How Stefon Diggs fits in is the most interesting story line of training camp, and other Patriots thoughts
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3. Perhaps he will be. The opportunity is certainly there — to call the Patriots' need to find Maye genuine receiving help 'desperate' is a wild understatement. I've been following the Patriots since 1978 (long live Horace Ivory) and last season's group of wide receivers was the worst I've seen here.
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4. The second-worst I've seen? The post-Deion Branch crew in 2006, probably, which is regrettable since the Patriots most likely win the Super Bowl with a better receiving corps. Reche Caldwell, who would have been the No. 3 receiver at best on most contending teams, led the way with 71 catches. Bill Belichick's negligence at the position caught up to them in the end. At least the what-if of that season led to Randy Moss and Wes Welker coming in and the 2007 fireworks.
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5. That digression aside, back to Diggs. If this is really going to work between him and the Patriots, it's not
entirely
a matter of production on the field. He's always been on the mercurial side, even when he was putting up elite numbers. That he seemed to wear out his welcome with Josh Allen — the Bills' good-natured superstar quarterback — suggests that he might have some verbal notes for Maye if the ball isn't coming in his direction enough for his liking.
6. Anyone want to join me in boarding the Kyle Williams bandwagon early? The Patriots' third-round pick out of Washington State surely has much to learn, but his skill set as an outside receiver seems to jibe well with one of Maye's primary strengths: throwing the ball downfield with touch. The bet here is that Williams gets better and better as the season goes on, and becomes the exception to the franchise's lousy recent draft history with receivers.
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7. Other than the sophomore quarterback, there's no Patriot I'm looking forward to watching this season more than
must
be utilized as more than just a standard third-down back.
8. Curious to see how much offensive coordinator Josh McDaniels takes advantage of Maye's mobility, particularly as a runner. Last season's one-and-done offensive coordinator, Alex Van Pelt, acknowledged at one point that there was reluctance to utilize Maye in the running game out of fear of exposing him to hits. Maybe Van Pelt thought they would hurt worse than the ones Maye was taking behind Vederian Lowe and friends?
9. Even with that reluctance to let Maye use his legs, he still finished with 421 rushing yards, which makes him the 62nd-leading rusher in Patriots history, 3 yards behind (checks notes) Fred Taylor. If Maye rushes for 421 yards again this season — and he probably will run for more, right? — that would put him behind only Steve Grogan (2,176), breakaway threat Tom Brady (1,037, on 606 attempts), Babe Parilli, and Jim Plunkett among Patriots quarterbacks.
10. Cowboys owner Jerry Jones's mode of operation for a while now has been to drag out contract negotiations with the team's stars for the sake of getting his mug on camera as much as possible before eventually paying them what they're worth. It's a transparent game that he plays, and it almost always costs him in the end. Still, it can't hurt for the Patriots to do their due diligence on the possible availability of Micah Parsons, who is caught up in Jones's pathological need to be the center of attention. The Patriots' reloaded defense should be very good. With Parsons — and that pipe dream somehow fulfilled — it might be the league's best.
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Chad Finn can be reached at
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