PREMIUM PATS TO VISIT TRAINING CAMP 07/31

I will be on air of Patriots.com radio show PFW In Progress tomorrow from 11am-1pm be sure to check it out then will be attending the afternoon practice from 1:30pm-4:30pm where there will be a dual practice session of Patriots and Saints! Keep it locked on PremiumPats.Com for updates.  I will be giving updates via twitter durring practice. If you aren't already follow me @MikeOnofrio for practice updates and observation. Also send me who you would like me to watch for you via Twitter! Don't forget to tune in tomorrow morning's eddition of PFW In Progress on Patriots.com !

Best #3 TE in Football: Visanthe Shiancoe

The Patriots announced late yesterday afternoon the signing of free agent tight end Visanthe Shiancoe to a one year deal worth up to 1.2 million with only 400k guaranteed. Shiancoe was unexpected to sign on with New England after leaving without a deal in place after he worked out last week. I thought a deal was unlikely after Shiancoe left New England to work out with the Eagles, but he declined the Eagles offer and decided to sign on with the Patriots! Smart man! Don't over look this signing people for this could prove to pay dividends for the Patriots this upcoming season.  Many of you might think what does it matter who the 3rd string tight end is. This is big for multiple reasons.

1.Insurance: Last season the Patriots only carried two tight ends on the 53 man roster. Both Gronkowski and Hernandez were utilized the Patriots heavily in the passing attack last season.  Both were also banged up sporadically throughout the season putting limitations on what the Patriots could do offensively.  With the signing of Shiancoe this will allow there to be more of a rotation and give Gronkowski and Hernandez a breather instead of the constant weekly grind and should keep Gronkowski and Hernandez healthier throughout the season.  Also if one of the tight ends is to go down in injury there is an actual backup that can step up and make plays for the offense so there won't be any limitations for the Patriots offense this season.

2.Flexibility: So what impact could the #3 tight end on the depth chart possibly have if Gronkowski and Hernandez are both on the field ahead of him?  Well, last season the Patriots tried running a 3 tight end set and the Patriots were successful however can anyone guess who lined up as their third tight end last season?  Starting left tackle Nate Solder who played some tight end in college at Colorado.  With Solder stepping into the left tackle spot following Matt Light's retirement it is only logical the Patriots wont want to risk injury to the Patriots franchise left tackle going forward.  Having a legitimate starting caliber tight end as the Patriots #3 will allow the Patriots to have that much more flexibility both in the running game and in the Passing game.  This will keep defenses on their heels because in a 3 tight end set the Pats could run the ball or pass it to any of their 3 receiving weapons at tight end.  Football is all about matchups and it will be virtually unstoppable to stop all 3 tight ends.  The NFL had trouble just stopping Gronkowski and Hernandez- Now New England kicks it up a notch and adds a third tight end into the mix and will cause tons of matchup problems for the NFL this season.  Flexibility is key.

3.Adding Another Weapon:  As if the Patriots need it the Patriots add yet another receiving weapon at 6'4 , 240 lbs. Adding Shiancoe at this point is a luxury for the Patriots offense.  The Patriots had the top offense in the league last season and they look to continue that by adding even more weapons this offseason.   Daniel Fells was seen as more of a blocker than a receiving tight end so adding another pass catcher will only add another dynamic wrinkle to the Patriots offense in 2012. Shiancoe will easily be the best 3rd string tight end in football this season.  Lets see how opposing defenses try to contain the Patriots offense this season.  They will have their work cut our for them as it will be almost impossible to shut down all of Brady's new receiving targets. 

MONDAY MAILBAG 7/23

Every week I will be accepting a handful of questions from you all on Twitter and post the best ones here on Premium Pats.Com! This week was our first week accepting questions from my Twitter followers so lets get to it and see what they have to say!

@1CrazyPATSfan Who is your surprise pick to get cut at the end of training camp?

