The Patriots will work out veteran safety Darren Sharper on Monday, ESPN's Adam Schefter confirmed Sunday night. 

The 35-year old Sharper is a five-time Pro Bowl selection who has split his 14-year career between the Packers, Vikings, and Saints. Limited by a knee injury last season, Sharper played in eight games for the Saints, recording 16 tackles. 

The Patriots also will work out safety Renaldo Hill, the Sports Xchange reports. (Sports Xchange had first reported the Sharper visit.) 

The Patriots have some familiarity with Hill, who played for the division rival Dolphins from 2006-2008. Last season, he started all 16 games for the Broncos, tallying 63 tackles and two interceptions. 

Following the release of Brandon McGowan and Ross Ventrone last week, and with veteran James Sanders missing the last several practices, the Patriots are somewhat thin at safety. Brandon Meriweather, Patrick Chung, and Sanders top the depth chart, with special teams-focused players Sergio Brown and Bret Lockett also in the mix.

link

I can't help but think that if Sharper were on anything but his last legs he would have found a team by now. It's interesting that we brought him in though. Safety is one of our last positions where we could use more depth. If Sharper has anything left in the tank, he could solidify one of the few remaining weak point in this patriots team.

Sharper was considering retirement earlier this offseason.

The needs are as follows:

1. Safety

2. Right Guard

..... It's good to be a Patriots fan.

The Patriots will also work out WR TJ Houshmandzadeh tomorrow. Not sure how I feel about this though. It can only mean bad things about the health of our WR's.

The Patriots are scheduled to host free-agent wide receiver T.J. Houshmandzadeh for a workout tomorrow, a source confirms. 

The 33-year-old Houshmandzadeh was a former teammate of Chad Ochocinco with the Bengals. He played for the Bengals from 2001-2008, was with the Seahawks in 2009, and the Ravens last season. 

At 6-foot-2, 203 pounds, he has totaled 616 career receptions for 7,091 yards and 43 touchdowns. His 30 catches last year were his lowest total since his rookie season (not including his injury-shortened 2003 campaign). 

link

The patriots have 88 men on their training camp roster following the release of CB Thad Turner and OL Kyle Hix. The patriot's roster is full of young talent, more young talent than the team can fit on the roster. Three plus-sized drafts and a constant flow of undrafted free agents are to thank for that. So it's especially important this year to maximize each roster spot with players who can contribute in more than one area. Here are a few ways we can do just that.

1. Rob Nincovich -> Long Snapper: For most of last year Matt Katula was the teams long-snapper, but an injury at the beginning of camp has kept him sidelined. Nincovich has been taking the reps at long-snapper in his absence. The down side of doing this is Ninco wouldn't be able to put in the same sort of practice time with Mesko and Gostkowski that a full-time long-snapper could. But if it can be pulled off, Nincovich's versatility could open up an extra space on the roster for someone else.

2. Take Advantage of the Youth at Runningback: Entering last season the Patriots had easily one of the oldest running-back cores in all of football. This year, the opposite could be the case. Between Danny Woodhead, BJGE, Ridley and Vereen the average age at runningback would be 24. Any running-back is susceptible to injury, but more youth means more durability and if the Patriots can carry 4 running-backs instead of 5 it would benefit the rest of the roster.

3. PUP Kevin Faulk and Marcus Cannon: Neither player will be ready to play Week 1. This would give the patriots six weeks or more to tinker around with the roster spot vacated by Faulk and Cannon. This would also provide insurance for the 4 younger backs on the roster in case of injury.

4. Carry Four Safeties + Ras-I Dowling: With the departure of Jarrad Page the patriots are left with only 4 safeties clearly deserving of a roster spot (Merriweather, Chung, Sanders and Brown). However the patriots tend to carry five safeties. The next to in line for a roster spot would probably be Brandon Mcgowan and Josh Barrett. However, if neither of them are deemed worthy of a roster spot, Rookie CB Ras-I Dowling has the versatility to play just about anywhere in the secondary and might allow the patriots to only carry four true safeties with Dowling cycling between positions. Just a thought.

A lot of it is also going to come down to which of the young guys can, and can't make it to the Patriots practice squad. Sometimes it works out. Last year both Dane Fletcher and Sergio Brown spent time on the practice squad until eventually making it to the roster. But in other cases, like Ted Larsen last year, players don't make it through waiver and go on to have success elsewhere.

Here's my first attempt at a 53-man roster.

Continue reading this post »

This news is about a day old, but the site has been dead the last few days, so lets open this topic up to discussion:

link

Tommie Harris was one of the most disruptive defensive tackles in the NFL during his first five seasons with the Chicago Bears. Over the last two seasons, however, his production has dipped, forcing the Bears to move in another direction at the position. Rumors suggest the New England Patriots and Indianapolis Colts are looking to bring in Harris to filled a more limited role.

Ian Rapoport of the Boston Herald provided an update last night:

"BREAKING: The Patriots have flown in ex-Bears DT Tommie Harris and will be working him out tomorrow, a source close to Harris said."

