Tag Archives: Patriots

Lamar Jackson Is Ready for the NFL Draft

Leave a reply

Draft Day Is Today

FOXBORO, MA – DECEMBER 06: Jimmy Garoppolo #10 of the New England Patriots and Tom Brady #12 of the New England Patriots run onto the field prior to the game between the New England Patriots and the Philadelphia Eagles at Gillette Stadium on December 6, 2015 in Foxboro, Massachusetts. (Photo by Maddie Meyer/Getty Images)

Today is the day the NFL Draft begins. The day when dreams come true in the face of the NFL. The Patriots have hosted Lamar Jackson a few times among other prospects. The drama surrounding the team can be pushed aside for a while, and real football can be talked about. Bill Belichick is building a team for the future to have an easy transition for Josh McDaniels. What the Patriots are going to do with the 23rd overall pick remains to be unseen, but Lamar Jackson was excited when he met with Bill Belichick.

Lamar Jackson spoke yesterday in Dallas. According to USA Today, Jackson talked about Belichick, saying, “I’ve always seen him so serious. Even when he won the AFC championship, he just passed the trophy like he was so serious about it. So I was like, he’s probably going to be hard or something. But he was cool, laid back. Just wanted to talk and stuff like that, so it was pretty cool for me. We were just talking and having a conversation, and he was trying to help me. And he, like, giggled and started laughing, and I said, ‘Oh snap!’

Lamar Jackson Ready to Begin a Career in the NFL

Lamar Jackson wouldn’t mind being the next Jimmy Garoppolo. Jackson knows Garoppolo learned a lot when he was behind Tom Brady. Jackson also said yesterday, “When Brady said I’m a beast, I’m like, ‘Brady said that!?’” Brady doesn’t really come out too much and talk, but that’s one of the guys I’ve looked up to as well, playing football and just trying to learn to be a quarterback”. Nope, Brady doesn’t, so him approving of Jackson is pretty clear what could be happening tonight, even though Brady shouldn’t have a say.

Jackson also said that McDaniels and Belichick could help him grow more as a quarterback. Like I’ve said all along what’s going to happen. They are drafting a quarterback this draft to groom to be the successor to Tom Brady. At the end of the press conference, Jackson said, “I’m just happy for my name to be on their mind period, It’s cool to me. I’m cool with it in a positive way”.

Lamar Jackson Met Privately with Josh McDaniels

Leave a reply

Will the Patriots Draft Lamar Jackson?

Via Dallas WeeklyNot only did Lamar Jackson meet with the Patriots in Foxborough, he met privately with Josh McDaniels in South Florida according to Sports Illustrated. He also was astonished that he made Belichick laugh when he met him in Foxborough. If you want to read into this, you can. It’s pretty clear what’s going on here. When does it ever come out that McDaniels has ever met privately with a quarterback the Patriots might draft? I’ve never heard that before util now. That pretty much says Josh wants a guy he can develop to be the successor to Tom Brady. Also certain that Belichick wants to leave Josh with a good team when Josh takes over next season.

Read Between the Lines

The NFL Draft is Thursday and the word around the draft is the Patriots are interested in Lamar Jackson. The picks the Patriots have are the 23rd, 31st, 43rd, and 63rd. Tom Brady’s future realistically has about two years, then he’s done. He doesn’t want a contract extension or play until 45. He even approves if the Patriots get Lamar Jackson. I’ve said this already: a year with Bill, Brady, and Josh. Then Jackson will have a year with Brady and Josh, and then Jackson will have a new team and a new coach.

Remember What Josh Told the Boston Globe

FOXBORO, MA – SEPTEMBER 22: Head coach Bill Belichick of the New England Patriots (R) talks with offensive coordinator Josh McDaniels during the first half against the Houston Texans at Gillette Stadium on September 22, 2016, in Foxboro, Massachusetts. (Photo by Maddie Meyer/Getty Images)The Patriots really made sure they got out that Josh McDaniels worked out with Jackson privately. Remember what McDaniels told Jim McBride from the Boston Globe?

“I wasn’t 100 percent sure what the future was. I just hadn’t had any clarity on that. So, where did I fit in? Were there any plans? I just didn’t have much clarity on what my role was here moving forward. Look, I’m privileged to have the opportunity to do that and when they kind of crystallized that — ‘Hey, here’s what we see going forward and here’s how we would like you to fit into it’ — it gave me a reason to stop and say, ‘All right, what’s the best decision for me?’ And certainly, it was difficult. But I made the decision on my own, nobody pushed me into it.’’

