Tag: New England Patriots

Patriots Draft “Baby DeAndre Hopkins” in N’Keal Harry

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OK. OK. So this might seem like a bit of an exaggeration, but I absolutely LOVE this pick for the Pats.

And, truthfully, it’s really not all that outlandish to compare him to the Texans’ superstar wide out. Like Hopkins, Harry has hands like Velcro and uses his big body (6’2″, 228 pounds) and excellent instincts to out-position defenders and beat them to the ball on almost every play. Harry has been the Sun Devil’s go-to receiver since he was a true freshman in 2016, compiling 213 receptions in three years in the desert to go along with over 2,200 yards and 22 TDs. The man was also a top-20 recruit coming out of high school. He has simply PRODUCED at every level he has ever played.

I had them taking Marquise Brown in my mock, because I really wanted the team to add some much-needed speed and explosiveness. And while Harry possesses nowhere near the athleticism of a guy like Brown, he is definitely a more well-rounded and dependable receiver. He will also likely hold up much better from a physical standpoint at the pro level.

But don’t get it twisted; the man can still move, too:

There are many who felt as though Harry was actually the best receiver in the entire class, and it’s not a hard argument to make. Considering the Pats got him by remaining at No. 32, all the while still holding on to the insane amount of picks they have over the next two days, it’s hard for anyone to be upset with this selection.

Of course, Belichick does not have the best track record with drafting wide receivers, and Harry is the first one he has ever drafted in the first round. But a guy this big, smart, and reliable should be able to pick things up right away. Also, his versatility and ability to line up almost anywhere will allow him to play within the Pats system. He is not just an “outside guy.”

For those that still need convincing, just take a look at this video and then try to tell me I’m wrong:

Did you see that catch at 0:32??!! Like I said: DeAndre Hopkins, eat your heart out. Welcome to New England, N’Keal Harry!

Rapid Reaction to the Patriots 2019 Regular Season Schedule

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Even though the 2019 NFL regular-season schedule wasn’t supposed to be “officially” released until Wednesday night at 8 p.m., The Athletic was already able to get the skinny on the Pats’ upcoming slate of games earlier this morning.

And, of course, in today’s world of “I SAID IT FIRST” journalism, you know they wasted no time in leaking it to the masses:

Rapid reaction:

For starters, the beginning of the season should be an absolute cakewalk. Sure, the Steelers are a tough(ish) team to start off with. But losing Antonio Brown definitely doesn’t make them better than they were last year, and so far they haven’t really made waves with any noteworthy offseason moves. Plus, the game will be in Foxborough; Brady & Co. ain’t losing at home in a season-opener coming off a Super Bowl victory. So, that’s 1-0 so far.

Then there’s three straight against the dregs of the AFC East, immediately followed up by meetings with Washington, the Giants, and then the Jets. Honestly, a 7-0 start is entirely possible and should not come as a surprise to anyone. (*He said while knocking heavily on his desk.*)

However, after that, shit gets REAL.

Starting with a bout at home against Cleveland in Week 8 (yeah, if you haven’t heard, the Browns are going to be legit this season), the Pats are going to get hit with an absolutely brutal mid-season test. Even though they get a bye in Week 10, starting in Week 9 they have to square off against five-straight playoff squads from last season, with three of those contests being on the road. And to make matters worse, each of those squads look even better than they did last year (with the exception of Houston, who has done zilch to improve themselves so far this offseason). Seriously, Weeks 8-14 are going to a slogggg.

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Baker will make his Foxborough debut just a few days before Halloween this year. CANNOT wait for that one.

But then the season ends with three cupcakes, starting with Cincy in Week 15 and then finishing against Buffalo and Miami, respectively. (Also, I LOVE mid-season bye weeks. The Pats always seem to get them, and they’re usually a much-needed reprieve midway through the year. I was very happy to see that.)

So, in all, only about a third of the teams on this year’s schedule give me cause for concern, meaning that an 11- or 12-win season – at the absolute minimum – is a more than safe assumption to make.

Does that make me sound like a cocky, arrogant, spoiled Patriots toadie? Maybe. Do I understand why the rest of the nation hates us so? Absolutely. Can a lot still happen this offseason in terms of roster moves, or could a significant injury occur which changes my whole outlook? Potentially.

