No major damage in Blount’s knee
PATRIOTS NOTEBOOK
FOXBORO — Patriots running back LeGarrette Blount dodged a significant scare with his right knee.
Blount was injured during Friday’s practice, but his MRI showed no structural damage, according to a team source. Though he didn’t practice again yesterday, Blount was running uphill sprints with the rehabilitation group on the back of the practice field midway through the session.
An offensive lineman was pushed back onto Blount’s knee during a running drill Friday, and he remained down for a moment before walking off the field very slowly with the medical staff. He hasn’t practiced since, but the source said the Patriots are taking a measured approach to his return while he shakes off the soreness.
This was great news for the team, too, as Blount has been far and away the best running back in training camp. He has hit holes with good vision and more explosion than anyone else, so an extended absence would have been costly. Blount is, however, suspended for the season opener after the NFL disciplined him for an arrest last August on a marijuana charge while he was with the Pittsburgh Steelers.
QB switch
As the saying goes, sometimes the best ability is availability.
Patriots coach Bill Belichick didn’t really beat around the bush yesterday while discussing the decision to swap out quarterback Matt Flynn for Ryan Lindley. Flynn had been on the non-football injury list since the start of training camp, and Belichick immediately noted, “Matt never passed his physical.”
Flynn missed all nine practices before the Patriots found a new thirdstring quarterback. The Pats needed someone who could dress for Thursday’s preseason opener at Gillette Stadium against the Green Bay Packers for two major reasons.
First, regardless of how much or how little they play Tom Brady, Belichick absolutely doesn’t need to find himself in a situation where Jimmy Garoppolo goes down and Brady needs to finish out the game. And second, Garoppolo doesn’t need to be subjected to any unnecessary beatings in case he is called upon to start a game or four in the regular season.
Lindley completed 9-of- 19 passes with an interception to safety Duron Harmon in team drills. He also was bitten by a couple of drops and needed offensive coordinator Josh McDaniels to show him the play sheets before each snap, which is understandable in his circumstance.
When asked what Lindley could bring to the team, Belichick didn’t mince words and reinforced the fact that he is healthy enough to put on a uniform.
“He’s got some experience,” Belichick said. “He’s been with a couple different organizations, played some. And he’s healthy. That’s the most important trait.”
Flynn, who earned a $20,000 signing bonus when he joined the Patriots before minicamp, completed 5-of-9 passes in team drills during one June practice. He was an enticing option as a seven-year veteran with some competent work in spot starts throughout his career, and the Pats want to ensure they’ll be in good hands if they ever have to scramble that far down the depth chart.
If Lindley doesn’t work out and Flynn gets healthy, Belichick wouldn’t close the door on a reunion.
“We’ll see how it goes,” Belichick said. “I wouldn’t rule it out. We’ve brought back plenty of players who were here, then weren’t here, then came back here. I know he worked hard. It was frustrating he couldn’t get out there. We couldn’t see him out there, so it’s the way it was.”
Special debut
Special teams captain Matthew Slater was told over the weekend he would make his training camp debut during yesterday’s practice. And even though Slater, who is a month shy of his 30th birthday, is used to this sort of thing, he couldn’t control his excitement Sunday night.
“I think they gave me a day to prepare myself,” said Slater, who came off the PUP list but wore a red non-contact jersey as a limited participant during the workout. “I had an idea I’d be coming out and doing some stuff today. I was excited. I don’t think I slept very much last night.”
Comings and goings
The Patriots traded linebacker Matt Wells, a sixth-round draft pick, to the Chicago Bears for left guard Ryan Groy. Also, the Pats signed running back Tony Creecy and tight end Logan Stokes and released linebacker Chris White and tight end Mason Brodine.