| Newsbreakers |
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| Patriots safety Brandon Meriweather should be ready to go when the regular season starts, according to the Boston Globe. He suffered an injury to his leg during his team's preseason game Sunday. |
Our View: Meriweather had just 27 tackles last season, but he is expected to be a bigger part of the Patriots defense this year. |
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| The New England Patriots have released tight end Marcus Pollard, according to the Providence Journal. |
Our View: The team released Pollard now so he can find a new team before the preseason ends. He had 28 catches and two touchdowns last season with Seattle. |
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| Tom Brady told Boston radio station WEEI that the injury to his ankle is on the same side of the body, and same leg, but not the same injury as the one that hindered him during last season's Super Bowl, according to the Boston Globe. He also stated, "I spent some time this weekend getting treatment on it, and hoping that it responds quickly like it usually does. The key is not to go out there and aggravate anything when I'm not ready to go."
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Our View: Brady isn't sure about his status for Friday's third preseason game against the Eagles.
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| Mike Vrabel made his preseason debut Sunday against the Buccaneers after beginning training camp on the PUP list, according to the Boston Globe. Vrabel started at left outside linebacker, and made six tackles (two solo). |
Our View: Vrabel racked up 12.5 sacks, four forced fumbles, and 77 tackles (55 solo) in 2007, and looks to be a safe IDP prospect again, evidenced by Sunday's solid outing. |
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| Stephen Gostkowski is on target so far in the preseason as he is 4-for-4 on field goal attempts, according to the Boston Globe. One of his field goals was from 53-yards, which is longer than any kick he made or attempted last season. |
Our View: Gostkowski should remain reliable as a top-5 fantasy kicker in 2008. |
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| Patriots second-year defensive back Brandon Meriweather went down with an apparent leg injury with 6:55 remaining in the first quarter of tonight's preseason matchup with Tampa Bay, according to the Providence Journal. |
Our View: Meriweather tried to limp off the field on his own power but ultimately he had to be helped off the field by two trainers. If the injury is serious it could be a big blow to an already depleted secondary. Defensive backs Jason Webster, Jonathan Wilhite, Lewis Sanders, James Sanders, and Rodney Harrison were not out on the field for warmups before the game started. |
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| Jerod Mayo has passed Victor Hobson on the Patriots' depth chart at the starting weakside spot at inside linebacker, according to the Boston Herald. |
Our View: Mayo has picked up the Patriots' defense very quickly and Hobson has struggled while transitioning from the outside (with the Jets) to the inside. If Mayo holds onto the starting spot through the remainder of the preseason, he has potential to be a strong IDP sleeper for 2008. |
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| Tom Brady has not made the trip to Tampa and will miss the second preseason game on Sunday due to a sore foot, the Boston Globe reports. The report says it is not known which foot is problematic. |
Our View: Brady could have his foot cut off, and Bill Belichick would find a way to cover up the procedure. We're assuming this foot injury is minor, and Brady's fantasy value remains very high. |
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| Barry Stokes has been placed on the IR, hence ending his 2008 campaign, according to the Boston Globe. He was battling a back ailment. |
Our View: The 34-year-old vet was viewed as a longshot to make the final roster as a backup offensive lineman. |
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| John Lynch has agreed to terms to play for the Patriots, according to ProFootballTalk.com. Terms of the deal were not disclosed. |
Our View: Lynch is not going to compete for a starting job at safety, and would likely be used in special packages as a linebacker, which would keep him closer to the line of scrimmage. He could hold solid value to the Patriots, but his fantasy value will be limited. |
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| Tom Brady sat out Thursday's preseason opener against Baltimore, and he is eager to return to action, according to the Boston Globe. He is expected to play this Sunday against the Buccaneers and said, "It will be nice to be out there and play a little bit, and see if we can make improvements from last week."
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Our View: Randy Moss and Wes Welker also may suit up for Sunday. |
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| Ade Jimoh has signed with the Patriots, according to the Boston Globe. |
Our View: Jimoh holds his most value on special teams and won't see much action in the Patriots' rotation at cornerback if he makes the team. |
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| Coach Bill Belichick continues to praise rookie linebacker Jerod Mayo, according to the Boston Globe. Belichick said, "Jerod is a smart kid and has worked hard. From day one when we drafted him to rookie minicamp and spring camp, he has done a good job. He is a very mature kid and a hard worker. Football is important to him, and he spends a lot of time on it. He makes a lot of rookie mistakes, but he learns from them and doesn't repeat many of them." |
Our View: Jerod Mayo is believed to have the inside track for the starting job on the inside next Tedy Bruschi, especially with veteran Victor Hobson (formely of the Jets) failing to pick up the defense and make a smooth transition from the outside to the inside. Mayo could prove to be a solid IDP sleeper for 2008. |
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| James Sanders has returned to practice Tuesday for the first time since July 28, according to the Boston Globe. Brandon Meriwather said, "James is one of the leaders of the team, so of course any time you have a leader come back, it's a good thing." |
Our View: The Patriots are pleased to have him back, especially with Rodney Harrison, Jason Webster, Jonathan Wilhite, Mike Richardson, and Lewis Sanders all banged up in the secondary.
