By Tom E. Curran
CSNNE.com
It's not official as of 1 p.m. Tuesday, but there is confirmed interest on the part of the Patriots in signing Marcus Stroud. Adam Schefter of ESPN reports it will bea two-year deal when it's all said and done. The 32-year-old Stroud was released by Buffalo last week after struggling in 2010 with a switch from 4-3 defensive tackle to 3-4 defensive end. "I know they want to get younger on the field and I have no problem with that,"Stroud told the Buffalo News after his release."When you play this game as long as I have, you know these kinds of things can happen. I'll just have to bounce back and keep on coming . . .
"I wanted to come back, but no hard feelings, no gripes," he added. "It's water under the bridge and now it's time for me to rehab, get my shoulder well and go to work and find another team to play for. If not, I can't complain because I had a great career. I played 10 years in this league and played some good ball. A lot of people can't say that."The 6-foot-6, 312-pounder made three Pro Bowls (2003-05) as he and John Henderson formed one of the league's best defensive-tackle tandems in Jacksonville. He was traded to the Bills in 2008 and started 45 of the 46 games he played. He's coming off a shoulder surgery. Buffalo made the move a) to get younger and b) because Stroud's contract had him making 4.5 million in 2011 - highest on the Bills roster. With Stroud coming in, it casts further intrigue into the future of the Warrens. Ty Warren is coming off hip surgery and is due to make over 3 million in salary this year. Gerard Warren is a free agent who played well for the Pats in a pinch in 2010. Meanwhile, it also makes you wonder about the health of Mike Wright who was laid low by a severe concussion last year and struggled to get back. We'll keep working to hear what the skinny is on the level Stroud can be expected to play at and contribute.
Tom E. Curran can be reached at tcurran@comcastsportsnet.com. Follow Tom on Twitter at http:twitter.comtomecurran