New England Patriots Links 7/28/10 - McCourty Signs; Team Protecting Welker From Himself

Andy Simms, Devin McCourty's agent, tweets the good news:

Patriots 1st rounder Devin McCourty has agreed to terms this morning and will be at the facility when the full team reports today.

Albert Breer says Welker is physically ready to play in week 1, but there is no reason to push.

But for now, the idea is to protect Welker from another foe in his recovery from reconstructive knee surgery.

That adversary would be himself.

So as part of Welker’s comeback from a torn ACL and MCL, and a subsequent rotator-cuff surgery, the Patriots took the precaution of placing the receiver on the active/physically unable to perform list yesterday, before today’s veteran training-camp reporting date. Once Welker practices, he comes off that list.

The plan always has been to have Welker ready for Week 1, a goal held above all else, and that plan is going well.

If there was a playoff game tomorrow? Bottom line: Welker could go out and play. He’s ready for contact, and is physically well enough to participate in all football activities.

But there isn’t a game tomorrow, or even a practice until tomorrow. And there’s the empirical knowledge that once they let Welker go, there won’t be much stopping him from pushing himself to the absolute limit, because of his own approach.

So now is the time to be cautious, and keep Welker from causing a problem for himself.

The thinking goes that there is simply no reason to push him, or allow him to push himself too hard too soon, when he can spend a little extra time further strengthening himself and his left leg.

TEAM TALK

• Ask PFW: All is Wel-ker!
• Patriots Today - The Training Camp experience. (3.51 min. video)
• Patriots Today - Sneak peek at Training Camp. (1.46 min. video)

LOCAL LINKS

• Albert Breer reports Devin Mccourty has been signed. Team now has all 12 rookies done, and becomes just second team to sign a first-round draft pick.
• Karen Guregian says it can't be a good sign for Shawn Crable to land on the active/PUP list right out of the gate. Shawn Crable is supposed to be prime contender for an outside linebacker spot.
• Mike Reiss offers some thoughts on the news of Wes Welker and Shawn Crable being placed on PUP.
• Albert Breer takes a look at unsigned Devin McCourty and the state of other first-round negotiations.
• Mark Farinella thinks it would be really out of character for Brady to suddenly demand to break Robert Kraft's bank at this stage of his career.
• Albert Breer notes a Football Outsiders study shows the New England has put resources in to its 2010 club.
• Tom E. Curran talks about how the Patriots have wiped away the remnants of the team's glory days from the building, signaling this team has to make it's own identity.
• Troy Brown speaks at Mohegan Sun about the new looks inside Gilette. (2 min. video)
• Boston.com Patriots Training Camp position competitions.
• Jeff Howe takes a closer look at the battle between Brandon McGowan and James Sanders for the starting safety spot alongside Brandon Meriweather.
• Robert Lee lists five key questions on offense as the Patriots begin Training Camp.
• Mark Farinella notes the Patriots will offer free skin cancer screening to those who attend camp at Gillette Stadium on Aug. 4 and 5. Great idea.
• Karen Guregian offers a 'wicked early' look at Patriots roster projections.
• Christopher Price rates the roster - training camp edition Part 5.  Here's Part 6 too.
• Michael Hurley notes that with T.O. in the mix, Patriots' Week 1 matchup with the Bengals just got interesting.
• Albert Breer scouts the schedule: Miami Dolphins.
• Mike Reiss answers his weekly reader mailbag.
• Albert Breer was impressed with the new video monitors at Gillette Stadium, calling the picture vivid and stunning.
• Chris Mortensen appeared on WEEI's Dennis & Callahan show to talk about Brady's contract, the AFC East and more.

NATIONAL NEWS

• Tim Graham (ESPN) Patriots play it safe with Wes Welker's return.
• Tim Graham (ESPN) Tatum's death summons Stingley tragedy.
• Tim Graham (ESPN) Trying to justify big AFC East paychecks.
• Joe Reedy (Cincinnati Enquirer) Terrell Owens joining Cincinnati Bengals. Agrees to deal worth $2 million with incentives.
• Ross Tucker (SI) Playoff-contending Bengals throw T.O. a big lifeline -- and vice versa.
• Jamison Hensley (Baltimore Sun) Ravens 2nd-round pick Terrence Cody failed conditioning test, placed on PUP.
• Adam Watson (ESPN) The NFL season by the numbers.