Cassius Marsh Trashes "Patriot Way"
Former Patriots defensive end Cassius Marsh recently trashed the legendary “Patriot way,” saying the Patriots’ uptight nature didn’t allow him to have any fun and that his time in New England almost caused him to walk away from the game.
Now a member of the 49ers, Marsh provided details on his experience with the Patriots in an interview with Eric Branch of the San Francisco Chronicle. Marsh revealed that he “wanted to get waived” and facilitated a meeting with Bill Belichick with that goal in mind. He said the Patriots misused him, asking him to do things he had never done before, saying they had him “covering running backs and receivers and basically almost never rushing the passer” which is what he was used to.
Marsh ultimately got what he wanted, and was claimed off waivers by the 49ers. He’ll be playing on the opposite side of the country now for a team with a much different culture. It’s very rare for a player to openly criticize Belichick and the Patriots like this, and whatever you think of Marsh’s comments, it’s refreshing to see a player speak this honestly.
Boston Globe On Brady/Belichick; No Leadership Void Despite Brady's Absence
- Ben Volin of the Boston Globe points out how Patriots head coach Bill Belichick and quarterback Tom Brady continue to (needlessly) fan the flames of controversy that owner Robert Kraft keeps trying to extinguish, and that the apparent tension between Belichick and Brady may be one of the reasons why Brady has not attended spring practices. However, Mike Reiss of ESPN.com says Brady’s absence has not created as big of a leadership void as one might expect, as younger players are taking a more active role in that regard and veteran players like Julian Edelman and Dont’a Hightower are back after their 2017 season was marred by injury.
Patriots, Rob Gronkowski Nearing Reworked Deal
The Patriots and tight end Rob Gronkowski‘s contract discussions have progressed to the point where it’s now “likely” Gronkowski will play the 2018 campaign with a new deal in place, according to Jeff Howe of The Athletic (subscription required).
Drew Rosenhaus, Gronkowski’s agent, is reportedly working with the Patriots on a “tweaked” contract, which could indicate New England is willing to add extra incentives to the All-Pro tight end’s deal. However, it’s not exactly clear how the Patriots intend to address Gronkowski’s pact, as Howe reports it’s not yet known whether Gronk will receive an extension or simply earn a raise.
New England has always shown a willingness to go the extra mile for its players by including additional– and sometimes, more easily attainable — incentives into contracts. The Patriots did just that for Gronkowski a year ago, and the 29-year-old ultimately maxed out his deal by earning a first-team All-Pro nod, allowing him to collect a total salary of $10.75MM.
NFL rules don’t allow teams to rework incentive-laden deals until one year after the last restructuring, and given that the Patriots altered Gronkowski’s contract on May 24, 2017, they’ve just passed the date at which they can change his current deal. Gronkowski, who is signed through the 2019 season, is scheduled to earn an $8MM base salary, $750K in per-game roster bonuses, and a $250K workout bonus for the upcoming season. On an annual basis, Gronk is only the league’s fourth highest-paid tight end behind Jimmy Graham, Travis Kelce, and Jordan Reed.
Gronkowski, of course, has had an eventful offseason, and reportedly considered retirement after battling a variety of health issues. In 2017, Gronk was on the field for 14 games, and managed 69 receptions, 1,084 yards, and eight touchdowns, all of which placed him within the top-five among tight ends.
Pats Owner: Brady, Gronkowski Will Show
The absence of Tom Brady and Rob Gronkowski at Patriots OTAs caused a stir this week, but owner Robert Kraft does not seem concerned. Kraft says Brady is excited about being at minicamp, as Ian Rapoport of NFL.com tweets, which is an apparent confirmation that he will be in attendance at some point. Kraft says Gronkowski will also show for minicamp, despite rumblings of the tight end angling for a new contract (Twitter link). 
It’s not exactly clear why Brady opted to stay home on Tuesday, but speculation has been rampant regarding his relationship with coach Bill Belichick. Some believe that Brady is looking to send a message to the head coach, but Kraft says “nothing’s changed” with regards to their relationship and “everything is good.”
Kraft’s assertion that Gronk will show up for practice jibes with a recent report on the tight end’s plans. It stands to reason that the dynamic pass-catcher could arrive as early as Thursday, which is the one-year anniversary of his last contract restructuring. Per NFL rules, a deal involving incentives cannot be reworked until one year after the last round of adjustments.
Brady’s decision to skip OTAs is unprecedented, but it may not be a hinderance to his performance after yet another brilliant season. Even at age 40, Brady was terrific, leading the league in passing yards on the way to his third MVP trophy. Gronk, meanwhile, had 69 catches for 1,084 yards and eight touchdowns.
