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.
Quick look at the schedule for Thursday before we kick things off this morning.
Thursday’s schedule
10:50 a.m.-12:45 p.m.: Media availability at practice
12:45 p.m.: Bill Belichick and player availability
They'll be in shorts and shells, but at this time of year, it's the closest we're going to get to the real thing. We'll have all the details from the practice field behind Gillette Stadium.
Now, on with the links…
1. I’ve covered a lot of spring practices in Foxborough. I know what to look for — here are a few things worth keeping in mind this spring as the 2019 Patriots continue their workouts.
2. Bret Sobleski ranks the backfield depth for all 32 teams heading into 2019, and puts the Patriots second only to the Eagles. “No team better encapsulates the modern approach to a running back stable than the New England Patriots,” he says. “Every player has a specific role, and the Patriots use their rotation to its fullest.”
3. Will Brinson of CBS Sports wonders if the Julian Edelman extension could provide some hints when it comes to Tom Brady’s eventual endgame. “It shouldn't be surprising at all if the Patriots are looking at Brady for a three-year window and now setting him up for success by keeping Edelman around for that same time frame,” said Brinson.
4. It’s looking more and more like something will get done between the Vikings and Kyle Rudolph — a five-year deal that would likely bring this soap opera to an end.
5. No updates on Gerald McCoy and the Patriots, but the defensive lineman has apparently drawn the attention of several other teams, including the Bengals and Browns.
#Dolphins turn the ball over 5 times in this game.
The #Patriots D keeps them in check the rest of the day.#Patriots play inspired ? on this day, and are rewarded with a 34-13 victory pic.twitter.com/98Z97wLMln
— Old Time Football ? (@Ol_TimeFootball) May 22, 2019