#riley mccarron

[hotsexyathletes]

Riley McCarron

[tkmedia]

NHL Expansion Draft 2021: Full list of players available for Seattle Kraken

The NHL announced the protected lists for the 30 teams involved in the NHL Expansion Draft. (Vegas is exempt.) With the names of those protected come the guys who could be snatched up by the Seattle Kraken. There are a number of big names that have everyone trying to figure out just what general manager Ron Francis will do. Will he take Canadiens netminder, and future Hall of Famer, Carey Price and his hefty cap hit? Is Vladimir Tarasenko the sniper he needs or is his health a big question mark? There's also a number of guys who would fit in nicely but are free agents and the chances of signing them are not high (i.e. Alex Ovechkin).  EXPANSION DRAFT: Date, time, rules & more for Seattle Kraken team selectionRegardless of what Francis, coach Dave Hakstrol and Co. end up doing, there's a good chance the Kraken will be a playoff contender in just their first season. For now, let the intrigue and the guessing WWRFD (that's: what will Ron Francis do?) begin. Here's a look at every player they can pick.

List of players made available by all 30 NHL teams

Anaheim DucksAndrew Agozzino (F) David Backes (F) Sam Carrick (F) Chase De Leo (F) Ryan Getzlaf (F) Derek Grant (F) Danton Heinen (F) Adam Henrique (F) Vinni Lettieri (F) Sonny Milano (F) Andrew Poturalski (F) Carter Rowney (F) Nick Sorensen (F) Alexander Volkov (F) Trevor Carrick (D) Haydn Fleury (D) Brendan Guhle (D) Jacob Larsson (D) Josh Mahura (D) Kevin Shattenkirk (D) Andy Welinski (D) Ryan Miller (G) Anthony Stolarz (G)Arizona CoyotesDerick Brassard (F) Michael Bunting (F) Brayden Burke (F) Michael Chaput (F) Hudson Fasching (F) Christian Fischer (F) Frederik Gauthier (F) John Hayden (F) Dryden Hunt (F) Andrew Ladd (F) Lane Pederson (F) Tyler Pitlick (F) Blake Speers (F) Tyler Steenbergen (F) Jason Demers (D) Cam Dineen (D) Alex Goligoski (D) Jordan Gross (D) Niklas Hjalmarsson (D) Ilya Lyubushkin (D) Dysin Mayo (D) Aaron Ness (D) Jordan Oesterle (D) Vili Saarijarvi (D) Josef Korenar (G) Marek Langhamer (G) Antti Raanta (G)Boston BruinsAnton Blidh (F) Paul Carey (F) Peter Cehlarik (F) Jakob Forsbacka Karlsson (F) Taylor Hall (F) Cameron Hughes (F) Ondrej Kase (F) Alex Khokhlachev (F) Joona Koppanen (F) David Krejci (F) Karson Kuhlman (F) Sean Kuraly (F) Curtis Lazar (F) Greg McKegg (F) Nick Ritchie (F) Zach Senyshyn (F) Chris Wagner (F) Linus Arnesson (D) Connor Clifton (D) Steven Kampfer (D) Jeremy Lauzon (D) Kevan Miller (D) John Moore (D) Mike Reilly (D) Jarred Tinordi (D) Jakub Zboril (D) Callum Booth (G) Jaroslav Halak (G) Tuukka Rask (G)Buffalo SabresDrake Caggiula (F) Jean-Sebastien Dea (F) Cody Eakin (F) Steven Fogarty (F) Zemgus Girgensons (F) Andrew Oglevie (F) Kyle Okposo (F) Tobias Rieder (F) Riley Sheahan (F) Jeff Skinner (F) C.J. Smith (F) Will Borgen (D) Brandon Davidson (D) Matt Irwin (D) Jake McCabe (D) Colin Miller (D) Casey Nelson (D) Michael Houser (G) Carter Hutton (G) Dustin Tokarski (G)Calgary FlamesByron Froese (F) Glenn Gawdin (F) Justin Kirkland (F) Josh Leivo (F) Milan Lucic (F) Joakim Nordstrom (F) Matthew Phillips (F) Zac Rinaldo (F) Brett Ritchie (F) Buddy Robinson (F) Derek Ryan (F) Dominik Simon (F) Mark Giordano (D) Oliver Kylington (D) Nikita Nesterov (D) Alexander Petrovic (D) Michael Stone (D) Louis Domingue (G) Tyler Parsons (G)Carolina HurricanesMorgan Geekie (F) Steven Lorentz (F) Jordan Martinook (F) Max McCormick (F) Brock McGinn (F) Nino Niederreiter (F) Cedric Paquette (F) Sheldon Rempal (F) Drew Shore (F) Spencer Smallman (F) Jake Bean (D) Jake Gardiner (D) Eric Gelinas (D) Jani Hakanpaa (D) Dougie Hamilton (D) Maxime Lajoie (D) Roland McKeown (D) Joakim Ryan (D) David Warsofsky (D) Antoine Bibeau (G) Jeremy Helvig (G) Petr Mrazek (G) James Reimer (G) Dylan Wells (G)Chicago BlackhawksRyan Carpenter (F) Brett Connolly (F) Josh Dickinson (F) Adam Gaudette (F) Vinnie Hinostroza (F) Brandon Pirri (F) John Quenneville (F) Zack Smith (F) Calvin de Haan (D) Anton Lindholm (D) Nikita Zadorov (D) Collin Delia (G) Malcolm Subban (G)Colorado AvalancheTravis Barron (F) Pierre-Edouard Bellemare (F) Matt Calvert (F) J.T. Compher (F) Joonas Donskoi (F) Sheldon Dries (F) Vladislav Kamenev (F) Gabriel Landeskog (F) Ty Lewis (F) Jayson Megna (F) Liam O'Brien (F) Brandon Saad (F) Miikka Salomaki (F) Kiefer Sherwood (F) Carl Soderberg (F) T.J. Tynan (F) Mike Vecchione (F) Kyle Burroughs (D) Dennis Gilbert (D) Erik Johnson (D) Jacob MacDonald (D) Patrik Nemeth (D) Dan Renouf (D) Devan Dubnyk (G) Jonas Johansson (G) Hunter Miska (G)Columbus Blue JacketsZac Dalpe (F) Max Domi (F) Nathan Gerbe (F) Mikhail Grigorenko (F) Ryan MacInnis (F) Stefan Matteau (F) Cliff Pu (F) Kole Sherwood (F) Kevin Stenlund (F) Calvin Thurkauf (F) Daniel Zaar (F) Gavin Bayreuther (D) Gabriel Carlsson (D) Adam Clendening (D) Michael Del Zotto (D) Scott Harrington (D) Dean Kukan (D) Cameron Johnson (G)Dallas StarsNick Caamano (F) Andrew Cogliano (F) Blake Comeau (F) Justin Dowling (F) Tanner Kero (F) Joel L'Esperance (F) Adam Mascherin (F) Matej Stransky (F) Taylor Fedun (D) Ben Gleason (D) Joel Hanley (D) Niklas Hansson (D) Julius Honka (D) Jamie Oleksiak (D) Mark Pysyk (D) Andrej Sekera (D) Sami Vatanen (D) Ben Bishop (G) Landon Bow (G) Colton Point (G)Detroit Red WingsRiley Barber (F) Kyle Criscuolo (F) Turner Elson (F) Valtteri Filppula (F) Sam Gagner (F) Luke Glendening (F) Darren Helm (F) Taro Hirose (F) Vladislav Namestnikov (F) Frans Nielsen (F) Bobby Ryan (F) Evgeny Svechnikov (F) Dominic Turgeon (F) Hayden Verbeek (F) Alex Biega (D) Dennis Cholowski (D) Danny DeKeyser (D) Christian Djoos (D) Joe Hicketts (D) Dylan McIlrath (D) Marc Staal (D) Troy Stecher (D) Jonathan Bernier (G) Kevin Boyle (G) Kaden Fulcher (G) Calvin Pickard (G)EXPANSION DRAFT: Full list of players protected by all 30 teamsEdmonton OilersTyler Benson (F) Alex Chiasson (F) Adam Cracknell (F) Tyler Ennis (F) Joseph Gambardella (F) Seth Griffith (F) Dominik Kahun (F) Jujhar Khaira (F) Cooper Marody (F) James Neal (F) Alan Quine (F) Patrick Russell (F) Devin Shore (F) Anton Slepyshev (F) Kyle Turris (F) Bogdan Yakimov (F) Tyson Barrie (D) Oscar Klefbom (D) Slater Koekkoek (D) Dmitry Kulikov (D) William Lagesson (D) Adam Larsson (D) Kris Russell (D) Mikko Koskinen (G) Mike Smith (G) Alex Stalock (G)DUNCAN KEITH: Oilers add three-time Stanley Cup championFlorida PanthersNoel Acciari (F) Patrick Bajkov (F) Juho Lammikko (F) Ryan Lomberg (F) Brad Morrison (F) Aleksi Saarela (F) Frank Vatrano (F) Lucas Wallmark (F) Alex Wennberg (F) Scott Wilson (F) Lucas Carlsson (D) Kevin Connauton (D) Tommy Cross (D) Radko Gudas (D) Noah Juulsen (D) Brady Keeper (D) Brandon Montour (D) Markus Nutivaara (D) Ethan Prow (D) Anton Stralman (D) Philippe Desrosiers (G) Chris Driedger (G) Sam Montembeault (G)Los Angeles KingsAndreas Athanasiou (F) Michael Eyssimont (F) Martin Frk (F) Carl Grundstrom (F) Bokondji Imama (F) Brendan Lemieux (F) Blake Lizotte (F) Matt Luff (F) Drake Rymsha (F) Austin Wagner (F) Mark Alt (D) Daniel Brickley (D) Kale Clague (D) Olli Maatta (D) Kurtis MacDermid (D) Jacob Moverare (D) Austin Strand (D) Christian Wolanin (D) Troy Grosenick (G) Jonathan Quick (G)Minnesota WildWilliam Bitten (F) Nick Bjugstad (F) Nick Bonino (F) Joseph Cramarossa (F) Gabriel Dumont (F) Marcus Johansson (F) Luke Johnson (F) Victor Rask (F) Kyle Rau (F) Mason Shaw (F) Dmitry Sokolov (F) Matt Bartkowski (D) Louie Belpedio (D) Ian Cole (D) Brad Hunt (D) Ian McCoshen (D) Brennan Menell (D) Dakota Mermis (D) Carson Soucy (D) Andrew Hammond (G) Kaapo Kahkonen (G)Montreal CanadiensBrandon Baddock (F) Joseph Blandisi (F) Paul Byron (F) Phillip Danault (F) Laurent Dauphin (F) Jonathan Drouin (F) Michael Frolik (F) Charles Hudon (F) Corey Perry (F) Michael Pezzetta (F) Eric Staal (F) Tomas Tatar (F) Lukas Vejdemo (F) Jordan Weal (F) Cale Fleury (D) Erik Gustafsson (D) Brett Kulak (D) Jon Merrill (D) Gustav Olofsson (D) Xavier Ouellet (D) Shea Weber (D) Charlie Lindgren (G) Michael McNiven (G) Carey Price (G)Nashville PredatorsMichael Carcone (F) Nick Cousins (F) Matt Duchene (F) Mikael Granlund (F) Rocco Grimaldi (F) Erik Haula (F) Calle Jarnkrok (F) Ryan Johansen (F) Sean Malone (F) Michael McCarron (F) Rem Pitlick (F) Anthony Richard (F) Brad Richardson (F) Colton Sissons (F) Yakov Trenin (F) Frederic Allard (D) Matt Benning (D) Mark Borowiecki (D) Erik Gudbranson (D) Ben Harpur (D) Josh Healey (D) Tyler Lewington (D) Connor Ingram (G) Kasimir Kaskisuo (G) Pekka Rinne (G)New Jersey DevilsNathan Bastian (F) Christoph Bertschy (F) Brandon Gignac (F) A.J. Greer (F) Andreas Johnsson (F) Ivan Khomutov (F) Nicholas Merkley (F) Brett Seney (F) Ben Street (F) Marian Studenic (F) Will Butcher (D) Connor Carrick (D) Josh Jacobs (D) Ryan Murray (D) David Quenneville (D) Colby Sissons (D) P.K. Subban (D) Matt Tennyson (D) Colton White (D) Evan Cormier (G) Aaron Dell (G) Scott Wedgewood (G)New York IslandersJosh Bailey (F) Cole Bardreau (F) Kieffer Bellows (F) Casey Cizikas (F) Austin Czarnik (F) Michael Dal Colle (F) Jordan Eberle (F) Tanner Fritz (F) Joshua Ho-Sang (F) Ross Johnston (F) Otto Koivula (F) Leo Komarov (F) Kyle Palmieri (F) Richard Panik (F) Dmytro Timashov (F) Travis Zajac (F) Sebastian Aho (D) Braydon Coburn (D) Andy Greene (D) Thomas Hickey (D) Mitchell Vande Sompel (D) Parker Wotherspoon (D) Ken Appleby (G) Cory Schneider (G)New York RangersColin Blackwell (F) Jonny Brodzinski (F) Phillip Di Giuseppe (F) Gabriel Fontaine (F) Julien Gauthier (F) Tim Gettinger (F) Barclay Goodrow (F) Anthony Greco (F) Ty Ronning (F) Anthony Bitetto (D) Brandon Crawley (D) Tony DeAngelo (D) Nick DeSimone (D) Mason Geertsen (D) Jack Johnson (D) Darren Raddysh (D) Brendan Smith (D) Keith Kinkaid (G)EXPANSION DRAFT FRENZY: Ryan Ellis, Jared McCann, Barclay Goodrow among players swapped before trade freezeOttawa SenatorsAvailable Vitaly Abramov (F) Michael Amadio (F) Artem Anisimov (F) J.C. Beaudin (F) Clark Bishop (F) Evgenii Dadonov (F) Jonathan Davidsson (F) Ryan Dzingel (F) Micheal Haley (F) Jack Kopacka (F) Zachary Magwood (F) Matthew Peca (F) Logan Shaw (F) Derek Stepan (F) Chris Tierney (F) Josh Brown (D) Cody Goloubef (D) Mikael Wikstrand (D) Joey Daccord (G) Anton Forsberg (G) Marcus Hogberg (G) Matt Murray (G)Philadelphia FlyersAndy Andreoff (F) Connor Bunnaman (F) David Kase (F) Pascal Laberge (F) Samuel Morin (F) German Rubtsov (F) Carsen Twarynski (F) James van Riemsdyk (F) Jakub Voracek (F) Mikhail Vorobyev (F) Chris Bigras (D) Justin Braun (D) Shayne Gostisbehere (D) Robert Hagg (D) Derrick Pouliot (D) Nate Prosser (D) Tyler Wotherspoon (D) Brian Elliott (G) Alex Lyon (G) Felix Sandstrom (G)Pittsburgh PenguinsPontus Aberg (F) Anthony Angello (F) Zach Aston-Reese (F) Josh Currie (F) Frederick Gaudreau (F) Mark Jankowski (F) Sam Lafferty (F) Sam Miletic (F) Evan Rodrigues (F) Colton Sceviour (F) Brandon Tanev (F) Jason Zucker (F) Cody Ceci (D) Kevin Czuczman (D) Mark Friedman (D) Jesper Lindgren (D) Andrey Pedan (D) Marcus Pettersson (D) Juuso Riikola (D) Chad Ruhwedel (D) Yannick Weber (D) Casey DeSmith (G) Maxime Lagace (G)San Jose SharksRyan Donato (F) Kurtis Gabriel (F) Dylan Gambrell (F) Jayden Halbgewachs (F) Maxim Letunov (F) Patrick Marleau (F) Matt Nieto (F) Marcus Sorensen (F) Alexander True (F) Christian Jaros (D) Nicolas Meloche (D) Jacob Middleton (D) Greg Pateryn (D) Radim Simek (D) Martin Jones (G)St. Louis BluesSam Anas (F) Sammy Blais (F) Tyler Bozak (F) Kyle Clifford (F) Jacob de la Rose (F) Mike Hoffman (F) Tanner Kaspick (F) Mackenzie MacEachern (F) Curtis McKenzie (F) Austin Poganski (F) Zach Sanford (F) Jaden Schwartz (F) Nolan Stevens (F) Vladimir Tarasenko (F) Nathan Walker (F) Robert Bortuzzo (D) Vince Dunn (D) Petteri Lindbohm (D) Niko Mikkola (D) Mitch Reinke (D) Steven Santini (D) Marco Scandella (D) Jake Walman (D) Evan Fitzpatrick (G) Jon Gillies (G) Ville Husso (G)Tampa Bay LightningAlex Barre-Boulet (F) Blake Coleman (F) Ross Colton (F) Yanni Gourde (F) Tyler Johnson (F) Mathieu Joseph (F) Boris Katchouk (F) Alex Killorn (F) Pat Maroon (F) Boo Nieves (F) Ondrej Palat (F) Taylor Raddysh (F) Gemel Smith (F) Otto Somppi (F) Mitchell Stephens (F) Daniel Walcott (F) Luke Witkowski (F) Andreas Borgman (D) Fredrik Claesson (D) Sean Day (D) Cal Foote (D) Brian Lashoff (D) Dominik Masin (D) Jan Rutta (D) David Savard (D) Luke Schenn (D) Ben Thomas (D) Christopher Gibson (G) Spencer Martin (G) Curtis McElhinney (G)MORE: Maroon fourth player to win three straight Stanley Cups with two different teamsToronto Maple LeafsAvailable Kenny Agostino (F) Joey Anderson (F) Adam Brooks (F) Pierre Engvall (F) Nick Foligno (F) Alex Galchenyuk (F) Zach Hyman (F) Alexander Kerfoot (F) Kalle Kossila (F) Denis Malgin (F) Jared McCann (F) Riley Nash (F) Stefan Noesen (F) Nic Petan (F) Scott Sabourin (F) Wayne Simmonds (F) Jason Spezza (F) Antti Suomela (F) Joe Thornton (F) Zach Bogosian (D) Travis Dermott (D) Ben Hutton (D) Martin Marincin (D) Calle Rosen (D) Frederik Andersen (G) Michael Hutchinson (G) David Rittich (G)Vancouver CanucksSven Baertschi (F) Justin Bailey (F) Jay Beagle (F) Travis Boyd (F) Loui Eriksson (F) Jonah Gadjovich (F) Tyler Graovac (F) Jayce Hawryluk (F) Matthew Highmore (F) Lukas Jasek (F) Kole Lind (F) Zack MacEwen (F) Petrus Palmu (F) Antoine Roussel (F) Brandon Sutter (F) Jimmy Vesey (F) Jake Virtanen (F) Madison Bowey (D) Guillaume Brisebois (D) Jalen Chatfield (D) Alexander Edler (D) Travis Hamonic (D) Brogan Rafferty (D) Ashton Sautner (D) Josh Teves (D) Braden Holtby (G)Washington CapitalsDaniel Carr (F) Nic Dowd (F) Shane Gersich (F) Carl Hagelin (F) Garnet Hathaway (F) Axel Jonsson-Fjallby (F) Alex Ovechkin (F) Garrett Pilon (F) Brian Pinho (F) Michael Raffl (F) Michael Sgarbossa (F) Conor Sheary (F) Zdeno Chara (D) Brenden Dillon (D) Nick Jensen (D) Lucas Johansen (D) Michal Kempny (D) Paul LaDue (D) Cameron Schilling (D) Justin Schultz (D) Craig Anderson (G) Pheonix Copley (G) Zach Fucale (G) Vitek Vanecek (G)Winnipeg JetsMason Appleton (F) Marko Dano (F) Jansen Harkins (F) Trevor Lewis (F) Skyler McKenzie (F) Mathieu Perreault (F) Paul Stastny (F) CJ Suess (F) Nate Thompson (F) Dominic Toninato (F) Nathan Beaulieu (D) Jordie Benn (D) Dylan DeMelo (D) Derek Forbort (D) Luke Green (D) Sami Niku (D) Nelson Nogier (D) Tucker Poolman (D) Mikhail Berdin (G) Laurent Brossoit (G) Eric Comrie (G) Cole Kehler (G) Read the full article

