As Thursday’s slate of head coach and general manager press conferences gets underway at the NFL combine in Indianapolis, let’s check in on a few updates out of the AFC East, including a certain Dolphins head coach finally breaking his silence on the Ted Wells report….
- The Patriots have yet to enter negotiations with free agent center Ryan Wendell about a new deal or talk to Logan Mankins about an extension to reduce his cap number, according to Ben Volin of the Boston Globe (via Twitter). Volin adds in a second tweet that both players would likely be receptive to those talks.
- Speaking to reporters at the combine today, Dolphins coach Joe Philbin indicated that no decisions have been made yet on whether the team will bring back players like Richie Incognito, John Jerry, and Mike Pouncey (Twitter link via Shalise Manza Young of the Boston Globe). While that may be true, it seems pretty clear that Incognito and Jerry, who are eligible for free agency, won’t be back.
- Philbin also told reporters, including Aaron Wilson of the Baltimore Sun (Twitter link), that Dolphins owner Stephen Ross has reached out to Jonathan Martin and will meet with him. Philbin was noncommittal on Martin’s future with the club.
I’m more curious if Ryan Wendell is receptive to a gig bagging groceries…please do not extend. Mankins reducing his number would help but he has seemingly become a liability in the passing game…I believe 10 sacks were attributed to him last year. Of course he may have been overcompensating for the aforementioned Paper or Plastic? Hopefully we get Swanson or either the USC/Colorado St center and someone who can compete at Connely’s guard spot…I like Spencer Long from Nebraska as a 4th-6th rd potential steal….coming off an injury.