As most football fans have come to understand, Bill Belichick usually gets what he wants. If Harris has an impressive showing at his workout this afternoon, it wouldn't be a surprise to see him sign a contract with the Patriots before the end of the day.

Harris is still pretty yong, 28, and made the pro-bowl 3 times in his 7 year stin with the Chicago Bears. Harris' best season was in 2007 when he racked up 8 sacks in 16 games with the bears and earned a lucrative contract extension the following off-season. Since then thogh, Harris has seen his production drop steadily.

The reasons behind the former all-pro lineman's struggles are a bit of a mystery. Some attribute it to a knee injury that has hampered Harris since 2007. But any time a player's output is so easily correlated to the signing of a massive, 40 million dollar contract. Effort comes into question.

Working out Harris is another indication that the patriots want to play more 4-3 then they have in the past. However, I wouldn't be surprised if a team like the colts (who have also brought in Harris), can offer him more money. Indianapolis can really use a big guy in the middle, and an offer him a shot at a starting job. Something that would be hard to come by on a patriots team that already boasts the likes of Vince Wilfork and Albert Haynesworth.

I think this is just Hoodie and company kicking the tires here, more than anything. If they patriots were really concerned about their depth at defensive tackle they would have hung on to Marcus Stroud. A player who's played his best years in a 4-3 defense.

The Patriots brought in Harris on August 1st, so if the signing is going to happen it will probably happen soon.

Update: Harris has signed with the Indianapolis Colts.

Friday, The Patriots shocked most of us and opted to select a runningback not once, but twice on Day Two. Shane Vereen (56th Overall) and Stevan Ridley (73rd Overall) are the 2nd and 3rd highest RB's Bill has ever drafted. Clearly, they thought they needed to get younger at running back.

Hopefully we can do more with these picks than just develop a solid committee. We want a group of backs that compliments each other perfectly, and that teams need to plan for every week. Like, lets say Dallas (Barber, Jones and Choice)

Frankly, with the high picks we used, we should be expecting great things.

I really don't know much about the two backs we drafted, Ridley was not even on my radar (he should have been, apparently he's had several visits with the Pats). I'm curious to see what we have in our unknown commodities. So lets take a quick look at what we have.

                                                                   Shane Vareen RB/California

40-Yard Dash: 4.50                                                                                        Height: 5'10"

Bench Press: 31 Reps                                                                                  Weight: 210 lbs

Vertical Leap: 34.0"                                                                                       Age: 22 yrs

2010 Stats:

      231 Carries | 1167 Yards | 5.1 Yards Per Carry | 13 Touchdowns

Notes:

• Shane Vereen average over 5 ypc in all three seasons at Cal.
• He also average 25 receptions per year.
• Vereen was stuck behind fellow stand-out Jahvid Best for his first two seasons, but really shined went Best went down with a concussion.
• Played on a Torn Meniscus during the 2009 season.
• Good Blocker

What's His Role?:

The Patriots need a half-back who could both block and catch the football. Woodhead and Green-Ellis were both one dimensional in that sense. When either were out there on passing downs, are hand was tipped slightly. Vereen will also be the more sound replacement to Kevin Faulk then Danny Woodhead. Vereen has the ability to work out of the slot and split out wide, again adding another dimension to this backfield. Vereen is also very strong for his size.

Vereen could also see some time in the return game.

Patriots Comparison: Kevin Faulk

                                                                        Stevan Ridley RB/LSU

40 Time: 4.66                                                                                                         Height: 5'11"

Bench Press: DNP                                                                                                Weight: 225 lbs

Vertical Leap: 36.0"                                                                                               Age: 22

2010 Stats:

         249 Attempts | 1147 Yards | 4.7 Yards Per Carry | 15 Touchdowns

Notes:

• Stevan Ridley didn't see much playing time at all until his Junior season (only 57 carries) and surprised many by entering the draft this year.
• I guess that decision worked out.
• Only had one touch for over 30 yards in his College Career.
• He was probably a reach at the beginning of the 3rd. So Bill sees something in him others don't.

What's His Role?:

He's been brought in to be a power back. He's got really good size, but isn't very illusive between the tackles, so he'll need to run over people. He's a very good blocker, he'll probably spend some time at full-back (Sammy Morris). To be honest, this is still a bit of a head scratch-er. He looks good in film, but his stats aren't that great. I'm very curious to see this guy in training camp (*knock on wood*)

Patriots Comparison: Sammy Morris

Continue reading this post »

I'm not going to post a lot of opinion here. Bowers was the top pass rusher through February and most of March. But his knee injury is a major issue. One NFL source referred to his knee as a "ticking time bomb" and that he could be a one contract type player for the team that drafts him.

There's no bigger boom/bust player in this draft, and he might not even be a great fit for our defense.