@MikeOnofrio Well Shelly it seems like every year the Patriots cut a player that everyone least expects. I am not sure this year a big name will get cut, however I can certainly see them cleaning house with some stagnant talent on the roster to give newer players an opportunity.  Looking position by position I think the most crowded positions are the running back position, wide receiver, defensive lineman, and defensive back.  I think at running back you will see a cut between Brandon Bolden and Danny Woodhead. I do not see both of them making the team. At wide out I think there is a chance they carry 7.  Typically they only carry 6.  If there is a cut to be made at wide out I think it will be Donte Stallworth.  At the D Line there are 14 total players there.  This year I spell the end of Ron Braces 3 year tenure in New England.  He can't seem to get on the field and at this point I would rather have Gerard Warren over him.  Also the clock is ticking for Defensive End Jermaine Cunningham.  I like this kid but for some reason he also can't see the field.  I hope I am wrong about him.  At defensive back there are 16 defenders-more than any other position on the Patriots roster so there will most definitely be cuts there.  I dont see any real surprises here but the interesting battle will be the nickel corner slot/4th+5th corner.  You Have Kyle Arrington,Sterling Moore, Marquise Cole, Will Allen, Malcom Williams and Alfonso Dennard fighting for 3 spots. Will be interesting to watch that is for sure!

@JoeDeMayo4 Outside of the obvious Chandler Jones and Donta' Hightower, What rookies are you expecting the most impact in 2012?

@MikeOnofrio This is a tough one to project Joe because I think there are a handful of rookies that can contribute day 1 for the Pats defensively.  I like 3rd round pick out of Arkansas, Jake Bequette who will have a real chance to show what he can do.  Jake has great size at 6'5 274lbs who is slightly heavier than 1st round pick Chandler Jones.  I pick Bequette to have the impact of the rest of the rookies simply because of the lack of depth and compettition at the position.  While the Pats brought in a lot of veterans who will also get their shot, none were ever starting caliber Defensive Ends in their NFL careers.  Like the old saying goes you can't teach an old dog new tricks.  If they haven't done it to this point, I don't see them doing it in New England.  I see the veterans brought in as rotational role players. The Patriots lucked out last season with Andre Carter and Mark Anderson. I don't foresee lighting striking twice for New England so with that leaves a tremendous opportunity for Bequette to step in and show what he can do and rightfully so - The Patriots desperately need some fresh legs at the position.  Bequette has a great motor and has an opportunity to make plays for this defense this season.

@RaQuanO With the return of Josh McDaniels, will the running game become more of a factor in the Patriots offense?

@MikeOnofrio Ra'Quan, I do expect the running game to become a bigger factor for the Patriots this upcoming season, but I am not sure if I am ready to give all of the credit to Josh McDaniels.  The Patriots are a pass first team.  With all of the offensive firepower this offseason I expect the Patriots to continue their potent passing arsenal however, the running game should be better.  I believe the Patriots running game has been slowed over the past few years by journeyman, veterans and guys that simply didn't fit what the Patriots needed to do.  Think about it-IF the Patriots had an explosive running game to couple with the Patriots elite passing attack-who is going to stop them?  Benjarvis Green-Ellis was great for getting the necessary yardage but he was never a big play back.  Josh McDaniels loves an explosive running attack and he must be licking his chops with the big play potential of Stevan Ridley and Shane Vereen.  We got a glimpse of what the running game could look like when New England put the ball in Stevan Ridley's hands and while explosive he had ball security issues.  If Ridley can fix that going into the season we could have something special with this offense in 2012.

@nflchicfan Do you think Andre Carter will return?  We have new faces and a brighter look on defense but he was an asset before injury. 

@MikeOnofrio I still think there is a chance but as each day passes I think that chance becomes slimmer and slimmer.  I do not think Carter is still fully 100% healthy from his injury sustained last season.  The Patriots have showed interest bringing him in a few times this offseason but I still think as he is recovering and getting back into form the Patriots will move on without him and go with the players they have.  Best bet is to add Carter in season if a player goes down unexpectedly. If not the Patriots will look to the youth of the team to dominate their defensive line.

@osbornekojak Do you believe Wes Welker, I mean butter finger Welker deserves a new contract?

@MikeOnofrio Well the Patriots sure didn't otherwise they would have locked him up before the deadline!  I do think Welker deserves a new contract but what he deserves and what he earns are two different things.  I think he has to earn this next contract and prove at his age he can stand apart from the weapons added and continue to make plays and be a significant part of the Patriots offense going forward.

@J_Wolfe5 Who will be starting RB? Ridley? Addai?

@MikeOnofrio Interesting question Justin.  The Patriots will continue their committee back system but I think Week 1 you will see Stevan Ridley in the backfield opening play. As I said previously if he fixed his fumbling issues- and that is a big IF- then we will have quite the offense this season! The Patriots run a committee system so realistically you could start any of the backs on the roster as their is no true starter. Everyone will get a chance and the best runners will get the most significant reps.

