Patriots news for the week of 7/28

[BillsFever]

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[The_Philster]

Centers signs on

Veteran pass-catching fullback is another option for QB Brady
FOXBOROUGH -- The Patriots yesterday added another option for quarterback Tom Brady, agreeing to terms with fullback Larry Centers on a one-year deal for the veteran minimum ($750,000) last night.


Centers, 35, is the NFL's all-time pass-receiving leader among running backs. The Patriots apparently were able to stave off the Super Bowl champion Tampa Bay Buccaneers, who also had expressed interest. Centers is expected to join the Patriots today.

Centers was considered a locker room leader in Buffalo, where he played the past two seasons. But the Bills did not re-sign him, feeling his best days were behind him. Centers caught 43 passes for 388 yards last season, bringing his career totals to 808 catches and 6,691 yards. Before landing in Buffalo, he played nine seasons with the Cardinals and two with the Redskins....

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[The_Philster]

Woody runs into trouble: Center regroups after a slow test

FOXBORO - If nothing else, give Damien Woody credit for honesty.

``I'm not going to beat around the bush. I did not pass (the conditioning run) the first day,'' said the Patriots Pro Bowl center yesterday. ``I ran the next morning, passed and then came back out to practice. That's the deal on me. There's no speculation.''

Even before the admission, Woody's failure on the conditioning test was widely assumed. And it came as a shock to those who know what Woody has at stake both personally (he's slated to become an unrestricted free agent after the season) and as a member of an offensive line that struggled badly in 2002....

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[The_Philster]

Focus on family may cost Poole

FOXBORO - Cornerback Tyrone Poole has physically been at every practice so far during Patriots training camp. But, mentally, he's been far, far away. Just look into Poole's eyes and listen to the tone of his voice and it's clear he's not happy on the fields behind Gillette Stadium.

It now appears Poole could be gone from those fields sometime in the near future. Whether that comes in the form of a retirement or another transaction remains to be seen, but it's clear he and the Pats are at odds....
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[BillsFever]

Patriots | Agree to Terms with Stai - from www.KFFL.com
Mon, 28 Jul 2003 07:54:33 -0700

Updating previous reports, the Boston Herald reports the New England Patriots have agreed to terms on a one-year deal with free agent OG Brenden Stai (Redskins).

[BillsFever]

Patriots | Law Returns to Practice - from www.KFFL.com
Mon, 28 Jul 2003 07:56:52 -0700

Updating previous reports, the Boston Herald reports New England Patriots CB Ty Law practiced for the first time Sunday, July 27. He said afterward that an undisclosed condition kept him off the field the first few days, not a failed conditioning run.

[The_Philster]

Patriots issue rush orders

Ground game gets priority
FOXBOROUGH -- To win in the National Football League, as we are so often reminded, you must be able to run and stop the run. So, first things first. It starts now. Before, as they say, the lights come on.


The run.

It has to be re-established.

The Patriots first established it two years ago. At least, they did so enough to play in a fairly significant game at the end of the 2001 season. Last year, the running game was, at best, inconsistent, and they ended up not even competing to play in the 37th edition of said fairly significant game....

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[The_Philster]

Fresh start for Stai

Lineman is ready to jump right in
FOXBOROUGH -- Brenden Stai is a football oxymoron. A journeyman starter.


Stai has played in 105 games with four teams (Pittsburgh, Jacksonville, Detroit, and Washington), starting 96. From 1997-2002 he started 77 consecutive games, a streak ended by torn cartilage in his left knee. He started for Pittsburgh in Super Bowl XXX and counts the 1996 AFC divisional playoff at Foxboro Stadium among his seven career playoff starts.

So when the 31-year-old guard agreed to a one-year deal with the Patriots Sunday, it wasn't to provide their offensive line with depth.

''It's been strange. I've had an unusual career,'' Stai said yesterday following his first practice as a Patriot. ''Twice I've been traded a week before the season [Aug. 16, 2000, from Kansas City to Jacksonville; Aug. 22, 2002, from Detroit to Washington]. I know this. I've developed a reputation for being able to go in and start within a week.''...

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[The_Philster]

Bill gets to business

FOXBORO - The feeling-out process of Patriots training camp ended over the weekend.

Pats coach Bill Belichick said that generalities gave way to specifics and that an intensive scrutiny of the program began with yesterday's double session at Gillette Stadium.

Belichick stuck to remedial football while the physical condition of each player was determined in the opening days of practice. But Belichick plans to use this week to learn how the players respond to game situations while he pieces together a depth chart on offense, defense and special teams....

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[BillsFever]

Patriots | Hunt Released - from www.KFFL.com
Wed, 30 Jul 2003 12:55:34 -0700

The New England Patriots have announced the release of LB Jason Hunt.

[BillsFever]

Patriots | Centers Signed - from www.KFFL.com
Wed, 30 Jul 2003 12:54:47 -0700

The New England Patriots have officially announced the signing of free agent FB Larry Centers (Bills). Terms of the deal were not disclosed.

[BillsFever]

Patriots | Ward Off to Good Start - from www.KFFL.com
Wed, 30 Jul 2003 07:30:07 -0700

Updating previous reports, the Providence Journal reports New England Patriots WR Dedric Ward is off to a good start in training camp. "He's gotten off to a good start and has been productive. He's made a lot of plays; he's dropped very few balls. He's running good, crisp routes and getting open and making plays in the passing game at all levels -- short, quick passes and down-the-field plays -- and [has] run good routes," head coach Bill Belichick said. "He's shown up pretty quickly here in camp, which is good for him. It's good for all of us. He's opened a lot of eyes."

[BillsFever]

Patriots | Womack's Injury Will Need More Time - from www.KFFL.com
Wed, 30 Jul 2003 07:26:31 -0700

Updating previous reports, the Providence Journal reports New England Patriots RB Antwoine Womack (leg) will need more time to heal, according to head coach Bill Belichick. "He's still not ready to go out there yet. I think it's probably a little bit longer for him. So we'll just take it day by day," Belichick said.

[BillsFever]

Patriots | Andruzzi to Return Soon - from www.KFFL.com
Wed, 30 Jul 2003 07:24:40 -0700

Updating previous reports, the Providence Journal reports New England Patriots head coach Bill Belichick said OG Joe Andruzzi (knee) is almost fully healed from his knee injury. "I think he's pretty close to being ready to get back out on the field," Belichick said.

[BillsFever]

Patriots | Klecko Could Be Used on Offense - from www.KFFL.com
Wed, 30 Jul 2003 07:23:53 -0700

The Boston Herald reports New England Patriots rookie DT Dan Klecko lined up as the fullback in the team's goal-line offense at a recent practice.