NFL.com ranks Joe Thuney as the 21st-best rookie this season

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That Patriots offensive coordinator Josh McDaniels is the top candidate to fill upcoming head coaching jobs this offseason, though New England defensive coordinator Matt Patricia is also pretty high on the list. nfl.com ranks Joe Thuney as the 21st-best rookie this season.

No doubt one of the rookie players who is leaving their mark long before the thought is OL Joe Thuney.
The young player coming from North Carolina State has been able to fill one of the available slots within the offensive line after the injuries and absences of several of his most experienced members. Thuney has had such a resounding turnout that many point to being the starter in the left guard position.

On the offensive line this year, though, there might be an opportunity for third-round draft choice Joe Thuney. Thus far, after six training camp practices, he’s made the most of his chances. During team periods, the N.C. State product has been lining up regularly at left guard between left tackle Nate Solder and center David Andrews. He’s also acquitted himself nicely during the daily 1-on-1 pass rush drill against nearly every defensive lineman he’s faced.

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This, therefore, should explain to many who were left scratching their heads why New England made Joe Thuney (pronounced TOON-ey) its second overall choice in this year’s draft. His name wasn’t one with whom many casual and even some passionate draft observers were very familiar. No sooner, though, was his name called than the debate began raging over where the versatile offensive lineman would compete for his new team.

So, while many Patriots fans may not have recognized the name Joe Thuney jersey when it was first announced, Uremovich believes they’ll come to know and respect it sooner rather than later. Nike Patriots #54 Dont'a Hightower Navy Blue Team Color Men's Stitched NFL Limited Tank Top Suit Jersey

“The thing he’s best at is what you see on film: he’s physical, a very good run-blocker, especially in the zone game. He’s athletic, and he’s held up well in pass protection. He’s going to make his name by all of the stuff he does before the game – film study, repetition, technique work, so he can play well on Sundays.”

In the selection of Texas defensive tackle Malcom Brown with the 32nd pick of the first round of the 2015 NFL Draft the Patriots checked off one of the team’s top needs.
After a spring that saw the Super Bowl champs lose Vince Wilfork via free agency, Bill Belichick tabbed a guy who in many ways is a younger version of the former Patriots captain and defensive mainstay. Brown is a 320-pound mountain of a man with unique though not unprecedented athleticism for his size.

The pick of Texas defensive tackle Malcom Brown fills a major need in New England and came after a flurry of erroneous reports that the Patriots might be trading out of the first round. Or even up in the first round. Read
In reality Bill Belichick stayed where he was at No. 32 and grabbed the big, athletic, mature defensive tackle who’ll have a shot to replace Vince Wilfork on the defensive front.

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The Patriots spent Tuesday morning painting, planting and playing as part of the annual Hometown Huddle, the NFL’s day of community service. Matthew Slater, Jabaal Sheard and Jordan Richards teamed up with United Way Massachusetts Bay and Merrimack Valley and paid a visit to Sarah Greenwood School in Dorchester, Mass., on Oct. 18.

Though it was a day off for the Patriots, Matthew, Jabaal, Jordan, Pat Patriot and cheerleaders were hard at work to better the play area of Sarah Greenwood School. Jabaal removed weeds and helped to beautify the landscape with fresh flowers and shrubs. Matthew sanded down and painted benches, which will be used to create an outdoor classroom space. Jordan ran relay races and tossed footballs with students in a Play 60 event.

Neither player was able to garner the eight votes necessary for induction, however, so each was among the nine nominations put forth by the committee.
We are not permitted to disclose the details of the conversations that take place but we are able to reveal the three individuals we choose as finalists.

The Patriots have been known to take some unconventional routes at times in the draft and this year could very well present a couple of opportunities to do so again. In the past the Patriots have rolled the dice on injured players, understanding that they wouldn’t likely be available in the first year but recognizing the potential value of getting a first-round talent much later due to the injury.

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Devin Street, 26, is a veteran of three NFL seasons

The New England Patriots announced today that they have claimed WR Devin Street off waivers from Indianapolis.

