An Ode to Rodney Harrison, the Greatest Free Agent Signing in Patriots History

The NFL free agency market has been quiet lately. The 2020 NFL Draft, which runs April 23-25, is the feature event football fans now have to look forward to.

This year’s free agency period was brutal for the New England Patriots. They were gutted with departures, as franchise icon Tom Brady defected to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers after 20 legendary seasons in New England.

The Patriots also lost linebackers Kyle Van Noy (Dolphins) and Jamie Collins (Lions). They did, however, add safety Adrian Phillips. An undrafted free agent, Phillips originally entered the NFL with the then-San Diego Chargers in 2014. The defensive back is most known for his elite special teams’ play. He earned a Pro Bowl nod and was named to the first-team All-Pro in 2018, both as a special teamer. Phillips suffered a broken arm in Week 2 last year, a season-ending injury that effectively ended his six-year run with the Chargers.

With the exciting part of free agency come and gone, it gives us a chance to look back on prior free agent signings. Specifically with regards to the Patriots, who is the best signing in team history? That honor belongs to Rodney Harrison.

Rodney Harrison: Patriots Career (2003-08) Overview 

After being released by the Chargers in February of 2003, the 31-year-old safety Harrison joined the Patriots on a six-year pact.

Harrison shined in his first season in New England, leading all NFL defensive backs in tackles (143) in an All-Pro campaign. Named a defensive captain, Harrison helped the Patriots win the Super Bowl with a dominant postseason, collecting two interceptions and a forced fumble across three playoff victories. He picked off a Jake Delhomme pass in Super Bowl XXXVIII.

The following season, Harrison again led the league in tackles (138). He was a second-team All-Pro selection in 2004 and again made his mark in the postseason. Harrison intercepted Peyton Manning for the second consecutive postseason, this time in the divisional round in the Patriots’ win over the Indianapolis Colts. He had Manning’s number, and the five-time NFL MVP quarterback even gave a shutout to Harrison in his Hall of Fame speech.

Harrison came through with a pick-six the following week against the Pittsburgh Steelers in the AFC Championship. He intercepted a pass from then-rookie Ben Roethlisberger and returned it 87 yards for a TD.  

Adding to his playoff legacy, Harrison intercepted two more passes in Super Bowl XXXIX versus the Philadelphia Eagles. Harrison was the Patriots’ best defensive player during that postseason, amassing four interceptions and leading New England to its second straight title.

Mike Vrabel (right) celebrates with Rodney Harrison (left) after the safety secured a game-sealing interception in Super Bowl 39. (AP)

Following the 2008 season, Harrison retired from the NFL after 15 seasons—six with the Patriots. Across six years in New England, he accumulated 634 tackles with eight interceptions, 32 pass breakups, seven forced fumbles, two fumble recoveries and nine sacks. In addition to his regular-season totals, Harrison also mustered seven interceptions in nine playoffs contests.

Titans Release Dion Lewis

After two unproductive seasons in Nashville, the Tennessee Titans are cutting running back Dion Lewis. The Titans informed Lewis that he’ll be released, according to ESPN’s Adam Schefter. Lewis signed a four-year, $20 million deal in 2018.

Due to the emergence of Derrick Henry, arguably the NFL's most dominant running back, Lewis became an afterthought in the Titans' offense.  Lewis amassed just 209 yards on 54 carries and caught only 25 passes for 164 yards last year.

Lewis played 61 percent of the snaps in his first season in Tennessee, but that percentage shrunk to 37 in 2019. 

Lewis was a non-factor in the Titans' offense last season. (James Kenney/AP)

Releasing Lewis clears just over $4 million from the salary cap, making this a no-brainer move for the Titans. The release of Lewis gives the Titans more funds to negotiate with Henry, a free agent. The Titans may place the franchise tag on Henry if the two sides cannot come to terms on a deal.

The Titans are rumored to have interest in free agent QB Tom Brady, but could opt to bring back Ryan Tannehill instead. After leading the Titans to the AFC Championship in his first season with the franchise, Tannehill could ink a long-term deal to remain in Tennessee. Tannehill made his first career Pro Bowl in 2019, won the NFL Comeback Player of the Year honors and led the league in passer rating.

