Newest Patriots defensive lineman Ricky Jean Francois runs on Dunkin'

FOXBOROUGH — Ricky Jean Francois is a happy man.

The defensive tackle, who was picked up as a free agent this week by the Patriots, owns 30 Dunkin’ Donuts. So when he arrived in New England, it was a perfect fit, in more ways than one.



"As soon as I got off the airplane it was like every block I hit I saw a Dunkin' Donuts," said Jean Francois, who said he wants to get to 50 stores one day. "I must be in Dunkin' Donuts heaven up here."

Jean Francois also gave shout-out to Dunkins’ pitchman Rob Gronkowski.

“I love him. He’s got business booming," said Jean Francois. “Every time I look at that commercial, I smile now. I see Gronk, and I’m like, 'He’s making us a whole lot of money this year just for seeing his pretty face.'”

On the field, with Malcom Brown banged up and Vincent Valentine still on injured reserve, he's joining a team that’s in need of some big-body depth up front. The 30-year-old is a 6-foot-3, 313-pounder who has played for the Niners, Colts. Redskins and Packers, and filled multiple spots up and down the defensive line.

“We just tried to add a little depth to the defensive line. He's played this year, has some experience,” said Bill Belichick. “He's been on several different teams. (He’s) played in different systems, played 3-4 end (and) played inside on the guard. We'll see how it goes.”

“I was just happy that a team picked me up,” Jean Francois said Thursday, less than two weeks after being let go by Green Bay. “I was just sitting out, chilling out, just packing my stuff up, leaving Green Bay and going home, and I got the call. I was like, ‘Time to come up here and learn a new playbook.’”

Jean Francois is now spending the bulk of his time trying to get up to speed in New England’s system. It’s unlikely he’ll be able to go this weekend, but a team like the Patriots that could use another stabilizing veteran presence in its front seven could certainly end up leaning on him sooner rather than later. To that end, he’s spent the last couple of days in his playbook and talking with Alan Branch and Lawrence Guy every chance he gets.

“As you can see, I walked in with Branch and (Guy), and I’ve just been learning from them,” he said. “Just trying to get things a little easier, because each team is a little different learning the terminology. It’s almost like, you know English, but somebody’s telling you French, and you’ve got to learn French now.

“It’s ongoing. The biggest thing now is now I just have got to learn that playbook. That’s just the biggest thing, because anything can happen. They can throw me in the fire, and if I don’t know that playbook, I don’t want to mess up something that they already have going. The playbook is my best friend right now. That’s my wife. My girlfriend. That’s my everything.”