Jan 17, 2024; Foxborough, MA, USA; New England Patriots owner Robert Kraft addresses media at a press conference announcing the hiring of Jerod Mayo as the team's new head coach at Gillette Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Eric Canha-USA TODAY Sports

Report: Patriots plan to take time to hire GM

The New England Patriots appear to be in no rush to fill the vacant general manager position in the wake of the departure of former head coach Bill Belichick, CBS Sports reported on Saturday.

Per the report, the Patriots have made no effort to interview external candidates for the vacant position.

The Patriots haven’t had a general manager since Belichick was hired in January 2000. According to league rules, the GM position can be left vacant all season.

Recent reported front office hires and comments by team owner Robert Kraft suggest the Patriots are more concerned about the short-term when it comes to executive positions.

Earlier this week, Eliot Wolf was promoted from scouting director to the No. 1 executive in charge of personnel, NFL Network reported Wednesday.

Wolf, 41, whose title is unclear, will have control of the 53-man roster while working closely with new head coach Jerod Mayo, according to reports. Wolf joined the Patriots in 2020 as a consultant before later being elevated to director of scouting in 2022.

Also this week, Alonzo Highsmith left the Miami Hurricanes to join the New England Patriots as a senior personnel executive.

Highsmith, who turns 59 later this month, has been the general manager of football operations for the Hurricanes the past two seasons. His addition reunites him with Wolf, with whom he worked at Green Bay and Cleveland earlier in their careers.

In other moves, director of player personnel Matt Groh is expected to run college scouting and Pat Stewart will have a leading role, per NFL Network.

In January, while introducing Mayo, Kraft indicated that Belichick’s influence over the past two-plus decades translates to a lot of existing in-house experience for the Patriots’ front office.

“We have a lot of people internally who have had a chance to train and learn under the greatest coach of all time and a man whose football intellect is very special,” Kraft said last month, when asked who will be handing out contracts and making draft picks.

“So, in the short-term, we’re looking for collaboration… We’re counting on our internal people, whom we’re still learning and evaluating. So, we’re going to let that evolve and develop, and before the key decisions have to be made, we will appoint someone.”

However, Kraft did not specifically say what position someone would be appointed to, and Wolf has yet to be officially introduced.

–Field Level Media

Sep 17, 2023; Foxborough, Massachusetts, USA; New England Patriots quarterback Mac Jones (10) reacts before playing the Miami Dolphins at Gillette Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Paul Rutherford-USA TODAY Sports

Report: Pats not picking up Mac Jones’ 5th-year option

The New England Patriots will not pick up quarterback Mac Jones’ fifth-year option for the 2025 season, MassLive.com reported on Tuesday.

The deadline for NFL teams to exercise their options for first-round picks from the 2021 NFL Draft is May 2.

Jones, who has regressed after a solid 2021 rookie season and was benched multiple times in 2023, would then become a free agent after the 2024 season.

Picking up the option would put the Pats on the hook for an estimated $23 million in guaranteed salary in 2025. Instead, New England will attempt to trade Jones, 25, this offseason, per the report.

Jones was the No. 15 overall pick in 2021 out of Alabama. He made the Pro Bowl and went 10-7 in his first season, passing for 3,801 yards with 22 touchdowns and 13 interceptions.

Over the past two seasons, however, Jones is 8-17 as New England’s starter with 24 touchdowns and 23 interceptions.

Bailey Zappe, undrafted in 2022, wound up starting six games for the Patriots during head coach Bill Belichick’s final season with the franchise in 2023.

–Field Level Media

Dec 23, 2023; Inglewood, California, USA;  Buffalo Bills quarterback Josh Allen (17) throws a pass while Los Angeles Chargers linebacker Khalil Mack (52) pressuring him during the fourth quarter at SoFi Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Kiyoshi Mio-USA TODAY Sports

Bills close on clinching clinching playoff spot while Patriots face questions

Back in early September, the Buffalo Bills appeared to have the makings of a team that would be contending for the No. 1 seed in the AFC by the time the penultimate week of the regular season rolled around.

