LOCAL LINKS
- Mike Reiss shares some quick-hit weekend thoughts: Cam Newton joining Patriots has similarities to Randy Moss in ‘07; More.
- Ryan Hannable’s Sunday 7: Mohamed Sanu vows to not let what happened in 2019 happen again; It’s worth wondering how having Newton at quarterback will impact Julian Edelman; More.
- Steve Balestrieri (PatsFans) Sunday Patriots News: Who benefits from having Cam at QB? More.
- Karen Guregian reminds us Tom Brady isn’t the only GOAT the Patriots are replacing. It will take two to fill Dante Scarnecchia’s role - and importance.
- Bruce Castleberry says Bill Belichick is betting Cam Newton is a winner, and the rest of the NFL better hope he is wrong.
- Phil Perry explains how the Patriots were able to sign Cam Newton to a contract worth as much as $7.5 million while tight against the salary cap.
- Dakota Randall notes that according to Greg Bedard, ‘this deal isn’t about this season for Cam, it’s about the next four or five’.
- Sean Sylver wonders where Cam Newton will fit in the pantheon of Patriots quarterbacks
- Adam London highlights former Patriot Damien Woody on why he doesn’t have any concerns about Cam Newton fitting with the Patriots or meshing with his new head coach.
- Sean T. McGuire notes Cam Newton was back on Instagram with an expletive-filled post on Sunday night... Let’s just say the guy is motivated.
- Dakota Randall posts a couple of pics of Cam Newton seen in Foxboro, hat and all. /To quote Mona Lisa Vito from ‘My Cousin Vinny’, “Oh, yeah, you blend.”
- Chris Mason thumbnails five Patriots undrafted free agents that could crack the 53-man roster.
- Andrew Callahan helps us get to know the three new coaching assistants from offense, defense and special teams
- Robert Alvarez (PatsFans) Celebrate Troy Brown’s birthday with a look back at career highlights.
NATIONAL NEWS
- Michael David Smith (ProFootballTalk) Cam Newton in New England for Patriots physical.
- Grant Gordon (NFL.com) History has former MVP Cam Newton, Patriots in playoffs.
- Frank Schwab (Yahoo! News) New Patriots QB Cam Newton says in Instagram workout video that he’s ‘tired of being humble now’
- Albert Breer (SI) Monday Morning QB: The NFL and NFLPA need to agree on additional coronavirus protocols soon. Plus, how Washington should pick a new team name, the top seniors in the 2021 draft, 10 takeaways from this bizarre offseason and more.
- Kim Pegula (ProFootballTalk) Guest FMIA: Lessons learned leading Bills during Covid.
- Bucky Brooks (NFL.com) Scout’s Notebook: Patriots’ offense with Cam Newton; ranking the top five ‘starting fives’.
- Joel Corry (CBS Sports) Agent’s Take: Assessing the situation for the 14 unsigned franchise-tagged players as July deadline looms.
- Roundtable (NFL.com) Which NFL fan base most deserves a Super Bowl title this season? /Correct answer is Patriots. Maybe Bucs.
- Conor Orr (SI) The NFL’s 10 biggest what-ifs of the last 10 years. /As for No. 7, what if the Philly Special was ruled illegal formation as it should have been called?
- Solomon Wilcots (Pro Football Focus) The NFL’s best cornerback trios ahead of the 2020 NFL season. No. 1: Stephon Gilmore - Jason McCourty - Jonathan Jones.
- Ben Linsey (Pro Football Focus) The NFL’s highest-graded man-coverage cornerbacks in 2019. “Only three teams ran man coverage on over 50% of their defensive snaps in 2019, and all three of those teams stem from the Bill Belichick coaching tree.” No. 1: Stephon Gilmore.
- Ben Linsey (Pro Football Focus) One-Year Wonder Team: NFL’s best single-season outlier performances since 2006
- Jared Dubin (CBS Sports) Ranking NFL divisions by running backs. AFC East 8th.
- Jared Dubin (CBS Sports) David Njoku requests trade: Ranking best landing spot fits. Patriots 5th.
- Josh Alper (ProFootballTalk) Devin McCourty: Preseason games less important than safe start to camp.
- Report (TMZ) Pats kicker Justin Rohrwasser gets three percenters tattoo removed.
EXTRACURRICULAR
- Mike Florio (ProFootballTalk) NFL negotiates with NFLPA on pandemic protocols, even if NFL doesn’t think it has to.
- Mike Florio (ProFootballTalk) NFLPA proposes 80-man rosters for training camp.
- Matt Dolloff notes NFL teams are will have expanded practice squads for the 2020 season.
- Mike Florio (ProFootballTalk) Players want no 11-on-11 activities during practice.
- Mike Florio (ProFootballTalk) Players want all training camp meetings to happen virtually.
- Mike Florio (ProFootballTalk) Players are opposed to mandatory hotel stays during training camp.
- Mike Florio (ProFootballTalk) Players aren’t ready to accept mandatory face shields.
- Mike Florio (ProFootballTalk) NFL wants two stadium fan events during training camp.
- Nick O’Malley passes along a report that NFL teams getting coronavirus info from Twitter, not from the league
- Kevin Patra (NFL.com) COVID-19 protocols: Could player miss Super Bowl due to COVID-19?
- Jared Dubin (CBS Sports) If Washington changes Redskins team name, here are some of the best options. /I like “Redtails” personally.
- Tom Schad (USA Today) Hogs? Lincolns? Best and worst potential new names for Washington’s NFL franchise.
- Conor Orr (SI) Five potential new names for Washington’s football team.