Welcome to first and 10, a roundup of all the (mostly) Patriots-related news you need to start your day:
A few thoughts to kick things off:
—Biggest tag on Tuesday was Jarvis Landry, who was hit by the Dolphins. (I'd still be shocked if the Patriots end up tagging anyone.) If Landry plays at that price this year, his cap hit will be $16 million. Miami has talked trade regarding Landry in the past — it’ll be intriguing if this is just the first step in a potential deal involving one of Bill Belichick’s favorite wide receivers.
Bill Belichick's game plan against the @MiamiDolphins?
Put multiple @Patriots defenders on @God_Son80.#GoPats#TurningPoint @NFLNetwork pic.twitter.com/8ECZ9zsdA9
— NFL Films (@NFLFilms) November 30, 2017
--Still a lot of conversation out there about Rob Gronkowski and his future. Someone asked in Tuesday's Q&A if there was a drop-dead date for him to make up his mind. Not sure about that, but with free agency, the draft and the team-building process for 2018 right around the corner, this is the sort of thing the franchise would obviously want to be squared away sooner rather than later. Right now, my gut feeling says he'll be back in 2018 -- as Belichick said in his season-ending conference call, moments after the last game of the season isn't usually a great time to make those sorts of assessments.
“Every person goes through somewhat of a process at the end of the season,” Belichick said. “I think everyone who is involved in an NFL season, they get pretty drained after a season like this. Then you go through the end-of-the-year process the following year. So, it’s the same for everybody. I certainly can’t speak for anyone else. You’d have to ask any individuals out there, particular to their own situation. I’d say five minutes after the game or the day after a game is not the best time to make those decisions.”
--A few more mock draft updates on who some pundits believe the Patriots will take at the end of the first round:
—According to NFL Shop data, Tom Brady had the best-selling jersey in 10 states, including all six New England states, as well as Indiana, New York, Florida and Hawaii. (The homes of the Colts and Jets?) Philly quarterback Carson Wentz was the top seller in nine states, including Pennsylvania and New Jersey. Brady claimed the most states, but Wentz topped the list in terms of overall jersey sales. Dak Prescott, Antonio Brown and Ezekiel Elliott rounded out the top five in terms of overall sales.
Now, on with the links...
1. Marshall quarterback Chase Litton is a guy some have linked to the Patriots. I talked with his offensive coordinator the last three years about his game and whether he’d fit in Foxborough.
2. I had a Q&A. It was epic, with some great questions. (BSJ crowds are the best!)
3. Our position-by-position reviews flipped to the defensive side of the ball, with a look at the defensive line.
4. And the linebackers. (Secondary is coming later Wednesday.)
5. Miguel has a look at the upcoming NFL schedule from a Patriots perspective.
Extra Point: Does this look like a guy who wants to call it a career?