Patriots sacrifice Thompkins for the greater good

Kenbrell Thompkins is gone.

At least temporarily, as the New England Patriots continued their curious string of personnel moves by cutting ties with the second-year wide receiver in favor of beefing up their linebacking corps and special teams by activating Linebacker Ja'Gerad Davis from the practice squad.

Thompkins (85) became a victim of a heavy-set game plan

The Thompkins release is somber icing on the cake of perhaps the most tumultuous week in the last two decades of Patriots' football, and has fans and media alike scratching their heads and sputtering out obscenity-laced sentence fragments on social media sites.

But wait - could there actually be a good reason for the curious personnel move?

One theory is that the Patriots are preparing their roster for a blockbuster trade involving virtually the entire Patriots' receiving corps for the Arizona Cardinals' Larry Fitzgerald - and while desperate Patriots' fans and countless amateur bloggers may feel that the Patriots are the only team in the NFL that is entitled to one-sided deals, the fact of the matter is that Fitzgerald isn't going anywhere.

Why should he?  He's on a first place team in the toughest division in pro football with a contract that compensates him well.  There is no way in the name of Don Coryell that the Cardinals are going to trade their top receiver and break up an emerging offense just to appease fickle Patriots' fans - they are contenders in the NFC, and contenders don't make stupid deals like that...

...which leaves us with the reality of why Thompkins was handed his pink slip: The greater good.

A finger injury to Nate Ebner has rendered punter Ryan Allen's personal protector a bystander for Sunday night's contest with the Cincinnati Bengals, and it's a position that practice squad linebacker Ja'Gerad Davis saw some of in the preseason - and as the personal protector is vital to the success of the special teams, the move for Davis had to be made.

And while that in itself doesn't explain why Thompkins was the one that got the axe to make room for Davis, one look at the Cincinnati Bengals - this Sunday nights' opponent - does, on paper anyway.

The Cincinnati Bengals have become a trendy Super Bowl favorite with late bettors, coming in at 8-1 as many are jumping on their bandwagon.  And why not?  After all, the weakness of their team and supposedly the only reason they haven't won three trophies by now is their quarterback, Andy Dalton, and the now-veteran signal caller is off to a fast start.

Dalton can't win a playoff game to save his life, everyone said at the end of last season, and the Bengals should consider cutting their losses and draft a quarterback high in the draft and hand the keys over as soon as the kid was ready - and they did draft a quarterback, a good one in Alabama's A. J. McCarron, whom they considered a 5th round steal, and were ready to make the switch just as soon as Dalton started to struggle...

...which may or may not be true, but it's a moot point anyway because the Bengals have started fast and are leading the AFC North with a pretty 3-0 record coming off a bye, and are advertised to be a juggernaut, moving the ball at will while Dalton toys with the opposition - going so far as to catch a pass from receiver Mohammed Sanu that he took to the house.

Ah, those tricky, tricky Bengals.

Trick plays aside, the Cincinnati offense is legitimate, particularly their top rated passing game - and although their running attack is merely average, it must be taken into account that running back Giovani Bernard actually leads the team in receptions, meaning that the Bengals use their passing attack as an extension of their running game.

But for all of that razzle-dazzle, Cincinnati is only scoring 26 points per game, while their defense is surrendering a miniscule 11 points per game, which easily adds up to their 3-0 record - but the truth of the matter is that the Bengals' defense is living on borrowed time, and the Patriots are the kind of team that can exploit them.

In their three wins, the Bengals have jumped out to leads, forcing their opposition to take to the air, where their top rated pass defense can have their way with the other teams' quarterback - their only close game being the opener at Baltimore where Cincinnati settled for five field goals to let the Ravens hang close, securing the win with a late long bomb to receiver A. J. Green.

Their other two games?  Both home blowouts where the Bengals gained early leads against both the Falcons and Titans, then unleashed their pass rush that recorded four sacks and contributed mightily to their defensive backs picking off five passes.

In truth, if the Patriots allow the Bengals to get an early lead, the chances of a curtain call from last weeks drubbing at Kansas City is entirely possible - but if the Patriots can keep it close and methodically pick up first downs to chew up the clock, they may very well expose the soft under-belly of the Cincinnati defense...

...and how they do that is directly tied to why Thompkins was released on Saturday night.

The Bengals give up an abysmal 5.1 yards per carry to their opposing offenses, which feeds right into the week-long notion that the Patriots best bet to get a win on Sunday is to initialize their power running game, and to ride it as far as Stevan Ridley and company can take them, hopefully to sustain long, time chewing drives that will limit the opportunities that Dalton and the Cincinnati offense have to score.

