Jan 20, 2013; Foxboro, MA, USA; New England Patriots tight end Aaron Hernandez (81)   Mandatory Credit: Stew Milne-USA TODAY Sports

Tim Tebow Mania runs unabated throughout New England, and the crowds are making their plans to invade Foxboro, MA to catch a glimpse of the newest, shiny toy in offensive coordinator Josh McDaniels’ toy box.  That said, there is still plenty of happenings around the New England Patriots between the end of the OTAs and prior to training camp kicking off in July.

1. News broke this afternoon that Patriots tight end Aaron Hernandez (first reported by SportsIllustrated.CNN.com) was questioned by police regarding a possible homicide in Attleborough, MA, a quick ride up route 95 from Foxboro, MA.  According to the article, there is a rental car associated with Hernandez involved in the investigation and he was questioned by State Police on Monday. Hernandez is not believed to be a murder suspect in the death of the the 27 year old Boston man found in North Attleborough, MA. Hernandez’s role and relationship with the parties is not known at this time.

Speculation is likely to run rampant these next few days as more news trickles in.  At this time, the news is so new that there is little to report, but soon there will be plenty of speculation and gossip. Hernandez is a supremely talented athlete, who fell to the 4th round due to the dreaded “character concerns”.  In this case, it may be another example of bad judgement, poor choice of associates, or wrong place at the wrong time.  Only one truth is certain in regards to this story: there will be plenty of comments of “Time to move Tim Tebow to tight end” in the comments sections of the news articles online.

2. Off-season nonsense is starting to overrun the team news as the Patriots are in the dead zone between OTAs, mini-camps, off-season workouts, and prior to training camp.  Stories making the rounds include the owner Bob Kraft-Russian President Vladimir Putin Super Bowl Ring “theft”, the former Patriots wide receiver Chad “Ochocinco” Johnson courtroom rump slap and subsequent jailing and visit by mercurial former wide receiver Terrell “T.O.” Owens.

This just shows that training camp cannot get here soon enough for real news and reports from the practice fields.

3.

Mar 8, 2013; Boston, MA, USA; New England Patriots tight end Rob Gronkowski watches a game Mandatory Credit: Mark L. Baer-USA TODAY Sports

The big Patriots news this week (not involving Tim Tebow) is tight end Rob Gronkowski’s back surgery on Tuesday. Back specialist Robert Watkins was the surgeon (no news reported if Dr. Watkins “Gronk Spiked” the surgical equipment after finishing the surgery). This back surgery follows four left forearm surgeries during this season and off-season.  With issues with Hernandez already with his own off-season surgery and neither starting tight end a lock to start the season healthy, tight end is a position that will be in the spotlight this training camp and pre-season.

4. A recent article at ProFootballCentral.com by Steve Balestrieri highlighted the Patriots signing of safety Adrian Wilson and his role and fit in the secondary to date.  He does a good job in the piece of emphasizing the fit of Wilson in the Patriots secondary and how his size and athleticism allows him to cover tight ends in man coverage and assist in the box with run support. In addition, he provides a big hitting physical support over the middle, an enforcer that has been missing. With Devin McCourty and Steve Gregory to fill the free safety role, it leaves Adrian Wilson and young Tavon Wilson as the strong safeties (no matter how much Bill Belichick insists that the safeties are interchangeable, they need the diverse strengths in the defensive backfield.

What was amazing this off-season was that a player as valuable as Wilson was available for such a low price, as he signed for 3 years at $5 million with a $1 million signing bonus. Compare that to non-physical presence at safety and free agent Ed Reed–who recently had surgery for a torn hip labrum–signed in Houston for 3 years at $15 million and $6 million in the first year alone which is more than the entire 3 years paid out for Wilson by New England.  Wilson, with McCourty expected to start at the other (free) safety position–which is a better fit for his cornerback skills–is a much better fit than Reed for the New England secondary.  Not only a great fit, but fantastic value for the Patriots.

5.

Jun 12, 2013; Foxborough, MA, USA; New England Patriots quarterback Tim Tebow throws a pass. Mandatory Credit: Stew Milne-USA TODAY Sports

One last note on Tim Tebow, his contract in New England is two years and $1.3 million, with no guaranteed money.  The Jets still are paying Denver $1.5 million this season as part of their trade last season with Denver for Tebow.  So if Tebow makes the roster in New England and plays both seasons, the Patriots will pay him less money than the Jets paid Denver in a trade for a player that Denver would have released (keeping Tebow behind Peyton Manning? No way John Elway was having that happen) and the Jets could have signed for free.

