Patriots Sign Brissett, Wrap Up Draft Class
Patriots third round quarterbackJacoby Brissett signed his rookie contract this morning, according to Ben Volin of The Boston Globe (on Twitter). Now that Brissett has inked his deal, the Patriots have now signed every player in their nine-man draft class.
The Pats, of course, lost their first-round pick as a result of the Deflategate scandal. The Patriots opted against trading back into the first-round but did do some jostling in the draft to expand the overall size of their draft class. Heading into draft night, the Patriots owned two consecutive second round picks at Nos. 60 and 61 overall with the latter pick coming from the Cardinals in the Chandler Jones trade. After taking Alabama defensive back Cyrus Jones at No. 60, the Pats parlayed No. 61 to the Saints in exchange for Nos. 78 and 112.
Brissett, like many third-round picks this year, took his time in putting pen to paper. The N.C. State product’s negotiations went on longer than most, however, and that may have been because of his additional leverage as a premium position player. Years ago, Russell Wilson‘s camp successfully negotiated for a higher base salary than the seven players taken immediately before him and Brissett’s reps may have pulled off a similar feat. The QB neglected to hire a traditional agent, instead relying on former NFL safety Abram Elam, whom Brissett is consulting as an adviser, and NFLPA director of salary cap and agent administration, Mark Levin.
Here is the complete rundown of the Patriots’ 2016 draft class:
- 2-60: Cyrus Jones, DB (Alabama)
- 3-78: Joe Thuney, OL (North Carolina State)
- 3-91: Jacoby Brissett, QB (North Carolina State)
- 3-96: Vincent Valentine, DT (Nebraska)
- 4-112: Malcolm Mitchell, WR (Georgia)
- 6-208: Kamu Grugier-Hill, LB (Eastern Illinois)
- 6-214: Elandon Roberts, LB (Houston)
- 6-221: Ted Karras, OL (Illinois)
- 7-225: Devin Lucien, WR (Arizona State)
Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.
8 Teams That Could Sign Eugene Monroe
After selecting Notre Dame’s Ronnie Stanley in the first round of the April’s draft, the Ravens tried to trade veteran left tackle Eugene Monroe. However, Baltimore was unable to find a taker on the trade market and on Wednesday the team cut him loose.
Yes, there are some red flags for Monroe. For starters, the tackle has missed 16 games with injury over the past two years. Monroe has also been a vocal advocate for marijuana to be removed from the league’s banned substance list and Baltimore officials apparently took umbrage with his focus in that area.
However, there’s also a lot to like. When healthy, Monroe can be an impact player and can slide into the starting lineup for several NFL teams. Where could Monroe wind up? Here’s our list of the eight teams who could make a play for him:
[RELATED: Ravens Sign Bronson Kaufusi, Wrap Up Draft Class]
Arizona Cardinals — Left tackle isn’t a concern in the desert, as Jared Veldheer will continue to handle Carson Palmer‘s blindside, but right tackle is a bit more murky. After losing both Bobby Massie and Bradley Sowell to free agency, the Cardinals are counting on 2015 first-round pick D.J. Humphries to take on a starting role. Humphries didn’t play a single snap during his rookie season, and frustrated Arizona management to the point that head coach Bruce Arians began referring to him as “knee deep” (re: Arians’ knee vs. Humphries’ posterior). If Humphries has matured over the past year or so, adding Monroe to play on the right side wouldn’t make much sense. But if the Cardinals still have questions about their talented yet raw sophomore tackle, Monroe could be a welcome veteran addition.
Chicago Bears — Finding a starting left tackle in the seventh round — as the Bears did with Charles Leno in 2014 — is certainly an accomplishment, but it doesn’t excuse the fact that Leno simply wasn’t that productive during the 2015 campaign. In 16 games (13 starts), Leno graded out as just the 55th-best tackle in the NFL among 77 qualifiers, according to Pro Football Focus. If Chicago wants to contend in 2016, it will need better play on the blindside, and Monroe would almost certainly represent an upgrade, acting as a finishing touch to an offensive line that’s already seen additions such as Bobby Massie, Nate Chandler, and Cody Whitehair over the past several months.