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Street, 26, is a veteran of three NFL seasons. The 6-foot-3, 200-pounder, was drafted by Dallas in the fifth round (146th overall) of the 2014 NFL Draft out of Pittsburgh. He was released by Dallas on Sept. 3, 2016. Street joined the New England practice squad on Sept. 5, 2016, and was signed by Indianapolis to the 53-man roster off the Patriots practice squad on Sept. 21, 2016. Street appeared in five games for the Colts last season and caught one pass for 20 yards. He was released by the Colts on May 1, 2017. In three NFL seasons, Street played in 36 games with two starts and caught 10 passes for 152 yards with one touchdown. He also appeared in two postseason contests for Dallas in 2014 and did not accrue any statistics.

Exactly right, Stan. No sooner does the draft end than coaches and GMs are busy dialing up rookies who weren’t selected in hopes of luring them to their teams as “priority free agents,” as they’re widely known in the business. Generally, those calls and agreed-to signings are completed over the next day or so, but the Patriots usually wait to announce their list until the entire rookie class arrives at the end of the following week.

The past few days, players were given time off to deal with what can be an onslaught of requests from family and friends to arrange for tickets and accommodations for the Super Bowl. March Madness can bring out school pride in its purest forms, and with your Patriots alma maters well represented in the initial bracket, players were of course cheering on their teams. Tuesday afternoon both ends of that passion were on full display as more than 1 million fans lined the streets of Boston to celebrate the Patriots fifth Super Bowl victory with the emotional players and coaches.

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A team that has won as often as the Patriots have won, especially over the past 25 years, has done something right. Or perhaps, they’ve been privileged to have hired and brought in personnel that have done things right. And it had to start somewhere.
It’s one thing to note a great career. It’s another thing entirely to show someone who, if it weren’t for their presence to begin with, is responsible for the resurrection of a moribund organization that could only once dream of dominance. And in turn, someone who is indirectly responsible for the many great players and coaches to follow his initial influence on the team so many years ago. Nike Patriots #11 Drew Bledsoe Navy Blue Super Bowl LI 51 Men's Stitched NFL Limited Rush Jersey

How else can you explain the smallest draft-haul in franchise history over the past weekend, with a grand total of four ex-collegians ready to join the ranks of a defending Super Bowl champion? That is, if they even make the final squad.
How else can anyone explain why the New England Patriots jersey cheap had a mere 50-70 college players on their draft board they seriously considered before the draft started? Or, that the Patriots didn’t seem too bothered by the relatively paltry total of six selections to make (which they didn’t) in the entire 7-round draft?

Hence that awkward, anticipatory feeling of “hurry up and wait” that has descended like an isolated storm shower hovering over Gillette Stadium. It’s football purgatory; a bottomless pit of anticipation, hope and desire, waiting for the ground to settle below us so the climb to the top can begin. LeShun Daniels Jr. – Warren G. Harding Senior Highlights Running Back.

Put aside, if you can, Peterson’s suspension from the league for 15 games in 2014 due to child abuse allegations. Not that anyone should ever put anything aside like this, but for the moment simply consider only the football side of this equation.

I’m all for athletes going after what the market will bear when the time is right – after all, the sobering news from former 49er star tight end Dwight Clark this weekend (he announced he has ALS, potentially caused by playing football) simply reinforces the brutal nature of the sport and the potential after-effects of its punishment to the human body.

I have a fairly strong hunch – no real facts to base this hunch off of, but a simple thought based on their personalities – that Jay Cutler is going to start out as a better TV game analyst than Tony Romo.

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The Patriots announced today that they have released TE Michael Williams

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The New England Patriots announced that they acquired TE Dwayne Allen in a trade with the Indianapolis Colts in exchange for an undisclosed draft selection.

Allen, 27, originally entered the NFL as a third-round draft pick (64th overall) out of Clemson by Indianapolis in the 2012 NFL Draft. The 6-foot-3, 265-pounder, has appeared in 57 regular-season games with 56 starts and registered 126 receptions for 1,451 yards and 19 touchdowns. In two playoff seasons with the Colts, he has played in four postseason contests and caught 15 passes for 141 yards and one touchdown. As a rookie in 2012, Allen led all rookie tight ends in receptions (45) and receiving yards (521). In 2016, Allen started in all 14 games that he played and posted 35 receptions for 406 yards and six touchdowns.