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| New England defensive end Jarvis Green has returned to practice and appears to be on pace for playing on Week 1 of the regular season, according to the Providence Journal. |
Our View: Green has been rehabilitating his surgically-repaired shoulder but worked hard to stay in shape. He's reportedly five pounds under his normal playing weight, but the reports from camp today suggest he is in fine form and looking to get right back into work that ranked him as one of the top young defenders in the game last season. His shoulder pain began midway through last season, but Green dealt with it and played in all 19 of New England’s games last season, recording 64 tackles, 7˝ sacks, two forced fumbles and a fumble recovery. Green’s return adds valuable depth to the Patriots’ defensive line. When Richard Seymour began last year on the physically unable to perform list, it was Green who started in his place. |
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| Jabar Gaffney has been working out with the Patriots first team offense and appears to have clearly overtaken Chad Jackson as the teams third wide receiver, according to the Boston Globe. |
Our View: This season is already being called a make or break time for Jackson who has been unable to show his skill set due to injury. With the Patriots massive efforts in the passing game, every spot on the depth chart is vital for receivers. |
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| Victor Hobson is struggling to pick up the Patriots' defense, namely as he attempts a transition from the outside (with the Jets) to the inside, according to the Boston Herald. |
Our View: Hobson is being pushed hard by rookie Jerod Mayo for the starting gig at inside linebacker next to Tedy Bruschi. |
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| Jerod Mayo is learning the Patriots' defense very quickly, and appears as if he can step in right away and make an impact as a starter on the inside next to Tedy Bruschi, according to the Boston Herald. |
Our View: Mayo is worth keeping tabs on, as he could prove to be a strong IDP sleeper if he nails down a starting job, which is rare for rookies under coach Bill Belichick. |
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| Junior Seau would only come back to the NFL to play for the Patriots, according to the Providence Journal. "Going in and playing for another team besides the Pats, it would be a waste of my time and a waste of theirs," Seau said. |
Our View: Seau is recovering from a rotator cuff injury, and he'll likely only be needed by New England if they suffer an injury. |
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| Stephen Gostkowski was sharp in Thursday's preseason opener against Baltimore as he went 3-for-3 on field goals, at distances of 36, 44, and 40 yards, according to the Boston Globe. |
Our View: Gostkowski should remain a top-5 fantasy kicker in 2008. |
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| Pierre Woods made a solid impact in Thursday's preseason outing against the Ravens, according to the Boston Globe. He saw significant action in the game, and generated a sack (on rookie Joe Flacco), and forced a fumble with a recovery. He said, "I just rushed up the field hard, and the ball was right there so I stripped it, and luckily I recovered it." He started opposite Adalius Thomas in the contest.
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Our View: Woods should have no problem making the team, but his fantasy value will be limited while projected to back up Mike Vrabel. |
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| The New England Patriots have signed cornerback Jeff Shoate , formerly with the Denver Broncos, in response to losing safety Tank Williams, placed on the the team's injured reserve list today, according to the Associated Press. |
Our View: Denver selected Shoate in the fifth round of the 2004 NFL Draft and released him Dec. 4, 2007. He was signed to the Baltimore Ravens practice squad eight days later and he ultimately joined the New York Giants practice squad during last season's playoffs. |
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| The season is over for Patriots safety Tank Williams, who has been placed on injured reserve after suffering a knee injury in their preseason game, according to the Providence Journal. |
Our View: Williams was fighting for playing time, but he was potentially a quality backup. |
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| Richard Seymour is as healthy as he has been in a long time, and he has been performing extremely well for New England, according to Sporting News Today. |
Our View: Seymour playing at a high level will please fantasy owners who have the New England defense on their squads. He brings the potential to not only put up sack totals himself, but to clear the way for others to get sacks by engulfing offensive lineman. |
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| Chad Jackson failed to impress in his bid for the number three role at receiver with the Patriots, as he only caught one pass for zero yards in Thursday's preseason game against Baltimore, according to the Boston Globe. He looked rusty, dropped a pass he should have hauled in, then was involved in a public dispute with Matt Cassel after the quarterback's pass was intercepted by Fabian Washington in the first quarter. On the play, Jackson kept going while Cassel was trying to throw the ball to his back shoulder on a stop fade. Jackson also gave up on a crossing route in the second quarter.
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Our View: Jackson was not available for comment after the game. He looked solid in training camp, and has reportedly been making strides, but has taken a step backwards following his dismal performance in the preseason opener. |
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| Running back LaMont Jordan carried the ball 19 times, gaining 76 yards while scoring a touchdown for New England in their preseason contest against Baltimore. |
Our View: He had the most carries on the team by far, and really took advantage of them. He won't displace Laurence Maroney, but he could sneak some of his carries away from him. |
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| Patriots safety Tank Williams suffered from a knee injury during tonight's game, reports the Providence Journal. He was taken out and will not return. |
Our View: No word on how long Williams will be out or what the nature of the injury is. |
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| Wide receiver and kick receiver Sam Aiken left tonight's game with an injury and will not return, according to the Providence Journal. |
Our View: Aiken was trying to make the team as a backup wide receiver and held little fantasy value. |
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| Matt Cassel is battling Matt Gutierrez for the number two role at quarterback, according to the Boston Globe.
