Around the NFL

[BigKen]

There appears to be quite a few 'minority' candidates available. Lewis and Bowles have experience losing as head coaches so I guess they'd be at the top of my list along with Hue Jackson. A young guy who's worked his way up like Brian Flores might interest me because he's started at the very bottom and worked his way to be the unnamed DC of the Patriots. I'd listen very carefully what his plans are if I make him my HC. If I'm impressed and hire him, I can't get in his way of doing what he said he wanted to do, I have to support him. If he doesn't make significant steps after three years, then I have to do it all over again.

Let's be honest, just as many white coaches fail as black coaches. Problem is that there have been few black coaches who were highly successful. The one I can think of right away is Tony Dungey with the Colts. He did have one Peyton Manning as his quarterback, but he built his offense around him, showing that he knew PM couldn't do it alone.

The one advantage Flores has is that he's been on the Patriots' staff for thirteen years and has been able to observe and partake in everything that Bill Belichick has done. He also has won two Super Bowls and been part of three losing Super Bowls while most of the other guys have never been to a Super Bowl.

 

[nefansince75]

Likely they would not hire him even if they were "blown away"
Need an example?
Just look at oldschool calling his playoff contending rookie QB "buckwheat"

Mike Tomlin

 

[BigKen]

AFC home teams took it on the chin this weekend with the Colts beating the Texans and the Chargers beating the Ravens. My guess is that nest weekend will be bit different. The Colts and Texans played twice during the regular season and the ravensand Chargers played once before the playoffs.

The Colts and chiefs and Patriots and Chargers have not played each other since 2016 which was a Chiefs win.

Patriots and Chargers last played at Foxboro on 10/29/2017 and was a Patriot 21-13 win.

 

[nefansince75]

AFC home teams took it on the chin this weekend with the Colts beating the Texans and the Chargers beating the Ravens. My guess is that nest weekend will be bit different. The Colts and Texans played twice during the regular season and the ravensand Chargers played once before the playoffs.

The Colts and chiefs and Patriots and Chargers have not played each other since 2016 which was a Chiefs win.

Patriots and Chargers last played at Foxboro on 10/29/2017 and was a Patriot 21-13 win.

Colts were the hotter team and a rookie QB was exposed.

 

[Shoeshine Boy]

Former Lions coach Rick Forzano dies at 90

"Forzano’s tenure is also notable for featuring four future NFL head coaches in assistant positions. He hired Joe Bugel, Raymond Berry and Jerry Glanville in addition to giving Bill Belichick his first full-time NFL coaching job."

 

[Shoeshine Boy]

Bucs sign Donovan Smith to three-year deal

"the deal is worth a total of $41.25 million. Of that total, $27 million is fully guaranteed at signing"

So this should in theory be the ceiling for a potential new deal for Trent Brown given that Smith is a couple months younger and has started all 64 games of his career at LT.

 

[BigKen]

"the deal is worth a total of $41.25 million. Of that total, $27 million is fully guaranteed at signing"

That's $13.75M per year with $9M guaranteed.

If BB could get Browm back for something close to that, he'd be well worth it. Solder got 5 years/$60M and he's certainly not worth that. Problem is that there are teams willing to more than overpay to prevent a player that they think makes the Patriots better from returning to NE. Especially, NYJ or Miami.

 

[Yankee Traveler]

Problem is that there are teams willing to more than overpay to prevent a player that they think makes the Patriots better from returning to NE. Especially, NYJ or Miami.

This.

 

[cdumler7]

That's $13.75M per year with $9M guaranteed.

If BB could get Browm back for something close to that, he'd be well worth it. Solder got 5 years/$60M and he's certainly not worth that. Problem is that there are teams willing to more than overpay to prevent a player that they think makes the Patriots better from returning to NE. Especially, NYJ or Miami.

I would say they are more than willing to overpay more so for tackles because of the lack of great tackles than anything else. Yes helps when you can hurt the Pats a little but the idea of securing one of the toughest positions to find talent makes it worth overpaying.

 

[NWPATSFAN]

Thoughts even at 34 years old?
Great leader.
Weddle released by Ravens, doesn't plan to retire

 

[YankeeRebel]

I read where other teams tagged their DEs and Flowers was not tagged making him the most sought after DE in the FA period. So he is most likely gone, but does that mean another third round comp pick next year?

 

[nefansince75]

That's $13.75M per year with $9M guaranteed.

