Tag Archives: NFL

Julian Edelman Will Not Appeal His Suspension

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Julian Edelman Won’t Take Further Action

(AP Photo/Winslow Townson)

Julian Edelman will not take any further action and appeal his four-game suspension. He will be out for the first four games of the season. This is a blow to the Patriots offense to begin the year with the loss of Amendola. Tom Brady will have to rely on other players to step up and make plays. Chris Hogan, Malcolm Mitchell, and Rob Gronkowski will have to be key parts to the offense to begin the year. Julian Edelman was popped for a PED substance following the injury to his torn ACL. Alex Guerrero came to the defense of Edelman and said it had nothing to do with his treatment at TB12.

Julian Edelman Will Be Missed

The schedule for the Patriots in September is against the Houston Texans, Jacksonville Jaguars, Detroit Lions, and Miami Dolphins. Julian Edelman won’t take the same road Tom Brady took during his deflate-gate suspension. Julian Edelman has been working out with Tom Brady privately this offseason in the practice field house. Edelman did attend the OTA’s this offseason in an attempt to start off on the right foot after missing all of last season.

Bill Belichick can’t be happy Edelman will be missing the first four games, but like always, will do what’s best for the football team. With training camp beginning Thursday, we’ll catch the first glimpse of everyone on the practice field behind Gillette Stadium. Everyone is expected to be there and Brady will supposedly be there early as well. Rob Gronkowski will also be there early.

Julian Edelman Will Be Ready To Go In Week Five

Julian Edelman is a loss, but I would have him serve the suspension at the beginning of the season rather than in December. It’s still a mystery what Edelman tested positive for because the NFL won’t release that information. Whatever it was that got him suspended, he’ll be ready to go in week five.

Tom Brady Will Miss Danny Amendola (@steveA1127)

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The Patriots Will Be Missing An Offensive  Weapon

Via Clutch Points

With training camp starting a week from today we’ll get our first look at the Patriots on the practice field. It’s been an interesting offseason and a very quiet month in Foxborough. No Day’s Off turned into taking the last two days of OTA’s off and we’ll see everyone on July 26th.

Tom Brady though could have a difficult time to begin the season. With Julian Edelman out the first four games, Brady will be missing his other weapon, Danny Amendola. Amendola took more money and went to the Miami Dolphins this offseason.

Danny Amendola Will Be Missed

Now it will be up to Chris Hogan and Malcolm Mitchell to take that role. In the AFC Championship game against the Jacksonville Jaguars, Danny Amendola had a great game. If he’s not on the team the Patriots don’t go to the Super Bowl. That is where he got the nickname Danny “Playoff” Amendola. The Patriots will miss Amendola when it matters the most. Last postseason, Amendola led the league in yards per receptions and first downs. That is an amazing stat and one that will come back to haunt the Patriots in the playoffs this year.

Danny Amendola didn’t think the money was right for him, which is why he decided to go to the Miami Dolphins. With Belichick in rebuilding mode and trying to give Josh McDaniels a decent team when he takes over next season, Belichick almost cleaned house this offseason. Malcolm Butler, Dion Lewis, Nate Solder, and Danny Amendola are all gone. Danny Amendola became a household name in New England and won two Super Bowls.

Tom’s Frustration

Tom Brady can’t be happy, which is probably why there is some tension. First Belichick doesn’t play Butler in the Super Bowl, so Brady is forced to win the game on the offensive side of the ball. Secondly, his offensive lineman Nate Solder goes to the New York Giants. Who knows how many times Brady will be sacked now. He loses his running back Dion Lewis. Finally he losses Danny Amendola who was clutch in the playoffs. This may not be a factor but if Edelman is out in a playoff game, everyone in New England will be missing Danny Amendola.

Dr. Robert Leonard’s Celebrity Bartending Event: Sights and Sounds

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Yesterday morning I had the privilege of receiving an invitation to Dr. Robert Leonard’s Celebrity Bartending Event. I immediately cleared my schedule, donned my favorite sport jacket and tie, grabbed a close friend of mine, and shipped up to Boston. After the rush hour traffic, flash flood warnings, and $28 parking garage fee, we arrived in Boston’s Seaport District. Leonard Hair Transplant Associates’ event was held at Del Frisco’s Double Eagle Steakhouse, where a few big names were slated to attend.