But am I still 100% percent confident in my prediction? WITHOUT…A…DOUBT. Mark the Pats down for another trip the playoffs and a run at title No. 7. You heard it here first.

Patriots Sign Austin Seferian-Jenkins Off the Scrap Heap. Mehhhhh.

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On Wednesday afternoon, ESPN first reported that the Pats would be signing the 26-year-old tight end to a one-year deal. Ho-freakin’-hum.

Now, toadies throughout Pats Nation will fall for the inevitable Belichick tire-pumping and be sure to let everyone know what a “steal” this is for the team. One article I read went so far as to say ASJ was “easily” the best tight end remaining on the market, and that he could “fill the void” created by Gronk’s retirement.

OK. Hold up. While he indeed might’ve been the best tight end left available on the market as of today, that’s really not all that impressive. Considering that Jermaine Gresham and a 38-year-old Antonio Gates (who, even if he comes back, will obviously not sign with anyone besides the Chargers) are the only other current free-agent tight ends worth a lick, big whoop. Also, he could not even sniff Gronk’s jock strap. So just stop. Please.

The media will also be sure to tell you how he’s a former first-round pick with freakish athleticism who has only been held back from reaching his full potential by unfortunate injuries.

Again, shades of grey there. Yes, I remember how much he was being talked about when he came out of Washington five years ago. I bought into the hype, too. And while the injuries started pretty much right away – he was only able to play in 15 games over his first two seasons in Tampa Bay – he did average over 16 yards per catch in 2015, which is a pretty solid mark for any player, let alone a tight end. But ever since, he has continued to regress and pile up more injuries.

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The kid was pretty solid during his college days. I’ll give him that.

UHHH, HEY, MATTES! HE HAD 50 CATCHES FOR THE JETS IN 2017! AND HE DID IT IN ONLY 13 GAMES. WHAT ABOUT THAT??!!

Again, biiiig whoop. He also averaged a measly 7.1 yards per catch that season and was only able to start 10 games. OH, and then last season in Jacksonville, he bumped his YPC up a whole yard and couldn’t even make it past October before ending up on the shelf…again. (By the way, he was also supposed to be a HUGE signing for the Jags last offseason, too. And…yeah.)

Look, I know I’m coming pretty hard at the guy here, and I’m not saying he’s entirely devoid of skill. He’s shown flashes, and maybe it really has been an unfortunate slate of injuries that has stunted his growth so far. Maybe playing with Tom Brady instead of guys like Josh McCown, a young Jameis Winston, Ryan Fitzpatrick, and Blake Bortles will help a bit, too. And with the dearth of talent at the position currently on the roster, I’m not upset at taking a flyer on him. Sure. Why not?

But for now, color me “slightly intrigued.” That’s it. This team still needs some serious help at tight end. ASJ is not the answer to replace Gronk. Sorry. He’s just not.

BREAKING: Patriots Bringing Back Stephen Gostkowski on Two Year Deal

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A mere couple hours after rumors began swirling that the 49ers were allegedly interested in signing the 35-year-old – who has been on the market a tad longer this offseason than initially expected – the Patriots beat them to the punch and re-signed their longtime kicker to a two-year deal this afternoon:

I really am surprised that it took this long, and at some point last week I honestly started to believe that maybe Gostkowski would be playing elsewhere in 2019 after 13 seasons and three Super Bowl victories with the Patriots.

Look, I know I’ve been a bit critical of Gostkowski in the past, especially coming off of what was one of his more down seasons in recent memory. He’s also missed some pretty big kicks in his career – including the 2015 AFC Championship and in three straight Super Bowls – and he doesn’t always seem to have the ice needed in his veins in the biggest moments.

But, to be fair, the dude is still one of the league’s best, and I am really happy with the move. Even saying he’s coming off a “down” year is a bit unfair, as he still hit over 84 percent of his attempts last season and has hit at least 91 percent of them in four of his last six seasons. Especially given how horrendous the state of kicking is nowadays, you’d be hard-pressed to find more guys than you can count on one hand who can still match up with Gostkowski. He also did hit two pretty big kicks in this past Super Bowl, which ended up being won by a mere 10 points.

