Welker wanted to hold out for a long-term deal.  At the end of the day, the Patriots probably decided it was in their best interest to stick to their franchise tag that they offered Welker.

There were two main reasons why the Patriots decided to go in this direction.  Patriots Head coach Bill Belichick likes to see players earn their paycheck without overpaying that player.

Welker dropped a critical pass that could have helped the Patriots’ win Super Bowl 46.  I definitely believe that was an x-factor in the Patriots decision to stay firm with their decision.

Welker not missing any games for the Patriots really helps the defending AFC Champions out in 2012.  I am sure Welker would like to get a long term deal done, but he realizes the Patriots have bigger issues to address.

Both parties may want to have a long-term solution in place for Welker, if the Patriots have a stable salary cap situation.  The deadline for both sides to get a deal done on is July 15, 2012.

There were at least five other receivers graded higher than Ebert.  This group of receivers includes North Carolina’s Dwight Jones, Stanford’s Chris Owusu, Texas A&M’s Jeff Fuller, Arizona State’s Gerrell Robinson, and South Dakota State’s Dale Moss.

Jones had character concerns off the field, Owusu was injury prone, many NFL scouts questioned Fuller’s work ethic, Robinson had a lack of game-breaking speed, and Moss attended a small school at South Dakota State.

Northwestern is one of the hardest colleges to get accepted into, so some NFL talent evaluators might believe Ebert has a tremendous football IQ.  He may not be the most physically imposing receiver, but there were no huge concerns with his decision-making off the gridiron.  Ebert’s passion for football may explain why the Patriots took him with a late-round pick.  He can be humble, yet very outgoing at the same time.

Ebert had 20 NFL teams watching him at Northwestern’s 2012 Pro Day.  He initially weighed in at 5-foot-11 and 200 pounds.  The Wildcats wide out would follow that up with an unofficial 4.35 40 time before posting an official 4.41 time in the 40 yard dash.  Ebert also recorded a 33-inch vertical jump along with a 6.70 time in the 3-cone drill.

Multiple NFL teams were impressed with what they saw out of Ebert at the Wildcats’ Pro Day. His production at Northwestern translated to success as well.

In 2009 as a sophomore, Ebert got off to a slow start, but by the end of the season he showed tons of promise.  His best game of the year came in the 2010 Outback Bowl against the Auburn Tigers.  He did struggle on some plays against Tigers cornerback Walter McFadden, but he finished the game with six receptions for 64 receiving yards.

Ebert asserted himself as the Wildcats’ leader on offense following the departure of quarterback Mike Kafka.  He finished 2010 with 62 receptions, 953 receiving yards, 8 receiving touchdowns, a then career-long 45- yard reception and an average of 15.4 yards per reception.

In 2011, Ebert returned to Northwestern for his senior season.  Ebert had a career-high 75 receptions, 1,060 receiving yards, 11 receiving touchdowns, and a career-long 90-yard reception.

There is no question that the Patriots had other draft options available, but the Patriots selected with Ebert because of his pro day and his production for the Wildcats.

The Patriots are getting a B grade for taking Ebert.  The Patriots could have taken a wide receiver with more overall skill and talent, but they get a hall pass for taking Ebert for three main reasons.

The Patriots have a good track record for taking players.  New England did its homework by watching Ebert dominate his pro day, and decided that they had nothing to lose by taking him with a late-round flyer.

It’s the seventh round of the 2012 NFL Draft.  Can you really be too subjective about this pick?  I find it difficult to criticize the Patriots here, because late round picks for Super Bowl contenders sometimes miss the team’s final 53-man roster due to the competition of players competing for spots on the team.

The Patriots got a receiver with the 253rd overall pick in the 2002 NFL Draft after winning Super Bowl 36 named David Givens.  Givens was not a long term asset, but he did contribute as a slot receiver leading the Patriots with six receiving touchdowns on a 2003-2004 team that won Super Bowl 38.  Givens won two Super Bowls with the Patriots before signing with the Tennessee Titans hoping for a bigger role.

For all we know Ebert, could contribute in the same exact way that Givens did.  It’s highly unlikely that Ebert achieves this feat, but I will not rule the possibility of Ebert’s impact on the Patriots in 2012 and beyond.