The headlining athletes there were former Patriots Wes Welker, Rob Ninkovich, and Sebastian Vollmer, former Celtic Brian Scalabrine, and former Bruin Lyndon Byers. They are all close with Dr. Robert Leonard and have received hair treatments from him personally.

Arrival

We arrived in the Seaport District at around 4:30 PM, just as rush hour traffic in the city was really picking up. We found a convenient parking garage nearby where I could keep my old 2002 Toyota Highlander for a few hours. By judging the other vehicles nearby I could tell that the Seaport District doesn’t mess around.

We made our way across the street to Del Frisco’s, which was extremely upscale and had beautiful dark decor. The event was held by the bar upstairs, which featured a stunning panoramic view of the bay and the city to our left. Even with the rain it was a nice backdrop to have.

As we were standing in line to check in and I was in the middle of realizing how much of a poor college student I am, a familiar face passed by and into the VIP area. It was Wes Welker, who I’ve only seen on TV before. Then Brian Scalabrine followed in suit. Then came Rob Ninkovich and Sebastian Vollmer. Ninkovich turned to me and said “looking good”. Well, he said it to the general vicinity of where I stood, but wouldn’t it be cool if he said it to me?

Let the Festivities Begin 

Backtracking to reality, the setup for the event was very nice. There was a secluded area of the restaurant for the event itself. The celebrities roamed around to make small-talk with a few of the  bartenders as people checked in. Hair specialists, business-people, and fans all gathered together in the same area and began to converse. It seemed like everyone knew just about everyone. A man my friend and I met told us how him and Dr. Leonard are good friends and he and his daughter get together to attend his events often. The fact that so many people knew each other is what made the event so friendly and inviting.

On one side of the room photographers set up a wall where you can have your picture taken with Scal, Welker, Ninkovich, and Vollmer. Obviously my friend and I couldn’t pass that up. I was able to remain professional as I approached them, but it just felt surreal. Scal was the first one to warmly greet me and shake my hand, and Wes was right behind him. Ninkovich and Vollmer were a little timid but were still extremely polite. It was a little ironic to see two towering football players be so quiet. It was also nice to see that I was taller than at least one guy in the picture. To put things into perspective, I’m 6’0″.

They all told me that they liked my palm tree bow tie.

After everyone became settled, servers set up tables of some really great food. There were steak sandwiches, smoked ham, cheese and fruit- anything you’d see from an upscale steakhouse. It was my first taste of the high life in my very young career. Everyone was very nice, and the food was even nicer.

Taking over the Bar

Around 6:00 PM, the celebrities tried to exhibit their best bartending skills. People were joking and conversing with the former Boston athletes as they attempted to make their orders. Brian Scalabrine claimed his own side of the bar and told shouted to everyone in the area that he had them covered. Sebastian Vollmer really got into his role as well, finally coming out of his shell.

https://twitter.com/MikeClementBSE/status/1019646949228711937

https://twitter.com/MikeClementBSE/status/1019647218935123969

“RUM?”- Scal

A huge thank you to Boston Sports Extra and Leonard Hair Transplant Associates for inviting me to this great dinner event. My friend and I had a great time meeting some of the athletes we grew up watching and spending time at such a great restaurant in Boston. This was truly a once in a lifetime experience.

First Ever BSE Podcast (@alykins32)

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Boston Sports Extra has a Podcast!

Get all your Boston sports news. That’s right, get your Red Sox, Celtics, Patriots, Bruins, and Revolutions news and information, now in podcast form.

On this Episode Anthony, Zack, and Justin get in deep about where the Red Sox stand at the break and where they can and should move forward from here. And a bonus! Get into the latest Celtics news and what it means for all the pieces that Danny Ainge and Brad Stevens has available. Get it right here for all your unbiased news of your favorite teams.

 

Download the Episode Here!

Gronkowski Will Be At Training Camp (@steveA1127)

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Training Camp Begins Next Thursday

(Foxborough, MA, 01/13/16) Wide receiver #11, tight end #87 Rob Gronkowski, and quarterback #12 Tom Brady warm up for Patriots practice at Gillette. Wednesday, January 13, 2016. Staff photo by John Wilcox.