ESPN's Blog Network mock draft has him falling to us at 17, and selecting him there. Justifying the pick by relating it to other Belicheck picks. (Brandon Tate, Shaun Crable, ect.) I'm not sure I buy it.

This is just a post to discuss the topic, and report any news you might have on Bower's knee injury.

I just wrapped up my fourth pick in the two-round mock draft that took place over at our rivals blog, Gang Green Nation. There were no trades in the mock, but outside of one troll (picking Julius Thomas at 15) it was a very solid mock they made over there.

Here were my picks:

17th: Aldon Smith OLB/Missouri

28th: J.J. Watt DE/Wisconsin

33rd: Ben Ijalana OG-T/Villanova

60th: Davon House CB/New Mexico State

Definitely didn't expect to see Watt again at 28, after i passed over both him and Cameron Jordan at 17 in favor of the more dynamic Aldon Smith. But he fell to me at 28. I had to make the decision at that point between Watt, Wilkerson and Mike Pouncey. I decided not to let Watt fall to to Jets at 30, and snatched him up for his value. In retrospect, Wilkerson may have been the better selection, and the better fit, but I'm happy with Watt.

Biggest Regret: In retrospect I would have selected Danny Watkins over Ben Ijalana at 33. I over thought the pick a tad. Drafting Ijalana for his versatility, which would allow me to draft the best tackle OR guard at 60 if one was available. But there weren't any, and I opted for House at 60.

  With my final of four picks in the GGN Mock Draft, I decided to shore up the cornerback position for the Patriots. House fits the bill (pun intended) of a Belickeck drafted corner in that he has ton's of starting experience at New Mexico State. He's a big physical corner, who is best when he is pressing the receiver he's covering.

He might not be the best pick if we're looking for a nickleback behind Mccourty and Bodden. But I could see House becoming a very solid starter along side Mccourty after Bodden's time is up.

I sort of got the sense that the offensive lineman I'd like to take at this spot would be off the board (Watkins, Rackley and Hudson) which is why I chose Ijalana earlier for his versatility. I didn't love any of the o-line options at this point, so i went in another direction.

My Patriots mock has gone as follows:

17th Overall Selection: Aldon Smith OLB/Missouri

28th Overall Selection: J.J. Watt DE/Wisconsin

33rd Overall Selection: Ben Ijalana G-T/Villanova

60th Overall Selection: Davon House CB/New Mexico State

I'm going to go ahead and attach a poll so you can give me a draft grade. Thanks for letting me participate in your sites mock, and I look forward to the real thing next week.

I've sort of made a habit this past month or so. Whenever I have a spare piece of paper. To scribble down a quick patriots mock. I've probably done a hundred or so scenarios. It's a nervous habit, and it passes the time. But it's at least given me a pretty good grasp of what order to draft each position and where certain players just don't make sense.

One fact that is sort of tough to avoid is how, i'll use the word, uncertain the tackle position is. Outside of the top 20-25 picks. I'm now in full fledged support of drafting an offensive tackle at #17 (we'd probably be able to afford dropping down a few spots to the 19-20 range, and still have carimi, castonzo and solder available.)

I like the tackle prospects in that order.

1. Gabe Carimi

2. Anthony Castonzo

3. Nate Solder

Castonzo has the greater upside to Carimi. But I just feel more comfortable taking carimi, and sticking him in at right tackle, right away. He's a fairly sure thing there, and while he may never be able to protect TB's blind side, Sebastian Vollmer has played a good share of snaps on the left side.

If we're going to spend a top pick on a tackle. It's to afford the luxury of not paying Matt Light, and hopefully in turn afford to pay Logan Mankins. So a project like Tyron Smith and Nate Solder wouldn't be ideal.

17th Overall Selection: Gabe Carimi OT/Wisconsin

28th Overall Selection: Cameron Heyward DE/Ohio State

Certain posters (you know who you are) have swayed me and while Heyward may never rack up double digit sacks. He would be a natural fit at the Right End position, effectively replace Richard Seymour and i truly believe he'd be a good fit for the pats.

33rd Overall Selection: Danny Watkins OG/Baylor

A guard with a mean streak, whose a slight reach at this position. Sound familiar? The biggest hit on Watkins is his age. But he clearly will not be available at 60 and this is another situation where the patriots could trade back a few slots and get their guy in Watkins.

My vision for the O-line is as follows:

Sebastian Vollmer - | - Logan Mankins - | - Dan Koppen - | - Danny Watkins - | - Gabe Carimi

Watkins and Carimi are the two most NFL ready offensive lineman in the draft and this could be a bonus with a training camp that will almost certainly be shortened by a lock out.

60th Overall Selection: Allen Bailey OLB/Miami

There's been some shared interest between the Pats and Bailey. They've brought him in multiple times for a visit and I could see them jump up a few spots to grab Bailey somewhere in the middle of the second. Bailey would project as an *elephant*-type outside linebacker the patriots system, and has a Willie Mcginest-type frame. He's very raw, and a very big risk. But I want to see the patriots take a chance on Bailey.

