The craziness over the Patriots signing of their new 3^rd string Quarterback Tim Tebow has died down a little after reaching the high water mark (for now at least) on Tuesday when it seemed that the tiny burg of Foxboro, Massachusetts became the hot spot for news in the United States.

The Patriots, more precisely Bill Belichick went into the typical “Belichickian” mode of giving curt, totally unsatisfactory (for the assembled media guys at least) answers that the seasoned beat writers of Foxboro are well used to. Most probably already had the various answers written because they’ve heard them all before.

Bill Belichick and former Bruins coach Pat Burns share a sense of history of their sport and more. (FILE:USPresswire)

From the bemused smirk upon entering the room, “in honesty, we’ve been in front of bigger crowds than this,” to the bland description of Tebow, “He’s talented and smart and works hard,” Belichick was doing his level best to put a damper on the circus that engulfed the New York Jets last season.

Asked about how Tebow would be used, Belichick gruffly answered, “I don’t know, we’ll see what happens”. He finally said, “I’ve answered that question twice.” And best, “we’ve already talked enough about him.”

This led to a multitude of stories stating that Bill Belichick doesn’t care what you write or think about him, that he only cares about making his team better.

Bunk I say.

Belichick for sure will put his or any of his players interests second to the team’s at all times but don’t think for a second that he doesn’t care what is written about him.

Right Tom Jackson?

Parallel With Hockey’s Burns- Belichick is a huge fan of the game and ask any media member who covers New England regularly and they’ll tell you that on occasion when Belichick talks about the history of the game, his answers become longer and much more interesting.

He is well aware of his legacy in NFL history, just watch the NFL Films clip when he visits Giants stadium for the final time.

While I don’t know Belichick and have never spoken to him, I did know – and was good friends with – the late former Boston Bruins coach Pat Burns who was much like Belichick in the manner that he was perceived by the press. Burns, like Belichick, was thought of as a curmudgeon, a gruff, dour nightmare to deal with in terms of the media.

Like Belichick, Burns early in his coaching career had some issues with the press and it shaped his attitude towards them right or wrong for the remainder of his career. Also like Belichick he deflected praise from himself to the players when they won and took the brunt of the criticism when they lost.

He would always protect his players publicly but could cut them to the quick with just a glare and took no nonsense from anyone. Once at a pre-game skate in Raleigh while coaching the New Jersey Devils, he and I chatted at the bench while the team was going thru drills. Sensing his momentary distraction, the players let up, ever so briefly and future Hall of Fame goaltender Martin Brodeur let in a couple of easy shots. “Excuse me a moment,” Burns said.

Burns shared a similar personality as Belichick and a similar way in handling the media.

Blowing his whistle and skating to center ice, Burns glared at his team at both ends of the arena, to sheepish glances at the ice from the players. He never uttered a word, he didn’t have to. Brodeur finally looked up and said to the silent Burns, “I can hear you yelling all the way down here.” Play then resumed with a heightened sense of urgency. If any Patriots fans have taken in a training camp practice, you’ve seen Belichick do much the same thing.

Love of the League History- The only 3-time Coach of the Year with three different Original Six teams, Burns was well aware of how he was viewed in the press but would never change his manner in dealing with them exactly like Belichick does.

Did it bother him? Most definitely, although very few people were allowed to see it. However, I know he saw and heard everything that was written about him. But another thing the two coaches shared was a love of the history of their respective sports.

He was never one to speak about himself, but ask a question on hockey history and be prepared to sit for a while and be regaled with stories of players and times and some hilarious anecdotes.

Pat Burns funny? You bet, he was the nicest friendliest guy in the room. He was a practical joker of epic proportions and would laugh even louder when he was the butt of the jokes. Think Belichick is any different? Watch the same NFL Films piece in “A Football Life” and see him show up to Randy Moss’ Halloween Masquerade Party dressed as a pirate.

Burns loved the passion for the sport here in Boston and loved talking hockey “about the Broons” with average fans he came across in Laconia, NH not far from his house in Gilmanton.

Indeed, after finally winning the Holy Grail of hockey, the Stanley Cup with the Devils, I – like hundreds of family and friends that night – left him a voice mail with congratulations. Early the next morning, a slightly groggy Burns called. “Hey buddy, WE DID IT!”

Surprised, perhaps shocked is a better description, I asked him if instead of talking to me if he should be off doing a ton of press interviews? “Nah, they can wait. This morning it’s about thanking family and friends for sticking with us through the season.”   Not wanting to hold him up, I asked one more question, “So how does it feel to know your name will be on the Cup?”

He laughed, “Going to be written up there with all the greats…” he said. “Forever and ever. Pretty cool eh?”

After his coaching career was cut short by the cancer that eventually would take his life, I asked him once what he thought his chances were that he’d eventually find himself in the NHL’s Hall of Fame. He sighed, “I certainly hope so, but I don’t have control over that.” Asked if he would change anything in his career, he said, “Not a thing.”

So while many people may think that Bill Belichick doesn’t care what’s written about him, I doubt that is true. He’ll put it on the back burner, and put the team first as he always has, but if you believe that, then look towards history.

I’m sure he’d probably say, “We’re going to do what’s in the best interest of our team.” I’m guessing, like Burns, a thought like “Pretty cool eh?” will probably be somewhere in the back of his mind as well.

