucky with Christian Barmore, probably overpaid a little on Kyle Dugger. K.J. Osborn seems to be a lot better in preseason than in camp. Kendrick Bourne didn't make sense at the time to me with his injury. Sione Takitaki similar. – Shane O'Brien

I liked the Patriots approach of re-signing their own players rather than allowing them all to walk via free agency, but I wouldn't have re-upped as many of them as they did. I don't necessarily disagree with any of them individually but to retain as many as they did made it difficult to sign free agents from outside of the organization who might have represented upgrades from what they had. I'm thinking specifically about left tackle, which went completely unaddressed both in free agency and in the draft. I also liked the idea of signing players to extensions a year before they were due to hit the market, like Barmore and several others. But again, I wouldn't have done as many as they did. In terms of bringing in free agents it looks like Antonio Gibson will contribute immediately on offense while Chuks Okorafor has really struggled. Overall, I like the idea of sticking with players they were familiar with and trying to establish a culture with them. We will see how Wolf augments that in the years to come because the roster is still lacking depth at a number of spots and needs some high-end talent in others.

If the left tackle position becomes solidified with a young improving player by midseason, what's your prediction for wins/losses, when Maye would start and what would you do with first-round draft pick 2025? – Peter Workman

I understand that this is a hypothetical scenario you're pitching so I will play along despite the fact that the current roster doesn't really have an option to play left tackle. If Caedan Wallace emerges as a solid left tackle, I would still take one in the first round next year because there's very little depth at the position as the roster is currently constituted. As I mentioned earlier, I expect Maye to enter the lineup at some point this season, so I'll just go with about the halfway mark, maybe in early November.

Now that Jacoby Brissett is the starting quarterback, my question is when do they make a switch to Drake Maye? If they start 0-4 will Jerod Mayo make the switch or if midway through the season if they only have one or two wins and out of playoff contention, will they switch to Maye then? These are both scenarios that are very possible as much as we hate to admit it. – Nick Robson

I honestly don't think the Patriots record has much if anything to do with when Maye will play. In my view it will depend almost entirely on how Maye develops in practice from week to week and when the coaches feel comfortable with his progress. Once they feel Maye is ready to start, I think he'll enter the lineup. Now, that said, if the Patriots get off to a great start and Brissett is playing very well that could delay Maye's debut. But I don't think a poor start will accelerate the process much if they don't feel Maye is ready to play. The hard part for us will be trying to determine when Maye is ready to go since we won't have much access to practice. But I expect Maye to play at some point this season.

Remember when Dante Scarnecchia spun straw into gold? The interior is looking pretty good. Should Sidy Sow, Layden Robinson and Cole Strange learn to snap for when David Andrews is done and you have your heir apparent. Can Caedan Wallace have a trial by fire if he is on the non-blind side and put in the best practice player of the week on the left to see who sticks? Then in the draft they get a high-level tackle, tight end and defensive end with some trading. That could set them up for years. – Mike M.

It's certainly possible that one of those three players could make the transition to center but to this point none of them is a proven commodity at guard so it's hard to make that assumption. Strange is dealing with a significant injury while coming off an uneven season. Sow showed promised as a rookie but struggled at times, particularly in pass protection. I do believe Wallace has a chance to be the right tackle at some point this season, just as Robinson could emerge as a starting caliber guard as a rookie as well. If those two rookies pan out, and the Patriots can land a left tackle in next year's draft, suddenly the offensive line with Andrews and Onwenu would look solid. There's a lot of ifs in that scenario but things can change that quickly with some development.

