Welcome to first and 10, a roundup of all the (mostly) Patriots-related news you need to start your Friday. Grab your coffee and let’s get to it.
So much for a quiet end to minicamp, eh? We'll have a big-picture look at the state of the team at this point on the calendar relatively soon. But first, a few more on- and off-field takeaways/updates regarding the Patriots in the wake of the last 24-36 hours.
--Alex Guerrero issued a statement on Julian Edelman on Thursday.
"I've known Julian since his rookie year and he is a phenomenal athlete who takes his training seriously - it's disappointing to hear today's news. Elite athletes sometimes work with multiple coaches and health professionals as part of their training. Here at our facility, we take a natural, holistic, appropriate and, above all, legal approach to training and recovery for all of our clients. And anyone who would suggest otherwise is irresponsible, and just plain wrong."
--If Edelman is indeed suspended for four games, the Patriots aren't going to go out and get another receiver. They'll lean on the group that's in-house. Someone will get a larger-than-initially-anticipated workload and more time in the slot for the first quarter of the season. (Our guess? Chris Hogan and/or Jordan Matthews.)
--Two more things on Edelman: One, it's worth noting that guys have these suspensions flipped on appeal. Just ask Richard Sherman. It's not ridiculous to think the same thing could happen. And two, if a suspension does happen, we're going to revisit our thoughts on the expectations around his possible production in 2018.
We'll have a final, big-picture look at the state of the team at this point in the summer. But for now, here are a few quick on-field notes.
--Stephon Gilmore looks ready for the regular season. We had him for multiple PBUs over the course of the three days. He was aggressive and comfortable within the framework of the defense. It's early, so take it all with a grain of salt, but he's off to an impressive start.
--Jacob Hollister is having a really good spring. He's not Rob Gronkowski, and you never know what's going to happen when pads go on. But he's certainly pointed in the right direction at this stage of the calendar, catching everything in sight.
--When it comes to the late-round/UDFA types, Danny Etling and Braxton Berrios were among the last guys on the field all three days. And J.C. Jackson and Keion Crossen have done well with their opportunities at corner. They've both had some rookie moments, but they've also had some success. Good spot to be in at this time of year.
--And a happy 25th birthday, Brandon King.
Now, on to the links...
1. Greg says this has been a less-than-optimal offseason for the Patriots, capped off by the Edelman news and Tom Brady presser on Thursday. "As Thursday beckoned, things seemed to be falling into place again, just in time for the month-long vacation the NFL takes," he writes. "Brady was going to speak for the first time. The hope was he would put everyone’s mind at ease — while there may be lingering issues, all was well with QB1, and he was full-steam ahead for 2019. That did not happen."
2. I look at five guys who will see an increase in opportunities if Edelman ends up sidelined for the first four games of the season. Two of the guys who really stand out? As we said, Hogan is one -- while he's not a slot receiver first and foremost, he has more experience in a New England uniform there than anyone else currently on the roster. And Matthews (above) is the second -- as a rookie with the Eagles in 2014, 92.4 percent of his targets came from the slot. In 2015, that number was 92.7 percent. And he had really good production both of those years.
3. Miguel has a look at how much Edelman stands to lose financially if he's suspended for the first four games of the season.
4. Here's our initial story on the Edelman news, which includes some initial thoughts/analysis from Greg. Something for you glass-is-half-full types? "Like Brady’s suspension, Edelman sitting out the first four games coming back from ACL surgery is probably best for him and the team," Greg says. "Makes him more potent in the postseason."
5. Oh, yeah. There was an actual workout on Thursday as well -- here's my practice report. One thing that stood out for me? (Other than Jonathan Kraft hopping out of a helicopter that landed next to the practice field about halfway through the session?) In a league where plenty of teams ended up taking the final day of minicamp off, the Patriots went hard for a sizable portion of the workout. (NO DAYS OFF) Belichick had the offense run a lap, and got after them a bit afterward. Basically, things got a little frisky.
6. You want video of Thursday's workout? We have Brady walking onto the field with the rest of his teammates. (I believe he was flanked by offensive linemen on all three days when he hit the field.) We have honored practice guest Tony La Russa walking out to the practice field with Belichick. And finally, we have video of the quarterbacks going through a series of drills, including some passing and handoff work.
7. Mike Reiss has a look at how a potential suspension for Edelman could impact the rest of the New England wide receiving corps. "With the possibility that Edelman will be serving a four-game suspension to open the regular season, pending appeal, it now magnifies the need for Brady to develop connections with others. Tight end Rob Gronkowski and running back James White are the closest to having an Edelman-like connection with Brady," writes Mike. "In past years, the Patriots could have relied on Danny Amendola (now with Miami). Now it’s going to have to be a cram session with many of (the new receivers)."
8. Dan Graziano of ESPN says that if the Patriots want to try and find some help outside of Foxborough when it comes to replacing Edelman in the lineup, there are a few options.
9. Tom E. Curran says the fact that Brady didn't say a lot on Thursday speaks volumes. Curran, who is the closest thing in the local media to being a Brady Whisperer, said the quarterback offered "four minutes of a verbal Heisman." Then went on to add: "At the very least, I anticipated Brady would say that – after an unprecedented offseason sabbatical from stadium workouts – he felt completely recharged, refreshed and cleansed. That kind of statement would have signaled that the slings and arrows he’d taken and the endless handwringing he caused (I’m down to the bone over here) had all been worth it. Yeah, no."
10. Let's end the week on a lighter note: You want to buy Sam Gash's 1996 AFC championship ring?
Extra Point:
? Bill Belichick and Linday Holliday joining Tony LaRussa and Dave Dombrowski for tonight's #RedSox game #Patriots #WBZ pic.twitter.com/08XQ2IjBpj
— Joe Giza (@JoeGiza) June 8, 2018