The New England Patriots picked up multiple wide receivers this offseason before trading away Brandin Cooks, adding Cordarrelle Patterson and Jordan Matthews to the mix.
Now the Patriots could be looking into adding a receiver in the draft as well, according to a media report.
Brady WILL BE BACK, BUT WITH A NEW CONTRACT?
Early Wednesday, ESPN reported that Tom Brady has still not committed to playing in 2018. The report included that people around the Patriots quarterback said they believe he’ll come back.
Then later, another ESPN report morphed into something else – that the QB wants a new contract.
There was no comment from Brady – who turns 41 in August and is reportedly in Europe this week – or the team. Brady won the league MVP last season at age 40 and set multiple Super Bowl records – most passing yards (505), games played (eight), passes in his Super Bowl career (235), passing yards in a career (2,576) and career TD passes (18).
Last offseason, Brady reiterated that his goal was to play until he was 45 years old. He has two years left on his contract and counts as a $22 million salary cap hit this season.
NFL Media’s Ian Rapoport said the Patriots planned to host Alabama wide receiver Calvin Ridley for a team visit Wednesday. Ridley is projected to be taken somewhere in the first round.
Ridley, 23, is a smooth route runner at 6-foot-0, 189 pounds. He posted an impressive 4.43 second 40-yard dash time along with a 6.88 second three-cone drill, but was not as impressive in the broad jump and vertical jump.
The junior finished with 63 receptions for 967 yards in 14 games last season, though his best statistical season came as a freshman. Ridley fits the profile of a No. 1 receiver in the NFL, and drew comparisons to Marvin Harrison on the NFL’s website.
If the Patriots drafted Ridley, he would join a group of Julian Edelman, Chris Hogan, Cordarrelle Patterson, Jordan Matthews, Malcolm Mitchell, Phillip Dorsett, Kenny Britt, Riley McCarron, Matthew Slater and Cody Hollister trying to make the team as wide receivers.
• With team captains Tom Brady and Rob Gronkowski choosing not to attend voluntary workouts this week, special teams captain Matthew Slater is there with a purpose in mind.
“I think everyone in here has come in with a sense of urgency, a sense of humility, understanding that we all have to work,” said Slater. “We’re trying to invest in relationships. I think relationships, when it comes to a football team, are very important.
Slater, who visited with the Steelers before re-signing with the Patriots, called that a “unique experience” but he was just excited and thankful to be back with the Patriots.
Others who have left indicated New England was a tough place to play under Coach Bill Belichick.
“Well, certainly, it’s challenging, but it’s the National Football League, though,” said Slater. “I think if it was easy, a lot more people would be able to do it. It’s tough. It’s very difficult. I don’t think it’s unique here. Every place is tough. This is a very competitive league with some of the best athletes in the world. There’s a premium put on winning wherever you are. Everyone wants to win and have success. Everybody’s going to be judged whether or not they’re winning. That’s what it comes down to. I don’t think this place is unique in that regard. I think every team in this league is on a quest to win and have success, and that quest is not an easy one.”
JETS: With Wednesday being the last day teams can host prospective draft picks, the Jets visited with Sam Darnold at their Florham Park, New Jersey, complex, according to multiple sources.
During this evaluation process, the Jets have hosted four of the top five quarterbacks in the upcoming NFL draft – Wyoming quarterback Josh Allen on Tuesday, and before that, UCLA’s Josh Rosen and Oklahoma’s Baker Mayfield.
The Jets also had private workouts with Mayfield, Rosen and Allen. Lamar Jackson, the Louisville quarterback also considered one of the best at his position, met with Jets officials at the NFL scouting combine.
TITANS: Tennessee will exercise its fifth-year option on Marcus Mariota, keeping the quarterback under contract through the 2019 season.
The Titans selected the 2014 Heisman Trophy winner from Oregon with the second overall pick in the 2015 draft. Mariota has made 42 regular-season starts over the last three years and has completed 61.8 percent of his passes for 9,476 yards with 58 touchdowns and 34 interceptions.
He threw 13 touchdown passes with a career-high 15 interceptions last season, but also led the Titans to their first playoff victory since January 2004 .
BEARS: Former return man Devin Hester and former running back Matt Forte will sign one-day contracts to retire as members of the Bears.
LIONS: Detroit signed cornerback Raysean Pringle.
Detroit made the move Wednesday.
Pringle was part of practice squads in Jacksonville and Green Bay as an undrafted rookie. He played running back and wide receiver at Southern Utah.
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