That also means that the Patriots' running backs will be intimately involved in the passing game, as two back looks will be commonplace, Shane Vereen and rookie James White curling into the pattern to force the Bengals linebackers to bite on play action, while tight end Rob Gronkowski will take a linebacker and a safety out of the equation.

That sort of game plan is going to call for all five running backs and all three tight ends on the Patriots' roster, leaving a scant three spots - four tops - for wide receivers, and with those types of numbers, Thompkins wasn't going to see the field on Sunday night anyway, as he has been inactive for two of the first four games.

That leaves the excellent Bengals' corners in man coverage, the likes of Aaron Dobson taking one vertical and Brandon Lafell taking one horizontal, leaving lots of room for the backs and Julian Edelman to roam in underneath - which is the keyword for this game.

Everything underneath - nothing fancy, pound the rock, throw short to the backs to open up the outside and up the seam, where the Patriots should rule - take a few shots down the field but only after setting the attitude with the run.

And no matter the level of initial success, don't stop running the ball.  Showing a commitment to the run is the very best way to offset the unsettled nature of the Patriots' offensive line, the play action freezing the defensive linemen for the split second that it takes a lineman to anchor in their stance to better withstand their charging combatants.

If you can't commit to the run - or won't - you get what we all saw in Kansas City just six days ago: an offensive line overwhelmed by a Chiefs pass rush unencumbered by the notion of a Patriots' running game, pinning their ears back and getting off the line and into the linemen before they could properly anchor.

That's a recipe for disaster that the Patriots have been cooking with all season, and it can't continue if there is to be any hope of a trip to Arizona in February.

And while that's not necessarily on Thompkins, someone had to be sacrificed for the greater good - the power running game plan - and the second-year man lost the numbers game, and for a variety of reasons.

Thompkins may very well be resigned to the practice squad if he indeed clears waivers, though that is not a guarantee - but with Patriots' head ball coach Bill Belichick releasing Thompkins on a Saturday evening, it gives him a better chance of retaining him since no team is going to pick up a player and add them to their active roster mere hours before a game...

...and if Thompkins is signed to another team's practice squad, well, Belichick can just go poach him off that roster, if the University of Cincinnati product is willing to play ball, so to speak.

So all is not lost for fans of Kenbrell Thompkins, and Belichick is still as shrewd a tactician as there is in the game. Now it just remains to be seen how effective his ploy is against that Bengals defense that is living on borrowed time.

Balanced Patriots roll over Eagles, but still much work to be done

Quarterback Tom Brady uncorks a deep ball in the first quarter of New England's 42-35 win over Philadelphia

If you came into the New England Patriots' Friday night preseason game against the Philadelphia Eagles looking to be entertained, then mission accomplished - but if you came in looking for any clarification as to who's going to be where when the 53 man roster is announced in two weeks, then you came away disappointed.

Jonas Gray rumbled for 98 yards on 12 carries while Ryan Mallett bounced back nicely after the debacle against the Redskins last week with a solid second half showing as the Patriots outlasted the Philadelphia Eagles 42-35 on a perfect summer evening for football at Gillette Stadium in Foxborough, Massachusetts.

New England quarterbacks combined to go 21 of 33 for just 226 yards, but also threw for four scores, rookie Jimmy Garoppolo with two of them in a little over a quarter of work - the only miscue a pick-six off Tom Brady on a miscommunication with freshly signed tight end Steve Maneri who zigged when he should have zagged...

Jimmy Garoppolo spelled Brady in the middle of the first quarter

...Philadelphia cornerback Carey Williams - of all people - taking the easy interception down the sideline for the opening score of the game, but that was only freebie the Eagles would get as New England scored touchdowns the next three times they had the ball and the starters on defense yielded no points to the Eagles in a quarter-and-a-half of work.

As expected, the Patriots featured their power running game, plowing for 250 yards on 46 carries for the game,closing out the game on Gray's brutish downhill running, gaining his game-high 98 yards on just 12 punishing carries as he made a case for himself as New England's clock killer in the four minute offense, a position vacated by LeGarrette Blount's defection to Pittsburgh.

New England's run defense, abysmal in the preseason opener, showed statistical improvement, partially because the starters played until midway through the second quarter, yielding a miserly 19 yards on six LeSean McCoy carries, with only four yards up the gut, which was a point of blame for the run woes last Thursday.

