New England Patriots links 2/24/20 - Joe Thuney will get paid in 2020, probably by a different team

TEAM TALK

• Patriots 2020 Mock Draft Tracker.
• Mike Dussault thumbnails 10 Patriots prospects to watch at the scouting combine.
• From the NFL: Huddle for 100 Initiative totals nearly 400 Million volunteer minutes during the NFL’s 100th season.

LOCAL LINKS

• Mike Reiss shares some quick-hit weekend thoughts: Retiring Patriots TE Ben Watson shares players’ view of critical CBA talks; More.
• Steve Balestrieri (PatsFans) Sunday Patriots news, AFC East notes: NFL Combine begins this week; Seven teams make the playoffs? Not a fan; More.
• Ryan Hannable’s Sunday 7: Get ready for a big week of Tom Brady.
• Evan Lazar’s Combine Watch List: Pre-combine wide receiver tiers. “The Patriots are once again in need of wide receivers, and luckily for them, this year’s draft class is one of the best we’ve seen in recent memory.”
• Alex Barth explains how this year’s combine is completely reworked, but it remains to be seen whether it’s ‘new and improved’.
• Doug Kyed profiles XFL breakout star PJ Walker as a potential quarterback fit for the Patriots.
• Zack Cox spotlights some wide receiver prospects that could interest the Patriots in the 2020 draft.
• Zack Cox relays Daniel Jeremiah’s tight end picks for the Patriots in this year’s draft.
• Mike Masala (PatriotsWire) Sony Michel needs to defend his job in 2020
• Karen Guregian writes the annual “Will Bill Belichick slap the franchise tag on any player this year?” column.
• Mark Daniels analyzes the Patriots roster by position: Safety - Linebacker - defensive line - special teams.
• Doug Kyed continues his Hidden Patriots series with a look at second-round CB Joejuan Williams, who had trouble getting on the field.
• Isaiah Houde (PatriotsWire) Report: Patriots hire former Alabama staffer as special teams assistant.
• David Latham (LastWordOnSports) Predicting free agent quarterback landing spots.
• Gavin Rodriguez (LastWordOnSpots) Ranking Tom Brady-Era defenses: Part One and Part Two.
• Michael Hurley lays out exactly why the proposed new postseason format is bad.
• Nick Stevens gives five reasons he thinks the new NFL playoff format works: 1. Wild card weekend just got wilder.
• John Morgan (PatsFans) Today in Patriots history: Jerod Mayo and Larry Eisenhauer.
• Dakota Randall shows us the monstrosity of a potential Patriots logo that was loudly voted down by the fans.
• Christopher Price reminds us of the last CBA negotiations back in 2011 and wonders if Robert Kraft will be needed to step in again this time to save the season.
• Steven Viner (BostonSportsJournal) The Quest for 7: Links 2.24.20 - Patriots future roster? Veteran releases starting, Superhero Kraft, More.
• Ryan Hannable posts a mock draft roundup of who the experts have the Patriots selecting with the 23rd pick in the 2020 draft.

NATIONAL NEWS

• Albert Breer (SI) Monday Morning QB: Why CBA negotiations hit a snag, what to watch for at the combine and what Tom Brady’s future might hold.
• Peter King (ProFootballTalk) FMIA: A 2020 Combine Primer and my prescription to save the ill-fated pass interference replay system.
• Jason La Canfora (CBS Sports) NFL insider notes: New CBA should pass, Jordan Phillips will be a highly-sought free agent, and more
• NFL Nation (ESPN) 2020 NFL franchise tag candidates and predictions: 21 teams that could use it before free agency. Patriots: Joe Thuney.
• Wes Keefer (pigskinnut) Guide to the 2020 NFL Combine.
• Tadd Haislop (Sporting News) NFL Combine 2020 schedule, dates, workout times, records, invites & everything else to know.
• Chris Trapasso (CBS Sports) 2020 NFL Combine burning questions answered: Which prospects will erupt, who needs a big workout, and more.
• Nick Shook (NFL.com) 16 new drills coming to NFL Scouting Combine.
• Conor Orr (SI) Pilates, rugby books and Hellcat Chargers: How prospects prep for the NFL combine.
• Tom Pelissero (NFL.com) 2020 NFL Scouting Combine: Biggest questions for top five QBs.
• Adam Stites (SB Nation) 7 things every fan needs to know about the 2020 NFL Draft: Draft guide for NFL fans who don’t watch an outrageous amount of college football.
• Daniel Jeremiah (NFL.com) Top 50: 2020 NFL Draft prospect rankings 2.0.
• Luke Easterling (DraftWire) 2020 NFL draft rankings: Updated big board, top 150 prospects.
• Henry McKenna (PatriotsWire) Patriots 2020 free agency: New England set up Joe Thuney for a payday.
• Michael Robinson (NFL.com) Ten running backs worth pursuing in free agency/2020 NFL Draft.
• Willie McGinest (NFL.com) Ten pass rushers worth pursuing in free agency/2020 NFL Draft.
• Maurice Moton (Bleacher Report) The most difficult decisions of the 2020 NFL offseason. 1. What’s the New England Patriots’ alternative plan at quarterback?
• Josh Alper (ProFootballTalk0 Report: Patriots hire Joe Houston as assistant special teams coach.
• Kristopher Knox (Bleacher Report) NFL players who will be huge risks in 2020 free agency.
• Michael David Smith (ProFootballTalk) Report: Coaches pushing for sky judge, league office is skeptical.
• Mike Florio (ProFootballTalk) Rich McKay: Too early to know whether replay review for pass interference will be renewed.
• Rodger Sherman (The Ringer) The pros and cons of the NFL’s new scheduling proposal.
• Darin Gantt (ProFootballTalk) Report: Loophole exists for capping 17th-game checks for stars.
• Tadd Haislop (Sporting News) Why NFL players don’t want a 17-game schedule: Richard Sherman’s explanation details league’s ‘hypocrisy’
• Highlights (NFL.com) The art of the stiff arm: NFL running backs tell all. (3.39 min. video)
• Dan Kadar (SB Nation) 2020 NFL mock draft: How each team can address a major need in the 1st round. Pats pick Boise State Edge Curtis Weaver.

EXTRACURRICULAR

• Mike Florio (ProFootballTalk) Players may have more leverage than they realize.
• Mike Florio (ProFootballTalk) Antitrust litigation gives players a powerful weapon, but there’s risk in using it.
• Geoff Schwartz (SB Nation) Why the NFL’s new CBA proposal comes up short for the players.
• Geoff Schwartz (SB Nation) Ask a former NFL player: Is a players’ strike the best option in the CBA negotiations?
• Jordan Heck (Sporting News) NFL players think the proposed CBA by owners is awful: ‘Rip it up!’
• Josh Alper (ProFootballTalk) NFLPA scraps planned vote on CBA by player reps.
• Mike Florio (ProFootballTalk) Shift in tag window shows that NFL has flexibility on CBA talks.
• Michael David Smith (ProFootballTalk) NFL, NFLPA agree to delay franchise tag decisions by two days.