Tag: Patriots Wide Receivers

Top Storylines to Know Through Week 1 of Patriots Training Camp 2019

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It’s officially been one week since the Patriots’ first training camp practice of 2019. That also means we’re now officially only one week away from the team’s first preseason game! (And for those who need something in the meantime, the Broncos and Falcons are set to square off tonight in the annual Hall of Fame Game! Yes. As in this very evening. Esta noche. TONIGHT! Football is officially back, my friends.)

With so many practices and so many different players fighting for one of only 53 spots, it’s been tough to keep up with the flurry of news and notes that have been coming out of Foxborough over the past seven days. Last week, we gave you a quick rundown of the team’s top storylines and under-the-radar players I’m keeping an eye on. Now, I’m back to help you sift through all the noise ever since and help you focus on what’s really mattered so far.

Isaiah Wynn Still Limited & The Possibility of Trent Williams

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Even though he was not placed on the PUP list, Isaiah Wynn still hasn’t gone full bore at camp as of yet. Though he’s been on the field and seen time with the starters, the team has given him extended breaks. Especially during contact drills, the staff has chosen to instead use guys like Joe Thuney and Dan Skipper in his place at left tackle.

This was to be expected, as players are typically eased gradually back into playing time after suffering such a serious injury. Though it’s been almost a full year since he tore his Achilles, you can never be too careful. Various reports also seem to indicate that the team is not worried about his Week 1 status and that he should be just fine by the start of the regular season.

But does that mean he’s actually ready? Is the team still rolling the dice a bit by throwing all their eggs in Wynn’s basket? Is the lack of depth at such an important position – you know, the one that’s responsible for protecting your 42-year-old QB’s blind side – a serious problem, and should Bill & Co. perhaps look for reinforcements?

The first question is tough for anyone to answer. Nobody has really seen the kid play any meaningful NFL action yet, but he looked good in individual blocking drills in minicamp and put together a pretty impressive college track record, which led to him being selected in the first round of the draft in 2018. I have yet to see any reason to doubt him.

But there’s a guy by the name of Trent Williams – a nine-year veteran who has made the past seven Pro Bowls with Washington – who might be available on the trade block right now. He also just so happens to be one of the very best left tackles in the game. Many out there, including The Athletic’s Jeff Howe, have indicated the Pats could be very interested in the 30-year-old’s services:

Off the top, it’s pretty obvious why the Pats would be interested, and Williams has elite-level talent. There’s no question about that. But would the juice be worth the squeeze? First and foremost, the team would need to move some salary around, as Williams carries cap hits north of $14 million in each of the next two seasons. Secondly, there’s still the whole Brady contract drama to sort out (more on that in a minute). And thirdly, what if Wynn really is as good as advertised and we spend all that money and effort for a not-entirely-necessary luxury?

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Williams is a freakin’ beast, though. Can’t deny that.

This one will be interesting to watch play out, as there’s no doubt that Williams and Washington seem pretty dead set on parting ways. And while I’d still lean more toward Wynn getting the chance to prove his worth and a trade not happening, nobody can say for sure right now exactly whom will be watching Brady’s back come September 8.

Obligatory Tom Brady Extension Talks

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Here we go again…

As is the case what seems like every summer, Brady is approaching the last year of his contract, and the team has yet to sign him to a new extension. Throughout his career, Brady and the Pats have typically  chosen to go the short-term, flexible contract route as opposed to signing a more restrictive long-term pact. There are pros and cons to both approaches, but there’s no doubt that Brady has always been willing to sacrifice a lot in terms of dollars – he is only the 18th-highest paid QB in the NFL – without any complaints.

Yes, he has a ton of endorsements. Yes, his wife is one of the richest women in history. And yes, he’s doing just fine. But still, the Pats are getting an absolute steal with this contract. It’s almost unfair.

But again, we’ve been here before. Don’t let the media and all the Chicken Little articles about what would happen if he didn’t re-sign scare you. Brady himself didn’t even seem that worried about it yesterday. Everything is going to be fine. Relax.

Moving on…

The Receiver Battle Rages On for Now

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At this point in time, here are the Patriots wide receivers I’m absolutely 100-percent, unquestionably, indubitably certain will make the roster: Julian Edelman, N’Keal Harry, and Phillip Dorsett. (Technically, you can put Josh Gordon in there, too, but it doesn’t seem like he’s anywhere close to playing anytime soon, and he will likely be left off of the initial opening-day roster.)

So that’s three guys who are locked in and about four others – Braxton Berrios, Dontrelle Inman, Maurice Harris, and Jakobi Meyers – competing for the final two, maybe three, spots at the position. (Very rarely does the team carry more than five at the position – which does not even count special teams captain Matthew Slater, who is also technically a receiver – so I would safely bet that there are only two slots remaining open.)

I’ve already thrown my hat in the ring for Dontrelle Inman, on multiple occasions (including last week’s piece), but already it seems like his chances are dwindling more and more by the day. One reason is due to the fact that he missed both Sunday’s and Monday’s sessions for undisclosed reasons, and even one missed practice can set a player back significantly in such a fierce competition.

