 All right, the NFL legal tampering period began at noon and the Patriots, they did have an early agreement as they reportedly came to terms with running back Antonio Gibson. Three-year deal, 11-2-5 million. It includes just over 5 million fully guaranteed. Gibson breaking a thousand yards rushing two seasons ago, but has had limited production ever since. Meanwhile, Patriots also reportedly informed Devonte Parker he will be released on Wednesday when the league year begins. Parker now has permission to speak with other clubs on a new deal. His dead cap number is just under $5 million. And we got more. The Patriots and Jaguars reportedly the team's most interested in signing wide receiver Calvin Ridley. Ridley is widely regarded as the top free agent wide receiver on the market. And taking a look at some notable signings from today. Kurt Cousins four years, $180 million with the Falcons. Christian Wilkins four years, $110 million as he signs with the Raiders. Saquon Barkley three years, $37, almost $38 million with the Eagles and Josh Jacobs four years, $48 million with the Green Bay Packers. And that's all the news we got. Well, not all of it. We got two here. We're going to get to it. I promise Tommy Kern, Phil Perry for free with you. Tom Giles here about the early edition. And we also want to know from everyone else out there, how would you grade the Patriots so far in the first six hours of free agency? You can join the conversation. Vote in our poll. Why is Burt left all right? Because free agency starts tomorrow. Especially early edition. But it for all intents and purposes. But they're all on board with that one grade there. Started today. We might be needing a few more votes to come in. So you can scan the QR and you can vote in the poll. How should we feel so far? I can't speak for you and I can't speak for him or him or anybody else out there. How do you feel? How do I feel? I feel like until the Patriots address the three greatest positions of need. Offensive line. Preferably tackle. Either by signing their own free agent Mike on Wenu or somebody outside like Jonah Williams to tackle from Cincinnati. Then it's incomplete. Additionally, it's incomplete until we find out what's going to happen with Calvin Ripley. The wide receiver position has to be addressed. And then finally, you have to look at the quarterback position and your veteran because you have moved on from Mack Jones, who was at the very least a placeholder who could take snaps from you. So you're announcing we're going to do something free agency. Haven't seen any of that. But again, free agency hasn't really started. So at least we know that the hook seemed to be in the water. I'm okay with where they're at for the reasons Tom mentions. And you still have a lot of big names that are still out there that could help the Patriots at those positions. Tyron Smith still available at tackle. Michael Wenu is still out there. Jonah Williams from Cincinnati at receiver. Calvin Ridley is still available in the Jaguars signed to receivers today. So how heavy are they going to be in on resigning Calvin Ridley? And then Jacobi Berset, the guy that I have felt now for about a month or more, is the best fit for what the Patriots need right now at that position. He's out there too. So no need to hit the panic button because it has been a relatively slow developing, especially at these positions that we're talking about, Bert, free agency period so far. I'm okay with it in an environment where Robert Hunt, the guard from the Dolphins, is going to get $20 million a year from the Panthers in an environment where Jonah Jackson, the guard from the Lions is going to get $17 million a year from the Rams. I'm okay with being cautious and tapping the brakes. I don't think this is a great free agent class to begin with. And so I think the idea for the Patriots going in should have been just try to get competent in every position. And I think, you know, going and getting Kendrick Bourne signed, getting Hunter Henry signed, getting a core floor from the Steelers, it gets you closer to a place where you're not going to have to press needs in the draft. And to me, they're not in a position to be worried about over-the-top moves, like go and get this one guy to put you over the top. The draft's the most important thing. And I think they should be using free agency to build towards the draft, which is what I think they're doing. So, you know, some of the positions that we will get to are, you know, offensive line, wide receiver, but before we get to those, the one guy who they did sign that was not a part of this organization before was Antonio Gibson. So what does he kind of bring to the table? I know you kind of compared them to, you know, size-wise, Remandre Stevenson. Absolutely. Build-wise, he's 6'2", 220, so he's going to be, basically, the same type of ability that you'll see from an Ezekiel Elliott, a Remandre Stevenson style back. That's fine. If this X is out, the possibility of Ezekiel Elliott returning, I think that's too bad because I thought he was a very valuable player. I wouldn't say that it does. That's a good downfield. You're not going to really see Zeke run a downfield route. So there you go with the Antonio Gibson downfield route. But to me, it's okay. It's, you know, hey, honey, I got a new throw pillow. Great. You need a space back that don't have a space back to get out there in space and do space things. I love that. Space back. I just picture him with an astronaut helmet on just floating around out there. He's going to do more than that. He is going to be able to run some real routes. This is a guy who played receiver in college at Memphis and has caught 40 passes at least each of the last three seasons. He caught five passes alone against the Patriots back in week nine. And he is a bigger body. So he has the ability to stand in there and pass protect. He's pretty capable in that regard as well. So I like the signing. It's pretty low investment, Bert. And it's a role that you really need to fill. You need somebody who can play on third down so that Remandre Stevenson isn't asked to do everything. Yeah. I think it's just going to be a matter of like what you ask him to do. His vision isn't great. He's had some ball security issues. So like I do think like the idea of you look at it. I mean, say that guy looks like a tailback. That guy looks like he should be able to go between the tackles. That's not really what he is. Like Tom said, he's more of