Word on the Street: Vick and the Patriots

Michael Vick is now free, both legally and professionally. He got out of the joint last month, and yesterday, the Falcons, the team that selected him with the first-overall pick in 2000, released him.

Even before Atlanta made it official, much of the talk this offseason (when we weren't discussing the implications of another Brett Favre fake retirement) has been about where Vick might play in 2009. Plenty of teams have issued "Yeah, we're not interested" statements, but athleticism trumps off-field troubles and there's a good chance Vick is playing somewhere next season, even if it's not at quarterback.

So where might that be? PFT.com's Mike Florio hears things.

There's been a theory making the rounds in the media that the New England Patriots could be a perfect destination for former Falcons quarterback Mike Vick. ...

But we're now hearing that there could be something to the chatter, primarily since it's appearing more and more likely that Vick won't have many/any options to compete for the every-down quarterback job in 2009.

Under those circumstances, sending Vick to New England for a year could help Vick position himself to become an attractive candidate for another team in 2010.

Whether you agree or not, it makes sense. After winning three Super Bowls in four years earlier this decade, Bill Belichick has earned the right to take a flier on a player with character concerns. Corey Dillion and Randy Moss are obvious examples; neither guy was doing much in Cincy or Oakland, the Pats traded for both, and all they did was play well stay out of trouble. Can't really ask for more than that.

There is the issue of just giving Vick a one-year deal, and Florio writes that "If Belichick goes out on a limb for the man who previously hanged a dog or two from one, the Patriots likely will want to have the option to keep him beyond 2009."

That's one concern, I suppose, but there's also this: putting aside what landed Vick in the slammer in the first place, does he make the Patriots' offense that much better? He's not an NFL starting quarterback -- at least not now -- but he's ready-made for the Wildcat. But with Moss, Wes Welker, Joey Galloway, Laurence Maroney, Kevin Faulk and Fred Taylor already on the roster and fighting for receptions and carries, I'm not sure where Vick fits in.

That said, maybe Belichick's of the opinion that you can never have too much offense, particularly since the defense was a weakness last year. Whatever happens, I won't be surprised if Vick ends up in New England. And if he does, I fully expect him to have success. I'm talking Pro Bowl-type numbers. That's one of the fringe benefits to playing for a coach who sold his soul to the devil.