When
the Patriots retool their roster every year there's
speculation
on which players around the league could become part of the
team,
or have a serious impact on the team. Here are updates on a
few
of those players.
Marcell Dareus (Buffalo Bills)
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DL
Marcell Dareus was picked third overall in the draft, but he still has
a bone to pick with Carolina and Denver, the two teams in front of the
Bills that picked someone else.
Appearing on WQAM
Radio in Miami, Dareus said, "If I ever get a chance to play Carolina,
I'm going to make them pay for passing up on me. Denver I'll get a
chance to play them in the regular season and I'm going to make it hell
for them every time I play against them."
He added,
"My sole focus was for me not to give you a reason to not pick me and
you still don't? OK, I understand you have needs somewhere else, but if
you need somebody to control your front and be a commander across the
front and not let anything happen? I work my butt off to do that, and
you pass me up still? OK, I've got something for you."
Patriot Connection: Dareus
was the subject of wild speculation that he could land in New England
if the Patriots opted to trade up in the 2011 NFL Draft.
Instead,
Dareus will be hounding Tom Brady from the opposite side of the field.
Considered one of the top defensive talents in the Draft, the
Bills hope he will 'make it hell' for teams in the
AFC East as well as his promise to take revenge on the Panthers and the
Broncos
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| WR
Burress was one of the key players for the Giants in Super Bowl XLII
(Photo: Getty/ Al Bello) |
Ike Taylor (Pittsburgh Steelers)
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CB
Ike Taylor is scheduled to be a free agent when the lockout ends, but
he made clear on the Jim Rome is Burning show that there won't be a
hometown discount.
"I need that market value.
I work so hard," Taylor said. "I've been through so much, I feel so
unappreciated, feel so underrated at my position, I feel like it's my
time to get my worth, in
whatever city that's in."
As for staying with the Steelers, he said, "I would love to, but they
usually sign player a year before (free agency), so we'll see what
happens."
Patriots Connection: Taylor breifly flirted
with the idea of joining the Patriots the last time he re-upped with
Pittsburgh in 2006. Deshea Townsend actualy visited New
England
while Taylor kept his allegiance to Pittsburgh front and center in the
media. This time Taylor May test the market, but don't expect New
England to take a chance on him. Relegated to nickle corner during part
of his recent contract, Taylor shouldn't command the same caliber
paycheck he once did, and New England is flush with talented youth at
the position.
Alex Smith (San Francisco 49ers)
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QB
Alex Smith talked with reporters for Comcast Sports Net Bay Area and
the Sacramento Bee, and while he didn't want to be directly quoted,
Smith said he will probably re-sign with the team when the lockout
ends. Smith has been working out with teammates.
Smith noted that the playbook given to him by coach Jim Harbaugh is
similar to what it was in 2005 when he was a rookie. The offensive
coordinator then was Mike McCarthy, now the head coach of the Packers.
Patriots Connection: New
England would have been a solid spot for Smith to land if he were cast
aside by the 49ers as many believed could happen this offseason.
The former first rounder would be the perfect backup to Tom
Brady. New England virtually nixed the idea by selecting Ryan Mallett
in the third round of the 2011 Draft. With Brian Hoyer already in the
fold, New England isn't likely to front the capital required to sign
Smith to anything more than a league minimum contract to compete with
Hoyer for number 2 duties while Mallett is given time to develop.
Plaxico Burress (Free Agent)
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WR
Plaxico Burress deserves a second chance in football, according for
former teammate, Giants LT David Diehl, but it might not be with the
Giants.
Burress, 33, was to be released from prison June 6.
"He's
had a lot of success for us as a player," Diehl told NFL Network. "But,
if I were Plaxico, I would say no. With everything that happened
(pleading guilty in 2009 to attempted criminal possession of a weapon),
Plaxico has taken a lot of heat, not only through the media. ? I think
about Michael Vick's situation. He went into a new situation, a new
city, where he could almost start fresh with new teammates and go back
to basics."
Patriots Connection: Burress will be a free agent
when the NFL Lockout ends, which means he could draw interest from
teams looking for a tall, possession type of wideout. New
England just so happens to need a player who fits that description
which is why speculation that the team may look toward Burress has been
a steady drumbeat of some media outlets. The issue for the Patriots is
that although they take guys who have "questionable" character as
described by the media, Burress has real character concerns. Although
New England likes to take players who have hurt them on the field in
the past and use them to boost their team, don't expect that to happen.
with Burress.
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Material from the Sports Xchange was used in this report.
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