Patriots links 6/18/26: Can Will Campbell step up in Year 2?
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TEAM TALK
Patriots Unfiltered: Minicamp leftovers, team/league buzz, offseason topics. (2 hours)
Patriots Catch-22: 3 up/down from mandatory minicamp, around the AFC East. (2 hours)
LOCAL LINKS
Sara Marshall emphasizes that the challenges Josh McDaniels has incorporated into Drake Maye’s training to make him an even bigger threat at QB in Year 3.
Evan Cormier relays Michael Felger laying out how the great “Drake Maye contract guilt trip” has begun.
Ethan Hurwitz tells us everything Patriots teammates said about Drake Maye at minicamp.
Ethan Hurwitz’ Patriots 2026 TE Preview: Hunter Henry can build off career year.
Sara Marshall explains how top free agent signing Kevin Byard III is already playing like a franchise great.
Dakota Randall finds the Patriots are expecting big things from second-year edge rusher Elijah Ponder.
Evan Cormier mentions the Patriots are still ‘managing’ Christian Barmore after 2024 blood clot scare.
Aaliyan Mohammed notes Gabe Jacas has been working out with former Colts LB amid contract holdout.
Doug Kyed’s Patriots Mailbag: How long will Gabe Jacas contract situation drag out?
Jerry Thornton writes how in typical Massachusetts fashion, Foxboro is now trying to shake down Mr. Kraft, and he’ll see them in court.
Ethan Hurwitz finds eight former Patriots stars have been nominated this year for the College Football Hall of Fame‘s Class of 2027.
Lucas Mast relays Tom Brady naming his top 5 Tom Brady cards from his career.
Graham Wilker reports former Pats CB Joejuan Williams is set to begin his coaching career with the Commanders.
NATIONAL NEWS
Michael Middlehurst-Schwartz (CBS Sports) Nine second-year NFL players under pressure to step up after rough rookie seasons. OT Will Campbell included. /click for commentary.
Brad Gagnon (Bleacher Report) Every team’s most important 2nd-year player to watch in 2026. Patriots: OT Will Campbell.
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Bradley Locker (PFF) How new WR A.J. Brown can unlock another dimension in New England’s offense.
Aaron Schatz (ESPN) Final offseason moves for 32 teams: Trades, signings, more. Patriots: Extend Christian Gonzalez.
Tyler Sullivan (CBS Sports) How good (or bad) can it get? The best- and worst-case scenarios for every NFL team in 2026. Patriots Best-case: Despite a tougher schedule, the Patriots continue to pile up wins in the AFC. Worst-case: The tougher road in 2026 proves New England was a product of its schedule last season and reveals the Patriots are still a couple of steps behind the AFC’s elite teams. /Gross. The schedule all over again. Click for more unimaginative commentary.
Moe Moton (Bleacher Report) Early bold predictions for the 2026 NFL trade deadline. Raiders trade Edge Maxx Crosby to the Patriots.
Eric Edholm (NFL.com) NFL teams, players who will redefine the narrative in 2026: Giants, Joe Burrow to flip script. No Pats.
Albert Breer (SI) NFL Mailbag: How Mike McDaniel can get Justin Herbert in the MVP conversation; Plus, the Eagles’ future with Jalen Carter, the Cowboys’ with CeeDee Lamb and more.
Brent Sobleski (Bleacher Report) 4 NFL teams reaching Super Bowl-contender status after offseason moves. No Pats. /They’re already there.
Joel Corry (CBS Sports) Agent’s Take: What Brendan Sorsby’s rookie contract could look like as a supplemental draft pick.
Mike Kadlick (SI) The World Cup has exposed the NFL’s turf problem. Now it’s time for owners to do right by their players.
Matt Hayes (USA Today) NFL sees NIL chaos — and smells a threat to its empire.
Badenoch blasts 'moaning' female Labour MPs over Burnham jobs 'quota'
Kemi Badenoch has told Labour women to earn a job in Andy Burnham's Cabinet instead of demanding they are handed jobs because of their gender.
The Tory leader lashed out today amid reports that female MPs are demanding the de-facto new prime minister introduce a 50:50 gender split 'quota' in his government.
Amid reports that former foreign secretary David Miliband is being lined up to return to the role, possibly with his brother Ed as Chancellor, one female minister also complained that Burnham could not have 'more Milibands than women' in the top posts.
But in a scathing article in the Times today Mrs Badenoch told them to 'stop moaning' and get chosen on merit instead of retreating into 'more of the failed identity politics that is holding back our country'.
'There are many, many reasons why you shouldn't have any Milibands in the cabinet,' she said.
'But complaining that the boys haven't given them the right jobs or that the boys are taking all the jobs, just shows that Labour's women still don't get it.'
The idea of quotas was also attacked by Baroness Jacqui Smith, Labour's Skills Minister.
Asked by Times Radio if Mr Burnham should reserve jobs for women, she said: 'No, I think what Andy Burnham should be doing is building the very best team around him to change this country.'
A letter written by the Women's Parliamentary Labour Party has called on Mr Burnham to ensure a 50:50 split between men and women in government jobs
Amid reports that former foreign secretary David Miliband (above, right, in 2010) is being lined up to return to the role, possibly with his brother Ed as Chancellor, one female minister complained that Burnham could not have 'more Milibands than women' in the top posts
But Mrs Badenoch told them to pipe down and get chosen on merit instead of retreating into 'more of the failed identity politics that is holding back our country'
A letter written by the Women's Parliamentary Labour Party and seen by the BBC has called on Mr Burnham to ensure a 50:50 split between men and women in government jobs after he succeeds Sir Keir Starmer.
'We are asking you to demonstrate this change from day one and address the toxicity and misogyny within our own party and government,' it said.
Labour has never had a female leader, while the Conservatives have had three, and Mrs Badenoch urged the government to follow its meritocratic example.
'If you run a meritocracy, then you do not have to worry about jobs for the boys,' she wrote.
'Every woman who is a Conservative MP, every woman who has ever won the leadership, has had to fight to get where she is.
'By contrast, Labour women are demanding guarantees from Burnham. But the truth is he doesn't have to give any guarantees.
'If none of Labour's women are prepared to get their hands dirty and challenge him for the leadership, their demands are toothless.'
'In fact, it's quite revealing that the women's parliamentary Labour Party has written to Burnham asking him to commit himself to at least 50 per cent female ministers.
'This has nothing to do with meritocracy. It is yet more of the failed identity politics that is holding back our country.'
