The Alex Guerrero drama is getting old now. Alex Guerrero was on the team plane when the Patriots traveled to Carolina to take on the Panthers. Big deal Brady has his trainer on the plane let’s ask thirty questions about his trainer but none about the wide receiver problem. Brady had his weekly radio interview on WEEI this morning and hung up after repeated questions about Alex Guerrero. Brady didn’t want to get into it and instead would much rather talk about the actual football instead of the drama. Alex Guerrero was on the team plane get over it.
There are many other issues with the Patriots other than Alex Guerrero traveling with the team. For example, the wide receiving position. What’s going to happen the first month of the season with Edelman out? Who’s going to take his place? The Pats also have concerns with their offensive line that should be addressed. The defense as a whole has some issues that could be discussed. This isn’t the first time WEEI has made Tom Brady mad. Quite honestly Brady should be doing interviews with 98.5 The Sports Hub with Zolak and Bertrand. At least there would be actual football questions not questions about drama. Zolak does the games on the radio side of the broadcast with Bob Socci.
Who cares if Alex Guerrero was on the sideline at the game or not. He’s Brady’s trainer and is allowed to fly on the team plane to treat Brady with what he needs before game time. Even though Brady isn’t on the field the knowledge he has about the game, in general, is good. Overall the stupid questions about Guerrero need to stop because that’s not going to win football games. The production on the field is what matters. Brady should consider doing weekly interviews on the Sports Hub instead since they cover the games on the radio side.
The Patriots lost another wide receiver over the weekend. Eric Decker announced his retirement after eight seasons in the NFL. It really was no shock as Decker was probably going to be cut anyway. Decker didn’t play with Brady on Friday night against the Panthers so that was the final straw. Decker was having an issue connecting with Tom Brady all training camp. As of right now the Patriots have Edelman, Hogan, Patterson, and Dorsett as the primary receivers. With Gronkowski rounding the corps out it appears as long as Brady remains healthy they should be alright. That being said, the team could always use another solid wideout. Let’s take a look at who they could pick up.
Dez Bryant: Dez Bryant is still on the market. He’s a big bodied receiver that would get open and demands the ball a lot. Bryant had 6 touchdowns last season with 838 yards. Bryant did have some issues with the Cowboys and how they were running things. Belichick doesn’t take any nonsense though so if locker room drama began expect to see Bryant out of New England in a heartbeat. If Bryant wants to be on a winning team the Patriots are the best option. If Belichick doesn’t want the drama that comes with him Belichick will look in another direction.
Golden Tate: Mike Reiss makes a good point on his personal website mikereiss.net Golden Tate is entering the final year of his contract. Reiss suggested a trade package of Elandon Roberts and Malcolm Brown for Golden Tate. Does that trade make sense for the Patriots and Lions? It might for two reasons. First, Matt Patricia knows Brown and Roberts from when he was a defensive coordinator for the Patriots. Second, Tate would be great for Brady to have someone other than Hogan, Patterson, and Dorsett to throw to. Tate scored five touchdowns for 1,003 yards last season for the Lions.
They aren’t going to trade for someone in the division or even in the conference. The receiving core in the division isn’t really that good anyway. If any quarterback can make it work though it’s Brady. We have seen him time and time again do more with less talent than any other quarterback in the history of the game. I personally like the Golden Tate idea even better than Bryant. Getting Deymarius Thomas from the Broncos isn’t really a good idea since the Broncos are in the conference.
With the release of Kenny Britt the Patriot’s receiving corps has gotten even weaker. It was clear Britt wasn’t getting the Patriots offense. He even said on Sunday he was behind. Overall not a good sign when they are in week three of the preseason. With Edelman out for a month the only reliable receiver right now is Chris Hogan. That clearly isn’t good enough.
The Patriot’s receiving corps is weak
The Patriots signed Eric Decker but he’s having a hard time connecting with Brady. Friday’s game will be a test to see which receiver will come through other than Hogan. Dez Bryant is still a free agent receiver waiting to be signed. Brady has to be frustrated but is Bryant really the answer to the problem? He can get open and catch the ball yes, however he does come with a lot of baggage. Between his attitude and wanting the ball all the time. I’m also waiting to see what Patterson can do to help this offense. This is arguably Brady’s worst group of receivers since 2006.
