New England Patriots Trade Rumors

Crumpler will leave Titans for Patriots
Comment
March 19
Nashville City Paper
 
"Alge Crumpler's time as a Tennessee Titan is over. The City Paper first reported that the unrestricted free agent was to close to signing an agreement with the New England Patriots, citing league sources. The deal will be officially consummated sometime next week, but the tight end and the Patriots have agreed to terms on a contract. The Boston Globe is also reporting that Crumpler will sign with the Pats. The Patriots have been desperate for help at the tight end position, having lost Ben Watson to the Cleveland Browns and releasing Chris Baker this off-season. Crumpler's agent James "Butch" Williams said Thursday that no deal has been signed with any team. Crumpler was a player the ..."
Report: Tebow to work out for Pats
Comment
March 19
Boston Globe
 
"According to my old colleague Matt Hayes of the Sporting News, the Patriots are among five teams that have private workouts set up with Florida QB Tim Tebow. Hayes has been around the Gator program for quite some time, so it's worth noting he also had the Browns, Seahawks, Redskins and Bills set to put Tebow through the paces. The Tebow camp has been pretty tight-lipped on specifying what teams are sniffing around the quarterback. While most of the public returns on Tebow's Pro Day were overwhelmingly positive, and the improvements he's made over the last six weeks are certainly impressive, most scouts there will tell you that Tebow remains what he has been. An on-field enigma. Wrote about ..."
Tim Tebow will conduct individual workout for Cleveland Browns and 4 other teams, report says
Comment
March 18
Cleveland Plain Dealer
 
"The Browns are one of five teams for which Florida quarterback Tim Tebow will conduct individual workouts in the next few weeks, according to the Sporting News. The others are Buffalo, Seattle, New England, and Washington. Browns President Mike Holmgren and coach Eric Mangini attended Tebow's Pro Day yesterday and were impressed with his new, compact delivery and improved footwork. Holmgren told the Associated Press after the workout that Tebow will make some team "very happy.'' But he made no guarantees about Tebow being a successful NFL quarterback. "I'm going to steer clear of that one now,'' he told the Sporting News. "I think Tim Tebow is one of those guys that you root for. If ..."
Pats' Adalius Thomas not yet set on Jets
Comment
March 16
Boston Herald
 
"Adalius Thomas was not with the Patriots yesterday for the start of the team's offseason program, based on an e-mail the linebacker sent last night to the Herald. Many expect the linebacker, who was at odds with coach Bill Belichick last season, will be released soon. Thomas disputed the notion, however, that he has a grand desire to play for the New York Jets, as recently described by Jets linebacker Bart Scott. Thomas claimed he never made any such intentions known to his former Ravens teammate. "I've heard of all the chatter up there about me," Thomas wrote. "It was about something Bart Scott said on TV, (and) that's not what was said . . . I have never told anyone that I wanted to ..."
Source: Welker had rotator cuff surgery
Comment
March 13
Boston Globe
 
"Wes Welker's got more than just a knee injury to rehabilitate from. Welker also has a torn rotator cuff, an NFL source confirmed to the Globe tonight. Welker has already had surgery to repair the injured shoulder, the source said. News of the injury first surfaced at the Big Rips blog, and author Seth Davis contacted Boston-area media outlets with the information."
Scaife to Patriots would make sense
Comment
March 12
Nashville City Paper
 
"Consider this as a not-so-farfetched scenario. The New England Patriots might be a good fit for Tennessee Titans restricted free agent tight end Bo Scaife. Scaife, 29, has a first-round restricted tender of $4.9 million because he was franchised last year at $4.46 million. There was speculation last year that the Patriots had interest in Scaife back then, and they are much more tight end needy now that Benjamin Watson signed with the Cleveland Browns than they were then. Also, if the Titans could move Scaife, it would be better for them to probably try and work out a trade. The Patriots have three second-round picks, but no third-rounder, including Tennessee's second-round pick last year ..."
Rams best Patriots in tussle over Fells
Comment
March 11
St. Louis Post-Dispatch
 
