New England Patriots links 4/24/17 - Patriots paying, rebuilding RB position: Mike Gillislee decision today

TEAM TALK

• Andy Hart and Erik Scalavino debate which is the most intriguing game on the Patriots' 2017 schedule.
• Patriots 2017 Hall of Fame finalists announced: CB Raymond Clayborn - DE Richard Seymour - LB Mike Vrabel.
• PFW Draft prospect rankings: Offensive Line.
• Press Release: Cover 2 with Don Banks and Christopher Price kicks off next week on Patriots.com Radio.
• Angelique Fiske notes that some Patriots wasted no time getting back into the community, running a football clinic at Hanscom Air Force Base.
• Lauren Williams notes former Patriot Doug Flutie completed his third Boston Marathon last Monday.
• Angelique Fiske shares some of the players' own photos from their trip to D.C.
• Press Pass: Getting to know Rex Burkhead. (1.30 min. video)
• Patriots Roster Report: Malcolm Butler and other recent transactions. (12.36 min. audio)

LOCAL LINKS

• Mike Reiss shares some quick-hit weekend thoughts: Mother of Patriots' Malcolm Butler almost missed his Super Bowl INT; More. /Interesting nuggets in here.
• Ryan Hannable Sunday 7: Why are Patriots spending so much time with projected 1st, 2nd-round picks?
• Ben Volin Sunday Football Notes: What you should know about the 2017 NFL Draft.
• Steve Balestrieri (PatsFans) Patriots learn today if they get Gillislee, close door on Blount.
• Karen Guregian wonders what's going on with the Patriots' rebuilding - and paying - of the backfield.
• Kevin Tame Jr. (PatriotsWire) Finding running backs for the Patriots in every round of the draft.
• Phil Perry profiles prototypical Patriots in this year's draft at the RB position.
• Karen Guregian sees the Patriots as the wild card in this year's draft, with plenty of opportunities to make some moves.
• Mark Daniels also thinks that with the Draft starting on Thursday, the possibilities for the Patriots are endless.
• Jeff Howe explains the weird spot the Patriots are in with Jimmy Garoppolo, and why they value him too much to trade him away.
• Zack Cox passes along the latest rumor that the Malcolm Butler-to-the-Saints trade is now looking less likely.
• Jeff Howe sees the Patriots with the definition of a first-world NFL problem, a need at reserve tight end.
• Jeff Howe reviews the roster at the linebacker position and believes this week's draft will show just how much the team thinks it needs help.
• Karen Guregian and Jeff Howe focus on the Patriots draft needs: Linebacker.
• Mike Reiss gives us a look at the best draft picks by position for the Patriots, obviously headlined by Tom Brady at quarterback.
• Kevin Dillon thumbnails 25 prospects the Patriots might draft at positions they do not need.
• Karen Guregian takes a look back at the Patriots past hits and misses in the third round of the draft.
• Karen Guregian Patriots draft series: Florida LB Jarrad Davis - Ohio DE Tarell Basham - Florida LB Alex Anzalone - Michigan TE Jake Butt.
• Jeff Howe, Karen Guregian and Adam Kurkjian hunt for some lesser-known draft prospects who could be good fits with the Patriots at No. 72.
• Nick O'Malley ranks the "watchability" of each regular season game, from 'meh' to 'must watch.'
• Nicole Yang tracks Danny Amendola and Julian Edelman as they spend their Sunday skateboarding around Boston.
• Jeff Howe tells the story of how Tom Brady and his teammates rallied to help the family of a slain Massachusetts police officer, and how the officer's family sends thanks back to Brady. /Boston Globe investigation pending.
• Jerry Thornton (Barstool Sports) Failing Boston Globe accuses Tom Brady of stealing money from Best Buddies to help ... other charities. Sad!
• Mike Felger and Albert Breer discuss whether the report about Tom Brady's charitable donations was unfair. (2.38 min. video)

NATIONAL NEWS

• Greg Vorse (Spectrum News) Bills still deciding what to do with Gillislee.
• Staff (ESPN) Jimmy Garoppolo of New England Patriots not expected to be traded.
• Staff (Sports on Earth) Brain Games:The science of coaching.
• Harry Lyles, Jr. (SB Nation) Tony Romo’s retirement cost the Texans the chance to play the Patriots in season opener.
• Peter King (The MMQB) MMQB: 2017 NFL Draft: What will Cleveland do with top pick; More.
  
• Brian Costello (NY Post) Studying 5 years of NFL drafts to find best, worst teams at picking.
• Michael McCann (SI) Tom Brady’s charity funding mainly comes from another nonprofit. What does this mean? "The underlying practice is legal, commonplace and transparent".
• Richard Deitsch (SI) Media Circus: How ESPN, NFL Network will cover '17 NFL draft.
• Mike Florio (ProFootballTalk) ESPN once again won’t tip picks in the draft.
• Jenny Vrentas (The MMQB) The 2013 NFL Draft: Weird, confounding—and terrible.
• Andre Vergara (Fox Sports) The 5 hardest and 5 easiest schedules of the 2017 NFL season.

DUMPSTER DIVE

• Chris Villani reports the lawyer for Ursula Ward, Odin Lloyd's mother, believes the Patriots should voluntarily hand over a multimillion-dollar payment to the "struggling, deserving families" of Aaron Hernandez' victims, "who are hurting like Ursula’s".
• Mike Florio (ProFootballTalk) Millions still in dispute between Patriots, Aaron Hernandez.
• Mike Florio (ProFootballTalk) Giants claim evidence was omitted to make Eli Manning look guilty.
• Michael McCann (SI) What's next for the Giants and Eli Manning amidst memorabilia scandal?
• Kaja Whitehouse and Bruce Golding (NY Post) Giants say Eli Manning did nothing wrong.