a guy you're going to use in space and on third down. And really that's a role as we've talked about that they have not filled since losing James White. Does that eliminate then Ezekiel Elliott? Or not really. There's not enough overlap even though there are similar builds. Zeke being heavier. Is he faced back? Yeah. I think it might. I think it might. Like I think like I think you bring back Zeke at the right price because Stevenson has, you know, you have some durability concerns. You don't want to run him into the ground. I think it'd be a bad idea to have Zeke, but I think it would shift Zeke's role a little bit from what it was last year. And amateur scout James White. I did get in touch with him after they made the signing. He said he likes it. He says he could tell that he has that receiver background just by watching him play. Is that natural feel for the passing game? All right. Speaking of the passing game and those guys who have the natural feel for catching the football. Here's the receiver news. Calvin Ridley, Ivante Parker. He told us about that off the top of the show. It's also worth mentioning that Bengals receiver T Higgins. He has requested to trade out of Cincinnati. He was franchise tagged this off season. The Patriots also agreed to a three-year, $19.5 million deal with Kendrick Bourne on Sunday. That deal occurred in Bourne up to $33 million over the course of the deal. And of course, Kendrick Bourne coming off an ACL injury about halfway through last season. So timeline, curious really what that's going to look like. And the money there seems shorter compared to all these other guys. But let's just start with the Devante Parker news, because I think that was one that that's what stuck out the most is when they announced that they're just flat out releasing him after not being able to do anything else. Yeah. And I had just finished a story talking about how both Juju Smith Schuster's contract and Devante Parker's comprised basically a cheese ball in the ventricle of the Patriots circulatory system, because you get nothing from them. They combined for I believe 62 catches last year, one touchdowns. Kobe Myers by himself had 72 catches and eight touchdowns. And you're paying $16 million as you kept Parker. You're going to save some money on him. But again, when you dip into free agency or you make trades to bring guys in, you're giving something up or paying a premium. So to segue from that to Calvin Ridley and T Higgins, especially Higgins, is the Patriots, the Patriots and organizations should be giving up draft picks in order to bring guys in who need a massive contract. And he was a Belichick's trade. That was Bill that drove. That Bill was the one who wanted him. And I think that part of it is that Parker doesn't have the support in the building with Belichick. He's not very good either. Right. I think that's the big one. Well, it was a Bill's disease of like, this guy did this against me. So I love him. You know what I mean? Like it was another one of these guys who performed really well against Patriots and maybe was overrated internally by Bill. But I just don't think they're releasing him to rebuff Bill. They're releasing. No, no, no, that's what it is. Yeah, that's what I'm saying. Like he doesn't have support in the building anymore because Bill's gone. So what about Calvin Ridley? What's the price tag looking like for Calvin Ridley and how realistic is it? Because he's been kind of the apple of your eye fill as we've gone through this. He has. Yeah, because I think he's the most talented receiver that's available in free agency. And even I, even though I think he's talented, would say that he's probably not a true number one, but he's probably somewhere in the top 30-ish receivers in the game. And I think you just have to use him the right way. I think Jacksonville felt as though he was their only real boundary option. And so they used him like an X, like a true number one. If you can use him in some different ways and really leverage his versatility, I think that would make him really valuable. And I've spoken to some people across the league that feel as though somewhere in the 16, maybe $17 million a year range might be his market. The Patriots have plenty of money to do it. Even if he's not a one, he definitely would be an upgrade, Bert. I like it because he's got experience being a one. And like, I don't think he's as good a player as T Higgins, but T Higgins doesn't have experience being the number one guy. In Atlanta, when Julio got hurt, Ridley was the number one guy. And then in Jacksonville, he was asked to be the number one guy. So I think his experience doing that is a factor that he's had coverage, his gear to stop him before. And then on top of that, I think it's just an investment in your young quarterback. If you are indeed going to take one-third overall. And I don't think that there's, I don't mind paying a premium if it's about getting the right environment for the young quarterback. And he's a three and 55 projected guy in terms of contract three years, 55 million, $32 million guaranteed. It's not insane. He's a better player than Jacobi Myers. Is he twice a player? Not necessarily, but he would represent something. But again, I think the Patriots might have to pay a premium unless it is reportedly or at least rumored that it's down to them in Jacksonville. Jacksonville has poured out a ton of money, which could help the Patriots. I think they've signed two wide receivers already today. Gabe Davis and David Duvernay as well. Which is almost acknowledging we're probably going to lose this kid. Yeah. I mean, well, hey, if the Patriots can get him for 18 million, I'd feel comfortable about that. Kendrick Bourne real quick, bringing back KB. I think it just helps you round out the receiver room. I don't know if you'd be depending on him to start even for you this year. He's not even a full year removed from his surgery until mid-season this season. So what you get from him is great. If you get anything from him, they did commit to him about $4 million fully guaranteed and a signing bonus. So he's going to be on the roster. He's going to be with the team. I think it's just a question of when he'll be able to fully participate. If he's a guy, if he's a three for you, tip your cap. He gets the same contract in essence that he got three years ago. So it's not like he's getting a raise. It's basically the same contract, maybe a little cost of living increase. So same thing.