Michael Floyd-New England Patriots Rumors: Miami Dolphins, Detroit Lions Lurk


Michael Floyd-New England Patriots rumors indicate the veteran receiver could be looking for a new team very soon. After the Patriots traded for Brandin Cooks of the New Orleans Saints, a big question mark loomed over the free agency of Floyd. With Julian Edelman, Cooks, Chris Hogan, and Malcolm Mitchell at the top of the Patriots’ depth chart and an expectation that Danny Amendola will return, there isn’t much room left for Floyd. A report by ESPN analyst Mike Reiss seems to confirm the Patriots’ news.

The Arizona Cardinals cut Michael Floyd toward the end of the 2016 NFL season, giving the Patriots an opportunity to add depth for the postseason. It was an inexpensive acquisition, as Floyd’s contract was still the one he had signed during his rookie season with the Cardinals. Although there had been a number of NFL rumors about other teams interested in his services, quite a few passed on him before the Patriots won the claim.

Michael Floyd’s stats with the Patriots were pretty pedestrian, as he made four catches for 42 yards and a touchdown in two regular season games. He added another catch for nine yards in the playoffs but ended up celebrating with the Patriots as Tom Brady led the team to another Super Bowl victory.

Floyd’s time with the Arizona Cardinals was a bit better to his stat sheet. In parts of five seasons with the team, he had 242 catches for 3,781 yards and 24 touchdowns. His high-water mark was during the 2013 NFL season when Floyd caught 65 passes for 1,041 yards and five touchdowns. Those are numbers many teams might like to see from him during the 2017 NFL season.

Michael Floyd Touchdown For Arizona Cardinals
[Image by Christian Petersen/Getty Images]

While these Michael Floyd-New England Patriots rumors have not yet been confirmed by the team, many NFL analysts are now indicating that his time in the AFC East has come to an end. Teams that could be a fit for Floyd include the Miami Dolphins and Detroit Lions, two franchises that could use some help at the receiver position. As an unrestricted free agent, Floyd is available to sign with any team willing to offer him a multi-year contract.

One big question, though, is how much of Michael Floyd’s contract is going to be affected by his ongoing legal situation. After pleading guilty to an extreme DUI stemming from a December 12 drunk driving arrest, Floyd has entered a home detention program. This could keep him from leaving the state of Arizona for the time being, meaning he wouldn’t be able to report to the training camps of any team until June. That is, unless he re-signed with the Arizona Cardinals.

This key piece of information will likely preclude Floyd from receiving a big pay day in free agency. What could end up happening is that he may agree to a one-year deal, amounting to a “prove it” contract as he tries to get his off-the-field reputation back in good standing. This is where the New England Patriots rumors about cutting ties with Floyd make sense, as head coach and general manager Bill Belichick continues to work hard to get players who are committed to hard offseason practices. It also opens the door for another contending team to sign Floyd at a rather large discount.

Michael Floyd Touchdown Against St. Louis Rams
[Image by Norm Hall/Getty Images]

There is still a lot of time in the offseason for NFL rumors to play out, including the potential of other teams surfacing to work on a new Floyd contract. It’s also possible that training camps begin while Floyd is still a free agent, meaning he would need to wait for an injury or roster opening to sign a deal for the 2017 NFL season. No matter how his personal story plays out, these latest Michael Floyd-New England Patriots rumors likely end his chapter with the defending Super Bowl champions.

[Featured Image by Mike Ehrmann/Getty Images]

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