http://www.nashuatelegraph.com/patriots Daily news from The Telegraph of Nashua en-us pkincade@nashuatelegraph.com onlineeditor@nh.com http://www.nashuatelegraph.com/sports/football/1090895-460/free-agency-means-its-shopping-time-for.html It’s shopping time. You can always tell who the desperate teams in the National Football League are; they’re the ones who shop until they drop during the first few days of the free-agent frenzy. The New England Patriots, obviously, are never one of those. But this is always an interesting time, as players can begin talking with teams on Tuesday, the NFL’s so-called “legal tampering period.” Late Thursday is when signings can begin. In fact, the Patriots usually make more news for who they lose rather than who they go out and sign. Sometimes it’s “Who’s that?” when the news comes as to who they’ve secured. But they always seem to make a difference, don’t they? Let’s start with who could walk: The key names from the unrestricted pool would be, obviously, led by linebacker Dont’a Hightower. After that: tight end Martellus Bennett, corner Logan Ryan, defensive linemen Alan Branch and Jabaal Sheard, and safety Duron Harmon. Sun, 05 Mar 2017 23:49:00 EST http://www.nashuatelegraph.com/sports/football/1090882-460/quick-primer-on-free-agents.html On first look, it’s tempting to ask “Is that all there is?” on the NFL free agency front. A deeper investigation reveals some talent being available at most positions. As for studs, game changers and franchise players, well, there simply isn’t much now that the Steelers won’t be letting prize running back Le’Veon Bell slip away. While last year’s crop had a collection of All-Pros, some of whom wound up with franchise tags, this year’s group had only one full-time All-Pro, Kansas City safety Eric Berry, who also went through this in 2016 before being tagged at $10.8 million. He got his long-term deal at the end of February. Minnesota kick returner Cordarrelle Patterson is the other All-Pro whose contract is up. The salary cap increases from $155.27 million to $167 million. So let the spending begin. The cream Unquestionably, Bell was the best among the unrestricted guys — and the most untouchable. Sun, 05 Mar 2017 17:04:01 EST http://www.nashuatelegraph.com/sports/football/1090881-460/feeling-a-draft-well-not-really.html Somehow the entertainment value of the National Football League Scouting combine eludes this humble scribe. Of course, that also goes for the NFL Draft, the NBA Draft, the NHL Draft and the Major League Baseball Draft and any other draft, other than a military draft and a cold draft beer. But there are lots of folks out there who seem fascinated by what, in any other industry, would be a very basic administrative exercise. Admittedly, the scouting combine does involve wataching athletes perform various physical feats. But once you’ve seen one wide receiver timed in the 40-yard dash you have pretty much seen them all. They are all quick and all finish about two tenths of a second within one another. Fascinating. Wake me when a receiver breaks the 4-second mark in the 40. WAITING AND WATCHING: Jimmy Garoppolo may hold the record for most widespread discussion of a backup quarterback. Sun, 05 Mar 2017 17:01:00 EST http://www.nashuatelegraph.com/sports/football/1090750-460/patriots-journal-chris-long-instagrams-departure-espn.html One free agent defensive regular won’t be returning to the New England Patriots, and no, it’s not Dont’a Hightower – at least not yet. Veteran defensive end Chris Long, who played in all 19 games for the Patriots this season after being signed to a one-year deal last March, announced on Instagram he won’t be returning to the team. “This has zero to do with money, etc.,” Long said in saying he felt he owed the fans an explanation as to why he’ll be looking to sign elsewhere beginning next week when free agency begins. “It’s the right move in my heart because I want to get back to being the player I was before. “I’m thankful for my role this year, but as a competitor, I’m itching to do what I do best.” In other words, Long, who became a situational player, wants more playing time. He had 35 tackles (22 solo), four sacks, and one forced fumble. His basic job was to make quarterbacks lives miserable. Thu, 02 Mar 2017 00:22:00 EST http://www.nashuatelegraph.com/sports/football/1090712-460/pats-fans-continuing-trusting-belichick.html By JASON ORFAO Staff Writer Conventional wisdom suggests a business should protect its assets and reward an employee for years of dedicated service, and few laborers of the New England Patriots can make a greater claim to reap the benefits of such common sense than linebacker Dont’a Hightower. Fresh off a fifth Super Bowl