Stevan Ridley started at tailback and rushed for 45 yards in 9 carries

The second and third team defenses continued to struggle up the middle, however, giving up 70 yards on 15 carries as the defensive line couldn't keep the guards off of the linebackers, causing contact to occur four to five yards into the second level.  The only reasons the rushing total wasn't higher for the Eagles is that their receivers were finding big chunks of yardage underneath, and they were in a shootout with the potent Patriots' offense.

Philadelphia quarterbacks went an absurd combined 28 of 34 for 330 yards, with second-stringer Mark Sanchez doing most of Philadelphia's damage, going 11 of 12 for 117 yards and two of the Eagles' four scores.

Rookie Jordan Matthews paced all receivers with a game-high nine catches on as many targets, the second round pick out of Vanderbilt going for 104 yards and a score, while the Eagles' tight ends and their screen game had their way with the Patriots' reserves.

After Williams took Brady's errant pass to the house from 77 yards out, Brady came back with a surgical nine-play, 53 yard drive capped by a gorgeous back shoulder toss to Kenbrell Thompkins to tie the score at 7-7 - then Garoppolo came on and led the Patriots to two quick scores, hitting James Develin in the right flat and the H-back rumbled in from 15 yards out...

Brady and Thompkins after the first score

...the same distance a sizzling Garoppolo rocket traveled to find Brandon Lafell in the back of the end zone for a two touchdown lead.  The rookie showed once more that the offense wasn't too complicated for him and the spotlight not too bright.

The two score lead would evaporate quickly however, as Philadelphia starter Nick Foles victimized Patriots' safety Patrick Chung with tight end Zach Ertz, the second year load out of Notre Dame hauling in a six yard strike a play after having his helmet dislodged by a vicious Chung hit over the middle, holding on to the pass to set up the score.

Then on the next Eagles' series Sanchez would take advantage of Patriots' linebacker Chris White in coverage of wide receiver Arrelious Benn out of the backfield where he was lined up as a running back - Benn slashing into the flat and taking the pass in stride for a quick hitter and a 21-21 tie going into the locker room at halftime.

A Ryan Mallett six-yard scramble for a touchdown was matched by another Sanchez scoring toss and made the score 28-all before Roy Finch sliced for a 10 yard score and Brian Tyms went up high to snag a Mallett offering in the corner of the end zone to give the Patriots back their two score lead in the third quarter, then Gray closed out the Eagles with his powerful bursts into the heart of their front seven.

Four Philadelphia turnovers didn't help their cause but helped the Patriots' immensely as three of the four set up Patriots' touchdowns - and the number of penalties didn't help anyone, as 21 accepted penalties - mostly illegal contact and hands to the face infractions - netted nearly 170 yards and at a couple of points slowed the game to a crawl.

Running game in focus for Patriots against Eagles - on both sides of the ball

Ah, Bill Belichick.  Will you ever be understood?

The answer to that is a resounding "probably not", which is sad since he gives us peeks into this psyche almost every time he speaks, though most people are so ingrained in their beliefs in what Patriots' football should be, that they can't see the forest through the trees.

And it's his fault, after all.  It was Bill Belichick that introduced us to the wonders of Randy Moss, Wes Welker and the brutal tight end-centric offense, then yanked them out from underneath us like a vaudeville magician would a tablecloth from beneath a place setting.

Don't expect Gronk on Friday night, but Revis will play

The laws of inertia were overwhelmed by the gravity of each player's circumstance.  Moss was traded after he began to exhibit conduct detrimental to the team.  Welker couldn't keep his mouth shut to save his life and took his sleazy act to Denver.  Aaron Hernandez couldn't resist shooting folks and ended up in La Pinta, and Rob Gronkowski kept breaking like cheap glass...

...each player becoming the fabled external force that disrupted the integrity of the offensive concept - and while it wasn't Belichick who committed these transgressions, it was he who brought them to our attention, brought them to Foxborough and piqued our interest with delusions of grandeur, then left us always wanting more.

So it is not surprising that fans still pine for these players - or at least a reasonable facsimile thereof, and summarily reject the notion that everything that the Patriots need to win a championship is already on the team.

But here's the thing, and there's really no way of getting around it: with those players of yore and the gimmick offenses that they were the center of, the Patriots have gone 6-5 in the playoffs, including 2-3 in five conference championship games and, of course, 0-2 in Super Bowls...

