MINNEAPOLIS -- Welcome to first and 10, a roundup of all the (mostly) Patriots-related news you need to start your day:
A few random thoughts while pondering the Alex Smith-to-Washington trade that came down late Tuesday night.
-- The trade doesn't so much immediately impact the Patriots as it relates to the Chiefs. Many believed that Kansas City was going to move from Smith to Pat Mahomes in 2018 regardless. It could, however, mean that Kirk Cousins -- the old quarterback for the Redskins -- is on the move, and one of the leaders in the clubhouse figures to be the Broncos. Denver could get an instant dose of offensive respectability if it signs Cousins, and if he plays his cards right this offseason, could mean the Broncos could be a major player again on the AFC scene. The Jets could also be a possibility for Cousins. The move will also tilt the market when it comes to the draft. And Jimmy Garoppolo could be in for an even bigger payday if Cousins can cash in. Basically, it's the first move in what will undoubtedly be a wildly eventful offseason when it comes to the quarterback market.
-- I'm a Rodney Harrison apologist, so I had a blast catching up with the ex-Patriot Tuesday afternoon. Here are a three more things from our conversation with Rodney that didn't make it into the original story:
a) He said Randy Moss and Peyton Manning were the only two guys in the league who gave him "anxiety." He was happy to finally get the chance to play with Moss in 2007. “I think in 2007, a lot of people doubted Moss. And I’ll tell you this — Moss was a tremendous teammate. Never caused any problems,” recalled Harrison. “He cussed a lot. Which I didn’t like, but he was tremendous. He was mature, he worked his butt off, and was very, very smart.”
b) He believes Ty Law is a Hall of Famer. “Ty Law was a bad boy, man. Ty Law was a bad boy,” he said. “I believe Ty is definitely a Hall of Famer. The big plays he made in the critical moments….”
c) Tom Brady is a crybaby in practice. Harrison recalled one practice before a Super Bowl, he picked off Brady, and it sparked a fit from the quarterback. “I was running, and high-stepping, doing (it like) Deion. And he was mad at me. He didn’t talk to me for three days. He’s yelling and screaming and cussing at me. He’s such a crybaby because any time he doesn’t complete a pass, he says, ‘You guys are holding.’ I asked Devin McCourty the same thing and he just started laughing. … Tom is a very competitive guy. But we used to kick his butt in practice.”
--I'm not a doctor. But the sight of Rob Gronkowski playing video games Tuesday night -- sitting in a bright store with all sorts of people and noise and activity around him -- suggests to me that he's going to be OK come Sunday. He reportedly still has to pass one more stage of the concussion protocol, but all signs are pointing in the right direction, at least at this point in the week. (Seriously, have you ever spent time in a Microsoft Store? Some of the brightest places on the planet.)
Wednesday’s schedule (all times EST)
11:15-12:30 p.m.: Eagles media availability
2-2:30: Roger Goodell press conference
5-6:15 p.m.: Patriots media availability
Now, on with the links...
1. Greg continues his series of scouting reports on the Eagles with a look at their performance in the NFC divisional playoffs against the Falcons.
2. Rodney Harrison likes the look of the New England secondary heading into the Super Bowl.
3. As their time together nears an end, the Patriots coaching staff reflects on the bond they’ve built.
4. Notebook: Tom Brady still sticking with his protective “recovery” glove.
5. We have a ton of video from Tuesday, including of Harrison, James White, Kyle Van Noy, Nate Solder and Dion Lewis.
6. I conducted an epic Q&A.
7. Turns out that the Eagles backup quarterback shuffle panned out.
8. The one-on-one battles Philly needs to win if it wants a chance to pull off the upset.
9. Meet offensive lineman Lane Johnson, the Eagles' resident funnyman.
10. Loved this column from Pete Thamel of Yahoo on the Patriots roster-building process.
Extra Point(s):
BREAKING: @PhillyPolice Commissioner says #Crisco won’t be used on Philly poles on Sunday. Apparently it wasn’t slick enough. @CBSPhilly pic.twitter.com/3RS8s2Xg8W
— Joe Holden (@JoeHoldenCBS3) January 30, 2018
Mood... pic.twitter.com/Xs8HCSSTf9
— Only In Boston (@OnlyInBOS) January 30, 2018