More cuts
WR MARTIN, DT KUHN, RB GAFFNEY RELEASED BY PATRIOTS


The Patriots made a few eye-opening cuts on Saturday as they trim their roster to 53 players.

In addition to the release of receiver Aaron Dobson, Patriots Insider Tom E. Curran has reported that the Patriots have cut receiver Keshawn Martin, running back Tyler Gaffney and defensive tackle Markus Kuhn.

Martin appeared to have a chance to make the club as its No. 5 wide receiver. He caught a touchdown from Tom Brady in the preseaon finale but left the game with what appeared to be an injury to his left foot or ankle.

Kuhn may have provided the interior of the Patriots defensive line with some veteran experience but the Patriots could opt to stick with Malcom Brown, Alan Branch and Vincent Valentine as their big bodies on the interior.

Gaffney was dependable in the backfield for the Patriots throughout the preseason, serving as a "big back" along with LeGarrette Blount, but he also left Thursday's preseason finale injured.

More to come . . .
www.csnne.com/new-england-patriots/wr-martin-dt-kuhn-rb-gaffney-released-patriots

too bad about Gaffney, I was pulling for him

Blount is dirt cheap in daily this week. 

Like 40 yards and a TD you are golden if you picked him.


Think he's worth a shot?   I am putting him in quite a few line ups. 

So what running back is getting the touches?

In daily fantasy Rock, which Patriots back has the best week?    They are all close in price so price does not matter. 

Yeah, I agree with that.


I was leaning Blount but the more I think about it.....I'm relying on a TD.    With White, I could see 5-7 catches.  

Report: Gronk telling teammates he plans to play Thursday night



Posted by Josh Alper on September 22, 2016, 10:18 AM EDT

FOXBORO, MA - AUGUST 11:

Patriots tight end Rob Gronkowski hasn’t played in the first two weeks of the season because of a hamstring injury and said earlier this week that he is feeling better.



Gronkowski also said that it is a “coach’s decision” whether he makes his 2016 debut, but it appears he knows what the choice would be if it was up to him. Or, perhaps, which way the coaching staff is leaning.



Ben Volin of the Boston Globe reports that Gronkowski has told teammates this week that he plans to play against the Texans in Thursday night’s game at Gillette Stadium. Gronkowski was listed as questionable on the team’s final injury report of the week.



Martellus Bennett had a productive game as a receiver in Week Two, but no one would argue that the Patriots offense will be in better shape with Gronkowski in the lineup. That’s true when Tom Brady is at quarterback and it would certainly be true if, as expected, Jacoby Brissett is making his first NFL start against Houston.

profootballtalk.nbcsports.com/2016/09/22/report-gronk-telling-teammates-he-plans-to-play-thursday-night/

agreed. I think this is just him saying he's ready so if he doesnt go it's not his call. 

on that note

Patriots in limbo at quarterback position



Posted by Mike Florio on September 24, 2016, 8:54 PM EDT

nbcprofootballtalk.files.wordpress.com/2016/09/609844140-e1474764862826.jpg?w=209
Jimmy Garoppolo has a shoulder injury. Jacoby Brissett has a thumb injury. Tom Brady has one game remaining on his suspension.



So what will the Patriots do at quarterback in Week Four against the Bills?



For now, they’re not saying — as if they ever say anything. T.J. Yates had a workout last week and Sean Renfree visited; one of them could be added, either to serve as the backup next Sunday, or possibly to start.



Few other options exist, if neither Garoppolo nor Brissett can play. Unless they intend to give Julian Edelman a crash course in a position he hasn’t played since high school, they’ll need to add someone else, if there’s any doubt that either of the two quarterbacks currently on the roster will be ready in eight days.



Whatever they do, coach Bill Belichick will have a plan, and chances are it will work.


profootballtalk.nbcsports.com/2016/09/24/patriots-in-limbo-at-quarterback-position/

New England Patriots

Key unrestricted free agents: TE Martellus Bennett, OT Sebastian Vollmer, DE Jabaal Sheard, DE Chris Long, LB Dont'a Hightower, RB LeGarrette Blount, CB Logan Ryan

The Patriots have had and will have to make tough decisions about their young core on defense. They've already traded away Chandler Jones and Jamie Collins, likely out of concerns that they would be priced out of New England's budget, but it's unclear whether the Pats will retain Hightower and Ryan. Ryan might be tougher, given the money handed out to mid-tier cornerbacks in free agency and the presence of Malcolm Butler, who will be a free agent next offseason. Outside of receiver Danny Amendola, who will likely be cut to realize a $6.5 million savings, the Patriots don't have any obvious veterans in line for release.

The Patriots will need to shore up the holes left by those missing players, notably at defensive end, with Sheard and Long as free agents and Rob Ninkovich entering the final year of his deal in what will be his age-33 season. Those concerns might preclude them from re-signing Bennett, who will turn 31 next year and be in line for the last big-money contract of his career. The Patriots can afford Bennett on his $5.1 million price tag this season, but it would be hard to justify paying something in the $8 million range for a second tight end, even given how frequently the Pats use two-tight-end sets. They will likely look for another buy-low opportunity and pocket a compensatory pick. Vollmer, who missed all season with an injury and was made redundant by the stunning turnaround of Marcus Cannon at right tackle, is unlikely to return.


Martellus Bennett and LeGarrette Blount, who combined for 25 touchdowns in 2016, are both free agents after the season. Greg M. Cooper/USA TODAY Sports
And while the Patriots have a well-deserved reputation for ruthlessly moving on from their franchise players if coach Bill Belichick feels the timing is right, there's little reason to think star tight end Rob Gronkowski will leave this offseason. Gronkowski has a $7 million cap hold for next year, but the Patriots would owe $6 million in dead money on their cap if they were to trade away Gronk.

The year to watch with Gronkowski is 2018, when his cap hit rises from $7 million to $11 million, with the Patriots instead only owing $4 million in dead money in the case of a trade or release. Depending upon how he looks after returning from back surgery in 2017, the Patriots will likely either move on from Gronk, whose contract runs out after 2018, or sign him to a new deal.

The other key Patriots player to watch out for is quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo, who is likely to leave via trade before he hits free agency after the 2018 season. Unless there's some sort of unspoken agreement that he'll take over for Tom Brady after next year, the Patriots can't really afford to keep him on the roster, either with an extension or the franchise tag. They would likely recoup a compensatory third-round pick if Garoppolo left in free agency, so the compensation will have to top that for the Patriots to make a move. Given the teams likely to pursue Garoppolo, a high-second-round pick and a mid-round selection from a bad team in need of a quarterback such as Cleveland, Chicago or San Francisco still makes the most sense.

I highly doubt Blount is going to get a good offer elsewhere.

30 y/o running backs don't get shit.


Forte got 3/12 from the Jets. If the Pats want Blount, they'll keep him.

Dime a dozen

For no money, I'd take him back