...and when you stop to consider that their regular season record during that time span is an astonishing and almost obscene 78-18, the numbers suggest that the Patriots went with style over substance since their last World Title, looking pretty and scoring almost at will in the regular season - but with a lack of substance against championship caliber teams, all it got them was a dismal 2-5 record in trophy games.

So when you see names like Dustin Keller on the street waiting for a tight end needy team to pick him, well, there's a reason why no one has.  There are more teams than just New England that needs tight end depth, and no one wants to take a chance - same with Jermichael Finley - and the Patriots' title teams carried tight ends that could do it all, but their primary responsibilities were in blocking for the power running game.

Those offenses weren't flashy - in fact they barely made a ripple in the style points - it was all about three yards and a cloud of dust setting up play action, and the offense was so balanced that they were almost impossible to defend, as evidenced by their 34-4 total record in their back-to-back title run in 2003-04, including winning 21 straight, an NFL record spanning regular season and playoffs.

Maneri represents a new tight end philosophy

The 2014 version of the New England Patriots are built upon the same principles as those title teams.  There are few big names and the offense is loaded with veteran professional pass catchers and a powerful corps of running backs - a grinding ball control offense that will be more methodical than flashy, but with the audacity and daring manner that enables a team to drive the field when its winning time on the biggest stage.

Remember those teams?

Tight end corps no longer the focus:

Tight ends?  Well, there's Rob Gronkowski, Michael Hoomanawanui and a constantly growing list of one night stands - and none of them a suitable compliment to the pass catchers already on the roster - because that's not what Belichick is looking for.  What he wants is beef, and that's all Patriots' fans will get on Friday night when New England hosts the Philadelphia Eagles.

Newly signed Steve Maneri and H-back James Develin are the only healthy "Tight ends" that New England will be able to scrape up for the team's second preseason game, and neither are what one might call a "natural" tight end.

Maneri comes to New England for a second stint, but his first as a tight end as he has since converted from an offensive tackle to what has amounted to being purely a blocking tight end for the past four seasons with a plethora of different teams, while Develin is a converted defensive end that has shown enough versatility as a fullback to warrant a look-see as an H-back.

Both are capable pass catchers but are seldom targeted, so expect the Patriots to showcase their power running game against the Eagles as both will be end-of-the-line supplements to New England's zone blocking scheme.

More mixing and matching along the offensive line:

In practices this week, both Nate Solder and Sebastian Vollmer have taken reps as tackle-eligible tight ends as well, with Marcus Cannon and rookie Cameron Fleming manning the left and right tackle positions, respectively, which pretty much sums up the rest of the offensive line.

There is little doubt that the opening night right tackle will be Vollmer and left guard will be capably manned by tough guy Logan Mankins, but everything else is up for grabs - especially at center and right guard, where we may need a program and a spotter to recognize who is on the field at any given time on Friday night.

Dan Connolly should start at center to give line a semblance of continuity and Josh Kline will probably start at right guard, but with regular left tackle Solder hobbled in Thursday's practice - as well as suffering through a dismal camp - Cannon will likely get the start in his stead.

Connolly should start at center...

Expect to see Jordan Devey in spot duty at guard, as well as Jon Halapio, with the intriguing road grader Fleming taking over for Vollmer when the team grinds out the running game.

How does Tyms look against better competition?

Receiver Brian Tyms burst onto the scene last week in Washington, albeit against second and third string competition, and the natural evolution would be to see him get some snaps with the first team as Belichick attempts to ascertain where the third-year deep threat fits into the concept.

With four legitimate pass catchers over the height of 6' 2" - Gronkowski at 6' 6", Aaron Dobson and Tyms at 6' 3" and Brandon Lafell at 6' 2" - Belichick has built a red zone nightmare in which he can spread out defenses with in an attempt to improve on last year's red zone efficiency, while 6' 1" Kenbrell Thompkins and 6' 0" speedster Josh Boyce join the aforementioned to help improve 3rd down efficiency.

Dobson (L) won't play but Thompkins and Boyce will have big roles

Munchkins Danny Amendola (5' 11") and Julian Edelman (5' 10") are pretty much locked in with just about an concept and are known quantities so don't expect them to play much beyond quarterback Tom Brady's snap count and, of course, don't expect Gronk or Dobson at all.

Don't sleep on rookie free agent Wilson Van Hooser who will see plenty of reps and is an Austin Collie-type possession receiver, and expect that James Develin and the running backs will see some balls coming their way as well.

How much does Brady play, and who replaces him when he comes out?