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Well the world IS flat after all, Columbus was wrong….and Tim Tebow is a member of the New England Patriots.

While the now very untrue rumor that Bill Belichick hated Tebow the player has been dispelled, the equally wrong one that Tebow would never be a member of the Patriots has also gone the way of the T-Rex.

So the cryptic very Patriot-like message read that Tim Tebow was signed and would be at mini-camps tomorrow. So now the $64 question is, where does he fit?

Bill Belichick has brought in Tim Tebow with the Patriots, but does he fit? (FILE:USPresswire)

Media Crush A Non-factor- Forget the problems the Jets had with the media madness that surrounds Tebow and daily press conferences. This is New England and Bill Belichick. Tebow may be allowed an initial media availability tomorrow but after that? Forget it.

The Patriots will do what they’ve always done, they’ll circle the wagons and do everything in their power to shield Tebow and the rest of the team from the mania that has followed him since Day 1.

Got a question about Tebow’s performance during camp? Don’t expect any golden tidbits from Belichick, and settle for the stock, “he’s got a long way to go like all the players on the roster,” type answer.

How Does He Fit In the Patriots’ System?- Easy, he doesn’t.  What made him successful in Denver were a completely different set of skill sets than what makes the Patriots offense go.

Can Tim Tebow do a three step drop and make the proper reads and deliver the football in less than 2.5 seconds accurately? I don’t think so. Is that to say that it is beyond the realm of possibility that he can? Not at all, however his mechanics are and have always been quite bad. And I’ve always been one of his biggest fans. But it is perhaps his biggest weakness.

He won’t lack for proper coaching from Josh McDaniels, who originally drafted him, from Belichick himself, who obviously sees something in there that he likes and from Tom Brady, who will do everything in his power to help Tebow succeed in New England. If you’re expecting something different, then you don’t know the Patriots.

Will Tebow Play TE or RB?- Lots of scenarios being played out right now that Tebow will be used as a TE or RB, similar to what the Jets attempted to do with him. Hogwash, plain and simple. Look at the depth the Patriots have at tight end right now and his chances of making the roster as a TE are less than zero. And a glance at his snaps at receiver last season would preclude any talk of that.

Tebow did have some moderate success running the ball in short yardage last season for the Jets, but the truth be told, Stevan Ridley is a much better option already. And as a Wildcat QB? It makes zero sense, why take the ball out of the hands of arguably one of the greatest QBs to ever play the game and hand it to a gimmicky offensive set?

Bill Belichick would never sit Tom Brady down to run a Wildcat offense, not when Brady is healthy and still playing at an elite level. One thing in Tebow’s favor with Belichick and the Patriots is that there is no question of who is the best quarterback on the roster. That is Brady and Tebow himself would be the first to admit it, something that may not have been true with the Jets.

He’ll get the chance to work with one of the best QB-Coach combos ever and learn from them. He may be able to turn things around and find a niche for himself. But for now, it’s all a big waiting game to see how all of this plays out.

Strap on tight, it’s going to be a bumpy night….

Stay tuned to PatsFans.com as we’ll bring the latest news from mini-camps and training camp as well as any other breaking news coming out of Foxboro.

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Jermaine Cunningham, the Patriots DE/DT is entering the final year of his rookie contract and is facing a lot of competition for a roster spot in 2013. Cunningham, a 2^nd round draft pick out of Florida was taken with the 53^rd pick in the 2010 draft and hasn’t had the impact that the Patriots were hoping for.

Cunningham played sparingly in his rookie season but the team saw enough to hope that he’d make that big second year jump in 2011. But he seemed to take a step back and played little and was generally ineffective. But Cunningham re-dedicated himself to the Patriots off-season training program in 2012, drawing raves from Bill Belichick for his efforts.

Jermaine Cunningham will need a strong training camp to stick in 2013. (FILE:USPresswire)

Breakout in 2012 curtailed Cunningham played in every one of the Patriots first 11 games mostly as an interior pass rusher in sub-packages with the occasional series at defensive end. He had his most productive game against the Jets on Thanksgiving registering 6 tackles while playing in 89 percent of the snaps during the game.

But just a few days later, he was hit with a suspension from the NFL which cost him four games for PEDs (Performance Enhancing Drugs). He returned for the final regular season game against Miami and for the two playoff contests but was mostly ineffective in all three.

Cunningham did have the most QB pressures on the team in 2012 but in reality the Patriots were not a consistent team in rushing the passer and Cunningham could only rack up 2.5 sacks, so in the entire context, it doesn’t mean that much. Plus, playing inside he was smaller than most tackles and wasn’t very adept at stopping the run.

DT Camp Competition Deep Going into 2013, the Patriots have long realized that they need to upgrade the interior pass rush, and brought in new bodies. The team signed Armond Armstead from the CFL and then veteran Tommy Kelly from the Raiders. Both should improve the interior pass rush.

In past years they tried to lure Red Bryant from the Seahawks, brought in Albert Haynesworth and Jonathan Fanene who both flamed out. Bryant stayed put in Seattle, Haynesworth was ineffective and didn’t have the drive to compete any longer while Fanene had knee issues and never took the field.