74th Overall Selection: Quinton Carter S/Oklahoma

Rich Hill described him as a "smart player, who takes great angles" and while his hits are vicious, they aren't reckless. Brandon Merriweather with a brain, maybe? He might not have Merriweather's speed, he can make up for it by playing smart and buying into the patriots system.

He may be available at 74, though its far from likely. Jaiqauwn Jarrett seems to have gained some a lot of support around the web, but I think Carter is the better pick if available. Merriweather in my eyes, is a goner. There was a good chance he was gone before his (mysterious) off the field incident, and it's a good idea to plan for life after the first rounder.

90th Overall Selection: Edmund Gates WR/Abilene Christian

Bill tends to take project wide receiver's at the end of the third. (Brandon Tate and Taylor Price were both selected towards the end of the round) Gates is my favorite of the three I'd look at toward the end of the round.

Cecil Shorts III and Tandon Doss are also possibilities.

4th Round: Jacquizz Rogers RB/Oregon State

Redundant? Maybe. Rogers, has Woodhead-type size (his roughly an inch and a half shorter) and put up monster numbers at Oregon State. He doesn't bring much to the table that Woodhead doesn't. He'd be another body, another play-maker, who can catch passes out of the back field.

Danny Woodhead takes a beating every week, and Kevin Faulk might never play another down. Rogers could be the Edelman to DW's Welker.

I also like Alex Green RB/Hawaii.

5th Round: Brandon Fusco C/Slippery Rock

A solid project at center, who would hopefully develop behind Koppen. Don't know much about the late round center's, but i've seen his name a lot around here.

6th Round: Chykie Brown CB/Texas

Brown was brought in once for a work out with the Pats. The lesser of the three Texas cornerbacks, Brown would be nothing more then a project at corner, and maybe he could find a niche as a nickleback. Not a great tackler. But there aren't a lot of great options this late in the draft.

Well that's it. I can't wait for the draft, and I hope to come away from it satisfied. Because I've wasted too many hours obsessing.

I'm sure all of you know Julio Jone's name at this point. Jones, the 2nd rated Wide Receiver in this years draft is projected to go anywhere from #6 (Browns) to #14 (Rams) and would certainly be useful to the Patriots if we were in the position to draft him. However in order to get him, we'd have to trade up to that 6-14 range.

So when is he worth it, if at all? First lets take a look at which teams might draft Jones:

#6 - Browns

#10 - Redskins

#12 - Vikings

#14 - Rams

Now lets looks at what it would take to trade up to those positions. (via. Pick Value Chart ).

To get in front of the Browns:

#5th Overall Selection (1700 Points) = 17th Overall Selection (950 Points) + 28th Overall Selection (660 Points) + 92nd Overall Selection (132 Points)

 

Verdict: Totally not worth trading up to this spot, for any player. Let alone Jones.

To Leap-Frog the Redskins:

#9th Overall Selection (1350 Points) = 17th Overall Selection (950 Points) + 60th Overall Selection (300 Points) + 92nd Overall Selection (132 Points)

 

Verdict: Not worth it for Jones, quite yet. And I don't see another prospect falling to this spot who'd be worth it. (I.e. Patrick Peterson, Von Miller, A.J. Green)

For this next pick, I have us dealing directly with the Vikings. I think If we're going to trade up (from 17) at all It will either be to the Vikings at 12 or Miami at 15. Some rumor the vikings to be set on drafting a Quarterback, and ideally would trade back.

To Deal With The Vikings:

#12 Overall Selection (1200 Points) = 17th Overall Selection (950 Points) + 74th Overall Selection (220 Points)

 

Verdict: It starts to get interesting here. I noted in a previous post, Bill Belicheck has a very poor success rate in the 3rd Round. Ellis Hobbs and Nick Kaczur have had the most success of his 11 3rd-Rounders, with the more recent picks still pending. I wouldn't be against a move like this. As we could make the 3rd up easily by trading up later.

We would also have the option to deal with the Lions at 13, but the deal would be quite similar to that with the vikings.

The Patriots rarely trade up and rarely draft a skill position this high.  But I thought I'd make write this post to open up a discussion.

At what Point is Julio Jones worth It?

The Patriots pick again here at the beginning of the second round and as of said at nearly every pick to this point. This is a selection the Patriots will almost certainly trade out of. Belicheck is going to have an entire today to field offers for this pick, and with Jake Locker still available in the second, I could see a team being willing to overpay to trade up.

I've decided to go with Ben Ijalana OG/T - Villanova.

I'll make my case for the pick after the jump:

Continue reading this post »

                                                              
                                                         J.J. Watt - Defensive End - Wisconsin

In the real world, the Patriots trade out of this pick to a team looking to pounce on this top 15 talent whose taken an unexpected tumble. Watt is a fairly raw talent, with a high motor and a reputation of being a team leader. 