In other words, once he found out he was the next head coach it was clear where he needed to be. Which explains why McDaniels worked out Lamar Jackson privately in Florida.

Remembering a Legend: Gil Santos

Leave a reply

Gil Santos Is a Legend

Via New England PatriotsIt’s a sad day for not only Patriots Nation, but also the whole football world. Gil Santos passed away last night on his 80th birthday and 57th wedding anniversary. Gil Santos will always be remembered as the ‘Voice of the Patriots’ as he called games for 36 wonderful years. At the beginning of his career the Patriots weren’t that good, especially in the 1990s. They had winning seasons and losing seasons, but he always made the game enjoyable no matter what the outcome was.

Gil’s call at the end of the Patriots’ first Super Bowl win in 2002 still gives me chills to this day. He was very fortunate to call four more Super Bowls after that before his retirement in January of  2013 after the AFC Championship game. Scott Zolak took over on color and Bob Socci assumed the play-by-play role. Santos never saw calling Patriots game as a job. He enjoyed doing it and his legacy will live on.

Gil Santos Will Be Remembered for His Voice and so Much More

Santos was inducted into the Patriots Hall of Fame in 2013. Robert Kraft said in a team statement “It was my privilege to honor Gil with his induction into the Patriots Hall of Fame in 2013 His legacy and most memorable calls will live there for future generations of Patriots fans to enjoy.” Santos also called games for the Boston Celtics and Providence Friars, Penn State Football, Boston College Eagles football, and Brown. Santos called a total of 743 career Patriots games.

Not only was Santos a great broadcaster, he was a great family man. He loved Benjamin’s Restaurant in Taunton, Massachusetts. Santos started broadcasting Patriots’ games for WBZ in 1966 as a color analyst. He took over the play-by-play duties in 1971 when the Patriots moved to Foxborough. Bill Belichick also said in a statement “Gil Santos’ bond with anyone who ever met or heard him is timeless, He will forever remain a special figure in the lives of generations of players, coaches, and fans who knew him and in the lives of those who will hear his legendary voice in the future. Gil was a great friend and he will be missed. His family is in my thoughts and prayers.”

 

Relax– Tom Brady Will Play in 2018

Leave a reply

A report out of ESPN this morning says Tom Brady has not being fully committed to playing in 2018. We saw at the end of ‘Tom VS Time’. He just wants to spend more time with his family. However, he’s not going to the voluntary workouts, but he’s missed them before so it shouldn’t be a big deal. Listen, Tom Brady’s career is coming to an end; not just right now. He’s playing out his contract and then hanging it up. The reason he’s upset is that he can’t bring Guerrero in the locker room. There are people around him that want him to retire. Gisele and his family want him to retire, and maybe some of his friends do also.

The Patriots will be drafting a quarterback next week. He will be groomed by Tom, Belichick, and McDaniels for one season. Then Tom and Josh in 2019. In 2020 the new quarterback, whoever that is, will be the starter, and Brady will be solely focused on his brand. Josh will be the head coach, and who knows, maybe even Robert will hand the team to Johnathan Kraft. Remember Johnathan Kraft didn’t hire Belichick. He’s not Bill’s guy, so it’s pretty obvious what’s going on.

Via Boston Herald

All Things Come to an End

The dynasty of 18 years is coming to an end. We will hear all day about how Brady isn’t committed, when in fact it’s Belichick who is retiring at the end of the season. A Patriots beat reporter has yet to say that Belichick is hanging it up after this season. I was told by an insider at Patriot Place. You can believe me or not, but it does make sense that Belichick is walking away.

I’m not certain if Tom Brady knows Belichick is retiring at the end of the season. Which is probably why he is also holding this grudge against Belichick. All Belichick is concerned about is one, getting his team ready for 2018, and two, have a smooth transition when McDaniels takes over next season.

Julian Edelman Feels Neutral

Leave a reply

Julian Edelman Is on Both Sides of the Fence

Photo by John Wilcox.Julian Edelman, according to an insider at Patriot Place, isn’t totally with the Tom Brady and Rob Gronkowski revolt. Edelman is neutral and will still attend the workouts enough just to collect his $500,000 and still go to TB12. Like it was previously stated, Edelman is the highest paid player on the team that attends the voluntary workouts. So why not show up just enough to get paid? He has to go to a percentage of the workouts. He can still go to TB12. Tom E. Curran has reported that Tom Brady may have started a revolt with the players. Between Danny Amendola and his comments, all the way to Dion Lewis, it’s a clear sign Brady started a chain reaction.

