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New England Patriots News 7-24, AFC East Notes

Steve Balestrieri
Steve Balestrieri on Twitter
July 24, 2016 at 5:00 am ET


🕑 Read Time: 5 minutes

Good morning, here are Sunday’s Patriots news 7-24 and notes on what’s happening around the AFC East.

Be sure to keep checking PatsFans.com as training camp begins. We are doing primers by position and we’ve already posted ones on the running backs, tight ends, wide receivers, offensive line, defensive line and linebackers. Tomorrow we’ll get to the cornerbacks, followed by the safeties.

Be sure to check out our podcast “Patriots 4th and 2”. On Friday we conducted our own training camp preview with the emphasis on Jimmy Garoppolo and what to look for from the QB this summer and into the beginning of the season. So onto the news…

Pats Sign OL Kerbyson, Still Have Two Open Roster Spots:
The Patriots on Friday signed rookie free agent Kyler Kerbyson bringing the roster number to 88 which still leaves two open slots for the beginning of training camp.

Kerbyson started 13 games in 2015 for Tennessee at left tackle and has played some guard as well. During the pre-draft process, he was projected more as a guard in the NFL. His signing may not bode well for the health of either Josh Kline or Tre’ Jackson who each missed the entire spring OTAs and minicamp.

It will be interesting to see how the team fills the other two open roster slots. There is room for possibly a veteran running back or corner and depending upon the health of Shaq Mason, another offensive lineman. Mason missed all of the spring before appearing in the last workout of minicamp.

Going to Training Camp? Read on…
With training camp opening this week, the summer vacation for the players is over and they will begin their work for the entire season with a brief respite during the bye week. But for the fans, and many will be planning vacation weeks around training camp dates, many questions remain. We’ll try to answer as many as possible.

Practices and parking are free during training camp but as a word to the wise. Arrive early. Parking is in the P6 or P8 parking lots. It is a first come, first served operation and the crowds get bigger every year. With a pair of joint practices against the Saints and then the Bears before their respective preseason games, the crowds will probably be much, much larger.

Nice grab by Edelman on a fade

The veterans must report by July 27 the rookies report today. The first scheduled practice is July 28 and here is the tentative schedule.

Thursday, July 28: 9:15am – 11:45am — Morning Practice Session
10am – 2pm — Patriots Fan Zone

Friday, July 29: 9:15am – 11:45am — Morning Practice Session
10am – 2pm — Patriots Fan Zone

Saturday, July 30: 9:15am – 11:45am — Morning Practice Session
10am – 2pm — Patriots Fan Zone

Sunday, July 31: 9:15am – 11:45am — Morning Practice Session
10am – 2pm — Patriots Fan Zone

Monday, August 1: 4:00 p.m. – 7:00 p.m. Patriots Fan Zone
5:00 p.m. Hall of Fame Induction for Kevin Faulk (open to public)
7:00 – 9:00 p.m. In-stadium practice, open to Season Ticket Holders and Foxboro residents only.

Remember the schedule is subject to change and that in the case of inclement weather, should the team move inside the practice bubble, fans are not allowed inside.

During the day while practice sessions are ongoing, the Patriots Pro Shop, the Hall, the team’s Hall of Fame and the Fan Zone will all be open. There are concessions open behind the bleachers during practice.

After every practice session, a certain amount of players will be made available for giving autographs and taking pictures with the fans. According to the Patriots site, no video cameras, GoPro cameras or drones are allowed.

The schedule past August 1 hasn’t been released yet, but the joint practices with New Orleans are slated for August 9-10, and the Bears on August 15-16.

Edelman’s Health Questions Seems Settled After He Blasts Homers at Fenway:
On Wednesday afternoon before the Boston Red Sox took on the San Francisco Giants, Pats WR Julian Edelman took batting practice with the Sox.

With many of the Sox on-hand to include skipper John Farrell, Edelman put on quite the show, blasting several homers over the Green Monster. Edelman who is becoming quite the social media presence these days looked to be having himself a great time.

The better news is Edelman was planting his foot pretty solidly to get his bombs to fly over the “Monstah”. If there was still some concern over his foot, I doubt that this would have happened. And since there never are any kind of coincidences with the Patriots and the fact that the RS just happened to have their photographer on hand. Maybe it was a subtle message that …yes Edelman will be ready for September 11.

