Felger & Mazz: Ian Rapoport Checks In From Patriots Camp
With Massarotti out of the studio for the day, Felger was joined for Tuesday's show by Bruins Color Commentator Bob Beers. Despite what many would expect from the pairing, Mike and Bob resisted their temptation to jump straight to hockey talk, and were joined live from Foxborough by Boston Herald columnist Ian Rapoport to discuss Patriots training camp.
Not surprisingly, the conversation opened with more questions about Albert Haynesworth, who continues to remain absent from the practice field in Foxborough. While the Haynesworth situation continues to frustrate many Pats fans, Rapoport noted that there probably won't be any sort of resolution until rosters are finalized and the Patriots are truly forced to make a decision on Fat Al. The Pats will undoubtedly downplay the situation, and say all the right things until that day actually comes. But, with the question marks piling up, Ian thinks we shouldn't be surprised if things aren't as they seem, and Haynesworth gets cut. Will Fat Al ever see the field in a regular season game, or will this be a short-lived Belichick experiment?
After they were finished with Haynesworth, Mike, Bob and Ian then moved on to discussing Wes Welker and Brandon Meriweather. Welker recently told the media that he is "the best he's ever felt," and has many wondering whether or not he will be the next Patriot to land a lucrative contract extension. Although Ian doesn't think that this extension will become a reality before the regular season opens, the guys can't help but wonder how disastrous it could be if Welker slipped through the Pats' fingers and ended up with a team like the New York Jets.
While Welker may be more productive in the Patriots offensive scheme than on any other team, his ability to negotiate is somewhat stifled by the abundance of replacements on the Patriots roster that have the ability to play his role, like Julian Edelman. This sort of player may be a downgrade from Welker when he's at his best, but would the Patriots be better served giving Welker a big extension or letting him try his luck elsewhere?
By that same token, what does the future hold for Brandon Meriweather, and will he be wearing a Patriots uniform when the season comes to a close? The Pats have been open about the fact that they are exploring other options at safety, and Meriweather stood on the sideline and watched as Sergio Brown took reps with the Patrick Chung and the first team defense at practice. With this in mind, Ian thinks that all signs point to Meriweather being on his way out, but does he deserve another chance, and can he help this Patriots team? For answers to all these questions and more, and to hear all Ian's thoughts on the latest happenings from Patriots training camp, tune in right now!