Tom Brady when asked if he worked with Britt in the off-season repeatedly said “I wasn’t here.” Even away from Foxborough Brady said he wasn’t here. He usually goes to Montana and take receivers up there to practice with him. Last year he took Edelman and Danny Amendola. It was reported he worked with Edelman during the off-season but not with Britt or anyone else.
Brady already connects well with Hogan and Gronkowski. Now he needs to connect with Decker, Patterson, Dorsett, McCarron, Berrios, and Lucien. Beyond Edelman and Hogan not one other Patriots receiver has caught a touchdown pass from Tom Brady.
There may be more cuts coming for the Patriots receivers too if some don’t shape up. That might even include Eric Decker who’s a year younger than Edelman. It’s going to be hard trying to replace last year’s receiving corps that could connect with Brady.
Tom Brady missed all offseason voluntary workouts but did attend minicamp. Brady also went to training camp a few days early. With Julian Edelman out the first four games of the season, the wide receiving group is struggling to connect with Brady. On Thursday Brady’s time on the field consisted of throwing passes to James White, Julian Edelman, and Chris Hogan. He did not throw a pass to Eric Decker or Cordarrelle Patterson. The connection between Brady and Decker has been especially troublesome, as he’s dropped a lot of passes during training camp.
Tom Brady has been reported to being rusty during training camp. On Thursday he looked sharp throwing to the receivers he feels comfortable with. However, according to Brady, he felt rusty. Brady told WEEI this morning that he felt rusty because it was his first game since the Super Bowl. Without the joint practices, the preseason games provide key opportunities. Especially with Brady missing the offseason workouts the preseason provides him with the opportunity to get the workouts in he would’ve gotten had he attended.
Tom Brady Behind With His New Receivers
It seems like Tom Brady is behind which could be a cause for concern as the season approaches fast. Cordarrelle Patterson or Eric Decker is going to have to step it up. One of them will have to be a key factor besides Chris Hogan and Rob Gronkowski. Kenny Britt was on the practice field yesterday but is still recovering from a hamstring injury. Britt told reporters on Sunday that he’s behind.
“I definitely feel like I’m behind, because I’m not out there with the guys, getting the chemistry I need with the quarterbacks, and getting on the same page with everyone.”
Overall this is not a good look. If Hogan, Edelman, or Gronkowski get hurt the Patriots could be in for a bumpy start to the season. Brady will play at a high level but if his new receivers can’t catch the ball you’ll be seeing a very frustrated Tom Brady.
“With the No. 143 pick of the 2018 NFL Draft, the New England Patriots select Ja’Whaun Bentley, ILB, Purdue. He is a 6-foot-2, 260 pounds off-the-ball linebacker who’s considered to some as a contact player.”
Following the Super Bowl, a glaring need for the Patriots was a coverage linebacker. When New England drafted Ja’Whaun Bentley, the NFL community didn’t think as much of it. After all, his draft profile from the NFL.com didn’t show much promise.
“…Bentley has athletic limitations that hinder his effectiveness as an NFL finisher and he’s ill-suited to handle coverage duties against the pass. Bentley lacks ideal speed and reaction time…”
He has been proving this profile wrong as he continues to impress in preseason games. In his debut, he logged six tackles (two for loss) and a quarterback hit in addition to four stops in coverage. This performance earned him a 90.0 PFF grade and a spot in PFF’s Team of the Week Defense.
In his second preseason game against the Philadelphia Eagles, he started over Elandon Roberts and ended the game again with six tackles and more notably returned a fumble back for a touchdown. He also forced incompletions against the likes of Jay Ajayi and Dallas Goedert.
One of his biggest concerns about Bentley was his speed and coverage skills. He shined in both of these areas in the two preseason games he had played. He has been able to keep up with both tight ends and running backs which is a good sign for the young rookie and a sign of relief for New England fans. Scott Zolak even noted how Bentley looked like a young Jerod Mayo out there, except Mayo was never that fast.
Another important fact of note is that the rookie donned the green dot on his helmet, meaning that he was the one calling plays for the first team defense. The New England staff has a lot of faith in him.
