Exploring some New England Patriots hot topics in the form of a mailbag:
@MikeReiss It's my recollection that Belichick gives the team at least one day off of OTA's towards the end of the offseason program. Is there a way to go back the last several years to see how many times this has occurred. Thanks.
— Dynasty Driven (@20YearDynasty) June 13, 2018
This is a common occurrence for Bill Belichick to either cancel some final practices (-- one recent example was 2015)-- or simply not even schedule them at all. There have been years where the Patriots don't use the full allotment of voluntary practices, so while a practice might not have technically been called off, it was never on the schedule to begin with. The key context, from my view, is to understand how the Patriots structure their spring practices and what they are trying to get out of them.
Essentially, the spring practices are a preview of what the team will do on the first 6-8 days of training camp, and they are used to teach players. There is also some experimentation and team bonding/team building activities along the way (i.e. trips to the movies or bowling; guest speakers visiting, etc.).
The message that Bill Belichick has passed along in the media over the years is that the spring isn't as much about evaluation, but that changes with a more competitive focus in training camp. So he wants to give players the chance to be at their best when that transition from teaching to competition occurs.
If Belichick isn't seeing positive momentum in the spring practices, he leaves some wiggle room at the end of the schedule to review those areas. But if things are moving in the right direction, the idea of cutting players free a bit early has always been on the table -- ending on a high note and carrying that into training camp.
By most accounts, starting with owner Robert Kraft, this has been a successful offseason for the team. I wouldn't read anything more into it than that. This isn't about Belichick suddenly changing his philosophy, trying to win over the locker room, or feeling there isn't a benefit to practicing because quarterback Tom Brady and tight end Rob Gronkowski weren't there (imagine if they thought that way in 2008 with Matt Cassel as the primary backup).
This is, simply, business as usual.
@MikeReiss with the Julian Edelman news still TBD- I still see a lot of depth in that position. Do you think this is an opportunity for Berrios to get more reps and earn a spot on the roster? Smart & tough, I could see him taking advantage. Thoughts?
— Runs With Wolves (@imprisonmike_) June 12, 2018
I do see this as an opportunity for Braxton Berrios, the sixth-round pick from the University of Miami, but he's not alone. The same opportunity exists for first-year players Riley McCarron and Cody Hollister, who are currently ahead of Berrios on the depth chart because they spent last year on the team's practice squad and practiced more this spring while Berrios was limited with an undisclosed injury. The key now for Berrios is to be healthy for the start of training camp, because once that train leaves the station, it starts moving very fast and it can be hard for a rookie to catch up if he's not on the field.
@MikeReiss what's a reasonable contract offer for Chris Hogan?
— Wyatt Lewis (@ScumbagRevan) June 12, 2018
Hogan enters the final year of his contract in 2018, and after he missed seven games last season with a shoulder injury, my sense is that the team would be more inclined to wait on a contract extension until either halfway through this season or the entire season to see how things evolve. A $3 million base salary for Hogan in 2018, which is what he's scheduled to earn, seems to fit into the Patriots' financial structure at the position, with Julian Edelman leading the way ($5.5 million per year average based on a two-year extension signed in 2017). If the sides were to entertain an extension at this time, I wouldn't envision the average salary per year topping Edelman's $5.5 million, so something between where Hogan is now and the $4 million to $4.5 million per season range would be my estimate. In the end, I'm not sure I see the motivation for either side to move on that right now.