Thanks for everyone who submitted! If you wish to submit for next week's Monday Mailbag send it anytime  before Monday to me on Twitter @MikeOnofrio and make sure you hashtag #MondayMailbag so I know you wish for the question to be answered here!  Go Pats!

FRIDAY FEATURE: KEVIN FAULK

Premium Pats EXCLUSIVE Interview With Pats Legend Kevin Faulk

Today we have something truly special on Premium Pats.  I had the immense opportunity to talk briefly with former Patriot running back- the legendary, Kevin Faulk.  Growing up and being a fan of the Patriots, I remember sprinting down the stairs to my basement to watch my favorite sports team the New England Patriots play on the big screen.  I remember countless Sunday's where I would watch Kevin play and say to myself " I don't know how he does it. " Kevin was always in the right place at the right time and seemed to make clutch after clutch plays both in the running game and particularly in the passing game.  It would be third down, and I knew no matter where the ball was spotted, if Tom Brady were to look Kevin Faulk's way- he was getting a Patriots first down.  Opposing teams knew it was coming-they just couldn't stop him.  Inside the locker-room he was a leader and not only did he fully embrace but he exemplified what it means to be a Patriot.  Kevin was generous enough to take some time away from working at LSU's football camp to talk with me and answer a few questions.  It is my honor and privilege to get to today's "Friday Feature" and Premium Pats EXCLUSIVE interview with Kevin Faulk!

Premium Pats ( @MikeOnofrio ): Have the Patriots contacted you about playing this upcoming season?

Kevin Faulk ( @feezy_k ): Well Mike, they haven't officially contacted me, but me and coach had a meeting two days after the Super Bowl about a potential return.

Premium Pats ( @MikeOnofrio ): If you chose to play this season, what do you have to offer an NFL club at this stage of your career?

Kevin Faulk ( @feezy_k ): That is a good question. All I can say is I have enough knowledge of the game and I haven't been in there on every down my whole career....

Premium Pats ( @MikeOnofrio ): Kevin, has retirement crossed your mind this offseason after an illustrious 13 seasons in the NFL with New England?

Kevin Faulk ( @feezy_k ): Of course it has.  It would be crazy to say it hasn't, but that comes with the business aspect of the game.

Premium Pats ( @MikeOnofrio ): If this is indeed the end of your NFL career, are you satisfied with what you have accomplished?  Also, what would you like to be remembered for?

Kevin Faulk ( @feezy_k ): Man I have surpassed a lot, accomplished a lot in my career.  Am I satisfied? No. Content? Yes, because you always want to do more as a competitor.  We've had some special years in New England that we won't forget as a team and an organization.  I just want to be remembered as a team player on and off the field.

Premium Pats ( @MikeOnofrio ): Finally, what are your predictions for the Patriots upcoming 2012 season?

Kevin Faulk ( @feezy_k ): They are always going to be a contender as long as Bill is the head coach and Tom Brady is running that offense.  Both of them demand excellence!!!

I just want to take the time to thank Kevin again for stopping by to talk Premium Pats and for all of his career accomplishments.  We wish him the best in all of his future endeavors.  I know I will be pulling to see #33 in the New England backfield once more this season.  If it is meant to be it will be.  If not, the next time you will see #33 will be in the Hall at Patriot Place.

Kevin Faulk holds multiple LSU career rushing records including Most Career Rushing Yards ( 4,557 ) Faulk was a second round pick in the 1999 NFL Draft taken by the New England Patriots at 46 overall.  Kevin has been a 13 year pro in the NFL all with New England appeared in 5 Super Bowls and is a 3x Super Bowl CHAMPION.  Kevin was also the longest tenured Patriot on the roster last season. He is currently a free-agent.  Kevin will always be a PATRIOT!

Be sure if you aren't already to follow Kevin Faulk on Twitter @feezy_k !
Comment and RT ! #PREMIUM PATS

Follow me on Twitter @MikeOnofrio for more Premium Pats content!

Rookie Rundown: Jeremy Ebert

Leading up to training camp we will be doing a "Rookie Rundown" of the Patriots 2012 rookie class to give you a beter glimpse of what each player is all about.  Today I am going to start with 7th round rookie wide reciever, Jermey Ebert.



