Patriots Have Week 13 Gronk Deadline
- A reminder from ESPN.com’s Mike Reiss – If Rob Gronkowski isn’t moved off the reserve/retired list by Week 13, he can’t return at all. There has been speculation that the tight end could make a mid-season return to the Patriots, though Gronk insists that he’s done with football.
Patriots Give Michael Bennett New Deal
The Patriots and Michael Bennett have agreed to a reworked two-year deal, according to Field Yates of ESPN.com (on Twitter). The fresh pact will give the defensive end a base value of $16.75MM, including a $4MM signing bonus. 
The new deal gives Bennett an additional $800K in base compensation this year with an additional $500K guaranteed for injury, potentially giving him a total boost of $1.3MM. Bennett had no guaranteed money left on the deal he had with the Eagles prior to the trade, so this is a nice bump for a player who had little in the way of leverage. Meanwhile, the adjustment creates $700K in cap space for the Patriots in 2019.
The Patriots swung a deal for Bennett as protection against Trey Flowers‘ potential departure. Days later, Flowers left to sign a five-year, $90MM free agent deal with the Lions. Bennett is several years older than Flowers, but he’s an accomplished sack artist who will cost them a whole lot less.
Last year, Bennett amassed nine sacks for Philly, giving him his highest total since 2015. The three-time Pro Bowler has 63 career sacks to his name across nine NFL seasons.
Pats To Meet With 2 Washington Prospects
- A fellow Washington Huskies product, tackle Kaleb McGary has visits lined up with the Patriots, Rams and Jaguars, per Pauline. The Falcons are also going to work out McGary, who was a three-plus-season starter at right tackle for the Pac-12 program.
Minor NFL Transactions: 4/1/19
Here are Monday’s minor moves:
Cleveland Browns
- Re-signed: DB Juston Burris
- Waived: DB Howard Wilson
New England Patriots
- Signed: T Cedrick Lang
Tom Brady Expected To Skip OTAs
Last year, Tom Brady stayed away from the Patriots’ offseason program until minicamp. It looks like he will follow a similar schedule this offseason.
All indications are Brady will skip Patriots OTAs again, Mike Reiss of ESPN.com notes. This process obviously did not impact the Patriots last year, though the 2019 New England edition has more work to do in the offseason compared to last season’s iteration.
Rob Gronkowski announced his retirement, leaving Brady with perhaps his worst weaponry corps since the 2006 season. Given their history with trades, the Patriots should certainly be a team to monitor on this front as the draft approaches. But they are limited at the pass-catching positions at the moment. The Pats also added three new cogs who stand to be working with Brady for the first time, in Bruce Ellington, Maurice Harris and Matt LaCosse.
Still, Josh McDaniels remains the Pats’ offensive coordinator. Brady has been in this system for many years. He is entering a contract year, with a $27MM cap number on the Pats’ books. Although, an extension is likely for the soon-to-be 42-year-old icon.
Draft Notes: Sternberger, Jets, Thorson
The Patriots are on the lookout for tight end help in the wake of Rob Gronkowski‘s retirement, and the club will have a top-30 visit with Texas A&M TE Jace Sternberger, per Aaron Wilson of the Houston Chronicle. The Pats could use their No. 32 overall pick on a tight end, and while that may be a little high for Sternberger, top prospects Noah Fant and T.J. Hockenson may be off the board by that point. Alabama’s Irv Smith Jr. could be available, though, and there is no reason why New England, which has deployed two tight ends to great effect in the past, could not use several of its 12 picks in this year’s draft on the tight end position.
Now for more draft-related rumblings from around the league:
- In addition to the Patriots, Wilson reports that Sternberger has visits lined up with the Chiefs, Packers, Lions, Cowboys, Vikings, and Seahawks.
- Brian Costello of the New York Post does not believe that the Jets will invest high-end draft capital on the WR, RB, or TE positions this year in light of their free agent expenditures, but he still thinks the club could bolster those units with collegiate prospects. He suggests that Gang Green could use a middle- or late-round selection on a wideout, particularly if that player offers return ability, and he thinks a Day 3 blocking tight end and power back could also be in the cards. Of course, with only six draft picks at the moment, New York may need to focus on areas of greater need.
- Penn State DE Shareef Miller will visit with the Ravens, Cardinals, and Jets, as Adam Schefter of ESPN.com tweets. Miller currently projects as a Day 3 pick, but all three clubs could use pass rushing help, and Miller has the raw ability to succeed as a 4-3 DE or 3-4 OLB.
- The Broncos may be hosting some of the top QBs in this year’s draft class, but they’re looking at more under-the-radar passers as well, as Mike Klis of 9News.com tweets that Denver will be working out Northwestern QB Clayton Thorson in early April. Thorson is expected to be a middle-round selection.
