NFL Notebook: Arkansas pass rushers finding home with Patriots

Taking a weekend trip around the NFL with a focus on the Patriots…



1. One leftover from my feature on Deatrich Wise this week was part of a Q&A with former Arkansas defensive line coach Rory Segrest, where I asked him why the Patriots have dipped into the Razorbacks’ talent pool when it comes to pass-rushing defensive ends the last couple of years. Some have been hits: Trey Flowers and (perhaps) Wise, while some have been missed (Jake Bequette). What has made some of the Arkansas defensive ends so enticing to Bill Belichick and the Patriots? “I think that in some cases, these are not guys who are necessarily four- or five-star recruits. They are prospects who come out of high school as good players, but want to really prove themselves on the next level,” Segrest said. “They have the work ethic and attitude and determination, all things that you look for what you’re recruiting. But these guys also have the raw talent needed to succeed. Sure, a lot of guys talk about succeeding at the next level, but those guys who really want to work toward it, guys like Trey and Deatrich, those guys are special. They have a special mentality. They want to be successful, and they make the most of their opportunities.” With that in mind, Patriots fans might want to keep an eye on the Razorbacks this year, and pay special attention to the likes of Randy Ramsey or Karl Roesler, two Arkansas defenders who might have the pedigree to eventually fit in Foxborough.

2. Here’s the complete list of confirmed free-agent workouts in Foxborough this week:

WR River Cracraft, Washington State
DE Datone Jones, UCLA
WR Kenny Lawler, Cal
DB Robert Nelson, Arizona State
WR Nelson Spruce, Colorado
DE Jonathan Woodward, Central Arkansas
OLB/DE LaMarr Houston, Texas

The two biggest names on that list are Jones and Houston, a pair of veteran linemen who have been in the league a few years. Jones, 27, has spent time with the Packers and Vikings. The 6-foot-4, 283-pounder out of UCLA has nine career sacks. As for Houston, the 6-foot-3, 302-pounder from Texas has played for the Raiders and Bears, and has 25.5 career sacks in seven years in the league. New England fans might remember the 30-year-old best as the guy who suffered a serious knee injury after celebrating a fourth-quarter sack of Jimmy Garoppolo in a 2014 game in Foxborough.



3. Despite the recent earthquake that killed more than 200 people and created serious damage in and around Mexico City, a league spokesman said Friday that the NFL had not planned to change the site of November’s scheduled game between the Patriots and Raiders — set for Estadio Azteca — as of yet. “At this point, I don't think they found any significant damage, but we continue to talk with the Mexican government and the local authorities in Mexico City to both try and understand how we can help in this terrible situation caused by the earthquake and what issues are raised by the game that is scheduled to be played in November,” said NFL spokesman Joe Lockhart on a conference call. “(There are) no decisions on any change in our plans, but we are continuing our conversations.” One other Patriots-related note from the Q&A with Lockhart, who addressed the news of the pending lawsuit against the league from the family of Aaron Hernandez. “We are reviewing the lawsuit now,” he said. “On first look, the claim will face significant legal issues, and we intend to contest the claim vigorously. Any attempt here to paint Aaron Hernandez as a victim, we believe is misguided. His personal story is complex and doesn't lend itself to simple answers.”

4. The news that the Patriots had signed wide receiver Riley McCarron to the practice squad Friday wasn’t a big shock for two reasons. One, he’s a former Texan, and New England can pump him for any sort of intel he might have on the Houston offense prior to Sunday’s game. And two, he was lights out when it came to his 3-cone time as a collegian. Longtime readers will know that I’m a 3-cone aficionado for a few reasons, but most notably because it’s one of the things the Patriots look for when it comes to measuring a prospect. That’s not to say it’s the only thing they look for, but an ability to get in and out of cuts and that quick-twitch ability is prized when it comes to their defensive backs and wide receivers, and can often put a prospect over the top when it comes to an evaluation. (Click here for a description of the drill.) Keeping in mind anything below seven seconds is considered really fast and anything below 6.8 is considered excellent, McCarron’s 3-cone time of 6.59 would allow him to fit in on a team that has Julian Edelman (6.62), Dion Lewis (6.9), Devin McCourty (6.7), James White (7.05) and Jordan Richards (6.74).

5. If you’re at Sunday’s Texans-Patriots game and see a shirtless Vince Wilfork, you’re not hallucinating. The former defensive tackle will be on hand tailgating as part of a promotion involving Kingsford Charcoal. Tailgating is something he said he always wanted to do, and he’s not sure how he’s going to react. “I’ve been waiting for this tailgate for so long — who knows what you’re going to get,” Wilfork told Sporting News on Friday. “Maybe I’ll be playing beer pong. Maybe I’ll be on the grill. Maybe I’ll be walking around with my shirt off.” It sounds like Wilfork is really enjoying his retirement; when it comes to the checklist of things he’s always wanted to do when his playing days were over, tailgating pretty much tops the list. “There’s nothing like seeing the fans in the parking lot,” Wilfork recalled, of the days when he’d pull into Gillette before a game. “People have their jerseys on. They’ve got the games going on (TV), they’ve got the grills and they’ve got the beer. It’s smelling so good and in three hours I have to play in a game.” (For what it’s worth, it sounds like this might be the first step toward something we suggested before — make Wilfork New England’s version of Boog Powell and have him open a BBQ stand at Patriots Place.)

