Patriots’ Day Patriots Primer

Monday, April 21, 2014

Matt LaPan, GoLocal Worcester Sports Reporter

Patriots' Day. A uniquely Massachusetts holiday celebrating the anniversary of the Battles of Lexington and Concord on April 19, 1775. The 3rd Monday of each April Bostonians flood the streets of Boston to celebrate the holiday with the running of the Boston Marathon. 2014 will be a special Patriots' Day in Boston following the tragic bombings at the finish line of the 2013 Boston Marathon.

With the Patriots' Day celebration, members of the New England Patriots organization, both past and present, will be taking part in the Marathon running while raising funds for the New England Patriots Charitable Foundation (New England Patriots Marathon Team), The American Stroke Association (Tedy Bruschi's team: Tedy's Team) and the Joe Andruzzi Foundation (Joe Andruzzi's team).

These men and women do great work to raise money and awareness for multiple causes while completing the arduous task of the Boston Marathon. Meanwhile, in Foxboro, the New England Patriots will begin their own long journey through the 2014 NFL season as they are permitted to begin their offseason program as a team on Patriots' Day.

The Patriots' offseason has been extremely eventful to this point, and the NFL Draft is still weeks away. The Patriots re-signed tight end Michael Hoomanawanui on March 12, singed cornerback Brandon Browner on March 12, cornerback Darrelle Revis and wide receiver Brandon LaFell on March 17 and re-signed wide receiver Julian Edelman on March 18 amongst other signings. The Patriots also restructured and extended the contract of defensive tackle Vince Wilfork. These signings leaves the roster at 64 of a possible 90 roster spots full.

While the Patriots have been busy with matters pertaining to their own roster, they have also been busy working on the NFL Draft and setting up their draft board. The Patriots have been reported to have contact with many high-profile prospects, none more intriguing than the crop of quarterbacks in the draft class. The Patriots have reportedly had contact with top quarterbacks Teddy Bridgewater, Johnny Manziel, Blake Bortles, A.J. McCarron, Zach Mettenberger and Jimmy Garoppolo, amongst others. This has led to some in New England to wonder if the Patriots will invest Draft stock in a quarterback as Tom Brady's career reaches its later stages and backup Ryan Mallett enters the final year of his rookie contract.

The Patriots have worked out many other high-profile prospects. Some of these include wide receivers Odell Beckham Jr., Kelvin Benjamin, Brandin Cooks and Marqise Lee. Tight ends Jace Amaro, C.J. Fiedorowicz, Troy Niklas and Austin Seferian-Jenkins. Offensive linemen Weston Richburg and Xavier Su'a-Filo. Defensive linemen Scott Crichton, Aaron Donald, Dee Ford, Ra'Shede Hageman, Demarcus Lawrence and Stephon Tuitt. Linebackers Jeremiah Attaochu, Carl Bradford, Jackson Jeffcoat and Kyle Van Noy. Finally defensive backs Deone Bucannon and Hasean Clinton-Dix.

All of these prospects could conceivably be Patriots in the next few weeks. Although we do not know what the Patriots will do with the remaining Free Agents or in the NFL Draft we do know one thing. Come Patriots' Day, it is the start of Patriots season.