Lewis enjoyed his best seasons with the New England Patriots. A member of the Patriots for three years (2015-17), Lewis helped the Patriots win Super LI. He played a crucial role in the team's run to Super LII during his impressive 2017 campaign.

Lewis forced 49 missed tackles in 2017 and registered 3.17 yards after contact, both team-highs, according to Pro Football Focus. Even more impressive, Lewis ranked first in Pro Football Focus’ “elusive rating,” which combines missed tackles and yards after contact.

A force in the passing game, Lewis did not drop a single pass (35 targets) in 2017, one of only 11 players to see more than 30 targets without dropping a pass. In terms of catch rate, he ranked first (91.4%) in the league among qualified players.

Unable to replicate that level of success with the Titans, the 29-year-old Lewis will look to join a new team this offseason. Lewis, a fifth-round selection in the 2011 NFL Draft, has collected 19 TDs (11 rushing, seven receiving, one kick return) in his nine-year career. He has accumulated 2,310 rushing yards, to go along with 172 catches and 1,281 receiving yards, in 85 games played.

Patriots' Defense Playing at Historic Level

The New England Patriots are playing at a historically dominant level defensively.

New England’s defense has allowed just one offensive touchdown through four contests, tied for the fewest in the Super Bowl era. The NFL's top-ranked defense has surrendered just 6.8 points per game. (That 6.8 mark would be lower if not for the special teams and the offense surrendering a touchdown each in Week 3 versus the Jets)

Devin McCourty has an interception in every game this season, the first player to accomplish that feat since 2003. He leads the NFL in interceptions, while teammate Jamie Collins ranks second with three picks. As a team, the Patriots have 10 interceptions, double the amount of the next closest clubs (Giants, Bills and 49ers have amassed five interceptions).

J.C. Jackson was masterful in the Patriots' 16-10 victory over the Buffalo Bills on Sunday, becoming the first player since 1989 to record two interceptions and block a punt in the same game.

Our guy!

J.C. Jackson's punt block leads to Matthew Slater's first career TD!#NEvsBUF | #GoPats pic.twitter.com/JiaeNrwHFB

— New England Patriots (@Patriots) September 29, 2019

Kyle Van Noy had the best game of any New England defensive player. He recorded eight tackles, two sacks and forced two fumbles. He was named Week 4's AFC Defensive Player of the Week.

The Patriots have allowed just 13 points on defense in 2019.

Patriots defense has allowed 13 points on 51 drives this season. It has also scored two TD, so they have allowed net -1 points on 51 drives.

They might stay in the negatives with this Washington offense. https://t.co/6UcFmzSDKD

— Scott Kacsmar (@ScottKacsmar) September 30, 2019

Up next for the Patriots is a road tilt against the winless Washington Redskins (0-4). The Redskins rank 28th in total offense.

Jakobi Meyers Emerging as Tom Brady's 'Favorite Target' in Camp

A rookie wide receiver has made a significant impact during the New England Patriots’ training camp. Undrafted free agent Jakobi Meyers—not first-round selection N'Keal Harry—has emerged as the “favorite target” for quarterback Tom Brady.

Julian Edelman is sidelined with a thumb injury, allowing other receivers the chance to shine. Meyers has taken advantage of the opportunity. He has earned reps with the first team offense and could carve a role in the Patriots’ offense in 2019 if Josh Gordon remains suspended indefinitely.

Meyers has made a name for himself in training camp. (Mandy Lane/Boston Herald)

The 6-foot-2, 203-pound former North Carolina State wideout has been the talk of the town during most of the team’s practices. He grabbed 14-of-18 targets in 11-on-11 drills on Monday.

Meyers is a converted quarterback who switched to wide receiver before his sophomore year at N.C. State. He hauled in 92 receptions in 2018—the seventh-most in college football—for the Wolfpack during his senior season.

Not enough people are talking about NC State's Jakobi Meyers (@jkbmyrs5).

He isn't a big separator, but he catches everything. He's a top-5 WR in this class in drop rate and contested catch %.

He's a Jason Avant clone, IMO. Chain mover, sneaky red-zone threat and SO consistent. pic.twitter.com/XuAPGnCz3V

— Austin Gayle (@PFF_AustinGayle) March 30, 2019

Brady praised Meyers for seizing the moment during training camp.

