New England Patriots links 2/20/20 - Tom Brady, the $100M man?

LOCAL LINKS

• Andy Hart NFL Rumors: $100 million (3 years) for Tom Brady?
• Michael Hurley writes an interesting piece, saying if the Patriots do move on from Tom Brady, Bill Belichick better stick the landing. He “simply cannot afford to get it wrong.”
• Mike Masala (PatriotsWire) Teddy Bridgewater to Patriots should be more likely with Drew Brees returning.
• Andy Hart’s State of the Patriots: Wide receivers. Julian Edelman and then what at WR?
• Doug Kyed continues his Hidden Patriots series with a look at quick, undersized WR Devin Ross, signed to a futures contract last month.
• Matt Dolloff points out the Stefon Diggs-to-the-Patriots thing is happening again. /all we need now is the ‘Diggs spotted at Logan’ photo.
• Steve Balestrieri (PatsFans) Diggs to the Patriots? Rapidly becoming this decade’s Larry Fitz wish list.
• Danny Jaillet (PatriotsWire) Stefon Diggs would make sense for Patriots with title window closing.
• Matt Dolloff spotlights the defensive line: Patriots have a truckload of truck-sized options to improve the position.
• Zack Cox writes Nate Ebner has spent his entire eight-year NFL career in New England, and he has no desire to leave.
• Adam London highlights Rob Ninkovich on how Tom Brady could impact New England’s free agency pursuits.
• Jacob Camenker talks about how the reported expanded NFL playoff proposal will impact the Patriots.
• David Latham (LastWordOnSports) NFL proposed playoff changes: The good, bad, and ugly.
• John Morgan (PatsFans) 60th anniversary to the naming of the Boston ‘Patriots’.
• Henry McKenna (PatriotsWire) Patriots 4-round mock draft: Bill Belichick finally lands Gronk’s replacement.
• Locked On Patriots podcast: Mike D’Abate explores the Patriots’ chances of trading for Stefon Diggs and OBJ, and moving Isaiah Wynn to guard. (28 min.)

NATIONAL NEWS

• Danny Kelly (The Ringer) 2020 NFL Draft Guide.
• Michael Middlehurst-Schwartz (USA Today) 13 NFL draft prospects with something to prove at 2020 combine.
• Michael Middlehurst-Schwartz (USA Today) 11 NFL draft sleepers to watch at 2020 scouting combine.
• Eric Edholm (Yahoo! Sports) 2020 NFL scouting combine preview: Linebackers.
• Joel Corry (CBS Sports) Agent’s Take: Target prices for Tom Brady, Dak Prescott and other 2020 free agent quarterbacks. Tom Brady: $100M/3 years, $65M in Guarantees.
• Darin Gantt (ProFootballTalk) Rob Ninkovich: If Tom Brady leaves, it gets harder to lure players to Patriots.
• Curtis Crabtree (ProFootballTalk) Patrick Chung on Tom Brady uncertainty: “It’s just something we can’t control”.
• Albert Breer (SI) A few great drafts make it easier for the Saints to afford Drew Brees; MMQB Mailbag.
• Conor Orr (SI) Ranking the best veteran quarterbacks potentially available this offseason.
• Vinnie Iyer (Sporting News) NFL free agent rankings 2020: Top 11 running backs available.
• Staff (The Ringer) NFL Rumormonger: Is Stefon Diggs wishing for a new team?
• NFL Nation (ESPN) Coordinator changes for all 32 NFL teams entering 2020.

EXTRACURRICULAR

• Staff (TMZ) Browns lineman Greg Robinson busted for 157 lbs of weed; Facing up to 20 years in prison. /Dude ...
• Mike Florio (ProFootballTalk) Report: NFL owners “summoned” to New York for CBA update.
• Mike Florio (ProFootballTalk) Funding rule remains one of the biggest impediments to a new CBA.
• Adam Schefter (ESPN) More playoff teams expected under new NFL CBA, sources say.
• Danny Heifetz (The Ringer) Why an NFL playoff format change is inevitable.
• Dan Wetzel (Yahoo! Sports) Proposed playoff expansion could be tipping point in NFL’s greed.
• Jonathan Jones (CBS Sports) Why the proposed expansion of the NFL playoffs means fixing something that isn’t broken. /Amen.
• Conor Orr (SI) Why an expanded NFL postseason is a good thing.
• Tadd Haislop (Sporting News) NFL expanded playoffs, explained: How many teams would make playoffs; More.
• Mike Florio (ProFootballTalk) Players push for 17-game season to be delayed until 2022 or 2023.