The Patriots appear to have gotten a jump on free agency by agreeing to a trade with the Indianapolis Colts. According to NFL Network, the Patriots will acquire Colts tight end Dwayne Allen jersey, although the tweet from Ian Rapoport did not include the compensation, ESPN’s Field Yates indicated it may be a late-round pick.

He’s only in town briefly, then plans to return to the Carolinas to resume his offseason training, but before that, Dwayne Allen became the first new voice on the Patriots roster to describe what it was like to learn that he’d joined the reigning Super Bowl champions. Allen, for whom New England traded with Indianapolis this week, gave 10 minutes of his time in Foxborough to field questions from reporters on a midday conference call Friday.

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TE Dwayne Allen is one of the newest Patriots, having come over from Indy in a recent trade. A WEEI.com column examines how Allen might be utilized this season in New England.

For a team that may be as close to a Final 53 as any team in the NFL at this early stage of the off-season, it’s difficult to think about what younger players might stick to this roster, let alone contribute right away in some fashion. But if you read the tea-leaves beforehand, there are some hints out there. Mind you, nothing is ever set in stone prior to training camp. There is always room for the unexplained, unanticipated performance that can turn a few heads.

Hollister also has a twin brother, Cody, who signed and played tight end at Arkansas. If either Hollister shows enough blocking skill to go along with good receiving ability you might find a winner, considering the injury problems the team has had at this position recently. Nike Patriots #33 Dion Lewis White Super Bowl LI 51 Women's Stitched NFL New Elite Jersey

According to CBS Sports’ projections, Jacob Holliser was slated to be drafted either in the seventh round or be signed as an undrafted free agent, while Cody was also looking at signing after the draft as the most likely option.

During his senior season at Wyoming, Jacob Hollister caught 32 balls for 515 yards and seven touchdowns. For the Razorbacks last season, Cody Holliser caught just 10 passes for 140 yards.

It won’t be easy for either of the two brothers to make it on to the opening 53-man roster as the Patriots already have a pretty crowded bunch at both the tight end and wide receiver positions.

We’re making an exception for the Hollister twins, however, both of whom signed with the Patriots shortly after the 2017 NFL Draft concluded Saturday afternoon. That’s right: New England’s 90-man roster this offseason will feature twin brothers Jacob and Cody Hollister. The former is a tight end out of Wyoming, and the latter played wide receiver at Arkansas.

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The New England Patriots announced today that they have released TE Michael Williams.
Williams, 26, spent the 2016 season on Injured Reserve. The 6-foot-6, 304-pound tight end originally entered the NFL as a seventh-round draft pick (211th overall) by Detroit out of Alabama in 2013. He spent his rookie season on Injured Reserve and the 2014 season on the Lions practice squad. Williams was acquired by New England from Detroit in a trade on Aug. 26, 2015, appearing in 15 regular-season games with nine starts that season. He also recorded three receptions for 26 yards. Williams also played in two playoff games with one start.

The New England Patriots announced today that they have acquired T Michael Williams in a trade with the Detroit Lions in exchange for an undisclosed future draft pick.

Williams, 25, was acquired by the Patriots from Detroit in a trade for an undisclosed draft pick on Aug. 26, 2015. The 6-foot-6, 304-pounder, originally entered the NFL as a seventh round draft pick (211th overall) by Detroit in the 2013 NFL Draft out of Alabama. After spending his rookie season on injured reserve, Williams spent the 2014 season on the Detroit practice squad while converting from tight end to offensive tackle.

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LeGarrette Blount turned in his best performance of the season

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The Patriots have always been willing to do business in unconventional fashion and earlier this week they did just that with LeGarrette Blount. Various reports indicated the team invoked a rarely-used unrestricted free agent tender just ahead of the deadline to do so on May 9, giving the Patriots at least some rights to Blount in the coming months.

