When it comes to acquiring players, Bill Belichick prefers to sign draft players or sign free agents from schools where he has or had a relationship with the head coach. Want proof? Look at the Patriots acquisitions this week. New England traded for cornerback Jason McCourty who played at Rutgers for Greg Schiano. Schiano and Belichick are good friends. They are so close in fact that Schiano almost joined the…
Patriots Pulse Blog: Patriots sign Adrian Clayborn. Meh…
The Patriots agreed to terms with free agent defensive end Adrian Clayborn. Terms of the deal were not disclosed but the former Atlanta Falcon finished with 9.5 sacks last season. Six of those sacks came in one game against the Dallas Cowboys. The 6-3 280 pound Clayborn can play both the five technique and nine technique defensive end spots. Clayborn is primarily a power rusher but he is also a…
Patriots Pulse Blog: Count Me As a Fan of the Jason McCourty Trade
Count me as a fan of the Jason McCourty trade. The Patriots acquired Devin’s twin brother along with a 2018 seventh round pick for a 2018 sixth round pick. McCourty played well in his one and only season in Cleveland. He will be a good fit with the Patriots because of his style of play but also because of his brother being here to guide him through the learning process…
NFL: Free Agency Dime Package
NFL free agency has been interesting to say the least. Here are my thoughts on what has transpired around the NFL thus far this week 1. Kirk Cousins can lead the Vikings to a Super Bowl because he has a solid running game to work with and a championship caliber defense. Forget about the guaranteed money. It’s the price of doing business today. 2. I like the Allen Robinson acquisition…
Patriots Pulse Blog: Thoughts on the Departures of Amendola, Butler, Lewis and Solder
Nate Solder is one of four former Patriots who left via free agency in the last 24 hours. The Patriots lost four key contributors in the last 24 hours as Danny Amendola, Malcolm Butler Dion Lewis and Nate Solder all signed deals elsewhere. Here are my thoughts on their departures and the contracts they got. Amendola Flies South to the Dolphins: Danny Amendola signed a two year, $12 million dollar…
NFL: The Top 10 Free Agents Available and Where They Will End Up
NFL free agency starts tomorrow and expect fireworks as several key free agents will be looking to get paid. This year’s free agent class is by no means “loaded” but there is plenty of talent available, particularly for teams that are in the market for a quarterback or receiver. So, with further ado. Here are my top ten free agents and where I think they will end up. 1. Kirk…
Patriots Pulse Blog: The Danny Shelton Trade is A Solid Move for the Patriots
The Patriots acquired defensive tackle Danny Shelton from the Cleveland Browns for two draft picks. The 24 year old Shelton is coming off arguably the best season of his career finishing with 33 total tackles At 6-2 335, Shelton is your prototypical two gap nose tackle but he is athletic and versatile. He can play the nose in 30 fronts and the 2i defensive tackle in a 40 front. Shelton…
NFL: Browns Shopping Spree Is Proof They Are Heading in the Right Direction Under John Dorsey
The Cleveland Browns went a shopping spree yesterday acquiring wide receiver Jarvis Landry, quarterback Tyrod Taylor, and cornerback Damarious Randall. The flurry of moves on Friday afternoon sent shockwaves across the NFL and put the league on notice. The Browns mean business. General manager John Dorsey is taking a completely different approach than his analytics driven predecessor Sashi Brown. Instead of hoarding picks and cap space, Dorsey has elected to…
Nickel Package: Five Thoughts on the Recent Trades in the NFL
Michael Bennett makes a formidable Eagles front seven downright scary. Here are five thoughts on some of the big trades that have occurred in the NFL this week. 1. The Eagles Re-Create the Fearsome Foursome With Bennett Acquisition: The Eagles acquired defensive end Michael Bennett and a seventh round pick from the Seattle Seahawks in exchange for wide receiver Marcus Johnson and a fifth round pick. Bennett has been rumored to…
2018 NFL Draft: Mock Draft 1.0
Saquon Barkley might be the best running back prospect since Adrian Peterson. That is why I have the Browns taking him first overall. The combine is over. It is time to reveal our first of four mock drafts. Here goes! 1. Cleveland Browns: Saquon Barkley, RB, Penn State: Barkley killed it at the combine and reinforced the notion that he is the best player in this draft. General manager John…