Patriots Gab

Running back Kevin Faulk says that despite what PFT reported on Tuesday, the Pats have made an offer to the 11-year pro:

In yesterday’s one-liners, we passed along a report that the Patriots hadn’t extended a contract offer to running back Kevin Faulk, a free agent who has spent his entire 11-year career with New England.

Faulk saw that report, and disputed it.

“They have made me an offer, for the record,” Faulk said in a text message to a Boston Herald reporter.

But Faulk wouldn’t say any more than that. It’s possible that all the Patriots are offering Faulk is a contract with a league-minimum salary and nothing guaranteed, which would be an indication that the team thinks the 33-year-old Faulk is done, and all they’re willing to give him is a chance to prove them wrong between now and the start of the regular season.

The NY Post reports today that the Pats may have their eyes on Jets RB Leon Washington:

Two NFL observers name the Patriots as a team that could pursue Jets free agent Leon Washington. Washington, given a second-round tender by the Jets after missing half of last season with a broken leg, could start visiting teams “in the next day or two,” according to ProFootballTalk.com. The Jets can match any offer sheet Washington receives, but tricky language in a contract — known in the NFL as a “poison pill” — can sometimes make that difficult.

Free-agent wide receiver Josh Reed, who has spent his entire eight-year NFL career with the Bills, is scheduled to visit the Patriots on Monday, a league source confirmed. ProFootballTalk.com first noted that Reed was set to visit. Reed, 29, would add another veteran presence at the position if he is signed.

An undisclosed league source believes the Patriots could target free agent wide receiver Derrick Mason, according to Aaron Wilson’s (Ravens Insider) twitter page. Mason was on New England’s radar the last time he was a free agent. They could use another veteran receiver with Wes Welker recovering from a serious knee injury as well.

Wes Welker is recovering well from his offseason surgery from the injury that took place during the final regular season game against the Texans. It’s been three weeks since the key WR had knee surgery to repair a torn left anterior cruciate ligament. With that though, the Boston Herald reports today that he won’t be ready for the start of the 2010 season:

While the early news is extremely encouraging with Welker, counting on him to make it back for the start of the 2010 season remains an unrealistic proposition.

So with that, look for the Pats to take a long look at the wide out spot this weekend at the combine, as well as in the upcoming 2010 NFL Draft. The team made a minor move on Tuesday, bringing in 35, soon to be 36-year-old wide out David Patten. The bottom line though is this team needs to add a WR one way or another to add depth for the 10 season.

Former Patriots running back Mosi Tatupu has died according to Boston.com:

Former Patriots running back Mosi Tatupu has died at the age of 54, according to several news reports.

The Honolulu Star-Bulletin said Tatupu, a native of America Samoa who played 13 seasons for the Patriots, died Tuesday, but a cause of death was not known.

Barry Markowitz, a family friend, told the Star-Bulletin, “He had some health issues.”

The Patriots drafted Tatupu in the eighth round of the 1978 draft out of the University of Southern California. He was born in Pago Pago, American Samoa, and was a schoolboy football star at Punahou High in Honolulu. He held the Hawaii state record for career yards for 17 years, according to the newspaper’s web site.

The Patriots today announced that they have placed the franchise tag on nose tackle Vince Wilfork, meaning he’ll be with New England at least for the 2010 season. The move was done according to the team in an effort to continue negotiating a long-term agreement.

The team released the following about the move. “A long-term agreement with Vince Wilfork has been the team’s top contractual priority for some time. Unfortunately, despite numerous conversations and proposals, the goal has not yet been realized. Vince is a tremendous player for our team and remains a significant part of our future plans. It is because of Vince’s importance to this organization that we have assigned the franchise designation as we continue to work toward a long-term agreement. We are hopeful that Vince will remain a Patriot for many years to come.”

The 28-year old has been has appeared in 90 regular season games, including 80 as a starter, and has appeared in 12 playoff games with 10 starts since being selected by the Patriots in the first round (21st overall) of the 2004 NFL Draft. The 6-foot-2-inch, 325-pound nose tackle has recorded 449 tackles (257 solo) and 7.5 sacks for his career. The University of Miami product was selected by his teammates to be a captain in 2008 and 2009. The Patriots’ defense has finished in the top 10 four times in Wilfork’s six seasons.

Last season, Wilfork started 13 regular season and one playoff game at nose tackle and was elected to the Pro Bowl after leading the Patriots defensive linemen with 65 total tackles.

The Patriots are looking for someone to get to the quarterback in 2010, and the big rumor is that they will go hard after the Panthers Julius Peppers. Another name on the list though is that of the Dolphins Jason Taylor, but the Boston Herald reports that it appears that Taylor is not going to be available:

Ian Rapoport of The Boston Herald reports the Patriots list of potential pass-rushers to acquire starts with Panthers Pro Bowler Julius Peppers, then continues to include a whole slew of soon-to-be drafted players, somewhere in the middle, maybe, is Dolphins linebacker Jason Taylor. Coach Bill Belichick has not been shy about his love for Taylor but life just got a little difficult for the former NFL defensive MVP and Dancing with the Stars winner. According to a report in the South Florida Sun-Sentinel, Taylor just underwent shoulder surgery that will keep him out for three months which it means it’ll be the middle of May before he could actually work out for teams.

Could Deion Branch upgrade the Pats passing game in 2010? Branch talked to the Boston Herald, and Pro Football Talk picked up his comments and talks about it below:

More than three years ago, receiver Deion Branch staged an extended holdout in New England because Branch wasn’t happy that his rookie contract carried a fifth year. Eventually, he forced a trade to Seattle.

Since then, Branch has been a non-factor.

But now that his salary nudges from $4.97 million to $5.47 million and given that he’s one more year removed from his days of faded greatness, Branch might need a new home.

And Branch apparently wouldn’t be averse to coming back to New England.

“You know what, I talk to guys all the time. I never wanted to leave, nor did Coach Belichick and his staff and the organization want me to leave, either,” Branch told Karen Guregian of the Boston Herald. “We just couldn’t get the contractual part down. We just couldn’t come to an agreement. And that stuff happens. . . . I still love coach Belichick, and if the opportunity presents itself to come back, I would love to be there. . . .

“I still talk to Tom [Brady] to this day,” Branch added. “And the crazy part is, you never lose that relationship with guys, especially when you do something special, which is what we did in my first four years in New England. I still talk with half of the team. To this day, I still talk with half of the guys that were on the team with me. It’s a special bond. For us to reunite, I don’t know. I would probably be crying at the press conference, if it happens. Look, I’ve enjoyed my time with the Seahawks. I would love to stay in Seattle. But if it happens, if it presents itself, that would be great.”

ESPN says guard Stephen Neal will be testing the free agent market, and not retiring as was first thought:

Though some suspected longtime New England Patriots starting guard Stephen Neal was retiring, he is not. “He’s going to be playing,” Neal’s agent, Neil Cornrich, said in brief comments Wednesday afternoon. “We expect there to be a vibrant free-agent market for his services.” In an offseason in which few starting-caliber offensive linemen will be available, Neal figures to be one of the premium free agents. The Patriots still are interested in retaining his services, but not before Neal at least tests the free-agent market first.