“He’s always been the middle linebacker, the signal caller, the guy right in the middle of the defense,” Bill Belichick said, citing Bentley’s experience as a four-year captain at Purdue. “He does a good job of handling the communication and some of the adjustments that have to be made from the center of the field, which that’s his position; that’s part of it. He’s been able to do that pretty well since he’s come here… He’s got a long way to go, but he’s handled those things well.” (USA Today)
All in all, Ja’Whaun Bentley has been impressing on all cylinders. He’s smart, intuitive, strong, and possesses a huge build. If he continues to play like he has been, Bentley can take over Elandon Roberts’ spot as the starter.
Patriots-Eagles Super Bowl Rematch in the Preseason
Last night was preseason game number two for the Patriots and Philadelphia Eagles. It was a Super Bowl rematch from six months ago, when New England’s defense was awful. However, last night the defense was ready to play. The Patriots opened better with the Eagles than last week when they played the Washington Redskins. Tom Brady started and looked sharp as ever. The 41-year-old quarterback connected with his trusted players on the field the first drive of the game. Brady hit Chris Hogan for the first touchdown of the game. James White also helped move the ball down the field. Overall, Brady threw 19 of 26 for 172 yards and two touchdowns in the win over the Eagles.
Defense Was Great, Brady Was Solid
The defense was also good in the win last night. Nick Foles had an opposite performance last night from Super Bowl LII. Adrian Clayborn had a blindside strip sack that led to Ja’Whaun Bentley’s 54-yard touchdown return. Also Deatrich Wise, Adam Butler, and Derek Rivers had a dominant performance on the defensive side of the ball. The cornerbacks are still a question mark for the season. Stephon Gilmore is the number one cornerback on the team as he did have a good training camp this season. Jason McCourty didn’t really have a good game as he was beaten by Philly’s Shelton Gibson for a touchdown in the first half.
Bill Belichick Liked the Effort the Patriots Had but Still Work to Do
Bill Belichick liked the performance last night, but there’s still lots of work to do.
“I thought our guys came out and played really competitively tonight. We got off to a good start. We were able to play from ahead and made some plays in all three phases of the game. Yeah, again, I thought we did some good things. There’s certainly some things we need to work on. It was far from perfect. We’ll take a look at the film, build on the positives and correct the things that need to be corrected.” Belichick said.
Jalen Ramsey has been making headlines after a no-holes-barred interview with GQ, holding nothing back. He didn’t care what was coming out of his mouth.
Ramsey isn’t sold on the Buffalo Bills pick Josh Allen. Ramsey said “I think [Buffalo Bills draft pick Josh] Allen is trash. I don’t care what nobody say. He’s trash. And it’s gonna show too. That’s a stupid draft pick to me. We play them this year, and I’m excited as hell. I hope he’s their starting quarterback. He played at Wyoming. Every time they played a big school—like, they played Iowa State, which is not a big school in my opinion because I went to Florida State, and he threw five interceptions, and they lost by a couple touchdowns or something like that. He never beat a big school.”
Matt Ryan Is Overrated According To Ramsey
Aaron Rodgers andTom Brady don’t suck in his opinion, but Matt Ryan is also trash. “I think Matt Ryan’s overrated. You can’t tell me you win MVP two years ago, and then last year, you a complete bust, and you still got Julio Jones? There’s no way that should ever happen. I don’t care. ” Ramsey on his teammate Blake Bortles he said “Blake do what he gotta do… I think in crunch time moments, like last year’s playoff game—not as a team, because we would have trusted him—but I think as an organization, we should have trusted him more to keep throwing it. We kinda got complacent and conservative. And I think that’s why we lost. We started running it on first and second down, throwing it on third down, every single time we were out there. [The Patriots] caught on to that.”
Does The NFL Need More Of This?
Does the NFL need more outspoken players like Ramsey with personality? The answer is yes, the more outspoken players who say what’s really on their mind the better, and makes the game more fun. The Jaguars game against the Bills this year is now a must watch after Ramsey’s comments.
As for the Patriots, if you’ve watched Hard Knocks with the Cleveland Browns, you’ve seen the dysfunctional mess of that that team. From Hue Jackson to his players there’s no discipline or attention from Jackson’s own coaching staff. Meanwhile, the Patriots win every year and everyone is talking about rifts and friction. Yes, there’s tension but I’d rather be the Patriots with their tension and go to Super Bowls rather than the Cleveland Browns and go 1-16 every season.