[patspropaganda]

Patriots Set Initial Practice Squad

Patriots Set Initial Practice Squad

It’s important to remember that everything is fluid at this time of year, and really for most of the season. The Patriots never stop churning at the bottom of their roster, bringing guys in, sending guys out, recycling those same guys a week or two later. Roster building is never done, but they have to start somewhere so here’s the initial 2018 practice squad and some notes on each player.

Danny…

[googletrends-blog]

Patriots launch vast receiver Malcolm Mitchell

Patriots launch vast receiver Malcolm Mitchell

[ad_1]

The New England Patriots proceed to churn their receiver corps.

The workforce launched Malcolm Mitchell on Monday, NFL Community Insider Ian Rapoport reported, per sources knowledgeable of the choice. The workforce later made the information official.

Mitchell spent a while on the conditioning fields throughout coaching camp practices after present process a knee process final…

[goalhofer]

2019-20 Laval Rocket Players By Nationality

American: 7 (Riley Barber, Joe Cox, Charlie Lindgren, Kevin Lynch, Michael McCarron, Ryan Poehling & Cayden Primeau)

Canadian: 14 (Alexandre Alain, Karl Alzner, Alex Belzile, Josh Brook, Jake Evans, Charles Hudon, Noah Juulsen, Maxim Lamarche, Xavier Ouellet, Matthew Peca, William Pelletier, Michael Pezzetta, Phil Varone & Dale Weise)

Swedish: 2 (Gustav Olofsson & Lukas Vejdemo)

Latvian: 1 (Nikita Jevpalovs)

Finnish: 1 (Otto Leskinen)

Czech: 1 (David Sklenicka)

[dmhunk]

(2) Brian Hoyer is a Super Bowl champion.

(3) Stephen Gostkowski is a Super Bowl champion.

(5) Danny Etling is a Super Bowl champion.

(6) Ryan Allen is a Super Bowl champion.

(10) Josh Gordon is a Super Bowl champion.

(11) Julian Edelman is a Super Bowl champion.

(12) Tom Brady is a Super Bowl champion.

(13) Phillip Dorsett is a Super Bowl champion.

(14) Braxton Berrios is a Super Bowl champion.

(15) Chris Hogan is a Super Bowl champion.

(16) Darren Andrews is a Super Bowl champion.

(17) Riley McCarron is a Super Bowl champion.

(17) Damoun Patterson is a Super Bowl champion.

(18) Matthew Slater is a Super Bowl champion.

(21) Duron Harmon is a Super Bowl champion.

(22) Obi Melifonwu is a Super Bowl champion.

(23) Patrick Chung is a Super Bowl champion.

(24) Stephon Gilmore is a Super Bowl champion.

(25) Eric Rowe is a Super Bowl champion.

(26) Sony Michel is a Super Bowl champion.

(27) J.C. Jackson is a Super Bowl champion.

(28) James White is a Super Bowl champion.

(29) Duke Dawson is a Super Bowl champion.

(30) Jason McCourty is a Super Bowl champion.

(31) Jonathan Jones is a Super Bowl champion.

(32) Devin McCourty is a Super Bowl champion.

(33) Jeremy Hill is a Super Bowl champion.

(34) Rex Burkhead is a Super Bowl champion.

(35) Keion Crossen is a Super Bowl champion.

(36) Brandon King is a Super Bowl champion.

(39) A. J. Howard is a Super Bowl champion.

(42) Jomal Wiltz is a Super Bowl champion.

(43) Nate Ebner is a Super Bowl champion.

(44) Christian Sam is a Super Bowl champion.

(45) Trent Harris is a Super Bowl champion.

(46) James Develin is a Super Bowl champion.

(47) Jacob Hollister is a Super Bowl champion.

(48) Calvin Munson is a Super Bowl champion.

(49) Joe Cardona is a Super Bowl champion.

(50) Ramon Humber is a Super Bowl champion.

(51) Ja'Whaun Bentley is a Super Bowl champion.

(52) Elandon Roberts is a Super Bowl champion.

(53) Kyle Van Noy is a Super Bowl champion.

(54) Dont'a Hightower is a Super Bowl champion.

(55) John Simon is a Super Bowl champion.

(58) Keionta Davis is a Super Bowl champion.

(59) Albert McClellan is a Super Bowl champion.

(60) David Andrews is a Super Bowl champion.

(61) Marcus Cannon is a Super Bowl champion.

(62) Joe Thuney is a Super Bowl champion.

(63) Brian Schwenke is a Super Bowl champion.

(64) Tony Adams is a Super Bowl champion.

(66) James Ferentz is a Super Bowl champion.

(67) Ulrick John is a Super Bowl champion.

(68) LaAdrian Waddle is a Super Bowl champion.

(69) Shaq Mason is a Super Bowl champion.

(70) Adam Butler is a Super Bowl champion.

(71) Danny Shelton is a Super Bowl champion.

(74) Cole Croston is a Super Bowl champion.

(75) Ted Karras is a Super Bowl champion.

(76) Isaiah Wynn is a Super Bowl champion.

(77) Trent Brown is a Super Bowl champion.

(80) Stephen Anderson is a Super Bowl champion.

(81) Cody Hollister is a Super Bowl champion.

(83) Dwayne Allen is a Super Bowl champion.

(84) Cordarrelle Patterson is a Super Bowl champion.

(85) Ryan Izzo is a Super Bowl champion.

(87) Rob Gronkowski is a Super Bowl champion.

(90) Malcom Brown is a Super Bowl champion.

