NFL Notebook: Examining potential frameworks for a new deal for Lewis

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


1. Dion Lewis is having a career-best year, and over the last month-plus, he’s become absolutely integral to the success of the Patriots offense. Lewis is also scheduled to be an unrestricted free agent at the end of the year. Given the fact that he’s 29 and has a history of injury issues, what will be the market for his services? There are a few comparable scenarios, but one league source says the team and player would be wise to come together on a deal similar to the one that Cincy signed with Gio Bernard in the summer of 2016, a four-year, $16.6 million deal with $5 million guaranteed. Bernard is a similar type of back who also had injury issues, but has overcome them to put together an impressive run in his mid- to late-twenties. “If they offer him that deal, he should take it,” said an NFC personnel man of the Lewis/Bernard comp. “The market for running backs is not going to be as good as it was in year’s past. You get that deal, you’re winning, you build some bonuses in, that would work.” He also compared Lewis to Dave Meggett, a similarly electrifying on-field presence who worked on offense and special teams. “Meggett never left Bill Parcells. Dion should take the same attitude toward Bill Belichick,” he said. “Maybe a three- or four-year deal like Bernard. That would be the perfect one for him and his agent to mimic.”

2. We’ve written on multiple occasions this year about Dwayne Allen’s professionalism. He hasn’t always connected with Tom Brady as a pass catcher, but he’s been a smart and sensible voice of reason in the locker room. (In some ways, he reminds me a bit of the role that Alge Crumpler played in 2010 — a heady veteran who might not be able to hit his own personal goals all the time, but can still see the big picture.) One of the things that has impressed me over the last couple of weeks is his work as a blocker, working alongside the likes of Marcus Cannon. LaAdrian Waddle and Nate Solder and helping them slow some of the league’s better pass rushers. He was at his best against the Steelers, where he delivered a number of crushing blocks, none bigger than this one that opened the way for Lewis on the go-ahead touchdown late in the fourth quarter. (Allen is No. 83 on the left hand side of the line.)



But Allen remains his own harshest critic. Earlier this week, he told me that his blocking this year had “sucked,” and he was working to improve. “I take a ton of pride in it, so much so that I believe, technique-wise, I’ve sucked this year,” he said. “My footwork was awful. My hands were wrong. My pad level was awful. But it definitely gives me a lot to work toward, and that’s what I do every week — try and get a little better with my footwork. My pad level. My hands. Whenever I get done playing, I don’t want to have an asterisk next to my name: ‘He was a really good tight end, but receiving only. Blocking only.’ I would love to be remembered as a really good tight end, period.”

3. All the talk of just how cold it’s supposed to be for Sunday’s Patriots-Jets game sparked memories of the 2003 playoff game between the Patriots and Titans at Gillette. With a temperature of four degrees at kickoff and a wind chill of minus-10, it remains one of the coldest postseason games in NFL history. We asked former New England linebacker Matt Chatham for a few of his memories from that frigid night. “The weather in that Titans game was manageable for me first and foremost, because Mike Vrabel guilted the rest of the linebackers into practicing the night before (in our stadium practice inside Gillette) in only T-shirts and sweatpants. He led the way, so you felt obligated not to let him go through it alone,” recalled Chatham. “Sounds crazy, but it provided a huge psychological edge come game day. No matter how cold I was Sunday during the game it couldn’t match how frozen I felt Saturday. The playoff game was very cold, but I wasn’t miserable. So, it was comparatively easier to concentrate on the game details and not the weather—especially when the guy across from ya was clearly thinking weather. Nuts? Of course. But very effective.” Someone posted the game on YouTube — check it out here.



If you’re coming to the game Sunday, remember that the Patriots will have 65,000 handwarmers ready for those at the game. The team will also be collecting blankets from fans leaving the stadium to be washed and donated to the Pine Street Inn and other local shelters.

4. Deatrich Wise busted out a couple of new sack celebrations on one sack last week against the Bills. The first came when he dropped Tyrod Taylor, and celebrated with a sword fighting move straight out of Zorro. The second was an homage to Dragonball Z, one that he collaborated on with teammate Adam Butler. Keep an eye on No. 91 and No. 70. (The film cuts out before the end of their routine, but you get the idea.)



"That was my swordfight. Doing a little swordfighting. The second ball was a Dragonball Z thing. Adam and I did a little celebration; we thought about it a long time ago. We told each other when we make a play, we’re going to point and do the move. That’s what that was."

