New England Patriots

ENGLEWOOD, Colo. — The Denver Broncos have moved on, even if their fans haven't.That includes Rahim Moore, the safety whose big blunder led to Denver's heart-wrenching loss in the playoffs four months ago.The Broncos gather Monday for their first full practice since that fateful, frigid night in Denver when Moore allowed Jacoby Jones' 70-yard touchdown catch from Joe Flacco in the final minute of regulation in the divisional game the Baltimore Ravens won in double overtime on their way to winning the Super Bowl.

2011 second-round pick Shane Vereen is projected to see more snaps in 2013. (Photo: US Presswire)NEPD Editor: Matthew JonesAs the New England Patriots begin preparing for their 2013 campaign, it’s time to take a look at five of the most intriguing veteran players on New England’s roster; whether or not these players develop should have a significant impact on New England’s plans for the future, as all five remain unknown quantities entering the season.1. RB Shane VereenAfter a debut season in which he recorded just twenty-six snaps, receiving a total of fifteen carries over two games, Shane Vereen’s offensive role was expected to increase in his sophomore campaign. It did, but not as much as many expected: Vereen was on the field for 217 snaps in 2012 (including the playoffs), carrying the ball 73 times for 308 yards and four touchdowns while adding fifteen receptions for 254 yards and three touchdowns on nineteen targets. Vereen’s output was impressive considering his low snap count, but he still has yet to produce like a second-round draft pick.Danny Woodhead took 456 snaps last season; now that Woodhead’s signed with San Diego, we should see significantly more of Vereen in 2013. Ideally, he’ll develop into an effective complement to Stevan Ridley; a third straight season with limited playing time would likely indicate that New England’s coaching staff is unhappy with the way Vereen has developed.2. OL Marcus CannonMarcus Cannon remains something of a mystery in New England, as he saw the field for only 182 snaps in 2012, primarily at offensive tackle. Now that Sebastian Vollmer has been re-signed, Cannon’s future with the team likely lies at offensive guard, where his tantalizing combination of size (6’5”, 358 pounds), length (34” arms), speed (5.26 seconds in the 40-yard dash) and strength (33 reps on the bench) could make him a long-term starter.Logan Mankins is firmly entrenched as the organization’s starting left guard, but the incumbent starter at right guard, Dan Connolly, could be improved upon. Connolly’s contract is somewhat generous, so this appears to be an excellent opportunity to examine Cannon’s aptitude at the position. Cannon is a cheaper option with significantly more upside, so it makes sense for the Patriots to work him onto the field in 2013; if Cannon impresses at right guard, New England’s offensive line should be solidified for years to come.3. DE Jake BequetteAlthough Jake Bequette assembled three years of quality production in the SEC, his play recognition and his awareness appeared raw on tape, so it was unsurprising that he was on the field for just 29 snaps in 2012. However, the fact that his playing time was eclipsed by undrafted free agent Justin Francis, who played 302 snaps for the Patriots last year, is more concerning.With starting left end Rob Ninkovich entering the final year of his contract, it would be nice to see what Bequette has to offer in his second season; an encouraging performance would allow New England to get cheaper and younger at the position, while a lack of refinement would increase the importance of re-signing Ninkovich. Bequette will have to compete with Jermaine Cunningham, Justin Francis, and 2013 seventh-round pick Michael Buchanan in order to see the field.4. CB Ras-I DowlingThe addition of Rutgers cornerback Logan Ryan in the third round of the 2013 NFL Draft doesn’t bode well for 2011 second-rounder Ras-I Dowling, whose career has been derailed by injuries. Dowling managed just 83 snaps in 2012, down from the meager 93 snaps he appeared on the field for in 2011 before landing on injured reserve. To compound concerns about Dowling’s inability to remain on the field, New England’s coaching staff has appeared hesitant to play him even when healthy.That reluctance is somewhat bizarre considering his level of play while on the field, which has been encouraging (10/16, 123 yards, no touchdowns.) Dowling’s physical tools suggest starting potential, but h

CHICAGO — Bears fans may be more panicked about Josh McCown being the team’s backup quarterback than they were about the Chicago-area water levels being higher than sled hills last month.Understandable.McCown is a quarterback with a 71.2 career passer rating. He has been cut twice and traded twice in his NFL career, and his last regular professional paycheck from a pro team before his joining the Bears was from the Hartford Colonials of the United Football League.But having McCown as your No. 2 is not the same as having the Titanic as your cruise ship.

Quick-hit thoughts around the NFL and with the Patriots: 1. When media members are present for the Patriots’ organized team activity on Tuesday, one of the first areas of interest will be starting middle linebacker Brandon Spikes’ presence. Spikes, who joined the team as a 2010 second-round draft choice, enters the final season of his contract so this is a big year for him to improve his stock and land what he hopes is a big payday. Given that background, it’s notable from this perspective that Spikes hasn’t been seen much at Gillette Stadium since the offseason program began in mid-April.