But Buffalo has come up short of its lofty expectations on the heels of four consecutive trips to the postseason, with a fifth still not yet guaranteed.

Although they have won four of their past five games, the Bills are still very much in the thick of the playoff race heading into a Week 17 meeting with the New England Patriots on Sunday in Orchard Park, N.Y.

Even though the top spot in the AFC is unattainable at this point, Buffalo (9-6) can secure a postseason berth as early as this week.

The Bills head into Sunday’s game with 14 clinching scenarios, all requiring a win or tie. Buffalo would then need help from at least two other teams in each scenario.

While it might be easy to get caught up in the playoff picture, Bills coach Sean McDermott’s only focus is on New England (4-11), which beat Buffalo 29-25 on Oct. 22.

“I think you learn a lot going through any game, let alone in this case a loss like it was several weeks ago,” McDermott said. “They’re a good football team. … The NFL is up for grabs every week. Records do not matter.”

In a season that has featured plenty of lows, the Patriots have found a bit of a rhythm, winning two of their past three games in response to a five-game skid.

New England most recently edged the Denver Broncos 26-23 last Sunday thanks to Chad Ryland’s go-ahead 56-yard field goal with 2 seconds left in regulation.

Patriots coach Bill Belichick realizes the Bills have just as much momentum — if not more — following their 24-22 victory over the Los Angeles Chargers on Dec. 23.

“Games they’ve won, they’ve made some critical plays in all three phases of the game — offense, defense, special teams — to win,” Belichick said of the Bills. “So, that’s the mark of a good team.

“Three weeks ago, everybody was talking about how much trouble they were in, then they come out and rip off three straight wins. So, here we are.”

While Buffalo continues its playoff push, New England is trying to prevent itself from jumping the gun on the 2024 campaign.

The Patriots appear to be on the brink of a drastic rebuild, with Boston Sports Journal reporting Tuesday that Belichick has expressed doubts about his future with the franchise.

There’s also the question of who New England’s starting quarterback will be at this time next year. Bailey Zappe has played well after taking over under center for Mac Jones, but the Patriots are also in line for a high draft pick that could yield a franchise signal-caller.

“Right now, I’m just trying to be where my feet are and focus on the Bills,” Zappe said. “I’m sure those conversations and things like that will happen in the offseason or after the Jets game (on Jan. 7), and I’ll talk about that then.”

Offensive tackle Trent Brown (illness), cornerback Jalen Mills (concussion) and safety Jabrill Peppers (hamstring) missed New England’s practice on Wednesday. Tight end Hunter Henry (knee) was among nine Patriots who were limited.

Buffalo defensive end Leonard Floyd missed Wednesday’s practice due to wrist and rib injuries. Safety Micah Hyde (neck) was among those limited.

–Field Level Media

Dec 3, 2023; Foxborough, Massachusetts, USA; New England Patriots running back Rhamondre Stevenson (38) is helped off the field as they take on the Los Angeles Chargers in the second quarter at Gillette Stadium. Mandatory Credit: David Butler II-USA TODAY Sports

Patriots place RB Rhamondre Stevenson (ankle) on IR

New England Patriots running back Rhamondre Stevenson’s season ended Wednesday, as he was placed on injured reserve because of a sprained right ankle.

Stevenson has missed the past three games with a high ankle sprain after being tackled by Chargers linebacker Tuli Tuipulotu in the first quarter of Los Angeles’ 6-0 victory on Dec. 3. Tuipulotu also recovered Stevenson’s fumble on the play.

Stevenson, 25, started the first 12 games of the season for the Patriots, rushing 156 times for 619 yards and four touchdowns. He averaged 4.0 yards per attempt and 51.6 per game.

He also caught 38 passes for 238 yards.