Name: Jeremy Ebert
Drafted: 7th Round, 235 Overall
Position: Wide Reciever
School: Northwestern
Age: 23
Height: 5'11
Weight: 200 lbs

Getting To Know Jeremy Ebert-

Jeremy Ebert was selected by the Patriots in the 7th round 235th overall of the draft this year and played primarily wide receiver at Northwestern.  During his time at Northwestern he racked up 173 receptions 2,400 yards and 21 touchdowns.  In Ebert's senior season ALONE he racked up 75 receptions for 1,060 yards and 11 touchdowns.  Not bad for an ex-high school quarterback. Ebert became an explosive weapon for Northwestern.  Coming from a small school he did not receive much attention nationally and slipped under the radar a bit. Jeremy wasn't invited to the combine but his stock rose a bit at his Northwestern pro day. 

When asked how he felt not being invited to the combine Jeremy said " Not getting invited to the combine kind of hurt, but I showed up today and showed them what I could do." 

Jeremy posted a 4.38 40 yard dash and bench pressed 225 16 times.  Ebert's vertical jump was 33 inches and his cone drill was recorded at 6.70 in the three cone drill which would have put him top 3 of all wide outs recorded at the combine.  Scouts said Jeremy looked smooth in his route running and caught passes cleanly.  Scouts also call Ebert a reliable possession receiver with good hands and remarkable focus to catch balls in traffic. Ebert officially signed with the Patriots May 17th agreeing on a 4 year pact worth 2.148 million with a 48,200 signing bonus.

My Take-

First off I can see why the Patriots would be interested in Ebert as he screams versatility.  The more you can do as a player the more valuable you become for the club.  Jeremy played all over at quarterback, running back and receiver in high school and college so he is a well rounded player. Jeremy reminds me a lot of Julian Edelman in that respect.  Both Julian and Jeremy have very similar skill sets and both were quarterbacks turned receiver.  Being a former quarterback turned receiver Jeremy has a good understanding what his role is in an offense which was an attribute to his success at Northwestern.

With that said, Jeremy has quite the uphill battle to even make the Patriots roster this season competing with Wes Welker, Brandon Lloyd, Jabar Gaffney, Deion Branch, Dont'e Stallworth, and Julian Edelman. Looking at his film he appears to have solid speed and separation and displays great catching ability.  I came away impressed with some of his catches and he displayed some big play ability pulling in some balls that appeared un-catchable. Jeremy seemed fluid in his cuts however in the tape I saw he seemed to shy away from contact when lining up on the outside. Not sure if it was just the tape I saw but this is something to keep an eye on in training camp.

I think New England made a smart move in selecting Ebert as they need to try and develop a young receiver.  I thought it was a deep class at receiver and thought they could get a more talented receiver but Ebert did enough to win Bill Belichick's heart over.  My guess is he will make the Patriots practice squad and hone his skills there and see where that takes him next season.  I think at best, if he does make the 53 man roster he could contribute as a special teams player and get limited time at receiver but again that could all change with a strong camp.

Be sure to follow me on twitter @MikeOnofrio for more Rookie Rundowns leading into Training Camp!

Rapid Reaction: No Long Term Deal Welker

Well the 4:00 PM deadline came and went and the Patriots and Wes Welker could not come to an agreement. The Bears locked up  runningback Matt Forte and the Ravens locked up Ray Rice giving Patriots fans hope a last minute deal is possible- but it wasn't. My initial reaction is I am not surprised.  The difference between Forte and Rice vs Welker is the age factor.  Both are young stud runningbacks in the prime of their careers and Welker's entering the downside of his professional career. The Patriots wanted to do a deal with Welker and the two couldn’t come to a common financial agreement.  You can’t blame either side as I pointed out in the post earlier both sides have their pros and cons.  Welker lost all leverage when he signed the franchise tender.  If he held out it may have sparked up a fire from underneath the Patriots to get back their most talented wide receiver on the roster.  I think Welker signed because he knew the Patriots weren’t going to give up as much as he wanted.  Welker took the sure thing of $9.5 million which is very rich for a wide receiver and will likely work hard this season to show he is worthy of a long term contract.  As a fan I would love to have Welker retire a Patriot but my gut says the Patriots will let Welker play out his contract and let him walk. The Patriots have never over-payed a wide receiver.  You saw this previously with Dieon Branch and you saw this with Randy Moss.  No one player is bigger than the "Patriot Way".  The Patriots offense has changed with the arrivals of the tight ends.  The Patriots have no problem making the tough decisions and even though fans may not be happy with the initial decisions, the Patriots usually turn out making the right move.  Enjoy Wes Welker this season and hopefully the Pats and Welker can come to a more reasonable agreement following the 2012 season, but like I said- Don’t be shocked if Wes Welker isn’t a Patriot in 8 months.