Picked-up pieces while blowing out the candles on Kevin Garnett’s 37th birthday cake . . .

Aug 20, 2012; Foxborough, MA, USA; New England Patriots wide receiver Donte Things haven’t gone well for Stallworth over the past few years. He was able to return to New England last season and made a big impact when he returned, but it didn’t last long. He suffered a high ankle sprain and was forced to be put on Injured Reserve. He also was in a hot air balloon accident recently, and was just cleared to resume football activities. We all remember the huge tragedy that he was involved in a few years back. As he was suspended for the 2009 season after a car he was driving, he struck and killed a pedestrian in South Florida that March. He spent 24 days in jail for a DUI manslaughter conviction. Now he’s being questioned by the CIA? This isn’t going to be good for him one bit. This is quite laughable if you ask me as he’s not truly in trouble. He had a  brief brush with the CIA after he snapped a picture standing in front of a roadside sign for the CIA’s headquarters in Langley, Virginia. This is pretty funny, if you ask me. They are upset with you, if you take a picture in front of their roadside sign? One thing is if you’re doing anything to it, but just taking a picture of it is pretty funny. He explained the situation with a series of tweets on Twitter, here’s what he said: “Taking that pic in my avi, I came eerily close to being sent to #GuantanamoBay… Lucky for me, he was a #Redskins fan and gave me a pass!” “Y’all think I’m joking. They rolled right up on me and I hadn’t been there for more than 2 mins, tops. The 1st Q was, “what are you doing?” “The second question was, “why were you taking pictures in front of the sign?” To which, I started to understand sh*t was about to get REAL” “That’s when I told buddy, “I live not far from here, I play for the #Redskins (yes, I pulled that card), and I love my country.” Lol” “He looks at me and asks, “Stallworth?” In which I replied, “ummm, depends who’s asking?” “But he was cool. We laughed it off. Until that day, I had no idea the #CIA had police.” “Before we parted ways, he did inform me that, ” #they don’t like people taking pictures around here.” I thought to myself, who is ‘they?’” Now that he has been cleared to play, Stallworth hopes to land on an NFL team this offseason.  He’s played for six different clubs since 2006 and has only 44 catches in the past three seasons.  He played in 11 games for the Washington Redskins in 2011 and just one game for the New England Patriots in 2012.

Dec 10, 2012; Foxborough, MA USA; New England Patriots wide receiver Donte Stallworth has been a memorable name for most Patriots fans since the magical 18-1 season. Lots of fans were glad to see him back with the team last season, but it didn’t last long. Luckily for his future, he’s been cleared to participate in football activities. NFL.com’s Ian Rapoport reported on Friday that the veteran wide receiver has been cleared to resume football activities on the heels of his March hot-air balloon accident. Stallworth and his girlfriend suffered burns when the balloon they were riding over Miami collided with xome power lines. Luckily, for his sake he suffered no permanent damage, but the definitely  incident shook him. “In that moment, I thought my eyes would close and I’d never wake up again,” Stallworth said in April. This is very interesting, as he’s already 32 years old and that doesn’t help his resume. He’ll hope to find a team very soon, but is it realistic that he will? It’s debatable. At 32, he’s played for six different clubs since 2006 and has just 84 catches over the past four seasons Lots of Patriots fan will be rooting for him to get back onto the field. But, will he back in New England once again or is this just too late for his hopes of returning to the NFL? The Patriots have always loved Stallworth, so don’t be surprised to see him back in New England if they decide to sign another wide receiver. One thing though, that might hurt his chances of returning is that they already had signed a good amount of wide receivers and do they really need to add another?

With Patriots minicamp now less than a month away, there are a number of players we’ll be curious to see for more than a cursory look on the field.For obvious reasons, slot man Danny Amendola is high on the list. Then there are the other newcomers: rookie receiver Aaron Dobson, Southern Mississippi linebacker Jamie Collins, CFL refugee Armond Armstead and, of course, the entire Rutgers contingent plucked in last month’s draft.

Before any back problems can be addressed with respect to Rob Gronkowski, doctors must first take care of priority No.?1.The Patriots tight end will have a fourth procedure performed on his left forearm tomorrow at Massachusetts General Hospital, according to a source with knowledge of the situation.The date was somewhat up in the air, but come tomorrow Gronk will have some definitive answers about whether he’s finally free and clear from an infection that’s dogged him for months.

Before any back problems can be addressed with respect to Rob Gronkowski, doctors must first take care of priority number one. To that end, the Patriots tight end will have that fourth procedure performed on his left forearm Monday at Massachusetts General Hospital, according to a source with knowledge of the situation.The date was somewhat up in the air, but come Monday, Gronk will finally have some definitive answers about whether he's finally free and clear from an infection that's dogged him for months.