If BB could get Browm back for something close to that, he'd be well worth it. Solder got 5 years/$60M and he's certainly not worth that. Problem is that there are teams willing to more than overpay to prevent a player that they think makes the Patriots better from returning to NE. Especially, NYJ or Miami.

You would think these teams would be tired of wasting their money trying to prevent the Patriots from being better. Arguabley their strategy may have worked, but the Patriots just respond by getting better on their own... I guess the best way of putting it, Whenever you force the pats into subtraction they figure of another way to compensate with an addition.

 

[Shoeshine Boy]

Solder's deal was 4/62 with 34.8 guaranteed

 

[BigKen]

Think he might want to get a ring at NE wages??

Browns Release LB Jamie Collins
March 6th, 2019 at 1:19pm CST by Zach Links
The Browns released Jamie Collins, according to a team announcement. The linebacker was due more than $10MM for 2019, an unpalatable amount given his lack of production last season.

“We want to thank Jamie for his contributions to the Cleveland Browns,” said general manager John Dorsey in a statement. “These types of decisions are never easy. Jamie is a respected veteran player in this league and we wish him the best as he continues his career.”

The Browns first tried to trade Collins, according to Ian Rapoport of NFL.com (on Twitter), but they were unable to find a taker. The Browns also tried to move Collins at last year’s trade deadline, but couldn’t get a deal done.

Of course, that’s not to say Collins is washed up. Last year, Collins registered 104 tackles and four sacks across 16 games and graded out as just the No. 58 ranked LB in the NFL, per Pro Football Focus. However, his contract made him the highest-paid traditional linebacker in the league and he has not been performing at that level.

Collins joined the Browns in a mid-season trade with the Patriots in 2016. Collins was outstanding in New England, but the Patriots were unwilling to make a sizable commitment to him as his contract was drawing to a close. He also didn’t help his case by allegedly “freelancing” on defense in order to pad his stats.

Releasing Collins will give the Browns an additional $9.25MM in cap room versus just $2.5MM in dead money. The Browns now have approximately $81MM in cap space, giving them the third-highest total in the NFL.

 

[YankeeRebel]

Think he might want to get a ring at NE wages??

Browns Release LB Jamie Collins
March 6th, 2019 at 1:19pm CST by Zach Links
The Browns released Jamie Collins, according to a team announcement. The linebacker was due more than $10MM for 2019, an unpalatable amount given his lack of production last season.

“We want to thank Jamie for his contributions to the Cleveland Browns,” said general manager John Dorsey in a statement. “These types of decisions are never easy. Jamie is a respected veteran player in this league and we wish him the best as he continues his career.”

The Browns first tried to trade Collins, according to Ian Rapoport of NFL.com (on Twitter), but they were unable to find a taker. The Browns also tried to move Collins at last year’s trade deadline, but couldn’t get a deal done.

Of course, that’s not to say Collins is washed up. Last year, Collins registered 104 tackles and four sacks across 16 games and graded out as just the No. 58 ranked LB in the NFL, per Pro Football Focus. However, his contract made him the highest-paid traditional linebacker in the league and he has not been performing at that level.

Collins joined the Browns in a mid-season trade with the Patriots in 2016. Collins was outstanding in New England, but the Patriots were unwilling to make a sizable commitment to him as his contract was drawing to a close. He also didn’t help his case by allegedly “freelancing” on defense in order to pad his stats.

Releasing Collins will give the Browns an additional $9.25MM in cap room versus just $2.5MM in dead money. The Browns now have approximately $81MM in cap space, giving them the third-highest total in the NFL.

Wasn't Collins the cat that was worried about his manicure getting ruined? If so no thanks cream puff

 

[Yankee Traveler]

Think he might want to get a ring at NE wages??

Browns Release LB Jamie Collins
March 6th, 2019 at 1:19pm CST by Zach Links
The Browns released Jamie Collins, according to a team announcement. The linebacker was due more than $10MM for 2019, an unpalatable amount given his lack of production last season.

“We want to thank Jamie for his contributions to the Cleveland Browns,” said general manager John Dorsey in a statement. “These types of decisions are never easy. Jamie is a respected veteran player in this league and we wish him the best as he continues his career.”

The Browns first tried to trade Collins, according to Ian Rapoport of NFL.com (on Twitter), but they were unable to find a taker. The Browns also tried to move Collins at last year’s trade deadline, but couldn’t get a deal done.

