TEAM TALK

• Erik Scalavino helps us get to know Deion Branch in this week's edition of Inside the Helmet.

LOCAL LINKS

• Zuri Berry notes the Patriots have 18 free agents and five draft picks, opening up some opportunities to either reshape or solidify the roster.
• Gary Dzen looks at each of the Patriots' free agents to determine which players should stay and who should go.
• Greg A. Bedard offers a player-by-player assessment of how the Patriots performed in the 2012 season. Check out which players' grades are fridge-worthy.
• Field Yates breaks down the Patriots roster by age. 38 of the 58 players under contract through 2013 are 25 years or younger.
• Field Yates offers an updated look at the Patriots' roster broken down by contract length.
• Mike Reiss reports Vince Wilfork is playing at the highest level of his nine-year career, and played the most snaps of any DL over the last two seasons.
• Mike Reiss takes a closer look at some draft prospects from a Pats perspective: S Matt Elam (Florida) and WR Marquise Goodwin (Texas).
• Luke Hughes notes Anquan Boldin could be a cap casualty for the Ravens, which should attract interest from New England.
• Tony Massarotti thinks the Patriots are right to be worried about the implications of a long-term deal to retain Aqib Talib.
• Felger and Mazz debate what the bigger re-signing priority is, Wes Welker or Aqib Talib. (5.57 min. video)
• Mike Reiss considers some recent mock drafts and looks at the safety vs. cornerback decision.
• Jeff Howe reports Bill Belichick is playing in this week's AT&T Pebble Beach National Pro-Am today through Sunday. Nice way to escape the blizzard forecast for Fri.
• Field Yates talks about the unlikely friendship between Bill Belichick and Kobe Bryant.
• Jeff Howe notes former DT Ron Brace officially cleared waivers yesterday. It took so long because he was released during the playoffs.
• Bill Reynolds is tired of Rob Gronkowski's act and wants him to stop taking his shirt off in clubs. Party pooper.
• CSNNE reports Rob Gronkowski is the sixth most-liked player in the NFL.
• Mike Reiss answers his weekly reader mailbag: Do Pats need to follow Ravens?
• Obnoxious Boston Fan marks the anniversary of "The Blizzard of '78" with an audio clip of Gil Santos delivering the news of the storm on WBZ. Cool.

NATIONAL NEWS

• Gregg Rosenthal (NFL.com) Offseason forecast: New England Patriots.
• Michael David Smith (ProFootballTalk) NFL has plenty of good options for Ravens' Week One home opener, but none better than the Patriots.
• Darin Gantt (ProFootballTalk) Belichick and Kobe are pals, because of course they are.
• Dan Hanzus (NFL.com) Manti Te'o tops NFL Scouting Combine invitees list.
• Curtis Crabtree (ProFootballTalk) List of invitees to the NFL Combine announced.
• Brian Billick (Fox Sports) Takeaways from an epic season.
• Clifton Brown (Sporting News) 2013 NFL projections. Tim Tebow to the Patriots as the No. 3 QB.
• Michael Silver (Yahoo! Sports) With Super Bowl XLVII in the books, here are six observations from '12 season.
• Peter Schrager (Fox Sports) Top moves, teams to watch in 2013.
• Matt Bowen (Nat'l Football Post) NFL vets beware: the offseason cuts are coming.