TEAM TALK
- Patriots 2021 Mock Draft Tracker: Here’s what the ‘experts’ are predicting the Pats will do in the first round.
- Patriots Unfiltered 1/21: Conference Championship picks, Debating which free agents to retain. (2 hours)
- Photo Op: Governor Baker visits Gillette Stadium to tour mass vaccination site. (1 min. video)
LOCAL LINKS
- Doug Kyed finishes up his Patriots draft series looking at how the Patriots have fared in the draft since 2000, calling Tom Brady the NFL’s GOAT draft pick.
- Phil Perry makes the case that the Pats’ defensive front can’t afford to lose Lawrence Guy this offseason.
- Tom E. Curran explains why finding a competent starting QB is highest offseason priority for Patriots. The Pats’ QB cupboard is completely bare ... even with Jarrett Stidham under contract.
- Andy Hart begs for ‘someone, anyone’ to bump placeholder Jarrett Stidham from atop Patriots QB depth chart
- Phil Perry offers his thoughts on each of the Patriots players who opted out last season and if they’ll be back.
- Doug Kyed addresses his Friday Patriots Mailbag: Why drafting a QB, signing a WR is the Pats’ best option; More.
- Doug Kyed notes Julian Edelman didn’t give a direct answer when asked if he plans to retire this offseason.
- CBS Boston clarifies Julian Edelman speaking on the Pardon My Take podcast that he won’t be retiring this offseason: ‘We’re not there yet’.
- Robert Bradford starts the discussion of who the Pats should pick in the 1st-round: Kyle Pitts or Trey Lance?
- Ryan Hannable says having Josh McDaniels back is a good thing for the Patriots
- Ryan Hannable suggests Josh McDaniels turning down the Colts may have played role in him not getting the Eagles job.
- Ryan Hannable calls Boston a former title town turned big-market land of cost-cutting rebuilds. /’Eesh, the last parade was only two years ago.
- Darren Hartwell highlights WEEI guest Danny Ainge who has had it with the Tom Brady vs. Bill Belichick debate. “Why can’t we as New Englanders just appreciate what a great era we had with Bill Belichick and Tom Brady...instead of having a competition between Belichick and Brady and who’s more important?” /Amen!
- Michael Hurley can’t let Dan Campbell’s most ridiculous football coach speech of all time pass by without a few comments. /It was real. And it was spectacular.
- Locked On Patriots podcast: Mike D’Abate answers all your Patriots questions. (36 min.)
NATIONAL NEWS
- Albert Breer (SI) Game Plan: How the Bills turned over their roster, and other Conference Championship teams were built; Plus, power rankings, Black coaching candidates and how women should impact the hiring process.
- Kevin Clark (The Ringer) Aaron Rodgers, Tom Brady, and the lessons from a strange NFL season.
- Rob Demovsky and Jenna Laine (ESPN) Finally, Aaron Rodgers vs. Tom Brady: Inside the playoff matchup 13 years in the making.
- Gregg Rosenthal (NFL.com) NFL Championship Sunday game picks: Buccaneers edge Packers; Chiefs outlast Bills.
- Staff (ESPN) Bucs-Packers, Bills-Chiefs picks, schedule, odds, injuries, predictions, more for AFC and NFC championships.
- Bill Bender (Sporting News) NFL playoff picks, predictions: Packers edge Buccaneers, Chiefs hold off Bills in championship games.
- Vinnie Iyer (Sporting News) Bills vs. Chiefs picks, predictions against spread: Why Kansas City will advance to Super Bowl 55.
- Alex Prewitt (SI) Win, lose or draw up a legal brief: Two years after the ‘NOLA no-call’.
- Ali Bhanpuri, et al (NFL.com) QB Index: Which Championship Sunday passer most needs to win Super Bowl LV? /Staahp it... Brady does NOT ‘need to win it more’ than Josh Allen or Patrick Mahomes to cement his legacy.
- Hayden Bird hears LeGarrette Blount identify the ‘question’ around Josh McDaniels’s head coaching candidacy: “You get a lot of guys that come from New England that try to bring the New England way to a different team, and you don’t have those same type of players.”
- Conor Orr (SI) The Nick Sirianni hiring: Rather than bringing in an experienced hand to manage the locker room, the Eagles are going with the 39-year-old who’s never been a play-caller, making the priority clear: save Carson Wentz.
- Mike Rodak (AL.com) Alabama hires Bill O’Brien as offensive coordinator.
- PR Report (NFL.com) NFL to give 7,500 vaccinated health care workers free tickets to Super Bowl LV.