New England Patriots links 3/23/20 - Slinging the re-hash: Why Brady left; One more helping of Hoyer

TEAM TALK

• Patriots 2020 Free Agent Tracker.
• Mike Dussault discusses reports of the Patriots bringing back Brian Hoyer and adding free agent LB Brandon Copeland from the Jets.
• Mike Dussault talks about the Patriots reported signing of four-year veteran FB Dan Vitale.
• Paul Perillo and Mike Dussault debate whether the Patriots should add a veteran QB.
• Mike Dussault ranks all 18 Games to Glory by playoff round.
• Patriots make all six versions of ‘3 Games to Glory’ available on Patriots.com and YouTube. /Cool!

LOCAL LINKS

• Mike Reiss shares some quick-hit weekend thoughts: Bill Belichick set to lead a reboot, not a rebuild, with Patriots; Thoughts on Brady’s departure; Impact on Coronavirus and its impact on the 2020 season; More.
• Steve Balestrieri (PatsFans) Sunday Patriots news, AFC East notes: Trying to make sense of Brady leaving; More.
• Ryan Hannable’s Sunday 7: This is not a ‘mass exodus’ of Patriots players.
• Tom E. Curran wraps up a whirlwind week by reacting to Tom Brady’s new contract, the reasons for Brady’s departure, and how much of a rebuild the Patriots are facing now.
• Nick O’Malley notes how the McCourty twins broke down Jarrett Stidham’s potential as a starter during an episode of their podcast.
• Zack Cox tells us what we should know about the Patriots six newest free agent additions.
• Evan Lazar describes Danny Vitale as more of a pass-catching fullback than a lead blocker.
• Doug Kyed gives us some takeaways from rewatching Jarrett Stidham’s 2019 preseason snaps. 1. One thing Stidham does much better than Brady is scramble.
• Evan Lazar explains how Brian Hoyer will be a useful resource for Jarrett Stidham.
• CBS Boston reports that according to his agent, Brian Hoyer will get a chance at the starting job for the Patriots.
• Henry McKenna (PatriotsWire) Report: Patriots closely vetting Florida International QB James Morgan ahead of the draft
• Ryan Hannable passes along Duron Harmon’s story of how he was at the dentist when he found out he was traded to Lions. /This is not a drill...
• Zack Cox NFL Rumors: Here’s why the Patriots didn’t swing a trade for Stefon Diggs.
• Mac Cerullo writes about how Brady’s departure marks the end of a football story that spanned a generation; No matter how much things changed in his life, “Tom Brady was always a constant”.
• Bob George (PatsFans) Pondering the future now that Brady is no longer a Patriot.
• Evan Lazar hashes out Bill Belichick’s reluctance to give Tom Brady a multi-year contract extension, and why it ultimately pushed Brady out the door.
• Ryan Hannable notes Deshaun Watson is [somehow] the betting favorite to be the Patriots quarterback in 2021.
• Scott Edwards Jr. begins a countdown of Tom Brady’s 20 greatest moments. No. 20: Reaching 1,000 yards rushing.
• Michael Hurley says Tom Brady’s 20 years in the NFL and unprecedented success an be summed up in one photo.
• Matt Vautour notes Tom Brady’s mom texted Brady while watching ESPN’s Patriots marathon Sunday: ‘I think they think you retired’
• Alexandra Francisco reexamines Tom Brady’s old “TB Times” social media posts to see if he was foreshadowing his move to the Bucs.
• CBS Boston notes that if Tom Brady wants No. 12 in Tampa Bay, he’ll have to ask Chris Godwin for it.
• Robert Alvarez (PatsFans) Kraft family thanks Tom Brady with special billboards across New England.
• Danny Jaillet (PatriotsWire) Rob Gronkowski makes grand entrance on WWE’s Friday Night SmackDown.
• Phil Perry presents his Patriots 7-round mock draft 1.0: Loading up on offense.
• David Latham (LastWordOnSports) New England Patriots mock draft roundup.