The Patriots selected Stevenson in the fourth round of the 2021 NFL Draft. For his career, Stevenson has 499 rushing attempts for 2,265 yards and 14 touchdowns. He also has 121 receptions for 782 yards and one TD.

Veteran running back Ezekiel Elliott, 28, has started three games in place of Stevenson. Elliott has 549 yards and two touchdowns on 157 carries in 15 games this season.

In another move Wednesday, the Patriots signed tight end La’Michael Pettway to the practice squad.

New England (4-11) has two games remaining. It faces the Buffalo Bills on Sunday before wrapping up its season against the New York Jets on Jan. 7.

–Field Level Media

Sep 17, 2023; Denver, Colorado, USA; Denver Broncos head coach Sean Payton talks with quarterback Russell Wilson (3) in the fourth quarter against the Washington Commanders at Empower Field at Mile High. Mandatory Credit: Isaiah J. Downing-USA TODAY Sports

Points likely at a premium as Broncos visit Patriots

The New England Patriots and Denver Broncos are nearly 10 years removed from the final regular season meeting that pitted Tom Brady against Peyton Manning.

New England won that game 43-21 on Nov. 2, 2014, behind four passing touchdowns from Brady. If Sunday night’s clash between Denver and the visiting Patriots proves anything, it might just be how much truly can change over the course of a decade.

Both offenses have fallen far from the perch they sat atop nine years ago, with New England’s decline especially evident.

The Patriots (3-11) are averaging a league-worst 13.3 points per game following last Sunday’s 27-17 loss to the Kansas City Chiefs. Chad Ryland’s 25-yard field goal put New England up 10-7 with 4:47 left in the second quarter, but the Patriots didn’t score again until there was just under 8 1/2 minutes left in the fourth.

Denver (7-7) sported the least explosive offense of the 2022 campaign (16.9 points per game), but Sean Payton, in his first season as Broncos coach, has started to turn things around.

A winner of six of its past eight games, Denver is averaging 21.7 points under Payton. It was held under that mark in a 42-17 setback against the Detroit Lions last weekend, but New England coach Bill Belichick knows that the Broncos have what it takes to bounce back.

“They obviously have good players,” Belichick said. “They started the same line in every game, so they’ve got a lot of continuity there. Quarterback’s a unique player, he’s got a lot of skill. Receivers, (Courtland) Sutton’s as good as there is — big guy, great hands, contested catches, a really hard guy to cover.”

That quarterback Belichick was referring to is Russell Wilson, who was relatively quiet against Detroit, completing 18 of 32 passes for 223 yards and a touchdown.

Wilson was also shown getting laid into by Payton on the sideline late in the third quarter after a Denver TD was nullified because of an offensive offside penalty.

“Difficult night. … It was just one of those moments,” Payton told reporters afterward. “Listen, what I talk with Russell about is none of your business.”

Payton is making sure no negative feelings from that altercation — or the loss itself — spill over into Sunday’s meeting with the Patriots.

“You can only focus on the things you can control, and it’s obviously getting ready to play New England — and that’s it,” Payton said. “Focus on getting this next win, because that’s really all that matters.”

If the Broncos want to bounce back, they might have to do so without linebacker Nik Bonitto (knee) and tight end Greg Dulcich (hamstring/foot), who both missed practice on Wednesday.

Linebacker Jonathon Cooper (ankle) was limited for Denver, as was tackle Alex Palczewski due to a knee injury.

New England tight end Hunter Henry is also dealing with a knee injury, which forced him to miss Wednesday’s practice. Running back Rhamondre Stevenson (ankle), safety Jabrill Peppers (hamstring) and tackle Conor McDermott (concussion) were also held out.

Cornerback Jonathan Jones (knee) and receiver JuJu Smith-Schuster (ankle) were among seven Patriots who were limited on Wednesday.

