New England Patriots Links 3/14/16 - Patriots Still Searching For Back-Up Tight End

TEAM TALK

• Patriots 2016 Free Agent Tracker.
• Patriots sign DE Frank Kearse and WR Chris Hogan.
• Paul Perillo passes along the Providence Journal report that the Patriots are showing interest in Chris Long.
• Angelique Fiske notes Rob Gronkowski said Tom Brady is the "best Facebooker in the NFL".
• Angelique Fiske reports former Patriot Jarvis Green will bring his business, Oceans 97 Inc., to Boston.
• Inside look at Patriots Fantasy Camp. (3.34 min. video)

LOCAL LINKS

• Mike Reiss shares some quick-hit weekend thoughts from the Patriots and around the NFL: OL Tre' Jackson recovering from knee scope.
• Christopher Price Sunday NFL Notes: Chiefs, Patriots now share common ground when it comes to Roger Goodell.
• Ben Volin Sunday Football Notes: Breaking down the whirlwind of NFL free agency — so far.
• Karen Guregian NFL Roundup: Patriots locked up Nate Ebner for two years.
• Mike Reiss reports Nate Ebner agrees to a two-year contract with New England.
• Mike Reiss reports Chris Long will visit the Patriots today, even though they are seemingly loaded already at defensive end.
• Mark Daniels reports the Patriots are on list of visits for LB James Laurinaitis.
• Mike Reiss believes economics and an eye on the future were key factors in determining how much the Patriots offered Akiem Hicks in free agency.
• Jeff Howe believes Chris Hogan is the type of wide receiver the Patriots need.
• Phil Perry notes the Patriots came into the new league year needing an outside-the-numbers receiver. They'll get that and more with Chris Hogan.
• Mike Reiss gives us a Chris Hogan breakdown, noting that from a Patriots historical standpoint, the receiver he most closely resembles is David Givens.
• Tom E. Curran notes Chris Hogan wasn’t the perfect answer at WR, but, at this point, he’ll more than do.
• Karen Guregian spoke with Chris Hogan's former coaches who agree he is a perfect match for Bill Belichick.
• Matt Dolloff passes along 16 quotes from Chris Hogan and his Buffalo teammates & coaches to prove he is just the kind of receiver the Patriots look for.
• Karen Guregian rates free agency to gauge how the Patriots and the AFC elite did in the frantic first few days.
• Sam Galanis notes NFL analytics experts break down the Seahawks' infamous pass in Super Bowl XLIX.
• Ryan Hannable posts the link to the just released NFL Films video showing the Patriots receiving their Super Bowl XLIX rings with never-before-seen footage.

NATIONAL NEWS

• Jeff Dickerson (ESPN) Bears agree to two-year deal with DL Akiem Hicks.
• Oliver Thomas (247 Sports) Report: LeGarrette Blount '100 percent' after hip injury.
• Erik Frenz (Bleacher Report) Who could the Patriots add in search for a backup tight end?
• Greg A. Bedard (SI) NFL free agency: Grading every deal.
• Pete Prisco (CBS Sports) NFL Free Agency Grades: 32 grades for 32 teams but only one big, fat F.
• Don Banks (SI) Ridiculous(ly early) predictions with NFL free agency underway.
• Pete Prisco (CBS Sports) 2016 NFL Free Agent Tracker: Top 50 players.
• Gregg Rosenthal (NFL.com) Winners, losers from NFL free agency's first week.
• Vinnie Iyer (Sporting News) Free agency winners and losers.
• Lindsay H. Jones (USA Today) AFC status report: How each team has fared so far in the offseason.
• Staff Report (USA Today) NFL free agent tracker: What we know now.
• Gary Gramling (The MMQB) 10 Things I think I think: Mark Sanchez and the Art of ‘Good Enough,’ a Giant Risk, Believing in Bradford (Again).
• Peter King (The MMQB) MMQB: On free agency, the Eagles and the truth about Brock.
• Editors (Inside the Pylon) This week in football's finest writing & Tweeting.
• David Portnoy (Barstool Sports) Only a mad genius like Bill Belichick would willingly sit in the middle seat on an airplane.
• Michael Gehlken (San Diego Union-Tribune) Eric Weddle considering offers from four teams.
• Mike Florio (ProFootballTalk) High-end quarterbacks should be clamoring to set the bar higher.
• Kenneth Arthur (Sports on Earth ) NFL's worst-to-first candidates.
• Chad Reuter (NFL.com) Four-round mock 4.0.

DEFLATEGATE, DUMPSTER DIVE

• Michael Hurley says the 8,000-word essay makes it clear the Patriots are still fighting Roger Goodell and the NFL.
• Mike Reiss discusses why team attorney Daniel L. Goldberg posted the latest deflategate update.
• Michael David Smith (ProFootballTalk) Patriots continue to tee off on the Wells Report.
• Mike Florio (ProFootballTalk) NFL should change rules of legal tampering period, rescind punishment of Chiefs.
• Rich Hammond (Orange County Register) Rams face possible labor-law snag signing free agents under Missouri law.
• Sean Keeley (Awful Announcing) ESPN sends cease & desist letter to Barstool Sports over "Pardon My Take" podcast.