Indianapolis Colts — The Colts are clearly intent on keeping Andrew Luck upright in 2016, having spent three draft picks on offensive linemen in April. While some of the spots along Indy’s front five are settled, right tackle could be up for grabs (although general manager Ryan Grigson had said he’d like to see Joe Reitz win the job). The Colts haven’t been shy about acquiring veterans in the past, having sacrificed draft pick compensation for Vontae Davis, Trent Richardson, Billy Winn, and others in recent years. If the club wants a solid veteran to lock down the right side, instead of relying on a cavalcade of mid-tier options, Monroe could be on their radar.
New England Patriots — Like the Colts, the Patriots have utilized trades to augment their roster — in 2015, they made a league-leading nine deals with other clubs, and they’ve acquired veterans such as Akeem Ayers, Keshawn Martin, Jonathan Casillas, Jonathan Bostic, and Akiem Hicks via the trade route over the past several years. In a trade, Monroe would have been a different animal, as he’s a more high-profile name and costs more than any of the players brought in by New England via swap recently. Now, he holds even more appeal as a free agent. If the Pats did sign Monroe to man right tackle, they’d likely release fellow offensive lineman Sebastian Vollmer or Marcus Cannon (or both). On the surface, Monroe doesn’t seem like a Bill Belichick-esque addition, but New England has made surprising moves in the past.
New York Giants — Many draft observers believed Giants 2015 first-round pick Ereck Flowers was best-suited to play guard or right tackle out of the gate. Instead, New York plugged him in on the left side following an injury to Will Beatty, and Flowers proceeded to grade out as one of the four worst blindside protectors in the league, per PFF. Veteran Marshall Newhouse, the club’s projected right tackle, also ranked as a bottom-10 option at the position. The Giants need help up front, perhaps more so than any team in the NFL outside of Seattle, so it was no surprise to learn that they were talking trade with Baltimore prior to Monroe’s release and have already started courting him since he became a free agent.
San Diego Chargers — Shortly after word leaked out regarding Monroe’s release, Adam Schefter of ESPN.com listed the Chargers as a potential suitor along with the Seahawks and Giants. On the surface, the Chargers seem adequately set at tackle with King Dunlap covering Philip Rivers‘ blindside and Joe Barksdale at right tackle. Still, while Barksdale graded out as the No. 21 overall tackle in the NFL last year according to Pro Football Focus’ metrics, Dunlap has been injury prone in the past.
San Francisco 49ers — By almost any metric, San Francisco’s offensive line was among the worst in the NFL last season. The unit ranked second with 53 sacks allowed, and placed 31st in pass protection and 32nd in run blocking according to Football Outsiders’ data. All-Pro Joe Staley clearly isn’t a problem at left tackle, but uninspiring options such as Erik Pears and Trent Brown are among the candidates to start opposite him on the right side. The 49ers are in the midst of a complete rebuild, so perhaps adding a veteran like Monroe doesn’t make sense given their current roster makeup. But keeping Blaine Gabbert or Colin Kaepernick (or whomever else starts at quarterback in 2016) off the ground should still be a goal, and Monroe would signify an improvement.
Seattle Seahawks — The Seahawks are mentioned in connection with nearly every available offensive lineman, but the club simply hasn’t shown any willingness to invest in its front five. After losing Russell Okung and J.R. Sweezy in free agency, Seattle will rely on the likes of Garry Gilliam, Bradley Sowell, J’Marcus Webb, and Mark Glowinski up front. Offensive line coach Tom Cable is regarded as a masterful teacher, and he can probably turn some of those unheralded options into contributors. But it’s hard to imagine that the Seahawks would turn down an opportunity to add an immediate starter like Monroe, especially if the asking price is minimal.
Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.
Opinion: Pats Smart To Trade Chandler Jones
- Given the rapidly rising cost of defensive linemen, Fitzgerald (on Twitter) believes that the Patriots made the correct decision moving on from Chandler Jones. Jones, who is slated to hit the open market after the 2016 season, netted the Pats offensive lineman Jonathan Cooper and a second-round pick in a trade with the Cardinals.
Pats Holding Out Gronk As Precaution
- Rob Gronkowski was present at the Patriots‘ workout today after not attending last week’s sessions, tweets Rapoport. According to Mike Reiss of ESPN.com, New England was simply being cautious by holding Gronk out of last week’s workout, as the tight end is dealing with an undisclosed injury (but one that doesn’t figure to be a long-term ailment).