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Terms of the deal itself have still yet to be disclosed, but it’s obviously not going to be a huge hit in the pocket for the team. Regardless, in an offseason which saw a lot of familiar faces depart – players and coaches alike – this is a very welcomed signing.

Welcome back, No. 3.

Reassessing the Patriots Biggest Needs Three Weeks Into the Offseason

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In just three weeks since the offseason and new NFL league year began, the Patriots have already lost each of the following from last year’s squad:

  • Their starting left tackle (Trent Brown)
  • Their top defensive lineman (Trey Flowers)
  • Their starting tight end (Rob Gronkowski)
  • Their top kick returner (Cordarrelle Patterson)

OH, and they could potentially lose their kicker, too, as Stephen Gostkowski still remains a free agent.

Now, it might be a bit misleading to say they “lost” each of these players; many presumed that guys like Brown and Flowers would be too pricey for the Pats to keep, and the team was likely preparing to move on from them anyway. However, the news of Gronk’s retirement certainly wasn’t ideal, and we know the team already swung and missed on multiple free agents or guys on the trade block so far as well (e.g. Antonio Brown, Adam Humphries, Cole Beasley, etc.).

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MAN, this dude would’ve looked good rockin’ the Flying Elvis.

Look, I’ve been a die-hard Pats fan for almost two decades now, and Bill always finds a way to build a competitive roster, no matter what. But this offseason saw the team take some pretty big hits, and besides Julian Edelman and a solid running game, the team’s offense is pretty barren.

The thing is, after Gronk’s retirement and a few contract restructurings, the team now has about $23 million available in cap space after having just pennies a few weeks ago. (Which, like, WTF??!!! We couldn’t have figured all this out BEFORE free agency began, guys??!! SERIOUSLY??!!) At this point, I bet they’re saving up the dough for all the extra draft picks they’ll have this year or future re-signings, as there really isn’t anything noteworthy left on the market. (Maybe we could go after Michael Crabtree or Ndamukong Suh?? Ehhhh.)

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Love ya, bud, but you couldn’t have said something in February???

While it’s always a futile effort to try and predict anything Belichick will ultimately do, here is at least a quick ranking of the team’s biggest remaining needs this offseason:

1.  Tight End

OK. This one seems almost too easy. After losing arguably the greatest tight end to ever play the game, it should be pretty obvious that attempting to replace him would be at the top of the team’s priority list. Some, though, might say that trying to find a replacement for Gronk perhaps shouldn’t be the main focus; he’s a generational talent, and rarely has a team ever had someone so dominant and game-changing at the position. Rather than trying to replicate what they had with him, maybe they should focus on improving other areas of the offense, as they’ll never again find another Robert James Gronkowski.

Sure. I get that. But the team’s current options at the position are pretty bleak. At the moment, the team has Jacob Hollister, Stephen Anderson, Matt LaCosse, and something named Ryan Izzo (?) as its only tight ends on the roster. While Hollister has shown flashes of talent when given the chance, he can’t seem to shake the injury bug and has really only proven his worth in preseason action. Anderson is a decent piece with some potential; I liked some of what I saw from him during his time with the Texans. (No really, though. I think I’ve even started him in fantasy once or twice.) And apparently the team likes LaCosse, as they made a point to sign him as a free agent this offseason. (I literally know ZILCH about Izzo. Moving on…)

Again, while they’ll never find another Gronk, the position has always been a huge part of the team’s offense. Not only have over 20 percent of the team’s total targets gone to guys playing tight end over the past five seasons, but the running game has also relied upon some great blocking from the position, too. For as much as people think of Gronk as a receiver, he was also one the game’s elite blockers, regardless of position. The team also cut Dwayne Allen this offseason, who was another great guy to have up front. Especially with the investment the team has made in the future of its rushing attack, in addition to the lackluster receiving group, something else really needs to be added here this offseason.

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Iowa’s Noah Fant is an almost too perfect fit for the team and would be a steal at the end of the first round…if he makes it to that point. (OH, and look he even wears Gronk’s number. Hmmm…)

2.  Wide Receiver

WOW, MATTES! Way to go out on a limb. 

