Patriots Not Interested In Trent Williams?
The Patriots have been loosely connected to Trent Williams during the Redskins tackle’s holdout, but it does not look like they will be making a play for the seven-time Pro Bowler.
This does not appear to be a destination for Williams, with Field Yates of ESPN.com reporting (on Twitter) the defending Super Bowl champions are not interested in the 10th-year veteran.
New England obviously made a substantial recent investment at left tackle, taking Isaiah Wynn with 2018’s No. 23 overall pick. Wynn has spent the offseason recovering from a torn Achilles and return to game action in the Pats’ second preseason contest, playing 19 snaps Saturday against the Titans. He started at left tackle. That remains the team’s ideal course of action.
Multiple reports Thursday had the Patriots being willing to surrender a first-round pick for Williams, and the Redskins spurning the offer (Twitter links). This would be quite the return for Washington, were a team to make that proposal. Yates, however, refutes the notion such an offer arrived. The Redskins have held firm on Williams, who has two years left on his contract, and signed Donald Penn as insurance. He and 2018 third-round pick Geron Christian are battling for Washington’s left tackle job during Williams’ absence.
The Dolphins have reportedly checked in on the 31-year-old holdout, despite employing fourth-year tackle Laremy Tunsil. While the Patriots plan to go with Wynn, they have also been using 6-foot-9 Dan Skipper as a potential option.
Patriots’ Patrick Chung Indicted For Felony Cocaine Possession
Patriots safety Patrick Chung was indicted for felony cocaine possession on August 8, according to Ben Volin of The Boston Globe (on Twitter). It’s a shocking development for the Patriots’ long-time defender, who just inked a contract extension with the club this offseason.
“We are aware of the reports regarding Patrick Chung. We will not be commenting while his judicial proceedings take place,” the Patriots said in a statement (Twitter feed).
Under the terms of his new deal, Chung is under contract through the 2021 season. The 31-year-old was set to keep a level of stability on a Patriots defense that has undergone several changes since they won the Super Bowl in February. Gone are several coaches, including defensive coordinator Brian Flores, who took the head coaching gig with the Dolphins shortly after the victory over the Rams.
Chung suffered a broken forearm in the Super Bowl and underwent offseason surgery to repair it. He has not played thus far in the preseason. Now, he could be subject to a suspension in 2019, though the league might not act swiftly enough to keep him off of the field for Week 1, assuming he is healthy enough to take the field.
Chung is scheduled to be arraigned on a charge of cocaine possession on Wednesday, ESPN’s Adam Schefter tweets. According to Volin (Twitter link), if Chung’s case goes to trial, the target date for jury selection is next March.
Chris Crouse contributed to this post
Patriots Notes: Edelman, Hoyer, Punter
Over the past 10 years, there have only been two occasions where the Patriots have carried three quarterbacks. With Tom Brady and rookie fourth-rounder Jarrett Stidham being locks to make the team, Brian Hoyer understandably finds himself on the roster bubble.
“You can’t really worry about that. My approach is to just be the best I can be, and I think that will be good enough,” Hoyer told ESPN’s Mike Reiss. “It’s not something I’m really concerned with. If anything, I’m trying to push the guy ahead of me, and I love being in that room with him. We have such a healthy competition on a daily basis, and I know that’s made me that much better since I’ve come back.”
After spending the first three years of his career with the Patriots, Hoyer returned to New England following the Jimmy Garoppolo trade in 2017. Reiss notes that the 33-year-old has been “very sharp” over the past few weeks, which could end up validating his spot on the roster.
Let’s check out some more notes out of New England…
- Patriots wideout Julian Edelman has passed his physical and been removed from the non-football injury list, reports ESPN’s Field Yates (via Twitter). The veteran suffered a thumb injury in late-July that ultimately sidelined him for about three weeks. It’s been a busy few days for the Pats’ wide receiver corps. Embattled wideout Josh Gordon was reinstated from suspension on Friday, and he was subsequently placed on the team’s active/NFI list. To make room on the roster, the organization moved on from Dontrelle Inman.
- The Patriots are set to release veteran punter Ryan Allen, but it sounds like they might not be ready to hand over the keys to rookie Jake Bailey. Ryan Dunleavy of NJ.com tweets that the Patriots made a claim for punter Johnny Townsend, who was waived by the Raiders last week. The Giants ended up claiming the 2018 fifth-rounder.