"The 2009 season, in which he caught 21 passes and scored three touchdowns, may be as good as it gets for tight end Daniel Fells. Then again, the Rams would've hated to see him break out next season in New England. They won't have to worry about that now. The Rams won an interesting tug-of-war with the Patriots, signing Fells to a one-year deal Wednesday. In a mild surprise, the Rams didn't make a tender offer to Fells last week as a restricted free agent. It looked like that decision might backfire on the Rams when Fells made a free-agent trip Monday to New England. Then came reports early Tuesday that Fells was close to signing with the Patriots. But Fells has chosen to stay in St. Louis, ..."
Kevin Faulk talks remain curiously quiet
Comment
March 10
Boston Herald
 
"Kevin Faulk read with interest yesterday a local report stating the Patriots had yet to extend him a contract offer. The free agent running back wanted to set the record straight. "They have made me an offer, for the record," Faulk responded in a text message. The all-purpose back, who carried the ball 62 times for 335 yards and caught 37 passes for 301 yards in 2009, did not wish to characterize the state of his contract discussions any further. Talks had been moving along until the free agency windows opened Friday. Since then, there's been somewhat of a lag. Faulk, a team leader and one of quarterback Tom Brady [stats]'s favorite third-down targets, doesn't appear to want to go ..."
LB Witherspoon will visit Titans; Crumpler eyes New England
Comment
March 9
Nashville City Paper
 
"The second Philadelphia Eagles free agent in as many days will visit the Titans when linebacker Will Witherspoon comes to town on Tuesday. Witherspoon, 29, split time between the St. Louis Rams and Philadelphia Eagles in 2009, totaling 92 tackles with one interception. Defensive end Jason Babin was at Baptist Sports Park on Monday. Witherspoon, a former University of Georgia star, was originally with the Carolina Panthers from 2002-05 before joining the Rams."
Leigh Bodden plans still up in air
Comment
March 9
Boston Herald
 
"Two facts came to light last night. One is that Leigh Bodden, the top cornerback on the open market, spent two days being courted by the Texans and left without a deal. The other is that Bodden and the Patriots have not officially reunited. Nearly everything else is up for debate. The NFL Network reported Bodden had re-signed with the Patriots, and ESPN.com's Adam Schefter said an "agreement-in-principle" had been reached. But Bodden's agent, Alvin Keels, disputed both reports via Twitter and via text to the Herald. Is Keels merely being cautious because the deal hasn't been signed? Perhaps. Expect Bodden's future to become clear today. Bodden, who had five interceptions during the 2009 ..."
Free agent tight end Ben Watson to visit Browns Wednesday
Comment
March 8
Cleveland Plain Dealer
 
"Free agent tight end Ben Watson, formerly of the New England Patriots, is scheduled to visit the Browns on Wednesday, a source told profootballtalk.com. Watson, 29, is visiting the Seahawks today. An unrestricted free agent, Watson spent all of his six seasons with the Patriots, who drafted with the No. 32 overall pick in 2004 out of Georgia."
Vince WIlfork agrees to contract extension
Comment
March 5
Boston Herald
 
"The Patriots have locked up their defensive lynchpin, reaching an agreement on a contract extension with nose tackle Vince Wilfork. The two-time Pro Bowl has come to terms on a five-year deal worth $40 million over five years with $25 million guaranteed. His signing bonus is $18 million, a source told the Herald. On the first day of free agency, he is now the game's highest paid nose tackle. This ends a long saga for the Patriots and their defensive star, as Wilfork has long sought the kind of money and security he believes he deserves."
Sources: Peppers and Taylor to Bears imminent
Comment
March 5
Chicago Sun-Times
 