Welker appeared on a local Boston radio station and stated that he would not miss any regular season games. In fact, he said “there are 9.5 million reasons” why he wouldn’t miss any regular season games. The number 9.5 million is referring to the amount of money that Welker is set to receive with the tag.

As is normal procedure with the Patriots, both sides have been quiet about negotiations leaving the public and media to speculate as to whether he would be back for the 2012 season. All both sides have revealed during the offseason is that they hope to have a deal done at some point.

Besides the $9.5 million Welker is now set to make for the upcoming season, there is another good reason to sign the tender. The Patriots won the AFC championship in 2011 and were just a late drive shy of winning another Super Bowl. Since that day, the team has signed a pro bowl wide receiver in Brandon Lloyd and a pro bowl running back and Super Bowl champion Joseph Addai.

The Patriots had the best offense in 2011 and, despite the loss of their starting running back BenJarvis Green-Ellis, have only gotten better. In the draft the team focused on their weak defense and had what many believe to be one of the best overall drafts for 2012.

With these additions made during the 2012 offseason, the Patriots will certainly be one of the favorites to win Super Bowl XLVII. So why would Welker not want to be a part of that? If, or more likely when, Welker signs the tender, he will be the second receiver on the best offense of possibly the best team in the league. Not to sign would question his sanity.

In 2011, Dennard became the featured cornerback that quarterbacks would throw away from thanks to the departure of Amukamara.  Amukamara struggled for the New York Giants as a rookie due to a broken foot during one of the Giants’ first team practice sessions.

Dennard, once a first round prospect, slipped to the seventh round because he was arrested for assaulting a police officer.  Karma came back to haunt Dennard thanks to his poor choices off of the gridiron.  One player who saw karma work heavily in his favor was West Virginia defensive end Bruce Irvin.  Many pegged Irvin as an undrafted prospect after he committed destruction of property.  Irvin still went 15th overall to the Seattle Seahawks.

In 2010, Dennard recorded 4 interceptions, 7 pass breakups, and 30 tackles.  Quarterbacks only completed 49 percent of their passes against Nebraska in 2010.  One area where Dennard struggled in 2010 was zone coverage.

In 2011, Dennard remained dominant in man and press coverage; he held Iowa wide receiver Marvin McNutt in check.

The 2011 season ended on a low note for Dennard.  South Carolina wide receiver Alshon Jeffery owned Dennard in the 2012 Capital One Bowl.  Jeffery scored a touchdown on a Hail Mary pass against Nebraska by torching Dennard in coverage.  Both Dennard and Jeffery got ejected from the Capital One Bowl after a fight broke out between the two players.

Dennard’s struggles would continue during the 2012 Senior Bowl.  Many wide receivers down in Mobile, Ala., managed to pick apart Dennard with relative ease.  Coaches had a hard time viewing Dennard as a first-round pick after he struggled in Mobile.

I love the value of Dennard going to the Patriots in the 7th round.  Dennard is a pure man coverage corner that can press too.  The Patriots coaching staff will improve his zone coverage ability.  I mocked Dennard to the Patriots at the end of the second round in my final seven-round mock draft.  To get Dennard this late on draft day really speaks volumes about what a steal New England got in terms of overall talent.

If Dennard stays out of trouble this is hands down New England’s best late-round gem since drafting Michigan quarterback Tom Brady back in 2000 with the 199th overall pick.  Will Dennard have a Brady- like impact?  Probably not, one thing Dennard will do is provide stability on the secondary next to cornerback Devin McCourty that the Patriots desperately need.

The Patriots are getting an A+ grade for taking Dennard.  Taking Dennard was the one big thing the Patriots organization did to save face after reaching for NFL prospects on multiple occasions in the 2012 NFL Draft.

Revis was given the chance to reconsider his words last week but refused to adjust what he said stating that he spoke the truth. Certainly what Revis was referring to are some comments that the head coach of the 3-time Super Bowl champions has said about his Jets in the past. However, while Belichick has spoken critically about the Jets, it’s not as if they haven’t done the same.

Ever since Ryan has taken over the Jets he has made outlandish predictions and expressed his distaste for the Patriots. In 2010 he chastised the Patriots claiming they ran up the score when they defeated the Jets 45-3. While he was disgusted with that, he apparently didn’t have any problems running up the score on Buffalo twice that season.