6. Speaking of the Jets, their coach Rex Ryan has stated that he is taking back control of the Jets defense (defensive coordinator Mike Pettine “voluntarily left” to become defensive coordinator of division rival Buffalo) and wants to get back to their big blitzing and aggressive style from 2009/2010.   Did the Jets front office not inform Rex Ryan that Darrelle Revis was traded? Rex wants to send mad blitzes at Patriots quarterback Tom Brady without Revis in the secondary to lock down the passing game? Antonio Cromartie had a decent season while Revis was out, but no one expects Cromartie to dominate like Revis.  Also, with Cromartie replacing Revis, does that mean rookie Dee Milliner or disappointing 2010 1st round draft pick Kyle Wilson is expected to cover one-on-one in blitz packages? Brady is no doubt drooling at the prospect of attacking the Revis-less Jets defense twice in 2013.

New England Patriots owner Robert Kraft. Mandatory Credit: Matthew Emmons-USA TODAY Sports

1. A quick shout out to one of the most important people in the history of the New England Patriots, owner Robert Kraft.  Kraft was awarded the Carnegie Hall’s Medal of Excellence the other day. The Medal of Excellence is awarded for outstanding leadership in business and philanthropy.  This is on the heels of him being the first NFL owner to ever receive the George Halas Award from the Pro Football Writers of America for overcoming adversity to succeed.

Without Bob Kraft stepping up and purchasing first Foxboro Stadium and then the Patriots, it is likely this franchise would have been gone by the early 1990s (likely to have landed in St. Louis).  Instead, Kraft stepped up and with the passion of a season ticket holder (which he was for many years prior) he set about making the team a competitor and no longer the laughing stock of the NFL.

Of course, the big story out of the ceremony is Kraft telling the full story of how Russian President Vladimir Putin ended up with Kraft’s personally engraved Super Bowl ring at a 2005 meeting in St. Petersburg, Russia. Per Kraft, Putin literally took it and walked out when Kraft showed it to him. Kraft also relayed how the Bush Administration leaned on him to indicate it was a gift to Putin in the best interests of US-Soviet relations. What a story!

The important note is that before Belichick, before the Super Bowls, before all the glory, there was one man who put his money on the line and believed in New England.  He built the team (not without some missteps, but far more correct moves than wrong) into the model NFL franchise, if not model sports franchise. Congratulations to Patriots owner Robert Kraft for a well-deserved accolade and recognition.

2. Patriots wide receiver Danny Amendola is in a tough situation: the slightest injury will set-off the fanbase and media about his durability, and lack of success on the field has Patriots Nation crying for recently departed Wes Welker, and any success he has will be greeted with skepticism and brushed off as “following what Wes Welker did” and “a product of the system”.  Despite that, all eyes were on the newest wide receiver plucked from the scrap heap.  Multiple media reports from the practice field (remember, no one is in pads and this is going through the motions) seem to express surprise at the rapport of quarterback Tom Brady and his newest weapon. With tight ends Rob Gronkowski and Aaron Hernandez sidelined, it is a great time for Amendola to catch his quarterback’s eye and put in the work that can translate onto the field in September (when it finally counts).

New England Patriots tight end Rob Gronkowski (87) Mandatory Credit: Greg M. Cooper-USA TODAY Sports

3. Speaking of the Patriots tight ends, ESPN is reporting that Patriots tight end Rob Gronkowski will have back surgery on Tuesday.  The big question with the surgery is the timetable for return.  A report at ESPN stated that 12 weeks is the expected recovery time which would be week two of the NFL season.  Of course, until Doctor Robert Watkins actually performs the surgery (termed “preventative maintenance” by Gronkowski’s agent, Drew Rosenhaus) and determines and fixes the cause of the back pain Gronkowski had last season, there is no concrete ways to determine what steps the team needs to make regarding his roster spot.

The Patriots have the option to put Gronkowski on the physically unable to perform (PUP) list which would sideline him for the first six games of the season before he can return.  With the forearm and back possibly ready by the season kick-off or first few weeks, the team has to determine if they go with an aggressive recovery to maximize one of the best tight ends in football during the season or take a long-term approach and be conservative and put him on the PUP and risk having him healthy and unable to contribute.  After Tuesday, the team will have a better idea on when their dynamic tight end will be able to return to the field. .

