Patriots head coach Bill Belichick spoke on Sunday evening with reporters from New England and was scheduled for another breakfast news conference on Tuesday morning at the NFL's annual meetings in Orlando.
In between, New England owner Robert Kraft and offensive coordinator Josh McDaniels each spoke with reporters on Monday regarding a pretty eventful offseason with the Patriots.
The Boston Globe says that Kraft expressed “faith and confidence” in Belichick in the wake of the decision to bench Malcolm Butler in what ended up being a Super Bowl LII loss to the Eagles. McDaniels told the Globe that his return to New England, rather than moving on to become head coach of the Colts, came after Belichick and Kraft clarified the coordinator’s role in the organization moving forward.
The Globe *also looks at Devin McCourty’s work with the Players Coalition. Elsewhere the *Globe notes that Malcolm Mitchell stopped by a Dorchester elementary school for a reading-related event.
The Globe writes that Kraft doesn’t sound worried about Rob Gronkowski’s future. The* Globe* also notes Kraft talking about loaning the Patriots team plane to Parkland shooting survivors for the weekend to get to Washington, D.C.
The Boston Herald writes that Kraft “chides” Washington while explaining the loaning of the team plane. The Herald *looks back at Gronkowski’s dancing with Shaq. The *Herald says that Kraft has now gone to bat for Belichick. The Herald also writes that Kraft doesn’t see things as very tense with his team. The Herald says Kraft realizes his team needs to draft QB insurance.
The Providence Journal has Kraft's comments broken into stories on Gronkowski, Belichick's decision to bench Butler and strong foundation of the Patriots despite tension.
ESPNBoston.com looks at the proposed “McDaniels rule” regarding hiring of coaches during the playoffs. ESPNBoston.com has Belichick assessing the Patriots situation at left tackle. ESPNBoston.com says there is a lot to digest with Kraft’s comments on Butler. ESPNBoston.com has Kraft calling the Patriots post-Super Bowl tension a high-class problem.
WEEI.com says it's time to stop overreacting to the Patriots offseason. WEEI.com has Kraft confirming a meeting between himself, Brady and Belichick.
NBCSports.com says Kraft downplayed “tension” within the Patriots organization. NBCSports.com notes that Belichick was absent from the photo of AFC coaches at the NFL meetings.
NFL.com offers an updated mock draft, with the Patriots landing Stanford safety Justin Reid at No. 31 overall. NFL.com passes along McDaniels' comments on his “decision to reject Colts.”
NESN.com wonders if 2017 practice squad receiver Riley McCarron might be New England’s next slot sensation.
CBSSports.com has McCourty talking about Eric Reid and Colin Kaepernick remaining unsigned.
