NFL - Sports Rumors - New England Patriots
-
Tuesday, May 13, 2008 7:24 am EDT
Ex-Lion Kevin Jones meets with Patriots
Getty Images
The New England Patriots visited with free-agent running back Kevin Jones last week at Gillette Stadium, a league source told the Boston Globe.
The speedy Jones, a first-round draft choice of the Lions in 2004, is recovering from a torn ACL. The Patriots had been high on Jones when he was coming out of Virginia Tech, and were prepared to scoop him up with the No. 32 overall selection in that draft, but the Lions swooped in with a trade and picked him at No. 31.
The Patriots are well stocked at running back, with Laurence Maroney, Sammy Morris, Kevin Faulk, Heath Evans and Kyle Eckel atop the depth chart.
Source: Boston Globe
-
Monday, Apr 28, 2008 8:11 am EDT
New England had an un-Patriot-like draft
Getty Images
New England Patriots coach Bill Belichick held a press conference to wrap up the Patriots' draft, and he opened on a light note.
"Who would have ever thought you would be covering a Bill Belichick draft with no offensive linemen, defensive linemen, or tight ends taken?" he said to the reporters sitting in front of him.
The Patriots selected three linebackers, two defensive backs, one quarterback, and one receiver/special teams player.
Source: Boston Globe
-
Monday, Apr 28, 2008 7:18 am EDT
Jets tried to trade up for Long before taking Gholston
Getty Images
The New Giants established a blueprint in the Super Bowl for beating the New England Patriots: Knock Tom Brady around, put him on the ground. Now the Jets, with the additions of Calvin Pace in free agency, Kris Jenkins in a trade and Ohio State's Vernon Gholston in the first round, have improved their chances of getting to Brady in the fall after their pass rush produced only 29 sacks in 2007 according to columnist Gary Myers of the New York Daily News.
But Gholston was not the Jets' first choice to get after Brady. They wanted Virginia DE Chris Long and tried on Saturday to trade up from their No.6 spot in the first round to St. Louis' No.2 spot to get him. When they couldn't satisfy the Rams' demands for the pick, sources said they were going to deviate from the pass rush plan and take Arkansas running back Darren McFadden over Gholston. But the Raiders blew that up and took McFadden at No.4. The Jets never attempted to trade up for McFadden with the Falcons or Raiders after Long was taken by the Rams.
The Daily News learned Sunday that the top three players on the Jets' board going into the draft were, in order: Long, McFadden and Gholston. The board eliminated Michigan tackle Jake Long, who had already signed with Miami. Before the Rams took Chris Long at No.2, the Jets called St.Louis. Mike Tannenbaum and Eric Mangini wanted Long, an energetic pass rusher who had 14 sacks last year playing for ex-Jets coach Al Groh. But the Rams' price was so exorbitant, the Jets basically said "see you later." It was a one-and-done phone call. No more talk.
Source: New York Daily News
-
Saturday, Apr 26, 2008 8:21 am EDT
Lito should shuffle out of Philadelphia today
Getty Images
All the speculation finally becomes something more Saturday when the NFL draft begins at 3 p.m. Philadelphia Eagles cornerback Lito Sheppard, barring some unforeseen development, will become a member of another team, and we'll all get to see what he brings in return. Early Friday evening, it was the New Orleans Saints' second-round pick that qualified as the best offer on the table.
A league source said five teams had made offers for Sheppard. The St. Louis Rams and Tampa Bay Buccaneers were among those teams, and the source said the Eagles were still hopeful when they went to bed last night that some team would improve its offer today.
The Saints' second-round pick is the 40th overall. Another league source said the Rams were unwilling to give up their second-round pick, which is the 33d overall. In a normal draft year that would be the first pick of the second round, but this year it is the second pick because the New England Patriots were stripped of the 32d overall pick in the first round. Some reports Thursday said that Tampa Bay was the front-runner to land Sheppard, but the league source said the Bucs did not have the best offer on the table as of early Friday evening. There was also speculation that the Bucs might include Michael Clayton in a deal for Sheppard, but the source said the Eagles were not interested in the veteran wide receiver. Tampa Bay has the 52d overall pick in the second round.
Source: Philadelphia Inquirer
-
Friday, Apr 25, 2008 6:13 am EDT
Linebacker still an issue for Patriots
Getty Images
When it comes to the linebacker position, the question of need hasn't changed since last year. Or the year before. This area remains a major concern for the New England Patriots. The only difference is with each year the degree of urgency has increased in terms of adding young linebackers who can step in and play according to the Boston Herald.