It will be nice to see Tom Brady running the offense for the first time this preseason, but how long we get to see it depends on the fluidity of the offense.

If the first team struggles to gain traction against the Eagles' defense, perhaps we see Brady and his cohorts play extended reps in trying to iron out whatever bugs that ail them, while smooth sailing may mean an early night for the sure-fire Hall of Fame signal caller.

But who replaces him in the game?  Ryan Mallett has been limited in practice this past week - in fact missing two practices - so it is difficult to determine how much he will play, if at all.  Rookie Jimmy Garoppolo has taken full advantage of his increased reps in practice and is looking to build upon the momentum he set in last week's loss to the Redskins...

...and when the circumstances collide, particularly if Mallett's knee is still an issue, that might mean that "Jimmy Football" will get some quality early snaps under center.

Running the ball and stopping the run.

With most of New England's starters along the offensive and defensive lines either taking the night off or hitting the showers early last Thursday, the Patriots could neither run the the ball on offense, nor stop the run on defense - so look for both to be in focus on Friday night against the Eagles.

Rookie runner White should see more opportunities

With it looking more and more like the Patriots keeping just three running backs on the roster this season to accommodate a larger than usual receiving corps, the top three - veterans Stevan Ridley and Shave Vereen along with rookie James White - look to be locked in with roster spots, so we expect a heavier dose of that trio than we saw against the Redskins.

The Redskins ran for 177 yards against New England's front seven last week, which at first glance is horrific, but it took them 44 carries to get there and most of that coming right up the gut.  The outside linebackers did a good job of setting the edge and funneling plays inside where the big bodies lurk...

...but without their big bodies, the Redskins manhandled the Patriots in the middle to the tune of five yards per carry as New England's tackles couldn't keep the guards off of the inside linebackers, causing Steve Beauharnais and James Anderson to have to shed blocks to get to the ball carrier instead of filling downhill - and the result would have been the same regardless of who was playing on the second level.

The issue being that the backups for starters Vince Wilfork and Tommy Kelly have been sidelined for the rest of the preseason with injuries, leaving third stringers to do the dirty work once those two leave the game - so any improvement in the run defense from last week will mean improvement among the reserves, and still should not be indicative of what the product will look like when game start to count.

Where, oh where do the defensive backs line up:

Right now, Darrelle Revis is a myth - like Sasquatch or the elusive chupacabra - as he has been spotted in and around Foxborough and even in uniform last week in Washington, but Patriots' fans have yet to see the creature on the field.

That should change on Friday night, and hopefully at full speed.

The uber-confident owner of his own island has little to prove, but will play at least a series or two before giving way to any number of reserve cornerbacks, any of whom are capable as Belichick has assembled perhaps the best cumulative group in the league.

The big story has been the emergence of Malcolm Butler, who has taken first-team reps opposite Revis in practice and started last week's preseason opener.  Of course, Butler's reps could be the result of Belichick rotating his veteran corners in and out of the safety corps as he attempts to get them acclimated with the role of the big nickle, but he has held his own regardless of whom he is matched against.

That said, who will start opposite Revis in this game is pretty much anyone's guess.  It could be Brandon Browner, though his best position is in the slot or as the big nickle covering tight ends.  It could be Logan Ryan, who struggled in Washington but has had a good week of practice against the Eagles.

Maybe it could even be Butler, who has earned the opportunity - but one thing is for sure: whoever it is should expect many balls coming at them with Revis on the other side.

Shift in defensive philosophy on display:

Jamie Collins showed last season that he can handle tight ends coming out into the pattern, and if this week's practices against the Eagles is any indication, he can also handle the better running backs in the league as well - which is important to remember, as the defense is undergoing a transition from a read-and-react entity to an aggressive, attacking unit.

Collins is a big part of that and is proving to potentially be one of the best cover linebackers ever seen in New England, and can play any position along the second level - either inside or out, though to limit him inside doesn't play to his strengths on the outside, where he can easily handle both the strong and weak sides.

This versatility is what makes it possible for the Patriots to run their big nickle, either in the 3-3-5 or 4-2-5 base - and we are likely to see that versatility on Friday night, particularly if Jerod Mayo isn't in the lineup.  Mayo typically lines up on the weak side and takes care of running backs in the pattern or in the flat, as does James Anderson - who is also not expected to play...

...so expect to hear Collins' name a lot, along with Darius Fleming's who will most likely man the strong side as well as play inside if the team goes to a 3-4 base against the run.

Brady, Belichick all business as Patriots endure lengthy practice

What has Tom Brady all steamed?