Paul, I am old enough to remember Jim Plunkett on the Patriots and trust me, they got him killed. He was a game manager with the Raiders because he had shoulder problems from his time with the Pats. The offensive line his first couple of years was really, really, really bad. – Pat Phan

I don't doubt what you say as this is the narrative that is shared by many older Patriots fans who watched it all unfold. My earliest recollections of watching the team came in 1976, so after Plunkett was traded to San Francisco. But what I can say is Plunkett's offensive line consisted of some quality players including Jon Morris, Bill Lenkaitis, Lennie St. Jean and Tom Neville during his first two seasons. In 1973, they added John Hannah, Leon Gray and Sam Adams to Lenkaitis, Morris, Neville and St. Jean. By 1974 Plunkett was only sacked 21 times and yet still threw 22 picks and only 19 touchdowns. I have no doubt that Plunkett was bruised and battered during his time in New England, but those offensive linemen were pretty solid players and Plunkett still didn't manage to have much success. Then a quarterback change occurred and the team went from 3-11 in 1975 to 11-3 under Steve Grogan in 1976.

What's up with K.J. Osborn? Haven't heard anything at all, practice/games of him doing anything. Javon Baker might have highs and lows, even Tyquan Thornton of all people. I just haven't heard anything about the big free agent acquisition. – Jimmy McCarron

Osborn has been steady if unspectacular during camp. He's been active pretty much every day and hasn't missed any time, but he also hasn't really stood out on most days. He's been a reliable target for the quarterbacks and has made his share of catches, some of them tough ones in traffic. But during games he had opportunities to make plays – like the long throw from Jacoby Brissett in Washington – and wasn't able to come up with the catch. Overall, I'd say Osborn enjoyed a solid camp and will be part of the passing game as a complementary receiver.

As a fullback from the 1960s I suggest you look at films of the Packers and Cowboys from that era. Consider a two-back set (most plays) with a big fullback to lead the way. The pass in the flat to receiver just does not work on first and second downs. Please use one of the big defensive players in this role. Let him lead the way and even carry the ball sometimes. The one back or no back offense is not as effective. A strong running game will open the pass game. Please revisit the old I-formation - it does work. A 225-pound back will clear the way for a fast ball carrier. I played against such teams then and it really works. Thanks for considering this. – Richard Siles

I respect the old-school approach and your affinity toward that style. That said, the offensive game has changed dramatically from those times and the most productive ones no longer operate in the manner in which you're describing. You suggest that teams that use one or no-back sets aren't as effective but that's the way almost every team runs today. You might occasionally see a fullback leading the way but more often than not it's just one runner in the backfield, and mostly offenses are geared toward throwing the ball. It's hard to line up with a fullback on the majority of plays and try to grind-and-pound your way to success in this day and age. Teams are too sophisticated offensively and defensively and the most successful organizations manage to put points on the board and usually that means relying on strong quarterback play and passing the ball. Thie Chiefs have won back-to-back Super Bowls and don't use a fullback, so there are obviously more ways to operate and have success than to just run behind an extra blocker.

Not a question but more prediction, when your left tackle is Vederian Lowe, a sixth-rounder dropped by the Vikings after his first year, you are looking for trouble. Putting Drake Maye in there is so suicidal even Jacoby Brissett doesn't want to play behind that line. It is so obvious that my prediction is he will be out of there before the third game, either by injury or bad play. He just doesn't want to be there, his body language is obvious, so they will throw in the kid and it's going to be ugly. – Alain LeDuc

I don't see Brissett the same way you do, that's for sure. He's been nothing but professional every step of the way and he is embracing the opportunity to be the team's starter and at the same time allowing Drake Maye to learn under him. I don't necessarily believe the offense is poised to enjoy a tremendous amount of production as I believe there are some holes that haven't been filled. The offensive line is still a work in progress and the receiver corps lacks a true No. 1 option who can lead the way. That said, I don't see anything negative about Brissett's body language. In fact, I'd say it's been just the opposite. He looks like a player ready to take on a difficult task and seems quite excited about it. It won't be easy to be sure, but his attitude has been nothing short of excellent all summer.

DISCLAIMER: The views and thoughts expressed in this article are those of the writer and don't necessarily reflect those of the organization. Read Full Disclaimer