FOXBOROUGH, Mass. -- Quick-hit thoughts/notes around the New England Patriots and NFL:
1. One area to monitor in the offseason is Patriots players who undergo surgeries to address lingering issues, and rookie guard Tre' Jackson (13 games played, nine starts) falls into that category. Jackson, who missed both playoff games with a knee injury, underwent a knee scope over the past month. It isn’t expected to affect his long-term availability, but it will naturally affect his offseason workouts, initially putting him on more of a rehabilitation track. Jackson slipped to the fourth round in the 2015 draft and some teams cited concern with his knees as a reason why.