"The Bears signing of free-agent defensive end Julius Peppers is imminent, according to a source with knowledge of the situation. A separate source has told Sean Jensen of the Sun-Times that former Vikings running back Chester Taylor will also sign with the Bears today. A press conference announcing the signings of Peppers, Taylor and tight end Brandon Manumaleuna is expected to be held at Halas Hall later this afternoon. The source said that although the Patriots and Eagles have also made offers for Peppers, the deal the Bears are offering is worth more per season and it would be a huge upset if Peppers left Halas Hall, where he is visiting today, without signing what is expected to be a ..."
Logan Mankins tendered at highest level
Comment
March 4
ESPN.com
 
"The New England Patriots placed tender offers on their three restricted free agents Thursday, assigning the first- and third-round tender to Pro Bowl guard Logan Mankins, the second-round tender to kicker Stephen Gostkowski and the low tender to outside linebacker Pierre Woods. By placing a tender on a restricted free agent, a team establishes the compensation it would receive if the player is signed to an offer sheet by another team and that offer wasn't matched. In the case of Mankins, the Patriots chose the richest possible option. That tender is worth $3.26 million on a one-year term. That level of tender makes it highly unlikely another team would pursue Mankins because that team ..."
If cut, Adalius Thomas may take a Jet ride
Comment
March 3
Boston Herald
 
"If Jets linebacker Bart Scott is to be believed, Adalius Thomas not only thinks he's going to be released by the Patriots, but he also has his eyes set on joining Rex Ryan and Gang Green the minute that happens. Scott, who was a guest on ESPN's "Mike & Mike" morning show yesterday, said he spoke with the Pats linebacker about reuniting on the Jets when they were taking in Super Bowl festivities last month in Miami. "It's funny," Scott said. "I was hanging with Adalius Thomas for Super Bowl weekend. We're buddies from back in the day. He made it public that he's expressed an interest in joining Rex. I think some of his better years of his career have been a part of the Ravens defense and ..."
Rex Ryan mum on Adalius Thomas
Comment
March 1
Boston Herald
 
"We've already projected this dubious scenario. The minute Adalius Thomas is released by the Patriots on Friday, he'll go running into the open, welcoming arms of rival Rex Ryan and the New York Jets. This isn't rocket science, of course. It's merely logical to presume if the Pats do part company with the linebacker, or aren't able to trade him, he'll want to reunite with a coach who helped send him to two Pro Bowls while in Baltimore. That's a more likely scenario than staying with the coach who sent him home for being a few minutes late to a team meeting during a snow storm last fall. Thomas is probably going green as we speak in anticipation of his release. As for Ryan, he'd probably ..."
Watson set to hit the market
Comment
February 27
Boston Globe
 
"Not exactly earth-shattering news here .. But I think Benjamin Watson is in his final days as a New England Patriot. On March 5, if he remains unsigned, Watson will hit the free agent market. And the expectation is that, at that time, he will be unsigned. His new agent Drew Rosenhaus told me that he's "spoken with the team, and I anticipate he'll be a free agent.""
Reunion would suit Mike Vrabel
Comment
February 27
Boston Herald
 
"Prior to the start of last season, Bill Belichick traded veteran linebacker Mike Vrabel away for little more than a stack of hoodies. He was lumped into the Matt Cassel deal to Kansas City for a second-round pick. The $2.2 million salary Vrabel was due, plus a $1 million roster bonus - the math came out to a $4.3 million charge against the cap - apparently wasn't worth the trouble. The Pats needed to create cap space to sign some free agents, and Vrabel became a casualty. His presence in the locker room and the leadership he had provided through eight seasons and three Super Bowl championships didn't seem to matter. Nor did the fact that he remained the team's best pass-rushing threat from ..."
Young's got plenty of experience
Comment
February 26
Boston Globe
 