To give Edelman credit he’s coming off an injury and hoping to come back stronger than ever. Last week’s Instagram post was a side for Tom Brady being at TB12 working with Guerrero. Today he is at the practice and took sides with Belichick. Remember- he’s thinking about how much money he’s going to make. Every single Patriot when they leave used to say nice things about playing for the Patriots, until now.

Nate Solder and Danny Amendola Quotes

Via Getty Images

Nate Solder: “It can be a tough environment. It’s very businesslike, and at times it can be cold. Everything in New England is predicated on performance. It’s a place where people sometimes treat you differently based on how you practiced that day or how you answered a question in a meeting. One day, you could walk around the facility feeling like a Pro Bowler — the next, like you’re about to get cut.”

Danny Amendola said “It’s not easy, that’s for sure. He’s an a–h— sometimes. There were a lot of things I didn’t like about playing for him, but I must say, the things I didn’t like were all in regards to getting the team better, and I respected him,” he said. “I didn’t like practicing in the snow, I didn’t like practicing in the rain, but that was going to make us a better football team and that was going to make me a better football player.”

Did Tom Brady start a chain reaction with the players? I think he did, but for Julian Edelman he’s on both sides of it. If you want to have fun, go to a 4-12 team. If you want to win Super Bowl Championships, then the Patriots are the right team for you.

Julian Edelman Participating in Offseason Workouts

Leave a reply

Julian Edelman Attends Workouts

New England Patriots wide receiver Julian Edelman (11) scores a touchdown Denver Broncos strong safety Mike Adams (20) and defensive end Shaun Phillips (90) in the third quarter of an NFL football game Sunday, Nov. 24, 2013, in Foxborough, Mass. (AP Photo/Elise Amendola)

Julian Edelman is coming off an ACL injury. He was spotted at the voluntary offseason workouts today. Unlike Tom Brady and Rob Gronkowski, who will not be attending the workouts, Edelman is. It’s a smart idea after coming off an injury like that he should get to a good start. Even though Edelman gets treatment from Alex Guerrero, it’s still a good idea to be at the workout. Last week Edelman posted on Instagram that he was getting treatment at TB12.

For Tom Brady, it’s great Edelman is getting to an early start. Amendola is gone, so Edelman really is Brady’s number one go-to receiver again.  According to Mike Reiss of ESPN, Edelman can earn a $500,000 workout bonus this season, which is the highest on the team. Edelman must attend a certain percentage of the offseason voluntary workouts in order to receive the money. In his career, Edelman has scored 24 touchdowns and has 4,540 yards.

Edelman Will Make a Huge Bonus by Participating in the Workout

The other players’ workout bonus according to Mike Reiss includes Rob Gronkowski and Cordarrelle Patterson, who will make $250,000 each. Lawrence Guy makes $200,000, Stephen Gostkowski makes $100,000, and Patrick Chung makes $85,000. Edelman coming back to full health in 2018 is huge for the Patriots offense.  Edelman is one of 14 NFL players with at least 1,000 postseason receiving yards, and his 1,024 postseason receiving yards is ranked 13th in NFL history. He needs 39 postseason yards to move into the top ten.

Edelman wrote on Twitter in February, “Incredibly proud of this team. I’ve seen how much hard work these guys put in day in and day out. The chips didn’t fall our way this time, but the preparation and training for the 2018 season starts now. We’ll be back”. Julian Edelman also was working with Brady last week inside the Patriots practice facility.

Rob Gronkowski: Boycotting Medical Treatments

Leave a reply

More Patriots Drama…

Via UMass Blogs

Not only is Rob Gronkowski not participating in offseason workouts. He’s also boycotting traditional medical treatments. It seems Gronkowski would rather get all of his treatments at the TB12 center with Alex Guerrero. This is another shot at Bill Belichick. Deion Sanders sent out a tweet on April 13th stating that professional sports are a business first. Gronkowski retweeted that tweet. For Gronkowski to skip the voluntary workouts is one thing, but to completely boycott his medical treatments is a bigger issue.

https://twitter.com/DeionSanders/status/984859969865551872

This whole offseason for the Patriots has been nothing but drama and things leaking out about the team. We’ve been told the Patriots are different from everybody else, that they don’t let anything get to them. In reality they are just like every other organization. Belichick has been running the Patriots this way for 18 years. He isn’t known to pay his players. Gronkowski wants to get paid, and the only reason he’ll play this season is that Tom Brady is the quarterback. If Brady wasn’t the quarterback you’d be seeing him in Hollywood.

