Tag Archives: Tom Brady

Robert Kraft should be in Canton

And now, it is with my great pleasure, that I intend to nominate for the Pro Football Hall of Fame – Robert Kraft!! The owner of the New England Patriots is more than worthy of a bronze bust in the hallowed halls of Canton. It is imperative that we campaign for this fine individual to receive his due. If there has been one individual responsible for creating the greatest dynasty in football history it has been this humble, generous, and likeable owner. Robert Kraft is one of the finest owners and executives in the NFL. It is difficult to fathom why he has not received more support for this. What follows is a journey through his life as the pivotal player in a franchise’s and sport’s success.

As a Fan

When a city loses a major sport franchise it is a disruptive and painful process. The region loses a common emotional denominator. The area loses a driving economic force and the team loses its identity and a portion of its identity and history.

Watching the recent process of this play out in the Rams, Thrashers and Expos. The relocation battles of the Raiders and the Columbus crew. Seeing the shocking moves of the Baltimore Colts and the Cleveland Browns can leave a fan base angry and hurt. Even if there is a reconciliation and the team stays, it can ill will for years to come. If there is something you can say about Robert Kraft. He is the ultimate fan. And was willing to do what it took to keep them in New England.

In 1971 he began his association with the Patriots with something that hundreds of fans do. He became a season ticket holder. When the team was playing he was in the same stands, eating and drinking the same food and cheering for the same players as everyone of us. In 1987 after an unsuccessful bid to purchase the team he instead chose to buy the Foxboro Raceways right next door. This ensured that he would be involved in the team’s future stadium decisions.

And involved he was. When the stadium was used as collateral for a Jackson 5 tour and subsequently place in bankruptcy Kraft stepped in. His ownership of the stadium and the lease was essential in preventing a move to Jacksonville.

Then in 1994 he refused to allow James Orthwein to break the lease in an attempt to move the team to St. Louis. Finally Kraft was able to complete the purchase and officially became the owner of the franchise.

As an Owner and Executive

One of the greatest sins a NFL owner can do is presume to know more about how to out a winning football team on the field than coaches and scouts. There are other considerations when running a franchise. Salary cap, marketing, cash flow for multi-million dollar salaries and television contracts that are important factors in the business. Many owners that have strayed from these areas and attempted to dive into the day-to-day runnings of the team have been met with frustrating failures. An inability to win football games and championships can hurt a brand far more than an incorrect marketing scheme.

When Kraft took over the Patriots he believed in allowing football people to run football teams. And it’s returned dividends on his investment beyond anyone’s imagination. When he took over the team, it’s 34 year win total was 229 including playoffs and a loss in Super Bowl XX. And in the 24 seasons that he’s owned the team they have tallied 294 victories and 9 more Super Bowl appearances with 5 Championships. He’s truly done what he set out to do when he purchased the franchise.

“My objective in buying the Patriots is to help bring a championship to New England.”
-ROBERT KRAFT, JAN. 21, 1994

As an Ambassador of the Sport

The NFL has a colorful cadre of characters in it’s ownership. Al Davis and his resistance of the league. Brash Jerry Jones’ Texas confidence and Jerry’s World opulence. And then it has it’s royalty and statesman. The Rooney family and the Mara family have all been a standard to learn from and emulate. Robert Kraft has joined those ranks and then some during his tenure as owner of the franchise.

Whether it’s been attempting to negotiate labor peace in the face of personal tragedy. Or promoting the sport abroad with the opening of the Kraft Family Sports Campus in Israel. And the countless charities that he personally and through the Patriots Foundation supports.

In New England we hear all of the little stories that have a big impact on people’s lives but may get lost in the shuffle of the world stage of Super Bowl victories. Replacing stolen wheelchairs for fan’s, providing experiences for ill children and honoring his late wife’s memory through the Women’s Association. If there is anyone worthy of being a face of the NFL it should be this man and his legacy will impact the sport for generations.

Get Him Now!

The path to a bronze bust and a gold jacket is difficult for players. The path for contributors is even more so. Many worthy candidates are forced to wait years before being considered and every inductee is honored and welcomed. The sport would be greatly benefited by having this pillar of it’s community enshrined while he is still active and engaged in the NFL’s well-being. The sad story of the posthumous honoring of Ralph Wilson and Art Rooney should never be repeated. If Jerry Jones’ can be inducted to football’s highest honor while he is still striving to direct the Dallas Cowboys to victories then the Hall of Fame voters should ensure that Robert Kraft is inducted as well.

