TUESDAY, 10:59am: Mike Reiss of ESPN Boston breaks down the specifics of LaFell’s deal, which actually has a base value of $9MM, including a $3MM signing bonus. While Reiss doesn’t mention them, it’s possible incentives could push the value of the deal up to $11MM, as Rapoport suggested over the weekend. That doesn’t appear to be the case though.
MONDAY, 3:47pm: The Patriots have officially announced the signing of LaFell.
SATURDAY, 9:57pm: LaFell’s deal is expected to be worth roughly $11MM over three years, NFL Media’s Ian Rapoport reports (via Twitter).
9:51pm: In the next move of the game, “Anything you can do I can do better,” the Patriots have reached agreement with wide receiver Brandon LaFell, reports Tom E. Curran of CSNNE.com (via Twitter).
Curran tweets that it’s a three-year deal between LaFell and the Patriots.
Though probably not a direct response to the Broncos signing Emmanuel Sanders, there does seem to be a bit of an arms race building between the two teams.
LaFell was selected 78th overall in the 2010 NFL Draft by the Panthers, starting 28 games and totaling 93 catches the last two seasons. He caught a season-high seven passes for 59 yards and a touchdown in Carolina’s 24-20 win over New England last season.
Denver signed Sanders, not the Patriots.
Got it fixed, thanks!
— Luke
I love the arms race between the Patriots & the Patriots 🙂
“Though probably not a direct response to the Patriots signing Emmanuel Sanders”