New England Patriots links 1/19/21 - Folk-lure: Pats will have to pay to keep reliable kicker

TEAM TALK

• Patriots assistant running backs and kick returners coach Troy Brown and defensive line coach Demarcus Covington will take part as coaches in the 2021 East-West Shrine Bowl.
• Angelique Fiske talks about Matthew Slater and Bill Belichick sharing the importance of the team’s ‘Monday meetings’ on racism and social justice.

LOCAL LINKS

• Alex Barth explores whether the Patriots will take a short-term or long-term approach at kicker: After having just two kickers between 1996 and 2019, the position is an offseason question for the 2nd year in a row.
• Doug Kyed highlights the Patriots 2020 draft class, that had some major hits, and compares how it ranks to all 32 teams.
• Mike Masala (PatriotsWire) The 5 most impressive Patriots from the 2020 season.
• Zack Cox reports Jake Bailey and Gunner Olszewski both earned spots on the Pro Football Writers of America All-NFL and All-AFC teams, announced Monday.
• Ryan Hannable notes there are four Patriots included in PFF’s list of top 100 NFL free agents.
• Jack Long (MusketFire) 3 wide receivers the Patriots should try and trade for this offseason.
• Isaiah Houde (PatriotsWire) Stephon Gilmore said what every Patriots fan was thinking during Bucs-Saints. “Miss playoff football”
• Henry McKenna (PatriotsWire) Julian Edelman discusses the most painful injuries he’s played through.
• Zack Cox notes Tom Brady’s first NFC Title Game will feel familiar, now that Sunday’s Green Bay forecast calls for temperatures in the 20s and snow. /We’ll get to see Scuba-Tom again.
• David Latham (LastWordOnSports) Tom Brady saves his best for last – again.
• Adam London posts a video clip of Rob Gronkowski celebrating, “We’re in the AFC Championship game, Baby!” /Heh... Gronk is still with us in spirit.
• Scott McLaughlin highlights WEEI guest Boomer Esiason on why the Buccaneers should sign Tom Brady to an extension this offseason.
• Mike Reiss points out how Tom Brady’s success with the Buccaneers has sparked a mixed reaction on Twitter.
• Tom E. Curran lays out what a Deshaun Watson trade to New England would have to look like, and why it is highly unlikely to happen.
• Ryan Hannable counts Tom Brady among those pushing for Richard Seymour to get into the Pro Football Hall of Fame.
• Zack Cox repots Josh McDaniels spent most of Sunday interviewing with the Eagles, and is believed to be a ‘prime candidate’ for the head coaching job.
• Nick O’Malley talks about the NFL scrapping the Scouting Combine 2020 workouts due to COVID-19: No 40-yard dash this year in Indianapolis.
• Chad Finn reports Tom Brady boosts the Bucs’ local ratings by 28 percent, while the 7-9 Patriots drop 26 percent in market.
• Locked On Patriots podcast: Mike and Murph discuss Josh McDaniels’ potential fit in Philadelphia, who might succeed him on the offensive coaching staff; Their thoughts on the Divisional Round; and the continued success of Tom Brady. (40 min.)

NATIONAL NEWS

• Albert Breer (SI) Monday Afternoon QB: The Saints have a major salary cap crunch this offseason.
• Danny Heifetz (The Ringer) How the Conference Title matchups reveal what matters most in today’s NFL: Five key lessons about what separated the class of the league this season fro everyone else.
• Rodger Sherman (The Ringer) The winners and losers of the NFL Divisional Round.
• Kevin Seifert (ESPN) Patrick Mahomes in concussion protocol: What needs to happen for him to play against Bills.
• Ben Pickman (SI) Report: NFL informs teams of major changes to Scouting Combine.
• Mike Chappell (CBS4Indy) NFL Scouting Combine won’t be held in Indianapolis in February. “...there will be no in-person workouts at the Combine. All workouts will be held at players’ Pro Days on college campuses.”
• Clark Judge (SI) Who belongs in the Hall’s Class of 2021? Historians weigh in with their five choices.
• Analysis Team (Pro Football Focus) 2021 Free Agency: Ranking the NFL’s top 100 free agents.
• Jenna West (SI) NFL Rumors: Teams calling Texans about Deshaun Watson despite QB not asking for trade.
• Kaelen Jones (The Ringer) What would a trade for Deshaun Watson even look like?
• Rich Cimini (ESPN) Jets should be all-in on Texans’ Deshaun Watson, but reality could stand in way.
• Frank Schwab (Yahoo! Sports) Sports betting winners and losers: Preseason hype for Tom Brady and Buccaneers was real, after all