All photos courtesy of Getty images unless noted otherwise.

Be sure to check out other great articles for all your favorite Boston sports teams on Bostonsportsextra.com

Follow me on Twitter @ALykins32
https://mobile.twitter.com/alykins32

Patriots Lose In Third Preseason Game

Leave a reply

While some players looked good, the Panthers cruised by the Patriots for a 25-14 win during the third week of preseason.

The Carolina Panthers were in control throughout the entire game, on both sides of the ball. Luke Kuechly recorded 7 tackles in the first half alone, helping to limit the somewhat Patriot offense to 3 first half points. Cam Newton looked solid completing 11 for 17 passes and throwing for 142 yards. Garrett Gilbert completed 5 for 9 passes for a mere 46 yards and a touchdown.

Tom Brady looked like his usual midseason form completing 12 for 18 passes and 102 yards. Brian Hoyer completed 16 for 24 passes and 109 yards. The run game did not look stunning. Mike Gillislee had 10 rushing attempts for 35 yards with a long of 15.Jeremy Hill didn’t shine tonight rushing for 9 attempts with only 25 yards to show for it. His longest run was 7 yards.

Riley McCarron showed up to play tonight, catching 4 of his 5 targets, hauling in 49 receiving yards. Devin Lucien missed his only target of the contest, recording no stats tonight. With the depleting wide receiver core getting smaller, there is little room for mistakes in making the final roster.

Although the game didn’t end in a victory The team held in there. After the game, head coach Bill Belichick was his usual self after a loss, quiet, focused on the practices and game ahead, while also congratulating Coach Rivera and company on a game well played.

Jason McCourty got some reps in at safety during the game. After expressing his interest in playing the position last year as a member of the Cleveland Browns. The new Patriot and twin brother of longtime team member Devin McCourty should be a dangerous conerback/safety mix this season.

How these performances will translate towards final cuts will soon be determined. Keep it here on Bostonsportsextra.com for all your latest patriots news and rumors before the season starts!

Tom Brady Speaks About the Haters Across the Country

Leave a reply

Tom Brady knows what’s going on. He sees and here’s things like the rest of us. He realizes how many haters he has.

TOM BRADY TALKS ABOUT THE HATERS ON WEEI’s MORNING SHOW

Where’s the love?

When Tom Brady joined “Kirk and Callahan” on WEEI Tuesday, the MVP admitted that haters and criticism come with the job. Brady had a unique thought as to why he and his team have so many haters, and it’s the sport he plays. Brady goes on explaining why…

”I think it’s a different part about football for example, in America I mean, we never…if you look at a lot of other sports around the world, at some point maybe you get to represent your country. Like watching the World Cup in the summer. I see all these soccer players playing for different clubs but then come together for their country at some point”

Brady continues by adding “In America, we never get a chance to do that. So many Americans that live in other parts of the country, they don’t like the Patriots. They don’t like me, and I can understand that. I mean, I was a 49ers fan at one point. They want to see their team win, and when they dont, I think they’ve got to direct that frustration somewhere else. When you’ve been so successful like our like our team has been, I think frustration gets directed at us, and thats just part of it and you have to understand what you’re getting into”

BRADY’S THEORY IS VERY TRUE

As Tom said, the NFL is much different than other American sports. NFL players don’t team up to go play other countries. So fans of 31 other teams have no interest or reason to root for individual Patriot players.

NBA fans have the Olympics, the MLB has the WBC and MLS has the World Cup. He makes a good point.

Brady is such a polarizing person, people either love him or hate him. He realizes this comes with the territory, and I think he embraces it. He relishes the fact he has haters and media members talking about cliffs. It just drives him even harder to win.

New England Patriots’ Tom Brady raises the Vince Lombardi Trophy (AP Photo/Darron Cummings)

Tom Brady Felt Rusty On Thursday Night

Leave a reply

Tom Brady Felt Rusty In His First Preseason Game

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.

The Case of Ja’Whaun Bentley

Leave a reply

“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.

Strip sack! Recovery!

