TEAM TALK
- Angelique Fiske gets us up to speed with a few off-the-field facts about the Patriots draft class.
- PFW in Progress: NFL draft recap; Thoughts on the Pats’ picks; Tom Brady’s recent interview with Jim Gray. (2 hour program)
- Photos: Check out our favorite submissions from April of the “Lil’ Pats Fan Photo Contest.”
LOCAL LINKS
- Mike Reiss reports Bill Belichick has had some success with extra-large tackles, and at 6-8 and 355 pounds, Trent Brown is a “block-out-the-sun type of tackle”.
- Karen Guregian finds that for Stephon Gilmore, “the experience of playing in the big game, and even losing to the Eagles, has made him even more determined to get back and finish the job.”
- Doug Kyed offers his take on what a Patriots ideal post-draft depth chart looks like.
- Steve Balestrieri (PatsFans) Patriots UDFA class is good, but Jackson may be a keeper.
- Zack Cox takes a deep dive into Christian Sam’s college film to see what the Arizona State’s linebacker can bring to the Patriots.
- Doug Kyed reviews the film on Braxton Berrios to see if he can be the next great slot man for the Patriots.
- Mike Reiss passes along a report that the Patriots won’t pick up the fifth-year option on DT Danny Shelton. The fifth-year option for 2019 is projected to be $7.1 million.
- Ryan Hannable notes the Patriots apparently didn’t pick up 5th-year options for all three of the 2015 first-round picks on their roster (Shelton, Dorsett, Brown), but adds that after the season they can still sign extensions.
- Phil Perry isn’t riding the Danny Etling is the “next guy” bandwagon, and looks ahead to some QBs to keep in mind for the 2019 draft.
- Henry McKenna (PatriotsWire) Why Patriots drafted under-the-radar QB prospect Danny Etling.
- Henry McKenna (PatriotsWire) Danny Etling: ‘Enticing’ to get to work with Tom Brady.
- Karen Guregian says it looks like Tom Brady won’t be making his annual trek to the Kentucky Derby this year.
- CBS Boston calls attention to a Best Buddies charity raffle that offers a chance to play football with Tom Brady.
- Tanya Ray Fox (PatriotsWire) Patriots remain atop AFC across the board in post-draft power rankings.
- Karen Guregian talks about the “brotherhood” of Boston championship teams supporting one another. /Pretty cool.
- Logan Mullen notes Brad Stevens had a perfect response when asked if he sees a parallel between the Celtics and the Eagles in terms of their respective abilities to overcome adversity. “I’m a Patriots’ fan.”
- Alex Reimer says it’s too far-fetched to think the Pats would’ve surrendered the draft capital necessary to make the franchise-altering move for Baker Mayfield. “It stinks when reality gets in the way of a good story.”
- Danny Amendola (Players Tribune) An open letter to the undrafted.
NATIONAL NEWS
- Josh Alper (ProFootballTalk) Stephon Gilmore “more comfortable” in second year with Patriots.
- Albert Breer (SI) Game Plan - Josh Rosen: Where most NFL teams see an enigma, the Arizona Cardinals see their future; New England quarterback talk; More.
- Danny Heifetz (The Ringer) The most fun pairings coming out of the NFL draft.
- Gregg Rosenthal (NFL.com) Veterans who benefited most from 2018 NFL Draft. Tom Brady included.
- Chris Roling (Bleacher Report) What every NFL team’s rookie class must accomplish in 2018. Patriots: “This is a top-heavy class... with two of the draft’s top prospects at their respective positions suddenly thrust into a limelight where their success or failures could boost or derail a potential push for a Lombardi Trophy.”
- Kevin Clark (The Ringer) How the 2018 draft proved that the modern NFL doesn’t exist.
- Will Brinson (CBS Sports) Patriots’ tensions, Chargers karma, 49ers expectations and more fatal flaws for NFL teams.
- Conor Orr (SI) Why listening to Tom Brady speak has reached a point of diminishing return.
- Mike Jones (USA Today) Tom Brady can tolerate the Patriot Way, but for how much longer?
- Elise Sole (Yahoo! Lifestyle) Tom Brady’s controversial shorts may be the ultimate symbol of dad devotion.
- Michael David Smith (ProFootballTalk) Tom Brady stands by his “very old helmet,” which NFL will soon prohibit.
- Mike Florio (ProFootballTalk) NFL seems to be adopting targeting rule without adopting targeting rule.
- Kevin Seifert (ESPN) Proposal trying to make NFL kickoffs ‘more of a punt play’.
- Jim Trotter (NFL.com) Kickoffs set to undergo makeover in order to make play safer.
- Jeff Feyerer (ProFootballWeekly) NFL Draft: Is the modern-day TE position at its evolutionary crossroads?
- Pete Thamel (Yahoo! Sports) Secret of NFL scouts: Why ‘workout wonders’ can become draft busts.
- Curtis Crabtree (ProFootballTalk) NFL referee Walt Anderson resigns post as Big-12 officiating supervisor, to focus on his full-time role with the NFL.
- Michael David Smith (ProFootballTalk) London tickets sell out fast, and UK NFL fans aren’t happy.
- Mike Florio (ProFootballTalk) Fraud lawsuit against Eli Manning moves closer to trial.
- Danny Heifetz (The Ringer) Eric Reid has filed a collusion grievance against the NFL.
- Michael McCann (SI) How Eric Reid can win his collusion grievance against the NFL ... and how the NFL can win.