BSJ Daily Briefing 03.05.18: McAvoy watch, Patriots and free agency

Good morning!

A few random thoughts as we wait for NFL free agency to get going at the end of the week...

• Everyone is sort of holding their breath to find out the extent of Charlie McAvoy's injury. Is it a foot injury? Maybe a knee? How bad is it? If the Bruins lose him for an extended period, that would be a huge blow.


• The good thing is Nick Holden is here. Just another example of how Don Sweeney has been money this year. Will that translate to postseason success? We'll have to see. But so far everything Sweeney has done has worked.


• As far as the Patriots and where they stand with their free agents heading into the tampering period this weekend, I wouldn't read too much into the scuttlebutt out there on anyone but Nate Solder.


• Every agent for every free agent is going to tell reporters they expect a competitive market for their player. They're trying to create a market (meaning: as much money as possible for them and their player). Is it possible someone's going to come out of the box and pay Dion Lewis and/or Rex Burkhead? Sure. Lewis obviously had a great season.


• But exactly how committed are other teams going to be for a guy who just played 16 games for the first time in his career (Lewis played 23 games in the previous five years combined)? And he's not an every-down back. He averaged 9.3 touches last season for the Patriots. How much is that worth on the open market? How much guaranteed money will Lewis be offered? Basically, I wouldn't rule out a return to the Patriots, who obviously learned to use Lewis is the best way possible.


• The same thing goes for Danny Amendola.


• I would be surprised if other teams don't offer Solder more money than the Patriots, but the team believes he will take less to stay where he is for quality of life. Will that end up happening? It's a huge question and no one will know the answer until Solder sits down and decides between two competing offers.


• Gronkowski Watch goes on, and I think it will go on for a while.

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