Michael Williams Reverts To IR
- Tight end Michael Williams (Patriots), cornerback Brandon McGee (Cowboys), and receiver Corey Washington (Lions) all reverted to injured reserve after clearing waivers, according to Balzer (Twitter link).
Patriots Waive/Injure Michael Williams
- The Patriots have waived/injured tight end Michael Williams, according to Mike Reiss of ESPNBoston.com (Twitter link). Williams, who suffered a torn ACL on Wednesday, will revert to IR if he clears waivers.
Aaron Dobson On Pats' Roster Bubble
- Wide receiver Aaron Dobson is on the Patriots‘ roster bubble, as Mike Reiss of ESPN.com writes. The 2013 second-round draft choice out of Marshall came into the league as a highly-touted prospect but injuries have altered his path in the NFL. When asked to assess his play in practice so far this year, the 6’3″, 205 pound receiver gave a positive review of himself. Julian Edelman (foot) and Danny Amendola (knee, ankle) have been sidelined so far, which has given Dobson a chance to work with the team’s top group of receivers.
Patriots TE Michael Williams Suffers Torn ACL
Patriots tight end Michael Williams tore his left ACL at Wednesday’s practice and likely will be placed on injured reserve, Jim McBride of The Boston Globe tweets.
[RELATED: Roger Goodell: Deflategate Settlement Unlikely]
Williams, an Alabama product, first came into the league as a 2013 seventh-round choice of the Lions. Unfortunately, he’s no stranger to a lot season as he suffered a hand injury early on in Detroit and was forced to sit out his rookie year. When he returned in 2014, the Lions made the surprising decision to switch him over to offensive tackle. In August of 2015, the Lions shipped Williams to New England and the Pats decided to move him back to tight end.
In his appearances last season, the Patriots also lined Williams up in the backfield and at wide receiver. In total, Williams saw time in 15 regular season games and made nine starts. He was targeted six times and recorded three receptions for 26 yards.
Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.
Opinion: Hightower More Important Than Butler
- There’s tons of talk about Malcolm Butler right now, but Dont’a Hightower is the most important player for the Patriots to keep long term, Ryan Hannable of WEEI.com writes. Hannable notes that since Hightower entered the league in 2012, the Patriots have a regular season record of 42-12 in games Hightower appears in, but just 6-4 in games he doesn’t play. Also, the Pats allowed 3.65 yards per carry when Hightower was on the field last year but they surrendered 4.5 yards per carry when he wasn’t. Hightower is slated to hit the open market for the first time following this season. Hannable suggests that Danny Trevathan‘s four-year, $24.5MM deal ($6.1MM/year) with the Bears could be a good comp.
Goodell: Deflategate Settlement Unlikely
Settlement talks between the NFL and Tom Brady don’t appear to be gaining traction, as John Wawrow of the Associated Press writes. “At this stage, no,” commissioner Roger Goodell said today when asked if a settlement was likely. “The courts will make their decisions, and we’ll move forward on that basis.”
Brady, of course, will be suspended for the first four games of the 2016 season after a three-judge panel reinstated the ban that was incurred as a result of the Patriots quarterback’s role in the Deflategate controversy. The U.S. Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit overturned the 2015 decision by Judge Richard Berman, stating that Brady’s suspension should be upheld.
“We hold that the Commissioner properly exercised his broad discretion under the collective bargaining agreement and that his procedural rulings were properly grounded in that agreement and did not deprive Brady of fundamental fairness,” read the ruling from the Court of Appeals.“Accordingly, we REVERSE the judgment of the district court and REMAND with instructions to confirm the award.”
Brady and his legal team have since filed a petition for the case to be reheard, but reports have indicated that such appeals are rarely heard. The Wells report commissioned by the NFL more than a year ago determined that Brady was “more likely than not” to have been aware of footballs being deflated below their usual levels during the AFC Championship Game against the Colts in January 2015. The league issued a four-game suspension for Brady as a result of those findings, and that penalty was overturned by Judge Berman last summer, prior to the start of the 2015 campaign, allowing Brady to play the full season. The NFL appealed Berman’s decision.
Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.