New England Patriots links 6/04/19 - Mandatory Minicamp begins... at ground zero

TEAM TALK

• Key dates on the 2019 NFL / Patriots Calendar.
• Paul Perillo picks out five things to watch at minicamp. 1. Brady’s presence “Assuming Brady will be back in the fold...” /dear lord, make it stop.
• Angelique Fiske has the details on Tom Brady’s annual Best Buddies Football Challenge. The photos are great, too.

LOCAL LINKS

• Mike Reiss writes about Bill Belichick’s ability to start every year at ground zero and then build his team from the ground up, focused on finding ways to improve. /Good read.
• Mark Daniels explains minicamp is also called passing camp, with 11-on-11 drills usually the most noteworthy. Due to the no-pads, no-contact offseason rules, the defenders will be hard to evaluate, but the secondary will still be under scrutiny.
• Kevin Duffy gives us five position battles he’ll be monitoring: 2. Sony Michel vs. Damien Harris.
• Ryan Hannable tells us what he’ll be watching at minicamp: 1. Tom Brady-N’Keal Harry relationship.
• Zack Cox lists nine players he’ll have an eye on at minicamp: Brady, Bennett, Harry top this list.
• Phil Perry presents five minicamp moments that will be sure to stir the buzz around the team. 1. Brady’s first contested pass to Harry.
• CBS Boston will be monitoring a few storylines over the next few days of camp: Crowded secondary.
• Henry McKenna (PatriotsWire) Looking at Patriots’ 3 remaining positions of need for spring practices. 1. Tackle.
• Tom E. Curran reminds us that during this minicamp, Bill Belichick is also breaking in a new coaching staff.
• Henry McKenna (PatriotsWire) The 12 most important Patriots at minicamp. 12. QB Jarrett Stidham.
• Nick O’Malley says the Patriots lost 11 players from Super bowl 53 and tells us where they ended up for 2019.
• Isaiah Houde (PatriotsWire) Pro Football Focus: Tom Brady, Rob Gronkowski top list of best single-game grades.
• Tarringo Basile-vaughan (ChowderandChampions) Patriots 5 most dangerous weapons entering 2019 season.
• Jordy McElroy (PatriotsWire) Uncertainty with Ben Watson should push Patriots to trade for Kyle Rudolph.
• Henry McKenna (PatriotsWire) Why N’Keal Harry stands out among Patriots WRs in Bill Belichick era.
• Chad Finn reports that Showtime is releasing a Julian Edelman documentary on June 28, “100%: Julian Edelman”.
• Zack Cox mentions that Julian Edelman will be using the new Showtime documentary to launch media company.
• David Latham (LastWordOnSports) Days to kickoff countdown by jersey number: No. 96 DE Brent Williams.
• Ryan Hannable breaks it to some Pats fans that Gerald McCoy will be joining the Panthers instead of the Patriots.
• Tom E. Curran on how Matt Cassel’s 2008 season is not proof that Tom Brady is a system quarterback. Matt Cassel himself doesn’t buy into that argument.
• Isaiah Houde (PatriotsWire) Why Patriots are one of the best teams at managing salary cap.

NATIONAL NEWS

• Kevin Patra (NFL.com) What to watch for from nine teams opening minicamp. Patriots: TB12 back in action.
• Mike Florio (ProFootballTalk) Questions remain regarding whether Demaryius Thomas will make the cut in New England.
• Conor Orr (SI) Morning Huddle: Would the NFL really take the Bills out of Buffalo?
• Albert Breer (SI) Monday Afternoon QB: Why Gerald McCoy will love the Panthers (and vice versa), Redskins QBs and Jets D heat up; More NFL notes
• Kalyn Kahler (SI) Bad Takes Week: The NFL should get rid of kickers, who are no longer relevant to the modern game of football.
• Conor Orr (SI) Bad Takes Week: Eli Manning shouldn’t get a pass for ducking the Chargers in the 2004 draft.
• Dan Hanzus (NFL.com) 2019 NFL season: Predicting every AFC team’s MVP. Patriots: Tom Brady.
• Lorenzo Reyes (USA Today) Titans WR Adam Humphries: Tom Brady’s age factored into decision not to sign with Patriots.
• Robert Mays (The Ringer) How four teams helped their second-year QBs this offseason. Jets included.
• Charean Williams (ProFootballTalk) Amendola says his choice of No. 12 has nothing to do with Brady.
• Ryan Young (Yahoo! Sports) Russell Wilson wants to follow in Tom Brady’s footsteps, aims to play until 45.
• Mike Florio (ProFootballTalk) Gronkowki’s effort to close the door on unretirement talk won’t work.
• Mike Florio (ProFootballTalk) NFL shouldn’t try to objectively define “Hail Mary” for replay purposes.
• Josh Alper (ProFootballTalk) NFL officiating department, coaches to discuss PI review rule this week.
• Josh Alper (ProFootballTalk) Goodell: Four preseason games may not be necessary. /True, but don’t trade them for 18-game season, Mr. ‘No higher priority than player safety’.
• Michael David Smith (ProFootballTalk) Gerald McCoy gets $4 million guaranteed, deal heavy on incentives.

EXTRACURRICULAR

• Aishwarya Kumar (ESPNW) WPLL opener: Amanda Belichick takes command on her father Bill’s biggest stage.
• Shalise Manza Young (Yahoo! Sports) Did Roger Goodell subtly threaten Bills fans over stadium issue at Jim Kelly’s charity event?
• Mike Florio (ProFootballTalk) Multiple NBA teams reportedly move away from the term “owner”.
• Press Release (NFLCommunication) NFL announces eight new social justice grant recipients.
• Mike Vaccaro (NY Post) Tom Brady’s ‘Tom Terrific’ moniker isn’t his to trademark.
• Mike Vaccaro (NY Post) Stop the Bruins: We’re sick of this Boston run of titles.