As for players, Bart Scott has made himself an enemy of the Patriots over the last few years. After the Jets beat the Patriots in the 2010 divisional playoffs in Foxborough, Scott went on a rant when interviewed following the game where, instead of being professional, went into a tirade about feeling disrespected. While some saw it as raw emotion, it was an attempt to show up their hated rivals. Following the game, Scott went after the Patriots again saying that they can’t “talk and play” and that the Jets had “more playmakers” despite previous results indicating otherwise.

To claim that either the Jets or the Patriots have taken the high road in this rivalry would be delusional. Both teams have coaches and several players who have done much more talking than playing when these two teams have faced off. But to claim, as Revis did, that Belichick or the Patriots are “jerks” for some of their comments is very hypocritical because for each snide remark made toward the other team, there has always been a retort from the opposition just as scathing.

In 2011 the biggest problem for the Patriots was their defensive secondary. For a team that had the 31st ranked defense in the league, they gave up the majority of their yards in the air. Even with that stat hanging over them, the Patriots have focused almost exclusively on improving a defensive line that wasn’t that bad last season.

The Patriots now have 27 defensive linemen on their 90-man roster which equates to 33 percent of all players. That’s more than any team in the league. Besides that, with the re-signing on defensive tackle Gerard Warren, the Patriots defensive line from 2011 that recorded a respectable 40 sacks is largely intact.

The Patriots have also added a large group of linebackers to their rookie minicamp which started Friday. While the linebacker position for the team is less stable than the defensive line, it’s more stable than the defensive backs which is primarily based around players draft in 2009 or later.

To their credit, the Patriots look like they could be much better at defensive back in 2012. With the addition of several wide receivers through free agency, the team could use this offseason to make wide receiver Julian Edelman a full-time defensive back. Edelman played well in 2011 as a defensive back for much of the season and with an overcrowded wide receiving group, there may not be room for the young player anyway.

Another addition that could significantly help the Patriots is seventh round draft pick Alonzo Dennard from Nebraska. The former Blackshirt was expected to be a first or early second pick this year but a fight which resulted in Dennard’s arrest shortly before the draft dropped his stock to the end of the draft. If Dennard can stay out of trouble and play to his capabilities, he’s a potential perennial pro bowler.

If everything works out the best for the Patriots, they may have a much more solid defensive back group than expected. However, with the amount of additions to the defensive line and linebackers and the lack of additions committed to cornerbacks and safeties, it seems that the team is ignoring their biggest problem. It’ll be seen in September when the season starts whether or not this decision will cost them.

Following the 2011 season, the Patriots lost a good running back in BenJarvis Green-Ellis which left the team to depend on two unproven running backs in Shane Vereen and Stevan Ridley. While these two young backs could eventually turn into great players, the Patriots are looking to win in 2012.

While Addai is not the star running back he once was that’s not what the Patriots need. The Patriots offense is built around the passing game and Addai gives the team a back with excellent blocking skills to protect quarterback Tom Brady and catch the ball out of the backfield. Those skills will be much more important to this team than a back who will rush for 1,000 yards.

Patriots head coach Bill Belichick tried something new during the 2011 playoffs having tight end Aaron Hernandez line up at running back which the star tight end said he enjoyed. Despite what Hernandez would like, he is best when at his natural position and this move indicates that the team will continue to run the duel tight end system which the team succeeded with last year.

Some may question the signing of Addai claiming that it is an unneeded addition creating a crowded backfield. However, anything less than a Super Bowl victory in 2012 will be viewed as a failure and the only way the Patriots will win Super Bowl XLVII will be with Brady being healthy the entire season. Keeping their franchise star healthy will be a much less strenuous task with the experienced Addai.

The signing of free agent running back Joseph Addai may not be what many fans expected the team to do but it immediately improves the Patriots offense. A team looking to win cannot depend on unproven players and with the current group of backs the team has, that’s exactly what they’d be doing. Now the Patriots have an experienced back that brings all the qualities this specific offense needs.

After a record breaking 2011 season in which Gronkowski put up incredible numbers, the man with the most talked about ankle in the country needed an offseason of healing and gearing up for another Super Bowl run. However, football has seemed to be the last thing on his mind this offseason.

Gronkowski’s first offseason hobby was a campaign to appear on the cover of the Madden 2012 video game. He made several promotional videos to help his cause and appealed to fans through Twitter and other media in an attempt to win votes. Gronkowski’s newest hobby is his appearance on the show “The Choice”. The pro bowler will be one of 24 contestants on the celebrity dating show which will begin airing June 7.