                          

“He’s done a great job and he’s taken advantage of his opportunities,” Brady said. “I think that’s really what we try to stress to anybody. It really doesn’t matter — the football doesn’t care how old you are, whether you were drafted or not. The football doesn’t care how much experience you have. It just knows that when I let that ball go, it’s got to be in the hands of the guy who it’s intended for. If that happens to be him, it’s him. If it’s Julian, it’s Julian. Whoever it is, it doesn’t matter in football.”

Patriots Draft Arizona State WR N'Keal Harry

The New England Patriots selected Arizona State wide receiver N'Keal Harry with the No. 32 overall pick in the 2019 NFL Draft. Harry (6’3/228) is a physical 21-year-old wideout who maximizes his size and athleticism.

Harry addresses a major need for the Patriots, who lost Rob Gronkowski (retirement) and Chris Hogan (free agency) in the offseason. With WR Josh Gordon suspended indefinitely, Harry has the opportunity to make an immediate impact in his rookie season in New England.

The Patriots selected ASU's N'Keal Harry with their first pick of the 2019 NFL Draft. (Jennifer Stewart/Getty Images)

In three years with the Sun Devils, Harry, a two-time All-Pac-12 selection, logged 2,889 receiving yards and 22 touchdowns. He averaged 13.6 yards per reception and caught 85% of his targets. Harry recorded an impressive 7.1 yards-after-catch (YAC) this past season.

#ArizonaState WR N'Keal Harry is a unique player. He's built like a downfield threat as a jump ball guy but he might be the best YAC receiver in the class. He's impossible to bring down because of his frame/strength and his moves and vision in the open field are superb. pic.twitter.com/0TIs8gYPj4

— Evan Lazar (@ezlazar) February 9, 2019

A versatile player, Harry can line up as an outside receiver and in the slot. He is an elite route runner who has great hands.

Good night.@NkealHarry15 | #PatsDraft
pic.twitter.com/jKPKkabsRb

— New England Patriots (@Patriots) April 26, 2019

Patriots quarterback Tom Brady will love throwing to Harry. According to Pro Football Focus, Harry had the third-most contested catches in the NCAAF over the past two seasons and ranked first with a 57.5 contested catch percentage.

Harry is the first wide receiver taken in the first round in the Bill Belichick era. The last time the Patriots picked a wideout in the first round was 1996, when they drafted Terry Glenn with the 7th overall pick. Harry was one of just two receivers selected in the opening round of the 2019 NFL Draft, as the Baltimore Ravens nabbed Oklahoma WR Marquise Brown with the 25^th overall pick.

Panthers Sign Chris Hogan

The Carolina Panthers have signed veteran free-agent receiver Chris Hogan to a one-year deal, according to multiple reports. Hogan spent the previous three years with the New England Patriots, reaching the Super Bowl in each season and winning the Lombardi Trophy twice.

Hogan struggled as the Patriots' featured wideout in 2018 when Julian Edelman was suspended for the first four games of the season for violating the NFL's policy on performance-enhancing substances. Having trouble breaking through the Patriots' undermanned receiver corps all year, Hogan caught just 35 passes and three TDs. He did turn those catches into 532 yards (15.2 yards per reception) and remained a deep-threat option because of his physical frame. The 6'1"/215 lb wideout could provide a red zone option for Panthers QB Cam Newton.

Turning 32 in October, Hogan will be the oldest wide receiver on Carolina's roster. D.J. Moore and Curtis Samuel are the featured wideouts for the Panthers, while Hogan and 30-year-old Torrey Smith will play complementary roles.

Hogan accumulated 107 receptions for 1,651 yards and 12 touchdowns in 40 regular-season games for the Patriots from 2016-18 . 

Hogan will be best remembered for his incredible performance in the 2016 AFC Championship against the Pittsburgh Steelers. In the Patriots' victory over the Steelers, Hogan registered nine receptions for 180 yards—a single-game playoff franchise record for receiving yards—with two touchdowns.

Lions Sign Danny Amendola

Danny Amendola will reportedly sign with the Detroit Lions. Despite a reported mutual interest of a reunion between Amendola and the New England Patriots, the wide receiver will join Detroit on a one-year deal.

