Greg Bedard of Boston Sports Journal joined Felger and Mazz on Tuesday and gave his 5 moves to rapidly improve the New England Patriots in the 2023 NFL offseason.

• Listen to the full segement here:

• 5. Draft a QB to Develop

  

  Nov 20, 2022; Foxborough, Massachusetts, USA; New England Patriots quarterback Mac Jones (10) and quarterback Bailey Zappe (4) walk onto the field before a game against the New York Jets at Gillette Stadium. Credit: Brian Fluharty-USA TODAY Sports

• “So the first one is, and I was stretching a little bit for this, so this isn’t an immediate thing, but draft a talented developmental quarterback. Unless you have the guy, I am one of these guys who drafts a quarterback basically every other year and a guy like and look, I’m just telling you right now, when we talk about draft picks, I don’t know anything, okay. I don’t study the draft until April once free agency is over. So I’m just going on what I have heard. The guy Hendon Hooker from Tennessee. Really talented. I just want a guy who’s going to sit for two years that Billy O’Brien can coach up. A developmental guy with traits that has a chance. Might not get there, but I’m taking a chance. I’m rolling the dice”.

• 4. Draft Broderick Jones in the 1st round

  

  Jan 9, 2023; Inglewood, CA, USA; Georgia Bulldogs offensive lineman Broderick Jones (59) against the TCU Horned Frogs during the CFP national championship game at SoFi Stadium. Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-USA TODAY Sports

• “I’m drafting Georgia offensive tackle Broderick Jones in the first round. Hopefully he gets there. I don’t know if he will. I don’t know how the first round is going to slide out, but I have Trent Brown under contract. I am going to go in with the idea that he’s starting at left tackle until a guy like Jones, some sort of rookie, can eventually take the job. Probably the rookie has to start at right tackle for the first year. It’s sort of what they did with Matt Light and also Nate Soder. That was sort of the plan. Trent Brown could still be a good left tackle in this league with a real offense and a real coach”.

• 3. Belichick has to Evolve at Linebacker

  

  Nov 6, 2022; Foxborough, Massachusetts, USA; New England Patriots linebacker Jahlani Tavai (48) reacts with linebacker Raekwon McMillan (50) after sacking Indianapolis Colts quarterback Sam Ehlinger (not seen) during the second half at Gillette Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Brian Fluharty-USA TODAY Sports

• “Belichick has to evolve at linebacker. He did this in about 2012 at cornerback. He went away from more zone coverage and things like that when he realized that that the quarterbacks were too good. Even the crappy quarterbacks in the league were picking apart his secondary. He Went to more man coverage got Talib, and then that led to Revis, and Stephon Gilmore. So he has evolved in the secondary. It’s way past time that he evolves at linebacker. I mean, when I looked at my grades over the course of the season, it became obvious that in the games when the defense was really good, their linebackers – Bentley, Tavai, McMillan, Wilson – they graded basically an “A” for me. When they struggled against good offenses, the good quarterbacks, the linebackers were an F. Like F-minus. They are the problem. They need to get more athletic. He has to evolve. I don’t have a whole lot of faith that’s going to happen. But look at what the Chiefs have done. Look at what other guys have done”.

• 2. Find a Good Weapon (on Offense)

  

  DENVER, COLORADO – JANUARY 08: Jerry Jeudy #10 of the Denver Broncos runs past Ja’Sir Taylor #36 of the Los Angeles Chargers during the third quarter at Empower Field At Mile High on January 08, 2023 in Denver, Colorado. (Photo by Matthew Stockman/Getty Images)

• “Find a dangerous weapon. You know, I don’t really care, they just need somebody who when he touches the ball, the defense is like, “oh, crap, what are we going to do? How are we going to defend this guy? How are we going to deal with them?” I prefer somebody that is a little bit more of a jitterbug than just a “straight line like Tyquan Thornton run down the field type of guy”. Like I want somebody who can stop and then get up to 60 miles an hour, like real fast”.

• 1. Get a #1 Cornerback

  

  SANTA CLARA, CALIFORNIA – OCTOBER 03: Wide receiver Deebo Samuel #19 of the San Francisco 49ers rushes for a touchdown as he breaks a tackle by cornerback Jalen Ramsey #5 of the Los Angeles Rams during the second quarter at Levi’s Stadium on October 03, 2022 in Santa Clara, California. (Photo by Thearon W. Henderson/Getty Images)

• “Go get a number one cornerback. Go get Jalen Ramsey. Trade for him. The Rams are in big trouble as far as the cap. There’s only so many things that they can do there. Aaron Donald has to stay there. Cooper Kupp has to stay there. Stafford has to stay there. Ramsey is a guy you could see them parting ways with. I think there’s more upside to him. He’s a guy, as the Rams got worse this year he took a step back. But he’s one of those guys who his focus wanes. You put him at number one cornerback, I’m assuming Devin McCourty is going to retire, maybe he doesn’t. I move Jalen Mills to free safety. I have Jack Jones at number two. I have Marcus Jones in the slot. You give me that secondary with Kyle Dugger. I think I have something there”.

• Listen to Felger and Mazz from 2-6 every Monday-Friday on 98.5 The Sports Hub, with hosts Mike Felger, Tony “Mazz” Massarotti, and Jim Murray “Big Jim”. You can listen live in the Sports Hub App and subscribe to their podcasts here. Follow @FelgerAndMazz on Twitter to keep up with the show!

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