championship, it’s easy to forget the Patriots went a decade without reaching the NFL summit. The most glaring hole during the stretch of shortcomings was almost always on the defensive side of the ball, failing to replicate the production of championship-winning units that ranked sixth in 2001, first in 2003 and second in 2004. Hightower was an integral piece to the Super Bowl puzzles in 2014 and 2016. Malcolm Butler famously intercepted Russell Wilson at the goal line to secure Super Bowl 49, but the chance never would have presented itself without Hightower’s brick-wall stop of Marshawn Lynch the play prior. Atlanta had countless opportunities to put the final nail in New England’s coffin in Super Bowl 51, but Hightower’s strip-sack of Matt Ryan – on third-and-1 with the Patriots down 28-12 and 8:31 remaining – was the most pivotal play of the historic comeback. Based on merit, New England should be backing up a truck load of gold into Hightower’s driveway as these words are punched into the keyboard. Instead, the 26-year-old defensive cornerstone is likely heading to free agency, barring a breakthrough with the team on a long-term deal. For those privileged enough to occupy the space of a local newspaper column, it should be easy to criticize New England for supplying Hightower with such a clear path to walk out the door. Thanks to continued success from the seemingly invincible Patriots, the franchise has thrown a wrench into arguing for conventional wisdom, though. Perhaps Bill Belichick is wary of giving out a lengthy contract to a linebacker with injury concerns considering Hightower’s predecessor, Jerod Mayo, started just 20 games after his age-26 season. Wed, 01 Mar 2017 00:10:01 EST http://www.nashuatelegraph.com/sports/football/1090709-460/patriots-willing-to-let-hightower-walk.html By TOM KING Staff Writer Will one of the best New England Patriots defensive players become an unrestricted free agent after all? It’s quite possible. According to an ESPN report Tuesday, the Patriots have notified the agents for linebacker Dont’a Hightower that they won’t be placing either the exclusive or non-exclusive franchise tag on him by Wednesday’s 4 p.m. deadline. That means Hightower, the team’s starting middle linebacker, can sign on the dotted line with any NFL team beginning late in the afternoon on Thursday, March 9. In fact, teams can begin negotiating with him during the so-called “legal tampering window” starting Tuesday, March 7. Hightower would be considered a top-tier free agent and likely wouldn’t last more than a day on the open market. According to multiple reports, the Patriots have talked contract with Hightower, but the sides remain a fairly good distance apart. Wed, 01 Mar 2017 05:58:08 EST http://www.nashuatelegraph.com/sports/football/1090483-460/sports-digest.html Patriots Brady's jersey valued at $500k The value of Tom Brady's missing Super Bowl jersey is listed as $500,000 on a Houston Police Department report. The New England Patriots quarterback is listed as the complainant in the report dated Feb. 6, the day after the Patriots came back from a 25-point deficit to defeat the Atlanta Falcons 34-28 in overtime. The police report was made public Tuesday. Investigators have been working to identify who was in the locker room at the time the jersey was taken. A Houston police officer was stationed outside the locker room on the day of the game, but access to the location was controlled by Patriots team security. The Texas Rangers, the state's top law enforcement officers, were assisting in the investigation along with the NFL's security department. nba Magic takes over as Lakers' leader With the Los Angeles Lakers mired in the worst years in franchise history, owner Jeanie Buss has turned to Magic Johnson to lead them back to championship contention. Wed, 22 Feb 2017 08:04:26 EST http://www.nashuatelegraph.com/sports/football/1090448-460/white-house-trip-is-always-political.html The routine is familiar. The president makes a few bad jokes. The championship-winning team presents the leader of the free world with a personalized jersey. Everyone smiles for the cameras. Nothing political about that, right? Not exactly. In a divided nation, everything is political. While presidents have been snubbed before, six players from the Super Bowl champion New England Patriots took it to another level by preemptively turning down an expected invitation from President Trump. Rest assured, they won't be the last to mix sports and politics. "The balance of power in professional sports now rests more with the performers than the owners," said Stephen Mosher, a professor of sports management and media at Ithaca College. Tue, 21 Feb 2017 07:06:12 EST