TO THE HOUSE. @Patriots #PHIvsNE https://t.co/uxrXTHeJv9

— NFL (@NFL) August 17, 2018

Bright Future for the Rookie

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.

Brady Breaking Records: 2018 Edition

Leave a reply

In what is becoming one of my favorite training camp rituals, I am checking out what records the New England Patriots quarterbacking legend, Tom Brady can break in the upcoming season. And let me tell you they are dwindling fast. It is refreshing to take a moment and look at all he has accomplished and the few things he has yet to do in order to prepare myself for those inevitable “Tom Brady is not the greatest quarterback ever” arguments I’ll find myself in.

While he won’t break some of Favre’s more dubious records like most interceptions thrown and only has an outside chance at some of his longevity records. He will probably lose out to the younger Brees on the pure volume statistics when they both decide to retire. He owns virtually every quality and frequency record for the postseason and Super Bowl already.

Without further ado, let’s get into some milestones that we hope Tom Terrific jumps over this season.

Career Passing Touchdowns (including postseason)

Peyton Manning sits at the top with 579. Who is nipping right at his heels? Tom Brady, 559, thank you very much. So a mere 20 touchdown passes from the best quarterback in the game and he will have thrown more touchdowns than any other quarterback ever. Let that sink in. A sixth round pick that’s had to fight for everything he’s had in the game will now be sitting at the very top. He is a little further away from the regular season record and he’s currently tied with Drew Brees at 488. Peyton Manning’s mark is 539 so the likelihood of Brady passing for 51 touchdowns to tie and pass Brees are much slimmer.

Career Passing Yards (including postseason)

Brady just needs less than 3000 yards to break Manning’s record of 79,279 total career passing yards. And Tom Brady could be playing for several more years!! This will be a mark that may be unbreakable. Brees will pass Manning for regular season yards thrown this season and Brady doesn’t have a shot at passing them both this year. He will join the 70,000 regular season yards club this season as the fourth member.

Pro Bowl Selections

For as meaningless as playing in the NFL’s All-Star Game is the selections are a good indicator of ability and popularity. If and when he gets his 14th selection he will move into a logjam with Manning, Merlin Olsen, Bruce Matthews, and Tony Gonzalez. Put that one down for the 2019 season for him to break.

Bonus: How many of those 13 Pro Bowls did Brady actually play in? Just twice!!

Fourth Quarter Comebacks and Game Winning Drives

Peyton Manning:

45 Fourth Quarter Comebacks,

56 Game-Winning Drives

https://www.pro-football-reference.com/play-index/comeback.cgi?player=MannPe00

Tom Brady:

42 Fourth Quarter Comebacks,

53 Game-Winning Drives

https://www.pro-football-reference.com/play-index/comeback.cgi?player=BradTo00

This is is from Pro Football Reference. And it is a little tricky to nail down the exact number. But Tom Brady is close. Within two or three of each and he should have a chance at passing him this year or next. Listen for announcers to be using stats like these as the season moves on.

Here is a great Reddit thread of all the records that Brady owns currently

https://www.reddit.com/r/Patriots/comments/7qee4l/i_could_not_find_a_comprehensive_tom_brady_record/

I can’t wait for the 2018 NFL season. To be able to witness the quarterback of my favorite team on the cusp of breaking these records and hopefully to be able compete for another Championship. I am enjoying each and every game because we may not be getting many more if them. Go Pats!

All photos courtesy of Getty images unless noted otherwise.

Be sure to check out other great articles for all your favorite Boston sports teams on Bostonsportsextra.com

Follow me on Twitter @ALykins32
https://mobile.twitter.com/alykins32

Training Camp Breakdown: Patterson shines/Injuries Occur

Leave a reply

Training Camp has been in full swing for just about a week now for almost every team. The HOF game was last night, and it finally feels like football’s back. So naturally, just like anybody else in the New England area who loves football, you visit training camp. It was a cloudy day filled with much overcast, but still, hundreds of fans attended. People had signs, footballs, and even shoes being ready to get signed while they watch the Pats. There were many things I noticed and had stuck out during my few hours at the Patriots’ practice.

Spotlight Players in the Starting Offense

One of the first things I wanted to look at was how this offense is looking. After losing key pieces like Solder, Amendola, and Lewis, I know the Pats would be changing personnel around. Well at first glance, it’s very apparent that they haven’t lost a beat. Trent Brown, the NFL’s own version of “The Mountain”, was holding his ground. The 6’8″ lineman was holding his blocks against a Patriots D-line that looks greatly improved.

