Welcome to first and 10, a roundup of all the (mostly) Patriots-related news you need to start your Tuesday. Grab your coffee and let’s get to it.
So Kyler Murray says he wants to play football. What say you, Patriots' fans?
The Oklahoma quarterback is already the most polarizing prospect in the draft, and we're not even at Valentine's Day yet. An electric performer last year at Oklahoma, he passed for 4,361 yards and 42 touchdowns, and went on to win the Heisman. Considered by most to be a first-round talent, he was the first player in FBS history to average at least 300 yards passing and 60 yards rushing per game.
So could a team that might be in the market for an eventual successor to a veteran quarterback like New England be interested in a guy like Murray? The Patriots have always been aggressive when it comes to drafting quarterbacks -- even with Tom Brady under center since 2001, few teams have selected or signed more college quarterbacks than New England. The only question this year? Whether or not the Patriots dive head-first in the quarterback pool this time looking for the next Jimmy G, or take a late-round flier on a developmental prospect/camp arm.
(Honestly, if you're New England, the best move would have been for Murray to swear his undying allegiance to baseball, have the Patriots' take him in the third round, and then talk him out of baseball after making him realize he could theoretically become the next New England quarterback. You know, the old Danny Ainge-to-the-Celtics move.)
Ultimately, there's a lot of time between now and draft weekend, and feelings can change pretty quickly. And while you never say never when it comes to the Patriots, as it stands right now, I don't see it being a fit. What do you guys think? Let us know in the comments.
Now, on with the links...
1. I started our positional snapshots -- the first installment took a look at the running backs. Even though there were no 1,000-yard rushers, this group could very well go down as one of the most valuable positional groups in recent franchise history, at least as it relates to the 2018 team.
2. The second broke down the wide receiver position, which saw a ton of change last year ... and will likely see a lot of turnover this offseason as well.
3. Another epic Q&A that had brought up a ton of good topics, including whether or not a possible Danny Amendola return is a feasibility for the Patriots.
4. Miguel has his latest salary cap recap, which details the impact of a handful of recent futures' contracts had on New England's bottom line.
5. Julian Edelman talked with Peter King about his wild year -- from a suspension for violating the league's stance on PED's to a Super Bowl MVP award. (Not to mention an appearance at the Grammys.)
6. Speaking of Edelman, Adam Rank of NFL.com says he's going to end up in the Hall of Fame.
7. The McCourty's talked with Albert Breer about some of the prep work that went into getting ready for Super Bowl LIII.
8. Mick Lombardi -- the son of former Patriots' exec Mike Lombardi -- is reportedly set to join the New England coaching staff for the 2019 season.
9. It's starting to look more and more like the 2019 NFL Kickoff is going to feature Bears-Packers. The move would mark the first time since 2006 that the Super Bowl champion will not appear in the league’s opening game -- the Patriots likely will host the season’s first “Sunday Night Football” game instead, on Sept. 8. (Before people start blaming Roger Goodell, the thinking is the NFL is leaning toward having Chicago host the season’s first game as part of its 100th season celebration, allowing it to showcase the league’s oldest rivalry.)
10. Rams' defensive back Nickell Robey-Coleman was hit with a $26,739 fine for his first-quarter shot on Rex Burkhead in the Super Bowl.
Extra Point:
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