Also in the mix this year are Marcus Forston, Joe Vellano as well as Dewayne Cherrington so the team seems poised to move on to bigger, more physical players in the interior of the line so Cunningham’s chances there are limited.

DE Stacked as well  At his natural defensive end position, the team is set for now with starters Rob Ninkovich and Chandler Jones, whom the team is hoping for a big second year jump. In 2012, it seemed that undrafted rookie free agent Justin Francis was supplanting Cunningham as the first available defensive end as the season wore down. Second year player Jake Bequette who was the 90^th player taken in the 2012 NFL Draft is coming off a red-shirt year where he played a total of only 29 snaps and has benefitted from the team’s strength and conditioning program and is looking to carve out a niche for himself.

The team also signed CFL and Northeastern alum Jason Vega, Marcus Bernard and selected Michael Buchanan in the 2013 NFL Draft. Competition at the DE spot should be fierce. Cunningham will be fighting with several new faces for snaps and judging from the way 2012 played out, could very well be on the outside looking in. These players offer more (on paper) of a pass rush than does Cunningham and the pass rush is what the team needs to seriously upgrade.

Cunningham like fellow Florida alum Brandon Spikes is entering the final year of his contract and will have to step up his game if he plans on being around to get a new contract or even make the team in 2013. This should be a great position to watch in training camp.

Stay tuned to PatsFans.com as we’ll bring the latest news from mini-camps and training camp as well as any other breaking news coming out of Foxboro.

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The New England Patriots made plenty of moves in both free agency and the 2013 NFL Draft to shore up a defense that frankly hasn’t been good enough to get them over the top in the post season the past few years.

One particular area that has been a thorn in the side of the defense has been the middle of the field and the team consistently struggled to cover tight ends and running backs going between the hash marks. The team allowed 176 receptions for 1767 yards to tight ends and running backs last season, that will have to change. But the additions to the team as well as added experience at the safety position should help this off-season.

Safety Devin McCourty will be called upon to anchor the secondary in 2013. (FILE:USPresswire)

Early in 2012 the Patriots played a lot of zone Cover-2 with the safeties playing deep and were victimized by poor communication, blown assignments and at times poor play and worse angles. With the addition of Aqib Talib and the emergence of rookie Alfonzo Dennard at cornerback, it allowed the team to move Devin McCourty to free safety and things began to improve.

The Patriots began to play more man coverage with just McCourty covering center field and the outside as well as the communication in the back end was very much improved. But with the lack of a true SS (Steve Gregory played out of position there) the team still struggled in the middle of the field.

While the linebacker position shares in that problem, the team added some quality depth at safety this off-season and it should (on paper) go a long way to alleviating their issues in the middle of the field. Adrian Wilson the long-time Cardinals vet and 5 time Pro-Bowler was signed and will immediately bring the physical “in-the-box” presence at strong safety.

The immediate thing that stands out about Wilson is his size, at 6’3, 230, Wilson can still bring the lumber to support the rush defense and as a SS in man coverage or Cover-1. Wilson is physical enough to jam the TEs coming off the line and provide that type of intimidation factor at safety the Patriots haven’t had in quite some time.

The biggest question on Wilson is if he still has the wheels to keep up in the passing game. But as an established veteran presence, the younger players in the secondary can certainly learn a lot from playing next to him. The Patriots contract with him is certainly not a big one and although he’ll have to earn his spot in camp, I think depending upon how that goes, he could be the starter out of the gate.

The team is really looking for 2^nd year player Tavon Wilson to step up and play more like the ball hawking safety he did in the first few weeks of 2012 than he did during the middle of the season where he was picked on with the deep ball and was out of position at other times.

Wilson the younger was the surprise pick in the 2012 NFL Draft and the team reportedly is very high on him. They would eventually like to see him take over the starting role at SS opposite McCourty But for this season, I think he can come in and play that “money” position in the Patriots dime sub-packages and replace Adrian Wilson on third downs and play the other deep safety in the Patriots Cover-2.

Steve Gregory played out of position for much of the year last season, as he’s not really big enough to play a true SS role and both he and McCourty didn’t give the Patriots the size needed at the safety position to take on TEs and support the running game. Gregory had an up-and-down season in 2012, at times making some big plays and at others taking poor angles and being caught out of position.

He could find himself this season could be a cap casualty but where the team doesn’t have another  veteran FS on the roster he can back-up McCourty or play beside him as a sub-package deep safety in the Cover-2. Right now on our early roster projection, we have him staying put.

The Patriots caused another stir in the 2013 NFL Draft by what many consider reaching for another safety, Rutgers standout Duron Harmon. Harmon has the versatility to play both the FS and SS positions and frequently did both with the Scarlet Knights.

It will be interesting to see where Harmon fits in the Patriots scheme, the 6’1, 200 lb rookie but I think he’d best fit as trying to win the back-up position opposite McCourty and be able to fill in at SS in a pinch. NFL Film’s Greg Cosell stated that “I really liked his playing personality. And I thought his play recognition – which is something I guarantee Bill Belichick noticed – and his quick, decisive reactions were really a positive.”  Cosell added that Harmon played a lot of man coverage against tight ends in the slot, so he has that versatility that Belichick likes in his safeties.

Last year’s 6^th round draft pick Nate Ebner is more of a special teams performer and did that actually very well last year. He did play some and if he can develop into a back-up safety who can be relied upon it would be a plus. But for now his value remains on STs.

