Tim Benz: Did the Patriots get off easy for Spygate 2.0? Will Cam Newton recruit Antonio Brown?

For our Thursday post, we bring in TribLIVE Radio founding father Ken Laird for a bonus podcast. He now works at WEEI-FM in Boston. And he is a go-to guy for us this morning. Because there are a ton of topics surrounding the New England Patriots that need to be discussed.

The first of which is, did they get the appropriate punishment for Spygate 2.0?

New England got busted last year taping the Cincinnati Bengals sideline from the Cleveland Browns press box. The Patriots claimed the videotaping was being done to create a “day in the life” documentary of a team scout by its own film crew. And the videographer accidentally taped the sideline.

By utter coincidence that occurred the week before the Bengals were coming up on the schedule.

Of course.

So, the Patriots got fined $1.1 million and lost a third-round draft choice. I think that’s a fair punishment. As I point out in the podcast, though, if the Atlanta Falcons did that to the New York Giants, no one cares that much. And maybe the punishment comes off as being too harsh if it is given to anyone outside of Massachusetts.

But the Patriots have a track record. So, to me, that’s a probation violation. The Patriots deserve a stiffer penalty than what would normally occur under the circumstances. Ken seems to agree. He explains why. But — stunningly — New Englanders don’t.

I know. That’s a shocker, right?

Then, there’s the acquisition of Cam Newton. Ken and I are in lock step here, too. Neither of us think that he is the Cam Newton of 2015. But he’s better than Jarrett Stidham at quarterback.

No doubt.

And that might be good enough to keep the Patriots in the playoff mix. Without Newton, that team is lucky to be 8-8. More likely 6-10 or 7-9.

With him? I bet 10-6. And I bet the three-wins difference might come from within the division.

I’ll bounce that notion off of Ken and see if he buys in.

Where Ken and I disagree is on the topic of Antonio Brown. He and Newton are pals. They’ve worked out together in the past. Don’t be stunned if Newton makes a pitch for A.B. to return to New England. The Pats need skill-position weapons. Mr. Big Chest is exactly that.

I don’t care how many bridges Brown burned on his way out the door in Foxborough last September. I guarantee you Newton tries to leverage a return. It likely won’t happen. But I bet he tries.

Oh yeah. It’d tick-off Tom Brady in Tampa, too. It appears Brady would love for Brown to become a Buc. Hence, I can imagine head coach Bill Belichick would like that aspect.

Laird disagrees. He says don’t give it a second thought. You listen. You decide.

Ken and I also dive into how Belichick and Newton will get along, if the Bruins will win the Stanley Cup in 2020, and if the Red Sox are even on the radar screen this year in Boston.

It sounds insane to ask, but you may be surprised by Ken’s answer.

LISTEN: Tim Benz and Ken Laird break down the Patriots, Spygate 2.0, Cam and A.B.