New England Patriots News 2/22 and Notes Around the AFC East
A shout-out this Sunday to all from a snowy Central Massachusetts. Here is some of the Patriots related news from across the web from this week, NFL Combine news and also around the AFC East with the Bills, Dolphins and Jets.
Deflate Gate Gets More Confusing: There were so many new twists and turns concerning the Deflate/Inflate-Gate this week that the story may never be fully understood.
ESPN’s Outside the Lines put out a story that stated that a Patriots game day staffer, Jim McNally tried to “introduce a non-approved special teams football into the AFC Championship Game” lending credence to the entire deflated footballs investigation being done …and sloppily by the NFL.
The issues that jumped off the page right away with the report was that the special team’s kicking balls, marked prominently with a “K” are usually over-inflated which blows the entire deflated football argument out of the water. If New England was trying to gain a competitive advantage by using a softer football which is easier to grip and throw, then why use an over-inflated one?
Another issue is that kicking balls are basically taken right out of the box, with none of the prep work that QBs like to put in them. Tom Brady gets zero advantage trying to throw one of those kicking balls in the rain at Gillette.
The network’s own Adam Schefter hours later came out with a scathing rebuttal of the OTL’s piece stating that one of the game officials, was fired for trying to sell one of the football’s in question. The official had taken the ball off to the side. When the other officials realized a ball was missing, he tried to re-introduce the ball by giving to McNally. A second official also handed a ball to McNally. It now seems logical that McNally may have become genuinely confused and gave the officials the wrong football rather than deliberately trying to give them a football that gives the Patriots zero advantage.
The NFL has refused to comment, but as always continues to leak information thru its own trusted sources. With every new angle, the story gets more confusing.
After the initial reports of the Colts complaining about the pressure of the footballs after the D’Qwell Jackson interception, we then heard that the Colts had brought the matter up to the league prior to the game. The league then released a statement denying that. But on Thursday, Colts GM Ryan Grigson stated at the Combine that he alerted the league a week prior to the AFC Championship Game about the Patriots purported use of under-inflated footballs and wanted “to give our team the best chance to win on a level playing field."
This situation has become a total mess and the NFL’s handling of this matter has been terrible. It is now a lose-lose situation for everyone involved and when the Wells Report is finally released, it won’t change anyone’s minds depending upon one’s feelings now. This issue is far from over at this point.
Offensive Linemen, Edge Rushers Dominate Combine Talk: The Patriots continue their work at the NFL Combine in Indianapolis. And much of the talk thus far centers on some of the big offensive linemen that are available and the deep class of edge rushers.
Sunday’s on-field activities include the workouts (timing, stations, skill drills), for defensive linemen and linebackers. Interviews, NFLPA meeting, Bench press and psychological testing will take place with the defensive backs.
Some of the names to watch at the offensive line position that are being linked to the Patriots include FSU tackle Bobby Hart who may move to guard at the next level, Laken Tomlinson from Duke and FSU guard Tre’ Jackson.
While on the defensive side of the ball, Andy Hart of Patriots.com and PFW in Progress takes a nice look at defensive tackles, while his counterpart Paul Perillo does a round-up of the edge rushers and how Utah's Nate Orchard is being compared to Rob Ninkovich. ... We already looked at Orchard on Friday and think he’d be a nice fit with the Patriots defense….keep an eye peeled for him once the draft begins.
Former Pats coaches lend a hand: Longtime Pats coach Dante Scarnecchia and special teams coach Scott O’Brien who recently retired after the Super Bowl are both in Indianapolis. They’re helping out the Patriots sort thru the many players in evaluating talent for the team, as we pointed out here earlier this week.
What a photo op (see USA Today photo above), it was to see Bill Belichick sporting a hoodie from his foundation, entering the Combine’s events on Friday with the Ryan brothers, Rex sporting a Thurman Thomas jersey and Rob defensive coordinator for the Saints.
Jeff Howe of the Boston Herald reported this week that the Patriots are moving forward in attempts to sign Darrelle Revis to a long-term deal. Earlier team president Jonathan Kraft had spoken about Revis having a "place-holder" of a 2015 contract in place. Look for the team to resolve that issue and a new contract with Devin McCourty asap. Then the next major obstacles will be the new contract for kicker Stephen Gostkowski and re-doing the contract for Jerod Mayo. Mayo currently has $10.5 million dollar cap in 2015 and that will undoubtedly be looked at by the team for lessening the top end.
Open Tryouts for the Pats Cheerleaders: The Patriots cheerleaders are already gearing up for the 2015 season by holding open tryouts for this year’s squad. The tryouts will be held on Saturday, February 28, 2015 at the Ahern Middle School in Foxboro. Interested parties must first fill out an application on the Patriots web site.
The Sun Chronicle reports this week that last year’s squad included a biomedical engineer, a psychologist, a neuro-science professor, an accountant, a social worker and a physical therapist. That is quite an eclectic group, good luck ladies.
Eastbound and Down…..News from around the AFC East
Buffalo Bills trying to re-sign Hughes: Talks are heating up with Bills outstanding pass rusher Jerry Hughes. GM Doug Whaley stated to the NFL.com that the team had already sent a contract proposal to Hughes’ camp and they have made a counter-proposal.
