Patriots news for the week of 6/30

[Gunzlingr]

Please post Patriots news here!

[The_Philster]

Money players may pose issue for Pats

With training camp scheduled to open July 23 and the Patriots set to intensify negotiations with their draft picks, the foundation for the 2003 season will quickly begin to take shape.

Yet in today's NFL, with financial planning and salary cap management growing in importance, teams don't have the luxury to simply focus on the current year. There's 2004 to worry about, 2005, 2006 . . .

So while the Pats have revamped their defense for 2003 - mainly by injecting youth and athleticism to a front seven in dire need of a jolt - they've also quietly begun planning for what could become a major tug-o-war at this time next year. Call it Poston Planning....

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[The_Philster]

Kicker is, he wants more

Vinatieri hard at work on improving in '03
There's a new baby boy at home so Adam Vinatieri's doing the holding and son A.J. is doing the kicking this summer, but in a few short weeks, Vinatieri, widely regarded as one of the best weapons in the NFL, will enter his eighth season trying to get even better. ''Let's face it,'' said Vinatieri, who spent the holiday weekend at his home near Foxborough with wife Valerie, who gave birth to Adam Jr. three weeks early at 7 pounds 11 ounces, ''if there's a flaw in my game it's not getting enough depth on my kickoffs. We've been working on that the entire offseason, trying to improve the leg speed through the kick so I gain a few yards.''



When you think of dominant NFL players at their positions, Ray Lewis at middle linebacker, Terrell Owens and Randy Moss at wide receiver, Ricky Williams at running back, and Warren Sapp at defensive tackle come to mind. You can add Vinatieri....

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