Karen Guregian highlights Bill Belichick talking about the Draft on Sirius Radio yesterday.
"We’ve definitely been contacted by teams below us, offering (us) to move back, and (teams) seeing if we want to move up into a better position," Belichick said. "Of course, that usually doesn’t get finalized until draft day, but there definitely seems to be a lot of interest in our draft picks.
"As you know, we’re not afraid to trade them," he went on, hanging a bit on the last line for emphasis. "We’ll do what’s best for the team. We’ll evaluate those opportunities if they come up on draft day and take it from there."
Bill Parcells, who is one of three finalists for enshrinement into the Patriots Hall of Fame addresses the media during his conference call Monday.
I'll say, I'm very flattered I would be considered with both Drew [Bledsoe] and Houston Antwine. It's quite a surprise to me, but I'm very flattered to be in that group, and [I] have very fond memories of my two times that I worked in New England there.
I remember going [to New England], and in all honesty, the franchise was in, I don't want to use the word disarray, but it certainly was unsettled. That would be the best way to put it. The ownership was unsettled. There were not a lot of people going to the games. The management of the franchise was unsettled. And it was a big undertaking, but I do feel like when Robert Kraft took over the team, that was really a major step for stability for the franchise and for the Patriots themselves. And of course, now it's one of the premier franchises, top three or four in the league, no doubt. And just look what's happened in 15 years or 16 years from then to now. It's gone from being a place that didn't have very good facilities to having the best. The team wasn't great, and now it's certainly a premier team.
Bill Belichick has done a tremendous job there, remarkable job. And just it's a model for the teams in the league that are aspiring to do what the Patriots have already done. I don't really think I had a whole lot to do with that, but I think the one thing I would say that was helpful is we were able to, during the course of my time there, put, I'll name a few guys because I was just thinking about what I was going to say. Besides the obvious Drew Bledsoe, [Willie] McGinest, Ty Law, Lawyer Milloy, Troy Brown, Tedy Bruschi, Curtis Martin, Adam Vinatieri, Terry Glenn. We were able to put those players on the team to go with Ben Coates and [Bruce] Armstrong and Sam Gash and say Maurice Hurst was a good little player that were already there.
And I think that was the beginning of some personnel continuity. And some of those kids have gone on to be, as you know, some of the great players in Patriots history. And so, I do get a sense of accomplishment in that because there are some real quality players there that made a significant contribution to the development of the franchise.
TEAM TALK
- Bill Parcells Conference Call (27.30 min.audio) plus Transcript.
LOCAL LINKS
- Mike Reiss highlights Bill Belichick talking about the draft as a guest on Sirius Radio.
- Karen Guregian notes that during his interview yesterday, Bill Belichick pointed to the front-7 positions on defense as pivotal in this year's draft.
- Tom E. Curran talks about the interest in New England's top draft picks and how quite often the Patriots get the better of the teams they deal with.
- Mike Reiss reports the 2011 regular-season schedule will be announced tonight and offers a poll to see if fans are excited or wary about the upcoming season.
- Mike Reiss notes Alabama RB Mark Ingram tweeted that he was en route to Boston this morning.
- Mike Reiss highlights Bill Parcells' conference call with Patriots reporters Monday morning.
- Christopher Price updates the big board list of Patriots private workouts and pre-draft visits.
- Greg A. Bedard analyzes the Draft: Cornerbacks.
- Tom E. Curran and Mike Giardi preview the running backs available in the Draft. (2.45 min. video)
- Mike Reiss analyzes Ryan Mallett's pre-draft visit with the Patriots.
- Ian Rapoport notes the Patriots will host TE Kyle Rudolph today.
- Jeff Howe thinks OL Benjamin Ijalana (Villanova) has the flexibility to help the Patriots' uncertain situation on their O-Line.
- Mike Reiss profiles possible Patriots: OT Nate Solder (Colorado).
- Jeff Howe says the evolution of the Patriots' RBs turned out to be one of the biggest surprises of 2010, and Mikel Leshoure (Illinois) could be a perfect fit.
- Tom E. Curran and Mike Giardi explain how the Patriots' approach may be altered without a CBA in place. (2.45 min. video)
- Kaitlin McKinley reports Wes Welker will be competing in the 2011 American Century Championship celebrity golf tournament at Lake Tahoe in July.
NATIONAL NEWS
- Andy Benoit (NY Times) 2010 Patriots: What the film revealed.
- Mike Florio (ProFootballTalk) Pioli explains what prompted the Pats to take a chance on Moss.
- Tim Graham (ESPN) Patriots meeting with Mallett, Ingram.
- Evan Silva (ProFootballTalk) If Patriots want Mark Ingram, they're not hiding it.
- Gregg Rosenthal (ProFootballTalk) Teams expect a lack of draft trades.
- Jason Cole (Yahoo! Sports) Lockout, talent pool put freeze on trades.
- Tim Graham (ESPN) Bill Parcells insists he's done with the NFL.
- Mike Florio (ProFootballTalk) Theismann confirms he won't be back on Thursday Night Football.
- Wes Bunting (Nat'l Football Post) The Scout's top 10: Playing GM for a day.
- Matt Bowen (Nat'l Football Post) Why speed sells at the wide receiver position.
- Peter King (SI) 2011 NFL Draft preview: one-minute drills.
- Mike Piellucci (Fox Sports) The worst No. 1 overall picks in NFL draft history.
- NewsCore (Fox Sports) Could Jets, Giants commemorate 9/11?
LABOR LUNACY
- Mike Florio (ProFootballTalk) As mediation stalls, propaganda returns to the labor fight.
- NFL Labor Blog (nflabor.com) What is average NFL player's career length? Longer than you might think, Commissioner Goodell says.
- AP (NY Times) Day 2 of NFL mediation ends - talks resume Tuesday.
- Judy Battista (NY Times) NFL and the players see same forest, different trees.
- Ray Ratto (CBS Sports) NFL keeps playing pretend with schedule release.
- Mike Florio (ProFootballTalk) De Smith won't be present at Tuesday's mediation.
- Mike Florio (ProFootballTalk) Three new owners will attend mediation on Tuesday.
- Mike Florio (ProFootball Talk) NFLPA pushes a "lift the lockout" petition.
- Andrew Brandt (Nat'l Football Post) Agents rooting hard for a CBA: Player funding continues.
- Andrew Brandt (Nat'l Football Post) The spending problem: Short-term funds vs. long-term solution.
- Mike Florio (ProFootballTalk) Retired players file another lawsuit against NFLPA.
- AP (Fox Sports) Retired players suing NFLPA.