I know, I know. Even the most casual Patriots fan knows the team needs some serious help at receiver. But it still doesn’t change the fact it’s one of their top needs, SO BACK OFF.

Anyway, while Edelman is still playing at the top of his game, the only other somewhat reliable receiver the team has right now is Phillip Dorsett. Josh Gordon is still under contract, and he was terrific during his time on the field last season. But, while he could potentially play for the team in 2019, who the hell really knows what’s going to end up happening with that guy? The team also recently signed journeyman Bruce Ellington as well as a guy with some sneaky potential in Maurice Harris. But, in reality, Edelman and Dorsett are the team’s top receivers for 2019 so far. Yikes.

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Looks like Jules is going to have to be THE man again in 2019.

Fortunately, there is a lot of talent at wide receiver (and tight end) in this year’s draft, so the team could choose to pounce on someone in the early rounds. But, Belichick’s never really been too successful going that route, and I’d still like to see them bring in another veteran guy on a cheap flyer (again, Crabtree??) or via trade. Brady is in desperate need of some more weapons.

3.  Linebacker

Here is a position that is being overlooked by Patriots fans this offseason. I don’t think people realize how weak the team was at times over the middle of the defense in 2018. And, to be honest, if we didn’t have such a stellar secondary to clean up the mistakes of those in front of them, it could’ve been worse.

While some might think I get on Kyle Van Noy too much, I want everyone to know that I do realize his value as a pass-rusher/edge defender. He stepped up big time, especially in the playoffs, and he is a key piece on D. I’m not denying that. However, neither he nor Dont’a Hightower (who continues to look older and older with each passing snap) could cover a blind paraplegic stuck in molasses if their life depended on it. Not only did the team give up the ninth-most receiving yards to the running back position last season, but in the playoffs both of these guys also allowed almost SEVENTY PERCENT of the targets thrown their way to be completed. WOOF.

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Van Noy giveth, and Van Noy taketh away.

And there’s also the fact that Van Noy and Hightower are literally the only two linebackers who played significant snaps last season. Elandon Roberts has been all but forgotten. And while I am intrigued by second-year man Ja’Whuan Bentley – who showed a lot of promise before losing most of last season due to injury – we still need another guy, specifically one with some speed. Regardless of how you feel about anyone in the team’s current linebacking corps, there’s no doubt that the depth here is super thin.

(BOLD PREDICTION: Jamie Collins, an above-average coverage guy and former Belichick special project, ends up coming back to Foxborough on a cheap deal.)

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Round 2, anyone???

4.  Offensive Tackle

Again, here’s what seems like another pretty obvious choice, but I’m not highlighting the position solely due to the loss of Trent Brown. After all, the team did spend a first-round pick on a guy last year, Isaiah Wynn, whom is expected to take over and slide right into the left tackle spot this season. And they still have a steady-but-declining Marcus Cannon on the right side as well. Pretty much, the starters are set.

But behind that, there’s really not much. After losing swing tackle Cameron Fleming to Dallas in free agency before last season, the Pats then lost LaAdrian Waddle as a free agent to Buffalo this offseason. Waddle, while not a stud by any means, is a guy who played in 30 games (starting seven of them) for the team since 2016, filling in at both tackle spots whenever needed. (He wasn’t spectacular, but he was a solid, reliable guy who knew the system nonetheless.) So, in reality, the team is down two of its top four tackles from last season.

They did just go out and sign some guy named Cedrick Lang this week – who was drafted in 2016 and has yet to see an NFL snap – and there’s some who really believe in third-year man Cole Croston. Still, though, I’d like to see another solid tackle added within the first couple rounds this April, especially in a draft that is so deep at the position.

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I don’t know anything about this Lang guy. But I guess a 26-year-old, 6’7″, 300-pounder is never a bad thing to have.

To me, these are the areas in which the team could see the biggest issues in 2019 if not addressed right away. While a lot of people may also bring up positions like the defensive line or quarterback, I feel as though the team already has enough at both of these spots to get them by for now. (The draft is also LOADED at pass-rusher, so we can feel pretty safe assuming we’ll get at least one or two of ’em.)

What do you think, Pats Nation? Do you agree with my rankings? Is there another position I overlooked entirely? Be sure to let us know in the comments!