With the NFL Draft just two-and-a-half weeks away, much of the Patriots news today is draft-centric. However, we’ll begin with some veteran news. First, LeGarrette Blount.

Patriots RB LeGarrette Blount has been named AFC Offensive Player of the Month for September by the National Football League. It is the first time in his career that he has earned an Offensive Player of the Month Award, and it is the first for the Patriots since QB Tom Brady and K Stephen Gostkowski earned Player of the Month Awards for September in 2015.

Blount leads the NFL with 298 rushing yards and 99.3 yards per game and is tied for the NFL-lead with four rushing touchdowns. Blount rushed for back-to-back 100 yards games and has scored at least one rushing touchdown in all three games so far in 2016. He gained 105 yards rushing against Houston, a week after gaining 123 yards vs. Miami. It was his 12th NFL 100-yard rushing game in the regular season. He has now rushed for over 100 yards in back-to-back games three times in his career.

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For most of the game this matchup was a lot more of the same: very little push from the offensive line and even less push from running back LeGarrette Blount. Through three quarters Blount had just 54 yards on 18 carries for a pathetic 3-yard average, and that included a 12-yard run on his first attempt. Nike Patriots #29 LeGarrette Blount Navy Blue Team Color Youth Stitched NFL New Elite Jersey

He was slow to the hole and often got stacked up at the line by Ndamukong Suh and friends. But in the fourth quarter and the Patriots suddenly trying to protect a 7-point lead with rookie backup Jacoby Brissett in the game, Blount sealed it. He carried 11 times for 69 yards in the final quarter, often sweeping to the left behind Nate Solder for big chunks. His 26-yard scamper included a hurdle over cornerback Byron Maxwell, and his work on the final possession brought the Patriots within field goal range. Blount finished with 123 yards on 29 carries (4.2-yard average) but his production was even more impressive considering the circumstances in which he accounted for most of it.

Two other players worth mentioning – and watching – in the coming weeks and months: wide receiver Austin Carr out of Northwestern, and tight end Jacob Hollister from Wyoming. Not that others won’t have equal chances to make it. They will.

The Panthers are the first defending NFC champion to not make the postseason since, ironically enough, the 2013 Falcons missed out at 4-12 after being a lofty No. 1 seed in 2012. While Carolina (6-9) is left to lick its wounds from a wildly underachieving season, the Falcons have reason to celebrate, improving to 10-5 and clinching the franchise’s first playoff berth since that 13-3 season of 2012.

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And the turnaround all started that day at Bank of America Stadium, when the Falcons were humiliated by a Panthers club that seemed poised to become the new powerhouse of the NFC. Turns out their reign was brief.

Traylor, 23, originally entered the NFL as a rookie free agent with the Dallas Cowboys on May 17, 2016 out of Wisconsin. The 6-foot-3, 255-pounder, was released by Dallas at the end of training camp and spent time on the practice squads of both Dallas and San Diego in 2016. He was released from San Diego’s practice squad on Oct. 4, 2016. Traylor played in 38 games with 18 starts and caught 17 passes for 234 yards and four touchdowns during his college career.

Backman, 23, was originally drafted by the Green Bay Packers in the sixth round (213th overall) of the 2015 NFL Draft. Last season, he played in seven games as a reserve and did not accrue any statistics. Backman began the year with the Packers and was released prior to the start of the regular season.

The running game has been rather dormant in recent weeks but not so in Pittsburgh on Sunday. LeGarrette Blount jersey authentic turned in his best performance of the season and it came during a game in which the passing game wasn’t clicking on all cylinders. Blount finished with 24 carries for 127 yards and two touchdowns, and that production was not the result of one or two big runs. Instead Blount consistently churned out efficient runs, picking up 4 yards or more on 15 of his attempts. His long carry resulted in a 25-yard pick up on a third quarter touchdown drive. When the offense seemed to be stagnating during the second and third quarters, it was Blount who jumpstarted things with back-to-back runs that resulted in first downs and soon the Patriots were back on the scoreboard.

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