Belichick Sidesteps Brady Question
- Despite these circumstances centering around one of the greatest quarterbacks in NFL history, Bill Belichick still opted for a time-honored cliche. Asked if he’s spoken to Tom Brady, the 19th-year Patriots coach said via Adam Schefter of ESPN.com (on Twitter), “I’m not going to talk about the people that aren’t here. The guys who are here are improving, they’re working hard. Those are the guys we’re going to focus on.” Brady remains absent from OTAs, and the 19th-year quarterback is rumored to want a revised contract. With Josh McDaniels spurning the Colts and remaining in place as OC, New England’s system likely will not change much, lessening the impact of Brady missing these voluntary workouts.
Minor NFL Transactions: 5/21/18
We’ll keep track of today’s minor moves here:
Carolina Panthers
- Signed: DT Ashaad Mabry
- Waived: OT Korren Kirven
- Signed: TE Jason Vander Laan
Dallas Cowboys
- Signed: G Damien Mama
- Waived: OL Jarron Jones
Detroit Lions
- Claimed off waivers: WR Chris Lacy (from Patriots)
- Waived: CB Josh Okonye
Green Bay Packers
- Placed on Reserve/Retired list: DT Filipo Mokofisi
Los Angeles Rams
- Signed: DT Chunky Clements
Latest On Patriots’ Rob Gronkowski
Tom Brady opted against attending the Patriots’ OTAs on Monday, and it’s not yet known whether tight end Rob Gronkowski will follow suit. However, he will be there at some point, Mike Florio of PFT (on Twitter) hears. 
Apparently, there’s a good reason for Gronk potentially skipping Monday and reporting in the near future. Gronk’s reps and the Patriots are discussing a revised contract and, per NFL rules, a reworked deal involving incentives cannot be completed until one year after the last restructuring.
Last year, the Pats and Gronk agreed to tweak the tight end’s deal on May 24th, as James Palmer of NFL.com (on Twitter) notes, so that’s the date to keep an eye on this year. If the two sides can reach an accord in the coming days, Gronk could be on the field starting Thursday.
In 2017, Gronk had incentives added to his deal that gave him the potential to earn some extra cash while protecting the team against another major injury. The 29-year-old hit the top tier of the bonus structure, giving a total salary of $10.75MM by way of his First-Team All-Pro selection.
Gronk bounced back from an injury-riddled year to haul in 69 grabs for 1,084 yards and eight touchdowns. He also had 16 catches for 218 yards and three scores in the postseason.
Latest On Tom Brady
The Patriots started the on-field portion of their Organized Team Activities on Monday, but did so without Tom Brady, as Adam Schefter of ESPN.com tweets. While OTAs are voluntary, Brady’s absence could be a sign of friction in New England. 
Brady’s decision to stay away could mean the two sides are still far apart in talks to re-work his contract. Brady, who has been playing under a below-market deal for years, is currently signed through the 2019 campaign. In each of the next two years, he’s scheduled to earn a base salary of $15MM, while $7MM of annually prorated signing bonus money will bring his cap charges to $22MM in each season. The 40-year-old has no intentions of retiring anytime soon, so he is seeking a deal that will take him into 2020 and beyond.
Brady has indicated that he is staying away from the team, in part, to spend more time with his family.
“Part of this offseason for me is certainly about still preparing for what’s ahead in my next journey, my next mountain to climb with this group of teammates, but it’s also [acknowledging] that a lot of people are getting the short end of the stick in my life — certainly my wife and my kids,” Brady said recently. “Football is year-round for me. It’s a lot of thought, a lot of energy and emotion put into it, but I need to invest in them, too. My kids are 10, 8 and 5. They’re not getting younger, so I need to take time so I can be available to them, too. … I’ve really spent the last two or three months doing those things, and I think I’m really trying to fill my tank up so that when I do go back, I can go back and I think I’ll actually be, in my mind, a better player, a better teammate, because I’ll be really rejuvenated.”
While OTAs are voluntary, the June mandatory minicamp is not (as the name suggests). With that in mind, the real situation to watch will be next month when the team gets to work on June 5-7.
Adrian Clayborn Tweaks Quad; Uncertain If Gronk Will Attend Phase 3 Of OTAs
- It is unclear whether Rob Gronkowski will report to the Patriots for Phase 3 of the team’s offseason program, which begins tomorrow, though Mike Reiss of ESPN.com says Gronk is still putting in plenty of time at the TB12 Sports Therapy Center, which he says has him feeling good from a conditioning perspective. Phase 3 will be the last chance for Gronkowski and Tom Brady — who is also yet to attend OTAs — to get some multiple-week football work in with the majority of their teammates before training camp. Brady has frequently touted the importance of Phase 3, so it would be notable if he does not attend.
- Adrian Clayborn, the Patriots‘ top free agent acquisition this offseason, tweaked his quad during recent workouts, per Reiss. Clayborn could be limited for Phase 3 of OTAs, but he is expected to be ready for the start of training camp.
Malcolm Butler Still On Pats' 2018 Books
- In a lower-stakes matter, the Patriots have $215 committed to Malcolm Butler on this year’s payroll, per Ben Volin of the Boston Globe. Apparently, one day of workout cash last offseason didn’t get tallied until now.