Former Dolphins’ WR Danny Amendola plans to sign with Detroit, per source. Amendola is in Detroit now, taking a physical and as long as there are no complications, he will be a Lion, reunited with GM Bob Quinn and HC Matt Patricia. #Lions

— Dianna Russini (@diannaESPN) March 11, 2019

The Miami Dolphins released Amendola on Friday, allowing him to sign with Detroit before the new NFL year begins on Wednesday. The Dolphins saved $6 million in salary for 2019 by cutting the 33-year-old. 

Danny Amendola will join the Detroit Lions after spending just one season with the Miami Dolphins. (Wilfredo Lee/AP)

Amendola totaled 59 receptions for 575 yards and one touchdown for the Dolphins last season. Amendola spent the previous five seasons with New England, where he registered 230 catches for 2,383 yards and 12 touchdowns. He won Super Bowls with the Patriots in 2014 and 2016.

Amendola’s one-year deal includes a $4.5 million guaranteed salary and could be worth up to $6.75 million with incentives. He will be reunited with Matt Patricia—the Lions head coach and former defensive coordinator of the Patriots—and general manager Bob Quinn, who was the director of pro scouting in New England in 2013 when the Patriots first signed Amendola.

Detroit’s wide receiving group will be led by Kenny Golladay and Marvin Jones, while Amendola will serve as the slot receiver.

Amendola, Pats Have Mutual Interest in Reunion

Free agent Danny Amendola would reportedly like to re-join the New England Patriots after spending the 2018 season playing for the Miami Dolphins, who released the wideout on Friday. The Patriots reportedly have interest in bringing back Amendola, who spent five years (2013-2017) in New England.

There’s mutual interest between Danny Amendola and the Patriots, per sources. We’ll see if it amounts to a reunion or not, but the possibility exists.

— Jeff Howe (@jeffphowe) March 11, 2019

Amendola tallied 59 receptions for 575 yards and one touchdown for the Dolphins last season. He actually led the Dolphins in receptions and receiving yards, demonstrating the team's futile passing offense. The Dolphins saved $6 million in salary for 2019 by cutting Amendola.

In five seasons with the Patriots, Amendola amassed 230 catches for 2,383 yards and 12 touchdowns. The 33-year-old was a critical piece in the Patriots' Super Bowl titles in 2014 and 2016.

The Patriots need reinforcements at wide receiver. Receivers Chris Hogan, Cordarrelle Patterson, and Phillip Dorsett are free agents. Josh Gordon is suspended indefinitely and his NFL future is murky at best. 

Amendola is a dependable target and could be a plug-and-play cog in New England’s offense if he's brought back. 

Free agency begins Wednesday at 4 p.m. ET. The Patriots' wide receiver depth chart should round into form over the next month. They could also select a receiver in the upcoming NFL Draft in April.

Browns Cut Jamie Collins; Return to Pats in Play?

The Cleveland Browns have released linebacker Jamie Collins. The move saves the Browns $9.25 million against the cap, leaving behind $2.5 million in dead money. Cleveland acquired Collins from the New England Patriots in 2016 in exchange for a third-round pick. The subsequent offseason, the Browns made him the NFL's highest-paid outside linebacker.

Collins played in 30 games for the Browns. The 29-year-old missed the entire 2017 season due to a torn MCL. He started all 16 games for the Browns last season, leading the team with 104 tackles, recording 13 tackles for loss, four sacks, one interception and one forced fumble.

Collins recovers a fumble in a game versus Atlanta last season. (AP Photo)

Before releasing Collins, the Browns had tried to trade the linebacker but no teams were interested because of the high salary ($10.3 million) he was due in 2019.

Once a dominant player with the Patriots, Collins led the team with 138 tackles in 2014 on the way to a Super Bowl title. He earned his only Pro Bowl selection the following year, amassing a career-high 5.5 sacks in only 12 games.

Collins' release was hinted at by Browns general manager John Dorsey during the NFL Scouting Combine

"There were some inconsistencies,'' he said at the time. "You don't know what leads to it. He may have been nicked. All I know is he's a very talented football player and you can't have enough of those guys on your team."