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My boy’s still got the talent, but he better pick it up real quick.

The other reason is simply the fact that reporters have been heaping praise onto the play of Maurice Harris so far, and Jakobi Meyers has apparently made waves over the past couple of days as well. Just Google the name “Maurice Harris,” and you’ll be flooded with a ton of headlines with every type of positive buzzword and adjective imaginable. I’ve mentioned earlier this offseason that he could be a very sneaky breakout candidate, and apparently he’s been an absolute standout in camp so far. I’m about ready to give him “roster lock” status as well.

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From everything I’ve read so far, this kid is apparently the second coming of Jerry Rice.

Meyers is undrafted rookie who had 92 catches in his lone season at North Carolina State last season. NESN’s Doug Khyed pointed out how he received “extensive first-team work” at Thursday morning’s practice session after a great week, and Mike Giardi went so far as to say he’s been the best rookie out there so far, even outperforming Harry:

Berrios, the media darling and projected favorite heading into this offseason, has struggled mightily. While there’s no question about his hands, he’s struggled with physicality and getting separation from those covering him. Though nobody’s ready to DQ him from the fight, it seems like he’s already behind the 8-ball.

Look, it’s been just one week of practice, and the preseason games have even yet to begin. Again, this thing ain’t over just yet… but it actually may be a lot closer to the end than we initially thought. Stay tuned.

Sony Seems OK

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On Wednesday, Sony Michel took part in 11-on-11 drills for the first time, and all seemed to go well. Yes, the team still seems to be taking a conservative approach with him overall, but by all accounts so far it still seems like this is still Sony’s backfield to lose.

I know a lot of people are ready to bestow a big role on rookie Damien Harris already, who looked fantastic in minicamp and has some seriously underrated talent. However, let’s also not forget that it’s hard to not to look good when nobody else was competing against you at the time, and there’s also the fact that Michel is still really good, too.

At this point, I’m expecting more of a 70/30 (maaaybe 65/35 split) between Michel and Harris this season, with some James White and Rex Burkhead (if he even makes the team) sprinkled in along the way. There’s no reason to push Michel back into a lot of intensive work at this point, and I’m just glad he’s been able to stay on the field so far. Let’s hope he can keep it going.

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I’m not sleeping on Harris, but the dude still needs to earn his stripes.

A few other quick notes:

  • Though everyone was freaking out after he missed the first few days of practice, Michael Bennett has been an absolute monster at camp so far. He’s going to be a  force this year, which should come as a surprise to nobody.
  • Speaking of continuing to dominate, Stephon Gilmore has been untouchable in camp. After earning First-Team All-Pro honors last season, and fresh off being rated as the game’s top corner in this year’s NFL Network Top 100 Players list, the dude has not skipped a beat so far. According to reports, he’s barely allowed anyone to catch a pass, and apparently the team’s quarterbacks have avoided him entirely most of the time. He looks ready to serve as the secondary’s keystone once again this season.
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Don’t even try this dude.

  • Along with Bennett, Mike Pennel was another offseason addition to the defensive line, and he has reportedly led the way for the team’s “dominant” defensive front in camp so far. Overall, it seems like the D is way ahead of the offense at this point, and Pennel is a big reason why. Pennel has been in the league for a few years but really flew under the radar with the Jets. People are going to know his name by the end of this season, though. You can count on that.
  • Jamie Collins has also continued his great play from minicamp. With his presence and the return of Ju’Whuan Bentley to the lineup, there have been rumblings that we could see the team implement a lot more 3-4 looks in 2019, as opposed to always going with four down lineman. With Bentley and Dont’a Hightower, the team has two solid guys to hold down the middle of the field while Collins and Van Noy patrol the outside and rush the passer. Furthermore, the previously mentioned Pennel and Lawrence Guy, who was great last year, could serve as the plugs on the interior up front. Regardless of just how much of his previously elite form he can regain this year, Collins’s presence gives the Pats more defensive versatility than they’ve had in years. The defense could be straight up NASTY in 2019.
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He’s baaaaaaack.

So overall it seems like the defense is way ahead of the other side at this point, and there’s still a lot to be sorted out on offense. But again, folks, it’s only just the beginning. The biggest takeaway so far is that there’s been a lot of good and promising news out of camp so far, with very limited negative notes. So I am hopeful, Pats Nation…. at least so far.

The Pats kick off the preseason slate next Thursday night against old buddy Matt Patricia and the Lions out in Detroit.

Patriots Sign Julian Edelman to Two Year Contract Extension

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ESPN – The New England Patriots have signed star receiver Julian Edelman to a two-year contract extension that includes an $8 million signing bonus and $12 million in guaranteed money, a source told ESPN on Tuesday.

The extension through the 2021 season includes $19 million in “new” money, and gives the 32-year-old Edelman, the MVP of Super Bowl LIII, a chance to finish his career where it started.