- While the Patriots tight end depth chart is still a question mark, Nick Underhill of The Athletic writes that the team’s offense is trending upwards. Last week, the team was running out the likes of Braxton Berrios and Gunner Olszewski with their first-team offense. Several days later, the team’s depth chart has been revamped. It goes beyond the return of Edelman and Gordon, as the team has potentially found some worthy targets in undrafted wideout Jakobi Meyers and third-round running back Damien Harris. Add that pair to Phillip Dorsett and first-rounder N’Keal Harry (as well as running backs James White, Sony Michel, and Rex Burkhead), and there’s plenty of reason for optimism in New England.
Patriots To Release P Ryan Allen
The Patriots are switching punters. ESPN’s Mike Reiss reports (via Twitter) that the team will be releasing veteran Ryan Allen. The news was first reported by Jim McBride of The Boston Globe (on Twitter). This makes rookie Jake Bailey the team’s new starting punter.
Allen joined New England as a 2013 undrafted free agent out of Louisiana Tech, and he proceeded to play in every game for the Patriots during his six-year stint. The 29-year-old won three Super Bowls during his time with New England, including a Super Bowl LIII performance where he placed three of his five punts inside the 20.
Despite his standout performance during the Super Bowl, Allen inked a modest one-year extension with New England this past offseason. The veteran reportedly turned down multiyear offers, as he was looking to boost his value in time for next offseason. Allen will now have to find that one-year, prove-it deal elsewhere.
The team will now turn to Bailey, a fifth-round pick out of Stanford. The 22-year-old has garnered a pair of punt attempts this preseason, averaging 49.5-yards per punt. For comparison’s sake, Allen averaged 43.8 yards on his five punts. As Ben Volin of the Boston Globe tweets, this will be the first time in Bill Belichick’s 20 seasons with New England where he’s opted for a righty punter.
Patriots Release Dontrelle Inman, Place Josh Gordon On NFI List
Dontrelle Inman‘s run with the Patriots will end before the regular season. The Patriots are releasing the veteran wideout, Nick Underhill of The Athletic tweets. The veteran wideout requested this move, and the team will oblige, per Mike Reiss of ESPN.com (on Twitter).
This move will clear a path for Josh Gordon to make his way back onto New England’s roster. The Pats placed Gordon on their active/NFI list, Field Yates of ESPN.com tweets. Gordon’s return indeed prompted Inman’s agent to seek a release for his client, per Ian Rapoport of NFL.com (on Twitter).
Inman joins a slew of notable veteran receivers the Patriots have parted ways with over the past two offseasons, following the likes of Kenny Britt, Eric Decker, Jordan Matthews and Bruce Ellington. Inman, 30, has produced fairly consistently when given the opportunity. He caught eight passes for 108 yards in the Colts’ two playoff games last season, and his abbreviated 2018 regular-season work graded well, per Football Outsiders. But the former Chargers auxiliary cog has not been able to stick around anywhere for long since leaving southern California.
Despite arriving in Indianapolis midseason, Inman recorded 28 receptions for 304 yards and three touchdowns. His best season, which featured 810 yards and four TDs, came with the 2016 Chargers. While teams have not viewed him as more than a stopgap, Inman nevertheless profiles as someone who could be an intriguing depth target for another team.
The NFL reinstated Gordon on Friday. The former All-Pro would be eligible for Week 1, once he comes off the Pats’ NFI list by August 31, and would then be in line to again be a key Patriots weapon. Bill Belichick did not commit to Gordon, but the Patriots tendering him as a restricted free agent this offseason provides a fairly clear indicator they are interested in a second Gordon season.
More Gronk Un-retirement Chatter
- There’s nothing former Patriots tight end Rob Gronkowski can do to convince people he’s really retired. As Ben Volin of the Boston Globe writes about his retirement, “few people are taking it seriously.” Volin has a new piece where a handful of former players and coaches all offer their view that Gronk might not really be done after all. The legendary tight end has insisted he’s enjoying his time away from the game, but Volin writes that “few people believe that Gronk won’t at least strongly consider coming out of retirement this fall.” It’s hard to speculate one way or the other, but he still is only 30. It’s impossible to predict, but it certainly wouldn’t be shocking if he comes back for one more ride.