Training Camp begins next week and Rob Gronkowski will be reporting on time according to ESPN. First of all, as long as Tom Brady is playing quarterback, Gronk will be looking for his passes.   There really wasn’t a question that Brady would be back this season. The retirement rumors and his contract issues about money were true. However, he needed to think about his future and hold tight for Brady’s so-called decision. After the dirt-bike press conference nonsense, he had a meeting with Belichick where Belichick gave him an ultimatum. Gronkowski then got his act together and posted a video that he was getting ready for the 2018 season.

It’s not known if Gronkowski got a new contract or not. He’s set to make $9 million dollars this season. For comparison, Jimmy Graham tops the NFL tight-end salary list,  making around $10 million. Gronkowski has complained about his contract throughout the off season, alluding to his worth. Without a contract for Rob Gronkowski, when Brady retires after the 2019 season the star tight end will either play for another team or retire himself.

Gronkowski Will Be Playing As Long As Tom Brady Is The Quarterback

  Via USA Today

Gronkowski deserves a pay raise making him the highest paid tight end in the NFL. He’s probably the greatest tight end to ever play the position. With next Thursday’s training camp start, the vacation will be over and football season will be right around the corner. It will be interesting to see how Gronkowski interacts with Belichick on the field. Keep in mind that Gronkowski is a TB12 client, so he’ll be getting treatment there too to optimize his fitness.

This isn’t fake news:  Greg Bedard of Boston Sports Journal reported that a trade for Gronkowski was possible, according to an AFC e

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xecutive. But with Gronkowski be committed to the 2018 NFL season it’s clear he’s playing for Tom Brady, Robert Kraft, and the fans.

Patriots Training Camp Preview: Wide Receivers (@bigmike7772)

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There are many new faces on this Patriots team compared to last year. The Pats acquired four guys from trade, fifteen from free agency, and nine from the NFL Draft. They also lost nine players from trade and free agency and had three players retire.

In this new series, I will be looking at every player from each position leading up to training camp. For this part of the series I will take a look at the wide receivers. The Patriots lost two very important wide receivers last year. Brandin Cooks was traded for the 23rd pick in the draft, and Danny Amendola signed with Miami. However, the Pats added three wide receivers via trade, draft, and free agency.

Julian Edelman #11 (2009-Present):

Julian Edelman is the third longest-tenured Patriot beside Tom Brady and Stephen Gostkowski. The 2009 seventh-round draft pick will be entering his 10th season in the NFL and for the Pats. His past few years have not been easy for him though. Edelman missed the entirety of the 2017 NFL season due to a torn ACL in the preseason. After spending a year of rehab, he looked to get back into playing football. Things only got worse for Edelman as he tested positive for PEDs in June. This will lead to a four-game suspension for Edelman in the 2018 season.

Edelman has been one of the best wide receivers for years for the Pats despite his recent problems. He was drafted in 2009 to primarily receive kicks and punts. His rookie year he had 37 receptions, 359 yards and one TD. His next three years he was just a returner with his receiving numbers relatively low. He did have three punt return touchdowns over those three years. 2013 was Edelman’s breakout year after the departure of Wes Welker. He played in all 16 games that year, and had 105 receptions, 1056 yards, and seven scores. His 2014 campaign was good also with him having 92 receptions, 972 yards, and four touchdowns. 2015 for Edelman saw Julian missing seven games due to a broken bone in his foot. Edelman came back with one of his best seasons yet with 98 receptions, 1,106 yards, and three TDs.

Edelman’s Playoff Performances:

Julian has also been the go-to option for the Patriots at wide receiver in the playoffs. In his 11 games started he has had 89 receptions, 1,024 yards, and five touchdowns. He also had a passing touchdown in the 2014 Divisional Round against Baltimore. Edelman has also been great in the two Super Bowl wins. Against Seattle in 2015 he had nine receptions, 109 yards, and the game-winning touchdown. When he played Atlanta in 2017 he had five receptions, 87 yards, and one of the best catches in Super Bowl history.

Once Edelman comes back he will be Tom Brady’s number one option. He is one of the best slot-receivers in the game and will definitely make the roster for the upcoming season.

