The Facts: A league source Friday night said that the 30-year-old Lloyd and the Patriots were “close’’ to coming to a contract agreement. Once it’s finalized, the team could potentially have the outside-the-numbers receiving threat it has been lacking since Randy Moss was traded a quarter of the way into the 2010 season.

Diehards Line:Lloyd did numerous interviews before the start of free agency, and in nearly every one he praised the Patriots, saying he was interested in playing for New England and offensive coordinator Josh McDaniels, his head coach in Denver. Being so open in his desire to play for them likely didn’t help Lloyd’s leverage with the team, though agent Tom Condon tried to create some interest when Lloyd visited with San Francisco Wednesday. ... Lloyd missed most of the 2009 season, his first in Denver, with injuries, but a year later he finally - eight years into his career - delivered on the promise he’d been flashing. He led the league with 1,448 yards on 77 catches, adding 11 touchdowns. McDaniels was fired toward the end of the 2010 season, but a year later, as the Rams’ offensive coordinator, he acquired Lloyd from Denver during an in-season trade, and he quickly became the best receiver on a roster starving for talent at the position, with 51 catches for 683 yards in 11 games with St. Louis.