Kevin Faulk Resigns & Latest News

The offensive staple.

The Patriots stayed true to their off-season plan of resigning their own by agreeing to a one-year contract worth $2 million, including a $1 million signing bonus with 11 year veteran Kevin Faulk. At the very least, Faulk, who's played in 15 or more games in each of the last four years, offers the team a steady and heady 3rd down option who can contribute in the return game if need be. Bill Belichick also trusts the savvy veteran immensely, as he was the go-to-guy on the famed 4th and 2 play in Indy. Mike Reiss of ESPN Boston points out that Faulk played a team high 38.8% of the snaps in the backfield for the Patriots.

With Sammy Morris, Laurence Maroney, Fred Taylor and BenJarvus Green-Ellis all under contract next season, it has led some to believe the Pats will not draft a RB in this year's draft. Morris (32), Taylor (34) and Faulk (33) are not getting any younger, so it would not be a surprise to see the Patriots inject some youth into the rotation with quick and fast play-maker on the second or third day of the draft. If that happens, look for the RB competition to heat up in camp substantially with the likelihood of a veteran not making the team being high.

Other News:

• So the Patriots have resigned five of their own and lost one (Jarvis Green to Denver). The team has three unrestricted free agents that are still on the market: DE/LB Derrick Burgess, TE Ben Watson, and P Chris Hanson. Should be interesting to see if they approach those player, or look externally to replace them.
  
• According to an ESPN article that sites ProFootballFocus.com Adalius Thomas was the NFL's worst tackler last season.
• Only nine players remain from the last championship squad of 2004, Tom Brady, Kevin Faulk, Matt Light, Stephen Neal, Dan Koppen, Ty Warren, Vince Wilfork, plus David Patten and Tully Banta-Cain who both left and then came back.
• With the signing of Vince Wilfork to a massive five-year, $40 million contract, the Patriots are looking for Vince to step up his leadership. “Some people are vocal leaders,’’ Wilfork said. “I led by example. I’ve said things when I had to say it, but now all of us have to rise. We have to raise our level of play. If something is wrong, we have to address it." Vince went on to say, "e can’t let it go on. “You’ve got to be the believer and you’ve got to go forward, and you might have to do a little something extra. That’s fine. By me doing something extra or by us doing something extra, [if that] gets us to the point we need to be, I’ll do it 100 out of 100 times, point blank."
• The Patriots planned a private workout with LSU defensive lineman Al Woods scheduled for next Tuesday.