The Patriots just locked up their No. 1 wide receiver and local cult hero Julian Edelman with a two year extension, which will kick in next year and secure JE11 through 2021. This is a move the Pats kind of had to do after trying everything from drafting athletic freaks like N’Keal Harry in the 1st round for the first time in Belichick’s New England tenure to taking flyers on veterans coming off injuries like Demaryius Thomas. The Pats have been plugging the holes in their receiving core with bubblegum and duct tape so it only made sense to lock up their top receiver.

However, this contract looks to me more like a deal to reward Edelman financially more so than a longterm guarantee. Just look at how its structured: $12 million guaranteed for 2 years with an $8 million signing bonus. Granted I wouldn’t expect the Pats to cut Edelman with a year left on his deal if he’s healthy and productive, a cap hit of just $4M gives them the flexibility to do so while also rewarding their best receiver of the past decade with a nice raise.

Edelman has been on an absolute steal of a contract and was due to make just $2 Million in base salary this year with incentives that could bump that up another few hundred grand. So its well deserved. Normally handing out extensions to 32-year-old receivers with ACL surgeries on their resume isn’t the best business plan, but Edelman ain’t your average receiver. As you all remember, in the first season back from his ACL surgery Edelman caught 74 balls for 850 yards and 6 touchdowns (in 12 games) and oh ya know also won Super Bowl MVP. The only guy ahead of him in playoff receptions is Jerry Rice. Thats it.

Plus have you *seen* him recently?

Here’s to you bub, you earned it.

Breaking down the Patriots wide receiver depth before the start of OTAs

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Heading into the offseason, most people agreed that wide receiver was a desperate area of need for the Pats. Actually, it was probably THE biggest are of need before the retirement of Rob Gronkowski.

Up until the weekend of the draft, however, it looked like the team was barely willing to do anything to improve its laughable depth at the position, and it really looked like Brady would be throwing to Julian Edelman and a bunch of trash cans in 2019. While the team supposedly went hard after Adam Humphries in free agency – before he ultimately signed with the Titans – I’ll admit that I was pretty heated that through March and most of April nobody of value had been brought in.

Well, I mean there was the signing of Bruce Ellington, a 27-year-old journeyman with a measly 79 career catches in 44 games who is missing a third of his left hamstring! (No, but really, he is.) And I place emphasis on the word “was,” because the guy was just cut on Thursday before even getting to sniff the field in a Pats uniform. So there goes that.

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Yeah, I know, man. That’s a tough break.

The team also signed former Washington wide out, Maurice Harris, who actually might have some sneaky potential and is only 26. And they took a flyer on a likely completely cooked Demaryius Thomas.

But besides that, the team did nothing until draft weekend, when they used their first-round pick on former Arizona State stud receiver N’Keal Harry. (A move that The 300s faithful already know I wholeheartedly endorse.) And then on May 10, they made a sneaky good signing by inking Dontrelle Inman. More on him in a second.

There’s also the whole Josh Gordon saga that continues to drag on. Will he play this season? Will he fall back into his old ways? Find out on the next episode of As the Flash Turns…

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With so many new faces and questions remaining, it’s tough to keep track of exactly who will be serving as Brady’s top targets next season. And while there’s still an entire offseason and plenty of time for things to change and be fleshed out, here’s a quick look at the team’s current stock at the position along with a prediction of what the pecking order will look like heading into September.

Julian Edelman

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Old Faithful will be returning for his 10th season in a Pats uniform this year, and you can lock him in for another 150-plus targets, 90-plus catches, and at least five or so touchdowns as Brady’s No. 1 guy. Everyone knows that Jules is the engine that truly keeps the team’s offense moving, and his MVP performance in last year’s Super Bowl was one for the ages. Were it not for him (and Gronk) the team would have barely been able to move the ball in that game at all, and there is nobody who Brady has ever trusted more in his career, besides maybe Wes Welker.

Say what you want about him being 32 years old and “injury prone.” But were it not for last year’s suspension he likely would have played in 16 games for the second straight season. Also, besides 2015, Edelman had also played in at least 14 games in each of the two previous seasons before that. The point is, the whole durability issue with him is completely overplayed, and he’s shown literally zero signs of slowing down any time soon. Jules is the unquestioned leader of this group and all-time Patriots legend. Thank GAHD we still have him.

N’Keal Harry

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It is super impressive to see a rookie already being viewed as Brady’s No. 2 option at wide receiver, but that’s pretty much how it looks right now. Of course, it’s hard to predict how any newcomer will adapt to the pro level, but considering Harry was one of the most consistent and productive college wide receivers in recent memory, it’s not out of the realm of possibility.

On the night he was drafted, I already wrote a quick breakdown of the type of player Harry is and what he could provide for the receiving corps. The way he uses his body to win against opposing defenders and his strong after-the-catch ability can help to provide some of the physicality missing in the absence of Gronk. (Again, “some.” Nobody is EVER replacing Gronk. I want to make sure I say that loudly enough so people in the back can hear it.)

I’ll stop there, because I don’t want project too much about a guy who hasn’t played even one NFL down yet. But I’m definitely excited about this kid.