Gronkowski Wants to Get Paid

Belichick doesn’t have time to play these games, which is why he held the press conference on Friday. All this chatter and talk about the two biggest players on the team. All Belichick is doing is trying to build a team so he can be successful this year and Josh can take over in the future.

People won’t move past the Malcolm Butler benching in the Super Bowl two months after the game. Everyone is more into the benching of Butler than the Eagles actually winning the game. Is Gronk taking it too far and feeding the media with things to talk about? Maybe, but he is definitely making a statement boycotting traditional medical treatment.

Patriots

Patriots Begin Off-season Workouts

Leave a reply

 The Patriots Drama Continues

Via WEEI

Lately, it’s been football weather around New England. Today begins the Patriots ‘voluntary’ off-season workout program. Rob Gronkowski and Tom Brady will not be participating in the program. Gronkowski will not be participating in the program because of his contract situation. As for Brady, he wants to spend more time with his family, and also nobody at quarterback is trying to take his job from him. Again, Brady will play through his contract and hang it up. Also, this all ties to the team dissing the ‘Patriot Way’ and Bill Belichick.

Relax… Brady and Gronkowski Will Be Back

Via Officialize

I think Brady will be in minicamp in June, and so will Gronkowski. Meanwhile they will be working at TB12 with Alex Guerrero. Brady will have some more family time and think more about his future. Belichick knew this was going to get out. Which is why he got ahead of it on Friday when he said the off-season workouts are voluntary. He knew Brady and Gronkowski weren’t going to be in attendance and people would be talking. With all the teams doing well in New England, the Patriots are the most talked about.

Like I’ve said, Belichick at this point is just going through the motion and getting the team ready. He wants an easy transition for Josh McDaniels when he takes over as head coach. Gronkowski and Brady will be on the field this season. Brady was just in the field house a few weeks ago throwing passes to Julian Edelman. When the Patriots draft a quarterback in the draft, you’ll see how Brady acts differently than he did when Garoppolo was drafted. Why? Because he’s done.

Enjoy the Last Two Years of Brady

When Garoppolo was drafted, Brady hadn’t won another Super Bowl since 2004. Now, what more does he need to accomplish?  He’s done it all. Gronkowski will sign a two-year deal and probably leave when Brady leaves in 2019. Edelman too. There’s no way Gronkowski and Edelman will play for the Patriots without Tom Brady.

Danny Amendola: “Patriots’ Offer Wasn’t Even Close”

Leave a reply

Danny Amendola Speaks About Leaving the Patriots

Via Boston HeraldMike Reiss had a one-on-one exclusive with former Patriot Danny Amendola. In the interview Amendola stated how playing for Bill Belichick is hard, and also the Patriots’ offer wasn’t even close. Last season, Danny Amendola was Tom Brady’s go-to receiver because Julian Edelman was out for the season. Danny was really a great factor in the playoffs, getting the nickname Danny ‘Playoff’ Amendola. In the interview, Amendola also talked about the Malcolm Butler being benched in the Super Bowl. Amendola and the rest of the team thinks Butler’s presence would’ve changed the outcome of the game.

Amendola’s words to Mike Reiss were starting with talking about his contract. “When free agency broke, I came to the realization that he wasn’t going to really come close to any of the other offers I had. I had to make a decision for my family and go down to Miami and continue my career there.” Amendola signed a two-year, $12 million deal. That includes an $8.25 million in bonuses and guarantees. It’s also not easy playing for Belichick who learned from Bill Parcells.

Bill Belichick Can Be an A-hole

Via Clutch PointsAmendola said “It’s not easy, that’s for sure. He’s an a–h— sometimes. There were a lot of things I didn’t like about playing for him, but I must say, the things I didn’t like were all in regards to getting the team better, and I respected him. I didn’t like practicing in the snow, I didn’t like practicing in the rain, but that was going to make us a better football team and that was going to make me a better football player. It wasn’t easy, and he’d be the first to admit, at the [Super Bowl] ring ceremony, that it wasn’t easy playing for him. The silver lining was that we were at the ring ceremony.”

