Bedard's Daily Briefing 03.18.19: Still quiet on Patriot FA front, Celtics host Nuggets, youth hockey lessons

Mar 18, 2019 • 9:16 am

Good morning!

A few random thoughts while I wonder if anyone else thinks Chuck Rhodes' storyline on Billions got off to a rocky start and could play weakly this season #AllAboutAxe...

Nothing doing on the free agency front for the Patriots this weekend ... the quietness makes me think that something's up.

However, with Dont'a Hightower and five of his other teammates apparently sticking around without contract tweaks (that could have cleared out at least $17 million in cap space), I'm not sure how much they can do for a while.

Right now, Miguel has the Patriots for $9.899 million in cap space — and that does not include Dorsett, Harris, Brooks, Pennel and Simon. Plus, the Patriots still don't have a kicker or punter on the roster.

As always, you have our updated team depth chart/needs page right here.

Celtics are hosting the Nuggets tonight. Good look at some recent trends for Gang Green.

The Revolution fell again last night in Toronto. Expansion team FC Cincinnati comes to The Razor on Sunday. I know Cincy is off to a good start, but if the Revs lose this game ... look out below.

An Only In New England story: My son's Pee Wee hockey team lost a heartbreaker in the Eastern Hockey Federation semifinals on Saturday. They led 3-1 over a better team entering the third period. Ended up losing 4-3 in overtime on a shorthanded goal 50 seconds in. A tough, life lessons-type game. A few of the kids were crying after the game. A gentleman who was coaching in the next game went up to them and said, "It happens, that's hockey. Just keep playing hard. You did a good job." The man? Former NHL great Jarome Iginla.

I've watched a lot of golf over the years and Jon Rahm's decision on No. 11 at The Players has to be one of the Top 10 dumbest decisions I've seen in any sport. He's leading the tournament and is hitting his second ~~third~~ shot on a par 5. The shot would call for a huge hook over water out of the bunker. Or he could just lay up and still possibly make a birdie. Caddy tells him to lay up. Rahm doesn't, hits it in the water and folds down the stretch.