With the opening of Free Agency today, the news is coming fast and furious. I don't have time to list all of the stories, but hie thee to the Globe and Herald blogs for all sorts of news. Kelley Washington and Tedy Bruschi are coming back. Kevin Faulk passed a drug test and won't be suspended. Seau has shoulder surgery... Just go already.

Reiss' Pieces

Point After

Here's a well-done post on the legalities and maneuvering that are likely going on behind the scenes between the NFL, Matt Walsh, etc. The author doesn't think this story will come out, and lays out the legal case why. An interesting read, because it takes what could be a boring subject to a non-lawyer (i.e., just about anything to do with contract law,) and explains how this hot-button topic will likely play out.

Stephanie Stradley at AOLFanhouse

John Tomase of the Boston Herald is reporting that RB Sammy Morris has been placed on the Injured Reserve list, ending his 2007 Patriots season. This leaves the Pats with RB's Laurence Maroney, Kevin Faulk, Heath Evans, and Kyle Eckel on the roster. WR Chad Jackson and CB Eddie Jackson are eligible to come off the injured list. With the Colts on deck, Eddie Jackson's services as a DB looks to get him the call for this weekend.

Why 16 - 0 Won't Happen
Early Dominance Evokes Thoughts of '72 Dolphins

First of all, I come here to praise the Patriots, not bury them. The very fact that we can even contemplate a perfect season is indicative of how good they are. That many experts are already discussing this after only 7 games is the ultimate compliment of their performance thus far. After all, the Colts are 6-0 themselves but are not being compared to the '72 Dolphins yet. The dominance that this team has displayed is making this a distinct possibility, so let's go through the challenges that stand between them and a perfect season.

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League Office Confirms Violation
Commisioner Goodell Reviewing Potential Penalties

ESPN is reporting that NFL Commisioner Roger Goodell has confirmed that the Patriots broke league rules when a team official was in possession of a video camera on the sidelines during Sunday's Jets game. The Patriots have until Friday to present their argument re: the specific intent of the use of the camera. Potential penalties could include a suspension for team employees, fines, and loss of future draft picks.

The NFL competition committee will review the charges and make a recommendation to Goodell, who will then hear the Patriots counter-argument. The specifics of the allegation are still unclear. Unnamed league sources are quoted in several articles citing the Patriots guilt, and the likelihood of severe penalties, but no league official has gone on record. There is still a lot of information that needs to come out, but the likelihood of some penalty seems certain now. The league did issue a letter to all teams this off-season re-iterating the policy of prohibiting the type of behavior in question, which could lead to Goodell issuing a stern rebuke as a warning to other teams.

Poll

What penalty should the commissioner levy against New England?

• Forfeit Jets game
• Award Indianapolis the Super Bowl
• Take away a 1st-round pick
• Take away one 1st-day pick and one 2nd-day pick
• Take away multiple late-round picks

  147 votes | Results

CNN is reporting that the NFL is investigating the New England Patriots for videotaping the New York Jets staff making defensive signals during Sunday's game. The Patriots have previously been accused of stealing signals by the Detroit Lions and Green Bay Packers. John Tomase at the Boston Herald recaps the story and the previous charges in more detail. If the league finds the charges to be true, the Patriots could be lose one or multiple draft picks.

Although there is little public record re: the facts of the situation, the potential validity of the charges must be taken seriously. While the results of the investigation will ultimately determine if there is any fire for all of this smoke, we can still engage in some reasonable speculation both in favor of and against the charges.

1. If the Patriots have been previously accused of this, why would they continue to do it when the story was already out there? It's hard to imagine an organization as well-handled as the Patriots would do something this stupid, get caught, then do it again, get caught again, and then do it again against a team staffed by multiple former employees. Besides Mangini, Brian Dabol was on the Patriots staff last year (when the initial accusations were made by the Lions and Packers,) so the Jets had to have some suspicions. Unless the Pats staff has been infected by a severe case of hubris, this seems unlikely.
2. Who is the employee in question? The suspected employee has not been named, nor is it clear if the previous accusations were against the same employee. One remote possibility was that some overzealous person overstepped his bounds. I don't think this is very likely given the multiple instances, but given the number of people granted access to the field there is a chance that the Patriots staff was unaware that he was doing this in addition to his official duties.
3. How many instances are there? The Buffalo Bills are reviewing security tape looking for potential sign-stealing by the Patriots. Other teams are probably doing the same thing. Even if little hard evidence comes out of the investigation, enough accusations and circumstantial evidence could cause the league to level some sanction.
4. Why even bother with using a team official on the field? The technology of longer range viewing equipment would preclude the need to use someone on the field. Why would the Patriots be so conspicuous as to have someone on the field making hand signals to the coaches.

It is hard to guess the likelihood of these charges, but the potential fallout is very troubling. I find it hard to believe that the Patriots would feel the need to do this, and would then go about it so stupidly, but until we know more, the potential of losing draft picks (along with the public perception fallout) is a concern to the organization.

Poll

Do you think the Patriots steal signals?

• No, but probably some teams do.
• No, and probably no teams do.
• Yes, and they're the only ones.
• Yes, but they're not the only ones.

  230 votes | Results

CB Reports to Team
Expected to Sign One-Year Franchise Offer

ESPN is reporting that Asante Samuel has reported to the New England Patriots, and is expected to sign his franchise offer. Len Pasquarelli thinks Samual may even practice today. With one pre-season game remaining, Samuel should have time to compete for a starting spot on opening day. It is not known at this time if the Patriots agreed not to apply the franchise tag to Samuel again next year.

Poll

When will Asante Samuel supplant Ellis Hobbs or Randall Gay as starter?

• Regular season Week 3
• Regular season Week 4
• After regular season Week 4
• Regular season Week 1
• Regular season Week 2

  19 votes | Results

Albert Breer at the Boston Herald reports that the Patriots have released veteran punter Josh Miller. This leaves the Patriots with two inexperienced punters: Danny Baugher and Tom Malone. The early release of Miller was seeminlgy done to give him time to sign with another team before final roster cuts.

The Patriots announced today that WR Stanley Morgan was elected to the team Hall of Fame. Morgan played for 13 seasons in New England, capturing numerous team records along the way, including touchdowns (68), receiving yards (10,352), 100-yard receiving games (39) and 1,000-yard receiving seasons (3). Perhaps the most impressive record is his career average receiving yards per catch (19.2). Only one player in the NFL Hall of Fame has a higher average, and that is Paul Warfield (20.1), lending credibility towards Morgan's NFL HoF credentials.

It turns out that all our (O.K., my,)  speculation about why Hairston was released after the very first camp practice was way off base. Albert Breer at the Boston Herald reports that Hairston was released and then re-signed to put him on the Injured Reserve list. I'll keep looking around for more details on what coach Bellichick described as a complicated league rule, which is the reported reason for Hairston's release, and not any disciplinary reasons. I'm glad to hear that it was not any character related issue, and that maybe when he gets healthy, Hairston can contribute to the team.

Breer also reports that safety Mel Mitchell, who was injured early last year, has come off of the Physically Unable to Perform list and will begin practicing again.