–Field Level Media

Dec 17, 2023; Foxborough, Massachusetts, USA; Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes (15) hands the ball off to running back Clyde Edwards-Helaire (25) during the first half against the New England Patriots at Gillette Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Eric Canha-USA TODAY Sports

Patrick Mahomes, Chiefs find a rhythm, drop Patriots

Patrick Mahomes threw for a pair of touchdowns and the Kansas City Chiefs rattled off 20 unanswered points to beat the New England Patriots 27-17 Sunday afternoon in Foxborough, Mass.

Mahomes completed 27 of 37 passes for 305 yards and was picked off twice as Kansas City (9-5) snapped a modest two-game skid. Rashee Rice hauled in nine receptions for 91 yards and a score.

Clyde Edwards-Helaire headlined a Chiefs backfield that was without Isiah Pacheco (shoulder) and finished with 101 total yards of offense (37 rushing, 64 receiving) and caught a TD pass.

Bailey Zappe threw for 180 yards, a touchdown and an interception on 23-for-31 passing for New England (3-11), which has 11 losses in a season for the first time since 2000.

Hunter Henry had seven catches for 66 yards and a TD for the Patriots.

Kansas City seized momentum with 35 seconds left in the first half, as Mahomes hit Jerick McKinnon with an 8-yard touchdown pass to give the Chiefs a 14-10 edge that they took into the break.

Harrison Butker then sandwiched a pair of third-quarter field goals — from 29 and 54 yards out — around a 6-yard Mahomes-to-Edwards-Helaire touchdown pass as Kansas City went up 27-10.

New England’s Kevin Harris took a carry 18 yards to the end zone with 8:24 left in the game to forge the final score.

Two plays after Edwards-Helaire caught a screen pass and bolted 48 yards, McKinnon took a direct snap and tossed a shovel pass to Rice for a 4-yard touchdown with 1:30 left in the first quarter.

New England drew even at 7 when Zappe threw a 16-yard TD to Henry with 7:09 left in the second quarter.

Marte Mapu then picked off Mahomes and scampered down to the Kansas City 8.

Zappe and Henry hooked up for another TD, but the score was nullified due to a holding call.

Patriots kicker Chad Ryland hit a 25-yard field goal to provide the hosts with a 10-7 lead before the Chiefs took over.

–Field Level Media

Nov 5, 2023; Foxborough, Massachusetts, USA; New England Patriots cornerback Jack Jones (13) pushes Washington Commanders running back Antonio Gibson (24) out of bounds during the second half at Gillette Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Paul Rutherford-USA TODAY Sports

Raiders claim former Patriot CB Jack Jones off waivers

The Las Vegas Raiders claimed cornerback Jack Jones off waivers Tuesday, one day after he was released by the New England Patriots.

Jones, 25, once again will play for Raiders interim head coach Antonio Pierce, who was on the coaching staff at Arizona State, where Jones played from 2019-21. Jones started his college career at Southern California before he transferred.

Pierce also was Jones’ head coach at Long Beach (Calif.) Poly High School.

In a corresponding move, Las Vegas waived defensive end Isaac Rochell, 28, who has appeared in eight games this season (one start) and made 10 tackles.

A fourth-round pick by the Patriots out of Arizona State in 2022, Jones played 121 defensive snaps in five games (no starts) this season.

Jones reportedly missed a team curfew before the Week 9 game against the Washington Commanders and played only 10 snaps in Sunday’s loss to the Indianapolis Colts at Frankfurt, Germany.

He has recorded 42 tackles, two interceptions and seven passes defensed in 18 career games (two starts).

Jones returned an interception 40 yards for a touchdown against Aaron Rodgers and the Green Bay Packers Oct. 2, 2022, at Lambeau Field.

–Field Level Media

New England Patriots defensive back Jack Jones returns an interception thrown by Green Bay Packers quarterback Aaron Rodgers for a touchdown during the second quarter of their game Sunday, October 2, 2022 at Lambeau Field in Green Bay, Wis.

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Agent: Patriots waiving second-year CB Jack Jones

The New England Patriots are waiving second-year cornerback Jack Jones, his agent confirmed Monday.

