New England Patriots links 2/28/20 - It’s a Combine-buzz, Brady & free agency rumor-breakdown Friday!

TEAM TALK

• Paul Perillo reports Isaiah Wilson, Solomon Kindley and Andrew Thomas all spoke on Wednesday and explained how they viewed former Georgia teammate Isaiah Wynn.
• Mike Dussault profiles lengthy UConn tackle Matt Peart, who has ideal size and some interesting roots in New England.
• Paul Perillo profiles Georgia’s Rodrigo Blankenship, who could be a kicking option.
• Mike Dussault notes the University of Rhode Island is representing the New England area with three prospects at this year’s NFL Scouting Combine.
• The Patriots Foundation announces 2020 Myra Kraft Community MVP Awards program.
• Sights and Sounds from NFL Combine Day 2. (1.03 min. video)
• Highlights: A look back at Patriots players at the combine. (38 second video)
• Patriots Unfiltered [2/27]: Tom Brady staying or leaving?, CBA negotiations and combine coverage. (2 hours)

LOCAL LINKS

• Tom E. Curran discusses how the rumor mill kicked into high gear yesterday, and the consensus seems to be that Tom Brady’s days as a Patriot are coming to an end. “...this isn’t about money for Brady. It’s about removing the feeling that he’s only here because a better option hasn’t yet emerged. Everybody else agrees he’s the GOAT. Meanwhile, he feels like a lame duck.” /How do you know how he feels, Tom?
• Karen Guregian says Jarrett Stidham could take over if Tom Brady departs. His agent thinks “Stid the kid” is ready for the challenge. /’Stid the kid’???
• Ryan Hannable suggests we not buy the ‘Tom Brady is leaving New England’ rumors just yet.
• Michael Hurley breaks down all the Tom Brady reports from yesterday: Is Tom Brady really leaving or Is Bill Belichick treating him just like any other player?
• Michael Hurley laughs while pointing out the final Tom Brady update from Thursday: QB ‘is in fact in the Patriots’ plans for 2020′.
• Karen Guregian wonders about Bill Belichick’s silence toward Tom Brady: Is it good business or disrespect? /I’m going with their 20-year history and picking business.
• Evan Lazar tells us ten things we learned from combine night one from a Patriots perspective. 1. Underwhelming tight end class, no first-round talents.
• Nick O’Malley tells us 8 things we learned from 2020′s loaded WR class at the combine. The early takeaways? This group is really good.
• Phil Perry’s NFL Combine Notebook: Tom Brady’s market taking shape despite CBA uncertainty.
• Evan Lazar’s Combine Notebook: Brady latest; Market for Thuney and others; On-field testing begins.
• Nick O’Malley is hearing that Joe Thuney and Ted Karras could both fetch over $10 million a year in the open market
• Ryan Hannable talks about which defensive linemen the Patriots could be interested in.
• Jacob Camenker notes the Patriots told Vanderbilt tight end Jared Pinkney he had ‘loser’s mentality’ in combine interview. /Cringe.
• Nick O’Malley passes along a report that 1st-round WR prospect Clemson WR Tee Higgins describes meeting with Patriots as ‘cool and relaxing’.
• Doug Kyed explains why the he thinks the Pats should wait on a QB, and take Jalen Hurts in the middle of the draft.
• Alex Barth recaps a wild day of Patriots free agency rumors, in addition to the Tom Brady chaos.
• Alex Barth sees the Patriots set to choose between Kyle Van Noy and Jamie Collins in free agency.
• CBS Boston Free Agency Updates: Devin McCourty, Jamie Collins, Joe Thuney, Phillip Dorsett.
• Andrew Callahan reports the Patriots have expressed interest in re-signing Devin McCourty.
• Andrew Callahan writes about where the Pats’ free agents stand at the NFL Combine.
• Ryan Hannable thinks the Patriots will have chance to make a run at free agent TE Austin Hooper.
• Oliver Thomas revisits QB Jarrett Stidham’s rookie introduction.
• Doug Kyed addresses his Friday Patriots Mailbag: Teams interested in Tom Brady have backup plans.
• Andy Hart’s Fast Friday 5: The most notable NFL offseason ever?
• Sean T. McGuire NFL Rumors: Tom Brady ‘in the Patriots plans for 2020’ despite no offer.
• Nick Goss NFL rumors: Patriots free agent Phillip Dorsett drawing interest from multiple teams.
• Nick Goss NFL odds: Patriots remain betting favorites to sign Tom Brady in latest lines.
• Steven Viner (BostonSportsJournal) The Quest for 7 [Links 2.28.20]: Tom-nado wreaks havoc, Combine updates, Bergeron! Bergeron!
• Mike Reiss wishes a happy 20th birthday to Tom Brady’s ‘favorite’ NFL combine picture.
• Andy Hart relays Usain Bolt breaking down Tom Brady’s Combine 40.
• Locked On Patriots podcast: Mike D’Abate and Thomas Murphy discuss the latest development on the Brady saga, Patriots free agency and draft targets. (38 min.)
• Next Pats podcast: Phil Perry is joined by Dane Brugler, who breaks down which QBs make sense for the Pats in the draft; Judy Battista breaks down the latest in the NFL CBA talks. (31 min.)

