PatsPropaganda

An Independent Patriots Blog

What Can Patriots Expect from Jamie Collins the Second Time Around?

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Collins pictured in action (#91) in his first spell with the Patriots (Photo
by: runneralan2004, CC BY 2.0)

Jamie Collins is back with the New England Patriots and will be looking to re-write how things ended the first time around. The 29-year-old had an exciting initial three-year spell with the Patriots between 2013 and 2016, but his stay in New England came to an unexpected end.

On his way out the door, Collins was criticized for failing to stick to the gameplan and freelancing too much within the Patriots’ structured system. A simpler explanation was that Collins was just going to be too expensive for the Patriots and the team got what they could for him (third-round comp pick) and still went on to win a Super Bowl. Either way, the Pats sent him packing midway into the 2016 season.

After including that pick in a package for Brandin Cooks in 2017, the Pats then moved Cooks to the Rams, complicating the return on Collins. The ultimate result of the Collins trade? One year of Cooks, and current Patriots Deatrich Wise, Isaiah Wynn, Keion Crossen, Ryan Izzo and rookie Byron Cowart. Yes, the Pats turned Collins into a ton of value and now he’s back.

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4th of July Week 53-Man Roster

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Hoping everyone has a safe and happy 4th of July week! Your faithful Minister of PatsPropaganda will be down the Cape, where Fitzy and I are hoping to meet up for a Cape 4th Edition of Foxboro & Friends from a local watering hole. Keep an eye out for that!

Here’s a final pre-camp 53-man roster, with practice squad hopefuls and cuts. I am fully aware that some of those PS guys wouldn’t make it through.

Let’s dive in!

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Pats Posits: The Offseason Low Point Lives Up To Hype

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The end of June is the time when all those who play and follow the NFL take their vacations and any real meaningful news grinds down to a halt. Of course this is the perfect time for terrible social media debates to pop up and old friend Chris Simms was ready to strike with his latest rankings.

This time of year my superpower of not getting into pointless social media debates about who’s better is put to the test. Even if I managed to not give Chris Simms any attention other than updating that Hot Taeks History post, I was further tested by the Welker-Edelman debate.

Yes, it’s that time of year, when there’s just nothing really left to talk about so personal arbitrary rankings rule the day. At least there’s less than a month left until what I actually love most (football) starts, so let’s just try to get by until then.

Here are some Posits on those arguments and more as we start to gear up for a bunch of season preview posts starting next week.

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My Bruins Diary: The Game 7 That Shall Not Be Named

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Having played, reffed and coached my share of hockey games like The Game 7 That Shall Not Be Named, I can safely say there’s no worse way to lose a hockey game.

The Bruins came out on fire and threw everything they had at Jordan Binnington, and Binnington stopped everything they had. Those kind of games are THE. WORST. It’s so demoralizing when you’re getting grade-A chances and nothing’s going in. Then, to give up not one, but two goals on your only breakdowns of the first period?

The first, a deflection by a Conn Smyth-winning player. The second, a heartbreaking fast-break goal featuring a poor decision by a star player in the closing seconds.

Goals at the end of periods are bad enough. One like that on the grandest stage was even worse. And it was one of your best player’s fault. Ick.

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Patriots Trade for Tight End Michael Roberts

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In a move that should surprise exactly no one, the Patriots traded with the Lions for tight end Michael Roberts. After the departure of Austin Seferian-Jenkins, the Patriots depth was a little scary with Ben Watson facing a four-game suspension.

I wrote about the tight end situation a lot this offseason. After losing Gronk and Dwayne Allen, and trading Jacob Hollister, the Pats were in do-over mode at the position. Then, incredibly, they didn’t draft one, preferring just to add Matt Lacosse who is more of a move player, and bringing back Watson who was on the verge of retirement.

Roberts is the right fit because he’s the prototypical blocking tight end. Those aren’t sexy but they’re critical, and the Patriots really didn’t have a proven one on the roster. Watson, at this stage of his career, should be limited in his point of attack duties. Maybe Ryan Izzo can build off a solid training camp last year, he fits the mold, but Roberts gives them someone who has done it at the NFL level.

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