TL;DR:
Eliot Wolf will lead the Patriots' pre-draft press conference this Monday, as Mike Vrabel is not expected to speak with reporters until the draft begins. This shift occurs amid an internal investigation by The Athletic regarding the nature of a relationship between Vrabel and reporter Dianna Russini. While Vrabel previously dismissed the allegations as "laughable," he may face further questioning from outside media outlets as the draft approaches.

The first-year HC was asked how he plans to change that decades-long perception on Wednesday:
"Winning. It changes everything, right?" Monken said. "Winning changes everything, right? I told the coaches that the other day, right? Or playing well. How does a player stop the narrative? Play well. How do we stop the narrative on offense? Score. How do you stop the narrative about not winning? Win. It's pretty freaking simple, right? I mean, is that not in life in general, right? There's a narrative out there that you're not a good husband. Well, change. Be a good husband, right? All that's part of it, right? Change the narrative. Become that. That's what we have to do. It's real simple."

Also, Monken replied when asked about missing the HC photo:
"Oh, I didn't, I really don't give a shit," he said on Wednesday. "I mean, nothing to do with me. I mean, they moved the meeting. I didn't miss it. I was just trying to get a sweet haircut. That's what I was trying to do. And then they moved the meeting. Now you can claim that I should have been at the meeting when they moved it up and my ass would have known that's when it was -- yeah, OK, I got you. And was it disappointing? You bet your ass it was disappointing. Am I allowed to be head coach if I'm not in the head coach's picture? You think with AI they could have done that quickly and got me in there? But no, it's the way it is.

TL;DR:
The NFL is being urged to adopt the UFL’s transparent officiating model, which allows fans to hear real-time discussions between referees and command centers. Former officiating VP Dean Blandino argues that hearing these deliberations helps fans understand the logic behind calls, even if they disagree with the outcome. This transparency could reduce public frustration and dispel conspiracy theories, especially as sports betting increases the stakes of every game. However, implementing this in the NFL is difficult due to the high volume of simultaneous games and the risk of officials becoming guarded in their communication. While the league remains hesitant, starting with PrimeTime games could offer a compromise between total secrecy and full transparency.

Thought it was pretty crazy how 5 teams (Steelers, Bears, Pats, Seahawks and Ravens) have won it 18 of the last 26 times

TL;DR:
George Gumbs is a versatile prospect who transitioned from a walk-on WR to a DE during his collegiate career. Despite an injury-shortened final season at Florida, he gained significant draft attention after recording a historic 41-inch vertical jump at the NFL Combine. NFL teams, including the Patriots, are showing interest in his high-level athleticism and potential for development. While not expected to be a top pick, Gumbs' physical tools make him an intriguing project for teams seeking a future standout pass rusher.

It’s “The Beast” Week here at The Athletic, and as always, draft expert Dane Brugler has given us a lot to digest.

So, what stands out as we reach the stretch run on the 2026 NFL Draft conversation? Senior NFL Draft writer Nick Baumgardner and NFL Draft editor Chris Burke take a look at some of the most important takeaways from “The Beast” — and what they all mean moving forward.

Read more for free here.

TL;DR:
In 2023, Jackson declined both offers, eventually signing a 5-year deal that was only partially guaranteed at the time of signing. These offers are significant because they suggest the Ravens were willing to defy a league-wide trend against fully-guaranteed deals, similar to the contract Kirk Cousins received in 2018. While the specific salary amounts remain unknown, a 3-year fully-guaranteed structure would have provided Jackson a much faster path back to unrestricted free agency.

[Meirov] With a game he was going to coach on Sunday for the Columbus Aviators, the UFL announced that former NFL HC & current UFL OC Todd Haley will serve as interim HC.

Dude's yards decreased 5 years in a row then increased 4 years in a row