Chris Hogan #15 (2016-Present):

Chris Hogan has been a fan-favorite ever since he was on Hard Knocks in 2012. He is entering his seventh year in the NFL and third for New England. Hogan played for three teams in two years before signing with Buffalo. Chris played for Buffalo for his next four years of his career. Over the course of those years he has had 87 receptions, 959 yards, and six TDs.

Hogan was a restricted free agent in 2016, and signed with New England on a three-year deal. He fit in right away with the receiving core. His first year with the Pats, Hogan had 38 receptions, 680 yards, and four scores. Chris also had the most yards per catch in the entire NFL with 17.9. In the 2016 playoffs, Chris had his best game of his career. This came against Pittsburgh in the AFC Championship game. He had nine receptions, 180 yards, and two touchdowns.

Hogan’s 2017 season consisted of him missing seven games due to a shoulder injury. Before his injury he had 34 receptions, 439 yards, and five TDs. He also had six catches for 128 yards and a touchdown in Super Bowl 52 against Philadelphia.

Chris has been a great route-runner over his career and is able to get open easily. With an increased role for next year I expect big things from him. He will make the roster for the upcoming season.

Jordan Matthews #80 (2018-Present):

Jordan Matthews is entering his first year with the Pats and his fifth season overall. Matthews signed a one-year deal with New England in the 2018 offseason. New England is Matthews’ third team in his NFL career. Jordan was drafted by Philadelphia in 2014 before being traded to Buffalo in 2017. In Jordan’s three career years with Philadelphia he had 225 receptions, 2,673 yards, and 19 TDs. His one year in Buffalo saw Matthews have 25 receptions, 282 yards, and one score. Jordan’s lone-year in Buffalo was his worst yet, but he missed the last six games of the season due to a knee injury.

Matthews’ has been a very productive slot receiver. Jordan could be an option to replace Amendola, or he could move outside and play wide-out there. He has also been one of the hardest workers at OTAs as he is usually the first on the field. Jordan will make the roster due to his size, catching ability, and route-running skills as the Patriots are also without Edelman for the first four games.

Malcolm Mitchell #19 (2016-Present):

Malcolm Mitchell is a very bright spot at wide receiver for the Patriots. He was drafted by New England in 2016, and made an immediate impact for the 2016 Super Bowl winning team. He played in 14 games as a rookie and had 32 receptions, 401 yards, and four TDs. Mitchell started to show his potential in Week 9 against San Francisco, where he had four catches, 98 yards, and one score. The following week after his breakout game, he had 5 receptions, 42 yards, and two TDs, including the game-winner.

https://twitter.com/UGAfootballLive/status/800603288735535104

Mitchell’s impact on the team did not stop in the regular season. He was also a major part in the epic comeback against Atlanta in Super Bowl 51. In that game he had six receptions for 70 yards. Mitchell also had five receptions in the fourth quarter and converted them all into first downs.

Malcolm’s 2017 season was odd though, as he was placed on injured reserve in September for a knee injury. There was a lot of talk of him returning for the playoffs, but it never came true. Mitchell is a very young bright spot for the Pats. He will still have to show his worth in training camp, but I believe he will most likely make the roster.

Kenny Britt #85 (2017-Present):

Kenny Britt is a nine-year veteran of the game, and is entering his second season with the Pats. Britt has played for four different NFL teams during his tenure in the NFL. He started his career in Tennessee, where he played five seasons and had 2,450 yards and 19 TDs over that span. Britt then signed with Los Angeles in 2014 and played three seasons for the Rams. He had his best year in the NFL for the Rams in 2016 where he had 68 receptions, 1002 yards, and five scores. After his spectacular season for LA he signed with Cleveland. In Cleveland he only played nine games before getting cut. The Patriots signed him in mid-2017.

Britt only appeared in three regular season games for New England, with him having two receptions for 23 yards. Kenny was inactive for the Patriots postseason run. He has shown in his past what he can do at wide-receiver, but with the depth the Patriots have at the position, he is a likely-candidate to get cut.