Jerod Mayo Coming Back to New England as Patriots Linebackers Coach

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I love everything about this.

On Tuesday, former Patriots stud linebacker Jerod Mayo announced, via Instagram, that he would be joining Bill Belichick’s defensive staff, serving as linebackers coach under new defensive coordinator Greg Schiano.

This one kind of came out of nowhere. I hadn’t heard any rumors connecting the former All-Pro to the Pats before this, but to be honest it almost makes too much sense. Mayo was the consummate pro during his eight seasons with the team. Not only did he serve as one of the league’s better defenders – for at least the first half of his career before injuries took a toll – but he was also just a selfless, brilliant leader, both on the field and off.

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After being selected with the 10th overall pick in the 2008 NFL draft, Mayo burst onto the scene as one of the league’s top all-around linebackers, averaging over 130 tackles per year through his first five seasons. In fact, he was absolutely incredible in 2010, when he registered 175 total tackles (with two sacks and three fumble recoveries to boot), earning First-Team All-Pro honors. And though the team lost the only Super Bowl he was able to play in (2011), he still was one of the main reasons they were even there in the first place. Mayo was finally able to get his ring in 2014, after the team beat the Seahawks, even though he could not play in the actual Super Bowl due to the fact he was on I.R. at the time.

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He really was one of the game’s best for a couple years.

Sadly, such injuries began to really take their toll in the latter half of his career, and he was only able to play in 28 out of a total 51 games over his last three campaigns. He ultimately decided to retire after the 2015 season, at only 29 years old.

So while he may not have had the longest career in the world, there are very few players who have garnered more respect and adoration during their time in a Patriots uniform than Mayo. Everyone from former players to sportswriters to Belichick himself have shown no reservation in their praise for him and the type of person he was during his time in Foxborough. There’s no doubt that he’ll be an asset to this staff.

Especially during an offseason where we’ve seen such turnover, in terms of both players and coaches alike, this is a very refreshing piece of news. (And who knows? Maybe he can actually teach our linebackers how to cover someone!)

Congrats, Jerod! Welcome back!

Hey Guys, Josh Gordon Isn’t Done Quite Yet

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Hopefully your eyes didn’t roll too far back into your head after reading the headline.

But seriously, while many in Pats Nation are ready to write off the oft-troubled 27-year-old after his de-railed comeback attempt with the Patriots last season, both the team and the wide receiver himself are not ready to do so.

First, we received this little nugget from one of the NFL’s leading talking heads, Ian Rapoport, back on Super Bowl Sunday:

Then, last week, the Patriots decided to tender Josh Gordon, a restricted free agent, at a second-round level. Basically, this means the team will be able to retain his rights, and anyone that tries to sign him away this offseason would need to give the Pats a second-round pick. (I promise you that nobody is going to do that, so he will be back in New England if he plays next season.)

And finally, we were treated to a couple of Instagram posts from his trainer this past weekend in an effort to let the people know his client isn’t ready to hang ’em up just yet. (Check the clips out here and here.)

OK, he looks great and all, but my fear with him was never about whether or not he could still get it done as a player. By all accounts, he was fantastic for the team in his brief time on the field last season; in 11 games with the Pats in 2018, Gordon caught 40 of his 70 total targets for 720 yards with four TDs. For the season, he finished with an average of 17.98 yards per grab; over his past six games with the Pats, he averaged an even more impressive 19.5 YPC.

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Point of the story: the guy can obviously still ball.

It’s all that “other stuff” that we need to be concerned about, as the guy just can’t seem to shake all of those off-field demons. Furthermore, we still don’t even know exactly when the NFL will allow Gordon to return to action. As mentioned in the Rapoport tweet above, he “may” be back by training camp, but there has been nothing concrete reported pertaining to when Flash might be able to play again. It’s anybody’s guess at this point.

But as Lloyd Christmas once famously said:

Here’s to hoping the young fella finally pulls it together, once and for all, and gives the Pats a weapon they so desperately need in 2019.

Keep those fingers crossed, Pats Nation.

BREAKING: Patriots Cutting Adrian Clayborn After Just One Season

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Ya boy is on fire right now! ONE day after I suggested that cutting Adrian Clayborn would help the Patriots fix their messy financial situation, lo and behold, the 30-year-old free-agent bust is on his way out the door.