In Super Bowl XLVI the Patriots came within a short Gronkowski dive of winning their fourth Super Bowl in 11 years. Instead, the team is 0-2 since winning three in four years to start the last decade. The Patriots have had a very productive offseason strengthening their wide receiving corps and improving a defense which struggled mightily in 2011.

So with the rest of the team so focused on winning the Super Bowl in 2012, you would think the 22-year old going into his third season with the team would be focused completely on football rather than capitalizing on his new found celebrity. After all, the Patriots already have Chad Ochocinco to draw personal attention and they certainly don’t need another one.

Ebner was a former Rugby player that saw limited action on special teams in college.  Ohio State ranked 15th out of 120 FBS teams in pass defense in 2011.  Ebner is #34 for Ohio State if you want to watch the highlights and point out a few notes  for yourself.

In the first game vs Akron, you will see Ebner line up on special teams.  Ebner does a great job getting to the kick returner to execute the tackle.

Ebner displays outstanding versatility, Ebner can be used as a slot cornerback, reserve safety, nickel cornerback, dime cornerback, backup strong safety, or backup free safety.

On one play he lines up as a nickel cornerback and drops back into zone coverage to make a tackle which forces an incompletion.  The following play he sacks Akron’s quarterback for a loss when attacking on the blitz as a field cornerback.  Great job by Ebner mixing up his ability to remain unpredictable.

On the first play of the Colorado game, Ebner does a great job of sprinting towards the end zone when executing his block on the return.  Two minutes into the highlights vs Colorado, Ebner positions himself to make a key tackle on special teams.

On another kick return, Ebner does an exceptional job blocking.  His block sets up a fantastic kick return.  Ebner is even able to gain some separation by using his speed to excel downfield on the return.  The kick returner fumbled the ball, but  Ebner’s execution of his assignment on special teams leads to a huge fumble recovery for Ohio State which puts them on the goal line.

On the final play of the Colorado highlight, Ebner was able to hold his block.  After holding the block for a while, Ebner gets by his blocker to help Ohio State execute a gang tackle where multiple defenders would execute a tackle on special teams.

The Patriots also have Jonathan Fanene and Brandon Deadrick ranked higher on their depth chart at left end.  Rookie first round pick Chandler Jones is expected to start at right end for the Patriots right away in 2012.

I do believe Bequette could be molded into a rotational left end and used as a pass rusher on 3rd downs.  Bequette is a lot better at pass rushing than he is at run stuffing when you watch his tape.  The problem is, Bequette played a 4-3 scheme at Arkansas while weighing in at  6 foot 5 and 274 pounds.

Bequette needs some conditioning because Patriots head coach Bill Belichick likes pass rushers that have the versatility to play in both the 4-3 and 3-4 defensive schemes.  Bequette is a 4-3 only player.  Durability questions also make me question this pick.

Bequette’s combined numbers probably got him selected this high.  Bequette ran a 4.82 40-yard dash time and jumped 34 inches when launching into the air for his vertical jump.

One of the strongest qualities about Bequette is his heart-he plays with a tremendous amount of heart.  Bequette’s Combine performance and high character played a factor in New England taking him here.

The Patriots could get a poor man’s Mike Vrabel if Bequette shows the work ethic while making major strides to improve, but  I think this is another Jermaine Cunningham SEC flop type of pick at defensive end.

I am giving the Patriots a C+ grade here.  Bequette’s character and heart boosts this pick from a C grade to a C+ grade.  You also have to consider that the Patriots took another Arkansas player in round 3 of the 2011 NFL Draft with Ryan Mallett.  Both former Arkansas players Bequette and Mallett will be considered hits if either player is on the Patriots’ roster as a great starter in 3 years.  I do not see either player developing into a long term starter because both players just have too much to overcome at the next level.

Mallett has a cannon for an arm.  The lack of accuracy plus the character concerns he had off the field at Arkansas made me initially question the idea of drafting Mallett as Tom Brady’s successor.

Bequette could develop into a backup rotational pass rusher on 3rd downs.  Overcoming durability concerns, showing the right work ethic, and improving his conditioning in New England will be the keys to whether Bequette becomes a starter down the road.