Cordarelle Patterson #84 (2018-Present):

Cordarelle Patterson is entering his sixth year in the NFL and his first for New England. Patterson was reportedly an option for the Pats in the 2013 NFL Draft before the Pats traded the pick to Minnesota. Cordarelle was then drafted by the Vikings with the 29th pick, and played four years with them. Over those years he had 132 receptions, 1,316 yards, and seven TDs. He then signed with Oakland and had 31 receptions and 309 yards. After his lone season in Oakland, he was traded to New England for a fifth round pick in the 2018 Draft.

Patterson was highly-touted out of college as a guy who can do everything. He has not shown the player that he was thought to be at wide receiver in the NFL yet. Patterson drops many passes and has lacked route-running ability. However Bill Belichick believes he can unlock his potential when he told Patterson:

“I don’t know what you’ve been through in the past, but basically, we get the job done here. We’re gonna make you the player that you should be.”

Cordarelle is also one of the best returners in the entire NFL. He has returned five kicks for touchdowns in his five years in the NFL. Overall, Patterson could have a breakout year at WR for New England this upcoming season. He also fills a major void at kick returner with the departure of Dion Lewis. I believe that Patterson is more than likely to make the team due to the fact that he has so much potential and is a great kick returner.

Phillip Dorsett #13 (2017-Present):

Phillip Dorsett is entering his fourth year in the NFL and his second in New England. He was acquired via trade before the 2017 season in exchange for QB, Jacoby Brissett. Dorsett was a former first round, but has disappointed so far in his NFL career. He only had 753 total yards in his two years in Indianapolis. In his only season in New England he had 12 receptions and 194 yards.

https://twitter.com/BarstoolUMiami/status/955207016187944962

With Dorsett’s disappointing season with New England, and the amount of depth at wide receiver; Dorsett is a prime-candidate for release.

Braxton Berrios (Rookie):

Braxton Berrios was the sixth-round selection by New England in the 2018 NFL Draft. He immediately was touted as the replacement to Danny Amendola as the slot-receiver. Berrios is a 5’9″ wide receiver who played in every game for Miami the past four years. His senior year consisted him having 55 receptions, 679 yards, and nine TDs in 13 games. Braxton’s Miami career consisted of 1,175 yards, 100 receptions, and 14 TDs.

https://twitter.com/MiamiDieHards/status/916800013392662528

Berrios is already a fan-favorite in New England as he looks to take on the Danny Amendola role. Braxton has a good chance of making the team, but could be placed on the practice squad also.

Cody Hollister #81 (2017-Present):

Cody Hollister is entering his second year in the NFL and for New England. Hollister was an undrafted free agent alongside his twin brother, Jacob Hollister. He was kept on the practice squad for the entire year last year, and saw zero snaps in the regular season. In the 2017 preseason, Hollister only played two games where had two receptions, 40 yards, and a touchdown.

Cody Hollister is a dark-horse to make the roster for the upcoming season, but he would need to do a lot for that to happen. I believe the Patriots cut Hollister, but keep him on the practice squad.

Riley McCarron #17 (2017 Present):

Riley McCarron is also entering his second season in the NFL, and for New England. McCarron did not start his career in New England, unlike Hollister. Riley was an undrafted free agent, and was signed by Houston. He was then released by Houston in September, and picked up by the Patriots shortly after. McCarron spent his entire 2017 season with New England on their practice squad.

https://twitter.com/ezlazar/status/994638206078418946

McCarron is a longshot to make the main roster, but if he beats out Berrios and Dorsett he will have a big chance of making it. Riley’s most likely scenario is through the practice squad.

The Patriots have a lot of depth at wide receiver this upcoming season, and they need it. Danny Amendola is gone and Julian Edelman is suspended, so people will have to step up. Brady has a lot of new weapons this year as the Pats gear up for another Super Bowl run.

Is Belichick Shopping Rob Gronkowski?

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Bill Belichick Trading Away Gronkowski?

Via CNN

Let’s face it: Bill Belichick isn’t afraid of trading anybody. From Richard Seymour to Logan Mankins, Belichick won’t hesitate to trade veteran starters. With Rob Gronkowski working out a new contract, it’s come out today teams are looking at Gronkowski as trade bait. Training camp is about three weeks away. The Patriots probably want a new contract done at least before the start of the season.

