Sunday Patriots Headlines

TRAINING CAMP COUNTDOWN: 4 days until Patriots training camp

The rookies report to Foxboro this morning, and Adam Schefter reports that the Patriots have gotten 2nd round draft pick Jermaine Cunningham under contract. Mike Reiss also reports that the team is close to a deal with Rob Gronkowski and Brandon Spikes, and it shouldn't be a surprise if they're all done by the end of the weekend. Needless to say so far so good, and it appears that most of them should be there.

Reiss also has his thoughts about the Patriots and the NFL this morning, including the big "unknown" factor that makes this season so intriguing here in New England.

Ian Rapoport of the Boston Herald has a great article this morning with an interview with Patriots owner Robert Kraft who talks about a variety of subjects, including how the team has managed to continually remain among the NFL's elite.

Rich Garven of the Worcester Telegram looks at the team and notes that this year's Patriots team needs to get back to work. He points out that this current group of players - "nearly all of whom do not possess a Super Bowl ring" - will need to create their own legacy and give their all this year, with Vince Wilfork emphasizing the word "commitment" in this piece.

The Boston Globe has a great article this morning on Tom Brady's contract situation, along with how everything fits into the big picture financially with the types of deals that have been done over the years with both Brady and Peyton Manning. It's a terrific read, and definitely recommended if you're looking to gain a better understanding of the numbers.

Mark Farinella of The Attleboro Sun Chronicle has a look at some of the biggest issues facing the Patriots this year, and talks about five of the biggest issues the team faces when training camp opens on Thursday.

Glen Farley of the Patriot Ledger takes a look at cornerback Devin McCourty, and hopes that the rookie can finally give New England some stability at that position opposite Leigh Bodden.

Jim Donaldson of the Providence Journal tells Patriots fans not to worry about Brady, noting that he's under contract - and that's all you need to know.

Bill Belichick's favorite band took the stage last night, and The Attleboro Sun Chronicle talks about Bon Jovi's show at Gillette Stadium. No word on whether or not he was on hand to catch the concert.

OTHER NFL HEADLINES:

The New York Times has an article previewing the Miami Dolphins, and it's a terrific in-depth look at the team for any Patriots fan who wants to learn more about one of New England's AFC East Rivals.

The Green Bay Press Gazette takes a look at what the Patriots have done with Patriot Place, as they try and do something similar with the land around Lambeau Field. They're currently trying to redevelop that area, and have been impressed with what Robert Kraft has done in Foxboro.

Watching Outside the Lines on Sunday, they discussed the safety of stadium food, with an interactive map for fans to see how each stadium ranks. Gillette Stadium had no violations, while Fenway Park scored very well. However, there were quite a few others that didn't - including the TD Bank Garden.

And finally our thoughts and prayers go out to Bill Cowher who lost his wife to skin cancer at 54. Anyone who watches the NFL network has probably seen footage of him hugging both her, and his daughters after they won their first Super Bowl - and it's sad to imagine that less than 10 years later something like this would happen. Very sad news indeed.

That's it for today. Hopefully with rookies reporting today we'll have some updates to report later on.