Jason McCourty Wants To Re-Sign With Patriots
Jason McCourty is scheduled to hit the free agent market next month, and the veteran cornerback says his preference is to re-sign with the Patriots, according to Tom E. Curran of NBC Sports Boston.
“First and foremost, if I could be back in New England and all of that works out, that would be awesome,” McCourty said. “That way it wouldn’t be the third consecutive year I had to move my family. That would be an advantage. But at the same time you realize how much of this is a business and how much of this isn’t dictated by (the feeling), ‘Hey, I just want to play here with my brother and the guys I built a relationship with.’ There’s so much more that goes into it.
“For me, (the approach will be) letting it play out. When March rolls around we’ll see where everything’s at and then at the end of the day we’ll see where the opportunities are and then make a decision.”
McCourty, 31, announced earlier this week that he’ll continue his career in 2019, although he told Curran that he never actually considered retirement in the first place. Instead, McCourty was only answering questions about the future of his career because his twin brother — New England safety Devin McCourty — said earlier this year that he was contemplating hanging up his cleats. Devin has since announced he’ll play next season, and is under contract with the Patriots for one more year.
New England acquired Jason McCourty from the Browns in exchange for a 14-slot drop in the sixth/seventh round of the 2018 draft, and he proved to be a valuable pickup. The former sixth-round pick played on 80% of the Patriots’ defensive snaps, grading as the No. 6 cornerback in the league, per Pro Football Focus. McCourty also ranked 21st among corners in Football Outsiders‘ success rate, meaning he was effective at stopping opposing wide receivers short of the sticks.
Patriots Notes: Kraft, Flowers, Tate
Patriots owner Robert Kraft will likely not face many legal repercussions from his prostitution charges, according to a Florida criminal defense attorney (via Ben Volin of the Boston Globe). Kraft will probably be required to pay a several hundred dollar fine and attend counseling of some sort, at which point the charges may be dropped.
But the consequences from an NFL standpoint are likely to be much more severe. Volin believes commissioner Roger Goodell should “come down hard on Kraft” and impose at least a six-game suspension and a hefty fine (the maximum fine is $500K). Kraft is obviously one of the most prominent and powerful owners in the league, but he may be relieved of some of his duties (he is a part of five major ownership committees). He was supposed to guide the league through a potential 2021 lockout and lead negotiations with television networks when those contracts expire in 2022, but that is all in question now.
Volin still believes Kraft will be inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame, but his induction will now be delayed, and the 77-year-old may not be around to enjoy his enshrinement when it does happen (Volin says Kraft was likely to get the HOF nod in a year or two). And, while Kraft will almost certainly not be forced to sell the club or hand it off to his son, Jonathan, this incident will be a permanent blot on his reputation.
Now let’s take a quick look at a few on-field notes from Foxborough:
- Patriots defensive end Trey Flowers will be a hot commodity if he hits the open market, but Jim McBride of the Boston Globe says locking him up to a long-term deal is high on New England’s list of priorities. The Pats are unlikely to use the franchise tag on Flowers, and they are unlikely to keep him if it takes an Olivier Vernon-esque deal to do so (five years, $85MM). However, McBride believes Flowers will ultimately return to New England on a multi-year contract, even if he tests the free agent market first.
- In the same piece linked above, McBride looks at the other Patriots eligible for free agency and their chances of returning to the club. For instance, he believes specialists Stephen Gostkowski and Ryan Allen will certainly be back, while Eric Rowe and Danny Shelton are more likely to find homes elsewhere.
- Assuming the Patriots don’t trade out of the first round, Doug Kyed of NESN.com sees tight ends Noah Fant (Iowa) and Irv Smith Jr. (Alabama) and DB Taylor Rapp (Washington) as potential fits.
- Golden Tate would be a good fit in the Patriots’ offense, but Kyed does not believe the Pats will be willing to meet Tate’s asking price.
- Brothers Devin McCourty and Jason McCourty have announced that they will continue their careers in 2019 after some retirement speculation prior to the Super Bowl. Devin is still under contract with the Patriots, but Jason is eligible for free agency.
Steelers Rumors: Brown, Bell, Ravens
The Steelers are willing to explore Antonio Brown trade scenarios, but Gerry Dulac of the Post-Gazette senses that they would like to control where he winds up. He believes they would not want to trade him to divisional rivals (Ravens, Bengals, Browns), nor would they want to send him to the Patriots.
It’s not immediately clear whether Dulac has heard this first hand from the Steelers’ front office, but that certainly seems like a logical position for the Steelers to take.
Here’s more from Pittsburgh:
- Le’Veon Bell passed on $14.544MM in 2018, and he’ll have a lot of trouble recouping that loss in free agency, Joel Corry of CBSSports.com opines. Bell, he notes, would have to sign a deal giving him $33MM in total compensation in Year 1 in order to effectively replace the money he lost out on by rejecting the Steelers’ offer. For reference, Todd Gurley‘s recent extension will pay him $28.5MM in his first new year (2020), and Gurley is younger. Bell is also said to be seeking $50MM through the first two years, which may be unattainable given that Gurley is set to make $37MM in that span. Currently, Khalil Mack and Aaron Donald are the only two non-quarterbacks with a two-year cash flow of $50MM or more.
