Mike Reiss
FOXBOROUGH, Mass. — Fast-hit ideas and notes across the New England Patriots and NFL:
1. Ashby's area of interest: The depths of Mike Vrabel's roster overhaul to construct a Patriots crew in his picture, with practically 50% turnover this offseason, prolonged to one among soccer's most frequently neglected positions.
Longtime long-snapper Joe Cardona, one 12 months after changing into the league's highest-paid participant on the place, is out.
Vanderbilt's Julian Ashby, the primary snapper chosen within the NFL draft since 2021, is in.
Transferring on from Cardona additional cleared a path for a brand new period of participant leaders to emerge in Vrabel's first season as head coach. Cardona, who has since signed with the AFC East rival Miami Dolphins, had been New England's longest-tenured participant (since 2015) and was a crew captain in 2024.
The change additionally opens the door for the 22-year-old Ashby, one of the crucial intriguing snapping prospects in recent times, who had NFL particular groups coaches abuzz within the spring.
To grasp why, and what led the Patriots to make use of a late seventh-round choice on him (No. 251 of the 257-pick draft), it takes a deeper dive into what helps outline one of many sport's most specialised positions.
“Once you're figuring out for a 3rd of the NFL [before the draft], you already know you should be fairly good,” Vanderbilt particular groups coach Jeff LePak instructed ESPN. “I knew that he was particular and it was cool to see the fellows within the NFL understand that as properly.”
What makes the 6-foot-1, 231-pound Ashby particular, based on LePak, is a singular mixture of athleticism, constant velocity and accuracy of snaps on punts and area targets (e.g. laces out), work ethic, tackling means and a team-first strategy that included a faith-based management position for the Commodores.
“Julian throws a very, actually constant ball. It'll be a pleasant tight spiral and it additionally will get again to the punter very, in a short time, in order that lowers our operation time to some extent the place your punter is catching it sooner, so his transition to truly punting the ball will get off faster, which provides the frenzy crew much less time to get there and attempt to block a punt.
“Julian's accuracy makes it straightforward for the punter on his lengthy snaps, and simple for the holder on the brief snaps. We had a very good 12 months final 12 months area aim kicking and punting, and loads of that was as a result of him. We have now actually good punters and kickers, however once they do not have to fret a couple of dangerous snap or misplaced snap, it makes their job a lot simpler.”
The best time from snap to punt is 2 seconds or much less, based on LePak. Longer than that leaves a crew vulnerable to a block. The candy spot for area targets is about 1.25 seconds.
Ashby joins rookie kicker Andy Borregales (sixth spherical, No. 182) and punter/holder Bryce Baringer (2023 sixth spherical) because the Patriots' possible operation this season.
It's uncommon for a crew to have three specialists who all entered the NFL as draft picks. Particular to Ashby, Patriots govt vice chairman of participant personnel Eliot Wolf stated the crew wasn't satisfied it may signal him after the draft, partly as a result of he took a predraft go to to the Bears and privately labored out for 10 groups (together with a Patriots contingent led by Vrabel).
In order that they used the tenth of their 11 general picks to carry him aboard and hope they've secured the place for the foreseeable future.
It has been a fast ascent for Ashby, who grew up in Georgia and commenced snapping as an eighth grader on the suggestion of his highschool coach Rod Twyman. He later attended Furman College for 3 seasons earlier than transferring to Vanderbilt in 2024 as a graduate pupil in engineering.
“He was solely right here for a 12 months however had such an impression on our crew,” LePak stated, including that Ashby additionally gained an award for his group service.
“He got here in and bought to know all the fellows on the crew and meshed very well with everybody primarily based on his arduous work and dedication to his craft. That made it very easy to take him in and for him to suit into the mould and cloth of our crew.”
2. Steelers matchup ‘elite': When the Patriots' schedule was revealed in Could, the Week 3 house sport towards the Pittsburgh Steelers was one among two the crew's ticket workplace put in its “elite” class for variable pricing (together with the house opener vs. the Las Vegas Raiders). That made it probably the most beneficial ticket of the season.
Since that point, the Steelers have added quarterback Aaron Rodgers and traded for cornerback Jalen Ramsey and tight finish Jonnu Smith, and the Patriots introduced that can also be the crew Corridor of Fame weekend with the induction of Julian Edelman and Invoice Parcells.
An “elite” matchup turns into that rather more so, maybe drawing CBS' high broadcast crew of Jim Nantz, Tony Romo and Tracy Wolfson for the primary time in two years.
3. Jonnu post-Patriot: Smith's profession took off after his 2021-2022 seasons in New England, which is a stark reminder of the offensive decline in Invoice Belichick's closing years as coach.
After the Patriots traded him to the Atlanta Falcons midway by his four-year, $50 million contract, Smith totaled a career-high 50 catches for 582 yards after which took it a step additional final 12 months in Miami when he earned a Professional Bowl berth after catching 88 passes for 884 yards.
4. Playoff odds: With an improved roster and the NFL's third best schedule primarily based on 2024 win percentages (opponents had a .429 mark), is it a practical expectation that the Patriots might be within the combine for a playoff spot?
In line with ESPN Analytics, the crew has a 32% likelihood to qualify, which is twelfth within the AFC.
5. Do you know? Half I: Longtime Cardinals snapper Trey Junkin (281) has performed probably the most profession video games of anybody on the place. Present Panthers snapper JJ Jansen, who entered the NFL undrafted out of Notre Dame in 2008 and has been in Carolina since 2009, is tied for the second longest streak at 260 video games, with former Lions snapper Don Muhlbach. Cardona performed in 160 regular-season video games and 13 playoff video games in New England.
6. Do you know? Half II: Of the 90 gamers on the Patriots' roster, solely 47 had been with the crew final season (52%).