Dontrelle Inman

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Now, some people might assume that Phillip Dorsett is automatically slated to be a top-three receiver on this team due to his familiarity with the system and the flashes he showed at times last year. But, to be honest, I think Inman will rocket up the depth chart in camp and could actually even be the No. 2 receiver by season’s end; I think this dude is being slept on big time, and I’m surprised the Pats were able to get him this late into the offseason. (I know Joey B agrees with me, too. He actually made a very astute comparison to the signing of Brandon LaFell a few years ago, and I could totally see Inman having that same type of impact.)

Inman is another big-bodied guy (6’3″, 205 pounds) who has bounced around a few teams the past couple of seasons (Chargers, Bears, Colts), and I’m not really sure why. In 2016, he put up 810 yards on 58 catches while playing with Philip Rivers. The Chargers even placed a second-round tender on him the following offseason when he was set to become a restricted free agent. And in just four starts with the Colts last year (nine games played overall), he hauled in three touchdowns with 28 catches on only 39 targets.

Again, I have no idea why he’s shuffled around the NFL as much as he has in recent years, but this is actually a really good signing. Inman could honestly surprise a lot of people this year playing with the G.O.A.T.

Phillip Dorsett

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After a disappointing first go-round with the team in 2017 after coming over in a trade from Indy, Dorsett actually took a huge leap in 2018. Not only did he almost triple his amount of receptions from the previous season (from 12 to 32), but when Brady went to him last season, it was pretty much successful every time. For such a small, “speed” guy, it’s really impressive to see that he had a 76 percent catch rate; in fact, from Week 5 onward Brady and Dorsett had a 100 percent throw-and-catch rate, meaning that Dorsett caught every single ball Brady threw his way over the final three-quarters of the season.

OK, sure, that may have only been on just 16 total targets, and there were seven games last year where Dorsett was not even targeted once. But there’s no doubt that he’s earned the trust of Brady and McDaniels, and he’s a more than solid No. 3/4 option in the passing game with game-breaking jets. And let’s not forget that this guy was once a first-round draft pick, too. I’m really glad he ended up re-signing with the team this offseason.

And now here’s where it gets a little tougher to sort out. For starters, rarely do the Pats rely much upon more than three or four wide outs every season; especially with the involvement of the tight ends and James White (the team’s leading pass-catcher in 2018), the team doesn’t really need much behind the four receivers I’ve already hit on above. But there are still two former Pro Bowlers and some other young talent on the current roster who could rise to the opportunity and secure a role at some point this year. Here’s a quick look at a few of those guys.

Josh Gordon: Where to begin? By now, I think everybody is pretty well-versed on the 28-year-old’s trials and tribulations throughout his career, but there’s no doubt he showed the ability to still be one of the game’s elite wide-outs in the 11 games he played for the Pats last year. Many might be surprised to see he put up 40 catches and over 700 yards for the team last year before once again succumbing to previous transgressions which forced him to miss the final two months of the year. But like I said in March, he might not be done just yet and did officially re-sign with the team this offseason. And if he does finally get himself back on track? Holy hell. Watch out, NFL.

Demaryius Thomas: Another one of the game’s former elites, the Pats took a flyer on Thomas this offseason in hopes he can regain some of his previous form which saw him average 96 catches, 1,303 yards, and 8.5 touchdowns per season from 2012-2017 out in Denver. (Yeah, this dude used to be STUPID good.) Age and injuries have derailed him in recent years, but much like Gordon he could end up being just another entirely unfair piece for the Pats offense if all goes well. Or he could be cut by the end of training camp… To be honest, at this point I’m not expecting too much from him at all. Fingers crossed, though, because Thomas was once an absolute monster.

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Come on, D.T.! I know you still got it in ya.

Maurice Harris: The fourth-year player out of Cal spent his first three seasons down in Washington. After having just 12 career grabs over his first two seasons, he stepped it up with 28 last year. So far, he certainly hasn’t done anything to write home about overall, but he did hang 10 catches and 124 yards on the Falcons in Week 6 last season before being forced to play with the likes of Mark Sanchez and Josh Johnson. Maybe TFB can get the best out of this kid. We’ll see.

Braxton Berrios: Here’s a guy who the casual Pats fan probably hasn’t heard of yet, but his tires have been quietly being pumped by coaches and other industry talking heads for the past year. Drafted in the sixth round in 2018, Berrios didn’t set the world on fire during his time in college with Miami, but he did earn Third-Team All-ACC honors in his senior year. A former team captain, valedictorian, and allegedly competitive as hell, he seems like a perfect guy for this locker room. Apparently, he profiles as a Julian Edelman type who excels on underneath routes and quick screens. We haven’t been able to see much from him yet, especially since he was placed on I.R. last September and missed the entire season, but he is definitely a name to keep an eye on this summer.

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Jules Part 2???

The Pats also have Damoun Patterson, Jakobi Meyers, Ryan Davis, and Xavier Ubosi as the other camp bodies at receiver, but I think I probably have just as good of a chance of cracking the roster this year as any of these four.