More shining stars on this offense were wideouts Phillip Dorsett and Cordarrelle Patterson. Dorsett is looking like a brand new wide receiver after a disappointing first season in Foxborough last year. He caught numerous passes from Brady in coverage during 11 on 11 drills and it felt like he was rarely off the field. Patterson, however, is even more of a pleasant surprise to see him working with the 1’s in training camp. Another previous first-round pick who’s had trouble producing is trying to turn that around. When the Patriots initially traded for him, it appeared his role was special teams only. Now in August, it looks like Belichick has taken a liking to him. Patterson was lining up on the outside in numerous plays from walk-through plays to full on 11 on 11’s. It appears that this speedster is going to be doing a lot more than just fielding punts and kicks in the near future.

Other Position Battles Heating Up

Photo Credit: NESN

Besides the new faces on offense trying to get the coaches attention, there are plenty of other players vying for that 53 man roster and furthermore starting spots. Some of the most interesting things noticed throughout the practice. Eric Rowe and second-round pick Duke Dawson have been fighting for that second cornerback spot. As of now, Rowe is seeming to have the edge lining up in the second spot opposite of Stephon Gilmore. Dawson, however, hasn’t disappeared as he’s locking players down as the nickel cornerback currently.

Even special teams have competition on both ends. We’re seeing players like Rex Burkhead compete with the likes of Edelman and Patterson to return kicks this year. Even if we flip to the other side one of the underrated position battles has been Ryan Allen and rookie punter Corey Bojorquez. Ryan Allen has always been a consistent punter in the league; but obviously, if the Patriots have been keeping two punters so far, they wanna see who comes on top.

Quick Injury Update

Photo Credit: MassLive

With all these practices starting again comes padded practices. With padded practices, unfortunately, comes injuries, and the Patriots have already had a few. Jordan Matthews was one of the most notable ones, and the Patriots even had to release him the other day. Rookie running back, Sony Michel, and starting tackle, Marcus Cannon, left practice early with injuries. It’s unknown exactly what injuries these are; but three days later, they’re still kept from practicing. Good injury news though is wideout, Kenny Britt, is finally practicing even if it’s scaled back for now.

Training Camp is always an exciting time for fans, reporters, and even the players. Football is just gearing up for the season, and the Patriots are in full swing. After only a week of practice, so much has happened to New England’s team. As the preseason continues to roll out Boston Sports Extra continue to provide updates and thoughts on everything Patriots!

Patriots Player To Watch This Season: Phillip Dorsett

Leave a reply

As the 2018 NFL season quickly sneaks its way upon us, there are many questions surrounding the 2018 New England Patriots and some glaring holes some see in our roster. Sure, the Patriots do play in a weak AFC East and will more than likely win the division and get a bye into the playoffs. But there is one group of guys that I think need to step it up the most. No, its not the defensive unit, even though last year they were more than suspect. This year it is the WR core who will need to step up and fill the voids left by Julian Edelman (serving a 4 game suspension for PED’s) and Brandin Cooks (traded to the Rams).

The Deepest Hole In The Roster

With the Patriots, one spot on the field that is constantly in question is defense, especially now under Coach Belichick and first year coordinator, Brian Flores. Sure, Malcolm Butler left and signed with Tennessee. But again, the position to watch on the field early on is the WR position and how some of the new faces will mesh with Tom Brady. With a banged up WR group before the season even starts, there is one name I think will play a huge role this season on the offensive side of the ball…..Phillip Dorsett.

photo credit – youtube.com

Young and Hungry

Phillip Dorsett may not be a household name yet. But this is a guy who was a late first round pick with great speed and tremendous upside coming out of The U. Unfortunately, he wasn’t able to really get it going in Indianapolis, which lead to a trade to the Patriots. Dorsett ended up appearing in 15 games with the Pats in 2017 and now has a full year and offseason learning the playbook and becoming more familiar with Tom Brady and Josh McDaniels and their tendencies.

