When Did the New England Patriots Become the Reform School of the NFL?

On Friday, Mike Florio of ProFootballTalk.com opined that many people in the media believe that "the New England Patriots could be a perfect destination for former Falcons quarterback Mike Vick," and that, "there could be something to the chatter." This post has now been regurgitated on other sites, ignoring the fact that there is no evidence to back up Florio's assertion. Moreover, speaking of former Titans' and Cowboys' cornerback Pacman Jones, Matt Williamson of Scouts Inc. said, "I think New England would be a good fit. They're so firm there, and people come there and rejuvenate their careers." As a Patriots fan, I'm rather flattered that the media recognizes that the Patriots, as an organization, are the team best-suited to deal with "problem children." That said, it's frustrating to see the media basically suggest that the Patriots are actively looking to bring wayward players into the fold. The evidence consistently cited in favor of these arguments is that the Patriots were able ... (link)