Moving on...Offseason

[CreepCreep2014]

I am seeing reports that NE wants Harrison back, which is fine, but they still need to draft a couple young kids. Be nice to have Harrison around to mentor the young kid Rivers. I also hope since Rivers has been out, he had hit the weight room and gotten a little bigger.

D.Lewis might be asking that, but not get close to that. Teams know they cannot rely on 1 RB and the FA market for RB has gone down over the years. Teams might not view him like he thinks, and he might be a better fit in NE.

Also saw that if Talib is cut, the 2 teams that make since for him is NE and TB. Not sure on TB as they are all new since he left, but would def want to see him back in NE.

 

[NWPATSFAN]

I am seeing reports that NE wants Harrison back, which is fine, but they still need to draft a couple young kids. Be nice to have Harrison around to mentor the young kid Rivers. I also hope since Rivers has been out, he had hit the weight room and gotten a little bigger.

D.Lewis might be asking that, but not get close to that. Teams know they cannot rely on 1 RB and the FA market for RB has gone down over the years. Teams might not view him like he thinks, and he might be a better fit in NE.

Also saw that if Talib is cut, the 2 teams that make since for him is NE and TB. Not sure on TB as they are all new since he left, but would def want to see him back in NE.

Harrison could be a great mentor. It was really hard to read what his feelings were. He didn't do much talking which was a good thing. I hope he's back as well. Team friendly of course. He could show Rivers how to put that needed bulk on.

I think you're right on Lewis. Love to have him back at a good price. This draft has a lot of RBs which also works against him.

No thanks on Talib. He's lost a step and NE needs to get quicker. Plus he's a head case. Vet minimum maybe? But I'm likely still passing on him.

 

[CreepCreep2014]

Harrison could be a great mentor. It was really hard to read what his feelings were. He didn't do much talking which was a good thing. I hope he's back as well. Team friendly of course. He could show Rivers how to put that needed bulk on.

I think you're right on Lewis. Love to have him back at a good price. This draft has a lot of RBs which also works against him.

No thanks on Talib. He's lost a step and NE needs to get quicker. Plus he's a head case. Vet minimum maybe? But I'm likely still passing on him.

I don't think he's lost a step just yet. He won't be on the #1 WR, that job goes to Gillmore (or it should). He was not an issue here, and BB wanted him back. I don't think Vet min get's him here or anywhere. He was pretty decent this yr.

 

[BigKen]

Listening to radio conversations about what the Patriots will do about Dion Lewis. It's opretty much a given that the Patriots will not even consider anything over $5M and 3 years would be the max. One commentator said the he'd be totally shocked if BB would go over $3M for Lewis. While he's certainly been everything the Patriots could hope for, he was pretty much a first and second down back. Then came a little surprise. Seems the Patriots got a call from the Tennessee Titans asking if they might be interested in a trade for Demarco Murray.
Of course it's a draft pick that the Titans are looking to get and the level of the conversation is unknown. BB might be willing to give u a 7th round pick to be sure that he got him, but there was mention of how long Murray is signed for and more importantly, how much. If he's being paid over $3M I can't see BB even talking about it. Then again, if the Titans are looking to trade him, they may also be considering cutting him.

 

[Shoeshine Boy]

Tennesse will cut him on 3/18 if they don't find someone to take his deal off their hands. They have a younger, better, cheaper back ready to go. No way in hell am I giving up anything for a 30 year old power back with a lengthy injury history and a $6.5M salary.

 

[BigKen]

Some very interesting comments on NBC Sports Boston last night.

First, James Harrison says that there is more than a reasonable probability that he will be playing for the Patriots this coming season.

Second, thee is less than 15% chance that Gronkowski will retire. BUT....Big But, Vince McMahon has reportedly offered Gronk a 10 year $200M guaranteed contract to be a clown in the WWE. Regardless, that's a shit load of money. Only problem is that it could affect his chance at the HOF and he'd lose a ton of respect in the sports world.

Third, the Patriots are looking to bring in a couple of veterans to help their young players understand conditioning and why it's critically important to be on the field for 16 games and not take 3 or 4 games off for a minor boo boo. BB is supposedly looking bring in CB Vontae Davis and DE Julius Peppers.

Fourth, OT Antonio Garcia was extremely ill during training camp last year. When he was drafted, his reported weight was 288 lbs and the Patriots said that the first thing they needed to do was put between 25 and 30 lbs of muscle back on him. Whatever illness he had, and no one knows for sure exactly what it is/was, he lost a ton of weight dealing with it during the offseason. It's been reported that he lost more than 30 lbs. before the end of the year. NBCSB said that he will have to build back up if he ever wants to play in the NFL. Hard to imagine a guy that 6'7" playing OT in the NFL weighing in at 260 lbs. Then again, if I lost that weight, and my body seemed to be doing well, why would I want to pack on another 60?

Interesting note......when BB went on his short vacation, he closed Gillette to his coaching staff and told everyone that they HAD to take two weeks off. The day after the Super Bowl, the entire staff, except Patricia were all huddled by groups pouring over the game film. BB told them all to take a full break from football and check to see if any of them had a new baby, a kid playing a school sport or a daughter dating a kid that BB might not like.

 

[Yankee Traveler]

Cushing was let go by the Texans.

Bring him in or no?

What do you guys say? He's been in the league....9 years (I had to look it up).
So he's 30-31 maybe. I say give him a workout, give him camp to prove himself.

