While some Patriots fans are on the verge of a breakdown over the lack of a Randy Moss signing I'm actually still pretty confident that Pats will get a deal done. 

Why? Because Moss will look like the ultimate d-bag if he turns his back on a potential Montana-Rice, Manning-Harrison type relationship with one of the greatest quarterbacks of all time. I believe that Randy Moss doesn't want to go down in history as a player who ultimately was more about money than love of the game.

What's going on right now is just the Pats seeing how little they can get away with paying him and Moss pushing for all he can get. This will likely be his last big payday, he has to make sure he gets a good chunk of change. But the Pats know that ultimately Moss is not going to go play for the Jets where Chad Pennington can't throw the ball over 40 yards.

Continue reading "All Quiet on the Moss-tern Front"

Adam Schefter from NFL Network announces tonight that the Patriots and Randy Moss are close to an agreement. There was also a rumor going through the internet chat boards that Moss signed a 5-year deal worth over $50 million with around $15 million guaranteed. That rumor cannot be confirmed or denied at this time. Looks like it's probably false. 

 But still this is the first positive news about Moss and the Pats since Friday. As I've said before I fully expect a deal to get done. Looks like it might be sooner than later. 

Continue reading "Moss Close to a Deal with Pats?"

Multiple sources are reporting that the Patriots and Randy Moss have agreed to a 3-year deal worth $27 million. I will post the details as they become available but it looks like Pats fans can breathe a sigh of relief... the Mossman returneth...

Continue reading "Moss Deal Imminent"

After much speculation and many rumors (specifically from John Clayton of ESPN) the Patriots and Randy Moss agreed to a 3-year deal woth $27 million today. Patriots fans just about had a conniption when Moss didn't sign immediately at 12:01am Friday morning, and many were assuming the worst over the weekend. Sure a contingent remained steadfast that the sides would get the deal done, but Pats fans heard the same thing when Adam Vinatieri came up for Free Agency in 2006. In case anyone missed it he's kicking for the Colts now.

There are rumors now that other teams "interest" in Moss was only a ploy to get the Pats to up their offer. In the end, this deal looks on the surface like a very cap friendly deal for the Pats. We still don't know the guaranteed money yet but when you consider that the Vikings gave Bernard Berrian (who? exactly.) $42 million over 6 years it puts Moss' deal in perspective. A guy coming off the single season TD reception record is making only $2 million more than a guy who had one 100-yard receiving game and 5 TDs last year.

Continue reading "It's Official: Moss Back with Patriots in '08"

Randy posted this on his website today. I don't know about my fellow Patriots fans but this gets me excited thinking about next season...

 "I want to take time out to thank all of the fans for their support and for wishing me well in my return to New England," he wrote. "I'm ready to get back. We have some unfinished business to take care of."

Continue reading "Randy Moss' Message to Pats Fans"

The Patriots signed another Buffalo Bill free agent today - Cornerback Jason Webster.

Webster's a vet and a zone corner like the Pats prefer. He'll compete for playing time, mist likely (and hopefully) at the nickleback position replacing Randall Gay. He was injured last year with the Bills, but clearly the Pats went after him right away and he ended up cancelling a visit to the Giants to sign with New England. How good is he? We'll see. But clearly the Pats needed to start adding some depth to the cornerback position after losing Gay and Samuel and that's just what they've done.

Continue reading "Patriots Sign CB Jason Webster"

Now that the Scouting Combine is complete a new round of mock drafts are just starting to hit the internets so it's time to check back in on some of our prospects and see who could be rising up the Pats draft list.

Cornerbacks on the rise

Two names sit atop the cornerback rankings right now: Dominique Rogers-Cromartie and Leodis McKelvin. Both turned in great performances at the Combine, with DRC putting up some freakishly athletic numbers. The biggest question becomes whether or not the Pats think either of these guys is worth being selected at 7th overall. This years corner class is deep and that could very well motivate the Pats to trade down toward the bottom of the first-round where the contracts paid to rookies aren't so overwhelming. Whether or not Darren McFadden or Matt Ryan are still available at #7 could have teams looking to make a deal with the Pats.