UDFA safety Kanorris Davis was an undersized LB at Troy. He projects to be a SS in the NFL and he will fight it out to carve out a role as the “money” player on defense but has a lot of ground to jump to make the roster.

As we mentioned earlier, part of the responsibility for covering the tight ends and running backs also falls on the linebackers. With the return of Dane Fletcher and the addition of Jamie Collins and Steve Beauharnais, as well as the maturation of 2^nd year player Dont’a Hightower, the team is hoping that will help address that as well. And we’ll cover that area of the defense soon in another post.

But the Patriots have increased their depth at the safety position by bringing in Harmon in the draft and adding Wilson via free agency, coupled with an added year of experience of Tavon Wilson, they feel now that their woes in the middle of the field are now answered. Will they be? Stay tuned…Training camp starts in around 60 days and we’ll be there to report on it all.

Stay tuned to PatsFans.com as we’ll bring the latest news from mini-camps and training camp as well as any other breaking news coming out of Foxboro.

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A sign that football season is right around the corner is Tom Brady’s appearance on the D&C Show on Boston radio’s WEEI on Thursday morning. The New England Patriots quarterback talked about many things including the on-going OTAs, the departure of Wes Welker, his recent Kentucky Derby experience as well as his annual Best Buddies charity football game and bike ride to Cape Cod.

Tom Brady said on Thursday morning that working with the new WRs was a process and was on-going. (FILE:USPresswire)

But one of the biggest soundbytes of the morning is when Brady was asked about the work in progress with Danny Amendola and all the new Patriots wide receivers. Said Brady, “we try to get as many days throwing the ball as we can, that’s where improvement comes from.”

Brady spoke about Amendola stating that “Danny always had a lot of talent, when he was with the Rams he was always very productive,” adding, “the more we throw, the better we will be.” He added that “Danny has been fun to work with. I think he’s come in with an understanding of the way we need to play.”

Comfort Level Time Frame-
Asked by Gerry Callahan when that comfort level with the new receivers should start taking place, Brady didn’t shy away, “It’s a process”, he said. Adding, “by mid-training camp we should know who I am most comfortable throwing to.”

Brady also mentioned that certain WRs, Deion Branch, Wes Welker and Randy Moss were quick to pick up the offense very quickly and due to their football IQ it was easier for them. Perhaps this was an unspoken acknowledgement to Bill Belichick’s statements during the draft that the two rookie WRs, Aaron Dobson and Josh Boyce had very high football IQs.

By mid-August, barring any last minute charges or injuries, the WRs then getting the most reps and seeing the most passes should be the guys that should probably make the roster. Note to new WRs, go to Harvard Stadium on Friday night and even though it’s a touch football game, it never hurts to work on the comfort/trust level with your QB.

Inevitable Wes Welker Questions-
Callahan admittedly asked Brady for what termed the “100^th time” on how he felt losing his star receiver and best friend.  ”He’s moved on, he’s in a good situation with another great team and a great quarterback. We always kind of kept in touch, we always will. He’s one of my best friends and I wish him the best…. I used to get caught up in anger and frustration,” Brady said. “But these things aren’t up to me,” he added. Brady said that nothing surprises him anymore and that its life in the NFL. “Nobody appreciated Wes more than me”, he said.

Brady also tried to quell the inevitable comparisons between Welker and Amendola, noting that although the two had similar size and skill sets that it was unfair adding “”Wes was so productive for so long. I think it’s unfair to compare anyone to him.”

Brady appeared relaxed and confident heading into the next run of OTAs and mini-camps before training camp starts in earnest at the end of July. That is always a good thing if you’re the Patriots.

Stay tuned to PatsFans.com as we’ll bring the latest news from mini-camps and training camp as well as any other breaking news coming out of Foxboro.

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The New England Patriots have completely redone their wide receiving corps during the 2013 off-season and now face the task of retooling on the fly as they allowed Wes Welker to sign in Denver as a free agent and then released Brandon Lloyd. Most common among the questions of Patriots fans is, “will the wide receivers’ production resemble the 2006 version?”

Among the biggest criticisms of the team under Bill Belichick has been the ability to develop wide receivers and this season, the only wideout on the roster who has caught a pass from quarterback Tom Brady is Julian Edelman.

Aaron Dobson will be looked upon to contribute in 2013. (FILE:USPresswire)

During the 2013 NFL Draft, the team selected two wide receivers, Aaron Dobson from Marshall University in the 2^nd round and Josh Boyce in the 4^th round as well as adding UDFAs  T. J. Moe and Kenbrell Thompkins. During free agency the team added veteran wideouts Danny Amendola, Mike Jenkins, Donald Jones and Lavelle Hawkins.

So, Patriots fans ask how does the team avoid an offensive regression and resemble that very pedestrian group that came up short in the AFC Championship Game back in 2006?

The answer comes in the three parts, first the passing game starts through the tight ends, Rob Gronkowski, Aaron Hernandez and Jake Ballard and second, under Josh McDaniels the Patriots had a much more balanced and effective running game. The wide receivers don’t have to carry the burden of always being the primary target. The running game will probably be looked upon even more so in 2013, but the best way to integrate the new receivers with the offense begins with Brian Daboll.