Here's why I chose him over others:

Continue reading this post »

Greetings, Gang Green Nation! Thanks for letting me take part in your sites mock draft.

The Patriots enter the draft with two major needs at Outside linebacker and Guard.

Our pass rushing woes have been well documented. And while our sack totals were marginally improved last year (up from 31 to 36) its still our most glaring weakness. Guys like Jermaine Cunningham, Mike Wright, Ty Warren and Tully Banta-Cain can all create pressure, but they can't reach the quarterback reliably at all. its something that gets brought up every draft cycle since the likes of Mike Vrabel, Willie McGinest and Richard Seymour have come and gone. Yet Belicheck and company seem ever resistant to draft pass rush high. This is the team that traded back twice with Clay Mathews still available.

The other need, guard, is a position that can be taken care of later. Stephen Neal is retiring, Logan Mankins is disgruntled and Dan Connolly's value has dropped dramatically due to the new kickoff rules:

Other positions the patriots will look to add to this april are: Offensive Tackle, Running Back, A Deep-Threat Wide Receiver, a project at Center and a Safety to make Brandon Merriweather expendable.

I don't want to drag this on too long. I'm sure there's a limit to how much jets fans want to here about patriots draft needs. But if your looking for a decent enough read, I made an in-depth post a few weeks ago on pats pulpit:

The Difference Between A Need and A "Need": An In-depth Look at the 2011 Draft

There are three pass rushers I think the patriots should target with the 17th Selection (at least ones who will realistically be there.) Aldon Smith, J.J. Watt and Cameron Jordan. All three are available at seventeen, much to my surprise and pleasure.

The title sort of gives it away. So without further ado, the newest Patriots draft pick you all will deem as monstrously overrated and a product of the patriots system. ;-D

Continue reading this post »

With the league frozen, and debate over the next collective bargaining agreement at an near standstill, us fans are turning towards this April's draft earlier and more incessantly than ever. In fact, I don't know about you guys, but it's starting to wear me down. There's only so much preparation you can do as a fan to get yourself ready for the big day, and with the combine yet to begin, and the NFL Draft still two months away, I'm already approaching my breaking point.

I'm writing this more for myself then for anyone who reads it and I want to attack my Patriots mock with as many facts as I can so I can more or less estimate which positions we may go to with each of our 6 selections in the first two days.

Continue reading this post »

Bob Sanders was cut by the Colts today. The oft-injured safety hasn't played a down since 2009 and has only seen the field 9 times in the last three seasons. No one, however, can deny his presence when he is healthy. The colts defense was dramatically better when he was playing. His body has let him down though since winning defensive player of the year in 2007.

Now I can't say i'm confident Sanders will turn his career around. But its certainly something for the patriots to look at. The patriots have been lacking a real presence at safety since Rodney Harrison retired. However, we still aren't lacking at the position. With both Brandon Merriweather and Patrick Chung having solid seasons, Sergio Brown showing promise, and James Sanders still on the payroll we seem pretty set.

At the end of the day, I don't think there's room for him on the roster, and Sander's would probably like to jump start his career in a place where he could start.

If we trade Brandon Merriweather, as some suggest we should, it would change the conversation a bit. That's a risky move to make though.

But i thought i'd pose the question to the citizens of PatsPulpit. Should the Patriots consider Bob Sanders?

Hey, this is my mock draft. Its sort of beating a dead horse at this point. But i was making one anyway, so why not share it. I made sure to write a little bit for each pick to back up my reasoning. Because really a mock draft without your thought process behind it is kind of useless. So here yeah go:

#1 - Carolina Panthers - Nick Fairley DT/ Auburn

Note: For me this is the pick. He fills the biggest need, has the biggest name going into the draft, and is still riding high with the momentum from the national championship win.

#2- Denver Broncos - Patrick Peterson CB/LSU

Note: With this pick, i thought in the mindset of, what direction do the Broncos want to go in the John Fox era. And with previous high draft picks already used up on defensive ends, ayers specifically. I don't see them going with Bowers. I think it comes down to Peterson and Green with this pick. And although the broncos do not currently have a clear cut number one receiver. They have depth there, and not a real need for green with this pick. Champ Bailey is a free agent this offseason, and his future will most likely still be uncertain going into the draft. Peterson's their guy.

#3- Buffalo Bills- Cam Newton QB/ Auburn

Note: Cam Newton's stock is rising people. and fast. His workout seems to have sent the right message. No quarterback in this draft has the size and high ceiling Newton has, and his skills may be more honed then thought initially. This just seems to be the direction Buffalo is heading as well. They've made reaches in each of the previous two drafts with Spiller and Maybin. I think the allure of an offense with such impact players as Newton, Spiller, Jackson and Stevie Johnson will atleast grab the attention of buffalo. Newton won't fall past Washington at 10.

#4- Cincinnati Bengals- AJ Green WR/ Georgia

Note: A.J. Green is the most talented player in this years draft. And really, i don't think i see him going any higher or any lower then number four with the bengals. Carson Palmer is unhappy, and chad johnson ochocinco johnson wants a trade. I think this is a really safe pick for cinci. Bowers is an option as well.

