New England Patriots links 8/28/18 - O-line looks fine; WR depth thin; Trey Flowers ready for Week 1

TEAM TALK

• Game Preview: Patriots at Giants. Series history, tale of the tape, memorable matchups.
• Patriots announced that they have signed three players: RB Kenneth Farrow, WR K.J. Maye and RB Khalfani Muhammad.
• Andy Hart reports the Patriots signed Shaq Mason to $50 million extension.
• Erik Scalavino shares some practice notes and locker-room buzz from Monday at Gillette: Sony Michel, Marcus Cannon at practice.
• Paul Perillo talks about how Cyrus Jones seems to be finding his footing, as he begins his third year with the Patriots.
• Paul Perillo posts PFW’s late-season 53-man roster projection. Riley McCarron makes it.
• Press Conference: Bill Belichick (12.47 min. video)
• WEEI Patriots Monday: Tom Brady - James White - Bill Belichick.

LOCAL LINKS

• Matt Dolloff spotlights 16 players with something to prove this Thursday night.
• Mark Daniels reports Shaq Mason could’ve waited, hit the open market and cashed in with the highest bidder. Instead, he knew Foxboro was the place he wanted to be so he cashed in with the Patriots.
• Kevin Duffy hears from Shaq Mason on the state of the O-line after his extension, “Those are my guys. We all feed off each other, make each other better. We all go out every day and put our best foot forward.” /Did he steal that from Welker?
• Andrew Callahan tells us the Patriots offensive line is well positioned for years to come.
• Mike Reiss points out the unusually thin level of WR depth while projecting the 53-man roster and thinks the Patriots almost have to make a move at the position.
• Mike Reiss thumbnails some wide receivers the Patriots could possibly target.
• Karen Guregian pitches in with her own search around the league for potential wide receiver targets.
• Henry McKenna (PatriotsWire) Six wide receivers the Patriots could target to bolster thinning group.
• Michael Hurley points out three plays from Tom Brady that should help ease concerns about the weak spot at receiver.
• Doug Kyed tells us what the Patriots offense could look like in the first four weeks of the season.
• Devon Clements (PatriotsWire) Phillip Dorsett seems to be breaking out just in time.
• Adam London wonders if the Patriots should consider this hypothetical trade for Golden Tate.
• Matt Dolloff finds Trey Flowers is not worried about his contract, despite an apparent lack of progress.
• Ross Gienieczko observes Trey Flowers is already playing the role of knowledgeable veteran with just three years of experience under his belt, and he has the resume to back up that status.
• Ryan Hannable says it’s been a slow summer for Trey Flowers, but adds it seems like Flowers does expect to be on the field Week 1 against the Texans.
• Mark Farinella profiles journeyman offensive lineman Ulrich John, in the mix for a depth spot on the roster.
• CBS Boston highlights Bill Belichick addressing Eric Decker’s retirement, the Patriots receiving depth and more.
• Nicole Yang relays former Michigan QB Brian Griese’s impressions of young Tom Brady. “All of us in the locker room thought he was a going to be this surfer dude.”
• Andrew Lykins (BostonSportsExtra) Robert Kraft should be in Canton. /I agree.
• Ian Logue (PatsFans) Patriots Notebook: Patterson leading in key stat; Ninkovich makes case to ditch turf.
• Michael Hurley reviews new book, (Mark Leibovich “Big Game: The NFL in Dangerous Times,”) that provides a behind-the-curtain look at the inner workings of the NFL. 1. Roger Goodell is not a popular man.
• Robert Alvarez (PatsFans) Fitzy presents “Brady Sunday” (2.20 min. video)
• Ryan Hannable is immensely relieved that Bill Belichick ‘finally’ addressed Alex Guerrero’s role with the team. /Already known he wasn’t part of the organization.
• Dave Brown serves up some big answers to the most important Alex Guerrero questions. /as always, with a generous side of snark.
• Tom E. Curran explains that in the last few tumultuous years, Tom Brady realized being nice, accommodating, committed and diligent off the field had gotten him . . . what? So now, he’s doing things his way.
• Jerry Thornton (BarstoolSports) Tom Brady hangs up on WEEI again. /Forgot about the Globe accusing Brady of stealing from Best Buddies.

NATIONAL NEWS

• Darin Gantt (ProFootballTalk) Sony Michel back on the practice field.
• Michael David Smith (ProFootballTalk) Tom Brady on receivers: Certain things haven’t worked out.
• Conor Orr (SI) Ten people, places and things that will define the NFL in 2018. 8. Patriot drama. “Have all the wounds created over the past decade healed, or was the departure of Belichick loyalist Matt Patricia a sign of things to come?” /Oh puh-leeeze.
• Danny Kelly (The Ringer) Predicting the NFL’s passing, receiving, and rushing leaders in 2018. Passing leader: Phillip Rivers. /?
• Danny Heifetz (The Ringer) The Chargers are an AFC competitor hiding in plain sight. /Can’t talk Chargers history, without the Pats (heh heh).
• Josh Alper (ProFootballTalk) Shaq Mason lands five-year extension in New England.
• Charean Williams (ProFootballTalk) Patriots sign Kenneth Farrow, K.J. Maye, Khalfani Muhammad.
• Judy Battista (NFL.com) Nine reasons to hope or worry from NFL preseason action.
• Gregg Rosenthal (NFL.com) Preseason Week 3 winners/losers: Phillip Dorsett in the ‘Going Up’ column.
• Bucky Brooks (NFL.com) AFC Preseason Week 3 grades. Patriots B+.
• Mike Florio (ProFootballTalk) No solution yet in the anthem policy negotiations.
• Michael David Smith (ProFootballTalk) NFLPA representatives, owners meeting today to discuss anthem issues.
• Jay Rigdon (Awful Announcing) Tom Brady hangs up on WEEI interview rather than talk about Alex Guerrero. “All Brady had to do there was confirm the obvious report and say he wasn’t going to expand on it, and that would likely have been that.” /Except, ”that” never would have been that.