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Patriots To Sign Tight End Alge Crumpler
3/19/2010 7:28:54 PM
Following the departure of tight ends Ben Watson and Chris Baker, the New England Patriots have agreed to terms with free agent tight end Alge Crumpler. Crumpler at 32-years-old is no longer in his prime as a pass catcher, but his ability to block and be leader in the locker room should help the Pats. Spending seven season playing for the Atlanta Falcons, Crumpler caught 65 receptions in 2005. In 2008, the former North Carolina Tar Heel signed with the Tennessee Titans for two seasons, being used mostly as a secondary tight end. The Pats will need to find another tight end to share time with Crumpler either through free agency or in this year's draft. The tight end position hasn't been a key pass-catching part of the Patriots' offense in recent years with Ben Watson only catching 29 balls in 2009.
Logan Mankins Tendered by Patriots
3/4/2010 3:27:48 PM
Patriots fans have a much better chance of seeing two-time Pro Bowl guard Logan Mankins in New England next season. New England brass put a tender offer on Mankins, a restricted free agent, for $3.3 million dollars making it difficult for any other NFL team to sign him. Any suitors would have to give up a lot for the six year pro. Mankins has a lot of years left in him and has been arguably the Patriots best lineman the past few years. The Fresno State product was drafted in the first round by New England in 2005. Mankins has started in 16 games every season he's been a pro and any team would be glad to have him. Cosidering all the punishment NFL lineman take in the trenches week in and week out it's amazing how durable and consistent Mankins has been in New England. The Patriots should be doing everything they can to keep this guy in Foxborough.
The Wes Welker Blues
2/26/2010 3:39:35 PM
The Patriots are resigned to the fact that they will be without wide out Wes Welker when they enter the 2010 NFL season. Welker suffered a season ending knee injury and might not be available until next Thanksgiving. New England signed former-Patriots receiver David Patten this week, but the 35-year-old was out of football in 2009 and might not even make the team next year. The Patriots' loss to the Baltimore Ravens in the playoffs last season showed how important Welker is to the offense. In the past three seasons in New England, Welker has caught more than 110 receptions, racked up more than 1100 receiving yards, and been a big leader in the locker room. Tom Brady uses Welker almost as a running game, moving the chains with short pass attacks to the 5′9 receiver out of Texas Tech. Expect the Patriots to draft a receiver with one of their early picks to give Brady more options next season without on of his favorite targets in the lineup for a good chunk of the year.
Patriots Name Corwin Brown Defensive Backs Coach
1/29/2010 12:10:03 PM
The New England Patriots have dipped into former Patriots offensive coordinator Charlie Weis's newly unemployed Notre Dame staff and hired Corwin Brown to coach the defensive backs. Bill Belichik coached Michigan product Corwin from 1993-1996 when the Pats head coach was the defensive back coach in New England. Corwin went on to play for the New York Jets and Detroit Lions in what was a eight year NFL career. Corwin was Weis' defensive coordinator on the dismal Fightin' Irish team that went 6-6 in 2009, but has NFL coaching experience as he was the secondary coach for the New York Jets from 2004-2006. The Patriots are getting an experienced coach who's played the position in the NFL. The Pats could be much worse off. The Patriots gave up the fifth fewest points during the regular season in 2009, but were unhappy with their early playoff exit where the Baltimore Ravens put up 33 points in Gillette Stadium. Josh Boyer coached the defensive backs in 2009 and it has yet to be decided if he will have role with the Patriots next season.
Tom Brady Declines Pro Bowl Offer
1/25/2010 12:28:59 PM
You can add Tom Brady to a widening list of NFL stars pulling out of next week's Pro Bowl taking place in Miami a week before the Super Bowl. Brady played the final games of the season with rib and finger injuries and decided that playing in the Pro Bowl might put his health at risk. The five-time Pro Bowler is the second AFC quarterback to bow out of the game as Steelers' star Ben Roethlisberger announced he would not play after he was selected. Matt Schaub of the Houston Texans will replace Brady who has now turned down two Pro Bowl invitations as he also declined to play in the 2006 Pro Bowl.
Brady had a solid year in 2009 after missing the 2008 season with a serious knee injury he suffered in the first game of the year. Throwing for 4,770 yards, Brady battled through injury helping the Patriots to another AFC East division title earning the 2009 NFL Comeback Player of the Year award in the process. The 32-year-old did not play well in the Pats' 33-14 loss to Baltimore Ravens throwing three inteceptions. With the injury problems Brady has had in recent years risking further injury in the Pro Bowl was probably not the best idea. Hopefully, #12 will heal up from the season quick and come into next season 100%.
Brady P