Continue reading "Patriots Draft Prospect Update"

Two days ago it looked like the Pats could lose all three of their top receivers but that's no longer the case. After getting Randy Moss yesterday the Pats re-signed Jabar Gaffney today to a one-year deal tonight.

Pending the addition of a blocking tight end to replace Kyle Brady and the hope that Stephen Neal is fully recovered from a knee injury in the Super Bowl the 2008 Patriots offense is nearly in place. Now let the attention turn to the defense...

Continue reading "Patriots Re-Sign Jabar Gaffney"

Thanks to poster Marcus on www.patsfans.com for reposting this rumor from the ESPN messageboard. Though there is no link to it and no way to prove it's validity I found it really interesting and decidede to put it up here too. Usually I would refrain from rumor mongering but after all the unsubstantiated anti-Pats rumors that have been spread by the national media (looking at you Judas Tomase) I figured an unsubstantiated pro-Pats rumor would be okay. So here it is.

 "It seems there are interesting things going on in Foxboro. NE has TOTALLY shut ESPN out. NE is refusing to talk with or even allow anyone within the organization to communicate with even the few people at ESPN NE trusts which includes Berman and Jaws. Clayton and others are very frustrated.

Continue reading "An Interesting and COMPLETELY UNSUBSTANTIATED Patriots Rumor"

The Patriots signed Safety Tank Williams today. He's had some injury concerns but performed well when he's healthy. Physically he is just what the Pats tend to like - big and physical. It's unkown if this signing will impact the future of other safety Rodney Harrison who's carrying a somewhat sizeable cap number. More likely is that Williams will play some special teams and be able to fill in should Rodney or James Sanders gets hurt. This also adds some competition for Brandon Meriweather or it may signify that he could be looking at some time at cornerback.

Carolina Panthers linebacker Adam Seward is scheduled to visit the Pats tomorrow. Though Carolina plays a 4-3 Seward has experience at MLB in a 3-4 at UNLV. The Pats would have to give up a 5th-round draft pick since Seward is a Restricted Free Agent but given how Bill Belichick prefers veteran linebackers and how often 5th-rounders are able to crack the Pats lineup it could be a good signing. We'll see how it plays out, but the Pats are desperate to get some more young MLBs to groom and Seward could fit the bill.

Continue reading "Patriots Signing and Visit News"

We're a mere 11 days into Free Agency and so far the Pats have kept pretty quiet. This is a return to how things were prior to 2007 when Belichick and Pioli went hog wild signing multiple Free Agents right off the bat. So far the only signings we've seen are some low level vets who will compete for roster spots in training camp. There has yet to be a big name signee who could replace Rosevelt Colvin or Asante Samuel and it's probably safe to say there's a very good chance that there won't be one at all.

We're still waiting to hear on restricted free agent ILB Adam Seward, though rumors are swirling that the Pats will make an offer, if they haven't already. The Panthers will have the chance to match any offer the Pats make, if they choose not to the Pats will have to give up a 5th round pick. It's signings like this that Patriots fans are used to. Players like Mike Vrabel who came out of Pittsburg having been mostly a backup for his early years in the NFL. Is Seward another undiscovered gem like Vrabel? Patriots fans are hoping that he is, and not another Monty "I got levelled by the Giants fat back-up QB running out of bounds" Beisel.

Continue reading "The Monday Patriots Huddle"

So allegedly supposedly the Assistant Golf Pro (who I've refused to mention by name here because he's just trying to grab his 15 minutes of fame at the expense of my favorite team) is close to reaching a deal with the NFL to finally talk. Well it's about time. We've only been hearing about him for nearly two months. First we heard he wasn't going to speak because the Patriots had a confidentiality agreement with him. Then we found out they never did. So what's been the hold up? Who knows. But by this point whatever this guy has better be something worse than just more tapes of defensive coach signals or the media who's been banging the Spygate drum since Day One back in September's gonna look pretty foolish.

