Report: Mike Vrabel-Dianna Russini photos were shopped for "four figures"

There's a story behind the publication of compromising photos involving Patriots coach Mike Vrabel and New York Times reporter Dianna Russini.

Some of that story is trickling out.

Ryan Glasspiegel and Michael McCarthy of Front Office Sports report that the photos were shopped before being published by the New York Post on Tuesday.

TMZ was approached by, per the report, an "anonymous tipster" regarding photos of Vrabel with an "unidentified woman." The tipster, who was not from a known paparazzi or photo agency, requested a sum in the "four figures."

The Post declined comment to FOS regarding how it obtained the photos, including whether it paid for the images.

Vrabel and Russini denied, in separate statements, that the photos show anything improper. There are inconsistencies between the statements, the photos, and the reporting from the Post.

Russini returned to Twitter early Thursday, posting what seemed to be an innocuous trial balloon. It did not go well, with the usual Twitter toxicity emerging in overwhelming fashion in the responses to the post.

The Patriots have not commented on the situation. Vrabel likely won't be available to reporters again until the typical press conferences that occur during and/or after the draft.