This preseason, its only the broiling sun on a humid afternoon in Richmond, Virginia, where for the second day in a row he took a standard full games worth of reps - and then finished off his day running conditioning sprints up the side of a hill, courtesy of coach Bill Belichick's obsession with squeezing every ounce of effort from each player.

The cantankerous coach swinging his whistle like he was trying to create a vortex, spouting motivational slogans while his young charges run wind sprints, conjuring images of the crazy-tough Herman Boone from decades earlier, his T.C. Williams High School team gasping for air in the stifling humidity - as told in the Disney film Remember The Titans - less than an hour's drive from where the Patriots and the Washington Redskins are holding joint practices.

Brady huddles with his winded offense in the Virginia heat

"This is where we win - the fourth quarter!" Belichick bellowed at his laboring players, proving once more his belief that the better conditioned team will have what it takes to pull out a victory late in the game.

"You can’t get in condition to play football without playing football." Belichick told beat writers just before practice commenced, perhaps giving them an itinerary for the brutal day. "You can run around a track and do sit-ups and all of that until the cows come home, but you’ve got to get in condition to play football by playing football."

"Hopefully our team will be ready to play on opening day from a conditioning standpoint, that’s what our goal is and we’ll try to build toward that goal."

Was that a smile?

"It builds some mental toughness." a weary-looking Brady offered when asked about the conditioning. "You see where you’re at. It’s certainly not easy to come out here and be out here for three hours and every drill is competitive and every drill you want to do the right thing but that’s where the mental toughness comes into play."

Brady was complimentary of the Washington Redskins, but his words had an edge when it came to dishing out the same old road apples about his own offense - because this wasn't Tom Brady trying to be politically correct or trying to sugar-coat things like he did last year when he and his receivers were suffering through a miserable start to their relationship...

...no this was Tom Brady telling it like it is - no sugar, all business.

Logan Ryan continues to show starter-quality skill

"I think the more experience you have typically the better it goes and I think that we’ve had a lot of growing pains, you know." Brady said in reference to last season when it was his young receivers that had him boiling at times. "There’s certainly more familiarity within the skill group".

Welcome words from the now grizzled veteran who became so incensed and frustrated with his pass catchers last season that he had a very public meltdown in front of a national television audience just before halftime of their Thursday Night showdown with the hated New York Jets.

But he survived and the Patriots stayed the course with their young pass catchers, hoping to lay the foundation for a solid corps for years to come, and it appears that their dedication to the roster - feeding the rookies the ball when public opinion said to bring in some experienced receivers - is about to pay off.

"like I said the experience is very helpful and I think having the opportunity to play with Danny and KT and Aaron and Josh..." Brady trailed off, perhaps having one of those hellishly introspective flashback moments of the tough times, then he began again. "and Brandon LaFell comes in this year and he’s done a great job since he’s come in and done things. James White has done a great job. The more guys that we have on the same page, doing the right thing, that do their job really well dependably and consistently, the better we’re going to be."

Brady didn't mention Julian Edelman in that soliloquy, as they have played together for what seems like an eternity, though it was just last season that "Minitron" really broke onto the scene in topping both the one hundred catch and one thousand yard plateau as Brady's most dependable receiver, and appears to be on a different level from the other pass catchers as far as synchronicity with Brady.

But the way this training camp is going, Brady is going to have his pick of playmakers on the field at any one time - no big names, mind you, with the exception of larger-than-life tight end Rob Gronkowski, but all with the knowledge, skill and dedication to make this Patriots' offense the most versatile since the title years, and the 37-year-old gunslinger knows what he has.

"We’ve got to have an offense where you can dish the ball to really anybody" he smiled, "and that person is going to make the play."

Thompkins the pest:

Yesterday, we pondered the notion of whether Thompkins' recent dustups in practice was an anomaly or if he was really that competitive, asking, "Ok, it is really just Brandon Browner punking Kenbrell Thompkins, or does the second year undrafted free agent have something to do with initiating dust ups in practice?"

Turns out, it is Kenbrell Thompkins. 

Maybe it has something to do with the physicality that he faces every day in practice from Brandon Browner, but it appears that Thompkins is mad as hell, and isn't going to take it any more - either that or he's been hanging around with Brad Marchand of the Boston Bruins too much, because the second year undrafted free agent has developed quite the repertoire of ways to get under a cornerback's skin.

Well, at least the Redskins' cornerbacks took exception to his physical play...

