Notes of Interest from February 25

Just a couple notes to wrap up the day:

It sounds like, if Roger Goodell is forced to suspend Bill Belichick due to new findings regarding Spygate, new secondary coach Dom Capers will likely become the interim head coach in his absence.

This sounds reasonable. After all, Capers is the only person on staff who has experience running the ship. Definitely more defensive minded, but I think that he would be a decent fill in in Belichick is suspended at some point. Wouldn’t want him being the head coach for too long, but for four games or so, I am comfortable with that.

In some final NFL Combine news, it sounds like the Patriots have met with Oklahoma defensive back Reggie Smith. In the meetin, Smith said that he and the Pats discussed, among other things, his ability to play corner and safety.

Interesting. Will admit that I only saw him play in their Bowl Game, so I cannot make a fair judgment on him. However, if he indeed can switch off between safety and cornerback and play both positions at a high level, that is a huge plus. The Pats have questions at both positions, so flexibility in a prospect is big. 

Rumors: Cowboys Interested in Moss; Saints Pursue Samuel

In what is some slightly disturbing news to Patriots fans, some recent rumors from the NFL Combine in Indy suggest that the Patriots are not close to striking a deal with wide receiver Randy Moss. What’s more disturbing is that sources are claiming that Moss might bolt from New England in favor of Dallas, Texas.

That would certainly be an interesting combo, Moss and Terrell Owens. It could literally be the best wide receiver duo in the history of the NFL. One problem: both are self absorbed mega receivers that want the ball. They both did revive their careers this past season, but they were the focus of their respective teams. How would they survive together?

While this is certainly contradictory to the common belief that the Pats are very close to striking a multi-year deal with Moss, it is still a thought that sends shivers down my spine as a Patriots fan.

However, I am not sure I fully buy into this rumor. For one, the Cowboys would have to invest an awful lot of money in just two players. Two, as I already outlined, there is no guarantee that one (or both) of them wouldn’t implode once they no longer became the focal point of the offense. If I am the Cowboys, I would target a secondary receiver to complement Owens, rather than go for another huge name that has had personality issues in the past.

Moss also seems to be very happy in New England, so I am not so sure how reliable this rumor of him jumping ship after only one season is. I still look for him to return to the Patriots, but, in free agency, anything can happen. I’m not ruling anything out yet.

On another note, it sounds like Asante Samuel may be drawing interest from the New Orleans Saints (see link above). Apparently, the Saints are the front runner, but the Philadelphia Eagles are still in the hunt, I hear. With all these teams lining up to pay Samuel what he wants, it is looking less and less likely that he will be patrolling the Patriots secondary in 2008.

Not that it ever was likely to begin with.

Lito Sheppard Drawing Interest from Pats?

Rumors are swirling, and the latest one has the Patriots expressing interest in Philadelphia Eagles veteran cornerback Lito Sheppard.

There’s a catch, though. The Eagles have claimed that they are not shopping the corner, and there is no indication that Sheppard has requested a trade from the team.

However, I can see the logic behind such a rumor. With Asante Samuel seeking a 10-year, $100 million contract, he most likely won’t be back. With his departure, New England will need to replace him. Ellis Hobbes and Randall Gay are widely considered to not be ready to assume the number one role in the secondary.

Still, I don’t think that Sheppard will be the one. The Eagles are rumored to be interested in pursuing Samuel, and they would bring him in to strengthen that secondary, and trading away Sheppard wouldn’t exactly help them achieve that goal.

The Patriots will need to pick up a new corner to replace Samuel (assuming nothing gets done), but Sheppard will not be the one to do so.

Shaun Rogers to NE?

Some people out in Detroit seem to think that a possible suitor for Detroit Lions defensive tackle could be the New England Patriots.

The basis for such thinking lies in the fact that the Patriots rely on a 3-4 defensive system. It is also widely believed that Rogers performs better in a 3-4 system, rather than the more common 4-3 base defense. Other possible suitors that were mentioned are the Jets, Browns, and Steelers – all teams that run the 3-4.

Of the teams listed, the Jets seem like the most logical choice as a trade partner. Word from Detroit is that the team is looking for a reliable middle linebacker to step in and asssume the role. The Jets, coincidentally, are allowing athletic inside linebacker Jonathan Vilma shop himself around to the rest of the league (except the Patriots). A trade like this would solve problems for both teams, with the Lions getting the experiences linebacker they are looking for and the Jets getting a run stuffer in exchange.

As far as the Patriots are concerned, I do not see the need for the team to facilitate a trade for this guy. To start, the Pats already have one of the best 3-4 defensive tackles in the game in Vince Wilfork. When Wilfork is not in the game, they typically will switch into a smaller, more athletic formation with Seymour, Warren, and Green on the field (Wright is often on the field in these situations as well).

Another concern that comes with Rogers is that he doesn’t always put forth a 100% effort. That is a major reason why he is being shipped out of Detroit. Why would the Patriots want to bring a player who doesn’t give it his all on every play. However, that was the knock on Randy Moss before he came here, and look how that one turned out.

In conclusion, I just don’t see how a guy like Rogers would fit into the Pats system. I think that this is more speculation rather than any concrete theories at this point.

Vilma Shops Himself Everywhere…Except Here

The plot thickens. It is being reported that the New York Jets’ stud linebacker Jonathan Vilma has been given permission to shop himself to every team in the league…except New England.

I can’t really say that I am surprised, given the quickly deteriorating situation between coaches Bill Belichick and Eric Mangini. It was cold two years ago when they met in the playoffs, and Spygate only inflamed the situation. These two coaches have an icy relationship at best, and it really isn’t surprising that Mangini has done this. Honestly, I think that Belichick would have done the same thing.

While this certainly adds fuel to the fire, I really am not dissapointed. Vilma is a physical specimen that would be of value to nearly every team in the league. However, over his few years with Mangini, Vilma has struggled to adjust to the Jets’ 3-4 defensive scheme. Mangini took this scheme with him from New England, so it is tough to imagine Vilma being that effective in New England.

Additionally, Vilma is coming off knee surgery, so his performance may be affected as well.

Only time will tell, but I don’t think that the Patriots wouldn’t benefit much from adding Vilma to their roster anyway.