"One reason why the Patriots have plucked from college teams coached by ex-Bill Belichick staffmates like Nick Saban and Pat Hill in the past is that, because of those relationships, they're able to get a better grasp on what the players are capable of in the parameters of what they're trying to accomplish. So we give you Notre Dame tackle Sam Young. Since Charlie Weis is now with the Chiefs, he probably won't be handing over his scouting report on Young to the Patriots. Still, this is a kid who started a staggering 50 games as a collegian, and did so in a system that makes his projection into the New England offense easier. In fact, Young has done more than just play for an ex-Patriot ..."
Robert Kraft: Vince Wilfork deal near
Comment
February 25
Boston Herald
 
"Patriots owner Robert Kraft thinks the organization and Vince Wilfork are "very close" to reaching an accord on a long-term contract, even in wake of the club placing the franchise tag on the two-time Pro Bowl nose tackle Monday. On the other hand, Kraft thinks Randy Moss was way off base last weekend in his assessment of how the organization does business. The Wilfork negotiations and Moss' remarks that "the Patriots don't really pay" players were two of the hot-button issues Kraft addressed with the Herald upon arriving for the NFL Combine. With regard to the former, Kraft said he is pleased the discussions with Wilfork had taken a turn in the right direction. "We have a budget we've set ..."
Patriots tag Vince Wilfork
Comment
February 22
Boston Herald
 
"The Patriots applied the franchise tag to nose tackle Vince Wilfork today, exercising their right to control the 28-year-old veteran for another season. The two-time Pro Bowler will receive a one-year, $7.003 million contract, assuming he signs the tender. It is the non-exclusive tag, a source said, meaning Wilfork could visit with and negotiate with other teams. If he departs, the Patriots will receive the hefty price of two first-round picks from the team that lures Wilfork. Both the Wilforks and the Patriots say a long-term contract is the eventual goal. But the two camps apparently could not come to an agreement before Thursday's deadline. In the official statement released by the ..."
Moss anticipates out pattern after this year
Comment
February 21
Boston Globe
 
"Randy Moss is an expert at running go routes, and now he thinks he'll be running one out of Foxborough after this season because the Patriots do not want to extend his contract. Speaking last night at the charity softball game of former Patriots teammate Heath Evans, Moss said he believes 2010 will be his final season in a Patriot uniform. "I don't think they going to extend my contract,'' said Moss. "I understand the beast, the nature of it. I think that just with what I think and what I know I don't think they're going to re-sign me back. So, after this season if there is not a lockout I'll be looking for a new team. I've got a lot of respect for the Patriots and what they did for me and ..."
Roots tug at Deion Branch
Comment
February 18
Boston Herald
 
"Deion Branch's name has been floated around frequently as a possible candidate to help fill the Patriots' needs at wide receiver. Yesterday, in wake of reports that Seattle Seahawks general manager John Schneider said he would not release Branch, but might be open to trading him, the Herald spoke with the Super Bowl XXXVIII MVP to gauge his interest in returning to Foxboro. Tom Brady's former go-to guy gave an enthusiastic thumb's up. Branch said he harbors no ill feelings toward Patriots coach Bill Belichick or the organization despite the contract dispute that led to his departure four years ago."
Giants cut Pierce ... Anyone want him?
Comment
February 12
Boston Globe
 
"My buddy Mike Garafolo of the Star-Ledger in Jersey is reporting at this hour that the Giants have cut veteran middle linebacker Antonio Pierce. I'm sure you guys would wonder what kind of fit he'd be in Foxborough. First and foremost, the Patriots could use another linebacker to pair with Jerod Mayo on the inside of the defense, and the fact that Pierce has experience playing on all three downs would help his cause here. He's never been too much of a big-play guy, though he'll make some, but at his best, Pierce is a smart, steady tackling machine. The drawback, from a physical standpoint, would be his size. If the Patriots brought him in, they'd likely want him to play the "Ted Johnson" ..."
Patriots could play a game of tag football with Vince Wilfork
Comment
February 11
Boston Herald
 
