FOXBOROUGH, Mass. -- Quick-hit thoughts around the NFL and with the New England Patriots:
1. The torn ACL sustained by Packers receiver Jordy Nelson in a non-contact situation in preseason action has sparked the question of whether it’s worth it to play top stars in the exhibition season, which ties in to what I view as one of the more interesting storylines surrounding the Patriots. Many would agree that Bill Belichick’s general philosophy is that the only way to get players prepared to play football is for them to actually play in those games (e.g. Tom Brady just played 27 snaps on Friday night). But Belichick has made one notable exception, and it’s with tight end Rob Gronkowski. Gronkowski is going to be a healthy scratch for the second straight preseason (last year he was cleared from a torn ACL but still held out of games). Simply put, he’s just too valuable. Maybe something to consider in MVP discussion later in the year if Gronkowski has another big year.
1b. In making that decision, Belichick is essentially willing to give Gronkowski a preseason within the early part of the regular season. Last year, Gronkowski said it wasn’t until Week 5 that he felt he was fully back. Gronkowski’s body has been through a lot, and his preseason playing time history reflects how things have changed for him since entering the NFL as a second-round draft choice in 2010:
2010: 4 games played
2011: 3 games played
2012: 2 games played
2013: 0 games played
2014: 0 games played
2015: 0 games played
2. The more I thought about the Patriots’ signing of Reggie Wayne last week to a one-year deal, I kept coming back to the injury status of receiver Brandon LaFell (still on PUP list after being spotted this offseason with a boot on his left foot) as a big story that is being somewhat underplayed. LaFell was a huge part of the Patriots’ offense last season (career-high 74 catches), playing more snaps than any receiver and winning over Brady’s trust and confidence with his consistency, physicality and determination after the catch. He had a career year. My sense is that the Patriots had always planned for LaFell to be back when it counted in 2015, but perhaps the timeline hasn’t unfolded as initially planned. The signing of Wayne, which also might have been sparked by injuries to others at the position (e.g. Brian Tyms, Josh Boyce, Aaron Dobson), has led me further to that line of thinking.
3. Hindsight is 20-20, but in back-to-back years in which the NFL draft has been exceptionally deep at receiver, I wonder if Belichick, Nick Caserio and Co., might ultimately regret not tapping that talent pool for a young developmental pass-catcher with high-level upside. Knowing them, the thought hasn’t crossed their minds because they generally don’t waste time lamenting the past when energy is better spent finding solutions. But here are the numbers at a time when the past two receiver classes have been considered outstanding: 20 picks, just one receiver selected. That was Jeremy Gallon in the 2014 seventh round, 244th overall.
4. Brady is due back in court Monday for another round of settlement talks, and the Patriots are scheduled to practice that day. So for those keeping count, this will likely mark the third practice Brady has missed because of legal obligations since training camp opened July 30, and that doesn’t include a walkthrough before the Aug. 13 preseason opener. The Patriots have done, by and large, an effective job is ensuring Deflategate hasn’t been a distraction for the team but missing practice has no doubt been a drain on Brady. For a player who thrives off routine and rhythm, to say it hasn’t been challenging for him would be overlooking the obvious.
5. After spending a beautiful afternoon/evening in Charlotte on Friday for the Patriots-Panthers preseason game -- which included a walk to open-air Bank of America Stadium from a downtown hotel -- the thought crossed my mind: Why hasn’t the city ever really been in the Super Bowl mix? Hotel space and weather have apparently been the primary reasons, although local reporters like David Newton of ESPN.com and Joe Person of the Charlotte Observer relay that the hotel situation has since improved. The Panthers were founded in 1995, and every time I’m in Charlotte, I sense a strong connection between community and franchise. A Super Bowl would be a nice reward for the good folks there.
5b. One leftover Panthers nugget: Bank of America Stadium is one of the few in the NFL with its press box still at the 50-yard line and not at the highest point of the stadium. The Bills, for example, moved reporters from that area to the end zone last year so they could use the old press box for club/suite purposes; a switch that’s been commonplace at many stadiums over the past decade-plus. Perhaps the Panthers ultimately do the same in the future, but I thought it was neat that Carolina owner Jerry Richardson (the only former player who is a majority owner) actually prefers his personal box to be in the end zone so he can see how plays unfold from that angle.
6. Anyone else have the same thought I did when watching the third episode of HBO’s “Hard Knocks” last week? When Texans coach Bill O’Brien experimented with second-year cornerback Charles James II as a running back, I felt like it was probably watching exactly how it unfolded behind the scenes with the Patriots in 2005 when receiver Troy Brown was cross-trained at cornerback. It reminds me of something Belichick once said -- the solutions might already be in-house; you just have to be creative and willing to think outside the box enough to find them.
7. Random thought: With teams required to cut down from 90 players to 75 by Sept. 1, and then from 75 to 53 by Sept. 5, why not just skip the first cutdown day altogether? That would help all teams get through the final preseason game without having to overextend top players they don't want to.
8. Since the NFL schedule was released in April, Patriots coaches have naturally locked in on their opening opponent, the Steelers. With that as a springboard, there were four notable developments with the Steelers within the past seven days -- starting center Maurkice Pouncey broke his tibia (same injury as Patriots fullback James Develin), the backup quarterback spot is now manned by Michael Vick instead of Bruce Gradkowski (dislocated finger), kicker Garrett Hartley (a replacement for injured Shaun Suisham) injured his hamstring, and up-and-coming receiver Martavis Bryant was suspended for the first four games of the season (pending appeal) for violating the NFL’s substance abuse policy. In other words, it wasn’t a very good week for the Steelers.
8b. The Steelers are hoping Pouncey might return in late November, which means they would probably use their short-term injured reserve designation on him so he doesn't count against the 53-man roster. Assuming the same time-frame for Develin, do the Patriots do the same thing? That decision could be a challenging one for them.
9. Did you know?: Newly-acquired Patriots tight end/offensive tackle Michael Williams (formerly of the Lions) is one of seven Alabama blockers to be drafted over the past three years, joining Chance Warmack (2013, Titans, first round), D.J. Fluker (2013, Chargers, first round), Barrett Jones (2013, Rams, fourth round), Cyrus Kouandjio (2014, Bills, second round), Arie Kouandijo (2015, Washington, fourth round) and Austin Shepherd (2015, Vikings, seventh round). A hat tip to Mike O’Hara of DetroitLions.com for this revealing nugget about a tidal wave of Crimson Tide blockers entering the NFL in a three-year span.
10. I think Williams will ultimately stick on the Patriots’ roster in 2015, but he’ll be the only player involved in three New England training camp trades to have staying power. Tight end Asante Cleveland (via 49ers) and guard Ryan Groy (via Bears) appear more destined for the practice squad, while the players traded to acquire them -- linebacker Matthew Wells and offensive lineman Jordan Devey – are viewed as longer shots to earn roster spots in Chicago and San Francisco, respectively. I’m fascinated by the acquisition of Williams and the Patriots’ plans for him as I’ve never seen a player switch jersey numbers -- from 74 to 85 -- in the middle of a practice to highlight how he might be an offensive tackle but also might be a tight end. In Friday night’s game, Williams wore No. 85, but his helmet had the number 74 on it.
