Welcome to first and 10, a roundup of all the (mostly) Patriots-related news you need to start your Monday. Grab your coffee and let’s get to it.
A few random thoughts while wondering what sort of football player Zion Williamson might be...
--You see the video of Demaryius Thomas that was floating around out there this weekend, the one of him running in a straight line? I've always felt that there are no coincidences around Gillette Stadium, so ask yourself how a video like that would get out there. Not saying there isn't reason to be encouraged about his health and the possibility of him eventually being a contributor this season. Just wondering if there's a story as to how and why it surfaced.
--Always liked Dontrelle Inman. Big, lanky pass catcher who has put up some pretty good numbers over the years. Not sure where he's going to fit in the overall scheme of things, but he's another well-respected vet who should have an opportunity to hit the reset button here in New England.
--A little leftover video from our session with the assistant coaches on Friday -- it's Dante Scarnecchia talking about the tackle situation heading into 2019.
Now, on with the links:...
1. One final shout-out for my weekly notebook, which looked at the fact this year's group of receivers could be on the bigger side. We also got into some good running back talk (specifically, three different questions on James White, Corey Dillon and Damien Harris), had a great conversation with a college special teams coach about lefty vs. righty punting, and wondered where a Tom Brady-to-Ben Watson touchdown pass in 2019 would rank in terms of oldest ever quarterback-pass catcher scoring combinations.
2. Video of a part of our Friday chat with Bret Bielema, the new defensive line coach.
3. Five takeaways from the Friday media session with New England's assistant coaches, including how Joe Judge is going to have more on his plate this season -- he's coaching special teams and the wide receivers. “It will definitely be challenging,” Judge said. “The best thing we have now is we have very good support. Cam Achord does a tremendous job. We have great assistants on the offense. There’s great support from the top on down with Coach Belichick, with Josh (McDaniels). The biggest thing I can do to help the team right now is to stay organized and diligent to make sure I am taking care of all my responsibilities to help the team — make sure they are prepared the best they can be.”
4. Here's the transcript of Greg's weekend Q&A.
5. Contract talks regarding a possible extension between the Vikings and tight end Kyle Rudolph broke off over the weekend. We've been proponents of a Rudolph-to-New England deal for a while now, and this move certainly heightens the possibility of that happening.
6. Could Brady have the best season of any 42-year-old quarterback in the history of the game? As Michael David Smith suggests here, even if he has a mediocre season statistically, it appears likely he'll be able to pull it off.
7. You know Bill Belichick looked at this story and wondered why the Patriots didn't land this guy first.
8. Mike Reiss led his weekend notes with a look at Julian Edelman getting his degree.
9. Ian Wharton of Bleacher Report projects every teams' staring lineup for 2019. When it comes to the Patriots, he has (among the regulars) N'Keal Harry, Austin Seferian-Jenkins, Mike Pennel and Chase Winovich all getting nods. "Pay attention to the defense for battles," writes Wharton. "Third-rounder Chase Winovich will fight Deatrich Wise Jr. to replace Trey Flowers on the edge. And linebacker will feature incumbent Elandon Roberts trying to beat out 2018 fifth-round pick Ja'Whaun Bentley, who stood out in limited time last year.
10. Got our usual Monday afternoon Q&A ready to roll. Get your questions in now, because it's going to be ... wait for it ... epic.
Extra Point: This is really sweet.
"You shape us, you mold us, you teach us how to love."
For that, we thank you. #HappyMothersDay pic.twitter.com/nEiU46cAkb
— New England Patriots (@Patriots) May 12, 2019