So, again, while there’s still a lot to be figured out before the games that really matter, at least Belichick & Co. have brought in some semblance of talent at wide receiver that was missing entirely just two months ago. This is going to be one of the best position battles to watch throughout the entire league this summer, and a part of me thinks it could actually be even better than what Brady had to work with last year.

The Pats are scheduled to kick off OTAs on May 20. So be sure to keep checking in with The 300s for all your Pats coverage!

Will the Patriots Draft Bran Stark errr Hunter Renfrow After His Prophetic Vision?

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I loved Renfrow in college. While he might not be a household name, if you’re even somewhat of a college football fan you’ve seen him make huge plays for Clemson in national championship after national championship.

Renfrow gets in and out of his cuts and through traffic in a way Patriots fans have become so accustomed to over the past 12 years with Julian Edelman and Wes Welker. Plus he’s got the scrappy attitude that Bill Belichick loves as a walk on at Clemson who was a 5th year senior that became a team captain. The guy might not have the pure God given talent like other receivers that’ll get drafted before him do, but hey Chad Jackson was a physical specimen and he flamed out pretty quick. Our best receiver was a goddamn quarterback at Kent State so if anyone will take a flyer on him its the Pats. Doesn’t hurt that they currently only have two wide receivers with any real experience on the roster too.

Roll the tape!

Could Julian Edelman’s Contract Be Holding the Patriots Back in Free Agency?

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As it turns out, I was right in predicting that the Pats would try and be players in the wide-receiver market this offseason.

Not only are there unconfirmed rumors that they may have offered a solid package for Antonio Brown, but we also now know for sure that they were aggressively pursuing former Tampa Bay slot stud Adam Humphries on Monday, before he ultimately signed with the Titans:

Humphries ended up signing with Tennessee for four years and $36 million, with $19 million guaranteed. Relatively speaking, that’s a freakin’ steal, and I’m really disappointed that the Pats weren’t willing to go above $9 million per to bring him in.

Disagree? Check this out:

He’s also averaged over 68 catches and 700 yards each of the past two seasons, catching 73 percent of his total targets. He is criminally underrated, and the Pats let him slip away. Plain and simple. (Also, Devin Funchess, who has surpassed 40 catches all of ONCE in four NFL seasons, got $10 million from the Colts yesterday, which can reach $13 [!!!] with incentives. Case in point.)

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Do not sleep on this man.

But is it because they really didn’t believe Humphries was worth that much? I don’t think so. In today’s NFL, you’d have to be a fool to think you’ll be able to bring in that type of talent for much less than eight figures, at minimum. Even Belichick knows that.

However, it’s actually mind-blowing to think about the fact that Julian Edelman – a multi-time Super Bowl Champion and the man who is second on the ALL-TIME postseason receptions list – has a base salary of just $2 million for 2019. WHAT??!! Including bonuses, his total cap hit is $4.5 million. But still, that number is unbelievably low – as in I wouldn’t have believed it had I not seen the proof myself.

Could the team be worried that bringing in a guy who plays the same exact role for MUCH more money would upset Jules? ESPN’s Mike Reiss thinks it potentially could:

Look, this is all pure speculation, and there are many out there who will respond – in typical Patriots toadie fashion – by saying that Edelman is “SUCH A TEAM GUY” and only cares about the old “Patriot way!” He loves it here, Mattes! That’s all that matters to him!

Wake up, people! You really think that he’d be OK making over five times less than a guy who, while playing well over the past two years, hasn’t won anything and is an entirely unknown name to the casual NFL fan? Especially coming off a Super Bowl MVP performance? OH, and let’s not forget that Edelman is 32 years old and knows time is running out to get that paper. Even if we don’t sign another wide receiver this offseason, I doubt Edelman allows the team to get to the regular season without forcing an extension, because this is also the final year of his current contract.

So while everyone, myself included, is focused on now-departed guys like Trent Brown and Trey Flowers or who else the Pats could potentially bring in this offseason, perhaps we’ve forgotten to think about taking care of one of our own. Sure, guys like Golden Tate (*heavy breathing*), Tyrell Williams, Cole Beasley (signed with Buffalo), and Randall Cobb are still out there, but I think we need to take care of Jules first – or at the very least have an immediate plan to do so. And who knows, maybe the team can even work some magic and create more cap room by re-working both his and Brady’s contracts at the same time.

I’m not saying they can’t still get something done with another player before taking care of Edelman; they certainly could. All I’m saying is that they’re certainly not making it any easier on themselves until they figure things out with No. 11. Stay tuned.

Could the Patriots Finally Break the Bank for a Free Agent Wide Receiver?

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This is going to be an interesting offseason for the Patriots. Coming off a Super Bowl victory with an aging roster, the next few months will be crucial to the long-term success of the franchise.

The new NFL league year starts this Monday (March 11), and after the team decided not to use their franchise tag this offseason, we already know that some of the team’s biggest names from their championship squad are set to hit the open market, including:

  • Trey Flowers: Your leading sack artist for the past three seasons and one of the best young edge defenders in the league.
  • Trent Brown: The guy who served as a more than solid blindside protector for your soon-to-be 42-year-old quarterback.
  • Jason McCourty: Your starting slot cornerback who had a career year and may have single-handedly saved the Super Bowl this past February.
  • Stephen Gostkowski: Your starting kicker for the past 13 seasons. He may have had some big misses in his career, but he has also been one of the league’s most consistent legs over the past decade and a half.
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With the current state of kicking in the NFL, Stevie Boy could receive a pretty penny for his services this offseason.

