Terrance Knighton is a big man who had a big decision to make this offseason.
The former Jaguars, Broncos and Redskins defensive tackle was a free agent looking for a new home.
In the end, though, Knighton's heart told him that reaching a deal with the Patriots was the right move.
Wednesday one of the biggest members of New England's spring of talent acquisitions held an introductory conference call with the local media.
The Boston Globe says that when it came down to reach a decision, the defending champs were an easy choice for Knighton. **“I just followed my heart and my heart told me to go to New England,’**’ Knighton said.
*Globe *columnist Chris Gasper looks at the Patriots offseason and seems to feel it's been different than past years for a team that's played in five straight AFC title games. “The Patriots are going for it this offseason because of the number of valuable players who could be moving out of Fort Foxborough following the 2016 season.”
The Boston Herald says Knighton looks like a perfect fit for the Patriots. Before signing with New England, Knighton consulted with another big man who used to be a leader in the Gillette locker room. "I had a long talk with Vince Wilfork, obviously before signing," he revealed.
The *Herald *prospect series looks at Utah State defensive end Kyle Fackrell, while the paper's Inside Track section has its almost-daily note on Rob Gronkowski’s offseason antics.
The Providence Journal notes that part of the reason Knighton's heart led him to New England is that he was born in Connecticut and is a big fan of the region’s professional sports teams already. The ProJo has a Patriots draft preview story on the wide receiver position.
ESPNBoston.com details exactly how Knighton became a Boston sports fan. The site notes that the big man's 1-year contract in New England includes weight clauses.
WEEI.com's Chris Price explains his thinking and voting at a meeting on Wednesday regarding this year's potential class of nominees for induction into the Patriots Hall of Fame. WEEI.com focuses on Knighton’s love of the Celtics.
CSNNE.com says Knighton can be a dominant nose tackle in New England. CSNNE.com underappreciated workhorse Phil Perry offers up a seven-round mock draft of Patriots picks!
NFL.com says the Patriots and Packers are the top teams who take advantage of big draft classes, with New England's 2010 haul the best of the draft classes with 12 or more picks in the last decade. NFL.com also looks at how the Patriots still sit atop the AFC East.
NFL.com says the Patriots loss to the Broncos in the AFC title game was the No. 3 best game of the 2015 season.