"The window is now open for NFL clubs to apply franchise tags to their free agent players. Starting today, the Patriots can assign Vince Wilfork their lone franchise designation and lock up the mammoth nose tackle for one season at $7.003 million, which is just what the team is expected to do. Last year, the Patriots didn't waste time, designating quarterback Matt Cassel on Day 1. They needed to tag Cassel and have him sign the contract tender as soon as possible to expedite his trade and get his cap number off the books. It doesn't appear the Pats want to trade Wilfork, so there's no real rush with the two-time Pro Bowl nose tackle. Teams have between now and Feb. 25 to apply their ..."
CFLer on radar
Comment
February 3
Boston Herald
 (scroll down)
"The Pats will meet tomorrow with Ricky Foley, the Canadian Football League's sack leader this season, in an effort to bolster their pass rush. Foley, whose agent Paul Sheehy announced the meeting, is a 6-foot-2, 245-pounder with 20 sacks the past three seasons. He had 12 sacks in 2009."
Randy Moss played through seperated shoulder in '09
Comment
February 2
Boston Herald
 
"Randy Moss acknowledged playing through a severe back problem during the Patriots [team stats]' Week 3 win against the Atlanta Falcons. According to a league source, the wide receiver also played through many games with a separated shoulder, an injury he suffered in Week 5 against the Denver Broncos. The shoulder injury, not the bad back or weary knees, was the reason Moss backed out of Sunday's Pro Bowl. "Randy did not play in the Pro Bowl because of a shoulder injury," Patriots spokesman Stacey James confirmed, adding that only Moss or the coaching staff were at liberty to discuss the nature or severity of that injury. Moss turned up on the injury report the Wednesday following the Oct. ..."
Wilfork: 'Just want to have security'
Comment
January 29
ESPN.com
 
"A day after saying he would be insulted if the New England Patriots put the franchise tag on him, defensive lineman Vince Wilfork said it would be a "dream come true" to play for either the Miami Dolphins or Tampa Bay Buccaneers if things didn't work out in New England. Speaking with a South Florida Sun-Sentinel reporter Thursday while in Miami preparing for Sunday's Pro Bowl, Wilfork also repeated his desire for a long-term deal that he feels is commensurate with his market value. "I love great weather. I love football. It doesn't matter where I play," Wilfork told the Sun-Sentinel. "I just want to have security for my family. I would love to stay in New England if I had the chance. I ..."
Wilfork would play for Bucs, Dolphins
Comment
January 29
Boston Globe
 
"Patriots nose tackle Vince Wilfork is in Miami for the Pro Bowl. As he has in the past, Wilfork, a Boyton Beach, Fla., native, let it be known to a Dolphins writer that he's open to the idea of playing all of his games in Florida. This time he expanded the field to include not only the Dolphins, but the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, saying playing in Florida would be "a dream come true." However, he also said "he would love to stay in New England." Omar Kelly of the South Florida Sun-Sentinel caught up with Wilfork today and the big nose tackle continued his case for a new contract after being a good solider last year. Wilfork said he has been trying to get a new contract with the Patriots for ..."
Wilfork: Pats haven't called about deal
Comment
January 27
ESPN.com
 
"Defensive tackle Vince Wilfork said Wednesday he would consider it a "slap in the face" if the New England Patriots placed the franchise tag on him, an action the team is expected to take if a long-term extension is not reached. "I want a long-term deal or I want to be free. Point blank," Wilfork said during an interview on Boston sports radio station WEEI. Wilfork, who has been vocal since before the season about his desire for an extension, just completed the last season of a six-year rookie contract and is in line for a hefty raise and a long-term deal if he hits the open market. The Patriots, however, could prevent him from doing so if they place the franchise tag on him, which they ..."
With Pepper Johnson, tricky dish gets served
Comment
January 15
Boston Herald
 