Daboll Return No Coincidence-
One thing about Bill Belichick is that he doesn’t do things at random or without a good reason. Perhaps the early 2012 games where Welker wasn’t targeted as often was a test drive on what life would be like without the talented #83.

And so, Belichick’s move to bring back someone the staff knows and trusts to coach up the wide receivers makes complete sense. Daboll was the Chiefs offensive coordinator in 2012, holding a similar position with the Dolphins in 2011 as well as in Cleveland for two seasons prior to that.

Daboll started with the Patriots as a defensive assistant during the 2000 – 2001 seasons before becoming the wide receivers coach from 2002 to 2006. He helped integrate Deion Branch, David Givens and TE Daniel Graham into the Patriots offense back in 2002.

McDaniels On Board With Daboll’s Return-
While his departure in 2006 was in part because he thought he rather than Josh McDaniels should have been given more responsibility in the offense, it seems that the fences have been mended.

McDaniels at the time of the signing was effusive in his praise of Daboll. “It’s great to have Brian back,” McDaniels said in an interview. “He’s a very good football coach. Very knowledgeable. He can and will certainly help us in probably a lot of different ways. Certainly having another set of eyes that have experience and a lot of understanding of our system and how we go about doing things is only a positive for us and can help our football team going forward. I look forward to doing that with Brian.”

Daboll’s addition makes total sense, and brings the team another offensive mind that is very familiar within the system, and someone who can work with several positions.

Unlike many of Belichick’s assistants, Daboll is much like Brady during practices, intense, loud, and very active. He yells, slaps players’ rear ends and has been known to celebrate big plays in practices loudly.

Brady was asked in an interview a few years ago about having Daboll as a coach and sounded a tone similar to McDaniels, “He was a very good coach for us, a good friend,” Brady said. “We spent a lot of time riding on the buses together. One of the things that separated him was that he took it personally out there when the receivers were going against the secondary of the other team.”

Finding Trust With Brady Key-
One of the issues facing the new receivers is finding that comfort level with Brady which results in trust. Welker had that in spades as did Randy Moss prior to his leaving. The veterans will have to work on that especially Amendola as he’ll be looked to, to bring a lot of Welker’s production to the table.

But the complexity of the Patriots scheme has been a thorn in their side as players both young and old have struggled to catch on and learn the system. Brady has said that it takes two to three years to learn the system inside and out. Welker and Moss stepped in seamlessly from Day 1, the new players face a daunting challenge and Daboll will be looked to help there.

Especially with the young players, Daboll will be the teacher, cheerleader and the kick-in-the-pants guy to get them on the same page as Brady and keep the offense scoring at a high level. Look for Daboll to have a big role in the development of not only the rookie wide receivers but the veterans assimilating into the Patriots offense as well.

Stay tuned to PatsFans.com as we’ll bring the latest news from mini-camps and training camp as well as any other breaking news coming out of Foxboro.

Follow me on Twitter @SteveB7SFG or email me at stevebpatsfans@gmail.com

Listen to our Patriots 4^th and 2 Podcast at blog talk radio as the writers from PatsFans.com discuss the latest Patriots news Wednesdays at 12 noon.

With the 2013 NFL Draft and the initial surge of free agency in the books, the New England Patriots have 89 of a possible 90 players signed with OTAs and training camp right around the corner. The team building phase of the off-season has identified team weaknesses and they’ve been addressed.

But have they done enough, especially on defense? Many of the experts who cover the NFL don’t think so, citing a lack of starters among their draft picks. But with 20 of 22 starters returning, there wasn’t a ton of starting holes to fill. Their role players especially on defense needed upgrading and the Patriots, on paper at least, have added the needed pieces.

Bill Belichick has always used both the draft and free agency as equal partners in his team building approach. Veteran free agents are brought in to allow young players to ease into their roles rather than it being thrust upon them. We’ll take a look at some of the issues facing the defense and how they’ve been addressed.

Defensive Line Depth, Interior Pass Rush-
This was a big area of concern all of 2012 as Vince Wilfork was on the field for too many snaps and Kyle Love, while good against the run, offered very little in the passing game. Pickings were slim behind them and DEs such as Jermaine Cunningham and Justin Francis played the interior of the line in sub-packages to help generate a pass rush.

This is an area where the team has attempted to upgrade for the past few years. They brought in Albert Haynesworth who quickly flamed out and tried to lure Red Bryant from the Seahawks. They then signed the Bengals Jonathan Fanene who never took the field due to lingering, unbeknownst to them, knee issues.

The team added veteran Tommy Kelly as well as former USC and CFL player Armond Armstead who should both be immediate upgrades and push to start opposite Wilfork. Kelly has been a durable, big presence in the middle and hasn’t missed a game since 2007. His production dropped off last season, but it’s thought that limiting his snaps and a change of scenery would be a great benefit to him. Armstead was projected to be a higher round draft pick until health issues derailed his senior season at USC.

He went undrafted and played very well in Canada last season. Armstead is kind of like an extra draft pick coming from Canada.  Both he and Kelly can push the pocket from the interior of the line and now the rotation should keep fresh legs on the field as the team tries to limit Wilfork’s snaps to a more manageable level. Those players along with Wilfork should prove to be a much better answer to collapsing the pocket and allowing the edge players to make plays.