Devin Lucien is yet again on the roster bubble for the New England Patriots this summer. It seems that in every offseason since 2016, the UCLA and Arizona State wide receiver is battling for a spot on the 53-man roster. This time around, there seems to be something different in the air. Lucien has more than a fighting chance to make the 2018-2019 team.
Third Time’s A Charm
Lucien was drafted 225th overall in the seventh round of the 2016 draft by the Patriots. This moment was arguably his most significant one in the NFL to date. Lucien struggled to find his footing with the Pats in training camp and was one of the final cuts that summer. He was subsequently signed to the practice squad after clearing waivers.
The Patriots would go on to win the Superbowl that season (28-3, need I say more?) and Lucien would never see the field. That Patriots team was stacked at wide receiver with the likes of Julian Edelman, Danny Amendola, Chris Hogan, and fellow rookie Malcolm Mitchell. There simply wasn’t room for Lucien on the 53-man roster in the 2016-2017 season.
Paul Rutherford-USA TODAY Sports
From there, things continued to spiral out of his control. On February 7th, 2017, he signed a futures contract with the Patriots but was subsequently placed on injured reserve on September 2nd with a bad foot. He was ultimately released with an injury settlement on September 6th.
The next four months must have been a blur for Lucien, as he suffered through short practice squad stints with the Colts, Chiefs, Texans, and Buccaneers. Finally, less than a month ago, Lucien signed yet again with the Patriots.
A Clean Slate
The new-look Patriots could be a much more favorable home for Lucien this season. The wide receiver corps is already in a precarious position. It looks quite different than it did during Lucien’s rookie tenure on the practice squad. Gone are the days of Amendola and Mitchell catching passes from Tom Brady. Hogan is still here, but he has never been a targets hoarder. Edelman is on the shelf for the first four games of the season.
While there’s plenty of space for Lucien to find his niche at wideout, he’s not entering the second week of the preseason without considerable competition. As of right now, the only locks for the roster are Hogan, Edelman, Matt Slater, and Cordarelle Patterson. Lucien will be battling amidst journeymen veterans (Eric Decker and Kenny Britt), rookie hopefuls (Braxton Berrios), practice squad mainstays (Riley McCarron), and players defined by unfulfilled potential (Phillip Dorsett and Paul Turner).
Bob DeChiara-USA TODAY Sports
What Lucien has at his advantage is a few seasons working out with Brady and Co. Guys like Decker, Britt, Berrios, and Turner are experiencing their first summer this season in New England. We all know how daunting that can be. Lucien has been a preseason regular for the Pats over the past three seasons. He often showcased some burgeoning chemistry with Brady, Jimmy Garoppolo, and Jacoby Brissett. Now, it’s time for Lucien to break his way through that circle of trust with Brian Hoyer and Danny Etling.
Opening Game Highlight Reel
Lucien looked well on his way to separating himself from the pack in the Patriots first preseason game last week. He notched four catches on six targets for 71 yards, including two crucial snags to lead the team down the field for three points right before halftime. He looked convincingly more prepared than many of his teammates and has been heralded as an under-the-radar standout in practice.
One Game At A Time
“I think that was one of the great things about coming back was having a fresh start,” Lucien said in an interview on Monday. “That was one of the things I really wanted to build upon when I got here. Not being known as a practice squad guy, but possibly being known as a guy who could make the team. I’m just trying to take it day by day. Whatever happens is going to happen. I’m just trying to be as happy as I can while I’m enjoying this.”
Time will tell if Lucien can make the final jump to the 53-man roster. Look for his number to be called early and often on Thursday night against the Eagles.
Training camp for the Patriots has been a light workload thus far. This week, Bill Belichick turned up the volume a bit and the receivers were dropping like flies. Tom Brady finished this training camp 152 of 215 (70.7 percent) with three interceptions. In 2016, Brady was 89 of 270 (70 percent) with two interceptions. One key difference- Danny Amendola and Julian Edelman manned the first-team reps last year.