- The Jets are the most likely destination for Bell, in the opinion of Darryl Slater of NJ.com. Armed with $100MM+ in cap space and an obvious need for Bell, the Jets make a ton of sense. The Jets are not necessarily in a position to win right away, but Bell would probably have to accept less money to join a contender such as the Packers. The Eagles, Buccaneers, and Raiders also made Slater’s top five.
- On Friday, Steelers GM Kevin Colbert told reporters that three teams have inquired on Brown.
Patriots’ Jason McCourty To Continue Playing
Safety Devin McCourty is set to continue playing in 2019, and so is his brother, cornerback Jason McCourty. Jason, who also said that he would consider retirement, wants to take the field again in the fall (Twitter link via Tom Pelissero of NFL.com). 
[RELATED: Devin McCourty To Play In 2019]
The two brothers are not necessarily in the same boat, however. Devin is set to earn a $9MM base salary with the Patriots in 2019. Meanwhile, Jason is scheduled for free agency in March.
Jason, 32 in August, appeared in 16 games with 12 starts for the Patriots last season. He registered 70 total stops and ten passes defensed, showing that he still has plenty left in the tank.
For his work, Pro Football Focus ranked him as the sixth-best cornerback in the NFL last season with an career-best score of 82.3.
NFL Awards Compensatory Draft Picks
The NFL has awarded compensatory draft picks to several teams, as Adam Schefter of ESPN.com tweets. The full rundown, which is below, includes two third-round picks for both the Rams and Patriots.
The NFL awards compensatory draft picks to teams, as directed by the terms of the Collective Bargaining Agreement. The compensatory pick system provides additional picks to teams who lose more/better qualifying free agents in the previous year than gained. As the NFL explains:
“Compensatory free agents are determined by a formula based on salary, playing time and postseason honors. The formula was developed by the NFL Management Council. Not every free agent lost or signed by a club is covered by this formula. No club may receive more than four compensatory picks in any one year. If a club qualifies for more than four compensatory picks after offsetting each CFA lost by each CFA gained of an equal or higher value, the four highest remaining selections will be awarded to the club.
The Collective Bargaining Agreement limits the number of compensatory selections to the number of clubs then in the League (32). This year, six clubs: the Ravens, Bengals, Colts, Rams, Giants, and 49ers qualified for compensatory selections under the net loss formula but will not receive those picks because the final numerical values of the CFAs who were lost by those clubs ranked 33rd through 39thamong the final numerical values of all compensatory selections. Each of those six clubs will receive compensatory selections for other CFAs lost whose final numerical values ranked within the top 32. “
Third Round
- (No. 33 in third round-No. 96 overall) Redskins
- 34-97 Patriots
- 35-98 Rams
- 36-99 Rams
- 37-100 Panthers
- 38-101 Patriots
- 39-102 Ravens
Robert Kraft Charged With Soliciting Prostitutes
Patriots owner Robert Kraft has been charged with soliciting prostitution by Jupiter, Fla. police. A police spokesperson tells reporters that Kraft, and the others implicated in the sting, were caught on camera “in the act” at a massage parlor. 
Kraft, 77, is alleged to have solicited a prostitute on at least two occasions. He was one of several men implicated in the sting, which lasted roughly eight months and led to the identification of more than 100 suspected “Johns.”
“The tentacles of this go from here to New York to China, in Florida from here to Orange County,” Martin County Sheriff William Snyder said earlier this week. “I think it’s very safe to say without any hyperbole that this is the tip of the iceberg.”
Kraft’s lawyers, meanwhile, deny any wrongdoing on the part of their client:
“We categorically deny that Mr. Kraft engaged in any illegal activity. Because it is a judicial matter, we will not be commenting further.”
In a statement, the NFL said the league is “aware of the ongoing law enforcement matter and will continue to monitor developments. Kraft may be subject to league discipline, depending on how things unfold.
Kraft purchased the Patriots in 1994. Since then, the franchise has won six Super Bowl championships and made ten overall Super Bowl appearances.
According to Forbes, Kraft is worth roughly $6.6 billion. Police say he will be charged with a misdemeanor in connection with the sting.
Patriots’ Devin McCourty To Play In 2019
Before the Super Bowl, Patriots safety Devin McCourty openly pondered retirement. But, on Thursday night, McCourty said he’s “going to play,” (Twitter link via the Sports Spectrum Podcast). 
“At that point, that was Media Night when Deion said that to me, and it’s like, yeah, man, if we won a Super Bowl, I don’t know what else could top that,” he said. “I think in that moment I kind of forgot that I don’t play this game just to win Super Bowls. There’s so much more that comes from me playing the game that I love. I think once you get a chance to step away for a couple weeks, you’re like, yeah, I still do want to be around these other young guys that come in.”
McCourty is set to earn $9MM in the final year of his deal, though its possible the Patriots will ask him to take a pay cut. Of course, without the threat of retirement, McCourty might not have much in the way of leverage.