NATIONAL NEWS

• Albert Breer (SI) Game Plan: Kliff Kingsbury’s experience with Patrick Mahomes should give perspective when scouting QBs; More.
• Charles Robinson (Yahoo! Sports) Tom Brady is biggest star of NFL scouting combine.
• Jared Dubin (CBS Sports) What are the Patriots’ options at quarterback if Tom Brady really leaves in free agency?
• Kevin Clark (The Ringer) NFL Combine Takeaways, Day 4: Nobody knows anything. “The fog of uncertainty over the new CBA vote extends to Tom Brady’s future with the Patriots. Elsewhere on Thursday, Chase Young made his case as the best player in the draft.”
• Around the NFL (NFL.com) Daniel Jeremiah’s 2020 NFL Scouting Combine takeaways.
• Bryan DeArdo (CBS Sports) 2020 NFL combine results: QBs, WRs, TEs run 40-yard dash, take part in drills and turn heads on Thursday.
• Chad Reuter (NFL.com) 2020 NFL Scouting Combine winners/losers: Justin Herbert stars.
• Kevin Patra (NFL.com) Jordan Love creating buzz, could move into top 10
• Tadd Haislop (Sporting news) NFL Combine 40 times tracker: Who has the fastest 40-yard dash in 2020 draft?
• Charean Williams (ProFootballTalk) Report: Tom Brady’s representation has met with Chargers, Raiders, Colts.
• Michael David Smith (ProFootballTalk) Report: Colts haven’t talked to Tom Brady’s camp, have vetted Philip Rivers.
• Mike Triplett (ESPN) Saints will let Teddy Bridgewater leave, but where will he land? New England a possibility.
• Frank Schwab (Yahoo! Sports) Which team will sign Tom Brady? Let’s examine the BetMGM odds on it.
• Nate Davis (USA Today) Kurt Warner to Tom Brady: If you leave Patriots, join Titans instead of AFC West team
• Charean Williams (ProFootballTalk) Saints have not started contract talks with Drew Brees’ camp yet
• Josh Alper (ProFootballTalk) Thaddeus Moss having foot surgery.
• Lorenzo Reyes (USA Today) Arizona State punter Michael Turk outperforms some offensive linemen at NFL combine with 25 bench press reps.
• Danny Heifetz (The Ringer) The 2020 NFL franchise tag primer: Explaining the situations of players who could be forced to play next season on an expensive one-year deal.

EXTRACURRICULAR

• Mike Florio (ProFootballTalk) NFL expects huge cash influx from next wave of TV deals, if they’re done soon.
• Mike Florio (ProFootballTalk) Under proposed CBA, 2018 draft class sees significant change to fifth-year option.
• Mike Florio (ProFootballTalk) New CBA will make it harder to hold out.
• Jenny Vrentas (SI) How we arrived at the precipice of a 17-game schedule.