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It Is What It Is » Sunday NFL Notes: What a difference a year makes for Rob Gronkowski

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Great notes from Chris Price this weekend, with this notable list of remaining free agents would could fit., I’d take Connolly and Wisniewski, and add maybe Dane Fletcher to the list if not McCarthy:

  • a) Colin McCarthy: The Patriots kicked the tires on the linebacker this spring, and apparently expressed real interest in signing the 25-year-old, a 6-foot-4, 235-pounder who played the last four years of his career with the Titans.
  • b) Stefan Wisniewski: A veteran who is likely in the same holding pattern as McCarthy — he also visited Foxboro earlier this spring — the 26-year-old offensive lineman who has played both guard and center the last four years with the Raiders would provide some much needed depth at the position for New England. 
  •  c) Reggie Wayne: We’ve been proponents of the idea of at least kicking the tires on Wayne for a long time now, and he could be an intriguing post-May 12 addition. The 36-year-old recently made it clear that he’d like to play one more year, and if he doesn’t get a chance to reunite with his old pal Peyton Manning in Denver, the veteran pass catcher would make an interesting addition for Belichick, who has always praised his work. 
  •  d) Red Bryant: The 6-foot-5, 328-pound defensive lineman came close to signing with the Patriots when he was a free agent in 2012, but ended up with the Seahawks. The 30-year-old is not the elite-level defender he once was, but he’s durable (he’s played in 63 of a possible 64 regular-season games over the last four years) and is considered an excellent locker room presence.

On Parcells and the Pats Hall of Fame

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There’s a fun debate going on within Patriots Nation right now as to whether or not Bill Parcells deserves to be elected to the Pats Hall of Fame.

While I believe Parcells certainly is a notable name in Patriots history and deserves consideration, I would not vote him in now, and maybe not ever.

I clearly remember when the Pats brought Parcells in after what was a gruesome start to the 90s. I saw quite a few of those games firsthand and the on-field product was embarrassing. So when Parcells came in and the logo changed over to the Flying Elvis, we were all reinvigorated. That excitement is not lost on me.

Parcells also drafted some key guys who would later win Super Bowls – Troy Brown, Willie McGinest, Tedy Bruschi, Lawyer Milloy, Ted Johnson, Ty Law, and Adam Vinatieri.

Perhaps most importantly, Parcells introduced Robert Kraft to Bill Belichick when Belichick joined the team in 1996 as the secondary coach.

But we also cannot forget about the acrimonious end to Parcells’ career in New England, which really put a dark cloud over the Pats Super Bowl appearance in 1996. You could even say it was enough of a distraction that it hindered the Pats in the big game. And that he then went to the Jets and took Curtis Martin with him certainly isn’t playing in his favor either.

But when it was all said and done, here was Parcells’ records with the Patriots and the ranks of the offenses and defenses.

  • 1993: 5-11 22nd/11th (Missed Playoffs)
  • 1994: 10-6 8th/12th (Lost Wild Card Round)
  • 1995: 6-10 23rd/25th (Missed Playoffs)
  • 1996: 11-5 2nd/14th (Lost in Super Bowl)

When I think of who I want in the Patriots Hall of Fame, I want legendary Patriots. Guys who are synonymous with the team and made extended and lasting contributions both on the field and off it.

There’s no question the moment Parcells came to New England, the franchise was relevant again. Not because they were suddenly a good team, but because Parcells brought name recognition to the coaching staff after the Pats had toiled with guys like Dick MacPherson and Rod Rust.

But was the on-field production of Parcells’ teams Hall of Fame worthy? He did have the luxury of a first overall selected quarterback Drew Bledsoe which certainly gave him someone to build around. The cupboard wasn’t completely barren.

Parcells set the table for the Super Bowl runs in the early 2000s, but there was also three years of Pete Carroll in between. Carroll won 27 games in those three years. Parcells won 32 in four.

Parcells is a significant name in the history of the Patriots, but not a slam dunk Hall of Famer by my standards on the field or off it. Parcells’ quotability and personality would make him a favorite for any popularity poll, but it’s not about popularity, it’s about excellence for the New England Patriots.

Parcells’ excellence was either established before he arrived in New England or accomplished by a handful of players he drafted after he left. What he did while he was in Foxboro while solid, just doesn’t scream excellence to me, and the details of his departure only convince me more that he doesn’t deserve to be enshrined now, if ever.