NFL: New England Patriots news...

The_Dude · Post by **The_Dude** » Mon Mar 05, 2007 9:55 am

LB - Adalius Thomas (HUGE pick-up...)
TE - Kyle Brady
FB/RB - Sammy Morris

and...they're still bitches.

The_Dude · Post by **The_Dude** » Mon Mar 05, 2007 10:28 am

via Yahoo! Sports:

Update: The Patriots have set their sights on Wes Welker, a restricted free agent, the Boston Globe reports. There are whispers that the team is prepared to offer the wideout a seven-year, $38 million contract, but it's uncertain (if that's true) how much of it would be guaranteed.

Recommendation: If the Patriots sign Welker (who was tendered a one-year, $1.3 million contract by Miami) to an offer sheet, and the Dolphins elect not to match it, New England would have to surrender a second-round draft choice. That might seem like a steep price, but Welker is the sort of pesky slot receiver the team could use, with Deion Branch long gone and Troy Brown considering retirement.

bassjones · Post by **bassjones** » Mon Mar 05, 2007 2:27 pm

rumor has it they are pursuing a trade w/ Oakland for Randy Moss... IF Bill and Tom can get him to shut up and play, that could be a huge pickup for them.

The_Dude · Post by **The_Dude** » Mon Mar 05, 2007 2:30 pm

bassjones wrote:rumor has it they are pursuing a trade w/ Oakland for Randy Moss... IF Bill and Tom can get him to shut up and play, that could be a huge pickup for them.

Green Bay is also rumored to be in the Moss sweepstakes. He and Favre have the same agent.

The_Dude · Post by **The_Dude** » Tue Mar 06, 2007 10:51 am

via Yahoo! Sports:

Update: The Patriots will reportedly meet with Stallworth on Tuesday, the Boston Globe reports.

Recommendation: Reports have surfaced that Stallworth is in the NFLâ€™s substance abuse program, but that's not necessarily a deal-breaker for the Pats, who could take the risk based on Stallworth's talent and the fact that his asking price has to have gone down based on the reports. New England is also reportedly interested in Randy Moss, but acquiring him would be costlier, both in terms of salary and also because the Raiders won't just give him away.

The_Dude · Post by **The_Dude** » Tue Mar 06, 2007 10:56 am

via Yahoo! Sports:

FOXBOROUGH, Mass. (AP) -- The New England Patriots acquired wide receiver and kick returner Wes Welker from the Miami Dolphins on Monday in exchange for an undisclosed draft pick.

Welker, a restricted free agent, was the Dolphins' leading receiver in 2006 with 67 catches for 687 yards and a touchdown. He did it despite starting only two games.

The 5-foot-9, 195-pound player also had led Miami in both punt returns and kickoff returns in each of the last three seasons, and was the Dolphins' all-time leading kickoff returner in yardage and total returns. He has 96 career receptions for 1,121 yards and a touchdown, 127 punt returns for 1,232 yards and 170 kickoff returns for 3,858 yards and a touchdown.

He also served as an emergency kicker in a game against the Patriots in 2004, making a field goal and an extra point.

Welker was originally signed by the San Diego Chargers as an undrafted free agent out of Texas Tech just before the 2004 season. He was released by the Chargers and signed by the Dolphins in September 2004.

The Patriots have taken an aggressive approach to free agency. They waited less than two days before signing Pro Bowl linebacker Adalius Thomas away from the Baltimore Ravens.

They also struck deals with veteran tight end Kyle Brady and running back Sammie Morris.

bassjones · Post by **bassjones** » Tue Mar 06, 2007 11:46 am

They're certainly being agressive this off-season. Time to upgrade the talent for another Super Bowl run or two or three while Brady's still in his prime. About time...

The_Dude · Post by **The_Dude** » Wed Mar 07, 2007 10:07 am

via Yahoo! Sports:

FOXBOROUGH, Mass. (AP) -- The Patriots re-signed unrestricted free agent linebacker Larry Izzo Tuesday, keeping their special teams captain who played on New England's three Super Bowl championship teams.

Izzo, 32, has spent the last six of his 11 NFL seasons with the Patriots. He was named to the Pro Bowl three times, the last following the 2004 season.

Izzo has made 229 career special team tackles and 18 defensive tackles in 156 regular-season games. He also has an interception, a forced fumble and two fumble recoveries.

Izzo, who spent his first five seasons in Miami, has led the Patriots in special teams tackles in five of six seasons.

The_Dude · Post by **The_Dude** » Mon Mar 12, 2007 9:02 am

PHILADELPHIA (AP) -- Donte' Stallworth will be catching passes from Tom Brady instead of Donovan McNabb next year.

Stallworth and the New England Patriots agreed Sunday on a multiyear contract. The deal was confirmed to The Associated Press by a person familiar with negotiations who spoke on condition of anonymity because the deal had not been announced.

ESPN.com reported Stallworth's contract could be worth $33.1 million over six years, including a guaranteed $3.6 million for 2007.

Stallworth leaves the Philadelphia Eagles after one season in which he caught 38 passes for 725 yards and five touchdowns in 12 regular-season games. He also had six catches for 141 yards and two scores in two playoff games.

The 28-year-old Stallworth played four years in New Orleans after being selected in the first round in the 2002 NFL draft. He has 233 career receptions for 3,516 yards and 28 TDs in 68 games.

Stallworth's departure leaves a huge void in Philadelphia's passing game. He gives Brady and the Patriots a legitimate deep threat with gamebreaking skills. Reche Caldwell led New England with 61 catches for 760 yards and four TDs last season. No other player had more than 49 catches for the Patriots, who traded away Deion Branch after a contract dispute last year.

New England, which lost to Indianapolis in the AFC championship game, has been quite active in free agency, signing linebacker Adalius Thomas, kick returner/receiver Wes Welker, tight end Kyle Brady and backup running back Sammy Morris.

Meanwhile, the Eagles have been quiet. They've re-signed three of their own free agents and added wideout/returner Bethel Johnson. The NFC East champions lost valuable backup quarterback Jeff Garcia (Tampa Bay), nickel cornerback Rod Hood (Arizona) and former Pro Bowl strong safety Michael Lewis (San Francisco).