Patriots news for the week of 7/28

[BillsFever]

Post Patriots news here!

[The_Philster]

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....

more (http://www.boston.com/dailyglobe2/209/sports/Centers_signs_on+.shtml)

[The_Philster]

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....

more (http://www2.bostonherald.com/sport/patriots/pats07282003.htm)

[The_Philster]

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....
more (http://www2.bostonherald.com/sport/patriots/pnotes07282003.htm)

[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]

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....

more (http://www.boston.com/dailyglobe2/210/sports/Patriots_issue_rush_orders+.shtml)

[The_Philster]

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.''...

more (http://www.boston.com/dailyglobe2/210/sports/Fresh_start_for_Stai+.shtml)

[The_Philster]

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....

more (http://www2.bostonherald.com/sport/patriots/pnotes07292003.htm)

[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.

[The_Philster]

FOXBOROUGH - We get it. Rodney Harrison must be one of those ''I'd-rather-be-respected-than-liked-guys.'' Because this much is clear through the first week of training camp: When the two-time Pro Bowler is on the field, he's not there to make friends.


He started camp by going helmet-to-helmet with Troy Brown, simultaneously poking him in the eye following an incompletion over the middle. Two days later, Harrison let Brown have it again, though not as large a helping. Yesterday, Harrison started a shoving match between the offense and defense with a high takedown of Kevin Faulk....
more (http://www.boston.com/dailyglobe2/211/sports/Newcomer_Harrison_offense_butting_heads+.shtml)

[The_Philster]

FOXBORO - What possesses a man like Anthony Pleasant to keep doing it? Why does a 35-year-old, 14-year veteran wake up every morning, put on the pads and subject himself to punishment from coaches who are barely his peers and players who are, on average, a decade his junior? What possesses Pleasant to keep showing up to NFL training camps?

Whatever it is, Bill Belichick wants it on his team. Forget the age. Forget the stats. Forget about how much he may or may not play. Belichick believes players like Anthony Pleasant are good for business....

more (http://www2.bostonherald.com/sport/patriots/pats07312003.htm)

[The_Philster]

FOXBORO - Rosevelt Colvin was all over the field at Patriots practice yesterday. Make that two fields.

Colvin may have gotten more exercise running from drill to drill than he did from the actual reps themselves. Wherever the New England defenders gathered to work on a specialty, from rushing the passer to the field goal blocking unit, Colvin was there.

The fifth-year linebacker is the first big-money free agent of the Bill Belichick era, signing a six-year, $25 million contract this offseason to move from Chicago to Foxboro. Based on the early evidence of training camp, the coach intends to amortize that investment as quickly as possible.

And that's fine with Colvin....
more (http://www.bostonherald.com/sport/patriots/pats07302003.htm)

[The_Philster]

FOXBORO - Why is fullback Larry Centers a member of the Patriots and not the Buffalo Bills? Elementary.

Drew Bledsoe likes to throw long. Tom Brady likes to throw short. Centers is the most prolific pass-catcher out of the backfield in NFL history. Do the math.

Centers did. That's why the 15th-year veteran and three-time Pro Bowler picked the Pats over other suitors and formally signed a one-year deal with the team yesterday. Centers understands that ball-possession is the goal for the Pats and that short passing is the means to the end. Seems like a good fit....
more (http://www2.bostonherald.com/sport/patriots/pnotes07312003.htm)

[The_Philster]

FOXBOROUGH -- You can debate the talent of players brought in by Patriots vice president of player personnel Scott Pioli and coach Bill Belichick at times, but not the character. Sometimes that makes up for deficiencies in speed, strength, and overall talent. The best evidence of that was the 2001 season, when a New England team not overly talented but strong-willed wrote one of the great stories in football history.


Despite missing the playoffs last season, the quality of individuals didn't change. If it wasn't for the heart and character of the players, there's no chance the Patriots would have come back to beat the Dolphins in the season finale. There was no way they wanted to end the season 8-8 a year after their Super Bowl win....

more (http://www.boston.com/dailyglobe2/212/sports/Few_flaws_to_be_found_in_Patriots_character+.shtml)

[The_Philster]

FOXBORO - Patriots running back Mike Cloud suffered another setback when he underwent calf surgery that could sideline him for an extended period.