With Rosevelt Colvin already discarded, and Tedy Bruschi and Junior Seau — assuming he returns — continuing to fight a futile battle against age, the emphasis in tomorrow's draft remains finding suitable backups and replacements, particularly at inside linebacker.
The intrigue surrounding this draft is whether the Pats have a linebacker they consider worthy of the seventh pick, or if they wait and fill the void later on. Or if they will use the draft at all, considering that under Bill Belichick they haven't been in the habit of drafting linebackers. Typically, the Pats wind up converting defensive ends into linebackers for their 3-4 scheme.
Source: Boston Herald
-
Wednesday, Apr 23, 2008 11:57 am EDT
Law set to sign with Patriots?
Getty Images
FOX25 television in Boston is reported the New England Patriots are close to a deal that would bring cornerback Ty Law back to the franchise where he started his career.
While he isn't the player he once was, Law has started all 48 games the past three seasons with the Kansas City Chiefs and New York Jets.
Source: myfoxboston.com
-
Tuesday, Apr 22, 2008 11:45 am EDT
Patriots still pursuing 19-0 trademarks
Getty Images
Three months after their bid for an undefeated season ended with a Super Bowl loss to the New York Giants, the New England Patriots are continuing to pursue trademarks on the phrases "19-0" and "19-0 The Perfect Season," records show and thesmokinggun.com reported.
While the team may have been expected to withdraw its applications after finishing at 18-1, a Patriots lawyer recently amended the original filings to correct a typographical error, a clear indication that the organization remains committed to securing the marks (perhaps Bill Belichick & Co. are anticipating perfection in the 2008 season).
On January 17, days before facing the San Diego Chargers in the AFC Championship Game, the Patriots filed the trademark applications, which, if approved, would allow the club to place "19-0" and "19-0 The Perfect Season" on a wide variety of toys, DVDs, clothing, sporting goods, and other knick knacks.
Source: thesmokinggun.com
-
Tuesday, Apr 22, 2008 7:21 am EDT
Jets, Pats don't trust each other even on draft day
Getty Images
Draft day, 2002. The New York Jets, with the 22nd overall choice, are targeting pass rusher Bryan Thomas of Alabama-Birmingham. When it gets close to their turn, they're convinced he's theirs. The anticipation starts to build in the draft room. Suddenly, a trade. The New England Patriots come out of nowhere, moving up to the 21st spot. There's an "oh-no, not-again" feeling in the Jets' draft room, a team official later confesses. A year earlier, the Patriots snatched a player from the Jets, trading up one spot ahead of them in Round 2 to select tackle Matt Light. They made the move after discovering Light was on the phone with the Jets. Sneaky, sneaky.
This time, the Patriots take tight end Daniel Graham, leaving Thomas for the relieved Jets, but the brief moment illustrates the ever-present, year-round rivalry between the blood rivals. Nothing has changed the New York Daily News reported.
The Jets and Patriots will be picking sixth and seventh, respectively, in the first round of Saturday's draft, which means the gamesmanship will be at an all-time peak. It will be high-stakes poker - really, it has been for weeks — with each team trying to outthink and, possibly, outmaneuver the other for the player it covets most.
Source: New York Daily News
-
Monday, Apr 21, 2008 2:12 pm EDT
Browns searching draft for next 'tweener'
Since January, the Cleveland Browns' scouting department has been on a mission to find the next Adalius Thomas or Shaun Phillips. Or, if the Browns wanted to dream about getting back into the third round of the draft, the next Mike Vrabel or Joey Porter. Among the NFL's top pass rushers, all four were college defensive linemen who made the transition to linebacker in the pros. All came into the league in the third round or later.
Thomas of the Baltimore Ravens (a Southern Mississippi product) was a sixth-round pick of the Ravens in 2000. Phillips (out of Purdue) was a fourth-round choice in 2004 of the San Diego Chargers. Vrabel (from Ohio State and Walsh Jesuit) of the New England Patriots was a third-round choice of the Pittsburgh Steelers in 1997. Porter of the Miami Dolphins (out of Colorado State) went to the Steelers in the same round in 1999.
Going into the NFL Draft this weekend, the Browns don't have a pick until the 23rd choice in the fourth round, 122nd overall. But they'll still search for an outside linebacker to pair opposite Kamerion Wimbley, the 13th overall pick in 2006 who played defensive end at Florida State.
Source: Akron Beacon Journal
- 1 - 9 of 9
