Mike Reiss offers some soundbites from Robert Kraft on Wes Welker and the possibility of a contract extension during the bye.
"First of all, any guy who plays on our team I can look at face to face, and his eyes are at my level, or maybe a tad lower, is pretty exciting. He’s just a special guy. He’s a phenomenon. It’s our hope that he’ll be someone who will be with us the rest of his career."
"You know we’re a team that’s not about trying to encourage and sign people who want the last dollar. If money is the most important thing, we’ll have trouble getting a deal done. I just want to say this, whether it’s Wes Welker or Tom Brady or Logan Mankins or any player, when we decide what our limit is on what we can afford to pay a player, it’s not like whatever we don’t pay to that player the Kraft family are putting in their pockets. It’s about trying to build a team and have certain disciplines, and knowing that you need a team of 53 players on your roster. So whatever money we don’t give to Wes Welker is going to go to other players to build a team."
"But he is pretty special and comes from a great family. We couldn’t have asked for a better guy. His performance, what he did last year coming back from the injury, and now doing what he is doing [with] his performance this year, is great."
Shalise Manza Young reports Andre Carter took a risk before deciding to play for the Patriots.
"And as you know, the league is based upon production,’’ he said, "so I was really going on faith - faith in God and faith in my ability that I was going to get picked up. "
"And of course it was scary, too, because of the whole lockout. I mean, as the lockout ended and teams were gathering their players together, there were a lot of guys that were my age that were vets that unfortunately didn’t get picked up. That was a real risk. There was a time where you’re kind of like, OK, I’m a little on the edge of my seat." ...
"I really didn’t know what to anticipate after I got released from the Washington Redskins even though it was a mutual thing."
"I just felt like knowing what I do and knowing the type of player I was, I needed the opportunity to go somewhere else and show my skills and just work with great men that love the game of football just as much as I do."
"So overall, it’s been just such an amazing journey and I just constantly work on my craft, whether rushing the passer or stopping the run, and I just enjoy the men that I play with on the defensive line."
"I wouldn’t trade it for anything in the world.’’
TEAM TALK
- Andy Hart and Erik Scalavino debate whether this is the right time for Taylor Price.
- Patriots All Access Part 1: Coach Belichick breaks down last week's win over the Cowboys on The Belestrator. Also, Scott Zolak hosts a rare conversation with the three longest-tenured members of the Patriots: Tom Brady, Matt Light and Kevin Faulk. (20.33 min. video)
- Patriots All Access Part 2: We continue Scott Zolak's conversation with Tom Brady, Matt Light, and Kevin Faulk. Also, Paul Perillo and Mike Reiss share their opinions and analysis.(20.20 min. video)
- Patriots This Week: This edition looks back at the first half of the season and tries to predict what is in store for the second half. (20 min. video)
- Patriots Today - Recapping Pats' first six games. (3.35 min. video)
- Patriots Today - Hear from guard Brian Waters (3.28 min. video)
- GMC Never Say Never Moment of the Week Winner: Tom Brady's rally to beat the Cowboys.
LOCAL LINKS
- Mike Reiss shares some quick-hit thoughts from around the NFL and with the Patriots.
- Michael Hurley rightly notices how there is no media outrage this morning, condemning the Saints for running up the score on the hapless Colts.
- Ian Rapoport reminds us that the players return from the bye week tomorrow and hands out some Superlatives for the first portion of the Patriots 2011 season.
- Karen Guregian reports that after beating cancer, mammoth Patriots rookie Marcus Cannon may be ready to play.
- Chris Forsberg opens the film vault to watch a bunch of Ron Brace's 2010 snaps along with a quick look at the play that ended his season in Buffalo.
- Michael Vega says Ron Brace has been impatient to play after grinding through post-surgery rehab on the triceps tendon of his right elbow.
- Karen Guregian reports Hall-of Fame coach Don Shula relates to the Brady-Belichick bond.
- Monique Walker notes Brandon Spikes' zest for the game is always in evidence.
- Dan Duggan reports the Patriots are as diligent in self-scouting as they are against opponents.
- Andy Hart, Gary Tanguay, and Greg Dickerson review the Pats offense and give them grades for the first part of the season.
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Christopher Price offers his Bye Week Breakdown: Running Backs, Offensive Line, Quarterbacks, Defensive Line and Linebackers.
- Greg A. Bedard notes the NFL policy on mic'd up players is being protested by players and coaches.
- Chris Forsberg focuses on the Patriots 2009 draft and how well the 12 players (only half of which remain with the team) are performing in their junior year.
- Chris Forsberg puts the Patriots 2008 draft class in focus and examines how they're doing.
- Mike Reiss takes a look at the target percentage of Pats' pass-catchers through six games.
- Mike Reiss looks at the sacks/hits that Brady has absorbed this season.
- Chris Forsberg reports Devin McCourty remains the most targeted cornerback in the NFL.
- Mike Reiss offers some soundbites from two interviews Robert Kraft did on Friday.
- Fred Smerlas lists the six attributes that make Wes Welker the most 'important player to the offense' besides Tom Brady.
- Mike Reiss thinks the Patriots could use the bye week to wrap up a future with Wes Welker.
- WEEI highlights Patrick Chung's guest appearance on the Mut & Merloni show Friday.
- WEEI highlights Michael Lombardi's guest appearance on the Dennis & Callahan show Friday morning.
- Mike Reiss tells us the Football Journey of Dan Gronkowski.
NATIONAL NEWS
- Inside the NFL (Showtime) Bill Belichick checks in with Cris Collinsworth and special guest Charles Barkley to discuss a wide range of topics. (4.41 min. video)
- Peter King (SI) MMQB: After slow start, Week 7 got very interesting very fast.
- Matt Bowen (Nat'l Football Post) Week 7 Sunday rewind.
- Don Banks (SI) Week 7 Snap judgments: Palmer, Ponder have very different days in their debuts, and more.
- Chris Burke (SI) Everything you need to know: Week 7.
- Staff Report (Fox Sports) NFL Week 7: What we learned.