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TEAM TALK
- Erik Scalavino helps us get to know Deion Branch in this week's edition of Inside the Helmet.
LOCAL LINKS
- Zuri Berry notes the Patriots have 18 free agents and five draft picks, opening up some opportunities to either reshape or solidify the roster.
- Gary Dzen looks at each of the Patriots' free agents to determine which players should stay and who should go.
- Greg A. Bedard offers a player-by-player assessment of how the Patriots performed in the 2012 season. Check out which players' grades are fridge-worthy.
- Field Yates breaks down the Patriots roster by age. 38 of the 58 players under contract through 2013 are 25 years or younger.
- Field Yates offers an updated look at the Patriots' roster broken down by contract length.
- Mike Reiss reports Vince Wilfork is playing at the highest level of his nine-year career, and played the most snaps of any DL over the last two seasons.
- Mike Reiss takes a closer look at some draft prospects from a Pats perspective: S Matt Elam (Florida) and WR Marquise Goodwin (Texas).
- Luke Hughes notes Anquan Boldin could be a cap casualty for the Ravens, which should attract interest from New England.
- Tony Massarotti thinks the Patriots are right to be worried about the implications of a long-term deal to retain Aqib Talib.
- Felger and Mazz debate what the bigger re-signing priority is, Wes Welker or Aqib Talib. (5.57 min. video)
- Mike Reiss considers some recent mock drafts and looks at the safety vs. cornerback decision.
- Jeff Howe reports Bill Belichick is playing in this week's AT&T Pebble Beach National Pro-Am today through Sunday. Nice way to escape the blizzard forecast for Fri.
- Field Yates talks about the unlikely friendship between Bill Belichick and Kobe Bryant.
- Jeff Howe notes former DT Ron Brace officially cleared waivers yesterday. It took so long because he was released during the playoffs.
- Bill Reynolds is tired of Rob Gronkowski's act and wants him to stop taking his shirt off in clubs. Party pooper.
- CSNNE reports Rob Gronkowski is the sixth most-liked player in the NFL.
- Mike Reiss answers his weekly reader mailbag: Do Pats need to follow Ravens?
- Obnoxious Boston Fan marks the anniversary of "The Blizzard of '78" with an audio clip of Gil Santos delivering the news of the storm on WBZ. Cool.
NATIONAL NEWS
- Gregg Rosenthal (NFL.com) Offseason forecast: New England Patriots.
- Michael David Smith (ProFootballTalk) NFL has plenty of good options for Ravens' Week One home opener, but none better than the Patriots.
- Darin Gantt (ProFootballTalk) Belichick and Kobe are pals, because of course they are.
- Dan Hanzus (NFL.com) Manti Te'o tops NFL Scouting Combine invitees list.
- Curtis Crabtree (ProFootballTalk) List of invitees to the NFL Combine announced.
- Brian Billick (Fox Sports) Takeaways from an epic season.
- Clifton Brown (Sporting News) 2013 NFL projections. Tim Tebow to the Patriots as the No. 3 QB.
- Michael Silver (Yahoo! Sports) With Super Bowl XLVII in the books, here are six observations from '12 season.
- Peter Schrager (Fox Sports) Top moves, teams to watch in 2013.
- Matt Bowen (Nat'l Football Post) NFL vets beware: the offseason cuts are coming.