 

[BigKen]

Just a little something on the lighter side........

Family version of Tom Brady Super Bowl LI ring sells for record $344,927
Feb 18, 2018

• 
  
  Darren RovellESPN Senior Writer
  Close
  • ESPN.com's sports business reporter since 2012; previously at ESPN from 2000-06
  • Appears on SportsCenter, ESPN Radio, ESPN.com and with ABC News
  • Formerly worked as analyst at CNBC

A family version of the New England Patriots' Super Bowl LI championship ring with "Brady" on it sold Sunday morning for $344,927, a record for a football ring.

The ring, which has 265 diamonds compared to the 283 that Tom Brady's actual ring has and is about 10 percent smaller, has the same engraving that Brady's ring would have. The ring comes with a letter of appraisal from its maker, Jostens, for Brady that assesses its jewelry value at $29,700. Ken Goldin, president of Goldin Auctions, which sold the ring, would not say who consigned the ring or how it was obtained. Goldin also said the buyer prefers to remain anonymous.

 

[Shoeshine Boy]

Cushing was let go by the Texans.

Bring him in or no?

What do you guys say? He's been in the league....9 years (I had to look it up).
So he's 30-31 maybe. I say give him a workout, give him camp to prove himself.

31, with two PED suspensions under his belt (so one strike from a permaban) and an injury track record that makes Hightower look like an iron man. Hard pass for me.

 

[Yankee Traveler]

31, with two PED suspensions under his belt (so one strike from a permaban) and an injury track record that makes Hightower look like an iron man. Hard pass for me.

I wasn't aware of the PED issues.
Good points.

 

[CreepCreep2014]

No on Cushing, even though he is better than half the LB on this team..

Lewis will not get anywhere near what he is looking for. From what I am reading, this draft is loaded with RB who can do what Lewis does, and they are younger. Like last yr, I expect the RB group to not get anything close to what they want.

If true about Garcia, it seems like he is a few year away..so mine as well lock up Solder.

Seen a few mocks that have NE taking a CB or WR in the first.....and they seem to be the same player for each position....

Landry was tagged by the Phins....no chance in hell they can move him now....

 

[BigKen]

Landry was tagged by the Phins....no chance in hell they can move him now....

That cost them $16M which the Franchise price for a wide receiver. Would you pay Landry more than Julio Jones??

 

[BigKen]

Word is that Malcolm Mitchell had very successful clean up surgery on his knee and that he is doing full workouts daily. Workouts are one thing, contact and game situations a totally another. From the report, it's very encouraging. Rumor is that he's working with the hated Alex Guerreo.

The Patriots supposedly are interested in signing a free agent WR. There appears to be three that they will actually call and workout.Marquis Lee of the Jags. Sam Watkins of the Rams and the guy who they really want, Josh Gordon of the Browns. People think that being in a mature, controlled locker room and on a team with a focus could actually benefit Gordon as much as it would benefit the team. I'd be willing to give him a shot, just don't know what his football IQ is and if he could grasp the Patriots' playbook.

 

[Shoeshine Boy]

Thanks to all his time off, Gordon is only eligible for exclusive rights free agency. After all they've gone through with him up to this point, it would be pretty dumb for the Browns not to keep him when it will only cost them a 1 year 705k deal. The chances he'll be available to the Pats are pretty much zero.

 

[Shoeshine Boy]

Though I suppose in light of the McCarron ruling he might, might have a shot at getting an accrued season for 2014 if he files a grievance, but even that will only get him to restricted free agency. So, again, no realistic shot at him coming here next year.

 

[Shoeshine Boy]

I swear the only reason the Dolphins tagged Landry was to keep him from coming here and Welker'ing them again...just watch, they'll trade him somewhere else for pennies on the dollar.

 

[NWPATSFAN]

Just say no to Gordon if he was even available to NE.

NE is having enough locker room issues and don't need to focus on another potential problem.

Plus NE is set at WR. They have other needs. Offensive play makers isn't an issue right now.

 

[Shoeshine Boy]

Some thought to the future of WR does need to be given, though...Dola is a FA, Mitchell and Edelman are health unknowns, and Cooks, Hogan, and Dorsett (presuming they don't pick up his 5th year option) are all FA's after this season.

 

[ohiopatsfan]

Out here in NE Ohio, even though he is a high risk player who is one step away from a lifetime ban, the success starved Browns fans still treat Gordon like the second coming of Jerry Rice and would be in open revolt if they released him. That being said, he might be available in a trade. If BB is really serious about getting Gordon, he would need to offer the Browns something of value. Just spitballing here, but, if BB might also be interested in QB Deshone Kizer, a trade of Dorsett and Gillislee (to replace UFA Isaiah Crowell) for Gordon and Kizer might work. Probably won't happen, but it would sure be an interesting transaction.

 

[CreepCreep2014]

I don't think Landry would end up in NE, they won't give him the money...I also don't want Watkins or Lee here in NE. Both have injury concerns and Watkins just takes plays off. I mean, are we moving on from Cooks after next yr? Hogan still has multiple years left (health wise), and MM if he returns and stays healthy will be a big boost. You know damn well the JE will be back and be just fine for the next 2 yrs. Dorsett is young, fast and seemed to catch on. He will have another year here in NE and is controllable for another yr. If you are debating between Britt and Dola, I think I'll take Dola. I would rather have NE draft a young WR and groom him over the next yr.