Dorsett is only 25 years old and brings a tremendous amount of talent to the table for this Patriots offense. This is a guy known for his speed, the ability to catch and hold onto the football, and also his footwork – with or without the ball. From an outsider standpoint, we should look for Dorsett to fill the void left by Brandin Cooks as a fast, deep threat down the sideline. Also look for him to get a ton of slot work early in the season, with Edelman being sidelined for 4 games.

photo credit – stampedeblue.com

Prediction

Phillip Dorsett’s career high in receptions is 33 in 2016 with the Colts. But after a full season in 2017, plus an additional off-season and training camp learning the playbook and working more closely with Brady and McDaniels, I would expect him to reach a career high in every category across the board. We can also look for Dorsett to make an impact in the kicking and punt return game.

Phillip Dorsett will be the surprise X-Factor on this Patriots offense in 2018 ….. here is my prediction for Phil:

700 yds

5 TD’s

45+ receptions

60+ Targets

Your 2018 Patriots Predictions

Leave a reply

The 53-man roster prediction is a masochistic exercise. You can spend hours poring over the charts, historical position numbers, contracts and cap hits. In the end Bill Belichick will do what he feels will help the 2018 Patriots the best to win football games. Stop me if you’ve heard that one. Without any further delay, and before anyone else gets cut, I’ve went position by position and given a short explanation of my thought process.

Quarterback

Tom Brady, Brian Hoyer, Danny Etling (PS)

Cuts: None

This is the easiest position group to project. The Patriots will want to keep Etling in some capacity as he continues to progress.

Wide Receiver

Chris Hogan, Jordan Matthews, Phillip Dorsett, Matt Slater (ST), Cordarrelle Patterson, Julian Edelman (SUS), Braxton Berrios, Kenny Britt

Cuts: Malcolm Mitchell, Riley McCarron, Devin Lucien, Paul Turner

This is the perfect Patriot group of wide receivers. A quiet group of overachievers or veterans looking to prove themselves and get a chance at a ring. The Edelman suspension will give someone a four-week extension on their NFL career. The punt returner battle will determine the bottom of the depth chart as Berrios and McCarron battle it out.

Tight Ends

Rob Gronkowski, Jacob Hollister, Dwayne Allen

Cuts: Will Tye, Ryan Izzo

I am reluctantly placing Allen in the final roster. I still believe he will adjust his contract before camp is done. A $5 million cap hit is much too much for ten catches, 86 yards, and one touchdown. Despite his excellent blocking abilities, you can find that for much less and allow the development of younger guys.

Running Backs

Rex Burkhead, James White, Sony Michel, Jeremy Hill, Brandon Bolden, James Develin (FB)

Cuts: Mike Gillislee, Ralph Webb

Another position group in which the pecking order is fairly well established. White, Bolden and Develin all have important roles. Burkhead and Michel figure to split the bulk of the carries. The only battle here is who will secure a big back role, if there is one.

Offensive Line

Trent Brown, Isaiah Wynn, David Andrews, Shaq Mason, Marcus Cannon, Cole Croston, LaAdrian Waddle

Cuts: Joe Thuney (Trade), Nate Theaker, Jason King, Matt Tobin, John Ulrick, James Ferentz, Luke Bowanko, Ted Karras, Brian Schwenke

My first shocker! Trent Brown is looking to lock down the starting left tackle role with his impressive blend of size and speed. I can’t see Thuney holding off Wynn as the left guard. That makes him a viable trade target. A few of these guys will also be in line for practice squad spots.

Defensive Ends

Adrian Clayborn, Trey Flowers, Deatrich Wise, Derek Rivers, Eric Lee

Cuts: Keionta Davis, Frank Herron

This could be a scary rotation. All of these guys bring some serious pass rushing abilities. Eric Lee is one of the last guys in, so he has to make some noise in order to grab his spot.

Defensive Tackle

Danny Shelton, Malcolm Brown, Lawrence Guy, Vincent Valentine

Cuts: Adam Butler, John Atkins

Another talented position group. Running against these guys just got a lot harder with the addition of Big Danny Shelton. Not a lot of rushing abilities which is why it’s a little light in terms of numbers for me.

Linebackers

Dont’a Hightower, Kyle Van Noy, Harvey Langi, Marquis Flowers, Christian Sam, Elandon Roberts

Cuts: Geneo Grissom, Nicholas Grigsby, Ja’Whaun Bentley

With injuries last year Van Noy had to assume a lot of different roles and played a ton of snaps. They rewarded him with a contract extension. Roberts was another player affected by the injuries last season. I think he would have been a reserve or even cut last season and is on the bubble again. Speed on special teams gives Christian Sam the nod over Bentley.