It's the Final Countdown !

The Patriots and receiver Wes Welker have until 4pm today to come to a long term contract agreement. If not the 31 year old Welker will have to play under the franchise tag the Patriots placed on him at $9.5 million which is certainly not bad for one year. I would argue that it is overvalued for one season.  Now under the gun and less than5 hours away from the franchise tag Welker and the Pats still have yet to come to terms on a long term deal.  Not saying it can’t happen, but as I stated previously the writing is on the wall. Let’s look briefly into the reasons why the contract talks got this bad in the first place.

First off, the Patriots reportedly offered Welker a 2-3 year deal which Welker declined.  The Patriots franchise is a business which I think a lot of fans are forgetting. Welker mentioned earlier in the offseason his displeasure with contract negotiations yet he gave in and signed the $9.5 franchise tender.

 After Welker signed he posted on Twitter “ I signed my tender today.  I love the game and I love my teammates.  Hopefully doing the right thing gets the right results. #LeapOfFaith“

Now with this leap of faith he lost all leverage he had previously.  Yes if he didn’t sign he could have lost half of that money but if Welker wanted a long term deal he should have went all in with a hold out. By signing the Patriots are guaranteed to get Welker for the upcoming 2012 season and Welker has zero ground to stand on.  Good for New England bad for Welker.  The Patriots offense has changed and will continue to change with the additions of Lloyd, Gaffney, and Stallworth.  Also don’t overlook the return of Josh McDaniels calling the offensive plays.  Josh liked to spread the ball around. With the additions at receiver and the red hot tight end duo of Gronk and Hernandez there are only so many balls to go around.  Welker submitted and will have to wait until next offseason to either lower his asking price or test out free agency. 

Take a look at it from the Patriots view.  This offseason they targeted who they wanted for the long term and it wasn’t Wes Welker.  It was Rob Gronkowski getting the long term 8 year deal.  Rob Gronkowski is the future of the franchise, not Wes Welker. While nobody will match the production of Wes Welker, The Patriots have other ways to match the production with the tight ends and newly added receivers.  One of the reasons I think the Patriots brought in so many old faces at receiver was for Tom Brady.  This way he gets re-accustomed to players he was comfortable with in the past so this way if Welker does leave after next season, the blow will softened.  The Patriots need to look at players offensively and say who can I build the offense around for the next decade. Rob Gronkowski and Aaron Hernandez need to be recognized over Welker.  Hernandez’s agent is already stirring up the pot and wants Hernandez to get paid as a receiver-not a tight end due to the receiving production he has had over the last two seasons. How will New England pay Gronk-Hernandez AND Welker.  In a perfect world that would be ideal for Pats fans but this is a TEAM building process. The rest of the team needs to be accounted for.  Aaron Hernandez needs to get paid before his asking price goes up any higher.  Hernandez is much bigger and faster in the slot and would replace Welker. Right now Welker is a luxury to the Patriots offense not a focal point.

From Welker’s perspective he is the team’s best receiver.  He has done everything the Patriot way and has been a team player.  I don’t think that is being overlooked here.  I think Bob Kraft recognizes that.  If Welker has another 90 catch season maybe Welker will be rewarded for continuing to play at an elite level with all these other weapons on the squad- however I think he has to earn it this season.  Wes Welker needs to prove that he can flourish with Gronkowski, Hernandez, Lloyd, Gaffney, and Stallworth on the roster.  At best he will be #3 option receiving this season, likely #4. Welker has had to fight for everything his entire career and I don’t expect him to quit fighting now.

I am sure the Patriots want to resign Wes Welker. I am sure Tom Brady wants the Patriots to resign Wes Welker. Wes Welker wants the Patriots to resign Wes Welker. So if Wes Welker wants to be a Patriot long term he will sign a team friendly deal and finish out his career with Tom Brady. Wes Welker will need to work harder than ever this season to stand out from the crowd and show he deserves a long term deal. The Patriots have shown in the past that no one player is greater than the Patriots franchise.  They showed this with Deion Branch and most recently Randy Moss.  Both did not have the same success elsewhere as they did in the Patriots system. In the end Wes Welker needs the Patriots more than The Patriots need Wes Welker. In a mere few hours we will find out if Welker’s “Leap of Faith” was worth it. Either way he Patriots offense will be locked and loaded for the 2012 season. Get your tickets ready for the Patriots Air Show 2012.