Logan Ryan inching his way into the starting lineup:

Ryan took reps with the first team on Tuesday from the slot, and being so physical and sticky in coverage that he seemed to frustrate Redskins' slot receiver Santana Moss and elicited celebration from the Patriots' sideline.

Ryan taking top reps shouldn't be viewed as anything more than a chance for the second year ball magnet to hone his skills, because he should be the top candidate to start opposite Darrelle Revis when the games start to count for real, something that is becoming more and more obvious the more Brandon Browner holds on the outside...

Browner the nickle:

Browner was pulled from practice during 11 on 11 drills in favor of Malcolm Butler as the big, physical corner was consistently beaten off the line trying to cover the outside receivers, lending credence to the thought that, just like with Kyle Arrington, Browner works best on the interior as a big nickle, as he can use his length and physical nature in space to counter a conspicuous lack of speed.

The former Seahawks' corner lost his starting job on the outside last season, benched in the game against Tennessee after being beat cleanly down the sideline twice and replaced by Byron Maxwell, who kept the starting gig for the balance of the season.

This is not to say that Browner can't be effective, he just needs to be in a position to succeed, and his disruptive nature on the field would be best utilized as an intimidator in the big nickle role where he can also be a force against the run.

Siliga fractures something, sporting a black cast on left hand:

Siliga departed practice early, pulling off his glove and pointing something out on his left hand to the team trainers.  He emerged from the locker room shortly thereafter sporting a hard cast on the injured appendage - but the team offered no update on the injury.

On the other side in the trenches, it was curious to note that Dan Connolly was again taking first-team reps at center with talented second-year man Josh Kline working at right guard.  This has been a trend throughout camp and perhaps gives an indication that Ryan Wendell's days as the team's starting center may be numbered.

Wednesday itinerary:

The two teams conclude their joint practices on Wednesday morning with an 8:30 am walk through in shorts and shells, the will make the short trip to Landover, Maryland in preparation for their preseason opener against each other on Thursday night at FedEx Field.

After chippy first practice, Redskins and Patriots ready to rumble again

One thing that the New England Patriots' beat writers should be well conscious of by now, is that generalizations - i.e., sensational headlines with no visible means of support - can get the fanbase all worked up in a blink of an eye.

So it comes as no surprise that when several writers tweeted on Monday morning that tight end Rob Gronkowski was not spotted on the practice field when his Patriots' teammates began three days of joint practices with the Washington Redskins at their training camp facilities in Richmond, Virginia, the collective blood pressure of the six New England states rose to dangerous levels.

Is Brian Tyms really just a camp body?

After all, the health status on Gronkowski has been intensely monitored by every loyal Patriots' fan for the past two years - most waiting for the inevitable headline that Gronk has suffered another season-ending injury, causing the entire 2014 to go up in smoke before it even begins...

...and it takes only a minimal amount of common sense to ascertain that Gronkowski, who has been limited in practice coming back from last season's ACL tear, would be kept behind in Foxborough to avoid any possibility or temptation to throw him into the mix and risk the aforementioned inevitability.

But page views are page views, and if the public panics because of a misinformed or misleading headline, well, it wouldn't the the first time...

Gronk stays behind, Bolden too:

It is no surprise that All Pro tight end Rob Gronkowski was kenneled by the team and didn't make the trip to Virginia, as he would have been limited in practices and certainly would not be playing in Thursday night's preseason opener - and after the furor over the headlines died down and we were all assured that Gronk was safe at home, the only question left is why roster-bubble running back Brandon Bolden didn't make the trip to Richmond.

Is he injured?  No one is saying, but for Bolden not to make the trip otherwise is perhaps an ominous sign - but since there is no information available, we should digress until there is.  For sure, the Patriots' backfield is loaded with talent even with Bolden not on the field, and they showed just a flash of their overall potential, which is enormous.

Jones, Williams impress:

With Gronkowski and Michael Hoomanawanui on the shelf for this practice, both veteran tight end D. J. Williams and rookie Justin Jones made the most of their frequent reps - and along with H-back James Develin even had someone-on-one time with quarterback Tom Brady.

Jones made a Gronk-esque grab of a Jimmy Garoppolo shorty, reaching behind and gathering in the ball with the seam collapsing around him - a veteran move from an intriguing rookie.

Thompkins, Browner getting chippy, but with other people this time:

Ok, it is really just Brandon Browner punking Kenbrell Thompkins, or does the second year undrafted free agent have something to do with initiating dust ups in practice?  The apparently feisty receiver got into a schoolyard shoving match with Redskins' corner DeAngelo Hall on Monday.