Brady Would Be Livid

Jan 16, 2016; Foxborough, MA, USA; New England Patriots quarterback Tom Brady (12) reacts before the game against the Kansas City Chiefs in the AFC Divisional round playoff game at Gillette Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Greg M. Cooper-USA TODAY Sports/File Photo

Greg Bedard of Boston Sports Journal has done some digging. He asked executives around the league about how teams are looking at the Gronkowski contract situation in New England. Bedard was told by an AFC executive, “Where’s the restructure of his contract? Until that’s done, I think he’s still available. I wouldn’t be surprised if Belichick is going to test Gronk’s buy-in with the contract.” It would be stunning if Belichick traded Gronkowski because they couldn’t agree on terms of a contract. I know of one player who would be livid if that happened: Tom Brady.

Gronkowski Is Here as Long as Brady Is

Brady is already out his number one target for in Julian Edelman for the first month of the season. He doesn’t have Danny Amendola anymore. All he has is Chris Hogan, Malcolm Mitchell who’s returning from injury, and new Patriot Cordarrelle Paterson. There is no way Brady would want or let Gronkowski be traded. Gronkowski is a huge asset to the offense and losing him would be hard to replace. The Patriots selected Ryan Izzo, a tight end in this year’s NFL Draft. But there’s no way he’ll start unless Gronkowski does get traded. If they want to get rid of a tight end it should be Dwayne Allen. Allen was awful last season for the Patriots.

At the end of the day, I don’t think Gronkowski will get traded because Tom Brady would have nobody to throw to at the beginning of the season. He should’ve just retired at the end of last season if he knew Belichick was going to trade away the whole team so Josh McDaniels can start with a fresh new team in 2019. But Gronkowski will be here as long as Tom Brady is on the team. Two more years.

Julian Edelman’s Suspension Upheld

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Fireworks Out Of Foxborough

(AP Photo/Elise Amendola)

Tom Brady’s number one target, Julian Edelman, had his suspension upheld late last night. He will be out for the first four games of the season. All offseason, Tom Brady has been working one-on-one with Edelman in Chestnut Hill and in the practice field house at Gillette Stadium.

Edelman’s Suspension Is A Blow To The Offense

The night before the Fourth of July and Fireworks were coming out of Foxborough, it seemed like fireworks have been going off all off season with this team. The latest news on Edelman is another firework, but not the friendly kind. Tom Brady will have to rely on other targets like Rob Gronkowski and Chris Hogan. The loss of Danny Amendola to free agency is a considerable blow to the offense.

This is really not a good sign for Edelman, as he missed all of last season and was looking forward to getting back on the field in September. It looks like that will have to wait until October, when the Patriots play the Indianapolis Colts on Thursday Night Football.

For the first four games, the Patriots open with the Houston Texans, Jacksonville Jaguars, Detroit Lions, and Miami Dolphins. They will likely finish these games with better than a 2-2 record. As long as Hogan and Gronkowski stay healthy, they should be fine.

What Did Edelman Test Positive For?

(AP Photo/Winslow Townson)

It’s worth noting that league won’t release what Edelman tested positive for. Richard Sherman got his suspension reduced for a PED that was accidental so why didn’t Edelman? It doesn’t make sense why the league wouldn’t release what Edelman tested positive for. We already have the Patriots conspiracies floating around that Bill Belichick had something to do with it, which is downright ridicoulous.

We are about three weeks away from Patriots training camp. At that moment, we will see Brady and how he builds chemistry with his new young teammates. Unfortunately, he’ll have to find a new favorite target to replace Edelman for the month of September.

Patriots Training Camp Preview: Tight Ends

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There are many different players on this Patriots team compared to last year. New England acquired four guys from trade, fifteen from free agency, and nine from the NFL Draft. They also lost nine players from trade and free agency and had three players retire.

In this new series, I will be looking at every player from each position leading up to training camp. For this installment I will talk about the tight ends. The tight end position has been very valuable for the Patriots since Belichick took over. They became the first team to use three tight end packages and move tight ends to wide receiver slot. This past year they gained two tight ends from free agency and added one through the draft.