6. On Sunday against the Saints, the Patriots were hit with nine penalties for 66 yards, not including the calls that were declined or offset. (That included an unnecessary roughness call on a facemark penalty against rookie Harvey Langi that resulted in a $9,115 fine, the first fine of the season levied against New England.) Through two weeks, that’s 15 penalties (13th most) for 121 yards (15th). Here’s a breakdown of the flags that have gone against the Patriots this season:

Most penalized players, listed by total flags and with total yardage lost:
Team: 3 (Delay of Game, Illegal Shift, Defensive 12 men on the field), 16 yards
CB Malcolm Butler: 1 (Defensive Pass Interference), 20 yards
LB/ST Harvey Langi: 1 (Facemask — special teams), 15 yards
ST/S Brandon King: 1 (Unnecessary Roughness — special teams), 15 yards
OL David Andrews: 1 (Offensive Holding), 10 yards
OL Marcus Cannon: 1 (Offensive Holding), 10 yards
WR Brandin Cooks: 1 (False Start), 5 yards\
TE Dwayne Allen: 1 (12 Men On The Field), 5 yards
DE Trey Flowers: 1 (Defensive Offsides), 5 yards
CB Jonathan Jones: 1 (Defensive Offsides), 5 yards
ST/RB Brandon Bolden: 1 (Running Into the Kicker — special teams), 5 yards
ST LB Cassius Marsh: 1 (Running Into the Kicker — special teams), 5 yards
QB Tom Brady: 1 (Illegal Forward Pass), 5 yards

Most penalized by position
Special teams: 4 penalties for 40 yards
Team: 3 penalties for 16 yards
Cornerback: 2 penalties for 25 yards
Offensive Line: 2 penalties for 20 yards
QB: 1 penalty for 5 yards
Defensive Line: 1 penalty for 5 yards
Tight end: 1 penalty for 5 yards
Wide receiver: 1 penalty for 5 yards

Most frequently called penalties
Defensive Offsides: 2
Offensive Holding: 2
Running Into the Kicker: 2
Unnecessary Roughness: 1
Defensive Pass Interference: 1
Illegal Forward Pass: 1
Defensive 12 men on the field: 1
Facemask: 1
Offensive 12 men on the field: 1
Illegal Shift: 1
False Start: 1
Delay of Game: 1

(Oh, and not that we’re interested in jinxing him, but Rob Gronkowski has now gone two games without taking an offensive pass interference penalty.)

7. It was announced this week that 144 people — men and women — across the league took part on this year’s Bill Walsh Minority Coaching Fellowship. The purpose of the Fellowship program is to give on-the-field exposure to potential coaching talent, with the ultimate goal of helping the participants gain positions in the NFL. Troy Brown, Billy Yates, David Patten, Sammy Morris and Corey Ivy are just a few of the former Patriots who have taken part in the program. Meanwhile, some of the program’s more notable alumni include former Tampa Bay coach Lovie Smith, former Buccaneers assistant and current Steelers coach Mike Tomlin and longtime Cincinnati coach Marvin Lewis. This past year in New England, the Patriots were assisted by Cameron Clemmons, a former offensive lineman out of Western Kentucky who has also spent time as a grad assistant at Tennessee.

8. It’s almost ridiculous to think about it, but with the opening of Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta last week, Gillette Stadium is now out of the Top 10 when it comes to newest NFL stadiums. Gillette opened in 2002 (the same year as CenturyLink Field in Seattle, Ford Field in Detroit and NRG Stadium in Houston) and was at the tail end of a rush of new NFL venues — in four years between 2000 and 2003, nine new stadiums opened. (For the record, we’re counting the current home of the Chargers, StubHub Center in that group, even though they didn’t move in until this past offseason.) Gillette is currently tied with the Seahawks, Lions and Texans as having the 11th newest venue in the NFL, but that group will get bumped down the list even more when the Raiders, Rams and Chargers all move into new stadiums in 2020. There’s no talk around Foxborough about a new stadium anytime soon — the team has done well to maximize its footprint with additions almost every offseason. But with the passage of time and teams that moved into new stadiums in the 1980s and 1990s already finding new spots (like the Vikings and Falcons), it’s remarkable to think of Gillette as one of the league’s more longstanding venues.

9. I went 12-3 last week, and I’m at 23-6 through two weeks. ALL I DO IS PICK WINNERS. This week, I’ve got the Rams, Ravens, Steelers, Broncos, Saints, Bucs, Dolphins, Falcons, Seahawks, Packers, Browns, Patriots, Eagles, Chiefs, Raiders and Cowboys.

10. The Patriots schedule is starting to settle into a nice routine, with their second consecutive home game set for Sunday at 1 next weekend against the Panthers. In the meantime, expect a week similar to the one the Patriots just had, with players for treatment and film on Monday, the day off on Tuesday, and practices Wednesday through Friday leading up to Sunday’s home game against Carolina.