"These are stressful times for Pepper Johnson and Bill Belichick, but not for Dean Pees. Pees announced yesterday he would not be back for a fifth season as the Patriots defensive coordinator but insisted he was "not fired" and said last night that, "I cannot see myself not coaching in the fall. I'm not burned out on it. "My wife and I are going on vacation back to the Midwest to visit my kids and grandkids. We want to take some time and see what opportunities are out there. What do we want to do? I can't tell you. If something comes up that's great, great." Pees sounded like a man at peace with his decision and one, as he said, "maybe ready for a change of scenery." What he didn't sound ..."
Moss's absence is not a concern
Comment
January 9
Baltimore Sun
 
"Wide receiver Randy Moss provided a small scare late yesterday morning when he missed practice for the first time this week, a concern that dissipated in the afternoon when coach Bill Belichick said Moss had missed practice for reasons unrelated to injury. Moss had been spotted hobbling out of the Patriots' locker room Thursday, and on Wednesday he wrapped ice around his knees. Moss had not appeared on the injury report all week, and on the final report the Patriots listed him as probable with his ailment specified as "non-injury related.'' The Patriots typically allow Moss to miss practice on Wednesdays, but Moss attended Wednesday's practice this week and missed yesterday's. Moss's ..."
Moss missing at practice; Belichick says it's not injury-related
Comment
January 9
Boston Globe
 
"Randy Moss was not present at the portion of Patriots practice open to the media today. Coach Bill Belichick later said his absence was not injury-related. Moss has been a full participant at practice and has not been on the injury report all week, but yesterday he limped out of the locker room, and on Wednesday he had his knees heavily wrapped in ice."
Brady dealing with broken finger on throwing hand
Comment
January 4
Boston Globe
 
"It's been well-known that Tom Brady has spent the last month-plus grinding through injuries. Now specifics are starting to emerge. According to sources close to the team, Brady's been playing with a broken finger on his throwing hand, suffered in practice, since early December."
Tom Brady silent on game, injuries
Comment
January 4
Boston Herald
 
"Patriots quarterback Tom Brady dressed in front of his locker, grabbed his bag and walked out swiftly. For the first time all season, Brady exited without taking questions. How did he feel about watching from the sidelines while backup Brian Hoyer trotted onto the field to try to win the game? It wasn't clear after the 34-27 loss to the Texans yesterday at Reliant Stadium. Nor was it evident why coach Bill Belichick chose to play Hoyer instead of Brady at the end. "We really didn't have anything set," Belichick said. "We just went out and played.""
Randy Moss, Wes Welker may sit
Comment
January 2
Boston Herald
 
"Patriots coach Bill Belichick officially left open the possibility that receivers Randy Moss and Wes Welker won't play tomorrow, though neither decision would be based on an injury. That quarterback Tom Brady (rib, finger) is listed as probable on the final injury report is no surprise. But it was interesting that Moss and Welker were designated as probable, despite the moves being "not injury related." A player said to be probable has a "virtual certainty" of playing, but the door is open if Belichick decides to rest them. Is Belichick playing mind games or will he decide to rest his star pass-catchers after all? This week, Welker said, "I enjoy playing every week. I look at this week no ..."
Pats' Taylor listed as questionable for Jaguars game
Comment
December 26
Jacksonville Times-Union
 
"New England Patriots running back Fred Taylor is listed as questionable for Sunday's game against his former team, the Jaguars. Taylor has missed the past 10 games with an ankle injury. He participated fully in practices Wednesday and Thursday and on a limited basis Friday. Taylor spent 11 seasons in Jacksonville and is the Jaguars' all-time leading rusher. He signed with the Patriots as a free agent before the season. Defensive linemen Vince Wilfork and Ty Warren and offensive linemen Nick Kaczur and Stephen Neal are also listed by New England as questionable. All four missed last Sunday's 17-10 win at Buffalo. The Patriots will clinch the AFC East title with a win Sunday at home. The ..."
For Fred Taylor, business strictly personal
Comment
December 25
Boston Herald
 
