FOXBOROUGH, Mass. -- Quick-hit thoughts and notes around the New England Patriots and NFL:
1. Patriots special-teams captain Matthew Slater wasn't taking anything for granted this offseason, as he hoped the club would pick up his $400,000 roster bonus to exercise the option on his contract for 2019.
So when the call came, he was relieved.
"I was really excited to hear from Bill [Belichick] that they wanted me part of the team moving forward. I'm so thankful that the Patriots saw fit to continue to make an investment in me as a player and as a leader for our team," Slater told ESPN.