(91) Deatrich Wise Jr. is a Super Bowl champion.

(92) Frank Herron is a Super Bowl champion.

(93) Lawrence Guy is a Super Bowl champion.

(94) Adrian Clayborn is a Super Bowl champion.

(95) Derek Rivers is a Super Bowl champion.

(97) Ufomba Kamalu is a Super Bowl champion.

(98) Trey Flowers is a Super Bowl champion.

The New England Patriots are the Super Bowl LIII Champions.

[thepatriotsandwe]

Three Up, Three Down: Texans at Patriots

The Patriots started off the season right with a 27-20 victory over the Houston Texans. Here are the three top performers, and the three factors that could see improvement as the season moves on.

Three Up

Rob Gronkowski

As it turns out, missing OTAs didn’t make Gronkowski look any less like his usual self.

Gronk hauled in seven passes for 123 yards and a touchdown as he continues to prove why he’s the most dominant single player in the National Football League. Simple put, when the Patriots need a play to be made the pass goes to Gronkowski. He made multiple catches in double or even triple coverage and is seemingly unable to be guarded when he’s really on the top of his game. 

The lone negative comes from a fumble on a long reception in the middle of heavy traffic, but it can be hardly blamed on Gronk as the Texans made an excellent defensive play to knock the ball out of his hands after securing the catch. It’s Gronkowski’s first fumble in about six years, so it’s not exactly going to keep Belichick up at night. If Gronk can remain healthy, there’s no need for any concern for the Pats offense.

Deatrich Wise

The New England pass rush roared to life on Sunday as the quarterback hunters feasted on Deshaun Watson all afternoon long. 

Deatrich Wise largely led the assault with 1.5 sacks and producing a large amount of the pressure felt by Watson during the game. Wise is coming off his rookie season in which he showed sparks, but definitely looked outclassed at times. After putting together a very strong training camp and preseason, it’s great to see Wise start the season off with yet another strong showing. 

Trey Flowers could have easily been in this spot as well, but he’s a bit of a known product for the Patriots so seeing the pressure come from a more unproven area is the bigger positive.

Phillip Dorsett

It has been spoken of at length all over the internet and sports radio. The Patriots are thin at wide receiver, and they really need an unlikely source to step up to help shoulder the load. Enter: Phillip Dorsett

Dorsett had an extremely quiet 2017 campaign finishing the season with just 12 catches for 194 yards. It’s difficult to catch onto the Patriots’ offense even with a full offseason to prepare, and Dorsett was added during the regular season last year which certainly did not help his cause. 

Today, however, the ex-Colt played a great game at receiver. Dorsett caught his first touchdown as a Patriot while tying Gronkowski for the most receptions for the team with seven and adding 66 yards to the passing attack. If Phillip is able to continue that chemistry with Brady, he could even see a jump in the depth chart replacing...

Three Down

Chris Hogan

Hogan received a nickname during his time featured on Hard Knocks: Training Camp With the Miami Dolphins. His nickname is “7-11″ because he’s always open. I hereby move to rename Chris Hogan to Chick-fil-A as he’s seemingly never open on Sundays.

He’s simply been a disappointment since late last year when an apparent shoulder injury hampered him, and it unfortunately continued into the game today. Hogan only caught one pass for eleven yards. One pass. He’s the Patriots number one receiver on the depth chart, and he only managed one pass. 

Hogan needs to pick it up, and he needs to pick it up in a hurry. With the emergence of Phillip Dorsett and the return of Julian Edelman just three games away, it’s very possible he could disappear into the lower portion of the depth chart and see minimal snaps moving forward.

Running Back Depth

This position was considered one of great depth for the Pats as the season began, and, suddenly, the team is on shaky ground again. Jeremy Hill sustained what appeared to be a significant injury due to some friendly fire from James Develin. One would hope Hill can return from the injury, but based on a cryptic tweet from the newly acquired running back, it sounds like the injury is going to keep him out for some time.

Moving forward, the Patriots have Rex Burkhead and James White as the only healthy running backs on the active roster. Sony Michel has been practicing and figures to be ready to go for the Jaguars next week, but at that point the Patriots are looking at two injury prone backs to be their workhorse for the remainder of the season. The Hill injury could have long lasting impacts as the wear and tear of the season nips away at the remaining backs.

It’s possible the Pats could call up practice squad running back Ralph Webb, but he’s more of a James White type of player and is unclear if he’d be able to pick up any significant amount of carries in the offseason. In order to begin to replace Hill in the event of his injury being serious, they’ll likely have to look outside the organization which can be tough to do in such a complicated offensive scheme.

Riley McCarron

When you’re added back onto the active roster for one role, you best not screw it up. Riley McCarron screwed up his one job, and he did so at a critical point of the game.

Late in the fourth quarter with the game largely in hand, McCarron let the football come right off his hands and set up the Texans for a potential comeback as a result. Due to his muffed punt (and failure to recover the ball on which he landed directly on top of), the Texans scored a touchdown cutting the lead to just seven points and caused New England fans everywhere a lot of unnecessary strife. 

Ball security is paramount at any position, but it’s absolutely critical at the returner positions and this mistake may have just caused McCarron his chance at the job. Belichick has been historically known for having a microscopic tolerance for bad ball handling and it remains to be seen if McCarron will have a spot on the roster come next week. 

The Patriots left a lot of room for improvement, but they also shined in areas in which there was concern leading up to the game. They did an excellent job containing Deshaun Watson (even if he was clearly not anywhere near 100%), and the passing game did see some sparks from Dorsett and a couple nice plays from Cordarrelle Patterson. 

Hopefully they can take these improvements forward into next week where they will be taking on the Jacksonville Jaguars and keep the good vibes rolling with another victory.

Until then,

Go Pats.

[its-wharris]

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[mitchbeck]

CANTLON'S CORNER: GORD MURPHY IS HERE IN HARTFORD

BY: Gerry Cantlon, Howlings HARTFORD, CT - As the Hartford Wolf Pack gets set for their first three-games-in-three-days this weekend with the Laval Rocket coming to Hartford on Friday night at the XL Center. Then the Pack plays a home-and-home with the Bridgeport Sound Tigers on Saturday and then on Sunday afternoon at 3 pm at the Webster Bank Arena. Pack Associate Head Coach, Gord Murphy’s hiring in the off-season, where he was accompanying his last year's fellow Philadelphia Flyers assistant, Kris Knoblauch, who were both relieved at the end of last season, coming to the AHL was a new interesting option. “I really like it so far. When I was researching the position, I talked to a number of former and current AHL coachers, and the one thing they all said was, 'You will like the time you have to really teach and develop.' In the NHL you don’t have all the time to practice. In fact, you're manufacturing time to talk to a player about certain things. "I really appreciate the time so far where a player can learn, process, and prepare for a game at the American (Hockey) League level,” Murphy, who spent 17 years as an assistant coach after retiring from playing, said. Murphy recognizes there's a learning curve. “I know this isn’t going to happen overnight. It takes time to set up and implement procedures and the structure the organization is looking for. We're all new (the coaching staff) and many new players with a lot of skills with leadership and veterans added to the mix.” One of the big mantras is defense-first. “I don’t care what level of hockey you're at, you have defense first, and that’s just not your defensemen. The goal is to keep the puck out of the net. That gives you a chance to win the game. If you don’t have the defense, it's not a recipe for success.” The team saw its shootout loss last Sunday against Rochester in which the Americans scored late to force overtime, and then the team defensive core held against the Springfield Thunderbirds in a 1-0 shutout win. The six-on-five is a part of a defensive strategy that all teams work at as the season starts to progress especially with the Wolf Pack heading into its first heavy dose of games with six games over the next eleven days. “It’s a learning experience. It’s an area we haven’t really touched on yet, only briefly. We obviously have had talks now about what our setups should be. We have been practicing this, and like everything else, it takes time.” The changes in defensive combinations last weekend is all part of the plan to build a stronger team defensively. “Changes are inevitable in this game, especially on defense. There will be injuries and call ups at some point, so it's better we learn, so we'll know how the players work together, finding the strengths and weaknesses will make the team and the player better.” The sport that he mastered playing in 735 NHL games has changed, especially from his early days with the Hershey Bears back in 1987-88. “There weren’t the skills coaches, the nutrition aspect, or the systems that we have today. Back then, we were taught certain positioning, but we were left on our own to use our skills all that we had. The dynamics now is the players are simply so much faster than in our day. We might have had three or four really top skaters, today is like closer to 15. The skill sets are far different today in what goes into making a 'player.'” Among Murphy's teammates were ex-Hartford Whalers, Kevin Maxwell, Don Nachbaur, Ray Allison, Kevin McCarthy, Nick Kypreos, and John Stevens. He also played with ex-New Haven Nighthawks, Brian Dobbin, and Mark Lofthouse, and former Wolf Pack assistant coach, JJ Daigneault. Teaching the new generation trust is an important component. “I’m trying to help them, and I can relate my experiences. The kids can Google about my past and that’s what is the past. Now I can share my knowledge. The kids have been very receptive and have worked very hard, but at the end of the day I have to earn their trust and respect.” For Murphy, the relationship with his troops now is akin to a parent-child relationship, in some ways. “Its like when they’re riding a bike learning that they’ll fall and skin their knee, but you get right back at it. We're helping to shape them, not only as players but as young men. Many are out on their own for the first time and learning to make good decisions on-and-off ice is a part of the equation of their professional growth and development.” Murphy’s experience is hopefully going to produce up top in New York for the Rangers and hopefully for Hartford when next April rolls around. NOTES: The Rangers recalled Ty Ronning to Hartford from the team's ECHL affiliates, the Maine Mariners. Ronning had five points in four games. Laval will be without Michael McCarron who is serving the second of his two-game suspension for a major interference penalty in Providence. He missed Wednesday’s game in Belleville. Not only are the Lindgren brothers, Ryan (Hartford) and Charles (Laval), playing against each other tonight, but two former members of the St. Cloud Huskies (NCHC) who were college teammates will be facing each other, in Patrick Newell (Hartford) and Ryan Poehling (Laval). In addition, ex-Pack/CT Whale, Dale Weise, makes his first appearance back in Hartford since 2010-11. Bridgeport has recalled highly-regarded Czech-born netminder, Jakub Sharek from the Worcester Railers. Sharek posted a 1.42 GAA in two games. The team reassigned another European goalie they like in Swedish Linus Soderstrom to Worcester. Riley Stillman, the grandson of ex-Nighthawks and Springfield Indians player, Bud Stefanski, was recalled from Springfield by Florida. Ex-Pack, Daniel Walcott, is assigned to Syracuse by Tampa Bay. Mitch Eliot, the son of former Nighthawk, Daren Eliot, is reassigned from Utica to Kalamazoo (ECHL). Ex-Pack, and Sound Tiger, Jack Combs signs a deal with Wichita (ECHL). Ex-Pack, and Ranger, Connor Brickley, signed a deal today with EC Salzburg (Austria-EBEL) for the rest of the season. He will report to the Red Bulls next week. Brickley played 13 games in Hartford last year after being acquired. Josh Primeau, the nephew of ex-Whaler, Keith Primeau, signs with HC Sierre (Switzerland-LNB) his eighth Swiss team in his career, all spent in Switzerland. Read the full article

