Picking through the latest NFL news and how it may or may not relate to the Patriots.
We'll touch on some possible street free agent fits and rule changes, but we'll start with two tight ends — Kyle Rudolph (release), Delanie Walker (year off) — hitting the market.
TE Kyle Rudolph to be released by the Vikings
Two years ago, I tabbed Rudolph as the best option to replace Rob Gronkowski. I stand by that. He would have made the Patriots much better in 2019 with Tom Brady, and he wouldn't have hurt the cause in getting Brady to return. Even if Brady still did shove off for the pirate ship, Rudolph would have been a serious upgrade over anything the Patriots had at tight end. You can read the full write-up on him there. Basically, he would have been a much better player here with Brady than in Minnesota.
But that was when Rudolph was going to be 31. Now he's going to be 33. Does he still make sense?
There's one vital thing you have to remember when it comes to the Patriots and any type of free agents this spring (street or regular UFAs): the Patriots are looking for youth and, if the position calls for it, versatility. You can't be a one-trick pony at receiver, or even tight end. On the edge of the defense, you can't just be a run stuffer or pass rusher, at least when it comes to the Patriots getting into a bidding war and offering a big contract.
For this, I applaud the Patriots. Hopefully this is a signal that they won't just get nostalgic for former Patriots because they know where to be — to say nothing of actually being able to run and make a play, which was a problem for many in that group down the stretch in 2019. Hopefully, this is Bill Belichick saying, "We got old and slow. Yes, we have all this cap space, but we're not going backward. We're going to use that money to make us better now and down the road. We're not just doing a one-year fix."
If that's the case, good on Belichick. We've been beating the dead horse that they let themselves get old and expensive unnecessarily the past couple of years.
Now, back to Rudolph. Two years ago, the Patriots had only very mild interest in trading for Rudolph — the due diligence variety. At that time, I was told, "I hope we would try to do better than Rudolph."
Now it's two years later. What does that tell me?
If you're not young and versatile, then you fall into this free-agent category: at the Patriots' price and terms, which means if you sit on the market for a while — which could happen more than usual this year.
So, yes, I think the Patriots would take a shot at Rudolph, but on an affordable one-year deal after they first try to land one of the premium free agents, if they aren't tagged: Jonnu Smith, Hunter Henry.
In that same vein...
TE Delanie Walker intends to play again
Adam Schefter reported this one: "Former Titans' TE Delanie Walker, who took off last season due to COVID and to get 100 percent healthy, intends to play again in 2021, per source."
First of all, I say terming Walker's absence as Covid-related would be ... generous. Most in the NFL believe he was beatup, no team wanted him, and year off was not his choice.
Walker will be 37 this season. He'd be a very late signing, and wouldn't even fill the Alge Crumpler role.
Jets release DE Henry Anderson
Anderson, originally a seventh-round pick of the Colts, signed a big three-year deal with the Jets, but if they were expecting the 6-foot-6 Stanford product to be a big pass rusher, they were fooling themselves.
Anderson is a long and strong 3-4 defensive end. He's been on our list for a while as a replacement and big upgrade on Deatrich Wise. He would be a player that I would be willing to go get early, as part of the surge in building up the defensive line.
Rules changes?
Albert Breer reports — Sources: The Bills have submitted a rules change proposal to the NFL that would bar interviews for front-office and coaching positions until after the conference title games, and hirings until after the Super Bowl.
Owners could vote on it this offseason. Would be a BIG change.