Last year, McCourty registered 82 tackles, four passes defensed and a pick six across all 16 games.
The rest of the key secondary players – Patrick Chung, Obi Melifonwu, Nate Ebner, and Duron Harmon – are also set to return to the Pats in ’19.
OL Trent Brown Wants To Stick With Patriots
Patriots offensive tackle Trent Brown will soon be hitting free agency, but the 25-year-old sounds like he’s focused on staying in New England. Brown told ESPN’s Adam Schefter that he’s seeking some “longevity” and a “great fit schematically,” and he specifically pointed to the Patriots.
The six-foot-eight lineman has a solid season with the Patriots in 2018. After being acquired from the 49ers, Brown proceeded in start all 16 games for New England en route to a Super Bowl championship. Pro Football Focus was bullish on his performance, ranking him 32nd among 80 eligible linemen.
However, considering Brown’s performance, many thought the lineman may leave New England for a lucrative payday. In that scenario, the Patriots would presumably lean on 2018 first-round Isaiah Wynn, who missed his entire rookie campaign after having torn his Achilles during the preseason.
- The Dolphins have hired Mike Judge as their new defensive quality control coach, according to agent Paul Sheehy’s Twitter. The former Patriots intern has spent the past 11 years as Navy’s fullback coach. The team compiled a 84-47 during his tenure.
Rob Gronkowski Decision Expected In Next Several Weeks
One of the biggest storylines of the offseason is whether Patriots tight end Rob Gronkowski will call it a career or if he will rejoin the defending champs for at least one more season. He said in the aftermath of Super Bowl LIII that he would make his decision in a week or two, but we are now more than two weeks removed from the Super Bowl, and we still don’t have an answer.
Agent Drew Rosenhaus, though, said Gronk will decide soon. Rosenhaus said, “He’s thinking it through, he’s giving it a lot of thought… I imagine a decision will happen in the next couple of weeks” (Twitter link via ESPN NFL Insider Field Yates).
Of course, it makes sense for anyone to take their time when making a decision of this magnitude, but the delay could also suggest that recent events have changed Gronkowski’s thought process. A report back in January suggested that he was leaning towards retirement, which came on the heels of a separate report at the end of December indicating that Gronk had grown tired of the “Patriot Way.”
But winning cures a lot of ills, and there figures to be much less drama in Foxborough in 2019 than there was last year. Just two days ago, we heard that Gronkowski is spending plenty of time at Gillette Stadium these days, and that his feeling towards the Pats are very positive at the moment. Plus, quarterback Tom Brady will be back in 2019, and Gronkowski was able to finish the 2018 campaign healthy, both of which are primary factors in his decision.
Patriots Notes: Gordon, Gronk, Slater, Jones
The Patriots will end up getting a 2019 seventh-round pick out of the Josh Gordon trade, per Mike Reiss of ESPN.com. It was initially reported that New England sent a fifth-round pick to Cleveland in exchange for Gordon, and that a seventh-rounder would be coming back to the Pats if Gordon was unable to play 10 games with the club in 2018. Although Gordon ended up playing 11 games for New England before being suspended again, Reiss says the 10-game condition was lifted and that the Patriots will get the 29th pick in the seventh round.
Now for more news and notes from the Super Bowl champs:
- Tight end Rob Gronkowski has been at Gillette Stadium multiple times over the last couple of weeks, and while he may only be there to continue treatment on his thigh, Reiss believes Gronk’s presence is reflective of the good relationship between him and the team at the moment and of Gronkowski’s overall positive feelings towards the Patriots. Although he may still retire, his current state of mind is good news for Pats fans who would like to see him back in 2019.
- Matthew Slater is due a $400K roster bonus on March 13, and assuming he is still on the roster at that point, the team’s 2019 option — which calls for a $1.6MM base salary — will be automatically exercised. Reiss believes that is a reasonable price for a special teams ace like Slater, and that the 33-year-old will be back in Foxborough next season.
- Reiss also believes tight end Dwayne Allen could be back, as the team admires his professionalism and work ethic, but he will obviously need to accept a pay cut; he is due a $6.4MM base salary in 2019.
- Cornerback Jonathan Jones proved his value to the Patriots in this year’s playoffs, and he is eligible for restricted free agency in March. As Reiss observes, the Patriots could tender him at the second-round level, which would entitle him to a salary of $3.1MM, or at the low level, which calls for a $2MM salary. But if they go with the latter option, they risk losing Jones without getting any draft compensation in return, so Reiss suggests that the two sides could explore a long-term deal before free agency opens.
- Zack Cox of NESN.com believes LT Trent Brown will get a contract on the free agent market that the Patriots cannot compete with, and that the team will need to turn to 2018 first-rounder Isaiah Wynn to replace him. Wynn, of course, missed his entire rookie campaign due to a torn Achilles he suffered last preseason.
- Offensive coordinator Josh McDaniels received only tepid interest on the head coaching market this year, but Ben Volin of the Boston Globe says McDaniels’ excellent work in engineering the Patriots’ Super Bowl run will put him firmly back on the HC radar in 2020.
- The Patriots have once again surfaced as a potential home for Colin Kaepernick.