NFL Reinstates Josh Gordon
The Patriots just got a huge boost as they look to defend their Super Bowl title. The NFL is reinstating receiver Josh Gordon, a source told Adam Schefter of ESPN.com (Twitter link).
Gordon filed for reinstatement a couple of weeks ago, and it didn’t take too long for Roger Goodell to let him back in. Gordon was indefinitely suspended back in December for multiple violations of the league’s substance abuse policy, but New England made it very clear they weren’t giving up on the talented young wideout. The Patriots tendered him a contract, and video surfaced in June of Gordon working out with Tom Brady.
Gordon isn’t allowed to report to the team until this Sunday and he won’t be able to play in next week’s preseason game, but he won’t have to serve any suspension to start the regular season, a source told Ben Volin of the Boston Globe (Twitter link). The Browns finally threw in the towel on Gordon at the beginning of last season, and the Patriots quickly swooped him up for a fifth-round pick.
He appeared in 11 games for the Patriots last year, catching 40 passes for 720 yards and and three touchdowns. Late in the year he suddenly revealed he was stepping away from the team, and not long after it was announced that he was being slapped with the indefinite ban.
Goodell and the league released an official announcement on the reinstatement, via Tom Pelissero of NFL Network (Twitter link). “We are all rooting for Josh to succeed, both personally and professionally,” Goodell said in a statement. “Everyone shares in that hope and will continue to support him to every extent possible. But as Josh acknowledged, ultimately his success is up to him.”
Gordon has always been supremely talented, but has been plagued by substance abuse issues since entering the league through the Supplemental Draft back in 2012. Assuming he can stay on the field, it’s a huge win for the Pats. There’s been a lot of talk this offseason about New England not having a great group of skill position players in the wake of Rob Gronkowski‘s retirement, and Gordon’s return will do a lot to assuage those concerns.
The Patriots receiving corp will now include Gordon, Julian Edelman, first-round pick N’Keal Harry, and Cameron Meredith and Demaryius Thomas if they can get healthy. Still only 28, Gordon should be only entering the prime of his career. Here’s to hoping he’s in a good place mentally and can make the most of this latest opportunity.
Biggest Roster Weakness: AFC East
The 2019 regular season is right around the corner, but every NFL team still has at least one position on its roster that could use improvement. And there’s still plenty of time to address those areas of need! Free agents are readily available on the open market, while preseason trades provide another avenue of player procurement. 19 NFL trades were executed between August 1st and September 1st of 2018, and that number could increase this year.
Let’s take a look at the weakest positional group — and a potential solution — for each NFL club, starting with the AFC East:
Buffalo Bills
- Weakness: No. 2 cornerback. 2018 undrafted free agent Levi Wallace was a success story during his rookie campaign, grading out as Pro Football Focus‘ fourth overall cornerback. That ranking comes with a small sample size caveat, however, as Wallace played only 218 coverage snaps, 112th among all NFL corners. Buffalo’s No. 2 cornerback job behind Tre’Davious White is reportedly Wallace’s to lose, according to Matthew Fairburn of The Athletic, but the Bills could be well-served to add depth.
- Solution: Hope Wallace continues to produce, or sign Coty Sensabaugh. If the Bills want to bring in a veteran corner, Sensabaugh is probably the best available option on the market. In 10 starts for the Steelers in 2018, the 30-year-old defensive back ranked ninth among qualified corners in yards allowed per pass and 26th with a 56% success rate (meaning he was effective at stopping opposing wide receivers short of the sticks), per Football Outsiders’ charting data. Sensabaugh met with the Saints earlier this year but should come cheap.
Miami Dolphins
- Weakness: Right side of the offensive line. Essentially any position along the Dolphins’ offensive line could stand to be improved, save for left tackle where former first-rounder Laremy Tunsil is entrenched. But right guard and right tackle are the true problem areas, with some combination of Jesse Davis, Jordan Mills, and Will Holden projected to take starting roles. Miami will have a tough time evaluating the long-term future of quarterback Josh Rosen if he’s getting destroyed on every play (see Cardinals, Arizona – 2018).