Apparently, Clayborn “asked” for his release and is “ready for the next chapter,” per a tweet he posted just 20 minutes ago:

While I am not trying to tear the guy down – again, he was solid during stretches in 2018 – it’s just a bit frustrating that the team waited until now to cut him loose. That extra $4 million could have gone a long way toward bringing in a guy like Adam Humphries or Golden Tate, both of whom we chased and apparently lost out on over some minor change.

With most of the big-name free agents off the board, and after the flurry of under-the-radar signings the team announced yesterday afternoon (which included two wide receivers), we are unlikely to see the team focus much more on the open market. Sure, guys like Randall Cobb, Michael Crabtree, Mike Wallace, and a few others are still without a team, but I think that ship has sailed.

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Don’t get your hopes up that this guy is still coming to Foxborough.

Hopefully, the money freed up by the Clayborn move can open up some space to sign Jules or Brady to an extension. Or maybe it’ll just give them some more capital to sign what is likely to be a big rookie class in 2019.

Either way, it was a good move for the team.

Checking in on the Patriots Mess of a Salary Cap Situation

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Some fans in Pats Nation are a bit salted that, to this point, the team has still yet to make any significant moves so far in free agency. To be fair, it hasn’t even been 24 hours since free-agent signings and new trades became official. The Pats were also able to resign one of their own top free agents in Jason McCourty as well as receiver Phillip Dorsett. Also, the news of Michael Bennett’s acquisition – which is by no means insignificant – broke almost a week ago.

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I am pretty stoked that at least J-Mac’s been officially locked up once again.

Still, the team has also lost it’s starting left tackle (Trent Brown) and defensive keystone (Trey Flowers) over the past few days along with some wide receiver depth. While Bennett can serve as a more than serviceable replacement for Trey Flowers, what about everything else?

Again, folks, it is still SUPER early in the offseason. Plus, there’s that whole draft thing that happens every April, too. Ya know, the one during which the Pats will have six picks within the top-101 selections? That’s likely where many needs are going to be addressed.

But with how much talent there is in this year’s free-agent class, especially at wide receiver, I’ll admit that maybe it is a little disappointing we’ve received nothing but radio silence from Foxborough, besides the McCourty news and a few other minor re-signings. The team also brought in long-time special-teams standout/emergency running back Brandon Bolden after his one-year stint in Miami. Other than that, though, absolutely nada.

(UPDATE: The Patriots signed journeyman wide receiver Bruce Ellington to a one-year deal on Thursday afternoon. But, honestly, who the hell cares? In my book, it’s still “nada.”)

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One of Belichick’s all-time faves, Bolden, is back.

Perhaps it isn’t entirely by choice, though. I mentioned the other day that we might not be paying enough attention to some of the team’s current contracts, which could potentially have the front office hamstrung, no matter what they actually might want to do. Right now, Spotrac has the Patriots’ projected cap space at about $9.6 million – but, and this is key to mention, that is without accounting for any of this week’s re-signings, as the terms of those deals have still yet to be announced. As you can see, the team really doesn’t have as many resources as some might like to think they do.

While I highlighted Julian Edelman’s current deal as a speculative problem, here are a few other very real salary concerns that are worth mentioning:

  • Gronk, who has a cap hit over $11 million for this year, has STILL yet to declare whether or not he’s coming back. Truthfully, it’s an incredibly selfish move on his part. That’s over eight figures just sitting there in limbo while some of the best names continue to fly off the market. Ironically, there’s a guy out there, Jared Cook, who the team is reportedly interested in and who could ultimately replace Gronk at tight end. But, until No. 87 decides what he wants to do, it might not matter. (He and the team might actually already know and just aren’t saying anything, but right now he looks bad.)
  • The right side of the offensive line – Shaq Mason and Marcus Cannon – accounts for a combined 7.7 percent of the team’s total salary in terms of cap hit. While I will be the first one to sing the praises of the offensive line from last season, that does seem a bit high when comparing it to the rest of the roster. Especially when you consider that the O-line is more about how all five work together as a unit, and no one player really stood out above the rest, do we really need to be investing this much? Though I think Mason is one of the game’s elite young guards, moving Cannon – and his extensive injury history – would save the team about $4.7 million. (This one is very unlikely to happen due to the team’s almost non-existent lack of depth at the position, but it is an example of player maybe not entirely living up to his big contract.)
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After being ranked as PFF’s top-rated right tackle in 2016, Cannon has fallen back down to Earth quite a bit.