Continuity In The Secondary-
The Patriots secondary has been woefully bad the past few seasons, but the mid-season addition of CB Aqib Talib and the emergence of rookie CB Alfonzo Dennard provided immediate dividends.

The pass defense was vastly improved and it allowed nickel corner Kyle Arrington to remain there where he is much more comfortable and effective. Talib and Arrington were free agents and Dennard was facing criminal charges from a college issue this off-season. Arrington was signed to a long-term contract and Talib was inked to a “prove it” 1-year deal. Dennard escaped serious jail time and won’t have to serve any time until March of 2014.

These moves coincided with moving Devin McCourty to safety, where he solidified the back end and vastly improved the communication. The difference in the defense in the 1^st half of the AFC Championship Game when Talib was healthy and on the field and the 2^nd half after he left via injury was easy to see.

The team added Rutgers CB Logan Ryan via the draft to add depth and possibly work himself into a starting role should Talib leave after the 2013 season. If the team can ever get Ras-I Dowling healthy enough to stay on the field, the secondary should be all set. The only remaining issue was an “in-the-box” safety where Steve Gregory played out of position last season. So….

Physical “In-The-Box” Safety-
Early in free agency the Patriots dipped in and signed Cardinals veteran Adrian Wilson to a contract. Wilson is a big, physical presence who has 5 Pro-Bowls to his credit. Where Gregory was undersized for the position, Wilson is perfect for the role. The only question with him at this point is whether he has enough left in the tank to be effective.

Wilson will compete with second year player Tavon Wilson for the role. Wilson had his moments during his rookie season but also had some rough patches as well. The team expects Tavon to make a big jump in his play in his second year.

Both Wilsons can also fill into that hybrid S/LB role in sub-packages that Bill Belichick has been trying to fill for quite some time. The team also drafted, (some say much too highly) Rutgers safety Duron Harmon in the 3^rd round. Harmon will be looked at for STs initially and afterwards in the box as he gains some experience.

Coverage Linebacker-
The Patriots starting three linebackers (Jerod Mayo, Brandon Spikes, Dont’a Hightower) are very good against the run but have issues defending the pass especially on third downs against running backs and tight ends.

Dane Fletcher was lost during pre-season in 2012 and his presence was missed. He has done a good job in the past at covering running backs in the flat. He returns now and is reportedly healthy and ready to go.

The Patriots top draft pick was on Southern Miss. LB Jamie Collins who is versatile and has played safety, linebacker and defensive end. Collins will be eventually looked to, to provide an outside pass rush but for now the team will use his coverage skills to cover tight ends on passing downs. He and Fletcher should immediately compete to be the first option for passing down sub-packages.

The team drafted Steve Beauharnais in the 7^th round of the 2013 NFL Draft and he is considered an athletic, smart inside linebacker. He was thought of as the glue for the Rutgers defense in 2012 and he may also try to work his way into the same role.

Pass Rush From The Edge-
The Patriots had tough, underrated Rob Ninkovich and Chandler Jones at DE last season. Jones started quickly but an ankle injury slowed him in the second half of the season and his production flat-lined in his rookie campaign. In his second season, much will be expected from Jones who needs to improve some in his run defense as well.

Ninkovich does everything well but isn’t great but always seems to elevate his game in the biggest game situations. The team is crowded at DE with Jones, Ninkovich as well as Jermaine Cunningham, Justin Francis and Jake Bequette.

Bequette was basically red-shirted as a rookie last year, being a healthy scratch for most of the season. Francis showed flashes at times last year and Cunningham at this point is what he is. The team added DE Jason Vega from the CFL and Michael Buchanan in the 7^th round of the draft this spring and the Illinois grad will fight it out with the above mentioned players to be the first option behind Jones and Ninkovich.

This is one area where the team still felt it needed an upgrade, having both John Abraham and Dwight Freeney in for free agent visits. The sticking point with Abraham seems to be playing time. The Patriots as well as the Broncos and Titans who have spoken with him want him to be a sub-rusher. Abraham, it’s been reported, wants to start and play about 60 snaps a game. Freeney is still on the horizon and seeing him signed to an offer is not out of the realm of possibility.

So the Patriots roster as it stands seems on paper to be an improved defensive one. Is it enough? We really won’t know until the players start to take the field in July during training camp. But Bill Belichick has addressed the team’s needs and brought in players to fix them. Those in conjunction with the expected second year leaps of production from Jones, Hightower and Wilson should keep the Patriots in the hunt for the AFC crown in 2013.

Stay tuned to PatsFans.com as we’ll bring the latest news from mini-camps and training camp as well as any other breaking news coming out of Foxboro.

Follow me on Twitter @SteveB7SFG or email me at stevebpatsfans@gmail.com

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One of the biggest questions for the New England Patriots heading into the 2013 season is how the offense will evolve with a fleet of new wide receivers and specifically how Tom Brady will adjust to not having the reliable Wes Welker on the field.

Pittsburgh Steelers safety Ryan Clark was asked this on Monday during ESPN’s NFL Live and responded with his thoughts on this by saying that Brady at times, “sees ghosts,” and had some interesting comments about Danny Amendola as well.

