Drew Rosenhaus says Bill Belichick was, in fact, working the phones while vacationing in Barbados

By Matt Dolloff, 985TheSportsHub.com

After being photographed with Linda Holliday in Barbados, Bill Belichick gave many the impression that he wasn’t paying attention during the start of NFL free agency. Not the case, if you talk to Drew Rosenhaus.

The prominent super-agent, who represents Rob Gronkowski as well as former Patriots left tackle Trent Brown, mentioned Belichick to Peter King for his new Monday column on Pro Football Talk. Rosenhaus says that Belichick was, in fact, communicating with him and presumably other people while in Barbados. Rosenhaus claims at least one phone conversation centered around Brown, who ultimately agreed to sign with the Oakland Raiders just minutes into the legal tampering period last week.

“Don’t let those photos fool you,” Rosenhaus said. “We talked one morning at 4:30 about Trent Brown. They wanted to keep him.”

Who knows how serious the Patriots really were about keeping Brown, considering he signed the richest free-agent deal ever for an offensive lineman. But it would be a little weird if Rosenhaus made the entire thing up just to do Belichick a solid.

Patriots followers last week endured an awkward juxtaposition of Belichick relaxing in Barbados with a slew of big-name free agents signing elsewhere. Especially at wide receiver, where the Patriots reportedly made a late push to offer more money to receiver Adam Humphries and also pursued Golden Tate and Cole Beasley. He ultimately signed with the Titans, and apparently decided before the Pats’ final offer came in. Humphries kept his word and signed with Tennessee.

So if you want to point to the Humphries “saga” as a sign that Belichick might not have had full control of the situation while vacationing? Fine. It’s unlikely he had his phone on him while he was diving off a dock in the middle of the ocean. But to say his vacation means he was blatantly neglecting the Patriots during one of the busiest times of the offseason would be over the top.

The Patriots did make several signings last week, anyway. None of them were earth-shattering, but Belichick did check some items off the to-do list. In other words, a normal start for this team. There’s still more work to be done, and hopefully this is the last time Belichick lets the paparazzi catch him practicing his diving.

Matt Dolloff is a digital producer for 985TheSportsHub.com. Any opinions expressed do not necessarily reflect those of 98.5 The Sports Hub, Beasley Media Group, or any subsidiaries. Have a news tip, question, or comment for Matt? Follow him on Twitter @mattdolloff or email him at matthew.dolloff@bbgi.com.