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.
A few quick notes to kick things off on this morning:
--Caught up with Danny Shelton in the locker room Wednesday for a second, and got a quick quote on Corey Coleman. (The two played together in Cleveland.) “He's really fast. An explosive player. I think he’ll fit in great with us.”
--Interesting Sony Michel talked with us in the locker room on Wednesday -- usually, if you're allowed to talk, that's one of the first signs a guy might be able to play. He hasn't been in a game yet because of the knee, but given the state of the New England depth chart at running back and the fact he spoke, I wonder if it's a sign he might be able to give the Pats a few snaps this week.
--I have a scouting report on Jacksonville coming later Thursday morning. Thumbnail version? This could be the best defense the Patriots face all year.
--Late Wednesday, the team announced they have signed running back Kenneth Farrow to the practice squad and released wide receiver Jace Billingsley. Farrow was signed by the Patriots on Aug. 27, 2018, and released on Sept. 1.
Today’s schedule:
12:35 p.m.: Media availability at practice
3:45-4:30 p.m.: Approximate time for player availability (locker room). The hope is we'll get at least one of the new guys -- Coleman, Kenjon Barner or Bennie Fowler.
Now, on with the links...
1. I went deep with a film study on Coleman and what he might bring to the Patriots, all the way back to his time at Baylor to try and figure out why he went from the Biletnikoff Award in college to three teams in less than a year in the pros. Some interesting stuff.
2. So do the Patriots have a problem with their running back depth? The fact Rex Burkhead didn't practice Wednesday because of a concussion is certainly worrisome on a few levels. Have to imagine it'll mean more work for James White, and maybe even Barner. Got that and another few items in Wednesday's notebook.
3. Video: Or maybe it means the appearance of Michel this Sunday? The rookie running back talked with us in the media after practice on Wednesday, and sounds like a guy who could make an appearance sooner rather than later.
4. Mike Reiss looks at the 20 (!) wide receiver-related transactions the Patriots have made since the start of training camp.
5. Phil Perry has Tom Brady saying a little trash talk can be a good thing. "I think it raises everybody’s game, as long as it doesn’t get to the point where you do something stupid," Brady said. "I mean, I think emotion in football is critical, and I think you have to have the energy and emotion."
6. Rob Gronkowski said he's "ready for anything" when it comes to Jalen Ramsey. "If that's how he feels, that's how he feels," Gronkowski said of Ramsey and his quotes. "It's a big game. ... I'm sure I'm gonna have opportunities go against him. And I'm sure he's gonna have opportunities to go against me."
7. On a conference call with the New England media on Wednesday, Jags' coach Doug Marrone told a weird story about not having watched the Super Bowl for a long time. "Probably when I was like 12," he said. "When I had a little money on it."
8. The Jaguars say they have a plan when it comes to the injured Leonard Fournette and Brandon Linder.
9. Pro Football Focus has its Power Rankings for Week 2, and the Patriots are ensconced in the second spot. "Questions about the Pats’ receiving corps were answered Sunday, with Phillip Dorsett catching all seven of his targets and scoring a touchdown against the Texans," say the PFF crew. "They’ll face a stiffer test in Jacksonville, a team with the league’s fourth-best defense according to our rating system."
10. My buddies from the "Cover 2" podcast -- Don Banks and Nick Stevens -- deliver a great episode this week with Eric Mangini. A really interesting listen.
Extra Point:
These teams have created the most pressure through week one of the regular season. #GoPats #HereWeGo #FightForEachOther #BroncosCountry #BeRedSeeRed pic.twitter.com/AfjdRNnjbn
— NFL Matchup on ESPN (@NFLMatchup) September 12, 2018