As the saying goes, it’s better to seek forgiveness than ask for permission. As it relates to the annual team-by-team schedule-release videos, the NFL does not require that permission be obtained.
“Upon request, the league will review club videos,” a league spokesperson said via email. “There’s no mandate to submit their videos in advance. The league provides best practices and insights to the clubs during ongoing all-32 club meetings.”
That’s always been the case. However, last year’s video from the Colts was quickly deleted because the Minecraft-themed presentation lacked advance authorization from Microsoft, which holds the copyright to the Minecraft property. Also, this year’s schedule release comes at a time when plenty of teams that play the Patriots (and plenty that don’t) will be tempted to make an express or implied reference to the story of the offseason, especially after ESPN’s Inside The NBA did so in clear and obvious fashion.
Before Inside The NBA went there, it was our understanding that the Chargers — who are the masters of the schedule-release game and who play the Patriots this year — would refrain from addressing the situation. Given that Inside The NBA addressed the issue and the world continues to spin, maybe the Chargers will revisit their position.
The Patriots are filling out their roster with a defensive player.
New England has agreed to sign edge rusher Xavier Holmes, according to agency Exclusive Sports Group.
Holmes was a tryout player for New England at its rookie minicamp.
Holmes played the 2025 season at James Madison after spending four seasons at Maine. He registered 7.5 tackles for loss, 6.0 sacks, and an interception for JMU last season.
Social media is bad enough when the vitriol spewed there is reasonably rooted in objective fact. Nowadays, certain accounts will fabricate quotes for engagement. Some will hide behind the notion that it is a “parody” account, even when the supposed joke is far from obvious.
That happened recently to Patriots running back TreVeyon Henderson.
An account called “FootballCravee” posted a message with a screenshot of a tweet attributed to Henderson. The post included a biblical quote about marriage and adultery, with no specific reference to coach Mike Vrabel.
The only problem? Henderson never posted it.
Henderson has since pushed back, with this message: “I have never made a public statement on the Vrabes situation. Respectfully, please stop misspreading [sic] false information.”
The mere fact that Henderson interpreted the post as referring to Vrabel when it doesn’t even mention him is telling, but not surprising. It reconfirms how the story has lingered, and mushroomed, in the month or so since it first surfaced.
Roughly a week before the initial images of Vrabel with NFL reporter Dianna Russini were published, Vrabel addressed Henderson’s habit of posting quotes from the Bible on social media.
The Patriots are adding another rookie to their 90-man roster.
Per Doug Kyed of the Boston Herald, New England is signing undrafted safety Peter Manuma.
Manuma was a tryout participant in the Patriots’ rookie minicamp over the weekend.
Manuma played his college ball at Hawaii, where he was a four-year starter. He recorded five interceptions in his collegiate career.
Two more Patriots draft picks have signed their rookie deals with the team.
The Patriots announced that third-round tight end Eli Raridon and seventh-round linebacker Quintayvious Hutchins are now under contract. The Patriots signed five picks on Friday, which leaves first-round tackle Caleb Lomu and second-round edge rusher Gabe Jacas as the only unsigned picks.
Raridon had 48 catches for 623 yards and 3 touchdowns in 40 games for Notre Dame. He joins Hunter Henry and Julian Hill at tight end for the Patriots.
Hutchins was close to the Patriots in college while playing at Boston College. He had 72 tackles, 5.5 sacks, an interception, a forced fumble and two fumble recoveries in 43 games.