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Our View: They will compete in preseason action tonight, when New England hosts Baltimore. Neither QB will hold any fantasy value as long as Tom Brady remains intact. |
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| Wide receiver Wes Welker opened training camp on the PUP list due to a groin injury, the Providence Journal reports. He was taken off the list over the weekend, but previous sources failed to reveal the ailment |
Our View: ProJo writer Robert Lee might be fined for this work. Doesn't he know that Bill Belichick's rule is that the local papers don't ask about and don't reveal injuries? |
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| The New England Patriots removed linebacker Mike Vrabel from the PUP list Tuesday, according to PA Sports Ticker. |
Our View: Vrabel, who has been on the PUP list since July 24, participated in the Patriots’ practice Tuesday afternoon at Gillette Stadium. |
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| The New England Patriots signed guard John Welbourn, according to the Providence Journal. |
Our View: Welbourn is 32 years of age, but he started every game for the Kansas City Chiefs last year. He will likely be a backup behind starting guards Stephen Neal and Logan Mankins. |
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| Sam Aiken is aiming for the fourth or fifth roster spot at wide receiver, according to the Boston Globe. |
Our View: He isn't going to make much of an impact if he nails down one of the aforementioned spots at receiver, while fighting for Tom Brady's attention behind Randy Moss, Wes Welker, and Chad Jackson. He would hold most of his value on special teams. |
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| Tom Brady appeared to injure his calf on a play at practice though he doesn't appear to have been seriously injured, according to the Boston Herald. |
Our View: Brady limped around for a while, but eventually returned to the field after being looked at by trainers. He ran with the club at the end of practice, and therefore appears to be fine. We can see it now - Brady will be listed on the team's injury report all year with both a bad shoulder and bad calf. |
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| Jerod Mayo has continued to defy the odds as the rookie continues to work out with the Patriots first team on defense, according to the Boston Herald. |
Our View: Rookies generally don't start at LB in the Patriots system, but given the high hopes they have for him, not to mention his production, Mayo seems to be changing a few minds in Boston. |
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| Former NFL player Tebucky Jones , a first-round pick of the Patriots in 1998, has been arrested in Connecticut on a variety of charges, according to TheDay.com. The former New England Patriots player and Connecticut native was arrested early Friday morning at Mohegan Sun after he allegedly sexually assaulted a woman and got in a fight with two other men. |
Our View: Tebucky Jones, 33, of Farmington, was charged with breach of peace, third-degree assault and fourth-degree sexual assault, according to state police. The former safety, who was a part of the Patriots' 2001 Super Bowl win, allegedly made inappropriate contact with a woman in the casino's hotel lobby about 1 a.m. Friday, according to a police report. The woman's boyfriend, Nikolaos Papathanasiou, 24, of Quaker Hill, and Jones then started yelling at each other before the fight, police said. Jones spent five years with the Pats. He was traded to the Saints in 2003 while wearing the franchise tag. After two seasons with the Saints, he played for the Dolphins in 2005, and re-signed with the Pats in April 2006. After spending the entire season on injured reserve, Jones was cut in April 2007. |
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| The Patriots have signed veteran offensive lineman Barry Stokes, according to the AP. Terms of the deal were not disclosed. |
Our View: The 34-year-old provides the versatility to play either guard or tackle, and has made 44 career starts. He replaces Anthony Clement, who the club placed on the IR due to a knee injury. |
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| Offensive tackle Anthony Clement's season is over after the New England Patriots placed him on IR with an injured knee, according to Patriots.com. |
Our View: Clement was a solid backup who had been a starter for the Jets each of the last two seasons, so the team will miss him as depth. |
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| Patriots wide receiver Wes Welker was taken off the phycially-unable-to-perform list today, according to the Providence Journal. |
Our View: Welker is being counted on to be a big part of fantasy teams, so his return is welcome news. |
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| Patriots safety Rodney Harrison, in one of the more amusing diatribes of anybody's training camp, maintained he was not a dirty player, and invoked the name of Jesus Christ in his defense, according to ESPN.com. He ripped people who called him dirty by saying, "They're ignorant. They don't know me. ... It's unfortunate that you have stigma like that, but what can you say? They crucified Jesus Christ, too. So -- and I'm not comparing myself to him -- but people are going to say things. They're going to slander you." |
Our View: Ah yes, the "I'm Not Comparing Myself to Jesus Even Though I Am" argument. A classic. Somebody should ask Trent Green's right knee if it thinks Harrison lays cheap shots. |
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| Patriots head coach Bill Belichick continues to throw praise the way of wide receiver Jabar Gaffney, who will likely man the third receiver position this year, according to the Boston Herald. “He is a guy that picks up things quickly. Quarterbacks have a lot of confidence in him. He has been a very dependable player for us,” Belichick said |
Our View: Gaffney should be more of a factor than he was last season, when he was the fourth option but still caught 36 passes and five touchdowns. He certainly has the opportunity to help a fantasy team should he maintain his standing as the number three wide out. |
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