While I do believe the team will re-up with McCourty, it’s looking more and more likely that the other three above are on their way out of Foxborough. This also fails to mention that besides Julian Edelman, the Pats have pretty much no other wide-outs of note under contract for 2019, as all of Cordarrelle Patterson, Chris Hogan, and Phillip Dorsett are unrestricted free agents as well. (Josh Gordon is technically still under the team’s control, but who the hell knows what’s going to happen with him?)

OK then.

Look, we’ve been here before. Anyone who believes that the Pats will be in dire straits next season, even if all of those players walk, obviously hasn’t been watching this team for the past 18 years. Belichick & Co. always find a way to make up for their perceived shortcomings, and their ability to bring in key guys on the cheap or in shrewd ways is unparalleled, uncanny even. Bleacher Report’s Mike Tanier wrote a great piece this week highlighting Belichick’s roster-building mastery over the years.

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Relax, everybody. This ain’t Bill’s first rodeo.

But, again, with Edelman being literally the only non-running back the team knows it will be able to rely upon next season (stiiiiillll no word on Gronk…), maybe it’s time to bring in another big piece to help Brady during his twilight years.

Fortunately, the 2019 free-agent class is ripe with talent at wide receiver, a few of which the Pats have been connected to before. I already highlighted last week that Golden Tate said he would love to don the Pats colors, and Jay Glazer reported this week that the Pats apparently tried to bring in long-time Aaron Rodgers favorite, Randall Cobb, at some point last year. They ultimately ended up bringing in Josh Gordon instead…and we all know how that worked out.

Most would say that the Pats would likely want to target another outside/big-play receiver a la Gordon, and Cobb would fit that mold. Others like Tyrell Williams, John Brown, Demaryius Thomas, Devin Funchess, Dez Bryant, and even Mike Wallace (yes, that Mike Wallace) would be welcomed additions to a team severely lacking in weaponry on the boundary. I wouldn’t hate the team taking a stab on any of those guys. (Except maybe Dez. I just don’t want to deal with all the B.S. that comes along with him.)

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So Cobb could potentially go from playing with one H.O.F. quaterback to playing with an even more legendary signal-caller. Man, tough life.

But truthfully, the slot is where it’s at with this free-agent group, highlighted by the aforementioned Tate. And even though we already have one of the game’s best in Edelman, I’d much rather see the Pats open up the purse to bring in the best players possible as opposed to signing a lesser guy due to “need.” Obviously, Tate is at the top of my wish list, but he’ll likely be a bit too expensive.

But what about someone like Jamison Crowder? A 25-year-old who had 133 catches and over 1,600 yards between 2016-2017 for Washington before being slowed by a tough injury last season. Or maybe Adam Humphries, who had 76 catches on 105 targets last year in an extremely crowded wide receiver group in Tampa Bay. According to various reports, both players are expected to receive around $10 million per year, which honestly isn’t a price that should prohibit the Pats from acquiring Brady some much-needed talent to play with.

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If we can’t have Tate, then I’d say Crowder is probably No. 2 on my list.

Even Cole Beasley, who has basically been a poor man’s Julian Edelman in Dallas for the past few seasons, would be a nice piece. Michael Crabtree, Chris Conley, Dontrelle Inman, and J.J. Nelson are names to keep an eye on as well. The point is, there’s no shortage of receiver help for the Pats to choose from, and signing a guy off the wire would also allow the team to use its abundance of draft capital this year toward beefing up some other important positions.

I know a lot free-agent receiver additions haven’t worked out so well in the past for the Pats (see: Ochocinco, Chad; Decker, Eric; Wayne, Reggie), but those guys were also past their prime and heading toward the end of the line. Getting one of the marquee names available this offseason would be a different move entirely.

So, if we’re going to let Flowers walk, we might as well use that $20 million or so in cap space (which could potentially be even more if Brady restructures his contract) on something. There’s a first time for everything, Bill. Go get us a wide out!

The 300s Preview the Patriots (Part 6): Final Questions, Decisions, and Quick Hits Before Roster Cuts

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The Patriots beat the New York Giants 17-12 in last night’s preseason finale, and that means the preseason is finally over. We are now just over a week away from real, meaningful Patriots football!

It also means that we’re just a day away from final roster cuts, which need to be decided upon by this Saturday. But rather than bog you down with yet another “Patriots 53-Man Final Roster Projection” – seriously, there are already a million and one out there from pretty much every Boston-based sports website or blog – I’m instead going to highlight three of the top remaining questions/issues that need to be resolved either before the end of the weekend or before the team squares off with Houston on September 9.

Who Has the Final Running Back Spot?

(OK, so maybe we’re going to start off with a subject related to the final roster projection. But it’s an important one!)