NFL Network's Tom Pelissero reports that cutting Collins gives the Browns over $80 million in cap space, the third-most space in the league.

The #Browns now have over $80 million in 2019 cap space. Only the #Jets and #Colts (both $100M+) have more, with one week and plenty of moves to go before the league year begins.

— Tom Pelissero (@TomPelissero) March 6, 2019

A return to the Patriots is not out of the question for Collins. He could take a short-term 'prove-it' deal and serve as a situational pass rusher. Furthermore, the Patriots had discussions with the Browns about Collins at last season's trade deadline.

Collins was drafted by the Patriots in the second round of the 2013 NFL Draft.

Jason McCourty Wants to Remain with Patriots

A few days after Devin McCourty announced his plans to play in 2019, Jason McCourty made it clear he will also continue his career.

"I was never contemplating retirement," Jason said. "I got grouped into Dev's thing."

But unlike Devin, Jason is not under contract for next season.
Devin is set to play his 10th season with the New England Patriots. The safety will earn $9.5 million in the final year of his contract. His brother Jason, who won a Super Bowl title in his first season in New England, wants to stay with the Patriots. The 31-year-old cornerback hopes to avoid joining his third team in as many seasons while continuing to play with his twin brother Devin.

“First and foremost, if I could be back in New England and all of that works out, that would be awesome,” (Jason) McCourty said Sunday to Tom E. Curran of NBC Sports Boston. “That way it wouldn’t be the third consecutive year I had to move my family. That would be an advantage. But at the same time you realize how much of this is a business and how much of this isn’t dictated by (the feeling), ‘Hey, I just want to play here with my brother and the guys I built a relationship with.’ There’s so much more that goes into it."

McCourty will become an unrestricted free agent on March 13. He spent the first nine seasons of his career with the Tennessee Titans, then played for the Cleveland Browns in their winless 2017 campaign, before being traded to New England last offseason.

Jason McCourty would like to continue playing for the Patriots. (NBC Sports Photo)

McCourty made one of the most crucial plays in the Patriots' Super Bowl LIII victory when he chased down a pass from Los Angeles Rams quarterback Jared Goff, knocking the ball away from the intended target Brandin Cooks, who was open in the back of the end zone.

Per @NextGenStats Jason McCourty was 19.2 (!!!) yards away from Brandin Cooks when Jared Goff released this pass pic.twitter.com/krJDeZoNtV

— Ian Hartitz (@Ihartitz) February 5, 2019

Devin McCourty to Return for 2019 Season

Devin McCourty announced he will return for the 2019 NFL season. The 31-year-old New England Patriots safety had said before Super Bowl LIII he was considering retirement, but has decided against hanging up his cleats for now.

"Yeah, I'm gonna play," McCourty told the Sports Spectrum podcast.

Patriots Devin McCourty @McCourtyTwins told us on an upcoming podcast he's planning on playing in 2019.

WATCH 👇https://t.co/EuZU02bVur

— Sports Spectrum (@Sports_Spectrum) February 22, 2019

A three-time Super Bowl champion, McCourty has been the backbone of the Patriots’ secondary since being drafted in 2010.  A team captain since 2011, the safety earned Pro Bowl nods in 2010 and 2016, and was named Second-Team All-Pro in 2010, 2013 and 2016. McCourty has amassed 714 tackles, 80 passes defended, 21 interceptions, nine forced fumbles, three sacks and a defensive TD in his nine seasons with New England.

McCourty has appeared in 139 career regular-season games, starting all of them. He has played in 22 playoff games, as well.

Despite his age, McCourty has remained an effective player and is a leader on defense. McCourty is due $9.5 million this upcoming season—the final year of his contract.

McCourty’s brother Jason is an unrestricted free agent. He won a Super Bowl in his first season with the team. There is no word if Jason is pondering retirement. The Patriots will likely try to retain the cornerback's services.

15 Best Performances of Super Bowl LIII

Highlighting the 15 best performances from the New England Patriots' 13-3 victory over the Los Angeles Rams in Super Bowl LIII.

15. Jason McCourty
McCourty made one of the most crucial plays in the Patriots' Super Bowl LIII victory when he chased down a pass from Rams quarterback Jared Goff, knocking the ball away from the intended target Brandin Cooks, who was open in the back of the end zone.