[patspropaganda]

Patriots Set Initial 2018 Roster

Patriots Set Initial 2018 Roster

At long last, the New England Patriots 2018 roster has been trimmed to 51 players and though there will continue to be moves made over the next couple days, the core pieces out of preseason are in place for another Super Bowl run.

Let’s start with the surprises — Riley McCarron was cut after sitting out the final preseason game. Usually, that means you’re safe and now the Pats don’t really have a…

[the-nfl-football-fan]

Texans: TE Evan Baylis, WR Riley McCarron headline nine-player practice squad (ESPN)

Texans: TE Evan Baylis, WR Riley McCarron headline nine-player practice squad (ESPN)

from ESPN http://espn.go.com/nfl/ via IFTTT

[junker-town]

3 ways the Patriots can at least try to replace the irreplaceable Rob Gronkowski

New England has to find a way to make Gronkowski’s departure hurt as little as possible.

Rob Gronkowski called it a career Sunday. And now the Patriots are in trouble.

Losing Gronkowski is the biggest blow 2019’s dealt to an already weak New England receiving corps. Only three wide receivers or tight ends who caught a pass last fall are set to return for the upcoming season — Julian Edelman, Phillip Dorsett, and little-used tight end Jacob Hollister. Without Gronk on board to give Tom Brady gaping windows to throw the ball downfield, all three will see more defensive attention than ever.

Replacing him won’t be easy, or maybe even possible. Even in a diminished state he remained a singular force who could take over games like no other player could.

Gronk’s last 3 seasons averaged: - 10.4 YPA - 61% success rate - 113 passer rtg Those rank #1, #2 & #2 best in the NFL for any player with at least 225 targets the last 3 years. 11.2 YPA on 3rd down target, best in NFL. Mismatch nightmare. Absolute Stud. Gone far too soon.

— Warren Sharp (@SharpFootball) March 24, 2019

That leaves head coach Bill Belichick with an unenviable task. New England has already been proactive on the free agent market in an extremely New England way. The Patriots re-signed useful wideout Dorsett (73.3 percent catch rate, 11 yards per reception with Brady) to a one-year deal. They also added Matt LaCosse, Bruce Ellington, and Maurice Harris to the lineup. The four of them combined for 115 catches last season, so a couple of them are either going to have to make an unexpected leap or Brady is going to need some more help.

Unfortunately, this year’s thin free agent receiving corps has been picked over. Adam Humphries was a top target, but New England’s hesitance in contract talks allowed him to sign with the Titans instead. Golden Tate is a Giant. Jared Cook, the best available veteran tight end, flirted with the Patriots before signing with the Saints for more money.

So who is left to fill some of the biggest shoes in the league? There are three avenues the Pats can take — and they’ll need help at both tight and and wide receiver to do so.

No. 1: Draft targets

Noah Fant and T.J. Hockenson, Iowa

By most accounts, including SB Nation’s own Dan Kadar, Fant and Hockenson will be the first two tight ends off the board. It’s easy to see why. The Hawkeye duo combined upper-tier blocking, elite athleticism (especially in Fant’s case), and proven production in the passing game. They finished first and second in receiving yards for Iowa in 2018, combining for 88 catches, 1,279 receiving yards, and 13 touchdowns.

They also come from a program Belichick has skimmed from in the past. His relationship with Hawkeyes head coach Kirk Ferentz has helped push graduates like Cole Croston, Riley McCarron, and Ferentz’s son James to the New England roster in recent years.

The Patriots’ problem this spring may be that both they and Iowa’s tight ends were too good this past season. Neither player is expected to last until New England’s selection at No. 32 in the first round. The Pats can change all that by dipping into a vast resource of assets — they have 12 picks in April, more than any other team, including six of the top 101 — and trading up if they’re truly sold on Fant or Hockenson. If either one slides to the end of the first round, it seems a safe bet they’ll be on their way to Foxborough; the two Hawkeyes are the top two most popular mock draft picks for New England this year.

Irv Smith Jr., Alabama

The Crimson Tide product comes from another pipeline to which Belichick has long turned — though it’s not as though picking a player from Nick Saban’s assembly line in Tuscaloosa is an especially rare or special thing. Smith is following O.J. Howard’s lead into the NFL as an uber-athletic Alabama tight end with first-round aspirations. With a 4.6-second 40-yard dash time and upper-level performances on the bench and in the 20-yard shuttle at the NFL Combine, he’s got the power and athleticism to shine at the next level.

But Smith is no sure thing. He’s only got one season as a full-time starter under his belt in college, and while he put up solid numbers (44 catches, 710 yards, 7 TDs), that may have been a function of a Tua Tagovailoa aerial attack that made every member of the Bama offense look immortal at times.

Still, he’s got NFL bloodlines (his dad played tight end for the Saints and was seemingly inserted into every pack of Upper Deck cards I bought from 1993 to 1997) and is interested in a move to the Northeast:

https://t.co/tbeiutM2nL

— Irvin Smith Jr. (@swervinirvin_) March 24, 2019

But he could also be gone by pick 32 — Kadar’s latest mock draft has him getting snapped him by the target-needy Packers at No. 30. If that’s the case, Day 2 candidates like Texas A&M’s Jace Sternberger or Stanford’s Kaden Smith could be in play.

Terry McLaurin and Parris Campbell, Ohio State

McLaurin and Campbell have each seen their stock rise in the pre-draft process, turning in eye-catching workout numbers after excellent 2018 seasons with the Buckeyes. Campbell led the team with 90 catches for 1,063 yards and 12 touchdowns before showing out with a 4.31-second 40 time at the combine (tied for the top mark among receivers) and pulling off top-five showings in the long and broad jumps.

McLaurin averaged an absurd 20 yards per catch as a senior and turned heads both at the Senior Bowl and in his pro day workout. He’s gone from a potential late-round steal to possible early Day 2 pick — and the Patriots have six selections to work with those days.

