First and 10: Josh McDaniels gets another one of his guys in Demaryius Thomas

Welcome to first and 10, a roundup of all the (mostly) Patriots-related news you need to start your Wednesday. Grab your coffee and let’s get to it.



Demaryius Thomas signed with the Patriots on Tuesday, a deal that has Josh McDaniels' fingerprints all over it. McDaniels has undoubtedly played a role in the acquisition of receivers who were with him in Denver in 2009 and 2010 and when he was OC with the Rams in 2011, players like Greg Salas, Brandon Lloyd, Eric Decker and (most notably) Danny Amendola. (Truthfully, the drafting of Thomas in 2010 might have been the highlight of McDaniels' tenure in Denver.) We'll see what if anything the veteran receiver has left in the tank, but given the fact that he's 31 and coming off a season-ending Achilles' injury, we're going to manage expectations.

Now, on with the links...

1. Here's the main piece on the Patriots adding Thomas. The former Bronco and Texan put up big numbers for years in Denver, but he's seen a dip in production the last few seasons. Is that because of age and health, or instability at the quarterback position? We'll see.

2. Miguel has a nice look at the financial ramifications of the Thomas deal, as well as the signing of cornerback Jonathan Jones.

3. Spent some quality time at Gillette Stadium on Tuesday afternoon with special teams captain Matthew Slater, who talked about the challenge of the new season that lies ahead.

4. Mike Reiss has a look at the addition of Thomas.

5. Stephen Gostkowski talked to Reiss about his recent USO trip.

6. Brent Sobleski of Bleacher Report lists the teams that should wait when it comes to drafting a quarterback. He includes the Patriots. "A quarterback with the last pick in the first round isn't an ideal scenario for a franchise trying to defend their title and an instant impact would be preferred," he writes.

7. This sort of intrigued me a bit: When he was asked about the future of Gerald McCoy in Tampa, Bucs GM Jason Licht didn't completely dismiss the idea of a trade. Making the money work would be a challenge, but if you're the Patriots, you at least make a call, right?

8. Mississippi offensive tackle Greg Little has drawn "significant interest" from the Patriots. The 6-foot-5, 310-pounder, considered a second-round prospect, was first-team All-Conference last season.

9. Richard Seymour, Rodney Harrison and Mike Vrabel are the three finalists for the Patriots' Hall of Fame.

10. Schedule release is 8 p.m. Wednesday.

Extra Point: Bart Scott probably didn't send Bill Belichick a birthday card.