“Certainly we want to thank the Patriot Organization for drafting Jack,” J. Tooson said in a statement to NFL Network. “Jack is an immense talent and looks forward to making an immediate contribution on his next team as soon as Sunday.”

A fourth-round pick out of Arizona State in 2022, Jones has played only 121 defensive snaps in five games (no starts) this season.

Jones reportedly missed a team curfew before the Week 9 game against the Washington Commanders and played only 10 snaps in Sunday’s loss to the Indianapolis Colts in Frankfurt, Germany.

He has recorded 42 tackles, two interceptions and seven passes defensed in 18 career games (two starts).

Jones returned an interception 40 yards for a touchdown against Aaron Rodgers and the Green Bay Packers Oct. 2, 2022, at Lambeau Field.

–Field Level Media

Aug 2, 2023; Foxborough, MA, USA; New England Patriots cornerback Ameer Speed (61) heads to the practice fields at Gillette Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Eric Canha-USA TODAY Sports

Patriots release rookie DB Ameer Speed

The New England Patriots, who have 20 players on Thursday’s injury report, released rookie defensive back Ameer Speed.

The Patriots (1-5) selected Speed in the sixth round of the 2023 NFL Draft out of Michigan State. He previously played at Georgia.

Speed is the first player in the Patriots’ 2023 draft class to be cut. Speed, 24, played in five games this season, totaling two tackles on defense and one on special teams. He has played 10 defensive snaps and 73 on special teams.

Speed was at the team practice Thursday, according to an ESPN report, so he could be signed to the practice squad if he clears waivers.

The Patriots, who host the Buffalo Bills (4-2) on Sunday, listed five players not participating because of injuries, and 15 more as limited participants.

Running back Rhamondre Stevenson (ankle) was removed from the injury report Thursday and upgraded to a full participant after being limited on Wednesday.

Not participating Thursday were cornerback Jonathan Jones (knee), tight end Hunter Henry (ankle), offensive lineman Riley Reiff (knee), linebacker Josh Uche (knee/foot) and defensive lineman Keion White (concussion).

Among the limited participants were center David Andrews (ankle), defensive lineman Trey Flowers (foot) and wide receiver JuJu Smith-Schuster (concussion).

–Field Level Media

Nov 28, 2021; Foxborough, Massachusetts, USA; New England Patriots cornerback J.C. Jackson (27) reacts after intercepting a pass in the Tennessee Titans end zone in the second half at Gillette Stadium. Mandatory Credit: David Butler II-USA TODAY Sports

Patriots’ newly acquired CB J.C. Jackson active vs. Saints

Cornerback J.C. Jackson, acquired in trade with the Los Angeles Chargers on Thursday, will be in uniform when the New England Patriots host the New Orleans Saints on Sunday in Foxborough, Mass.

The Patriots are thin at the position with cornerbacks Christian Gonzalez (shoulder), Jack Jones (hamstring) and Marcus Jones (shoulder) on injured reserve.

Cornerback Jonathan Jones also is active after missing the last three games with an ankle injury.

Jackson, 27, had played for New England from 2018 to 2021, and was a Pro Bowl selection that final season. He signed a five-year, $82.5 million deal with Los Angeles in March 2022 but played only five games that season due to a ruptured patellar tendon and two in 2023 as his relationship with the Chargers soured.

New England’s four-time All-Pro outside linebacker Matthew Judon, who tore his right biceps in last Sunday’s loss to the Dallas Cowboys, is listed as inactive for Sunday’s game. Also on the inactive list are guard Cole Strange, wide receiver Kayshon Boutte, offensive tackles Tyrone Wheatley and Calvin Anderson, and Will Grier, who is the emergency third quarterback.

The Saints’ inactive players are tight end Juwan Johnson, safety Lonne Johnson Jr., quarterback Jake Luton, guard Andrus Peat, wide receiver A.T. Perry, defensive end Kyle Phillips and offensive lineman Landon Young.

–Field Level Media