Other early wideout picks who could be in play with New England’s first two selections of this year’s draft include Riley Ridley, N’Keal Harry, Deebo Samuel, and A.J. Brown. But if Belichick spurns the opportunity to make a Day 2 wideout his Waterloo once more, there are a few other less hyped prospects who could fit his needs.

Andy Isabella, Massachusetts, and Hunter Renfrow, Clemson

Scrappy undersized wideouts who were lightly regarded as recruits and still face major questions as they transition to the NFL despite prolific college football careers? That would never work in New England.

If the Patriots are looking for wideout prospects deeper in the the draft, they’ll have their choice of extremely Patriot-looking players. Isabella showed off his burner bonafides with a 4.31 40 at the combine, and waiting long into Day 2 could mean waiting too long on a player who was prolific at UMass — he had 102 catches and 1,698 yards last season. Renfrow wasn’t as impressive, but his history of showing up in big games means his name has been circled in Belichick’s day planner since January 2017.

Also up for inclusion here is West Virginia touchdown machine David Sills V, who would be the latest quarterback-turned-wideout to join the Patriots’ receiving corps.

No. 2: Trade targets

Here’s the toughest part to predict. Belichick’s lack of success drafting a wide receiver has been balanced out by his ability to add impact targets in various different swaps. Randy Moss, Wes Welker, and Brandin Cooks all came to New England via trade.

Gronkowski’s retirement opens up the cap space to add an impact veteran this offseason. If Belichick decides to pull the trigger, here are some names who could be logical fits.

Mohamed Sanu, WR, Falcons

Sanu has long been one of the best supporting-cast wide receivers in the NFL — a player who provides a valuable second option, occasional deep threat, and reliable hands on third down. He’s also set to cost the Falcons $7.6 million this fall, which could be an untenable number for a team with only an estimated $4.7 million of cap space in 2019. Trading away Sanu, whose value is mitigated by the presence of Julio Jones and Calvin Ridley atop the Atlanta depth chart, would create both immediate and long-term savings thanks to the rookie contract of the player eventually drafted by the Falcons with whichever picks the Pats send south.

The move would give Brady another reliable veteran wideout atop his receiving depth chart and Belichick another Rutgers product he so values. The Edelman-Sanu combination might give New England the league’s top pair of pass-throwing wideouts, too.

John Ross, WR, Bengals

It was only two years ago the draft world was in love with Ross, whose record-setting 4.22-second 40-yard dash prompted Cincinnati to ignore concerns about his college production and consistency and make him the No. 9 pick of the 2017 NFL Draft. In two years as a pro he’s caught just 35 percent of his targets, making 21 receptions on 60 passes thrown his way and generally serving as an idle deep threat in southwestern Ohio.

That lack of impact has reportedly put him on the trading block in Cincinnati, but he could regain his value playing in a more stable passing environment with the Patriots. His ability to stretch the field could create space for Edelman and whomever else winds up on the WR/TE depth chart on intermediate routes, similar to how Josh Gordon’s presence softened up defenses even when he wasn’t a target. Of course, Ross will have to prove himself repeatedly just to earn a whiff of the respect even an inconsistent Gordon got in 2018, but it’s not a massive stretch to see how he could fit in the New England offense.

Nelson Agholor, WR, Eagles

Like Sanu, Agholor is an expensive player on a team strapped for cap space. The fifth-year option on his rookie contract is set to pay him more than $9 million in 2019. Unlike Sanu, Agholor has yet to be a consistent receiving threat — though his 2017 breakout prevented him from becoming a first-round bust. He’s recorded 126 catches, 1,504 yards, and 12 touchdowns over the past two seasons to emerge as a versatile deep threat.

The Eagles have shed enough salary to afford Agholor’s expensive fifth year, but keeping him is no longer a top priority after the trade that reunited DeSean Jackson and the City of Brotherly Love earlier this offseason. Philadelphia could ship him off in 2019 rather than let him leave with no return other than a potential compensatory 2021 draft pick next winter. It’s not like these two teams are opposed to doing business, either — general manager Howie Roseman already took New England’s fifth-round pick in the Michael Bennett trade earlier this year.

Cameron Brate, TE, Buccaneers

Tampa Bay signed Brate to a six-year, $40.8 million contract extension last March — a kinda strange twist after drafting Alabama tight end Howard less than a year earlier. While the Bucs’ plan may have been to play the two together as dual-threats like New England had with Gronkowski and Aaron Hernandez, Brate has mostly been shunted to a supporting role. He had just 30 catches and 289 yards — although with six touchdowns — while making only two starts in 2018.

New head coach Bruce Arians may have more involved plans for Brate, or he may want a fresh start and some extra cap space currently tied up over the final five years and $33.8 million on the Harvard product’s deal. Brate isn’t a Gronkowski replacement up the seam, but he’s a valuable red zone target with 20 touchdowns over the past three seasons — nearly 15 percent of his catches. The Buccaneers backup fills a need in New England. The question is whether Arians is interested in parting with him.

Free agent help lightning round

The Patriots have roughly $17 million left to spend this spring, but few big-name targets available to spend that money on. The tight end market is relatively barren, with decent, unexciting pieces (Dion Sims, Lance Kendricks), former second-round picks who never lived up to the hype (Austin Seferian-Jenkins, Maxx Williams), and guys who were once Patriots (Matt Lengel, A.J. Derby) shrugging their way across a shallow pool of talent.

There are a few more interesting names at wideout, though New England’s recent efforts to bring less-wanted veteran help backfired horribly when Eric Decker, Jordan Matthews, and Kenny Britt were all released before the 2018 season began. The team’s effort to bring young reclamation projects into the fold didn’t pan out either, with Corey Coleman and Amara Darboh each earning their releases before playing a single game with the team.

That makes it easy to understand why Belichick would be reticent to dive into a receiver market filled with well-known but flawed names. Demaryius Thomas’ level of play dropped significantly in 2018 before he tore his Achilles. Pierre Garcon will be 33 this year and missed 16 total games over the last two seasons. Ryan Grant had the opportunity to play with Andrew Luck and allow T.Y. Hilton to relieve some of the defensive pressure he faced, but he failed to match his solid 2017 campaign in Washington.

Jermaine Kearse is coming off his worst non-rookie season as a pro. Jordy Nelson finished 2018 on a high note (38 catches, 386 yards in his final five games), but is also going to be 34 in 2019. Kelvin Benjamin has the strongest combination of talent and youth of anyone on this list. He’s also seems like the kind of guy Belichick would cut after two practices.

#Bills Josh Allen just asked Kelvin Benjamin if he wanted to work on routes pregame during warm ups. Kelvin’s answer: No

— Jenna Cottrell (@JennaCottrell) October 14, 2018

Bringing back Chris Hogan would help, though he’s still trying to find a way to recapture his deep threat magic from 2016 and was rendered entirely anonymous in multiple games last fall. Other familiar faces like Brandon LaFell and Michael Floyd could also wind up back on the team’s list. No matter who the club picks at this stage, it appears diving into free agency is the least exciting option for the Patriots.

Losing Gronkowski doesn’t just leave a hole in New England’s tight end depth chart. It forces the Patriots to replace the guy who created looser coverage for the rest of his teammates downfield and find a new security blanket for Brady when he needs to pull a game-changing clutch play out of his hat.

While versatile players like James White and Rex Burkhead can take on some of the burden in the passing game and Sony Michel looks like the team’s most potent lead runner since Corey Dillon, there’s plenty of work still to be done — even if Gordon is cleared for a return to the field.

There’s no one solution to this problem. In 2019, the Patriots have three avenues to begin chipping away at the biggest possible non-Belichick, non-Brady loss on the roster. Even if they choose correctly, we may not know until 2020 — or later.

[winterolympicssports2018-blog]

New England Patriots trading Brandin Cooks to Los Angeles Rams

Click here for More Olympics Updates https://www.winterolympian.com/new-england-patriots-trading-brandin-cooks-to-los-angeles-rams/

New England Patriots trading Brandin Cooks to Los Angeles Rams

FOXBOROUGH, Mass. — The New England Patriots have traded receiver Brandin Cooks to the Los Angeles Rams for the 23rd overall pick in this year’s draft.

As part of the deal, which was officially announced by the Rams on Tuesday night, New England also sent a fourth-round pick (No. 136 overall) to Los Angeles and received a sixth-round pick (No. 198 overall) from the Rams.

The deal helps both teams in different ways.

The Rams — who had explored a trade for Odell Beckham Jr. but liked the Cooks option better — were seeking a vertical threat for second-year coach Sean McVay’s dynamic offense after Sammy Watkins joined the Kansas City Chiefs in free agency.