#5- Arizona Cardinals- Von Miller OLB/ Texas A&M

Note: Alright, so Von Miller's stock really jumped from his play at the senior bowl. I still think there's a possibility that his stock may sort of settle back down a little bit in the 6-10 range. But arizona needs a pass rushing linebacker, and von miller is that (only that, but he sure as heck is "that"). So he might be the pick for them at five.

#6- Cleveland Browns- Da-Quan Bowers DE/ Clemson

Note: Simple case of BPA. The browns need a lot of things. And if Green is here at six, their just going to take the best player available. If bowers is off the board, it will probably be dareus.

#7- San Francisco 49ers- Marcell Dareus DT/ Alabama

Note: A lot of people have Amukamara coming off the board here. I think that makes a lot of sense here too. I just think Dareus is a top 5 talent who has fallen out the top 5 due to Bowers and Fairley's presence. He's BPA here.

#8- Tennessee Titans- Blaine Gabbert QB/ Missouri

Note: The titans need a quarter back and i think they'll be eager to reap the rewards of cam newton's rising stock. Also i think Gabbert going in the top 5 is just plain silly. I think he's a good fit here at eight.

#9- Dallas Cowboys- Prince Amukamara CB/ Nebraska

Note: They really need an offensive lineman with this pick. But I don't think Jerry Jones will be willing to reach for a guy like Solder at this pick, especially with Jones' track record of never taking a o-lineman in the first round. Terrence Newman is getting old, and i think a name like Prince Amukamara would fit well in BIg D.

#10- Washington Redskins- Julio Jones WR/ Alabama

Note: Santana Moss is no longer a redskin, Donovan Mcnabb will likely be elsewhere as well and there's no quarterback worth taking with this pick. So whoever they bring in for to throw the ball is going to need someone to throw it too. Julio Jones will either go here or at 14 to the rams.

#11- Houston Texans- Cameron Jordan DE/ California

Note: Houston has been going defensive in the draft for years without a whole lot of payoff. I don't think that streak ends here. Jordan had a great senior bowl week, and is projecting in a lot of mocks to be a top ten pick, i think he slots in nicely here at eleven. The might go with Robert Quinn here as well, they do need outside linebacker depth, and Quinn can fill that role too, atleast more so than Jordan. But i don't know, call it a hunch.

#12- New England Patriots- Robert Quinn DE/ UNC (Via - Minnesota)

Note: A trade?!?! Alright, my mock just lost all its credibility, but hear me out. I even used that fancy point chart all the experts point to.

New England Trades: 17th Overall (950 Points), 74th Overall (220 Points)

Minnesota Trades: 12th Overall (1200 Points)

Just a 30 point difference that could easily be ironed out. Minnesota saves a bit of face by getting back the 3rd rounder they lost in the randy moss fiasco, and the patriots get their 3-4 pass rusher in Quinn. Sort of the dream scenario for me. Quinn has the size to play both DE and OLB for us, and he will really only be available here because he had to sit out the 2010 season suspended. Really a great pick here at 12.

#13- Detroit Lions- Jimmy Smith CB- Colorado

Note: Another guy whose name is rising. Some seem to think he may be the best corner back in the draft not named Patrick Peterson. I like him here with Detroit, as they keep on heading in the right direction. Another option would be Nate Solder with this pick.

#14- St. Louis Rams- Aldon Smith OLB/DE- Missouri

Note: The Ram's could really use a big force around the edge and Smith has the size and raw tools to be that for them. I really like Aldon Smith and wouldn't mind the Patriots taking him at 17 if they kept the pick. But they didn't, they traded it, because i said so, and that's totally going to happen... so shut up.

#15- Miami Dolphins- Mark Ingram RB/ Alabama

Note: This sort of seems to be the sexy pick right now when your mocking for the dolphins. Both ronnie brown and ricky williams are free agents this year, and i think even if they only bring one back back (heh) they'll need another guy. Brown is a health concern and williams is 33. Ingram is a safe pick here.

#16- Jacksonville Jaguars- Rahim Moore S/ UCLA

Note: So the jaguars are in need of a safety. They really don't have a starting safety at either position. And man did they shock the drafting world with their super reach of tyson alualu last year, and actually it kind of worked out, he had a solid rookie campaign. I see them reaching again here to a lesser extent. Drafting for need, and taking moore at sixteen.

#17- New York Giants- Akeem Ayers OLB/ UCLA (Via Minnesota, Via New England, Via Oakland)

Note: Another trade?!? alright maybe i'm losing you with this one. But both the chargers and the giants have a real need at outside linebacker, and i could easily see the giants leapfrogging them here and taking ayers with the seventeenth pick. I don't love ayers for the Patriots, not super explosive and doesn't have the size we need. But he seems to do everything pretty well, and the giants can't rely on 34 year old keith bulluck to carry the load at OLB.