The Malcolm Butler Benching Didn’t Sit Well with the Players

Via SI.comThe take about Malcolm Butler from Amendola is pretty much what every player on that team is thinking. Nobody liked the benching. Amendola said “Yeah, I did, honestly. Nobody really got an explanation for it. He’s a brother of ours. He was a brother of ours that year. And I hate to see a guy who worked so hard throughout the season not get a chance to play in the biggest game of the year and really get no explanation for it. With that said, I don’t know how the business aspect went into that decision. I don’t know how the personal aspect went into that decision between him and Bill. But as a friend, I would have loved to see him on the field that day.”

So there you have it. Players are upset Butler didn’t play in the most important game of the season. If Butler didn’t miss the team plane and had a good week in practice, he would’ve played.

All in all what Amendola said about Belichick is accurate. He runs a tight ship and wants his players to follow. You don’t like the rules in his mind you can leave and go to a 4-12 team. Meanwhile, he’s got championships to back up his toughness.

Three Wide Receivers the Patriots Could Acquire Before August

Leave a reply

Brandin Cooks’s trade to the Los Angeles Rams is one of the most surprising moves of the off-season so far. The wide receiver was one of the leading players in the league last season for the New England Patriots. His transfer to LA, though, does give Bill Belichick more draft picks to play with ahead of the new campaign.

Belichick and the Patriots will also be monitoring the league closely to see if any of the leading wide receivers in the NFL become available. Tom Brady needs another weapon to throw to as he bids to win his sixth Super Bowl ring. Here are three wideouts which could be in a Patriots Jersey for the opening game of the new season:

Odell Beckham Jr.

Since joining the league in 2014, Odell Beckham Jr. has established himself as one of the leading wide receivers in the NFL. Not only is he at the end of the most receiving yards and touchdown charts, he is capable of the amazing catches as he has shown on more than one occasion.

Beckham’s future in New York very much looks in doubt as contract talks have broken down, which means his future may now be elsewhere. The Giants have stated they will be looking for two first round draft picks for Beckham. It appears it is a case of who will be prepared to give up the most for the 25-year-old. Beckham’s best years could still be ahead of him.

Given their talents, Brady and Beckham Jr. will certainly bring the best out of each other. Therefore, the Patriots are surely considering making an offer for the Giants player. Releasing Cooks may just have been the first piece in the jigsaw in putting a plan together for the new season, which includes Beckham. The Patriots are already the favorites in the betting for Super Bowl LIII. If they can pick up a player of Beckham’s ability, they will be a great bet to lift the Vince Lombardi Trophy. Especially if you open up a new account for a free bet as reviewed and detailed by Oddschecker before the new season begins.

Courtesy of The Daily Meal.

Dez Bryant

Dez Bryant has been with the Cowboys since they drafted him in 2010. In 2014, Dez had the best year of his career, scoring 16 touchdowns and recording 1320 receiving yards.

Bryant is still considered to be one of the elite WRs in the league. However, his figures have not been as good as the likes of Antonio Brown, Julio Jones and Beckham Jr. over the last couple of years. A move away from the Cowboys might just be the best thing for the former Oklahoma State Cowboy.

Bryant has yet to sign a new contract with the Cowboys, so it remains to be seen if the two parties can agree on new terms, or if the 29-year-old will become available over the next few months. Belichick is sure to be a fan of the three-time Pro Bowl player.

Courtesy of Cheesehead TV

Demaryius Thomas

Demaryius Thomas has been one of the most consistent wide receivers in the NFL since 2012, and is one of the reasons as to why the Denver Broncos have managed to reach two Super Bowls in the last five years.

Since Peyton Manning retired, the Broncos have yet to find a quarterback they are comfortable with. This could lead to Thomas considering his options. Consequently, he may push for a move away from Denver before the start of the 2018 season.

This wouldn’t be the first time Belichick has opted for an experienced receiver to help bolster his roster. Given his track record, Thomas will surely jump at the prospect to work under the future Hall of Fame coach.

In the meantime, the focus for Belichick and the management team at the Patriots will be on the 2018 NFL Draft, which begins on April 26 from the AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas.

Courtesy of The Denver Post

 

Cover image courtesy of NFL.com.