Mike Reiss reports a fully healthy Shawn Crable is excited about another opportunity to break into the lineup. (Is 'break' really the right word to use here?)
Crable was asked how much better he is now than when he first joined the team. "Mentally, I’m a lot better," he responded. "I know a lot more of the playbook, I know a little more of what is going on. I don’t feel like I’m walking into something I don’t know what to expect."
Crable said he’s embracing the competition at outside linebacker, where second-round draft choice Jermaine Cunningham joins a mix that includes Tully Banta-Cain, Derrick Burgess, Rob Ninkovich, Pierre Woods, Marques Murrell and Bruce Davis. "Another opportunity," he said. "We'll see if we can do it better this time."
Michael Lombardi (Nat'l Football Post) Winning makes doing contracts tougher. The "Disease of Me" is in play in New York. In case you forgot the meaning: The disease of me = The defeat of us.
SIX DANGER SIGNALS OF THE DISEASE OF ME:
1. Chronic feelings of under appreciation – Focus on oneself.
2. Paranoia over being cheated out of one's rightful share.
3. Leadership vacuum resulting from formation of cliques and rivalries.
4. Feelings of frustration even when the team performs successfully.
5. Personal effort mustered solely to outshine one's teammate.
6. Resentment of the competence of another – Refuse to admit his contribution.
TEAM TALK
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Paul Perillo and Andy Hart debate if Brian Cushing should have kept his Defensive Rookie of the Year award through a re-vote.
- Patriots Today - Dan Koppen at Gillette Stadium. (9.20 min. video)
- Patriots Today - Totally Patriots Talent Search. Attention high school and college-aged TV hopefuls! The Patriots have an opportunity coming up for you at Gillette Stadium. (2.03 min. video)
LOCAL LINKS
- Mike Reiss notes the Patriots rookies are scheduled to arrive in town today as the team's offseason program shifts to a new phase, with the veterans and rookies in the locker room together for the first time.
- Karen Guregian reports Logan Mankins and the Patriots have been talking about hammering out a contract extension, but they're still pretty far apart.
- Peter Martin says Shawn Crable feels good and ready to go.
- Albert Breer thinks it's fair to say Shawn Crable's job will be on the line this summer and it's hard to expect him to come up big after the past two seasons.
- Tom E. Curran notes Shawn Crable hopes his fortunes turn in 2010, and how he's very anxious to wipe away the last two lost seasons.
- Mike Reiss reports Patriots owner Robert Kraft recently spent time with recovering WR Wes Welker and liked what he saw.
- Karen Guregian reports Robert Kraft has confidence that Wes Welker will be back.
- Albert Breer notes Patriots lineman Dan Connolly gets his degree from Southeast Missouri State. Congrats!
- Mike Reiss offers some quick-hit thoughts from the Patriots and around the NFL.
- Ian Rapoport offers a few tidbits he picked up from Kevin Faulk's charity softball game.
- Tom E. Curran offers some chatter from Kevin Faulk about the running game, free agent recruiting and the loss to the Ravens.
- Albert Breer asks Lovie Smith about Torry Holt and gets rave reviews about the Patriot's new WR's great character, competitiveness and ability as a leader.
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Mike Reiss notes the Patriots' pass rush was inconsistent in 2009 and wonders what can be reasonably expected from Jermaine Cunningham.
- Nate Dow notes heading into this year's draft, the Pats had selected seven TEs over the past decade. The team might have finally struck gold with Rob Gronkowski.
- Albert Breer notes the uncertainty at the RB situation for the Patriots, and says the Patriots will have to prepare for life after Kevin Faulk.
- Mike Reiss looks at the running back debate: committee vs. one-man-show.
- Albert Breer looks back at the interview Tom Brady did with 60 Minutes in 2007 to examine how important football is in his life. Interesting.
NATIONAL NEWS
- Eric Edholm (Pro Football Weekly) Brady's comments about Patriots not surprising.
- Peter King (SI) MMQB: After busy offseason, an early look at how the 32 teams stack up now.
- Tim Graham (ESPN) Revising history for Patriots, Dolphins.
- Matt Bowen (Nat'l Football Post) Revis has value that demands big money. Jets' CB may ask for $20 million a year and he might be worth it.
- Pat Kirwan (NFL.com) Want to predict which rookies will be busts? Look at pass rushers: "Be realistically happy if your new addition is active for 16 games, records 30 tackles, four sacks and a forced fumble. That would make him above average for a rookie."
- Tim Graham (ESPN) Jets owner 'obsessed' with Super Bowl.
- Don Banks (SI) Super Bowl in the NY area all but a cold, hard reality for NFL.
- Jeff Pearlman (SI) Bringing the Super Bowl to cold-weather NY city a bad idea.
- Ross Tucker (SI) TV more enticing for NFL fans than the stadium experience.
- FOX Sports asks, Who is the next JaMarcus Russell?