Per @NextGenStats Jason McCourty was 19.2 (!!!) yards away from Brandin Cooks when Jared Goff released this pass pic.twitter.com/krJDeZoNtV

— Ian Hartitz (@Ihartitz) February 5, 2019

14. Johnny Hekker
Hekker, a Pro Bowler for the Rams in 2018, set a Super Bowl record with a 65-yard punt and had five punts inside the 20-yard line.
13. Dont'a Hightower
The Patriots linebacker recorded a game-best two sacks.
12. Stephen Gostkowski
The Patriots kicker sealed the deal with a 41-yard field goal to put the Patriots up 10 with a little over a minute remaining. He missed a field goal in the first quarter, but made a 42-yard kick in the second quarter and converted his only PAT.

Stephen Gostkowski puts the Patriots up 10! #SuperBowl pic.twitter.com/hbBrW2zHPm

— Sports Daily (@SportsDGI) February 4, 2019

11. Jonathan Jones
Jones led the Patriots in tackles (eight) and had one sack.
10. New England's Offensive Line
The Patriots' O-line dominated throughout the playoffs. They paved the way for their running backs to run wild in their Super Bowl win.
9. Brandin Cooks
The former Patriot, Cooks was the only Rams player to produce on the offensive end. He caught eight passes for 120 yards.
8. Rob Gronkowski
Gronkowski's 29-yard reception, which set up Sony Michel's decisive fourth-quarter TD, was the game's longest play from scrimmage. He had six catches for 87 yards. Gronkowski holds Super Bowl records among tight ends in catches (23) and receiving yards (297).
7. Tom Brady
Brady was far from great—throwing an interception on his first pass and finishing with a 71.4 passer rating—but considerably outplayed Goff. He finished with 262 passing yards in the win to claim his sixth Super Bowl title.
6. Sony Michel
Michel rushed for 94 yards and the lone TD of the game. He extended his rookie record with his sixth TD of these playoffs.

Sony Michel scored the only TD of Super Bowl LIII. (Image via Boston Globe)

5. Kyle Van Noy
Van Noy was all over the field on Super Sunday, totaling four tackles, a pass defended, three QB hits and a critical sack. 
4. Brian Flores
Flores, set to be the newest coach of the Miami Dolphins after serving as the linebackers coach of the Patriots and the team's defensive play-caller, put forth a great scheme on Sunday. While it may be Belichick's defense, Flores deserves a lot of credit for holding the Rams, the No. 2 scoring offense in 2018, to three points.
3. Stephon Gilmore
Gilmore had the biggest defensive play of the night, intercepting an errant Goff pass. Gilmore, one of two Patriots players to earn a Pro Bowl nod, had five tackles and three passes defended.
2. Bill Belichick
The greatest coach in NFL history won his sixth Super Bowl title with New England, stiffing the Rams' high-powered offense. The Rams gained just 260 yards (4.3 per play), their second-lowest total of the season and finished 3-for-13 on third downs. The Rams tied the 1971 Dolphins for fewest points in a Super Bowl. LA ran zero plays in the red zone.
1. Julian Edelman
The Super Bowl MVP finished with 10 catches for 141 yards, accounting for more than half of the Patriots' total receiving yardage (262). 

Julian Edelman holds his Super Bowl MVP trophy. (David J. Phillip/AP)

Edelman routinely came up with big plays in huge moments, converting on critical third downs and helping to spark an otherwise ineffective offense. Edelman has 115 career postseason catches for 1,412 yards, ranking second only to Jerry Rice all time in both playoff categories.

NFL Power Rankings Week 7

1. Los Angeles Rams (6-0)

Todd Gurley rushed for a career-high 208 yards as the Rams remained perfect on the season.

Todd Gurley leads the NFL with 11 touchdowns. (Isaiah J. Downing/USA Today Sports)

2. New England Patriots (4-2)

The Patriots handed the Chiefs their first loss of the season in a 43-point scoring effort in which they did not punt or commit a single penalty—the first time in the Super Bowl era that a team played an entire game without punting or being charged a penalty.