If he has an actual tape of the Rams walk thru things could get interesting. But what I don't understand (if he had said tape) is how would a low level staffer manage to take something like that from the Patriots if it had been turned over to Belichick and company to be studied? Somehow amongst the madness of the Super Bowl the AGP, who was taping on the sidelines during the game, managed to get that tape back? Sounds fishy to me and I guess it's pointless to speculate at this point since he might not even have any proof that he or anyone else taped the walkthru.

Continue reading "Another in a long list of Patriots Spygate Posts..."

We're still more than a month away from the 2008 NFL Draft and the mock drafts are popping up faster than a festering sore on Britney Spears' chin. You're not a true NFL writer until you've posted a mock, and most of the "big time" sports writers post multiple new versions whenever a miniscule piece of information, like someone cutting a hundreth of a second off their 40 time or knocking up his girlfriend, gets out.

Have you ever looked back at a mock draft a year later? It's shocking how completely and utterly wrong every single one of them are. Check out this one, or this one, or this one. Some experts can't even get the first two picks right. Then you have another collection of geniuses predicting actual trades within the draft like... "The New England Patriots will trade the 7th over all pick to the Denver Broncos for the rights to Terrell Davis should he unretire, 17 footballs and the 13th overall pick with which they will select the best available Cornerback".

Continue reading "Mock Draft are Stupid and Pointless... yet strangely addicting..."

As a Patriots fan I look at the present day NFL football Jets like an annoying younger brother who tries all kind of tricks and schemes but ultimately, if it comes down to crunch time andf I really have to kick his ass, like in a playoff game, he really doesn't stand a chance. Why? Chad Pennington is not the quarterback who's going to beat Brady. Kellen Clements got some time this year and showed he's probably not the guy either.

So why does everyone think they're going to take Arkansas Running Back Darren McFadden or Ohio State Man-Beast Vernon Gholston?

Matt Ryan would instantly upon arrival be at least tied with Chad Pennington for the starting QB position.  

They've already made strong moves to shore up their biggest weaknesses. The offensive line has been stabilized, if for only two seasons, but clearly whoever is behind center will be protected. There were also be some running lanes for Thomas Jones that weren't there in 2007.

Continue reading "Why Does No One Think Matt Ryan Will Go To The Jets?"

The current sexy pick for the New England Patriots among the NFL Mock Craps is cornerback Leodis McKelvin but I highly doubt the Pats will pick him or any other cornerback with the 7th overall pick. Cornerback is absolutely a need for the Pats given the departures of Asante Samuel, Randall Gay and Eugene Wilson but given how the Pats have dealt with cornerbacks in the past it's clearly not a position where Belichick and Pioli are willing to overspend. Nor is it a position where top end talent is fully necessary to be effective. See the 2004 Super Bowl where undrafted rookie Randall Gay was covering Terrell Owens (of course due more to injuries than design but hey, they still won the game didn't they?).

What Belchick has said he does value are large athletes because they are so hard to find (like man-beast OLB Vernon Gholston) . It is only players like this that are worth investing the large amount of money that top-end draft picks are guaranteed. Vince Wilfork, Richard Seymour and Ty Warren are all examples of big men the Pats took when they had high picks in the first round. These picks were also made at the expense of talented skill positions players that many experts had tabbed the Pats to take.

Continue reading "Don't Count on the Pats Taking a Cornerback at #7 Overall"

Despite many Spygate-enthusiasts belief that Dom Capers was added to the Patriots staff strictly as insurance should the NFL suspend Bill Belichick when the Assistant Golf Pro finally comes clean, the addition of the veteran defensive coach is one that should greatly help the team in the area where they needed it most at the end of the 2007 almost-dream season.