Edelman tweaks ankle

“Summer of Gronk” Continues, First Pitch and Playing Guitar with McCartney:
Speaking of social media butterflies, Pats TE Rob Gronkowski continues to be everywhere this summer. There are no off days during the “Summer of Gronk” tour.

The big man’s latest escapades had him also at Fenway Park as he joined Beatles’ legend Paul McCartney onstage to try his hand at a little air guitar. He also joined Sir Paul in singing “Helter Skelter”.  He then appeared with Seahawks QB Russell Wilson and his new bride Ciara on the Nickelodeon show, The Kids Choice Sports Awards.

On Wednesday, he threw out the first pitch at Fenway, joining his buddy David Ortiz on the field. If that wasn’t enough Gronk, Malcolm Butler, and LeGarrette Blount appeared in Boston at Downtown Crossing on Friday and were dressed as Good Humor Men.

They delighted fans by chatting, signing autographs and of course, handing out ice cream. And what better way to top it off than having Gronk break out into a dance and spiking an ice cream cone.

East Bound and Down…AFC East Notes:

Dolphins Sign Arian Foster, Low Risk, High Reward:
The Miami Dolphins signed free agent running back Arian Foster this week. The move to bolster and push RB Jay Ajayi is one that could bear fruit for Miami this season. Foster is 30, the age when running backs start to break down and he’s already suffered thru some injuries in his seven-year career.

But if healthy, Foster is a player that can catch the ball out of the backfield and is very good in pass protection, something Ajayi has struggled with. The team drafted Kenyan Drake in the 2016 NFL Draft and Ajayi has only 187 career rushing yards, so Foster could be that veteran presence that helps out the younger guys.

There are some that believe that the Foster signing is showing the Fins don’t believe in Ajayi. They are pointing at the offer sheet to C.J. Anderson that Denver ultimately matched as proof that the coaches don’t trust him. This will bear watching as camp plays out.

Jets Hear from Carson Palmer on the Fitz Impasse:
Arizona Cardinals QB had just three words for the New York Jets, embroiled in a contract dispute with QB Ryan Fitzpatrick. “Pay the Man”.

Palmer and Fitzpatrick were golfing together in a celebrity tournament in Lake Tahoe when Palmer who is close to Fitzy, chimed in on the impasse.

“He’s a good friend of mine, he’s an ex-teammate of mine, and I know what he means to a locker room. I know what he means on the field.

“He’s been a great player for them,” Palmer added. “I hope they take care of him the way they should because he means so much to that team. That team wants him there, and they have a legit shot with him at quarterback.”

The two sides have spoken since Fitzpatrick turned down a three-year, $24 million-dollar offer from the Jets this spring.

Bills, Gilmore Contract Talks Stall:
NFL.com’s Ian Rappoport reported this week that talks between the Bills and CB Stephon Gillmore have stalled and it appears that he’ll play out the final year of his rookie contract.

Buffalo picked up the fifth-year option on Gillmore’s rookie deal and he’s due a cool $11.082 million dollars in 2015. But Gillmore is looking for a long-term extension and wants to be paid among the top cornerbacks in the NFL.

Gillmore has become an integral part of the Bills’ defense and is an excellent, complete cornerback. But the Bills, at least at this point are digging in their heels and hold the leverage. If Gillmore were to hold out the entire preseason, the fines and money lost would total nearly $3 million dollars according to Mike Rodak from ESPN.

Follow me on Twitter @SteveB7SFG or email me at [email protected]

Listen to our Patriots 4th and 2 podcasts on blog talk radio as the writers Russ Goldman, Derek Havens and I from PatsFans.com discuss the latest Patriots news Wednesdays at 12 noon.

 

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Patriots Training Camp Primer – Cornerbacks

About Steve Balestrieri

A former US Army Special Forces NCO and Officer, Steve has been following the Patriots since their days at Fenway Park. Steve has worked in the film industry and wrote as an Military Editor at SpecialOperations.com, 1945.com as a reporter for the Millbury Daily Voice, Millbury-Sutton Chronicle, and the Grafton News. He's also a member of the Pro Football Writers of America (PFWA)


Posted Under: Patriots Commentary
Tags: 2015 NFL Season 2016 NFL Draft 2016 Patriots Roster 53 Man Roster Projection Bill Belichick Buffalo Bills Julian Edelman LaGarrette Blount Miami Dolphins New England Patriots New York Jets NFL Patriots Patriots edge rushers Rob Gronkowski Tom Brady

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