Shots Heard 'Round The Web - Patriots Links 5/25/09

TOP SHOTS

Ron Borges discusses Matt Gutierrez's motivation to stay prepared at number 3.

Here there are millions of reasons for someone like Gutierrez to stay vigilant. There are the 14 million reasons Cassel gave him when he went from afterthought to franchised free agent multimillionaire. There’s Brady, who was once as anonymous as Gutierrez is today, difficult as that might be to recall.

Peter King (SI) MMQB: King asked Wes Welker whether the 2009 offense can be as good as the 2007 offense.

"I feel we've gotten better,'' he said. "Back in '07, Randy and I were in our first year here, and I don't know about Randy, but I was worried about where the hell I was supposed to line up a lot of that season. Now, with so many touches over the last two years, the offense is second nature to us. This is a complicated offense, and getting to know it takes time. But now I think we both know it well, and we're on the same page with Tom every snap. Our goal is to continue to get better. I hope we can. We've got some good new weapons here, and it'll be great for us to get on the field together to see what we can do.''

More Shots after the jump...

TEAM SHOTS

• Andy Hart and Erik Scalavino debate if the Patriots should acquire Michael Vick.

LOCAL SHOTS

• Mike Reiss offers Robert Kraft's reflections of his trust-based relationship with Bill Belichick.
• Chris Gasper reports the Patriots endured their biggest special teams turnover of the decade this off-season, including coach Scott O'Brien.
• Shalise Manza Young says with Shawn Crable healthy again, he could fit in as a pass rusher.
• Mark Farinella notes Shawn Crable and Terrence Wheatley, both sidelined as rookies, are striving to catch up.
• John Chandler offers his thoughts about the 2009 Patriots.
• Mike Reiss focuses on Kevin O'Connell, Alex Smith and Terrence Wheatley from last Wednesday's OTAs, with a quick video on each player.
• Mark Farinella has an odd story speculating about Robert Kraft wanting to turn Patriots Place into his own personal territory.  Odd because Kraft turned that wasteland section of Rte 1into a hip, desirable destination.
  

LONG SHOTS

• Mike Sando (ESPN) Revisiting the 49ers-Patriots draft swap.
• Tim Graham (ESPN) Here's a rundown of all the quarterbacks each AFC East team will face this year in the order that they'll meet them.
• Michael Lombardi (Nat'l Football Post) The Oakland-New England trade talks surrounding Derrick Burgess.
• Vito Stellino (Florida Times-Union) Fred Taylor taking different training route for Patriots.
• Don Coble (Florida Times-Union) Q&A: Patriots' Moss catches on to racing game.
• Tim Graham (ESPN) More pablum for Brady cynics.
• Vinnie Iyer (Sporting News) There are definite downsides to expanding the regular season.
• Jeff Legwold (Fox Sports) League never should have let NFL Europe go.
• ESPN News Services Report: NFL investigating tampering charge against Redskins.
• Jason Cole (Yahoo! Sports) NFL conducts Haynesworth tampering probe.
• Michael Silver (Yahoo! Sports) Mangini, Belichick disciples alienate players.