Patriots Gridiron News 10/13: Tom Brady ‘Loved’ Playing with Brandon LaFell
New England Patriots quarterback Tom Brady enjoyed played with current Bengals wide receiver Brandon LaFell.
An old friend is returning to Foxboro Sunday when the Cincinnati Bengals come to Gillette Stadium to face the New England Patriots. Former wide receiver Brandon LaFell will be returning to the place he called home for two seasons.
Patriots quarterback Tom Brady took some time on Wednesday to reflect on his former weapon. Speaking to the Cincinnati media, the Patriots quarterback praised LaFell for the contributions he made to the team.
"“I loved playing with Jo [Brandon LaFell],” Brady said. “He was a spectacular player and I know he had a big week last week. I saw two touchdowns. He’s a great teammate. We were locker mates for a couple of years and he just made huge contributions to our team.More from New England PatriotsFormer Patriot Stevan Ridley Put Kevin Hart in a Wheelchair3 Patriots Who Can Clinch a Roster Spot in Final Preseason GamePatriots Get Win Over Division Rivals Before Season Even BeginsNew Massachusetts Sportsbook Promos: $450 Bonus to Bet on Your Patriots at Caesars + DraftKingsEzekiel Elliott Reveals 3 Reasons Why He Signed With Patriots"
LaFell had the best year of his career in 2014 when the Patriots won Super Bowl XLIX. He caught 74 passes for 953 yards and seven touchdowns from Brady. He also caught a touchdown pass in the Super Bowl. LaFell struggled the following season as he was slowed by a foot injury. Although his departure from New England didn’t end on a high note, Brady marveled at the type of teammate he was.
“He was selfless,” Brady continued. He has a great skill set, speed, toughness, his run-after-catch. He can really do everything, the whole route-tree. He played in the slot for us, he played outside, he caught short balls, he caught deep balls, he was very good in the red area so I loved playing with him. He’s a spectacular player and it looks like he’s off to a great start this year.”
Injury report: Running back Brandon Bolden (knee) and linebacker Jonathan Freeny were absent from practice on Wednesday. Bolden is expected to miss a few weeks due to a leg injury suffered in the Week 4 loss to the Buffalo Bills.
Guard Shaq Mason was missing from practice on Wednesday. There is no word on whether his absence was due to injury or for personal reasons. Any missing time for Mason would live the Patriots thin at offensive guard. Rookie sixth-round pick Ted Karras would see increased playing time if Mason misses a game or more.
On a positive note, linebacker Shea McClellin returned to practice. He has been limited due to being placed on the NFL concussion protocol. Rookie tackle Vincent Valentine (back) was also back on the practice field after missing last week’s practices.
Practice squad: According to Patriots.com, the Patriots made a couple practice squad moves on Wednesday. One of those moves involved the brother of Pro-Bowl tight end Rob Gronkowski.
Just a couple weeks after signing Glenn Gronkowski to the practice squad, the Patriots released the fullback. The 6-foot-3, 234 pound product of Kansas State went undrafted in the 2016 NFL draft. He was signed by the Buffalo Bills and then released on Sept. 12. He played in only one NFL game while with the Bills.
To fill the spot, New England signed former fourth-round pick Shaquelle Evans. The 25-year-old wide receiver was drafted by the New York Jets in 2014. He spent his rookie season on injured reserve and was released by the Jets towards the end of training camp in 2015.
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