Rob Gronkowski #87 (2010-Present):

Gronk is considered the best tight end in the NFL, and has been for most of his NFL career. He is entering his ninth season for the Patriots after being drafted in the second round. Rob has proven to be great, but has also had some major injuries along the way. He has not played in 16 regular season games since the sophomore season. There were murmurs of Gronk retiring after New England’s loss in the Super Bowl against Philadelphia. It escalated all the way to the Patriots exploring trades for Rob. However, Gronk will be a Patriot for the upcoming season.

Rob has shown on the field why he is so good. In Gronkowski’s rookie season he had ten touchdowns. He then followed up with an outstanding second year showing with 18 TDs, 90 receptions, and 1,327 yards. He broke the single season touchdown record by a tight end in NFL history en route to becoming a first team All-Pro. 2012 and 2013 was where Gronk missed a lot of time, participating in 18 games over the two-season span. He then came back in 2014 and 2015 with 1000+ yard seasons and 23 combined touchdowns. In 2016 he missed a lot of time again due to injury and only played in eight games. Gronkowski last season had a healthy year with him seeing the field for 14 games. He hauled in 69 receptions, 1084 yards, and eight scores.

https://twitter.com/Patriots/status/945006630113984512

Gronkowski will need to be a major piece for the Patriots offense if they want to win another Super Bowl next year. Gronk needs to stay healthy for the season, especially with Edelman’s pending PED suspension. Rob will make it to the Patriots roster, no doubt.

Dwayne Allen #83 (2017-Present):

Dwayne Allen is entering his seventh season in the NFL and his second with the Patriots. The Pats acquired Allen via trade in the 2017 offseason to help with the loss of Martellus Bennett. The Pats have a history of bringing in veteran backup tight ends to fit their offense, and that is what Allen was supposed to be.

Allen started his career in Indianapolis as the Colts’ third-round pick in 2012. His rookie year he had 45 receptions, 521 yards, and three TDs. The next year he missed almost entirely due to a knee injury. He came back in 2014 where he had 395 yards and eight scores. In his last season with the Colts he played all 16 games and had 406 yards and six scores. The Patriots traded a fourth-round pick to Indy for Allen and expected him to be the solid backup tight end that Gronk has always had. Allen’s season was ultimately a disappointment with him catching only ten passes for 86 yards and a TD.

https://twitter.com/CaseyBake16/status/929906514898407424

Dwayne is coming off an awful season for the Pats and will need to show something off big in training camp, or else he might not make the roster.

Troy Niklas #86 (2018-Present):

Troy Niklas was signed by the Patriots in the 2018 offseason. He signed a one year deal worth $940 thousand. Niklas has been primarily a blocking tight end in his career, which is why the Pats brought him in. He will be entering his fifth season in the NFL and his first for the Patriots.

Niklas’ first full NFL season came in 2015 where he played in 16 games and had four catches, 33 yards, and two TDs. He missed 13 games in 2016 due to injury. Troy had 11 catches for 132 yards and one score in his last season for Arizona.

Even though Niklas’ stats don’t look appealing, he has been on an NFL roster for his whole career due to the fact he has been a successful blocker. Troy will still have to fight in training camp to make the roster, but he has a good chance to make it.

Jacob Hollister #47 (2017-Present):

Hollister is entering his second season in the NFL and the Patriots. He was an undrafted free agent signing out of Wyoming after the 2017 NFL Draft. He played a larger role than a lot of people expected out of him last year.

Jacob played in 15 games last year for the Patriots. He had four catches and 42 yards last year. He also showed how good he was at catching the ball in preseason where he had 12 catches for 146 yards and a TD. Hollister only played one playoff game and he had one catch for a yard.

https://twitter.com/FilthyHits/status/895853246752804864

Jacob Hollister exceeded expectations last year when he played in 15 games. He definitely has a good chance of making the roster for the upcoming season as long as he does well in training camp.

Will Tye #82 (2017-Present):

Will Tye will be entering his first full season for the Pats and his fourth in the NFL. He was acquired by the Patriots in October of 2017 after being cut by the New York Jets. He did not play for the Patriots in 2017 and was placed on the practice squad for the remainder of the year.