Safeties

Devin McCourty, Patrick Chung, Duron Harmon, Nate Ebner

Cuts: Damarius Travis, Jordan Richards, A.J. Moore, Eddie Pleasant

Normally the Patriots go much heavier at safety. Given the talent at cornerback and linebacker I think that changes this year. And I hope, hope, hope that Richards is not included in the final roster this year.

Cornerbacks

Stephon Gilmore, Eric Rowe, Jason McCourty, Jonathan Jones (PUP), Cyrus Jones, Duke Dawson, J.C. Jackson

Cuts: Jomal Wiltz, Ryan Lewis, Brandon King, Keion Crossen

A very versatile and competitive group. New “DC” Flores will have many chess pieces to craft the perfect coverage schemes. If Cyrus Jones does net get on the field and prove himself, he will lose his spot to Crossen or another returner.

Special Teams

Stephen Gostkowski (K), Joe Cardona (LS), Corey Bojorquez (P)

Cuts: Ryan Allen

A real live left-footed punter battle! Like a rare unicorn they will fight it out. Ultimately Bojorquez has to show better leg strength that can offset any learning curve to upset Allen.

There you have it folks! Undoubtedly this will crumble and collapse at the next Patriots practice and I will question life. But it is a fun exercise into a deep dive of a complex process. Be sure to comment and tell me how your favorite player is definitely making the roster.

All photos courtesy of Getty images unless noted otherwise.

Be sure to check out other great articles for all your favorite Boston sports teams on Bostonsportsextra.com

Follow me on Twitter @ALykins32

Brady Talks Relationship With McDaniels, Chemistry With Receivers (@steveA1127)

Leave a reply

In a series of recent interview, Tom Brady has addressed topics such as his relationship with Josh McDaniels, Bill Belichick, and his new core of wide receivers.

Brady Does Not Like The Boston Globe

Via CBS Boston

It was an offseason unlike any other for Tom Brady. The QB had some time with his family, traveled the world, and worked on getting ready for another football season. Tom Brady did interviews this offseason with Oprah Winfrey and Jim Gray. In those, he hinted that the end is coming sooner rather than later. Also, he pleaded the fifth when asked if he felt appreciated by Bill Belichick and Robert Kraft.

Tom Brady skipped all offseason voluntary workouts and only attended when he had to be there. Brady spoke with local reporters for the first time on Saturday and the question about Alex Guerrero and Julian Edelman really seemed to get under his skin. He abruptly left the podium, sending the mass media into a frenzy.

Tom Has Great Relationship With McDaniels, Mum On Relationship With Belichick

Brady was asked about his relationship with Josh McDaniels and if he had a role in bringing him back. Brady responded, “Josh and I had a great relationship for 18 years, and he’s one of my best friends. I love working with him and we have a very special relationship that I cherish. It’s kind of been that way for a long time. We talk about everything, and like I said, he’s a great friend of mine. I love him, I love his family, and we’re very close. When you work together with somebody for that long, you have a great rapport and relationship. I’m happy he’s on our team, happy he’s coaching me, and I want to go out there and do well by him.”

When Tom Brady was asked about his offseason drama with Bill Belichick, Brady responded, “I have no thoughts.”

It’s been reported that Brady looks rusty through the first four practices of camp. Perhaps his absence from the voluntary workouts has caught up with him. Brady was asked if he was behind with his chemistry with the receivers at the moment. His response was, “I don’t know. Yeah, I don’t know. I mean, we have a long time. We have a lot of work to do. We’ll do the best we can every day to get the work in when we can and try to go out there and have a great year.” The overall sentiment was that it’s probably nothing to worry about long-term. Hopefully, the age doesn’t become the excuse factor; Brady turns 41 this week.

The Ego’s Are Getting In The Way

Every organization has disagreements. Belichick and Brady have been around each other for a long time. They both want to win, but their egos are getting in the way. It won’t stop them from winning, but you might see what happened in last year’s Super Bowl happen again: benching a star player to make Brady do it all himself.

It will be interesting to see how this all plays out come regular season.