Even with the news breaking yesterday that Sony Michel is likely to miss the start of the regular season, you know he’s obviously got a spot on the team. You can also lock in Rex Burkhead, James White, and Brandon Bolden. (Some may be surprised to see Bolden as a “lock,” but the fact of the matter is Bill LOVES him and always has. Not only is he a special teams superstar, but you know you can always rely on him to come in and get it done in times of desperation. Entering his seventh year with the team, he’s not going anywhere.)

Four running backs may be enough for some teams, but the Pats usually carry at least five, and they will especially need to carry extra bodies this year with the injury concerns at the position.

At this point, it comes down to two guys: Jeremy Hill and Mike Gillislee, both of whom are similar big-bodied, goal-line-type backs who would likely be expected share most of the ball-carrying duties with Burkhead until Michel is ready to go. Most expected to see the two battle it out in last night’s preseason finale, but, for some reason, neither of them played, which leads me to believe the decision has already been made.

They have both played somewhat well so far this preseason, but Hill has looked slightly better. Not only is he averaging over a yard more per carry, but it also just seems like he’s passed the eyeball test more than Gillislee. And above all, Gillislee lost his grip on the starting job last season before being benched entirely for the rest of the year, and he’s really done nothing to prove he deserves it back.

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Verdict: Hill gets the final spot. (However, I do think Gillislee will catch on with another team in quick fashion.)

Will The Pats Make a Trade for a Receiver?

We here at The 300s, along with pretty much everyone else in the world, have made no secret of the Pats dearth of options at wide receiver.

It’s not for lack of effort on Bill’s part: Jordan Matthews was signed and then released due to injury; Eric Decker was signed and retired because he’s not good at football anymore; Kenny Britt, who was signed toward the end of last season, was cut this week after never overcoming a hamstring injury from June; Malcolm Mitchell was expected to be a key part of the group after an impressive rookie year in 2016 but couldn’t get over previous injuries and was released as well. Guys like Phillip Dorsett and Cordarrelle Patterson have looked solid, and we know Chris Hogan will be the team’s leader at the position this year until Julian Edelman returns. But TB12 still needs some help.

Last Saturday, ESPN Boston’s Mike Reiss floated out a possible trade scenario on his personal Word Press account, wherein the Pats would trade defensive tackle Malcolm Brown and linebacker Elandon Roberts – two players at positions in which the team has at least some depth – in exchange for Golden Tate, who has had four-straight 90-plus-catch seasons out in Detroit. Why? The Lions are currently stacked at wide receiver AND Tate is in the final year of his contract. This is also the time of year where teams try to trade away assets they know they won’t be able to keep long term as they try to make room for others on the upcoming season’s squad. Again, this is just speculation by one sports writer, but sign me up!

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Seriously, Bill, make it happen!

There were also rumblings that Denver could be interested in moving perennial 1,000-yard receiver Demaryius Thomas as well, even though long-time Broncos insider Mike Klis of 9News pretty much shut that idea down yesterday:

“I heard about the speculation of Demaryius Thomas and New England and ran it by some folks. I was told there’s nothing to it.”

Well then.

There are also still some free agents the team could look at, but at this point if they’ve yet to be brought in for a workout I highly doubt the team is interested. (Dez isn’t happening, people! And it’s a good thing!) But unless the Pats really like someone such as Tate or another perfect fit some team may be willing to trade, they’re likely rolling into the season with what they currently have.

Will Team Chemistry Actually Be an Issue This Year?

This one doesn’t have to do with any particular position on the field, but anyone with a pulse can tell that things haven’t been quite so cheery over at Patriot Place since the end of last season – and it’s not because of the team’s heartbreaking loss in the Super Bowl.

Leading up to training camp, most of the chatter surrounding the Pats sounded like it was coming straight from TMZ. From Brady still being upset about his trainer/best buddy Alex Guerrero’s banishment from team activities to Gronk just not “having fun” anymore and how “mean” Bill is, it was all anyone seemed to talk about.

Initially, I disregarded it as nonsense, but oftentimes when there’s smoke there’s fire. It really does seem as though there’s a palpable tension in the air with everyone in Foxborough this season, and we could be seeing the breakup of the Brady Bunch sooner than we think. The team also looked very lackluster in the preseason dress rehearsal against Carolina. Brady has also shown visible signs of frustration throughout the offseason, and all summer it’s been reported by various sources that he does not seem to be as in sync with his team as in years past.

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Tommy Boy doesn’t seem too happy lately.

After my “sky is falling” article about Michel yesterday, a lot of people might think I’m being a bit too negative about the team’s prospects for 2018. I get it. But, look, I’m not saying the Pats are going to fall off a cliff this year; they’re still loaded and likely will be one of the top teams in the entire league, let alone the AFC. There’s a very good chance they could still win the next Lombardi Trophy. But things could get dicey at times this year, and the flawless execution we’re used to seeing from this team may not be as apparent this time around. Only time will tell.

So there you have it: our final Patriots preview piece of the season. Now it’s time for the real deal!