4. The Wall Street Journal checked in with the Patriots this week (Did you guess why? Correct: Tim Tebow.) in the guise of the long-defunct “Border Wars” between the New England Patriots and the New York Jets from the late 1990s. The article notes that since 2000 (Belichick to the Patriots) that the Patriots have acquired 21 former Jets to the Jets 10 former Patriots.  While Tim Tebow is unlikely to replicate the success of former Jets running back Danny Woodhead (now in San Diego), it is entirely unknown since Bill Belichick is (predictably) not releasing any details of Tebow’s role.  Is he simply a third quarterback? Is he going to play H-back or tight end? Is he a special teams player? Back-up linebacker? Wild-cat package quarterback? No one know right now.

tight end Kellen Winslow (82)

5. Former Patriots depth tight end Kellen Winslow signed a deal with the New York Jets. While hardly the “Border War” that claimed coach Bill Parcells and running back Curtis Martin, the signing of Winslow helps fill a gaping opening in New York.  With tight end Dustin Keller fleeing  the sinking ship of New Jersey and taking his talents to South Beach (on a one year deal), the Jets needed a warm body to fill the position with only unproven, injury-prone Jeff Cumberland and…well, flotsam and jetsam. Winslow is at least a name who fans may recognize.

Winslow, of course, was expected to be a depth tight end on the roster, and fill in for the injured Aaron Hernandez early last season. Instead, he inexplicably quit after nine days in New England and one game.  While the Patriots were mum about the release, reports afterwards (profootballtalk.com) indicated that Winslow wanted no part of the “Patriot Way” and was upset (after one game) that he did not get the ball thrown his way enough. That certainly makes his mutual release that much more understandable.  Of course, not producing and whining about not enough passes being thrown his way seemingly makes Winslow a perfect fit for the Rex Ryan New York Jets.

6. The Miami Dolphins have officially replaced the 2012 Buffalo Bills and 2011 Philadelphia Eagles as the media darlings of the off-season as they have been crowned AFC East champions and dethroners of the Patriot Reign a month before training camp kicks off.  While the Dolphins have accumulated a number of free agents on both sides of the ball, the team still has a long way to go before printing Super Bowl tickets.

The Dolphins left a terrible taste in their fans mouths last year by not showing up in Foxboro, MA during week 17 of the 2012 season on December 30th and getting rolled by the Patriots 28-0.  With a chance to finish the season at .500 and notch a win against their division rival the Dolphins fell behind 21-0 and mailed in another disappointing season. Sure, some pieces were changed out, but this this is still the same front office, same coach, same quarterback, and many of the same pieces that are beating their chests now and being pumped up as Super Bowl contenders without putting on their pads yet.

The Dolphins should be better, if only because they should be 4-0 against the Jets and Bills. The Bills are rebuilding behind a young quarterback and will need a lot of improvement in a hurry to think about the playoffs. The Jets are likely to finish with a top-five draft pick and clear out the big windbag, Rex Ryan. The Dolphins then just need to go 4-8 against the rest of the league and break their four year run of finishing below .500.

Miami should be improved, but their second year quarterback Ryan Tannehill has a lot of pressure on him to continue to take strides forward quickly. With his best offensive player from last season (Reggie Bush) and best offensive lineman (Jake Long) departed in free agency, the team has to get a lot of diverse parts working together this season.  Improved, yes. Knocking off the Patriots? Not likely.

Jun 11, 2013; Foxborough, MA, USA; The media surround New England Patriots quarterback Tim Tebow following Minicamp at Gillette Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Stew Milne-USA TODAY Sports

1. With all the Tebow-mania and hysteria over the past 24 hours with the signing of controversial quarterback Tim Tebow by the New England Patriots, two important questions that come to  mind are “Does he have practice squad eligibility?” and “Is there any guaranteed money (salary cap hit) with his contract?”

Unfortunately, based upon games played and time on active roster per the NFL rules, the Patriots do not have the option of stashing quarterback Tim Tebow on the practice squad. This is unfortunate for the Patriots and Tebow, as that would be the best spot for him at this time.  The Patriots would have to carry him on the 53 man roster in order to keep him around and work with Offensive Coordinator Josh McDaniels.

Reports from the Associated Press seen this morning indicate that the two-year deal Tebow inked with the Patriots is for the veteran’s minimum with incentives, but no bonus money.  In essence, he is a risk-free signing in terms of salary cap impact.  The Patriots can release him at any time and suffer no adverse effects to their cap.  The risk then, becomes the resultant media circus, but Tebow must be motivated to fall in line and limit self-promotion, and no one shuts down the locker room like coach Bill Belichick.

2. It was a good idea by the New England Patriots working out former Colts wide receiver Austin Collie. When he was healthy in Indianapolis, he put up excellent numbers and seemed to fit well with former Colts quarterback Peyton Manning, who demands intelligence and defense recognition just like quarterback Tom Brady in New England.  It costs nothing to sign a veteran at this time of the years and bring him in to compete. If he’s cut, no loss; at worst, the team has another slot receiver to add to their collection of Wes Welker clones.