NATIONAL NEWS

• Albert Breer (SI) Monday Morning QB: How the Bucs scouted Tom Brady; Why the Stefon Diggs and DeAndre Hopkins trades came together. Plus, details surrounding the trades of two high-profile WRs, the new-look Colts and more from a strange week in the NFL.
• Peter King (ProFootballTalk) FMIA: Quarantines and cheesesteaks: How Sean Payton’s coping with Covid-19 during a seismic week of NFL moves; More.
• Jason La Canfora (CBS Sports) NFL insider notes: The Texans and five teams with the worst offseason plans through free agency’s first wave.
• Mitch Goldich (SI) The top 10 storylines for the rest of the NFL offseason
• Rick Stroud (Tampa Bay Times) How the Bucs got Tom Brady to leave the New England Patriots for Tampa Bay: The behind-the-scenes story of the Buccaneers landing the greatest NFL free agent of all time.
• Mike Florio (ProFootballTalk) Report: Raiders were “sniffing around” Tom Brady “as late as this week.”
• Mike Florio (ProFootballTalk) With Tom Brady officially on board, Bucs throw dirt on tampering trail.
• Seth Wickersham (ESPN) The story behind the split of Tom Brady, Bill Belichick and the Patriots. /Sooo much body-language analysis...
• Tadd Haislop (Sporting News) Why did Tom Brady leave the Patriots? A souring relationship with Bill Belichick and other signs from the past. /Rehash of all the prior speculation from everywhere.
• Jeff Diamond (Sporting News) Tom Brady’s big mistake in leaving the Patriots for the Buccaneers is all about the timing
• Mike Florio (ProFootballTalk) No signing bonus for Tom Brady.
• Mike Florio (ProFootballTalk) Tom Brady didn’t ask for control over offense or roster authority. Plus, Brady proposed identical packages to Bucs and Chargers. /We all knew that rumor was bogus.
• Mike Florio (ProFootballTalk) Tom Brady jersey quickly becomes the top seller for Fanatics.
• Mike Florio (ProFootballTalk) Tom Brady could be facing more pressure, hits.
• Jessica Violette (Noteabley) Tom Brady opens up about co-parenting with Bridget Moynahan.
• Staff (ESPN) Bruins’ Zdeno Chara lauds Tom Brady amid New England departure: ‘We feel a loss’.
• Doug Kezirian (ESPN) End of a betting era: The Brady-Belichick dynasty.
• Chris Wesseling (NFL.com) NFL Game Pass viewing guide: 20 must-watch games to cue up. Game Pass is FREE for now. /It’s pretty cool, check it out.
• Josh Alper (ProFootballTalk) Patriots push season ticket payment deadline to June 30.
• Bucky Brooks (NFL.com) The appeal of QB-coach reunions; Bucs SB-bound with Brady?
• Kevin Clark (The Ringer) Lessons from a frenzied week in NFL free agency.
• Bill Barnwell (ESPN) 2020 NFL free agency: Grades for every big signing and trade. Brian Hoyer to the Patriots: B-.
• Marc Sessler (NFL.com) NFL free agency: The biggest moves (and non-moves) so far
• Kevin Seifert (ESPN) NFL free agency: Ranking the 15 best remaining free agents.
• Gregg Rosenthal and Chris Wesseling (NFL.com) Top 101 NFL free agents of 2020: Who will sign Jameis Winston?
• Robert Mays (The Ringer) The five teams that have more questions than answers after the first week of free agency.
• Mike Florio (ProFootballTalk) League planning to hold draft in TV studio setting.
• Mike Florio (ProFootballTalk) Will players earn workout bonuses if there are no offseason workouts?
• Charean Williams (ProFootballTalk) NFL undecided on whether to hold May meetings.
• Lance Zierlein (NFL.com) NFL mock draft 2.0. Pats pick LSU LB Patrick Queen at 23.

EXTRACURRICULAR

• Charean Williams (ProFootballTalk) XFL cancels rest of 2020 season, opening door for NFL signings.
• Charean Williams (ProFootballTalk) Antonio Brown looking for any opportunity but “preferably with Tom” Brady.