Albert Breer reports the Patriots will take care of scouts in the event of a lockout.
With a lockout looming in 2011, the real victims are a lot of the people caught in-between -- The lower-level coaches and scouts and all the non-football team employees that have to worry about sustaining themselves and their families through a potential work stoppages.
So it was nice to read in Dan Pompei's top-notch debut effort over at the National Football Post that the local team will be taking care of some of its employees. Pompei writes 24 of the NFL's 32 teams have lockout language in their scouts' contracts that call for 25-50 percent paycuts in the event of a work stoppage, even though those are the people on the football side that will keep working.
The Patriots, along with the Colts, Saints and Seahawks, are among those that don't have such provisions in their scouts' deals, according to Pompei.
That reflects well on the Patriots, and the Kraft family, as well as Jim Irsay in Indy, Tom Benson in New Orleans and Paul Allen in Seattle. And it's the kind of thing that, down the line, guys will remember when they're picking where they want to work.
Albert Breer notes Colts Center Jeff Saturday pays Vince Wilfork compliments on NFL Network.
"I've played this guy on a ton in my career," Saturday said. "He makes the Patriots defense go. Nobody talks about him. He's a great run stuffer, but he can also get great push against the play-action pass, and he's a smart player who really helps his linebackers really shine in that defense."
Albert Breer gets Jay Glazer's opinion about one aspect of Tom Brady's training regimen.
"Well, if it’s good enough for Tom Brady, it’s good enough for anyone else,’’ Glazer said. "I know [Cardinals quarterback] Matt [Leinart] talked a lot to him about boxing, and Matt said [Brady’s] work ethic is off the charts. So it makes sense that he’d be doing it, because it’s about pushing yourself beyond your limits.’’
TEAM TALK
- Erik Scalavino talks about the possibilities of Randy Moss sticking around after his contract is up and of Logan Mankins and the Pats working out a deal.
- Erik Scalavino and Andy Hart debate: T.O. or N-O, part II.
- Patriots Roster Report - 7/16/10 Edition. This edition discusses recent comments by WR Terrell Owens that he is interested in becoming a Patriot. (14.31 min. audio)
- Gillette Stadium: UNH-UMass football tickets go on sale Tuesday, July 20.
LOCAL LINKS
- Jeff Howe asserts the Patriots will have to improve a 1-6 road mark to survive tough AFC.
- Ian Rapoport finds Randy Moss at Sea World with less than two weeks to go before camp.
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Albert Breer scouts the schedule: Bills, Ravens and Chargers.
- Jeff Howe sees new punter Zoltan Mesko punching up the punting unit. Statistically, Chris Hanson was the worst punter in the NFL last season so it won't take much to improve on that.
- Mike Reiss focuses on changes in the personnel department.
- Ian Rapoport notes Robert Kraft discusses how to manage the "challenges" before training camp.
- Jeff Howe sees the Patriots with a strong array of options for improving the return game.
- Albert Breer notes the Dolphins will lose their anchor in the middle, Jason Ferguson, who decided to call it quits after 13 NFL seasons.
- Ian Rapoport reports Wes Welker will appear in an ESPN commercial.
- Sam Dykstra offers a recap of Pete Carroll's Friday conversation with Dennis & Callahan on WEEI.
- Mike Cole notes former Patriot WR Troy Brown was inducted into the College Hall of Fame on Saturday.
NATIONAL NEWS
- AP (Boston Herald) NFL Calendar.
- Steve Sabol (SI) MMQB: Leaving their mark: NFL legends make impressions that last forever.
- Dan Pompei (Nat'l Football Post) Sunday Blitz: An introduction, news and notes and much more.
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Sam Farmer (Los Angeles Times) Countdown to NFL camps: Indianapolis Colts face a challenge to their consistency.
- Bucky Brooks (NFL.com) Scouts take: Breakout WRs. (3.53 min. video) Don't worry, Brandon Tate and Julian Edelman are flying way under the media radar.
- Jason Cole (Yahoo! Sports) DB rankings: Here's why Jets top the pack (and why the Pats rank 22nd).
- Vinnie Iyer (Sporting News) Peterson's power provides edge over Johnson in RB rankings. Pats RBs are running waaaaaaay under the radar on this list.
- Mark Kriegel (Fox Sports) Terrell Owens washed up and looking for work.
- Jamison Hensley (The Baltimore Sun) Flacco foresees signature season for Ravens.