  • Adrian Clayborn was up-and-down in 2018 after signing with the team last offseason as the “big” free-agent addition. He really was a key contributor at times in terms of pressure, but at others he was entirely non-existent. The team might be thin at the position, but he’s just not worth an almost $6 million cap hit. Cutting him would leave $2 million in dead money, but it’s honestly worth it in my opinion. There is so much depth in terms of pass-rushers/edge defenders in this draft. And the team still has young guys like Deatrich Wise and Derek Rivers, both of whom I expect to take big leaps in 2019 if they can finally each get healthy. We truly don’t need Clayborn at that price.
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Relative to expectations, Clayborn was a bit of a dud.

  • Devin McCourty is set to make over $13 million in 2019 and is in the last year of his deal. I know he allegedly toyed with the idea of retirement recently, but perhaps a nice little extension would show him that the team truly values his presence and knows how important it is to keep him around. His brother is also signed to be here at least through the next two seasons. Plus, it would allow the team to spread out the money a bit more and free up some much-needed space in the short term.
  • Literally the same exact thing can be done with Tom Brady, who is also set to become a free agent next offseason, and his $27 million cap hit.

There are others as well who could be extended, cut, traded, etc., etc., etc. But to me, these are the ones that stand out the most.

As I said, there’s still a lot of time left in the offseason, but the clock is ticking in terms of bringing in truly premier talent. Earlier today, the Golden Tate rumors started up again, and with the pretty cold market he’s been met with so far, the team could get him at a real discount. But the guy is only going to wait so long, and he is honestly about as perfect a fit as it gets for this team and its system. I would hate to see him sign for $7 or $8 million per with another team, because that would be absolute highway robbery for a player that good.

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Please, Bill, make this happen somehow!!!

(ANOTHER UPDATE: Aaaand now Tate’s gone after signing for $9 million per year over four years with the Giants. COOL.)

Maybe they have a few things lined up behind closed doors and we’ll soon be hit with a flurry of successive contract-related news. Or maybe the team’s brass is sitting in a big conference room and scratching their heads. I’ve never had anything but good reason to trust in this team and it’s roster-building mastery, but all I’m saying is they’ve definitely got their hands full this year.

BREAKING: Patriots Resign Super Bowl Hero Jason McCourty

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Besides a few under-the-radar moves (re-signing John Simon; tendering Jonathan Jones and Josh Gordon; signing Brandon Bolden), the Pats have been silent through the first 2.5 days of the NFL free-agent “tampering period.” Again, even though trades and signings cannot become official until 4 p.m. today, we already know where most of the big names are going.

At the same time, the Pats also watched their starting left tackle and best defender from last season walk out the door. But fortunately, Jason McCourty will not be following behind them. Today, the Pats resigned the cornerback to a two-year deal:

McCourty was unbelievable for the Pats last year. After being acquired for peanuts from the Browns after a “down” season in 2017, Belichick reunited J-Mac with his twin brother Devin, and the two were an absolute force in the team’s secondary last year. Jason not only played in every single game, but he also ended up finishing as Pro Football Focus’s 11th-ranked cover corner out of 123 eligible players. He truly was elite.

And, for maybe the 200th time, I’m going to mention how Jason made the most important play of Super Bowl 53. Had Cooks caught that ball, that would’ve changed the whole momentum of the game heading into the fourth quarter, and Brady might still only have five rings. McCourty is seriously not getting enough credit for what he did. The effort and determination he displayed in order to get to Cooks’s spot in the end zone before he caught the ball was remarkable, and it was indicative of the type of play he displayed all year long.

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This really might’ve been one of the most important plays in team history.

Along with First-Team All-Pro Stephon Gilmore, rookie standout J.C. Jackson, and the team’s crop of other young talents at the position, McCourty helps give the Pats what should once again be one of the league’s very best defensive backfields heading into 2019.