New England Patriots links 6/03/19 - Mini camp, many questions

LOCAL LINKS

• Mike Reiss shares some quick-hit weekend thoughts: Patriots to receive Super Bowl rings on Thursday night; Soundbites from Shane Vereen; N’Keal Harry would beak the mold as punt returner; More. /Always an interesting read.
• Ryan Hannable’s Sunday 7: Tom Brady’s contract could be topic of discussion this week; 3. There will be four QBs at the minicamp sessions this week, which could make it tough to get everyone equal reps; More.
• Steve Balestrieri (PatsFans) Sunday Patriots news, AFC East notes: Questions for this week’s minicamp and beyond; More. /Good read.
• Karen Guregian spotlights five areas of concern heading into the Patriots’ three-day mandatory minicamp that starts Tuesday. 1. Tom Brady’s primary bodyguard.
• Evan Lazar’s Patriots Minicamp Primer: Quarterbacks highlight competitive week; More.
• Doug Kyed’s Patriots Minicamp Preview: Tom Brady’s presence looks to make life more difficult for DBs; More.
• Tom E. Curran and Phil Perry go 3 & Out: 1. Who was the best free agent addition this offseason?
• Phil Perry puts together his pre-minicamp 53-man roster projection. How RB Damien Harris factors into the mix will be one of the most interesting offensive storylines this spring and summer.
• Mike Reiss notes Rob Gronkowski said he is happy in retirement and thinks talk of a comeback should be put to rest.
• Ryan Hannable gives us the latest with Kyle Rudolph, and whether Patriots have any shot of landing him.
• Mike Reiss tells the story of Patrick Chung’s kept promise to a Montana boy going through cancer treatment. /Nice story.
• Ryan Hannable posts a video clip from Tom Brady throwing a TD pass to Julian Edelman at his annual Best Buddies football game Friday night at Harvard Stadium.
• NESN shares a video of Tom Brady posted of himself working out and doing sprints with a resistance band in the sand at Baker’s Bay Club in the Bahamas. /Not my idea of a vacation in the Bahamas.
• Ryan Hannable reports that N’Keal Harry threw an impressive first pitch at the Pawtucket Red Sox game Friday night.
• Matt St. Jean (YouTube!) NFL Draft Breakdown: CB Joejuan Williams (23.39 min. video)
• David Latham (LastWordOnSports) Greatest Patriots by jersey number: 99 Mike Wright - 98 Trey Flowers - 97 Jarvis Green.
• Kevin Duffy details Tom Brady and his teammates taking the field at the annual Best Buddies Challenge.
• Kevin Slane finds Tom Brady in midseason form at the Best Buddies game.
• Nancy Lane posts some photos of Rob Gronkowski shaving his head for charity.
• Rick Sobey reports Julian Edelman’s Instagram account was hacked on Sunday.
• Adam London relays Willie McGinest as he sheds light on his first time meeting Bill Belichick.
• Dakota Randall notes ex-Patriot WR Chris Hogan tells fan he left New England because ‘they moved on’ and he ‘had to as well’.

NATIONAL NEWS

• Albert Breer (SI) Monday Morning QB: Jared Goff isn’t hiding from that Super Bowl stumble. /But he’s prob still hiding from Hightower and KVN.
• Fred Guadelli (ProFootballTalk) Guest FMIA: A week in the life of Sunday Night Football.
• Conor Orr (SI) Morning Huddle: Would having Peyton Manning in the booth make MNF appointment viewing? /It’s ‘appointment viewing’ because of the matchup, it’s football, and mostly in spite of the booth.
• Jason La Canfora (CBS Sports) NFL insider notes: Why neither an 18-game season nor a lockout will happen, the Hail Mary mystery and more.
• NFL Nation (ESPN) Mandatory NFL minicamps preview: Nine things to watch this week. Tom Brady returns to camp.
• Frank Schwab (Yahoo! Sports) Rob Gronkowski talks about retirement, addresses comeback speculation.
• MMQB Staff (SI) Which NFL teams got worse this offseason? Patriots included. /Bringing it early, eh?
• Michael David Smith (ProFootballTalk) Brian Flores, Trey Flowers to attend as Patriots get their rings.
• John Breech (CBS Sports) 2019 NFL schedules by distance: Raiders hit the hardest by travel miles, Jets have it easiest. Patriots have 5th fewest travel miles.
• Mike Florio (ProFootballTalk) Bill Belichick rattles off Patriots players who would have been good at lacrosse.
• Josh Gerben (GerbenLaw) Tom Brady files trademarks for “Tom Terrific”.
• Mike Florio (ProFootballTalk) Third-round negotiations become the NFL’s “wild, wild West”.
• Doug Farrar (TouchdownWire) The NFL’s 11 best slot defenders. No. 6. Stephon Gilmore.
• NFL Nation (ESPN) Progress reports for all 32 NFL first-round picks. Patriots N’Keal Harry: ‘Reporters have seen one practice to this point, and Harry was active as a pass-catcher. ... Bill Belichick also referred to Harry as smart in terms of learning the Patriots’ offense’.
• Danny Kelly (The Ringer) The 10 NFL players who need to break out in 2019.
• Nathan Brown (TheAdvocate) Two-time Super Bowl champ Malcom Brown already ‘having fun’ with new-look Saints defensive line.
• Michael David Smith (ProFootballTalk) Competition Committee wants Hail Mary to be “survival of the fittest”.
• Mike Florio (ProFootballTalk) Dungy: “Ridiculous” to have different PI standards for “Hail Mary” plays.

EXTRACURRICULAR

• Rikki Reyna (NY Daily News) Former Jets star Muhammad Wilkerson busted for drunk driving.
• Mike Florio (ProFootballTalk) Pepper Johnson will serve as defensive coordinator of XFL’s L.A. franchise.