- Solution: Sign Brandon Fusco or Jermey Parnell. Now 30 years old, Fusco missed the final nine games of the 2018 campaign with an ankle injury, but he’d been relatively healthy in the three seasons prior and appeared in 46 of a possible 48 contests. Parnell, meanwhile, is a prototypical road-grading right tackle who would give the Dolphins a veteran presence. While the Jaguars and Parnell ran behind right tackle at a league-low 4.6% clip last season, they generated 5.22 adjusted line yards when doing so, the third-highest figure in the NFL, per Football Outsiders.
New England Patriots
- Weakness: Tight end. Losing arguably the greatest tight end of all time will hurt, won’t it? After Rob Gronkowski decided to hang up his cleats, the Patriots have used half-measures to attempt to mitigate his loss. New England signed veterans Ben Watson and Lance Kendricks to one-year deals, but Watson is suspended for the first four games of the 2019 campaign and Kendricks has only topped 40 receptions twice in his eight-year career. Fellow free agent addition Matt LaCosse doesn’t have much of a track record and is currently hindered by a high-ankle sprain, and trade acquisition Eric Saubert is primarily a blocker and special-teamer.
- Solution: Trade a conditional fourth-round pick for Cameron Brate. New Buccaneers head coach Bruce Arians will likely use a good deal of “11” personnel — one running back, one tight end, three wide receivers — during his first season in Tampa Bay, lessening the need for Brate behind starting tight end O.J. Howard. Brate, who would instantly become the top tight end on the Patriots’ roster, is due a fully guaranteed salary of $7MM in 2019. After this season, however, New England would hold options on Brate in each of the next four years. From 2016-17, Brate averaged 53 receptions, 625 yards, and seven touchdowns per season with the Bucs.
New York Jets
- Weakness: Edge rusher. After ranking in the bottom-half of the league in both sacks and pressure rate in 2019, the Jets attempted to bolster their pass-rushing unit by signing Vikings linebacker Anthony Barr. New York originally agreed to a deal that would have paid Barr more than $14MM annually, but the former first-round pick backed out of the deal in order to remain in Minnesota. Aside from spending a third-round pick on lottery ticket Jachai Polite, the Jets haven’t done anything to address their pass rush, leaving Brandon Copeland and Jordan Jenkins as the club’s top options on the edge.
- Solution: Trade a late-round pick for Shane Ray (Ravens) or Haason Reddick (Cardinals). Ray is in danger of not making Baltimore’s 53-man roster, so the Jets could potentially get him for next to nothing. The 23rd overall selection in the 2015 draft, Ray posted his best campaign during his sophomore season, registering eight sacks and finishing as a top-40 edge defender with 45 pressures, but hasn’t been able to stay healthy recently. Reddick is playing under his third coordinator in three years and doesn’t have any ties to Arizona’s current coaching staff.
Patriots Notes: Williams, Wynn, Brady
Trent Williams to the Patriots? Field Yates of ESPN.com (on Twitter) says Pats fans shouldn’t hold their breath. As Yates notes, the Redskins tackle seemed like a fit just a couple of weeks ago, but left tackle Isaiah Wynn is progressing in his recovery and Dan Skipper is getting significant reps in the interim. Meanwhile, as ESPN.com’s Mike Reiss (on Twitter) points out, Cole Croston is also back in the mix.
While you contemplate Williams’ next destination, here’s more from New England:
- More from Reiss, who breaks down Wynn’s road to recovery from a torn Achilles suffered one year ago. He also touches on Skipper, who offers prototypical size at 6’9″, 310 pounds.
- The Patriots sent a conditional 2020 seventh-round pick to the Falcons (originally from the Eagles) in the Eric Saubert trade, Howard Balzer tweets. It’s an extremely low-cost deal for the Pats, who might have found a new blocking tight end to fortify their group.
- Superstar quarterback Tom Brady is still looking to play until the age of 45.
Tom Brady Still Eyeing Age-45 Season
- Although Tom Brady agreed to an in-name-only extension, setting him up for potential 2020 free agency, and put his house on the market, the Patriots quarterback continues to maintain he would like to play past his 45th birthday. That has long been the 42-year-old passer’s goal, and he reiterated it during an appearance on WEEI (via Pro Football Talk) this week. Brady’s post-2019 status, though, is murky.
- The redone contract Brady agreed to will place a $21.5MM cap number on the Patriots’ books, Nick Underhill of The Athletic tweets. This is down $5.5MM from his previous 2019 cap hold. In doing this, the Patriots, as of Tuesday, possess $15.15MM in cap space (17th-most in the NFL).