"Fred Taylor has had, shall we say, an interesting week. Once a proud member of the Jacksonville Jaguars, now an often ailing member of the Patriots, the veteran running back threw out a comment the other day about his new team watching more film than his old team. And then he submitted a lecture of sorts to Jaguars fans, suggesting they better step up and start supporting their team - or wave goodbye as the Jags make like Jed Clampett and move to Cal-i-forney. Fine. Players talk. Sometimes they say smart things, and sometimes they say dumb things. And there is this: Occasionally, they say things that are "taken out of context" by the bloodthirsty, headline-hungry, deadline-harried media. ..."
Taylor steps closer to the playing field
Comment
December 19
Boston Globe
 
"Although Fred Taylor was listed as questionable on the Patriots' injury report yesterday, coach Bill Belichick believes the veteran running back was close to getting back on the field, possibly tomorrow at Buffalo. "Well, he's closer every day,'' Belichick said when asked about Taylor's status. "He started practicing last week and this week he got better every day.'' Taylor, who hurt his right ankle against Baltimore Oct. 4, confirmed as much after limited participation in a bone-chilling practice at Gillette Stadium."
Panthers say Moss 'shut it down'
Comment
December 14
Boston Globe
 
"Randy Moss finished Sunday's game with a single, 16-yard catch that ended with a fumble. Another Brady pass intended for Moss was intercepted. And if you asked the Panthers what their game plan was, it's simple. They helped whoever was covering Moss early in the game with a safety. Then, once he was frustrated, they no longer needed to. Because by then, it was Game Over for No. 81. "We knew he was going to shut it down," Panthers cornerback Chris Gamble told me after the game. "That's what we wanted to do him. That's what we did. ... He'd just give up a lot ... Slow down, he's not going deep, not trying to run a route. You can tell, his body language.""
Randy Moss a no-show in win
Comment
December 14
Boston Herald
 
"When the weather turns nasty and it is tight tonsil time because your grip on a playoff slot is, to be kind, tenuous, only one thing matters - that you win. No one cares how you win. No one cares what you look like if you win. Nobody even cares if some of your individual parts appear to not be laboring all that hard in the vineyards to help you win. All that matters is winning. That is what the Patriots did yesterday at Gillette Stadium. They won. They didn't look especially good doing it, but when the final gun was fired the Patriots had 20 points and the motley crew known as the Carolina Pussycats had but 10 - one more point than they had penalties, but I digress. The win kept the ..."
Brady Gets Back to Work
Comment
December 13
Yahoo! Sports
 
"Patriots QB Tom Brady returned to practice on Friday after missing the previous two sessions with right finger, right shoulder and rib injuries. Brady was listed as questionable on the injury report for Sunday's game against the Panthers. Brady went to the locker room with an arm injury early in last week's loss to the Dolphins but didn't miss a play and finished 19 for 29 for 352 yards and two touchdowns. …"
Brady's status up in the air
Comment
December 12
Boston Globe
 
"In the hoopla this week surrounding players showing up late for meetings and getting sent home, the Patriots have been busy monitoring injuries affecting quarterback Tom Brady. Brady missed two practices and had limited participation yesterday with rib, right shoulder, and right finger injuries. Officially, he is questionable for tomorrow's game against Carolina, which means there is a 50-50 chance he will play. Before the injury report was released yesterday, Brady was caught at his locker and said he is "fine.'' He later added, "Don't worry about me.''"
Brady listed as questionable for Sunday
Comment
December 12
Boston Herald
 
"You saw him leave the sidelines during last Sunday's game in Miami to attend to an undisclosed injury. You saw him miss two days of practice this week while nursing a swollen ring finger and a newly disclosed rib ailment. Yet Patriots quarterback Tom Brady returned to practice on a limited basis yesterday, then later offered a message. "I'm fine," Brady said. "I always hope I'm going to be fine. Don't worry about me." The fact that Brady sat out workouts on Wednesday and Thursday - the two most important preparation days - may not ease anyone's fears. He played through pain against the Dolphins, but he also struggled in the second half and threw two interceptions."
Bill Belichick stands firm
Comment
December 8
Boston Herald
 
