NEPD Staff Writer: Tony Santorsa
The New England Patriots might have Stevan Ridley, Shane Vereen, Brandon Bolden, LeGarrette Blount and Leon Washington to make up their running back corps—but you can always improve.
The way that I look at it: You can never have enough running backs.
Could Josh Cribbs be the next Patriots return man?
NEPD Staff Writer: Tony Santorsa
It’s only a matter of time until we learn what team wide receiver Josh Cribbs will be signing with.
The latest on Cribbs is that there are two teams that the former Cleveland Browns wide receiver has narrowed it down to, with that teams being the Arizona Cardinals and the New England Patriots.
Is Patrick Chung a part of the Patriots future plans? (Photo: US Presswire)
NEPD Staff Writer: Joon Lee
We haven’t reached Wild Card weekend in the playoffs yet, but it’s that time of year where we begin to look forward to the offseason. The Patriots aren’t a team that generally spends a lot of money in the offseason outside of signings like Adalius Thomas.
The Patriots do have notable players entering free agency, wide receivers Wes Welker and Julian Edelman, offensive tackle Sebastian Vollmer, cornerback Aqib Talib, running back Danny Woodhead and safety Patrick Chung. Should they be re-signed?
Will the Patriots offense get more vertical with Julian Edelman out?
NEPD Staff Writer: Joon Lee
Wide receiver Donte Stallworth has signed with the Patriots, his third trip with the team. Stallworth was a training camp casualty at the start of this year.
Stallworth will likely be used to fill the hole left by Julian Edelman, who provided a short pass option in addition to a good punt-return option.
Does Tavon Austin have what it takes to replace Wes Welker? (US Presswire)
NEPD Editor: James Christensen
Wes Welker plays an immense role in the Patriots offense. If he leaves this off-season due to ongoing contract issues – Welker is currently playing on a one year franchise tender – Bill Belichick and Tom Brady will be hard-pressed to find a suitable replacement.
West Virginia receiver Tavon Austin certainly passes the eye test as a talented weapon, but would he fit into the Patriots scheme?
Is Julian Edelman poised to be a bigger part of the offense next year?
NEPD Staff Writer: Dan Hope
It isn’t hard to see how important wide receiver Wes Welker has been to the New England Patriots since joining the team in 2007.
Welker has been among the NFL’s top two in receptions in four of the past five seasons, and has been among the league’s top two in receiving yards for two of the past three. In the process, he has redefined the slot receiver position, advancing the role from a tertiary option to the primary weapon in the Patriots offense.
Welker, however, is an unrestricted free agent at the end of the 2012 season. The Patriots used the franchise tag to keep Welker in New England for this season, but if they want to keep him beyond this season, they are going to have to be ready to pay up.
The Patriots may be best suited in saving money by letting Welker sign elsewhere, and instead use a portion of the money they save to re-sign their other slot receiver, Julian Edelman, who will also be an unrestricted free agent.
How long will it take for Kellen Winslow to have an impact? (Photo: US Presswire)
NEPD Staff Writer: Joon Lee
This is in replacement of this week’s NEPD Mailbag due to a lack of questions. So to make sure we have one next week, follow me on Twitter @iamjoonlee and ask me questions throughout the weeks so we can put one together!
Lets quickly take a look at this week’s injury report: (more…)
Projecting New England’s Opening-Day Wide Receiver Depth Chart
Patriots Off-Season: Monitoring the Progress of Brandon Spikes
Patriots sign coveted UDFA Mark Harrison
The Five Most Intriguing Veteran Players in 2013
Report: Rob Gronkowski May Need Back Surgery
Major 2012 Contributors on the Roster Bubble in 2013
Shane Vereen and Stevan Ridley: The Symbiotic Patriots Backfield
Patriots Sign Veteran Guard Tyronne Green
Bill Belichick’s Affinity for Greg Schiano, Rutgers Should Be Questioned