Courtesy of 247 Sports
Newly-acquired receiver Eric Decker has been having a difficult time connecting with Brady. TB12 said after Tuesday’s practice: “He’s got to use his skillset, the one he’s learned and used for a long time. He knows how to get open. Now, it’s just about learning what we do and how we do it, which is always a little different from how other teams may do it. But he’s worked hard. He’s been out here every day. You can tell he’s a real pro, and hopefully, he can add something to the group.” Yesterday, Brady punted a football into the stands out of frustration.
Brady And Belichick Still Share The Same Goal
Brady and Belichick still have the same goal in mind: winning. The quarterback said in his weekly radio show on WEEI: “I think our priorities are the same that they’ve always been, and I think that’s why we get along so well. We’re here to win. It’s been a very professional environment he’s created, and I think I’m very lucky to be in that environment. I think he’s the best coach who ever coached in the NFL, and I feel very privileged to kind of be mentored by him as long as I have.”
Belichick And Brady Praise One Another
Bill Belichick also spoke highly of Brady on his weekly interview, saying, ” I have a good relationship with Tom. I have a lot of respect for Tom. We’ve won a lot of games together, and I hope we can win some more together. I know he feels the same way.”
Courtesy of Business Insider
Tom Brady also spoke about the $5 million added to his contract and was asked if he was happy with the change. He replied, “I’ve never talked about my contract, and that’s never been the top priority for me. I love being here, this community, this organization. I love winning, and I love that my family has had a home for a long time. Those have been my priorities as long as I’ve been in this game.”
Will Brady Retire At The End Of 2019?
Brady was asked if he plans on playing past 2020. His response seemed very candid: “I hope so. You gotta have goals for the long term and short term, and I have long-term goals that I set for myself that I would love to be able to accomplish. I know it’s not easy. Anyone game could be the end. At the end of the day, I think that’s what you realize as a player.”
On July 24, 2018, Darrelle Revis officially retired as a Jet. He even posed in front of a real Revis Island at his farewell. So far, both Revis and star corner, Stephon Gilmore, played one full season for New England. So it bodes the question, with all due respect to both players, who played better for the Patriots?
Darrelle Revis stands in front of an island on his retirement day
REVIS’ 2014 STINT WITH NEW ENGLAND
On March 12, 2014, Darrelle Revis had signed one year contract worth 12 million dollars with the New England Patriots. The Pats had paired him with ex-Seahawk, Brandon Browner, in the secondary. Revis had amassed 2 interceptions, 16 passes defended, 47 tackles, and 1 forced fumble (Pro Football Reference). He allowed 532 yards through the air against him throughout the season (NESN).
His playoff performance was outstanding. After having 2 pass interference calls defending Steve Smith, he had only allowed 1 completion in the AFC Championship and Superbowl combined. Darrelle Revis greatly contributed to New England getting their fourth ring.
Photo Credit: Patriots Gab
GILMORE’S 2017 SEASON WITH THE PATRIOTS
On March 9, 2017, the New England Patriots signed Stephon Gilmore to a 5-year contract worth 65 million dollars. The Gilmore/Butler duo was supposed to be one of the best in the NFL, only it didn’t turn out that way. Butler had a down year, allowing a 103.3 passer rating in coverage and earned himself an 81.0 PFF grade.
Gilmore himself had a rough start to the season, a large part due to the lack of communication. He picked his game up and really shined in the second half of the season, clearly proving himself as the best cornerback on the roster. Gilmore finished 2017 with 2 interceptions, 50 combined tackles, and 9 passes defended.
His biggest play of the season was in the AFC Championship. We all know what I’m talking about. It’s fourth down, Blake Bortles steps up in the pocket and throws it deep. Stephon Gilmore in coverage leaps up and tips it away. He sealed the deal for the Patriots and allowed them to go to their third Superbowl in four years. Unfortunately, he was basically the only bright spot on a horrendous Superbowl defense without Malcolm Butler.
Photo Credit: Heavy.com
CONCLUSION
Both cornerbacks ended up being great signings for the Patriots. As of right now, Revis did play better for the Patriots. Although he had fewer tackles, he was more efficient in coverage and ended up getting a ring
Gilmore had an up-and-down year with little help from his teammates. However, he will continue his strong showings from the later part of the season, and I have a feeling this conclusion won’t remain the same next year.
