A little more than two hours into the 2013 NFL free agency market opening and the Patriots have yet to make any moves – officially or unofficially. There have been reports that they are the front-runners to land Cleveland Browns return specialist Josh Cribs, and that at least a couple of teams have expressed interest in trading for backup QB Ryan Mallett.
However, as of 6:15 p.m. EST, neither seems to be a guarantee… unlike it Miami, where New England's AFC East rivals are making a huge splash on South Beach. The Dolphins have reportedly inked former Steelers receiver Mike Wallace to a deal worth about $13 million per year, as well as former Ravens linebacker Dannell Ellerbe, fresh off a Super Bowl championship with Baltimore.
There had been conflicting reports throughout the day about the status of contract talks between Wes Welker and the Patriots, but again, as of this late (or early, depending on your perspective) hour, it appears that New England isn't rushing to complete a deal with its free agent wideout or any other available veteran player. That could change at any moment, though, so, keep your browser open to patriots.com and keep refreshing all night. We'll be here to keep you informed.
Meanwhile, it looks as if the Patriots have lost their first of 18 free agents this year. Versatile o-lineman Donald Thomas, an interior backup and sometimes starter at guard, has apparently signed with the Indianapolis Colts.