5. One piece of information that cropped up with multiple league sources I spoke with this week was the possibility of Patriots personnel chief Nick Caserio to Houston if the Texans decide to fire GM Rick Smith. The idea would seem to make a lot of sense, as Caserio and head coach Bill O’Brien (not to mention Vrabel, who is currently Houston's DC) share a New England connection, and if Deshaun Watson and J.J. Watt are healthy in 2018, they’d instantly be in the mix in the AFC South. “Caserio has been waiting for the right job, and this would be a great opportunity for him,” said one league source. Something to keep an eye on with Black Monday looming. (Oh, and when it comes to the Giants naming Dave Gettleman their new GM, we’re on board with that for a few reasons, not the least of which is the fact that he spends summers on Cape Cod. One more New England connection — Steve Spagnuolo isn’t expected to hang on as the new Giants head coach, but the current Gettleman/Spagnuolo duo is the only GM/coach combo in NFL history where both are alums of Springfield College.)

6. Last week against the Steelers, the Patriots where hit with two penalties for 10 yards, not including the calls that were declined or offset. (It was the second straight game where they took just two penalties.) Through 15 games, New England is 10th in the league with 91 penalties and eighth with 786 penalty yards. Conversely, the Patriots are 14th in the league when it comes to benefitting from penalties (opponents have been hit with 102 penalties) and sixth when its comes to penalty yardage (951). Here’s a look at the players who have played at least 950 snaps this season and have committed the fewest penalties.

Zero penalties
S Devin McCourty — 990 defensive snaps

One penalty
G Shaq Mason — 1,051 offensive snaps
QB Tom Brady — 1,036 offensive snaps

Here are the top five Patriots when it comes to penalties:
LT Nate Solder: 9, including 4 for holding and 3 false starts
TE Rob Gronkowski: 8, including 4 false starts and 3 offensive pass interference
CB Stephon Gilmore: 6
WR Brandin Cooks: 5
CB Malcolm Butler, CB/ST Jonathan Jones, DL Deatrich Wise, S Patrick Chung and RB/ST Brandon Bolden: all tied with 4

7. For what it’s worth, McCourty has now gone a full calendar year without committing a penalty. His last infraction came on Nov. 27, 2016 in a win over the Jets in North Jersey when he was called for offensive holding on a special teams play.

8. I’ve covered the Patriots in some form or fashion since 2001, and I have yet to see the sort of public groundswell of support for a member of the roster by the other players like the way they have all backed Solder’s quest to win the NFL's Walter Payton Man of the Year Award. Much of the voting is done on social media, and the wave after wave of Tweets and posts from Solder’s teammates really illustrate the level of affection the rest of the team has for the big left tackle. I asked him about what it’s meant to him to see so many of his teammates — including Tom Brady and Julian Edelman — publicly come out in support of him and his cause. “Really, I have a feeling that this group of guys, they all have heart for each other, for causes that are outside of football,” explained Solder. “We all kind of support each other. So if someone has a cause or something, we’re all jumping on that with them, because we all kind of feel the same way. That makes for a unique group of people that really care about things beyond the sidelines. That’s really special. We’ve all really created a personal bond with each other. Some of the guys that have done that on social media, I feel a very personal connections with them. That’s coming fro a place of genuine connection and care. That’s what means the most to me — rather than just blasting people with social media. The things they said on social media, I feel the same way about them. That’s a neat bond that we have.” For more on the honor and to find out how you can cast your own vote for Solder, click here.

9. The people at NFL Films have produced an absolutely dynamite feature on the relationship between Belichick and Rick Forzano, the man who gave Belichick his first full-time job in the NFL. The piece documents the bond between the two, and takes us inside a reunion Belichick had with Forzano in the summer of 2017 before the Patriots-Lions preseason game. Just terrific stuff, and well done. It’s available to watch now here on the Patriots website.

10. I am doing my best work down the stretch. Two weeks ago, I was a red-hot 13-3, Last week, I was 14-2, and I’m now 163-75 on the year. This week, I’ve got the Packers, Colts, Vikings, Patriots, Giants, Eagles, Steelers, Falcons, Ravens, Chiefs, Niners, Chargers, Bills, Seahawks, Saints and Titans.

11. Expect another slower than usual week around Foxborough, as the Patriots will likely take a long weekend because of the bye week. They will be in for workouts toward the middle of the week, but depending on what happens, there’s the likelihood Belichick could cut them loose on Thursday with an eye toward having them back in the facility the following Monday to start preparing for the divisional round. Either way, they have earned a couple of days off, at least before the playoff grind begins.

12. Finally, one last thing, now that 2017 is coming to an end: When Boston Sports Journal started back in late July, we were all fairly optimistic that we’d have success. But after five months, from my perspective, it’s exceeded all expectations. The response from subscribers has been awe-inspiring. The Q&A’s, the reporting, the late nights, early mornings and extra phone calls trying to get that one last little bit of information for you guys, seeing your responses makes it all worthwhile. On a personal note, I’ve had a wild year, going from a Super Bowl to a book to a new job. But for those who have stuck with me, you have my utmost appreciation and respect. Thanks to everyone, and here’s to a great 2018 and beyond.