Clark, it should be pointed out is preparing for life after football, has been a guest analyst this week on both ESPN and NFL Network and has always quotable. And as he has always done, he gave his opinion straight up with little sugar-coating.

“I think what’s really underestimated is Wes Welker’s importance to not only the New England Patriots, but Tom Brady,” Clark said. A lot of what they do is timing. A lot of what they do is option reads, when you’re working inside against that nickelback or against those linebackers. Losing him is huge,” Clark added. “I know they think Danny Amendola can come in and have the same type of numbers he had with the Rams, but we also have to remember, he’s fragile. He’s not a guy who has completed a whole season, especially playing inside in what can be a physical AFC East.”

Those comments themselves aren’t anything we haven’t heard from numerous analysts since the Amendola signing was announced, but Clark added more comments about Brady and how he gets flustered in the pocket sometimes even when no is around him.

”In 2010, we saw it start with the Jets in the playoffs. When Tom Brady gets pressure and when you’re man-to-man and bumping those guys and making it hard for him to throw, he sees ghosts,” Clark said. ”Even when guys aren’t around him, even when he’s not about to be sacked, when his clock goes off in his head that the ball should be out, we’ll see him duck, we’ll see him flinch. When you get Tom Brady doing that, the whole New England Patriots mystique goes away.”

Brady himself has admitted as such, stating that he doesn’t know why that happens but it may be that clock Clark mentions may have some validity.Clark also mentioned that the Patriots are going to potentially miss both Rob Gronkowski and Aaron Hernandez who may start the season on the PUP list while recovering from injuries and how the Steelers finally adapted to the Patriots offense.

“I’ll be honest, the years we tried to go in there and fire-zone Brady and play him in that way he picked us apart,” Clark admitted. “Because in that, you’re not overloading the offense, you’re getting one-on-one rushes, only rushing five so he had places to go.”Clark added,

“Two years ago we played them and dominated them because we went man-to-man and had a big corner Cortez Allen who was on Gronkowski and made it hard for Tom to get the ball off in timing. We made him have to make plays and it was hard for him.”

Nothing that Clark was stating was particularly inflammatory or of the cheap trash talk variety. In fact, Clark was telling it like he always does and if nothing else, cemented a place for himself as an analyst that won’t mince words once his playing career is over.But in sound-byte starved New England, his comments haven’t been well received by the fans….no big surprise there.

In fact, although his comments weren’t really that bad, I’m sure Steelers coach Mike Tomlin would probably rather he never said them.And we all know that Bill Belichick loves to play up a slight, sometimes even when there isn’t one. So you can be sure that the Patriots bulletin board, will have these quotes tacked up there in November.

The Steelers will visit Foxboro on November 3 for the 9^th game of the season.To watch the entire segment from ESPN click here:

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New England Patriots Assistant Head Coach and Offensive Line Coach Dante Scarnecchia will be honored by The 33 Touchdown Club by receiving their annual ‘Jack Driscoll Award on May 15.

The event will take place at the Granite Links Golf Club at Quarry Hills in Quincy, MA., from 6 to 8 p.m.

The 33 Touchdown Club is an organization that provides those who are affiliated  with football a chance to socialize, network and discuss ways to give back to the sport that has been a rewarding part of their lives.

Organized in 2005, the club gives back by recognizing and in some cases assisting individuals who have distinguished themselves, both on and off the football field. These individuals could be currently involved in the game, as well as those who were active in the past.

Its members consist of nearly 400 former players, coaches, officials, and managers with backgrounds in the NFL, college and high school. Current membership represents forty eight colleges.

Scarnecchia, is a 43 year veteran coach , he’s spent all but two of the past 31 years in the NFL as a member of the New England Patriots coaching staff and is considered to among the very best offensive line coaches in the business. He won the SI.com 2007 award for the NFL’s Assistant Coach of the Year.

The Jack Driscoll award honors an individual who has made significant contributions to football in New England.  These honorees are recognized at the Club’s annual Scholarship Huddle Fundraiser.

Driscoll (1932-2009) was a prominent Boston attorney and former President of Boston Bar Association, and was a Somerville native who went on to become an Academic All American at UNH.

While at Harvard Law School, he served as a graduate assistant Harvard football coach. The list of his public service involvement is immense including Regis College, Children’s Hospital and the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation.

In appreciation for Driscoll’s contribution to the ‘33’ as well as New England, the recognition award is being named in his honor.

The club’s Bob Horan, the former Offensive Coordinator at Harvard and a founder of the Club, will receive the newly named Ed Schluntz Award.

The 33 Touchdown Club will also hold a forum for their scholarship awards and will be presenting scholarships to several deserving high school senior football players. Since its inception, the Club has provided more than $100,000 in scholarship aid and financial assistance to high school seniors and to others in need in the Football community.

Tickets for the year’s event will be $50.00 More information on the event as well as tickets can be bought here:

Josh Boyce will be an interesting player to watch in camp this summer. (FILE:USPresswire)

With the NFL Draft in the books the New England Patriots can now commence with the off-season workouts with most of the team it will bring to training camp. We decided to do an early projection on what the final roster will look like.There is still nearly three months until that begins, so there remains plenty of time to tinker with the roster, and the team may still add a veteran free agent (rumors of John Abraham still persist) or two.

But here is a list on who is currently on the roster and those players in bold are those we to make the team.