New England is sending receiver Brandin Cooks and a 2018 fourth-round pick to Los Angeles for the 23rd overall pick in the draft and a sixth-rounder. Read more

• Gonzalez: L.A. gets its missing piece • Reiss: Patriots load up on draft picks • Graziano: Patriots now among likeliest teams to trade up for QB • Barnwell: Rams now built around stars; Patriots’ next move a fascinating one • Schefter: Cooks a Rams’ target all along • Fantasy: Does Cooks’ value change now?

The speedy Cooks, who totaled 65 receptions for 1,082 yards and seven touchdowns for the Patriots last season, fills that void alongside Robert Woods and Cooper Kupp. Cooks had 16 receptions on passes thrown 20-plus yards downfield last season, tied with DeAndre Hopkins for most in the NFL.

Cooks had made a strong impression on many in New England after the team acquired him last offseason from the New Orleans Saints for a package that included the Patriots’ first-round pick (No. 32 overall), but he was entering the final year of his contract (due to earn $8.459 million) at a time when salaries for top pass-catchers have skyrocketed.

In choosing to trade Cooks, the Patriots were likely weighing their chances of re-signing him in 2019 while also working to accumulate assets at a time when quarterback Tom Brady turns 41 in August and tight end Rob Gronkowski appears to be on a year-to-year plan in terms of how much longer he will play.

The Patriots, who hope to sustain success as some of their star players enter the final stages of their careers, now have two first-round picks (No. 23, 31) and two second-rounders (No. 43, 63), along with a third-rounder (95), two sixth-rounders and a seventh-rounder this year.

As for their wide receiver depth chart, it is still well stocked with Julian Edelman, Chris Hogan, Phillip Dorsett, Malcolm Mitchell, Kenny Britt, Cordarrelle Patterson, Riley McCarron and Cody Hollister, although the club will miss Cooks’ blazing speed and durability, as he played 92.7 percent of the offensive snaps in the regular season and coach Bill Belichick said he never missed a practice.

Cooks had 10 catches for 155 yards in the postseason before being knocked out of the team’s Super Bowl LII loss to the Philadelphia Eagles with a concussion in the second quarter.

The 24-year-old Cooks, who entered the NFL as a first-round draft choice of the Saints in 2014, is the latest star acquisition for the Rams this offseason. They previously traded for cornerbacks Marcus Peters and Aqib Talib, then signed defensive tackle Ndamukong Suh, whom they will introduce to the media Wednesday.

Several current Rams players took to Twitter to cheer the move.

Aw man the front office is out here cookin! 👀👨🏾‍🍳 #Rams

— Rodger Saffold (@Rodger_Saffold) April 3, 2018

B Coooooooooks!!!!!!!!! Let’s goooooooo! @brandincooks welcome to the squad brotha.#GoBeavs

— Johnny Hekker (@JHekker) April 3, 2018

The Rams will be without a first-round pick for the second consecutive year. They were hoping to use this year’s pick to help address drastic needs at linebacker.

The 23rd overall pick will be the Patriots’ highest in the draft since 2012, when they selected Chandler Jones 21st overall. In addition, they now have two first-round picks in the same draft for the third time under Belichick. In 2012, they selected Jones and Dont’a Hightower. In 2004, they took Vince Wilfork and Benjamin Watson.

ESPN.com Rams reporter Alden Gonzalez contributed to this report.

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[todaynewsstories]

NFL notebook: ‘No decision’ on Rodgers’ Week 2 availability

Green Bay Packers coach Mike McCarthy said Monday “no decision has been made” about whether quarterback Aaron Rodgers will be able to play Week 2 against the Minnesota Vikings.

Sept 9, 2018; Green Bay, WI, USA; Green Bay Packers quarterback Aaron Rodgers argues a call in the first half against the Chicago Bears at Lambeau Field. Mandatory credit: William Glasheen/USA TODAY NETWORK-Wisconsin via USA TODAY NETWORK

“We’re still collecting all the information on his specific situation,” McCarthy told reporters. “I know Aaron wants to play and is always driven to play, but that’s all I have for right now.”

Rodgers said in his postgame interview Sunday night on NBC that he would play against the Vikings, against whom he broke his collarbone last year.

Rodgers was carted to the locker room in the second quarter of the Packers’ Sunday night opener against the Chicago Bears with a left knee injury, but he returned after halftime to lead a 20-point comeback victory, despite putting little weight on his left leg. He closed the game with four consecutive scoring drives, completing the largest fourth-quarter comeback (17 points) in franchise history.

—The Tennessee Titans placed three-time Pro Bowl tight end Delanie Walker on injured reserve following an ankle injury sustained Sunday in a season-opening loss to the Miami Dolphins.

Walker’s right ankle was fractured and dislocated when a defender rolled up his leg while making a tackle late in the fourth quarter. Walker, 34, was carted off the field, ending his 13th NFL season after tallying four catches for 52 yards.

Walker was named to the Pro Bowl in each of the past three seasons, and he has missed just eight total games in the past 11 years. He set career highs in 2015 with 94 receptions for 1,088 yards.

—After a season opener in which both of the Bills’ quarterbacks struggled, Buffalo coach Sean McDermott was not ready to name a Week 2 starter.

Nathan Peterman was benched during the Bills’ 47-3 road loss to Baltimore Ravens on Sunday, and rookie replacement Josh Allen wasn’t much better. The Bills play host to the Los Angeles Chargers this Sunday.

“Still going to evaluate where we are, dotting the i’s, crossing the t’s,” McDermott said. “Take one step at a time. When you look at the tape, I’ve been through it a couple times already, we all have to do our job better. You can go around the team, in all three phases we didn’t play well enough to win the football game.”

—Jacksonville Jaguars running back Leonard Fournette is dealing with a right hamstring injury and his status for the AFC Championship Game rematch with the New England Patriots on Sunday likely will be determined late in the week.

Fournette sustained the injury during the Jaguars’ season-opening win against the New York Giants.

“I talked to (the doctors) and they said it was a minor hamstring injury,” Jacksonville coach Doug Marrone said. “We have a lot of time and we will see where it is. If he is ready to go, we will ease him back in there. We will see how he feels. I think a lot of it depends on that.”

—Carolina Panthers coach Ron Rivera said he would not have an update on the condition of tight end Greg Olsen, who left the Sunday opener with a foot injury.

Rivera said the timing of his media session made it impossible to discuss injuries with the Panthers’ medical staff on Monday morning, but he said the Panthers are prepared to execute without Olsen if he is out any length of time.

Linebacker Luke Kuechly appears to have escaped a scare with his lower leg. Kuechly left the game in the second half but was able to walk around after a brief chat with trainers.

—Seattle Seahawks wide receiver Doug Baldwin sustained a Grade 2 partial tear of the medial collateral ligament in his right knee on Sunday, according to an ESPN report.

The timetable for Baldwin to return remains unclear. He got rolled up on against the Denver Broncos in the second quarter and limped off the field after getting treated by trainers. He returned briefly before the Seahawks deemed him out just after halftime. He did not catch his only target in the game.

Baldwin, who turns 30 later this month, missed all of the preseason with soreness in his left knee, telling reporters in late August he was “about 80 to 85 percent” and would probably deal with the issue for the rest of the season.

—Patriots running back Jeremy Hill’s first season with the team is over after one game, as New England placed him on injured reserve.

Hill left the Sunday game with a knee injury, and multiple reports indicate he sustained a torn ACL in his right knee while in pursuit on a change of possession against the Houston Texans. Patriots fullback James Develin delivered an inadvertent shot to Hill’s knee as both pursued the ball after a turnover.

Sep 9, 2018; Miami Gardens, FL, USA; Tennessee Titans tight end Delanie Walker (82) is carted off the field after being injured during the second half against the Miami Dolphins at Hard Rock Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jasen Vinlove-USA TODAY Sports

New England’s depth at running back would be suspect entering Week 2 against the Jaguars unless rookie Sony Michel can return. Michel was inactive Sunday due to a knee issue.

—The Patriots worked out former Cleveland Browns wideout Corey Coleman, according to an NFL Network report.

Coleman was also scheduled to visit the Eagles on Tuesday, per NFL Network.

Coleman was the 15th overall pick in 2016, but he was dealt to the Bills in August for a seventh-round pick and failed to make Buffalo’s roster. The Patriots released wideouts Chad Hansen and Riley McCarron on Monday, leaving them with just three true wideouts on the roster with Julian Edelman suspended.

—The Bills released defensive tackle Adolphus Washington and signed former Browns defensive end Nate Orchard.

Washington, 23, was a third-round pick in 2016 and started 21 games over his first two seasons, but he lost his starting job this offseason with the arrival of Star Lotulelei via free agency and Harrison Phillips via the draft.

