New England Patriots links 3/09/18 - Free agency tampering period officially begins Monday

TEAM TALK

• Don Banks’ NFL mock draft 1.0. Pats pick Ohio State edge rusher Sam Hubbard.
• Angelique Fiske posts the final ‘Tom vs. Time’ trailer, in advance of Monday’s airing of episode six on Facebook Watch.
• Angelique Fiske reports Tom Brady shaved his head at the annual Saving by Shaving event, which raises money for Dana-Farber Cancer Institute.
• PFW in Progress 3/8: Offseason roster moves. (2 hour podcast)

LOCAL LINKS

• Doug Kyed thumbnails eight players who could interest New England next week when free agency starts.
• Steve Balestrieri (PatsFans) Top areas that the Patriots must address in free agency. 1. Re-sign Nate Solder and add another tackle.
• Jake Levin analyzes the Patriots free agent strategy on each side of the ball: Offense and Defense.
• Tom E. Curran says Nate Solder’s impending free agency with no guarantee he’ll return, means the Patriots could be in trouble at left tackle.
• Henry McKenna (PatriotsWire) Richard Sherman to Patriots? Here’s why it’s wacky enough to work.
• Mike Reiss mentions Aqib Talib had been open to a reunion with Bill Belichick before he was traded to the Rams, and wonders if the team would consider Richard Sherman if he were released.
• Ian Glendon (FullPressCoverage) With Richard Sherman release looming, Patriots should pounce.
• Ryan Hannable doesn’t think Richard Sherman is worth the risk.
• Mark Daniels continues his look at each position on the Patriots roster: Linebacker and Safety.
• Phil Perry wonders if Nigel Bradham might be just the linebacker the Patriots need.
• Mike Dussault (PatsPropaganda) Patriots cut Bennett, continue opening cap space.
• Doug Kyed notes the Patriots are among four teams showing “a lot of interest” in Marshall QB Chase Litton, according to DraftAnalyst.com’s Tony Pauline.
• Chris Warner (BostonSportsMedia) Patriots Thursday observations, “That Guy” (Post NFL Combine).
• Mike Reiss offers the details of Brandon King’s contract and mentions how King chose stability and security over possibly making more money by playing things out as a free agent.
• Karen Guregian NFL Notebook: Patriots lock up special teamer Brandon King.
• Doug Kyed Patriots Mailbag: A theory on why Rob Gronkowski is threatening retirement.
• Robert Alvarez (PatsFans) ICYMI: Stephon Gilmore does question and answer session with fans over Twitter.
• Robert Alvarez (PatsFans) ICYMI: Danny Amendola returns to Texas Tech University. (2.15 min. video) /Loved how he was introduced as ‘Danny Playoff Amendola’.
• CBS Boston notes Tom Brady will be on Late Night with Stephen Colbert on Monday.
• Nicole Yang notes Martellus and Michael Bennett were reportedly lobbying to play together in New England.
• Rob Bradford oozes smug superiority and shows zero respect for Boston sports fans, Patriots fans in particular, with his latest sensitivity ranking of fan bases.
• Joe Pantorno (Metro) 1st-Round NFL Mock Draft. Pats pick Iowa CB Joshua Jackson.

NATIONAL NEWS

• Josh Alper (ProFootballTalk) Tom Brady gets a haircut, helps raise millions for cancer charity.
• Maury Glover (Fox9) Patriots’ Trey Flowers victim of theft after Super Bowl hotel stay.
• NFL Nation (ESPN) 2018 NFL free agency: Intel on more than 175 noteworthy players.
• Bob Condotta (Seattle Times) Richard Sherman likely to be released on Friday by Seahawks.
• Danny Kelly (The Ringer) Millionaire matchmaker: Finding the best free agent for each NFL team.
• Chris Wesseling (NFL.com) 2018 NFL free agency: Biggest needs for each AFC team. Patriots: Tackle, pass rusher, middle linebacker.
• Nate Davis (USA Today) AFC free agency preview: Advice for every team on players to target.
• Mike Tanier (Bleacher Report) Lots of money and nothing to buy: The truth about this year’s free agent class.
• NFL Nation (ESPN) Best-case/worst-case free-agency scenarios for every NFL team.
• Adam Schein (NFL.com) NFL’s riskiest free agents of 2018.
• Jeanna Thomas (SB Nation) 7 winners and 5 losers from the 2018 NFL Combine.
• Jonathan Jones (SI) 24 hours ... At the NFL Scouting Combine.
• Michael David Smith (ProFootballTalk) Human Rights Campaign: NFL not doing enough about Combine questioning.
• Mike Florio (ProFootballTalk) NFL should require teams to record all Scouting Combine interviews.
• Mike Florio (ProFootballTalk) League provides annual reminders for teams about improper questions.
• Michael David Smith (ProFootballTalk) A month later, Boston Herald has nothing more to say about the Ron Borges hoax.
• Dan Kaydar (SB Nation) 2018 NFL mock draft: What changed after the combine? Pats pick Louisville CB Jaire Alexander.