#18- San Diego Chargers- Muhammad Wilkerson DE/ Temple

Note: I think the chargers go for a pass rusher hear. And I mean they'd really really like to take JJ Watt, but they just couldn't bring themselves to enable the constant "ehh, JJ Watt on the Chargers... ehh?" babble. So they passed on him for an equally promising prospect. I like Wilkerson a lot and so do a lot of mocker. His stock has been rising steadily for a bit, and he ends up landing here at eighteen with the chargers.

#19- Minnesota Vikings- Jake Locker QB/ Washington (Via New York Giants)

Note: Alright, I might be way off on Lockers stock, like wayyy off. i could see him dropping to towards the end of the second round. I really just don't know at this point. But the vikings really need a quarterback at this point. And atleast they can take solace in knowing they got a 3rd and 4th pick out of the reach here at nineteen. Oh and heres the information on the giants vikings trade.

Minnesota Trades: 17th overall pick (950)

New York Trades: 19th overall pick (875) #117th overall pick (60)

The vikes get their QB in locker here at 19.

#20- Tampa Bay Buccaneers- Adrian Clayborn DE/ Iowa

Note: They still need defensive line help to go along with last years top pick Gerald McCoy. Adrian Clayborn fits theirs system (I believe, i mean, aren't we all sort of talking out our asses at this point) and i think he settles in here at #20.

#21- Kansas City Chiefs- Nate Solder OT/ Colorado

Note: The Chiefs need another tackle, and Solder certainly is a bit of a steal at twenty-one. And now lets cue the run on offensive tackles that happens every dang year...

#22- Indianapolis Colts- Derek Sherrod OT/Miss State

Note: Peyton Manning is not a super hero god danggit. Get the man some help. They really need to go offensive with this pick, and without any clear skill player available i think Sherrod is a really good pick here for the Colts.

#23- Philadelphia Eagles- Tyron Smith OT/ USC

Note: The eagles most clear need is at their offensive line. They need to keep mike vick healthy as it appears kevin kolb is on his way out of Philadelphia. Tyron Smith is a nice value here at 23.

#24- New Orleans Saints- Ryan Kerrigan DE/ Purdue

Note: The saints probably go best player available here. And that's either Kerrigan or Watt. I think they opt for Kerrigan here at twenty four.... Notice how these little notes are becoming less and less backed up on fact.. oh well.

#25- Seattle Seahawks- Brandon Harris CB/Miami

Note: Cornerback is the seahawks biggest need and I see them reaching a bit for Harris at this pick. I think ideally the Seahawks would like to either see CB Jimmy Smith or homegrown QB Jake Locker available at this pick. But their off the board.

#26- Baltimore Ravens- JJ Watt DE/ Wisconsin

Note: A lot of mocks have the ravens going for a wide receiver here. But this team so regularly goes for best defensive player available when they draft, and Watt could really add an extra charge (see this is exactly the thing San Diego people are trying to avoid) to their defense. I could also see them going with Phil Taylor with this pick, a guy who has drawn many comparisons to their own Haloti Ngata. But they like already have Haloti Ngata, right?

#27- Atlanta Falcons- Jonathan Baldwin WR/ Pittsburgh

Note: Tony Gonzales looks like he may retire, and once he goes the only threat the falcons will have through the air is Roddy White. I think it would be in their best interest to add a deep threat like Jon Baldwin to complement the catching machine that is roddy white. I really like Baldwin and wouldn't mind seeing the pats take him early in the second.

#28- New England Patriots- Phil Taylor DT/ Baylor

Note: I really like Phil Taylor, and i would really hate to see the Jets get Phil Taylor, and the patriots have a need for Phil Taylor, so i think think they should take Phil Taylor with this pick, Phil Taylor. If the jets wanted to leapfrog the pats they would probably need to trade either their third or combine their fourth and fifth to do so. Seeing as they don't have a second rounder. I don't see rex doing that. Also i stole this pick from Richard Hill, but oh well, you won me over rich.

#29- Chicago Bears- Gabe Carimi OT/ Wisconsin

Note: Jay Cutler got sacked a lot this year. And he isn't exactly the most stable guy mentally. So why not get him some more protection. I really like Carimi and he may go a bit higher then 29, he's a solid pick here for the bears.

#30- New York Jets- Corey Liuget DT/ Illinois

Note: The jets need a big guy in the middle, with Kris Jenkins having only played 7 games in the past two seasons, Liuget can atleast partially fill that role. I expect them to go defensive with this pick, and Liuget is projected higher in a lot of drafts. Not a bad pick here at 30.

#31- Pittsburgh Steelers- Mike Pouncey G/Florida

Note: This is the perfect play for the second Pouncey brother. The steelers really need a guard, and Pouncey has been quite shaky at times for florida at center. He would fit in very nicely next to his brother Maurkice on the Steelers offensive line. No way Pouncey falls past this pick.

