Okay Patriots, what have you done for me lately? And by 'lately' I mean 25 hours and counting into the 2012 Free Agent frenzy that kicks off the new league year.
Bill Belichick has stayed true to form, laying low on Day 1 and steering clear of the big-name, big-bucks, headline-grabbing signings so far. I'm sure at this very moment the organization is furiously negotiating multiple deals that are still under wraps, but here's a bit of what they have publicly accomplished today:
1. They've shored up special teams, with the re-signing of special teamers Matthew Slater, Tracy White and Niko Koutouvides.
2. They've signed former Bengals DL Jonathan Fanene to a three-year deal.
3. They're showing interest in former Redskins safety Laron Landry and former Chargers DB Steve Gregory.
Showing interest isn't an accomplishment exactly, but it does show action and involvement regardless of whether it results in either player signing with the team. Keep in mind that there is still plenty of time to fill a plethora of holes on the roster, and if free agency doesn't yield the results some fans want to see, remember that there's always the Draft in April.
Since the Patriots frown on potential players talking to the media while a deal is in progress, I've been interpreting the Brandon Lloyd silence to mean he may indeed be negotiating with the team. Of course, the silence from his camp could also mean there is simply nothing to talk about. Such is the life of trying to figure out what the Patriots may or may not do in free agency.