Capers' effect on the Patriots is already being felt from their free agency signings. Fernando Bryant was added to the Pats just today, he's a "chippy" cornerback who was hand-picked in the First-round of the '99 NFL Draft by Capers when he was the Defensive Coordinator of the Jacksonville Jaguars. Bryant started all 16 games his rookie year for Capers, and was notably unhappy when Capers left the Jags and took his aggressive defensive approach with him. He had an offer on the table from the Broncos as well, but I don't think anyone would be surprised he chose New England since they a) win and b) have his favorite coach on staff.

Continue reading "What Does Dom Capers Bring to the Patriots Party?"

One semi-big name still left on the NFL Free Agency list that the Patriots might have some interest in is Takeo Spikes. Apparently he's closest to signing with the 49ers, but would consider the Pats if they step up with a better offer.  Clearly this leak of information is a message to New England who should be in the market for a 3-4 ILB. He would be a solid veteran addition if Junior Seau does not return. Sure he might have some injury concerns but the fact is the Pats could probably use BOTH Spikes and Seau. Add in a Pass Rushing monster at #7 overall and another couple 3rd round cornerbacks and I'd say the Defense would look pretty good to me.

Continue reading "Takeo Spikes Anyone?"

It's been nearly a month and a half since the Patties went down in flames in the face of an NFL perfect season. To escape the pain of how it all crashed and burned I immersed myself in the draft and which stud we could potentially land at #7 overall. Here we are, the draft still 34 days away and I don't know how I'm going to make it. Here's where I stand on the prospects...

Vernon Gholston - the guy I want the most, but I doubt he'll be there at #7 anymore. He looks like a physical freak and would be a welcome new terror for the Pats pass rush. Oakland or the Jets will probably grab him, especially after how the Giants beat us in the Super Bowl.

Leodis McKelvin - the safe man's bet. This is who will probably be there and he's risen to the top of the CB pack with a solid performance at the combine. The Pats could always use another young defensive back given the departures this off-season. But do the Pats value him as being worth #7 overall? That's the question.

Continue reading "The Draft is still a month away and I'm getting antsy..."

Another OLB project the Pats could look at with the 7th overall pick: Quentin Groves. Here's what Pat Kirwan had to say about him:

The Tweeners

As I mentioned earlier, defensive backs aren't the only guys who need to be multi-faceted. There are plenty of defensive end/outside linebacker tweeners who are going to have to find a spot on a pro roster.

Teams have talked about moving Ohio State defensive end  Vernon Gholston to linebacker, but despite outstanding athletic ability and great workout numbers, that switch would be a bit of a project. He's not a true "tweener". He's a pass rusher who has enough natural ability to make a move to linebacker feasible.

However, Auburn's  Quentin Groves (6-foot-3, 259-pounds) recognized early on that he would fall into the tweener category. Even with great success as a down pass rusher at the college level, he moved to outside linebacker after suffering a foot injury during his senior campaign and tried to learn the position on the fly. The stats were not necessarily there, and as a result his draft stock has fallen in the eyes of some.

Continue reading "Add Quentin Groves to the potentials list..."

It's pretty common knowledge that the Patriots two biggest needs entering the NFL Entry Draft are Linebacker and Cornerback. After the veteran DB signings of the past couple weeks it makes it slightly more likely in my book that the Pats first selection in the draft (whether it's #7 or somewhere above/below that) will be a linebacker.

It's true that the Pats haven't had a history of drafting linebackers, instead preferring free agent veterans like Junior Seau, Adalius Thomas and formerly Roman Phifer. But this year there's a healthy crop of young monsters who would be solid pass-rushing additions. Here are some of the names that are popping up the most:

Vernon Gholston

 

Continue reading "Get To Know Your Rookie LBs with Pats Potential"

If you're a true football fan you have to make Cold Hard Football Facts a frequent stop in your internet travels. No other site on the web has more fan/stat football geekdom. Here's the Patriots article from their 32 Teams in 32 Days segment (sorry I can't hotlink it, troubles in blog paradise today..):

http://www.coldhardfootballfacts.com/Articles/11_2203_32_teams_in_32_days%3A

Continue reading "CHFF Patriots Article"