3. Kansas City Chiefs (5-1)

The Chiefs were unstoppable on offense in the second half, scoring 31 of their 40 points after intermission. Tyreek Hill had 142 receiving yards with three touchdowns for the game and Kareem Hunt posted 185 yards from scrimmage with one receiving touchdown. Patrick Mahomes played well, recording 352 passing yards and four TDs, but he did throw two costly interceptions in the first half—one of which came in the redzone.

4. New Orleans Saints (4-1)

The idle Saints lead the NFC South by a full game after Carolina lost at Washington.

5. Los Angeles Chargers (4-2)

The visiting Chargers destroyed the Browns behind Melvin Gordon and Tyrell Williams. Gordon rushed for 132 yards and scored a career-high three touchdowns. Williams caught two TDs and totaled 118 receiving yards.

6. Minnesota Vikings (3-2-1)

Adam Thielen leads the NFL in receiving yards (712) after collecting 11 receptions for 123 yards and a touchdown in Sunday’s win over Arizona. He also has the longest streak of 100-yard games (6) to start a season in the Super Bowl era (one shy of tying the NFL record) and has caught a league-high 58 passes, the most a player has recorded through the first six games in NFL history. He is on pace to grab 154 receptions for the season.

7. Philadelphia Eagles (3-3)

Carson Wentz completed 26 of 36 passes for 278 yards and three TDs in a commanding road win versus the division-rival Giants.

8. Baltimore Ravens (4-2)

The Ravens recorded a franchise-record 11 sacks and pitched a shutout on the road at Tennessee.

9. Pittsburgh Steelers (3-2-1)

The run defense remains elite, allowing only 62 rushing yards to the Bengals. On the other side of the ball, James Conner managed 111 rushing yards and two TDs on just 11 carries, continuing to look dominant in the absence of Le’Veon Bell.

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10. Cincinnati Bengals (4-2)

The Bengals surrendered over 480 yards for the second time in the past three weeks, failing to record a sack as Pittsburgh’s Ben Roethlisberger won in Cincinnati for the third consecutive year.

11. Carolina Panthers (3-2)

Rookie D.J. Moore lost two fumbles in the first half, leading to 10 points for the Redskins. The Panthers’ comeback came up short as they fell to 0-2 on the road this season. Up next is a matchup against the defending champions in Philadelphia.

12. Miami Dolphins (4-2)

Brock Osweiler played terrific in place of injured starting QB Ryan Tannehill, throwing for 380 yards and three TDs against Chicago’s vaunted defense. Albert Wilson, a speedster and suddenly a big-play specialist, caught six passes for a career-best 155 yards with two touchdowns in the overtime win.

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13. Chicago Bears (3-2)

Losing to a backup quarterback off a bye week is unacceptable for the Bears, who looked flat defensively against the Dolphins despite the extra time off.

14. Jacksonville Jaguars (3-3)

Blake Bortles is unwatchable right now and the defense looks soft, giving up 206 rushing yards in an embarrassing 40-7 loss at Dallas.

15. Tennessee Titans (3-3)

The Titans gave up more sacks (11) than Marcus Mariota had completions (10). They failed to score and have managed a mere 12 points in the past two contests.

Rest of the Pack

16. Washington Redskins (3-2)

17. Green Bay Packers (3-2-1)

18. Seattle Seahawks (3-3)

19. Dallas Cowboys (3-3)

20. Cleveland Browns (2-3-1)

21. Detroit Lions (2-3)

22. Houston Texans (3-3)

23. New York Jets (3-3)

24. Denver Broncos (2-4)

25. Atlanta Falcons (2-4)

26. Tampa Bay Buccaneers (2-3)

27. Buffalo Bills (2-4)

28. New York Giants (1-5)

29. Indianapolis Colts (1-5)

30. Arizona Cardinals (1-5)

31. San Francisco 49ers (1-5)

32. Oakland Raiders (1-5)

Patriots Sign WR Corey Coleman

The New England Patriots are signing former first-round draft pick Corey Coleman to a one-year, non-guaranteed contract, according to Ian Rapoport of NFL Network. Coleman, a slot receiver selected by the Cleveland Browns with the No. 15 overall pick of the 2016 NFL Draft, has struggled to live up to expectations in the pros.

