FOXBOROUGH, Mass. -- Quick-hit thoughts and notes around the New England Patriots and NFL:
1. Memories of Mallett: Those who spent time with quarterback Ryan Mallett during the start of his NFL career with the Patriots expressed sadness at his death due to an apparent drowning last week, while sharing memories of their time together.
“I think of two things with Ryan. First, he always had a big grin and was always very lively. He brought a lot of energy and was super interactive with all his teammates,” said Raiders quarterback Brian Hoyer, who was a backup to Tom Brady with Mallett in 2011, and later played on the same Houston Texans team with him in 2015.