Tom Brady Fantasy News

Tom Brady has a sprained non-throwing shoulder
Friday, January 20, 2012, 12:11pm

New England Patriots quarterback Tom Brady missed all of Wednesday's practice, setting off some alarms in New England, but it was all a part of a schedule he currently is on in order to make sure his injured left shoulder continues to heal properly.

Brady sprained the acromioclavicular joint (AC joint) in his left shoulder against the Miami Dolphins on Dec. 24, according to sources with knowledge of the injury, but he hasn't missed any game time as a result of the injury. He was held out of practice that week and during the bye week, but one source said his condition gradually has improved.

Packers could place franchise tag on Matt Flynn
Friday, January 6, 2012, 3:58pm

If Matt Flynn is in another uniform next season, what kind of compensation can the Packers get for him?

The 2012 draft is a good one for quarterbacks. But if Flynn reaches free agency, someone will pay him huge money to be their starter and the Packers will receive only a 2013 compensatory pick, which can't be higher than a third-round selection.

Green Bay could place the franchise tag on Flynn, a move that would pay him $14 million in 2012. That could be tricky, though, with Aaron Rodgers slated to make $8 million in 2012.

If Green Bay tagged Flynn, they'd only be doing so to eventually trade him. Back in 2008, the Packers placed the franchise tag on defensive tackle Corey Williams, then traded him to Cleveland 10 days later for a second-round draft choice.

There's also some precedent for teams tagging one quarterback when they already have a superstar at the position.

In 2009, the New England Patriots placed the franchise tag on Matt Cassel even though they had Tom Brady. The Patriots eventually traded Cassel to Kansas City for the 34th-overall pick in the 2009 draft.

Monday, December 26, 2011, 2:09pm

Rookie running back Stevan Ridley had a season- and team-high 13 carries against the Dolphins Saturday, the second straight week he led the Patriots in rushing attempts.

Ridley totaled 64 yards, nearly all of them coming in the second half - a recurring theme in the game for the New England offense - and his final carry, an 18-yard scamper, gave the Patriots the first down they needed to kill the clock and seal the 27-24 win.

The third-round pick out of Louisiana State impressed teammates and coach Bill Belichick.

Saturday, November 26, 2011, 6:02pm

Rookie New England Patriots quarterback Ryan Mallett has been inactive for each of the Patriots’ 10 games, but Patriots head coach Bill Belichick indicated the third-round pick from Arkansas is making progress.

He is "absolutely’" still doing extra work after practice, Belichick said. During training camp, Mallett often spent time working on his footwork, either tethered to bungee cords or using a rope ladder, following instruction from strength and conditioning coach Harold Nash.

Belichick recalled his first year with the Giants, which was also quarterback Phil Simms’s rookie year, and the respect he gained for Simms, particularly his accuracy, while Simms ran the scout team against the Giants’ defense.

Belichick was quick to clarify that he wasn’t comparing Mallett to Simms, but he did note that Mallett has "made some impressive throws in practice."

Mallett was one of the most talked-about prospects in this year’s draft. Many believed he had first-round talent coming out of Arkansas, but there were character concerns that caused him to slide. He has had no such issues with the Patriots.

Report: Brady injured elbow in Week 6, not serious, will start
Monday, November 21, 2011, 4:35pm

The Boston Globe reported in Monday's edition, citing two league sources, that Tom Brady has suffered from a bone bruise to his right elbow since the Patriots' Oct. 16 win over the Dallas Cowboys.

The Globe spoke to Mike Ludwikowski, a renowned athletic trainer at Susquehanna Health in Williamsport, Pa., who said Brady's injury is not serious and could heal completely before the end of the season.

Brady iced his elbow during the Cowboys' win and has worn a black band underneath the elbow since that game.

Friday, November 11, 2011, 11:40am

The most exciting new face when Chad Ochocinco was brought aboard, to say that he has struggled is an understatement. Within the last month, teammates could be seen telling him where to line up before the snap, and because of that he hasn’t been able to contribute when the Patriots go to the no-huddle, which is a significant part of their offense. He hasn’t had a catch in three straight games, though he was targeted five times against the Giants. Tom Brady again expressed confidence in Ochocinco this week, and privately teammates say he’s putting in the work. With Deion Branch unable to get open like he used to and defenses starting to show more attention to Wes Welker and Rob Gronkowski, the Patriots have little choice but to get Ochocinco ready for a bigger role.

Friday, November 11, 2011, 11:30am

A career year and five fourth-quarter wins have put Eli Manning in the same category as Aaron Rodgers and Tom Brady, and helped the New York Giants (6-2) take a two-game lead in the NFC East.

So why the breakthrough this year? Why is everything falling into place for the 30-year-old, who never seemed to get credit despite leading the Giants to a Super Bowl title in February 2008?

Offensive coordinator Kevin Gilbride says if you take away Manning’s 25 interceptions last year his statistics are about the same.

Talk to his receivers, and they see a steady hand at the controls, the same guy who sits them down Fridays for Eli’s players’ only briefing.

“His confidence is through the roof now,” receiver Michael Clayton said. “He’s really making some phenomenal checks at the line of scrimmage, not only passing but running the ball. I’ve played with a lot of quarterbacks in my career, more than 11, and he by far, how he reads coverages is the best of anybody I’ve seen. Our success is on his shoulders. He’s up there. He is a special quarterback, a guy you can count on to put you in the best position to win.”

Pats RB Ridley sees just 13 snaps
Monday, October 10, 2011, 9:31am

The Patriots leaned heavily on BenJarvus Green-Ellis as 61 snaps is an extremely high total. Part of the reason the number was so high is that Green-Ellis, in addition to his regular duties, played Danny Woodhead's role in passing situations.

That reflects the coaching staff's view that he's most reliable protecting Tom Brady among the team's healthy backs.

Monday, September 26, 2011, 1:42pm

Asked about receiver Chad Ochocinco, Patriots Tom Brady said he has a lot of confidence in him. He also noted that Ochocinco has been more involved in the passing game in recent weeks.

Brady said Ochocinco "wants to do the right thing" and "spends time after practice trying to get it right." Brady sees progress.

Thursday, September 15, 2011, 10:50am

Patriots WR Chad Ochocinco had just one 14-yard catch in the offensive explosion against the Dolphins, seeing the field for just 18 plays. His tweet of admiration for the offense drew the ire of ESPN analyst Tedy Bruschi, who ripped Ochocinco for not being part of it.

Asked about Bruschi’s comments, Tom Brady expressed support for Ochocinco’s hard work. Internally, though, coaches have turned up the heat on Ochocinco to pick up the offense quicker.

“Everyone has an opinion on everything, and none of it really means anything,” Brady said. “The only thing that means anything are the guys in this locker room and what we do every day in practice.”

As for coach Bill Belichick, he praised Ochocinco’s work ethic and said the personnel groupings can change. He didn’t talk about the receiver’s stats.

“The only statistic really I care about is the final score,” Belichick said. “That’s what our goal is. I know everybody else wants to talk about and write about individual stats, but really I’m concerned about the team’s success.”