Report: Manziel, Bridgewater Visiting Patriots On Wednesday
BOSTON (CBS) -- NFL teams are allowed 30 pre-draft visits with college prospects (not including those from nearby schools), and the New England Patriots will be using two of them Wednesday on quarterbacks Teddy Bridgewater and Johnny Manziel.
The NFL Network's Ian Rapoport first reported the news on Manziel Tuesday night, and just hours later the same for Bridgewater.
Source: Johnny Manziel spotted in New England, set for a visit with the #Patriots tomorrow. Agent @ErikBurkhardt would not confirm.
— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) April 1, 2014
Wow. Teddy Bridgewater is visiting the #Patriots tomorrow, source says. It's not just Johnny Football in Foxboro.
— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) April 2, 2014
With future hall of famer Tom Brady under center and under contract for the next four seasons in New England, the Patriots aren't exactly in dire need of a quarterback, and given their draft position (29th overall pick) it's unlikely either prospect would fall that far.
But head coach Bill Belichick has vetted other top college stars in the past even with their positions already filled and the unlikelihood of drafting them, similar to the way Tim Tebow was courted around the North End prior to his 2010 draft day.
Perhaps Belichick is simply using two of his 30 allotted visits to gather more information on the two signal callers for scouting purposes, or in the event of free agency at the conclusion of their rookie contracts (four years with a club option for a fifth if drafted in round 1, and four years if drafted in rounds 2-7).
Or maybe the head coach is simply doing his homework should Bridgewater and/or Manziel drop in the first round like Aaron Rodgers did, in which case a "trading up" scenario is possible.
One thing is for sure: nobody ever knows what Belichick is thinking -- so it'll be interesting to see how the draft shakes out on May 8.
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