Tye had his most success for the New York Giants. In his two-year stint with the Giants he had 90 receptions, 859 yards, and four TDs. He then was claimed by the Jets, where he only played three games and had four catches for 38 yards.

https://twitter.com/NFLonLive/status/676595952933838848

Will has been an extremely good blocker and has played a lot of fullback because of it. If Tye can return to his form from his Giants days, he will have a shot at making the roster.

Ryan Izzo (Rookie):

Izzo was the Patriots 250th overall draft pick in the 2018 NFL Draft. He was a four-year player at Florida State University.

Ryan was more of a blocker than a pass catcher in his college career, with him not having more than 320 yards once in a season. His senior season consisted of 20 receptions, 317 yards, and three TDs. In total, he left college with 54 receptions, 761 yards, six scores, and 29 games under his belt.

Izzo will have a very unlikely chance to make it to the active roster next year. His only hope will be making the practice squad.

Shane Wimann (Rookie):

Shane Wimann was picked up by the Patriots as an undrafted rookie out of Northern Illinois. He had a solid career for NIU where he played 31 games.

Wimann is also a dominant blocker like many of the tight ends the Patriots have. He hasn’t been to special in the pass game with only 65 receptions, 635 yards, and 17 TDs. Shane is a big man though coming in at 6’4″ and 260 pounds.

Shane will have to show something in training camp if he wants to make the practice squad over guys like Izzo.

The Patriots have a lot of new faces at tight end this year which will make it hard to narrow it down for the 53 man roster.

The parity of NFL quarterbacks

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   The NFL released their top 100 players of the year list, with Brady coming in first. Aaron Rodgers came in tenth despite missing time with an injury. It got me thinking about the parity of NFL quarterbacks, and other than the big three of the past 18 years, you can play quarterback roulette to predict a season.

The Big Three

The Big three quarterbacks of the past 18 years are Tom Brady, Aaron Rodgers, and Peyton Manning. They all had some down years or years they were injured, but you can always count on them to dominate the NFL. For MVP’s, Brady has won three, Manning has won five, and Rodgers has won two. If you are not good at math, that is ten out of 18 years, or 55% of the time since 2000, one of the big three has won an MVP. For Super Bowls, Brady has won five, Manning has two and Rodgers has one. That is eight out of 18 years, or 44% of the time since 2000, one of the big three has won a super bowl.

 

Via hubwav

 

The Others

Other than the big three, there has been a lot of parity among NFL quarterbacks. Since 2000, there have been no two-time winners of MVP outside of the big three. A player gets hyped up after one outlier season and is never the same player after. The greatest show on turf only lasted for three years, and the Rams have not been back to the Super Bowl since. Rich Gannon won the MVP in 2002 and has not been heard from since.

Steve McNair won the award in 2003, and Shaun Alexander won it in 2005. McNair’s team, the Titans, have not been very relevant afterward. Alexander’s team, the Seahawks, were not relevant until 2013. Adrian Peterson won the award in 2013, and his career fell off after that. Cam Newton won it in 2015 and has been mediocre ever since. Matt Ryan won the award in 2016, but Steve Sarkisian did not do him any favors last year.

 

Other than the big three, the only repeat Super Bowl-winning quarterbacks since 2000 are Eli Manning and Ben Roethlisberger. For Manning, he has not been good outside of those years. Roethlisberger has not been good enough to reach the promised land. Brad Johnson was the winning quarterback in super bowl 37, not to be heard from again. Drew Brees won Super Bowl 44 and has not been good enough to get back. Joe Flacco turned into Jesus for a year and won Super Bowl 47. Then, he got a huge contract and has been awful since then. Russell Wilson won Super Bowl 48, and the Seahawks have gradually fallen off every year since then.

MINNEAPOLIS, MN – SEPTEMBER 11: Everson Griffen #97 of the Minnesota Vikings sacks quarterback Drew Brees #9 of the New Orleans Saints in the third quarter of the game on September 11, 2017, at U.S. Bank Stadium in Minneapolis, Minnesota. (Photo by Hannah Foslien/Getty Images)

It’s fun

There is a lot of parity in the NFL, and I really enjoy it. Not knowing who the elite quarterbacks are going to be for a given year is fun. You have no idea who is going to win awards, go deep into the playoffs and fall off or make a name for themselves. In the NBA, you know who is going deep in the playoffs and who will contend for awards which is quite boring.