- Valdosta State CB Stephen Denmark has top-30 visits lined up with the Browns and Saints, per Wilson (via Twitter).
Latest On Patriots Owner Robert Kraft
Lawyers for Robert Kraft are taking steps to keep surveillance video allegedly showing the Patriots owner engaging in sexual activity out of court, as Deadspin’s Diana Moskovitz writes. Kraft’s attorneys are also looking to attack the traffic stop that occurred outside of the Orchids of Asia Day Spa. 
[RELATED: Bill Belichick Could Become Patriots DC]
Kraft’s lawyers will argue that the video, which was filmed without Kraft’s knowledge or consent, violated legal standards. And, if the traffic stop is also effectively whitewashed, there won’t be much of a case for Florida prosecutors to make.
Recently, Kraft rejected a plea deal that would have called for him to admit that he would have been found guilty in a court setting. Meanwhile, the NFL is keeping a watchful eye on the case. This week, NFL commissioner Roger Goodell confirmed that the league’s personal conduct policy will apply to Kraft just as it applies to players.
Goodell stopped short of declaring Kraft will be suspended, but that remains a possibility for the billionaire owner.
Bill Belichick Could Become Patriots DC
Thursday began with the news that Patriots defensive coordinator Greg Schiano would be stepping down from the post. Later in the day, news trickled out that head coach Bill Belichick could assume a larger role with the defense or even take over the role of defensive coordinator, ESPN’s Mike Reiss writes. 
Following their victory in Super Bowl LIII, the Patriots saw a mass exodus from their defensive coaching staff, which included former defensive coordinator Brian Flores take the head-coaching gig in Miami and a number of assistants leaving. Schiano, highly trusted by Belichick, was expected to help the transition, but his abrupt departure puts the Pats in a tough situation.
Reiss notes Belichick assuming defensive coordinator duties is the most likely of scenarios but is not the only one. Another possibility is a “Hail Mary” call to former defensive line coach Brendan Daly, who left to become the Chiefs run-game coordinator. Considering his family’s roots in K.C. area, however, it could be a tough sell.
Another potential candidate would be Bret Bielema, the Boston Globe’s Ben Volin tweets. Volin mentions that Bielema, the former University of Wisconsin and Arkansas head coach and current defensive consultant with the Pats, thought he was getting the job earlier this year.
Belichick, of course, is no slouch as a defensive coordinator. With the Giants, he won a pair of Super Bowls under head coach Bill Parcells while running the defense. As the head coach of the Patriots, Belichick has always played a large role on the defensive side of the ball, except in 2009 when he contributed largely to the offense following Josh McDaniels‘ departure to Denver.
Patriots DC Greg Schiano Steps Down
This offseason, the Patriots thought they had their new defensive coordinator in Greg Schiano. Now, the search continues. On Thursday, Schiano and head coach Bill Belichick released a joint statement to announce that Schiano is stepping down from the role. 
“I have informed Mr. Kraft and Coach Belichick that I am stepping down from my position at the Patriots,” Schiano said in the statement. “This is not the result of any one event, but rather a realization that I need to spend more time on my faith and family. I don’t want to look back years from now and wish I had done things differently. Therefore, I am taking time away from the game to recalibrate my priorities.”
Meanwhile, longtime friend Belichick offered words of support.
“I respect Coach Schiano greatly and appreciate his contributions to our staff and team,” Belichick said. “He is a friend who we support completely.”
Ironically, Schiano was never formally announced as the Patriots’ new DC. However, it was widely reported that he had accepted the job.
The Patriots have been close to hiring Schiano for key assistant roles in the past, only to see the deal fall apart at the last minute. Once again, this appears to be the case for the former Rutgers and Buccaneers head coach.
The Pats’ last DC, Brian Flores, left the club after the Super Bowl to take over as the Dolphins’ new head coach.
Patriots Notes: Mayo, Kraft
Longtime Patriots linebacker Jerod Mayo will return to the club as linebackers coach, according to Tom Curran of NBC Sports Boston. Mayo, 33, retired at the conclusion of the 2015 campaign, and expressed no interest in coaching at the time. Viewed as a cerebral player with a strong work ethic, Mayo appeared in 93 games for New England after being selected 10th overall in the 2008 draft. He’ll be replacing Brian Flores, who was not only the Patriots’ LBs coach but de facto defensive coordinator before taking the Dolphins’ head coaching position this offseason.
- The NFL’s personal conduct policy will apply to Patriots owner Robert Kraft just as it applies to players, commissioner Roger Goodell told Jourdan Rodrigue of the Charlotte Observer (Twitter link). Goodell stopped short of declaring Kraft will be suspended, indicating a need for all the facts of Kraft’s solicitation case to come out. Kraft has rejected a plea deal from Florida prosecutors, and earlier this week pleaded not guilty to two misdemeanors.