Welcome to first and 10, a roundup of all the (mostly) Patriots-related news you need to start your Thursday. Grab your coffee and let’s get to it.
In 2011, I was doing a feature story on young wide receiver Taylor Price, a pass-catcher who appeared to have an opportunity to break through as a part of the Patriots' passing game after a year-plus of (mostly) inaction. I asked Tom Brady a question during his weekly press conference -- a softball, really -- about what he had seen from Price and whether or not he believed he might be poised to make the leap. Instead of praising Price, Brady responded with a lukewarm, team-centered statement. It was his way of politely no-commenting. In hindsight, it spoke volumes about his feelings, and the lack of confidence (I would later find out) in the young receiver, who was waived shortly after that.
Why do I mention this now? Because of Kenny Britt.
On Wednesday, Brady was asked about Britt, and the response felt relatively similar to when I asked about Price seven years ago. Asked about developing chemistry with Britt, the quarterback downshifted to a broader, team-centered statement. Nothing about Britt in particular. Given the chance to say something nice, he passed, and a few hours later, we found out Britt had been released.
The bottom line? Every receiver comes into the system with a clean slate, at least in the eyes of the quarterback. But if something happens and he loses faith in you, if he doesn't have any confidence when it comes to throwing you the ball ... well, you're going to be gone. It might take a few days, it might take a few weeks. You're not going to stick. And ultimately, that was the case with Britt. Whether it was the injury, or lack of faith, or something else, it was clear Brady was done. If you're not on the same page with the quarterback, you're going to end up somewhere else.
--Happy Birthday, Joe Andruzzi. The former Patriots offensive lineman was one of the toughest guys I've ever covered. (In my experience, the guards are usually the toughest guys on the team.) A good man who has done plenty when it comes to philanthropic endeavors, he's crafted an exceptional second act as a public figure with the Joe Andruzzi Foundation.
Now, on with the links...
1. Greg goes in depth on the decision to release Britt, and what it means for the Patriots moving forward.
2. I have a look at the state of some of the positional battles at this point on the calendar. Punter, left tackle, second corner and backup quarterback are pretty much done, but there's still the potential for some drama at some of the other spots between now and the start of the regular season.
3. Miguel looks at the financial ramifications of Britt's release.
4. I spent some quality time Wednesday morning chatting with Jeff Blair of Sportsnet 590 The Fan. (This was recorded before the release of Britt, FYI.)
5. Our buddy Mike Reiss looks at the decision to part ways with Britt.
6. Mike also has Brady's reaction to using a new helmet.
7. Phil Perry has his two cents on the decision to cut loose Britt.
8. Julius Peppers isn't expected to play in Friday's game, but the fact the Patriots are playing the Panthers this week is a good excuse to remind you just how special the 38-year-old Carolina pass rusher is. "Like Patriots quarterback Tom Brady, 41, and a select few of seemingly ageless players, Peppers still performs at a high level, despite being an age when most players are retired," writes David Newton. "Unlike Brady, Peppers doesn't have a trendy organic- and plant-based diet, though he does watch what goes into his body more carefully this time of year."
9. So how much are the Panthers' starters going to play Friday night against the Patriots? “Ideally, we’d like to take our starters into the third quarter,” said coach Ron Rivera. “Let them come out from halftime after we’ve gone through adjustments.”
10. Pro Football Focus has a bunch of matchups to watch in this week's preseason action, and when it comes to Patriots-Panthers, they go with Carolina tackle Taylor Moton against New England pass rusher Derek Rivers. According to PFF, Rivers "leads the team with nine QB pressures this preseason while his pass-rush productivity of 12.5 ranks 18th among edge defenders."
Extra Point:
Coates was a monster in '94. Had the most catches in a season by a TE before Tony G. broke it in '04 I believe. pic.twitter.com/x5Us9q8fmO
— Prime Bam Childress (@fearthe_beard11) August 22, 2018