"When it comes down to the critical decision of kicking or sticking, Patriots coach Bill Belichick could list hundreds of factors, some more important than others. But at a higher frequency than all but five teams in the NFL, the Patriots are going for it on fourth down. "It's what you feel like gives your team the best chance to win based on all the factors at that juncture," Belichick said. "That's the way it is with every decision." The topic first reached public consciousness after Belichick famously went for it, and lost, on fourth-and-2 against the Colts. It was hotly debated by fans, pundits and statisticians. In Sunday's 22-21 loss to the Dolphins, the debate was regarding the call ..."
Patriots can't be stuck in past
Comment
December 8
Boston Herald
 columnist Ian R. Rapoport
"If the Patriots needed a harsher shot of reality, if the team needed any more of a wakeup call, it came inside the locker room yesterday. The players still were stung from Sunday's 22-21 loss to the Miami Dolphins [team stats], one that saw a 14-point lead and a potential first real road win evaporate. While fans are struggling to make sense of their team, players tried to pick up the pieces. Patriots running back Laurence Maroney shared coach Bill Belichick's blunt message to do so, one that hits fairly hard. "We need to stop living in the past," Maroney said. "We ain't the '07 team, we ain't the '03 team, we ain't the '01 team. We're the '09 team. We got to play with what we have here ..."
Tom Brady has fightin' words
Comment
December 8
Boston Herald
 columnist Karen Gurgian
"Tom Brady doesn't think his team fights very hard at times. In what we have learned about Bill Belichick-coached teams and what we know about the so-called "Patriot Way," Brady could not have slapped his teammates with a more condemnable statement. If he said they weren't good enough, it wouldn't have cut as deep. Instead, he said, "I don't think we fight very hard," following Sunday's 22-21 loss in Miami - words he didn't back off during his weekly appearance on WEEI yesterday - which showed something must be drastically wrong. Some message must not be getting across or else the 2009 Patriots are flawed in a way that's toughest to remedy. When Tedy Bruschi, Rodney Harrison, Mike Vrabel, ..."
N.F.L. Fast Forward: Patriots Decline Begins on Defense
Comment
December 8
New York Times
 
"At the end of the Patriots' 22-21 loss to the Miami Dolphins on Sunday, New England Coach Bill Belichick was bent over at the waist, looking beaten. It's rare to see him so whipped, but then, it has been rarer still in this decade to see the Patriots so bereft of personnel and fight, so close to the precipice. At 7-5, with four winnable games left and a one-game lead, the Patriots are still favored to win the American Football Conference East. But in their glory years, the Patriots would have put the Dolphins and the Jets away weeks ago. That was then, this is now: every game is a struggle, the Patriots scare nobody, and a deep run in January seems highly unlikely. Most sobering of all, ..."
Brady to Patriots: "We need to put in more time"
Comment
December 8
NFL.com
 
"Following consecutive losses for the first time since midway through the 2006 season, Patriots QB Tom Brady has come as close as he ever has to calling out his teammates. The Patriots fell 22-21 to the Miami Dolphins on Sunday, and at 7-5, their lead in the AFC East over the Dolphins and Jets was shaved to one game. During his postgame comments, Brady called out his teammates after watching the Patriots lose leads of 14-0 and 21-10, saying "at times I don't think we fight very hard." Brady had an opportunity to back off that comment Monday. He didn't. During his weekly appearance on WEEI, Brady said the Patriots need more commitment in their preparation. "I've been here 10 years, and I've ..."
City, Saints overwhelm Patriots
Comment
December 1
Boston Globe
 
"Like the sweet, sticky smell of incense and that hangs over the French Quarter at all hours of the day and night, the Patriots locker room seemed engulfed by a dewy haze as players tried to comprehend a 38-17 loss to the Saints. "All of you saw it out there," said Patriots defensive lineman Mike Wright. "The Saints do what they want to do, and they do it well. We just came up short tonight. Everyone in the locker room knows we can play better than we did out there.""