Orchard, 25, was a second-round pick in 2015 and was featured in detail on HBO’s “Hard Knocks” this August before being released by the Browns during final cuts. He has 5.0 sacks in 34 career games (13 starts), including 2.0 sacks last year.

—Texans cornerback Kevin Johnson could miss several weeks after being diagnosed with a concussion Sunday in his first game back from a head injury.

Coach Bill O’Brien said Monday that Johnson would likely miss significant time with a second concussion in less than four weeks. NFL Network reported Johnson’s absence will likely be at least four weeks and perhaps six, making him a candidate to go on injured reserve and be recalled later this season.

Johnson had cleared concussion protocol in time to play at Foxborough, Mass., in the season-opening loss to the Patriots.

—San Francisco 49ers wideout Marquise Goodwin is day-to-day with a bruised thigh, and guards Mike Person (strained foot) and Joshua Garnett (dislocated toe) are week-to-week, Kyle Shanahan said.

Goodwin missed much of the Sunday game against the Minnesota Vikings with what was called a quad issue, finishing without a catch on one target in 17 snaps. He appears to have a good chance of playing in Week 2.

Person went down after 20 snaps and was replaced by Garnett, who played 14. Garry Gilliam came in at right tackle and Mike McGlinchey kicked inside to guard with both players out.

—Pittsburgh Steelers cornerback Joe Haden sustained a Grade 1 hamstring strain against the Browns, according to an ESPN report.

It’s the mildest level of hamstring strains, but Haden’s status for Week 2 against the Chiefs is uncertain as the Steelers won’t rush him, per ESPN.

Haden, 29, played 58 of 89 snaps (65 percent) against his former team in the Steelers’ draw with Cleveland. He has missed 19 games due to injury over the past three seasons, including five last year.

—Browns defensive end Emmanuel Ogbah might miss some time with an ankle injury sustained Sunday, coach Hue Jackson told reporters.

Jackson said he believes Ogbah avoided a high ankle sprain, but it’s unclear how long the 24-year-old will be out. Free agent signee Chris Smith is next in line for snaps opposite Myles Garrett.

A 2016 second-round pick, Ogbah missed six games last season with a broken foot. He played 27 snaps against the Steelers before leaving, assisting on one tackle.

—Ravens running back Kenneth Dixon is expected to “miss some time” with a knee injury sustained Sunday, according to the Baltimore Sun.

Dixon, who missed all of 2017 with a torn meniscus, led the Ravens in carries (13) and rushing yards (44) while finding the end zone once in the Ravens’ 47-3 drubbing of the Bills, but he limped off in the final minutes.

A 2016 fourth-round pick, Dixon also missed four games as a rookie due to injury.

Sep 9, 2018; Charlotte, NC, USA; Carolina Panthers tight end Greg Olsen (88) stands on the sidelines on crutches during the fourth quarter against the Dallas Cowboys at Bank of America Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jeremy Brevard-USA TODAY Sports

—Defensive end Steven Means signed with the Atlanta Falcons to fill the roster spot created when safety Keanu Neal was placed on injured reserve.

The Falcons also signed linebacker Corey Nelson — as Deion Jones is dealing with a foot injury — and safety Keith Tandy. Atlanta released cornerback Deante Burton and long snapper Jeff Overbaugh to make room.

Neal sustained a torn anterior cruciate ligament in his left knee in the Sept. 6 season opener at Philadelphia. Means and Nelson were among the final players cut by the Eagles.

—Los Angeles Chargers right tackle Joe Barksdale was still being evaluated after leaving the Sunday game due to a right knee injury.

Coach Anthony Lynn declined to provide further updates on Barksdale on Monday but did say that swing tackle Sam Tevi “is our starter, as of right now.”

Barksdale played 15 snaps against the Chiefs before leaving. He was announced as questionable to return but never did. Tevi, a 2017 sixth-round pick, started one game as a rookie.

—The Dolphins re-signed center Travis Swanson for the second time in a week, according to an NFL Network report.

Swanson was signed last Monday — after he was among the Jets’ final cuts — before being released a day later. Per NFL Network, the Dolphins will release tight end Gavin Escobar to make room for Swanson on the roster.

Escobar was signed last week after the team placed tight end MarQueis Gray on injured reserve because of a torn Achilles.

—The Dallas Cowboys signed guard Xavier Su’a-Filo, who worked out for the team last week, according to Su’a-Filo’s agent.

Su’a-Filo started 40 games over the past three seasons for the Texans, but he signed a one-year deal with Tennessee in free agency and didn’t make the team out of training camp.

The Cowboys need depth on the interior with center Travis Frederick out while battling Guillain-Barre syndrome. Parker Ehinger, who was acquired in late August from the Kansas City Chiefs, was placed on injured reserve last week.

—Washington Redskins wideouts Trey Quinn and Cam Sims each sustained high ankle sprains Sunday, coach Jay Gruden said.

Gruden said it’s unclear if either player will need surgery, but it appears both will be out for a significant stretch.

Quinn, the final pick of the 2018 draft, and Sims, an undrafted rookie, make up a third of Washington’s depth chart at the position and are key pieces on special teams. Quinn had two punt returns for 12 yards on Sunday and also played eight offensive snaps, going without a target.

—The Broncos released wideout Isaiah McKenzie and, per ESPN, are expected to re-sign veteran safety Shamarko Thomas.

Both players were among the team’s final cuts at the end of the preseason, but McKenzie was re-signed to the roster after Su’a Cravens was placed on injured reserve. McKenzie was inactive on Sunday, however, as Adam Jones has assumed the Broncos’ punt-return job, and Tim Patrick is locked in as the team’s fifth wide receiver. Thomas is expected to help on special teams while Cravens is on IR.

The team also released wideout River Cracraft from the practice squad and reinstated suspended wideout Carlos Henderson to take Cracraft’s place. Henderson, a 2017 third-round pick, missed all of camp after not reporting due to a personal issue, but he returned to the team in late August.

—Former Texans wide receiver Braxton Miller joined the Philadelphia Eagles as one of three wide receivers signed to the practice squad. Tight end Billy Brown was released from the practice squad.

Miller, a third-round pick in 2016, was converted from quarterback at Ohio State to slot receiver with Houston. The 25-year-old had nine starts in 21 career games with the Texans and caught 34 passes for 261 yards and two touchdowns.

The Eagles are also hosting former Baltimore first-round pick Breshad Perriman, according to multiple reports. Perriman battled injuries and was released by the Ravens, who selected him in the first round of the 2015 draft.

—Field Level Media

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Riley McCarron Laments 'Stupid Play' As Muffed Punt Mars Patriots Debut

by Zack Cox on Sun, Sep 9, 2018 at 7:39PM

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FOXBORO, Mass. — Riley McCarron’s New England Patriots career got off to an inauspicious start Sunday afternoon at Gillette Stadium.

McCarron, who was promoted from the Patriots’ practice squad this week primarily to handle punt return duties during Julian Edelman’s four-game suspension, muffed a punt late in New England’s season opener against the Houston Texans.

Houston recovered the fumble, retained possession at New England’s 16-yard line and scored six plays later, with quarterback Deshaun Watson connecting with wide receiver Bruce Ellington on a 5-yard touchdown to cut the Patriots’ lead to seven points.

The Patriots held that lead to win 27-20, but McCarron still was frustrated with himself after the game.

“I made a stupid play,” the 25-year-old wide receiver told reporters. “I should have handled the ball. It’s as simple as that. I did not make the decision on a fair catch, obviously, but I know the one I should have made now.”

He added: “I just dropped the ball. It’s not a good feeling. I would like that not to happen anymore this season.”

The miscue was the highlight of an otherwise nondescript afternoon for McCarron, who was making his NFL debut after spending most of last season on the Patriots practice squad. He fair-caught three other punts, and Tom Brady’s only pass to him on offense fell incomplete.

“It obviously is not a good feeling, but credit to the defense,” McCarron said. “They did a great job. I have great support from (my) teammates. They told me to just keep my head up.”

Patriots running back and co-captain James White said he offered McCarron some words of support after his blunder.

“I went up and tapped him on the head,” White said. “I told him, ‘The play is over. We’ll move on from it. The defense is going to try and get a stop, and we might need you that next drive, so you can’t be down in the dumps.’ But Riley’s a good football player. We’ve all made mistakes in some key moments so you’ve definitely got to try and lift him up and keep his spirits because we still had a football game to play.”

Thumbnail photo via Bob DeChiara/USA TODAY Sports Images

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Source: https://nesn.com/2018/09/riley-mccarron-laments-stupid-play-on-muffed-punt-in-patriots-debut/