Patriots News Blitz

Here are some quick news bytes from Patriot-land, including Tom Brady’s whereabouts during the voluntary training sessions that began this week in Foxboro:

• The Pats will play the Detroit Lions on Thanksgiving Day this coming season. The last time the Patriots played in Detroit in 2002, the Pats won 20-12. Thanksgiving Day games lately, at least the Detroit ones, haven’t been much to sit around and watch. If the Lions get destroyed again this Thanksgiving, at least I’ll have the pleasure of watching the Pats do it.
• With the draft coming in about a month or so, the Patriots are starting to workout prospects and bring them in for private sessions at Foxboro. The first big news-maker for the Patriots this year is Florida QB Tim Tebow. The Patriots will host Tebow for a private workout. Now, private workouts do not necessarily equal draft interest. Teams now are showing everything from legitimate interest to complete smoke screens. What legitimate interest the Pats have in Tebow I don’t know, nor do I really know what Bill Belichick would have in his plans for Tebow. As far as quarterback goes, Tebow doesn’t really have the decision-making ability or accuracy demanded to operate the Patriots’ offense. Could BB view Tebow as a long-term project at the position? Could a position switch to tight end or H-back be in mind? Could a position switch to the Minute Man offense (Wild Cat) be in mind? I’m not on the Tebow bandwagon personally, but vote in the poll to the left: Should the Patriots draft Tim Tebow?
• Besides Tebow, Belichick worked out Florida’s tight end and second round prospect Aaron Hernandez down in Gainsville. With three second round picks and a long-term need at TE, I wouldn’t be surprised for the Pats to use one of those on a tight end (or to trade for a TE like Greg Olsen). The Pats will also work out USC WR Damian Williams, another second round prospect. While not an elite athlete at the position, he knows how to run routes and separate from coverage. There’s a lot of second-round talent at skill positions, and with three 2nd rounders, the Pats are in a good position to upgrade the offense.
• The owners’ meetings are around the corner and among the topics to be discussed are compensatory picks for the draft. The Pats could be awarded an additional 4 picks in the upcoming draft. The one downside to these picks is that they cannot be traded.
• QB Tom Brady hasn’t been in Foxboro yet to lift with his teammates, but he has been working out. He was seen at UCLA’s football field throwing the football around and doing some boxing training in LA. I wouldn’t worry about Brady missing these voluntary workouts. After all, he does have a wife and two kids now, unlike back in the early 2000’s when he was a bachelor. I’m 100% certain he will be there for later OTA’s and voluntary mini-camps.