Bill Belichick loves to create competition in camp and this one will be no different. With a totally revamped wide receiver corps in place, its imperative that Tom Brady gets all of the WRs on the same page as far as the offense goes.It is a big challenge but this group on paper seems very talented and promising.

The addition of a healthy Jake Ballard would add to the smooth flowing of the offense. One thing that stands out is the size of the targets that Brady can look to in the red-zone is pretty impressive.

Quarterback (2)
Tom Brady
Ryan Mallett
Mike Kafka

No brainer here, Brady is entrenched at the starter position, the Mallett trade rumors were exactly that. But these two will lead the team into 2013.

Running Back (5)
Steven Ridley
Brandon Bolden
LaGarette Blount
Shane Vereen
Leon Washington
Quentin Hines

The team could opt to go with four RBs in a pinch and Blount and Bolden could be fighting it out for a final roster spot, because neither is a lock at this point. The rest are. Ridley is the team’s first two down back and Vereen and Washington can split some third down snaps. Bolden and Blount will look to back up Vereen and provide short yardage.

Full Back (0)
James Develin
Ben Bartholomew

Once again I believe the team takes no FBs into the roster to start the season.

Wide Receiver- “X” (3)
Aaron Dobson
Josh Boyce
Mike Jenkins
Matthew Slater
Andre Holmes
Kamar Aiken
Kenbrell Thompkins

Dobson, Boyce and Slater for his STs skill are locks. How effective they are this season will depend entirely upon them. Jenkins falls victim to a numbers game.

Wide Receiver- “Z” (3)

Danny Amendola
Julian Edelman
Donald Jones
T.J. Moe

Don’t write off Moe too early, he may force their hand into keeping another WR and at the least may find himself on the practice squad. Amendola, Edelman and Jones are versatile enough to play outside or in the slot.

Tight End (4)

Rob Gronkowski
Aaron Hernandez
Jake Ballard
Daniel Fells
Michael Hoomanawanui
Zach Sudfeld
Brandon Ford

The health of Gronkowski and Hernandez may have a bearing on the final list here, but for now Hoomanawanui beats out Fells for the final slot.

Tackle (3)

Nate Solder
Sebastian Vollmer
Martin Zusevics
Will Svitek
Elvis Fisher

Solder and Vollmer are locks, I think Svitek will outlast Zucsevics who doesn’t have his experience.

Guard (4)

Logan Mankins
Dan Connolly
Nick McDonald
Marcus Cannon
Josh Kline
Chris McDonald

Mankins and Connolly are entrenched as the starters but McDonald and Cannon both make the roster because they are able to fill in either inside or outside. Cannon may push Connolly for the starters position this summer.

Center (1)

Ryan Wendell
Matt Stankiewitch

Wendell is the starter here but Stankiewitch will be a candidate for the practice squad.

Defensive Ends (4)

Chandler Jones
Rob Ninkovich
Jermaine Cunningham
Jake Bequette
Justin Francis
Jason Vega
Michael Buchanan
Marcus Bernard

This will be a hotly contested position in camp, CFL vet and Northeastern alum Vega doesn’t make the cut, Bequette, Cunningham, Francis and Buchanan will be fighting for snaps and their jobs every day.

Defensive Tackles (4)

Vince Wilfork
Tommy Kelly
Kyle Love
Armond Armstead
Brandon Deaderick
Joe Vellano
Cory Grissom
Dwayne Cherrington

Deaderick who has had a hard time staying healthy will have a tough time making the roster. The additions of Kelly and Armstead push him out. Watch for Vellano an undersized but tough customer who may play himself into at least a practice squad job.

Linebackers (6)

Jerod Mayo
Brandon Spikes
Dont’a Hightower
Dane Fletcher
Tracy White
Jamie Collins
Steve Beauharnais
Mike Rivera
Niko Koutouvides

The team upgraded their speed and coverage ability with Collins and Beauharnais. White whose primary value was on STs will be forced out. Collins will move around, inside and outside as well as possibly at DE in some sub-packages but for now will be a 3^rd down OLB.

Cornerbacks (6)

Aqib Talib
Alfonzo Dennard
Kyle Arrington
Logan Ryan
Ras-I Dowling
Marquise Cole
Stephon Ross
Brandon Jones

For once the Patriots CBs seem to be a position of strength, the starting trio of Talib, Dennard and Arrington in the slot was solid when they played together down the stretch last season. Ryan will be a very capable back-up who may be looking at replacing Talib at the end of next season if he decides to leave. Dowling is by no means a lock nor Cole but at least Cole provides solid STs experience. Dowling must stay on the field this summer if he wants to be here in Sept.

Safeties (5)

Devin McCourty
Steve Gregory
Adrian Wilson
Tavon Wilson
Nate Ebner
Duron Harmon
Kanorris Davis

The safety position seems on paper to be much more solid now with McCourty and Adrian Wilson as your starters. Gregory beats out Ebner because he’s a much better FS and the SS position with the two Wilsons and Harmon should be set.

Special Teams (3)

Stephen Gostkowski-K

Zoltan Mesko-P

Ryan Allen-P
Danny Aiken-LS
Mike Zupancic-LS

No changes here, all three returning starters are solid, but a little competition is never a bad thing.

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