Cloud, a backup in Kansas City for his other four NFL seasons, had made progress in training camp before Wednesday's operation. His last practice was Tuesday...
more (http://www2.bostonherald.com/sport/patriots/ap_cloud07312003.htm)

[BillsFever]

Patriots | Faulk Challenging Smith - from www.KFFL.com
Sat, 2 Aug 2003 11:59:53 -0700

Michael Felger, of the Boston Herald, reports in discussing what the New England Patriots' running back rotation will look like, Patriots head coach Bill Belichick offered the strongest indication yet that Patriots RB Kevin Faulk is challenging Patriots RB Antowain Smith for playing time as the lead back. Belichick said it's hard to have two third down backs, meaning it will be either Patriots RB Larry Centers or Faulk in that role, "depending on what Kevin's role is on first and second down. There is some competition on third down. There's also some competition on first and second down."

[BillsFever]

Patriots | Seymour Returns - from www.KFFL.com
Sat, 2 Aug 2003 11:58:41 -0700

Michael Felger, of the Boston Herald, reports New England Patriots DL Richard Seymour returned to practice Friday, August 1.

[BillsFever]

Patriots | McCready Released - from www.KFFL.com
Sat, 2 Aug 2003 11:58:00 -0700

Michael Felger, of the Boston Herald, reports the New England Patriots have released WR Scott McCready.

[BillsFever]

Patriots | Fauria To Be Big Offensive Factor - from www.KFFL.com
Sat, 2 Aug 2003 11:57:19 -0700

Michael Felger, of the Boston Herald, reports New England Patriots TE Christian Fauria will once again be a big factor in the offense, regardless of how much improvement second-year TE Daniel Graham shows. "Christian is going to play a lot of football for us this year," Patriots head coach Bill Belichick said. "He's one of our best and most consistent offensive players."

[BillsFever]

Patriots | Huard Splitting Second Team Snaps - from www.KFFL.com
Sat, 2 Aug 2003 11:23:41 -0700

Michael Felger, of the Boston Herald, reports New England Patriots QBs Damon Huard has been splitting snaps with the second team.

[BillsFever]

Patriots | Davey Splitting Second Team Snaps - from www.KFFL.com
Sat, 2 Aug 2003 11:23:18 -0700

Michael Felger, of the Boston Herald, reports New England Patriots QB Rohan Davey has been splitting snaps with the second team.

[BillsFever]

Patriots | Interested In Wilkinson - from www.KFFL.com
Sat, 2 Aug 2003 10:26:52 -0700

Nick Cafardo, of the Boston Globe, reports the New England Patriots have expressed interest in free agent DT Dan Wilkinson (Redskins), according to Wilkinson's agent, Brig Owens. According to Owens, Wilkinson visited with the Detroit Lions on Friday, August 1 and plans to investigate all of his options. "Many teams have called, and the Patriots are an excellent organization, so we'll wait for Dan to get back from his visit, discuss how that went before we move on to other teams," said Owens.

[BillsFever]

Patriots | Cloud Expected Back - from www.KFFL.com
Sat, 2 Aug 2003 10:12:26 -0700

Nick Cafardo, of the Boston Globe, reports agent Jon Feinsod said New England Patriots RB Mike Cloud (calf) had ''pressure'' alleviated in his right calf through a surgical procedure at Massachusetts General Hospital Wednesday, July 30, and expects Cloud to return to the field this season.

[BillsFever]

Patriots | Centers Not In Camp Yet - from www.KFFL.com
Sat, 2 Aug 2003 10:04:22 -0700

Andy Hart, of Patriots Football Weekly, reports New England Patriots FB Larry Centers (personal reasons) was not at Gillette Stadium on Friday, August 1. Patriots head coach Bill Belichick said he was back in Texas taking care of some personal matters that the team was aware of before he signed.