#32- Green Bay Packers- Justin Houston OLB/ Georgia

Note- The packers really need a OLB to go opposite of clay mathews, and will need some added pass rush boost if they loose cullen jenkins to free agency. Justin Houston is a really good value pick here at the end of the first round for the defending champs.

Alright. Thats my first round mock. I only do it for the feedback so tell me what you think. I'm going to do a second round mock sometime later this week.

You guys all know about Carl Crawford's neck tattoo right? 

Well, Crawford's birthday is August 5th. Making him a Leo.. Well atleast it used to.

Astronomers have restored the original Babylonian zodiac by recalculating the dates that correspond with each sign to accommodate millennia of subtle shifts in the Earth's axis. Prepare to have your mind blown, all you people with easily blowable minds.

Here is the zodiac as the ancient Babylonians intended it—with the dates corresponding to the times of the year that the sun is actually in each constellation's "house"—according to the Minnesota Planetarium Society's Parke Kunkle:

Capricorn: Jan. 20-Feb. 16.
Aquarius: Feb. 16-March 11.
Pisces: March 11-April 18.
Aries: April 18-May 13.
Taurus: May 13-June 21.
Gemini: June 21-July 20.
Cancer: July 20-Aug. 10.
Leo: Aug. 10-Sept. 16.
Virgo: Sept. 16-Oct. 30.
Libra: Oct. 30-Nov. 23.
Scorpio: Nov. 23-29.
Ophiuchus:* Nov. 29-Dec. 17.
Sagittarius: Dec. 17-Jan. 20.

* Discarded by the Babylonians because they wanted 12 signs per year.

http://gawker.com/5732115/your-zodiac-sign-may-have-changed?skyline=true&s=i

The updated zodiac chart would make our highly paid outfielder a Cancer. Making his Leo symbol tattoo, well... outdated.

Oh well...

So no messing around lets get to the point.

Let me start with a few of the tougher cuts:

Shawn Springs: Although I wouldn't be surprised if the cut Wheatly instead of springs. One probably has to go. And its pretty much a forgone conclusion this will be Spring's last with the Pats.

Sammy Morris: He's having trouble staying healthy, and has a running style that warrants it. And with the draft pick of Aaron Hernandez, there's less of a need for Morris as far as fullback goes. It looks like his time in New England may be over.

Eric Alexander: We have much better depth at Linebacker this year. And with both Crable and Mckenzie coming back from injury, theres clearly no spot for him.

Rob Ninkovich : For the same reasons above, theres sadly no space for Ninkovich. I could see woods being cut in place for him. But I just trust woods more.

Tory Holt: Probably the most out there of my cuts. But , i think just like Galloway last year, he won't make it on the team. And this time they'll make that call in training camp instead of a 6 games in. And i have a gut feeling Welker will be father ahead then expected. Clearly not ready for opening day, but far enough ahead to opt for the younger guys for the first few weeks.

Others: Matt Slater, David Patten

Continue reading this post »

Just when you think the spending is over with Jason Bay officially signing up to play for the mess that is the New York Mets, you get this news.

Via ESPN:

The Boston Red Sox remain quietly engaged in discussions for free-agent third baseman Adrian Beltre, according to an industry source.

The Beltre talks, expected to resume after the new year, have been complicated by the voiding of the Mike Lowell trade to Texas.

The Sox remain engaged in discussions on Beltre, who is represented by agent Scott Boras, even though his signing could put them over the luxury tax threshold.

Beltre, who is widely regarded as one of the best defensive third basemen in the majors, hit .265 with eight homers and 44 RBIs for the Seattle Mariners last season.

So theres still the potential Beltre could be headed to Beantown? I couldn't imagine going into the season with Beltre, Lowell and Kotchman. (Not to mention we still have Lowrie for a couple of weeks before he gets injured.) So there would still probably be a move before the signing. But, its not my money being spent. And I would absolutely love to see Beltre on the Sox.

This would almost certainly push us over the luxury tax threshold. But if the FO is okay with 

that, than that's all that really matters. I certainly get the feeling though that there is at least one more shoe to drop before our off-season is complete.

Continue reading this post »

Dallas Cowboys veteran outside linebacker Greg Ellis finally may get his wish to be traded or released by the club, as the Cowboys have reached out to at least two teams to measure interest in a deal, according to a club source.

AOL Fanhouse first reported the story Thursday evening, indicating the Cowboys had approached the New England Patriots and Cincinnati Bengals about a possible trade. Ellis has longtime ties to Bengals defensive coordinator Mike Zimmer, who held the same position with the Cowboys.

Ellis, 33, did not participate in Thursday's organized team activities session. If the Cowboys release him, which seems the most likely result, they'll save the $4.15 million he's scheduled to make in 2009.

link

As it says in the article, its more likely at this point that ellis will be released than traded. But its yet another name i think the pats should look at. He would probably come with a cheap price tag, since he's closer to the end of his career then Tiniosomoa who was released earlier this month.