(If you like what you read and want some more, be sure to check out previous editions of “The 300s Previews the Patriots” series here. Also be sure to stay on the lookout for this weekend’s podcast for a more in-depth season preview from myself and Red.)

Eric Decker Announces Retirement. Who is Going to Catch Passes for the Patriots?

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Okay, now I’m officially nervous. Eric Decker announced his retirement last night and posted the following message on Instagram.

All training camp and preseason I’ve been saying don’t worry about the receiver depth and that the Patriots will figure out a way to patch everything together for the first month until Julian Edelman returns. Then Malcolm Mitchell got cut. Then Jordan Matthews got cut. Then Kenny Britt got cut. Then Eric Decker retired.

Shit.

People obviously weren’t as high on Decker as I was, but I viewed him as a proven veteran who could catch the ball, no more no less. He definitely struggled in his short stint with the Patriots though as he was dropping lots of passes.

I still think Decker would have been able to right the ship. Maybe he’s not blowing by guys off the line anymore, but you don’t just lose the ability to catch the ball overnight. And for a guy that had four 80+ catch seasons I would have given him the benefit of the doubt. But maybe the Pats saw the writing on the wall. With all the drops it looked like Decker may have been on the outside looking in on Brady’s circle of trust. Once that happens its hard to get back in.

Former players were saying that Decker was thinking too much as he was trying to digest the Patriots playbook and was thinking more about where he was supposed to be rather than just catching the ball. Well it would seem like Belichick was over it and was going to cut Decker, but gave him the option to “go out on his own terms” and retire instead, which is exactly what Decker did.

Well now the Patriots receiving corps looks like this:

  • Chris Hogan
  • Phillip Dorsett
  • Cordarrelle Patterson
  • Braxton Berrios
  • Devin Lucien
  • Riley McCarron
  • Paul Turner (aka Paul Turner the IT Guy, or “something called Paul Turner” as Big Jim Murray nicknamed him)
  • Matthew Slater

That is not exactly confidence inspiring. And no, bringing in Dez Bryant is not the solution here, but hell if I know what that answer is.

Not all these guys are even a lock to make the roster and Doug Kyed over at NESN thinks the Pats might only keep 4 receivers total, which includes special teams captain Matthew Slater, and just try to stay above water until Edelman returns from suspension.

I can’t say I’m okay with the Pats slotting in Matthew Slater as the No. 4 WR as we’ve all seen what Slater can(not) do as a pure receiver.

The Pats may just lean on the deep RB group that they have, but even half of those guys are dealing with injuries. Rex Burkhead has missed some time with a tear in his knee, although reports have said he’ll be able to play through it. First round pick Sony Michel remains sidelined with his own knee injury too. Suddenly the RB depth isn’t what it appeared to be a few weeks ago.

Belichick and co. seem to like what they have at the TE position with Rob Gronkowski, Dwayne Allen, and Jacob Hollister has made headlines this preseason for his play. So the Madden expert that I am would not be surprised to see a lot of James White screens and 2 and 3TE sets to start the season for the Patriots.

I honestly doubt the Pats bring in anyone from the FA scrap heap at this point in the season. They’re more likely to see who may be available on the trade block as they did last year with Phillip Dorsett. The hot rumor this past week has the Patriots eyeing Denver’s Demaryius Targaryen, er, Thomas. I would be fine with that if the price is right, plus he’s a big dude at 6’3″, but at $8.5M I can’t see Belichick taking that on as is.

We’ll see what the Patriots do, but either way its time to start battening down the hatches as the regular season kicks off Sunday, Sept. 9th at 1 pm.

BREAKING: Patriots Sign WR Eric Decker to 1-Year Deal

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After playing grab ass for the past few months with reported interest from Decker on signing with New England and with the team officially working him out this week, it all came to ahead when Jordan Matthews blew a hammy and the Pats cut him. The Patriots were looking pretty damn barren at receiver with Edelman out for the first month of the season. They would have been relying on Chris Hogan, Philip Dorsett, Cordarrelle Patterson, Kenny Britt, and whoever else winds up actually making the roster. Can’t have that. Can’t pretend its 2006 again and give Brady a bunch of scrubs and expect him to carry the entire team.

So I love the move, I’ve always been a big Eric Decker guy. Only had 1 TD last year, but he caught 54 balls for 563 yards. Not bad with a mobile QB in Marcus Mariota throwing you the ball. Cut out 2016 when he was limited to just 3 games because of injury and Decker had 4 straight years of 74+ catches.

Not to mention Josh McDaniels drafted him in Denver and knows Decker’s strengths inside and out so I would expect him to be a great fit. He’s always been solid, he’s got good hands, he’s handsome AF and his wife is an absolute must follow on twitter.

Jessie James Decker is a true ride or die that you don’t see the likes of these days and I for one am psyched to have the Deckers in my life once again.

I say once again because I have watched multiple, multiple episodes of Eric and Jessie while hungover on the coach and it is an excellent show. I suggest you all catch up so you know what we’re dealing with here.

Plus it would be an added bonus to take a guy the Jets couldn’t get much out of and make him a stud again as the Patriots tend to do.