It was a tough day for Hall as well, as he was burned repeatedly by Brady and his weird collection of receiving talent, and got hit in the mouth a couple of times in run support.

Redskins receivers were not happy with Big Bad Bully Brandon Browner pushing them all over the playground, and complained that there was significant contact and some holding going on beyond the five yard back alley - and even some words between Browner and Pierre Garcon on the sidelines, while slot receiver Andre Roberts took exception to Arrington's aggressiveness and they threw a few colorful metaphors around.

One of the major storylines going into Tuesday's joint practice is how the Redskins' receivers respond the the physical licking put on them in Monday's session.

Edelman on a different level:

Some guys get the free agent pay raise and just mail it in, but Julian Edelman has apparently taken his game to a whole new level, and he is the unmitigated offensive star of camp thus far.  The way the Patriots are set up, in theory they are not going to need another 100-plus catch season out of "Minitron", but it's nice to know that he is certainly capable of it.

He gave Darrelle Revis a run for his money in training camp and gave as good as he got - and that's saying something, so when Edelman took the field against the Redskins this morning, he was a man among boys as he shredded the Washington secondary.

How much are they paying that guy?

Mayock says Mallett is the real deal:

Which, according to witnesses on the scene, is a crock of cow cookies.

Brady runs the offense with cold efficiency

The arm strength is certainly there, and always has been - but his accuracy and touch are nowhere near consistent enough.  Of course, no one noticed until Mayock opened his mouth - and now every arm-chair analyst in New England is going to be picking his game apart, and what they find when they get to the center of that tootsie pop will elicit the same emotion as it has for the past three seasons:

Sincere and utter anxiety.

The argument about whether or not Tom Brady is a system quarterback is antiquated, but the fact that Mallett just doesn't quite seem to be able to put his game together within the system is compelling.  It takes more than just a strong arm that can make a bucket throw every now and then, it takes a presence on the field, and if it really were the system that made Brady great, it goes to figure that it should do the same for Mallett after three years...

Brian Tyms not just a camp body?:

To know Tyms story is to know heartache, but also perseverance.  He spent the majority of his childhood bouncing from one foster home to another, and although he finally found a permanent home at 12 years old, the pain of being abused and neglected by his biological parents never goes away - but there are really only two outcomes, either you blame your life on your childhood and sink or rise above it and swim.

Tyms is on his fourth team in two seasons and has impressed in brief stops in San Francisco, Miami and Cleveland, but only to the tune of two career catches.  His 6' 3" frame, long arms and 4.3 speed are intriguing and his story fascinating, but running the right routes and catching the football is what adheres one to Belichick's and Brady's heart, and he has been doing plenty of that in his short time with the team.

"I've had everything that can possibly happen to a kid happen, and I've made it," Tyms said. "Find something positive that you enjoy and go for it. I used to write down all the negatives people said about me on a piece of paper and before I go workout, or before I do anything I'd read it. I'd think about how I felt, and I'd use that anger as fuel. Life is about proving people wrong and that's what I'm doing."

At the very least, the kid with the great concentration and soft hands is worth keeping an eye on throughout these sessions and on Thursday night.

Belichick takes a mulligan with Patriots' pass catchers as health remains key

Don't be surprised if all nine of the New England Patriots draft picks are still with the team come September.

That includes Michigan wide receiver Jeremy Gallon, whom Bill Belichick plucked out of his magic hat just three selections shy of being "Mr. Irrelevant", the moniker reserved for the final pick in the NFL draft - but just for the sake of relevance, believe that Belichick does absolutely nothing without a purpose.

He doesn't give kids a chance because he feels bad for them, nor does he carry a roster spot specifically for hard-luck cases - either you can play football or you can't, and the kid can play.

One way to keep Brady smiling? Healthy pass catchers.

Sure, he's not much taller than a standard garden gnome but his hands are magical and his route running pro ready, something that should appeal to the deliberate Patriots' quarterback Tom Brady, as last season he lost his cool on more than one occasion when his rookie receivers zigged when they should have zagged in the pattern.

But that was last season, a surrealistic nightmare that ended with Brady throwing to journeyman Austin Collie and special teams' captain Matthew Slater in the AFC Championship Game - Slater a receiver in label only as the three-time Pro Bowl selection for his play in the kicking game has but one catch for 46 yards to his credit in six seasons with the Patriots - simply because everyone else was hurt.