Shots Heard 'Round The Web - Patriots Links 3/16/09

by Marima on Mar 16, 2009 9:10 AM EDT in New England Patriots News

TEAM SHOTS

Experts pick the Top Ten Personnel Moves in Patriots History.
Erik Scalavino and Andy Hart debate whether CB Ellis Hobbs will be a starter in 2009.
Leigh Bodden's Friday Conference Call transcript.

LOCAL SHOTS

Chris Gasper looks at the free agency spending of the past two weeks for all 32 teams, despite cries of poor mouth by the owners.
Chris Gasper recaps the weekend signing of WR Joey Galloway and the resigning of versatile DL Mike Wright.
Chris Gasper notes CB Leigh Bodden is excited to be part of a winning organization, especially after his season with the winless Lions.
The Herald Staff lists the remaining active Patriots players who have helped bring all three Super Bowl titles home to Foxboro.
Patriots Insider notes that the Patriots might receive a third-round compensatory draft pick from the league for losing (and not replacing) Asante Samuel, Donte Stallworth and Randall Gay.

LONG SHOTS

Tim Graham (ESPN) Scouts Inc: Signing Galloway a nice move by Pats.
Matt Sohn (Pro Football Weekly) Patriots astutely read the market in recent CB acquisitions.
Vic Carucci (NFL.com) If Cutler keeps it up, McDaniels might give him something to cry about.
Chris Mortensen (ESPN) Cutler says he can't trust McDaniels.
Peter King (SI) MMQB: Cutler's time with Broncos nearing an end, plus more NFL and Patriots news and notes.
Matt Bowen (National Football Post) A Defenders Look at Man Defense.
Larry Felser (The Buffalo News) With Bills choking, Owens easy to digest.
Tom Monkovic (N.Y. Times) Cutler asks for a trade. Jets need a QB.

Tweet Comment 5 comments | 0 recs |

Do you like this story?

Comments

Cutler vs. McD

SBNation’s Mile High Report has some great discussions on this subject. One interesting tidbit:

However, as can be read in Styg50’s brilliant piece about Bus Cook, it is reasonable to assume that Cutler and McDaniels are being played against each other to benefit the player’s agent. Given the history of Cook, and given that the “source” that the media wants to protect sounds like Cook (a player’s agent leaking meetings? NO!), it sounds like Denver fans can actually keep on appreciating Cutler while trusting the coach to do the right thing. It sounds like the trade talk came from Cook, not the coaching staff. Ultimately, if Cutler listens to a zealous agent instead of thinking for himself, the coach may have to move on. If this happens, it would be unfortunate. But when players and coaches clash, the coach has the team’s best interests in mind.

Blogger at SBNation's New England Patriots blog, Pats Pulpit

by MaPatsFan on Mar 16, 2009 9:37 AM EDT reply actions

I’m drawn to the Cutler-McDaniels saga like a rubbernecker passing a fiery car wreck. Sure it’s not in my lane, but I know one of those guys and I can’t stop looking – or linking to it apparantly. I justify it by telling myself that it’s AFC news, and McDaniels has ties to New England so what he does is news, but the truth is I like McDaniels and even though I’ll never be a Broncos fan, I still want to see a good guy do well. (Not well as in Super Bowl well, but you know what I mean.)

In my opinion this entire fiasco lies squarely on Cutler’s shoulders for allowing him and McDaniels to be “Cook-ed” by Cutler’s agent, burning the whole team in the process. Cutler wanted to be traded as soon as Shanahan and the OC were let go, and more importantly, before the Broncos’ failed attempt at trading for Cassel.

Keep the faith!

by Marima on Mar 16, 2009 9:42 AM EDT reply actions

Cutler

is going from a feelgood story to a TO story…

"These players, a lot of other people didn't believe in them, but they believe in themselves. And that is all that matters."- Bill Belichick

by Mainiac on Mar 16, 2009 9:44 AM EDT reply actions

totally

I liked him a lot when the verbal sparring between him and Rivers first surfaced, but this situation is just not making him look good. I completely understand how a player in a key position like QB wants a franchise to commit to him, both from the competitive perspective of building an offense as well as a job security one.

But in the end, it’s a business, not a pre-school. I don’t know to what extent McDaniels misrepresented his intents to trade, nor if he actually lied about it after to Jay or not (all the press accounts sound like hearsay to me), but even if he did Cutler’s response should be to go out and prove the doubters wrong, not stamp his feet. At first I thought the situation was just the media blowing things out of proportion (as we more than anyone else know they often love to do), but there’s been too many successive incidents for this to just go quietly into the night.

by jctsai12 on Mar 16, 2009 11:55 AM EDT up reply actions