Hughes had back-to-back 10 sack seasons playing next to Mario Williams on the Bills defense, but the team believes that he’ll continue to be a prolific pass rusher. Just ask new head coach Rex Ryan.
"I think Jerry is an outstanding player," Ryan said. "The last two years I've been against him and he's tremendous. ... I hope he's a Buffalo Bill for a long time.
Searcy May Move in Free Agency: Safety Da’Norris Searcy is looking for starters money and probably won’t get it from the Bills meaning he’ll move on via Free Agency on March 10.
Searcy, a part-time starter had these 2014 numbers: 648 snaps played, 65 tackles, 0.5 sacks, two forced fumbles, a fumble recovery, and three interceptions is reportedly looking for a contract paying him around $5 million a year. The Bills only can pay so many players and it is thought that he’ll at least test free agency unless a compromise can be sought.
If Searcy does move on, the Bills will look to either Duke Williams or veteran Corey Graham to play next to Aaron Williams unless they dip into free agency or the draft.
QB Options Dwindling: The Bills desperately need a franchise QB. And with a weak draft class, the trade options are drying up as well. The team had in free agent Josh McCown but he left before any deal was done.
Right now the Bills have E.J. Manuel who has 14 career starts and rode the pine for 12 games in 2014. With no first round pick, the chances of landing either Jameis Winston or Marcus Mariota are virtually nil.
Some of the lower tiered QBs available to the Bills include Colorado State’s Garrett Grayson, UCLA’s Brett Hundley and Baylor’s Bryce Petty. Rex Ryan knows full well the price of not having a franchise QB in place after his time with the Jets. This should prove interesting.
Miami Looking at LBs For the Defense: The Dolphins pick at #14 in the first round of the NFL Draft and are supposedly interested in two of the available linebackers, Clemson’s Vic Beasley and ILB Benardrick McKinney from Mississippi State.
Beasley had some questions about his size but measured 6’3, 246 at the Combine and has been a very productive pass rusher in college racking up 33 sacks. They are supposedly toying with the idea of moving little utilized DE Dion Jordan to OLB as well.
McKinney, a big physical MLB would immediately provide a boost to the Fins defense. The Dolphins are also looking at Miami University’s Daniel Perryman as a middle linebacker prospect as well.
Big Hole at TE if Clay Leaves Via FA: Dolphins tight end Charles Clay is expected to test the waters of free agency and since entering the league as a 6th round draft choice in 2011, has worked himself into being a big part of Miami’s offense.
In 2014, Clay caught 58 passes for 605 yards and three touchdowns while playing thru a knee injury that caused him to miss two games. After him, the Dolphins only have Dion Sims who caught only 24 passes and two touchdowns last season.
If Clay does leave, (the Patriots are one of the teams supposedly interested), then expect the Dolphins to look hard at one of the available tight ends in the draft.
Jets New Brass Bringing a Different Culture: The Jets have a new coach, Todd Bowles and a new GM Mike Maccagnan in the mix and are wasting no time in changing the entire culture around the team.
Maccagnan a 25-year veteran around the league fired two of the top scouts for the team and is revamping the personnel in the scouting department and bringing in his own people. Bowles tempered expectations immediately saying the Jets have to build themselves up internally before they can talk playoffs….never mind Super Bowls, in stark contrast to the bombastic Rex Ryan.
Bowles comes as a highly respected defensive coach who’ll be tasked with revamping a moribund offense, something he hasn’t done before. But it looks like, at least initially, that the Jets have gotten this one right with the leadership at the helm….time will tell.
Jets QB Search Continues: One of the new leadership’s most pressing concerns is who will be the team’s starting QB? The team has Geno Smith but Bowles made it clear that the team will search for a veteran QB. Hardly the words Smith wanted to hear but definitely not unexpected.
Bowles told the Jets.com this about Smith, “Right now, just watching film, he has a good arm, he's a good athlete, and he can throw the ball and make all the throws. Without seeing the intangibles and without being able to talk to him personally, you don't know what he knows, where his strengths are”. Hardly a ringing endorsement.The team brought in veteran Josh McCown for a visit but he is still out there.
The team is hoping that Oregon QB Marcus Mariota will fall to #6 in the 2015 NFL Draft because they’d probably draft him in a New York minute. There are rumors of Philadelphia being very interested in Mariota as well. If that is the case, the Eagles could possibly package a very attractive trade to New York involving players (Nick Foles) and picks to make it a solid move for the Jets.
Cromartie Returning to the Big Apple: With the Jets in need of some help at the cornerback position, a return to New York of Antonio Cromartie may be in the cards.
After playing thru a nagging hip injury that plagued him in a dreadful 2013 season, the Jets cut Cromartie and he signed a one-year deal with the Cardinals. He played well for Bruce Arians in 2014 and the Cardinals want him back this season.
But Arians knows that Cromartie will test free agency and the 31-year old corner has talked openly about returning the Jets this season. While he isn’t a long-term solution, he could help the Jets secondary and having played for Bowles who was the Cards defensive coordinator in 2014, may have an attraction on both sides.
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