TEAM TALK
- Paul Perillo declares the Patriots lost a true icon when Dante Scarnecchia announced his retirement Wednesday.
- The Patriots announced two coaching changes: Assistant head coach/OL coach Dante Scarnecchia will retire after 32 seasons in the NFL, including 30 seasons with the team and Dave DeGuglielmo has been added to fill his position.
- Bill Belichick released a statement on the departure of Pepper Johnson.
LOCAL LINKS
- Mike Reiss wraps up the 2014 Patriots season by position and as a team.
- Mike Reiss thinks the first focus for the Patriots in free agency will be their own key players who are set to hit the market.
- Christopher Price issues his free agent forecast: Who will stay and who will go?
- Karen Guregian says Julian Edelman is the most intriguing in-house free agent, and it's unclear how the situation will unfold.
- Paul Kenyon reports the Patriots have some salary-cap decisions to make.
- Mike Reiss shares a few leftover Patriots thoughts in the wake of the AFCCG loss and looks ahead to the team-building season.
- Kirk Minihane says Belichick deserves the criticism he's getting for his Welker comments, but blaming him for failing to have a pass-catching Plan B for a homicide is lunacy.
- Nick Underhill notes the Patriots are entering another offseason seeking offensive weapons.
- Field Yates gives us his grades for each Patriots player, and gives you the opportunity to grade them yourselves.
- Ron Borges issues his final grades for the Patriots' 2014 season and for each player: Coaching gets an A-.
- Mike Reiss and Field Yates revisit their bold predictions from back in training camp.
- Mike Reiss updates his coaching staff tracker.
- Karen Guregian notes the Patriots lost a third coach, as TE coach George Godsey heads to Houston to join Bill O'Brien's staff.
- Mike Reiss reports OL coach Dante Scarnecchia, who spent 30 years with the franchise, is retiring.
- Tom E. Curran shares a glimpse into little-known coach Dante Scarnecchia.
- Mike Reiss posts Bill Belichick's statement on the departure of Pepper Johnson.
- Tom E. Curran notes Scott Pioli is back in the game as Falcons assistant GM.
- Nick Underhill profiles Patriots free agent RB LeGarrette Blount.
- Christopher Price reports Bill Belichick doesn't think Aqib Talib will need surgery.
- Doug Kyed believes the Patriots need a versatile pass rusher; Mailbag.
- Karen Guregian Patriots Notebook: Dante Scarnecchia will retire at age 65, and be replaced by Dave DeGuglielmo; Belichick issued statements on the departures of Scarnecchia and Pepper Johnson; The league confirmed there will be no discipline against Wes Welker for taking out Aqib Talib: Head of Officiating Dean Blandino says, "under the current rules" it is a legal play.
NATIONAL NEWS
- Josh Alper (ProFootballTalk) Dante Scarnecchia retires, Dave DeGuglielmo hired as Patriots offensive line coach.
- Darin Gantt (ProFootballTalk) Belichick respects Pepper Johnson, who could join Texans.
- Michael David Smith (ProFootballTalk) Belichick second-guessing himself for fourth-and-3 call.
- Mike Florio (ProFootballTalk) Report: Browns, McDaniels talking.
- Andy Benoit (The MMQB) Why your playoff team didn't reach XLVIII: AFC.
- Chuck Culpepper (Sports on Earth) The Super Bowl waiting list.
- Michael Rosenberg (SI) Like it or not, snow, cold will be make Super Bowl more intriguing.
- Robert Weintraub (Sports on Earth) Built for perfection: A perfect coach doesn't exist, but we could build one.
- Jack Bechta (Nat'l Football Post) Technology, drones and scouting.
- Curtis Crabtree (ProFootballTalk) Rosters for Pro Bowl teams now set.