Jan 13, 2013; Foxboro, Massachusetts, USA; New England Patriots linebacker Brandon Spikes (55) reacts during the third quarter against the Houston Texans at Gillette Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Greg M. Cooper-USA TODAY Sports

3. Linebacker Brandon Spikes arrived in Foxboro as the last member of the squad to report, as he sat out “Voluntary” OTAs.  Spikes has the right to skip any voluntary OTAs, and coach Bill Belichick has always been a supporter of Spikes.  The former Gator is likely to remain a starter this season, and the extra time in OTAs for reserve Dane Fletcher (returning from injury) is not all bad.  That said, it sends a big message when one player stands alone outside the team.  While the Patriots have had holdouts in the past, at least this situation seems less acrimonious.  Expect the Patriots to welcome Spikes back on the field where he brings energy and enthusiasm, but continue to wait until the off-season to decide what his price tag is to be in 2014 and where–if anywhere–he fits on the team in the future.

4. James Walker, the ESPN.com AFC East Blogger–had an interesting take on his site (click here) regarding the Patriots and Tim Tebow.  With the disclaimer that Walker lives in Miami but usually tries to be fair in his analysis of the other three teams in the AFC East, it seems puzzling that a team bringing in a third string quarterback counts as “desperation”.  Last March he seemed to think it was a good fit for Tebow in New York, so it seems odd that the Patriots, where there is less circus and more business, would be see Tebow as Walker puts it “an unexpected sign of desperation for a New England offense searching for answers.”  He later adds that “New England simply is not good enough to win a Super Bowl this year.”

Walker’s piece seems to veer onto the sensational side, as the Patriots are hardly replacing Tom Brady behind center with Tim Tebow in 2013.  The Patriots have overhauled their wide receiver corps, just as they have done in the past with moves that have worked (Randy Moss, Wes Welker and Dante Stallworth) and not worked (Doug Gabriel, Reche Caldwell, and Chad Jackson).  While it is far too early to state “This is yet another sign that New England’s run of Super Bowl appearances and NFL dominance is coming to an end”, as Walker did in the piece, it is definitely a transition season at wide receiver.

Sep 29, 2012; West Lafayette, IN, USA; Marshall Thundering Herd wide receiver Aaron Dobson (3) makes a one handed catch. Mandatory Credit: Pat Lovell-USA TODAY Sports

5. What the Patriots have to do to maintain their NFL best offense is follow the Pittsburgh Steelers wide receiver transition plan: The Steelers turned over star trio Santonio Holmes, Hines Ward and Antwan Randle-El and over two years brought in Mike Wallace, Emmanuel Sanders, and Antonio Brown without missing a beat, and upgraded the passing game into arguably a younger, faster, and more explosive group for quarterback Ben Roethlisberger.

Remember, in 2007 the Patriots were lambasted for bringing in the whining troublemaker (Randy Moss) and the no-name punt returner (Wes Welker) and ended up with an historic, record-shattering offense. While no one would say rookies Aaron Dobson and Josh Boyce are going to have record-breaking seasons,  the team desperately needed an influx of youth, speed, and athleticism at the position. While the media has put down the signing of Danny Amendola and allowing Wes Welker to leave, until the regular season starts, no one knows what the Patriots are going to get out of their new group of receivers…and that’s what makes the new season so exciting.

6. One move lost in the Tim Tebow hoopla was the release of rookie free agent Dewayne Cherrington.  Cherrington was an undrafted free agent signing who played his college ball at Mississippi State.  Expected to compete for a last spot or practice squad role with fellow undrafted rookie defensive tackles Cory Grissom and Joe Vellano, Cherrington was the least likely to make the squad due to being very raw after having been a juco transfer at Mississippi State. Grissom is the most polished of the bunch, and was slowed due to injuries which caused his stock to drop.  Vellano, from Maryland, seems to be an undersized tackle (only 285 lbs) but known for his non-stop energy and enthusiasm, which translates well with coach Bill Belichick. Vellano has drawn comparison to former defensive lineman Mike Wright.

With Cherrington freeing up another spot on the 90 man roster, there could be a spot for another veteran defensive tackle to replace departed Kyle Love and Brandon Deaderick behind starters Vince Wilfork and Tommy Kelly.  Armond Armstead, formerly of the Canadian Football League via USC and last year’s surprise undrafted free agent Marcus Fortson seem to be in line as top backups, but a veteran could be brought in to push them or as injury insurance.  Remember, New England worked out veteran defensive tackles Spencer Ellis and Sedrick Ellis recently.