Injuries plagued his first two seasons in Cleveland, which traded him to the Buffalo Bills during training camp. Despite forking over a 2020 7th-round draft pick to acquire Coleman, the Bills—short on offensive talent—waived him during the team’s roster cutdown.

The Patriots are adding wide receiver Corey Coleman. (David Richard/AP)

In two seasons with the Browns, Coleman totaled 56 receptions for 718 yards and five touchdowns in 19 games played. The 24-year-old hopes to reignite his disappointing career by catching passes from legendary quarterback Tom Brady.

The Patriots are taking a chance on another first-round wide receiver disappointment by signing Coleman. Last year, the Patriots acquired 2015 first-round selection Phillip Dorsett, also a slot receiver, in a trade with the Indianapolis Colts. Dorsett underwhelmed in two seasons with the Colts and was quiet in his first season with the Patriots in 2017, failing to record a touchdown with just 12 receptions on the year. But Dorsett exploded in Sunday’s victory over the Houston Texans, hauling in seven catches for 66 yards and a touchdown.

Coleman was scheduled to visit with the Philadelphia Eagles on Tuesday, but canceled those plans once the Patriots made him an offer.

With Julian Edelman suspended the first four games of the season, the Patriots played only three receivers on Sunday: Dorsett, Chris Hogan and Cordarrelle Patterson. Coleman has a chance to immediately contribute for New England if he can learn the system.

In addition to Coleman, the Patriots signed 27-year-old wideout Bennie Fowler.

NFL Predictions 2018: AFC East

The New England Patriots enter the season as heavy favorites to reclaim the AFC East, having won the past nine division titles. While the Patriots' run of success is likely to continue, questions remain for the other three teams in the division. Can the New York Jets, Miami Dolphins or Buffalo Bills make noise in 2018? Here is a preview of the AFC East:

1. New England Patriots (12-4)

The Patriots will win their 10th straight division title, as they own the East—at least until Bill Belichick and/or Tom Brady retires.

The Patriots are noticeably thin at wide receiver—especially in the wake of Julian Edelman’s four-game suspension—putting the onus on All-Pro tight end Rob Gronkowksi and wideout Chris Hogan to shine in the passing game.

2. New York Jets (8-8)

The Jets have exceeded expectations under Todd Bowles in two of his three seasons as head coach. They won 10 games in 2015 behind then-quarterback Ryan Fitzpatrick, and last season managed to win five games despite some experts predicting them to finish winless.                                                                                 

Outperforming the projections of most in what was a rebuilding year, Bowles and general manager Mike Maccagnan received contract extensions at the end of last season.

Rookie Sam Darnold has the chance to be a franchise quarterback for New York. The third overall pick in the 2018 NFL Draft impressed in the preseason and beat out Josh McCown and Teddy Bridgewater (traded at the end of the preseason to the New Orleans Saints) to claim the starting job.

Sam Darnold could be the face of the Jets franchise for years to come. (Julio Cortez/AP)

The Jets feature a dynamic young secondary spearheaded by the second-year safety duo Jamal Adams and Marcus Maye.

The lack of a pass rush is the team's kryptonite and ultimately holds them back from reaching the postseason for the first time since 2010.

3. Miami Dolphins (7-9)

Ryan Tannehill returns for Miami after missing all of last season—and while a return to the playoffs is possible for a club that earned a Wild-Card spot in 2016—the offense may hold them back as they adjust to life without superstar wide receiver Jarvis Landry.

The Dolphins will rely on their deep running back rotation—Kenyan Drake, Frank Gore and Kalen Ballage—to carry the load on offense.

The strength of the Dolphins' lies in their defensive line, headlined by Cameron Wake and new addition Robert Quinn—the former first-round pick who was acquired in a trade from the Los Angeles Rams in the offseason.

4. Buffalo Bills (4-12)

Despite making the playoffs last season, the Bills are quietly in rebuild-mode.

Nathan Peterman begins the year as the starting quarterback, though rookie Josh Allen is expected to eventually take over. No matter who is under center, Buffalo will be woeful on offense after losing three starting linemen from last season (left tackle Cordy Glenn, left guard Richie Incognito and center Eric Wood) on a roster that lacks playmakers outside of LeSean McCoy.