Bill Belichick has played the market well again with the addition of veteran cornerback Tory James.  

James is coming off a down season with Cincinnati as age is catching up to him, but is an ideal fit in New England as his career winds down.  With uncertainty surrounding Asante Samuels’ contract, James provides experienced insurance and should greatly enhance depth in the secondary for New England, which is much sought here. 

James may lack speed to match up with receivers in man coverage, but is very smart and brings a lot of experience to the Patriots.  Belichick craves that type of experience and intelligence in his complex scheme where he mixes up multiple coverages.  James plays his best when the football is in front of him where his excellent recognition skills and burst to the ball should be well-suited in New England.  James has a knack for creating turnovers and will be in a position to make a lot of big plays for the Patriots.    

More thoughts on some recent moves around the league:

The Rams’ acquisition of punter Donnie Jones raised some eyebrows around the league.  Matt Turk did a tremendous job for the Rams last season, but the Rams were leery about making a long-term financial commitment due to some durability concerns.  The Rams now are turning to one of the league’s worst punters.  Jones has a good leg, but is extremely inconsistent.  

The Houston Texans are the latest team that hopes Andre Davis develops into a big-play receiver.  Davis arrives in Houston with a golden opportunity for a team starving for production at wide receiver behind Andre Johnson.  Davis does have the speed to make big plays downfield, but has never developed any polished skills.  He often is re-routed at the line of scrimmage by stronger corners and drops too many balls to play a significant role on offense.  Davis has found a niche on special teams and that likely will be his biggest role in Houston. 

Stop the presses!  The Raiders made a rare savvy move in the free agent market with the signing of guard Cooper Carlisle last week.  Carlisle isn’t an impact lineman by any means, but is experienced in the zone blocking scheme that Lane Kiffin is looking to install in Oakland.  That should be a big help for younger lineman such as Paul McQuistan and Kevin Boothe.  Carlisle is a good athlete for a guard who relies a lot on technique and has a great feel for playing the proper angles.  Most importantly, Carlisle is a long-time Bronco who will provide the Raiders some insight on the Denver offense.