No To Watson

The departure of Tom Brady has created endless speculation on who will play quarterback for the Pats next season.

One of the craziest rumors is to trade with the Texans for Deshaun Watson. The price would be incredibly high at two future first round picks, as well as selections in the 2nd, 3rd and 4th rounds. OL Joe Thuney would also be part of it.

Why would any team do this deal? It's one thing to lose all these draft picks, but the salary cap implications for Watson would strangle the team for years.

The Last Kick

It was inevitable that the Pats would move on from kicker Stephen Gostkowski. They picked up almost $4 million in salary cap space on a 36 year old trying to come back from season ending hip surgery.

He will leave as the all-time points leader for the Pats. He had 14 awesome seasons other than the injury last year.

He might have a future with another team, but it all depends on his hip.

The injury didn't happen overnight. It might be time to move on. I'm sure he had a lot of time to think about his future.

Hoyer 3.0

It looks like QB Brian Hoyer will begin his third stint with the Pats since they signed him in 2009 as an undrafted player. He has been with five teams with 39 starts. His experience as a backup will help Jarrett Stidham and Cody Kessler.

He knows the offense after playing behind Tom Brady in 2017 and 2018.

He had just finished the first of a three year contract with the Colts, but became expendable when they signed Phillip Rivers.

Brady's departure to Tampa Bay will give Hoyer at least another year in the league.

The Great Ben Watson

The Pats will probably go big when it comes to finding tight ends in the draft or free agency. They only have Ryan Izzo and Matt LaCosee after the expected retirement of Ben Watson.

The former first round pick of the Pats in the 2004 draft got everything he could from his career. Although he never won a Super Bowl, he was on the 2007 team which came within one elusive victory of a perfect season.

He left to joint the Saints in 2008 and another stint with the Ravens before signing with the Pats in 2019 with a hope of one last chance for a ring.

He had numerous injuries, but leaves the game with 547 receptions for 6,058 yards and 44 TD's.

A Key Position

The Pats signed free agent FB Dan Vitale who has played four seasons between the Browns and Packers. He has been very productive and could play a vital role in the running game.

The offense took a big hit last year when James Devlin suffered a neck injury and was lost for the season. His status for 2020 is unclear.

I'm sure the team will look for additional help in the draft.

Payton's In His Place

Coronavirus has impacted life so much around the world.

The NFL free agency process has been impacted with all the restrictions.

Saints coach Sean Payton announced that he tested positive for it, but was in recovery.

It's amazing to see the real life stories. Maybe he can raise awareness.

They All Move On

It's interesting to hear that Coach Belichick was caught off guard by Tom Brady's decision to move on. Fans need to realize that Brady wanted out and it was never going to happen again in Foxborough.

They should be happy that he is ending his careers on his own terms and with a lot of money.

Tom vs Contract

It's probably best that Tom Brady and the Pats move on to their own future. He has a deal lined up in Tampa Bay that will pay him $30 annually. He will also have a say in personnel and play selection. He would never have that or the money in Foxborough.

This should work out well for all parties. Team owner Robert Kraft had great sentiment, but it was a business decision at the end of the day.

He was never the future with the Pats. His financial numbers and salary cap implication made a deal unlikely.

Kyle Van Noy Gone

I don't think Kyle Van Noy was ever planning to sign a free agent contract with the Pats. It looks like he will be hitting a financial jackpot with a four year deal from the Dolphins.

Things have worked out well for him since being traded from the Lions during the 2016 season. He won two Super Bowls with the Pats and was a media favorite.

He was able to parlay a great 2019 season into a big contract. Hopefully, he collects most of the money.

Slater Back To Pats

The Pats made a smart move when they resigned special teams star Matthew Slater on a two year deal that will pay him $2.6 million annually.

Since being taken in the 5th round of the 2008 draft, Slater has played primarily on special teams where he has excelled. He has eight Pro Bowl selections as well as six All-Pro. His five Super Bowl appearances and three championships just add more to his already great career.

2020 Voting

This is the last hour for players to vote electronically on the CBA. The 2,500 membership has the option to approve it or not.

This will have a huge impact on the NFL going forward.

Vote Yes For CBA

The members of the NFLPA should vote for the new CBA for so many reasons. The great former Viking Carl Eller gave a convincing argument on how it would help former players from his time.

The NFL needs to do a better job is taking care of those who built the league. One big change is the amount of time to get a pension from four accrued seasons to three. They need to do that and help the players who should be taken care of.