Brandon Lloyd to the New England Patriots was supposed to be one of life's little inevitabilities, like death and taxes or death in Texas to put a new spin on an old cliche. According to the Boston Globe, Lloyd and the Patriots are close to a deal.

For a while there, I wondered why the St. Louis Rams did not want him back in the fold for 2012, shoring up a gaping hole in the roster. As first reported on TST, the Rams and Lloyd's agent were talking. Lloyd was hardly a No. 1 receiver - whatever that is - but he did give the Rams their best receiving option since Torry Holt left town.

Ultimately, the inevitability of a Lloyd-Josh McDaniels reunion was preordained by the cosmos. Reports about Lloyd's insecurities and self-centered behavior made it seem like McDaniels was the only one who knew how to keep him happy.

The Rams need an X receiver, and are talking to Mario Manningham. Price is a factor for both players, as neither one if worth overpaying for, even with such a glaring need.