Of course, that’s not to say Collins is washed up. Last year, Collins registered 104 tackles and four sacks across 16 games and graded out as just the No. 58 ranked LB in the NFL, per Pro Football Focus. However, his contract made him the highest-paid traditional linebacker in the league and he has not been performing at that level.

Collins joined the Browns in a mid-season trade with the Patriots in 2016. Collins was outstanding in New England, but the Patriots were unwilling to make a sizable commitment to him as his contract was drawing to a close. He also didn’t help his case by allegedly “freelancing” on defense in order to pad his stats.

Releasing Collins will give the Browns an additional $9.25MM in cap room versus just $2.5MM in dead money. The Browns now have approximately $81MM in cap space, giving them the third-highest total in the NFL.

Bring him in!!

I predict he will end up in Detroit or Miami though.

 

[Shoeshine Boy]

If Collins' time in Cleveland taught him how to subjugate his ego and he's willing to take less than what KVN is making, I might consider it, but I suspect neither of those things to be true, and I'd rather see what Bentley and Sam can do, anyway.

 

[Southieinnc]

Bring him in!!

I predict he will end up in Detroit or Miami though.

Maybe he'll go to Buffalo to keep Antonio Browns nails nice.....

 

[BigKen]

Dolphins release Danny Amendola, who is reportedly interested in return to Patriots

By: Henry McKenna | 11 minutes ago

Danny Amendola needs a job and the New England Patriots need a receiver. Could a reunion be in the works?

The Miami Dolphins released Amendola on Friday, and the receiver is interested in rejoining the Patriots, who may have a great deal of turnover at receiver with Josh Gordon, Phillip Dorsett, Chris Hogan and Cordarrelle Patterson set to enter free agency.

Amendola burned Bill Belichick on his way out the door last offseason, with Amendola expressing frustration over Malcolm Butler’s benching. However, he may have grown discontent in Miami under Adam Gase in 2018. Perhaps that time with the Dolphins has changed his perspective on New England’s negatives.

Bringing back Amendola could be tricky for the Patriots. New England has a developmental slot receiver on the roster in Braxton Berrios, and Belichick could (and should) also look to draft and develop more young talent at the position. They need to stock on young talent, with Julian Edelman, 32, being the only player of significance at the position. If he became an immediate contributor, Amendola might interfere with the development of those younger players.

But the Patriots do have to think about acquiring contributors in the passing game that can contribute in 2019, and right now they’re not looking at many sure things. Amendola has proven incredibly trustworthy and would be a plug-and-play cog in New England’s offense. Depending on what sort of money he’d want, the Patriots would be wise to add him to the roster as a depth option, while seeking more talented and younger options.

 

[BigKen]

Martellus Bennett is reportedly interested in coming out of retirement to join his brother in New England
The former Patriots tight end has wanted to play with his older brother in the past.

Nik DeCosta-Klipa
6:30 PM

Could the New England Patriots unite another pair of brothers?

After news broke Friday afternoon that the team was finalizing a trade for Philadelphia Eagles defensive end Michael Bennett, an unnamed source told ESPN’s Adam Schefter that former Patriots tight end Martellus Bennett is “interested in coming out of retirement” to join his older brother in New England.

With Rob Gronkowski considering retirement and Dwayne Allen leaving in free agency, the Patriots may indeed be in need of a tight end this offseason. And as Schefter noted, the team does have a record of uniting families. In addition to uniting safety Devin McCourty with his twin brother, cornerback Jason McCourty (who is a free agent this offseason), last season, head coach Bill Belichick also employs his son Steve as a defensive coach. The Patriots have also had twin brothers Jacob and Cody Hollister on the roster for the past two seasons.

The Patriots are reportedly trading their 2020 fifth-round draft pick in exchange for the 33-year-old defensive end and the Eagles’ 2020 seventh-round pick And his younger brother seemed pretty psyched about the news Friday.

Martellus Bennett played two seasons with the Patriots in 2016 and 2017, before retiring in the 2018 offseason to focus on creative off-the-field pursuits. However, according to NFL Network, the now-31-year-old tight end would have been willing to take a salary cut to stick around and play with his older brother, who the Patriots reportedly tried to acquire from the Seattle Seahawks last March.

“The Bennett brothers were going nuts trying to get it somehow so they could play together on the Patriots,” NFL Network reported Ian Rapoport said at the time. “I know Martellus Bennett was talking about taking less salary, trying to stick around so the Patriots could then trade for his brother.”

The Bennett brothers also played together in college for three seasons at Texas A&M.