Mike Reiss of ESPNBoston.com gives a report on Rob Gronkowski as the Patriots tight end opened up about his rehab status on SportsCenter Wednesday morning. "Right now, just rehabbing, getting the muscle stronger around it," Gronkowski said. "You want to get everything activated, re-activated, because it shuts down for a little bit when it's healing. Just rehabbing, and when my trainers give me the 'good to go', hopefully in the next couple weeks, hopefully as soon as possible ... I can get rolling again and get back in the weight room and get back on the field and do what I love doing – running around and catching some balls."
Ian Rapoport of NFL.com tweets that the Patriots won't trade backup quarterback Ryan Mallett "unless it's for a 1st or maybe 2nd" round draft pick. Mallett, who was drafted in the third round of the 2011 NFL Draft, has been the subject of trade rumors throughout the offseason.
Chad Finn of The Boston Globe shares his thoughts on the Patriots' free agent moves to date and wonders what the team will do next. Finn believes that free agent defensive end John Abraham could "thrive" as a pass rusher on the Patriots. "Should Dwight Freeney end up in Denver, Abraham could end up a bargain for the Patriots," writes Finn. "If that happens, the Patriots offseason is an unqualified success no matter what."
Nick Underhill of MassLive.com brings us his list of the most underrated players on the New England Patriots. The list includes safety Devin McCourty, cornerback Kyle Arrington, offensive lineman Dan Connolly, and running back Shane Vereen. On the newly re-signed Kyle Arrington, Underhill writes, "Long disrespected by media and fans, Arrington had a solid 2011, struggled a little bit at the beginning of last season, and eventually found his niche covering the slot late in the year. While it is an inexact science, it means something that he allowed completions on 33 percent of the passes he was targeted on when covering the slot."
