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HOT TOPIC
Last year, Monty Beisel was trying to replace linebackers Tedy Bruschi and Ted Johnson. This year it sounds as if he's trying to replace Eric Mangini, the Patriots' departed defensive coordinator.
Technically, Dean Pees holds that job now. But Beisel was speaking figuratively, not literally. What he craves is a complete understanding of a defense that he appeared to struggle with in his first season with the Patriots.
"I want to get to that point where I'm completely comfortable and I'm out there coaching the defense," Beisel said at the Patriots' three-day minicamp. "This is one of those systems where (learning it) is (an) ongoing (process). There are things that we continue to add, day in and day out."
No matter what tweaks the Patriots make this season, Beisel should be better prepared in Year 2. "It's like anything -- when you've been doing something for a long, long time it takes a while to adapt to change," said Beisel, 27, who spent his first four seasons with the Chiefs. "The fortunate thing about having this offseason and going into my second year here is that I've had time to adapt."
With Bruschi planning to sit out the 2005 season after a stroke, or so we thought, and Johnson retiring on the eve of training camp, big things were expected of Beisel and fellow free agent Chad Brown last year. They were the Week 1 starters inside, but both quickly fell out of favor and eventually were replaced by Mike Vrabel, who shifted from his outside spot, and Bruschi, who made a triumphant return in Week 8.
Brown was let go in the offseason, but Beisel is back to take another crack at the lineup. At the minicamp he was working inside with Bruschi, while Vrabel and Colvin manned the perimeter, where the Patriots are without Willie McGinest, who signed with Cleveland as a free agent.
Asked how he thought Beisel was fairing in his second go-around, Bruschi said, "I think it's a little too early (to tell). This is his first minicamp with a whole year under his belt. Let's get through the minicamp and a couple of weeks of training camp and see how he's adjusting."
Beisel is seeing more time at the "will" linebacker spot than at the "mike," where he played much of the time last year. The "will" gets to run around a little more, while the "mike" is more of a stay-at-home run defender -- a job description that fit Johnson perfectly.
Beisel admitted that last year's demotion was difficult, saying, "It's always tough mentally when you're not playing as much. As a player you prepare all year to go out there and perform on Sundays. When you're not getting that opportunity it's definitely tough."
Still, he chalked it up as a "learning experience" and said it didn't affect his confidence.
"I don't think there's any question" that he can be successful in the Patriots' system, Beisel said. "When you play in this league you can't go out there and question your own abilities. That's not the case at all."
PLAYER NOTES
--LT Matt Light, who didn't play after breaking his right leg against the Steelers in Week 3 last season, was back on the field for minicamp and was working with the first unit.
"It's fun being back out here," Light said. "I'm feeling good. Everything's good. I'm doing what I've got to do right now. I'm not going to say that I'm any percentage (of the way back). That's always a stupid thing to say. It would be bad if I never made it out there in camp at all; then you guys (in the media) would wonder what happened to me. But, no, I feel good."
C Dan Koppen, who suffered a season-ending shoulder injury in Week 10, did not participate in the minicamp. Neither did SS Rodney Harrison, who tore three ligaments in his left knee in the same game that Light was hurt.
"In 12 years I haven't been 100 percent," Harrison said at a charity golf tournament the day before the minicamp started. "So if I can get back to 90 percent, I'll play football. I believe, truly in my heart, that I'll be back."
--DL Johnathan Sullivan, acquired in a trade that sent WR Bethel Johnson to the Saints, said he was glad to get a second chance with the Patriots. However, Sullivan, the sixth overall pick in the 2003 draft, just shrugged when asked if he was relieved to be out of New Orleans. "I was happy in New Orleans," he said. "I'm happy here."
Sullivan played as a defensive tackle in the Saints' 4-3 system. With the Patriots, who are mostly 3-4, he is backing up NT Vince Wilfork. At the minicamp, Sullivan also saw time at defensive tackle when the Patriots went to their 4-3 look.
The Saints were unhappy with Sullivan's conditioning, but he declined to discuss that topic with the media at the minicamp, saying, "I left that in New Orleans."
--LB Tedy Bruschi was asked if he had done anything special on the one-year anniversary of his stroke, which felled him on Feb. 16, 2005.
"Sure, I was in Disney World in Florida," Bruschi said. "My kids were on school break and we took them down to Disney World for the week. My wife and I sort of looked at each other (on that date) and just smiled and said, it's been a year and we got through one of toughest years we've been through. We've moved on and we're excited about continuing our lives and playing more football."
Bruschi missed the June minicamp last season while he was recovering.
"I've said before that I believe in the process - offseason workouts, minicamps, training camp, preseason," he said. "To truly get ready for the opener you need all that stuff. You need steps like this. It's nice to see that everybody's got a good attitude out here and is excited about getting back to work."
--The arrival of first-round draft pick Laurence Maroney did not go unnoticed by incumbent RB Corey Dillon, who was feisty in his first meeting with the media since Maroney came on board.
"I feel real disrespected" by anyone who believes Maroney will be the starter sometime this season, Dillon said. "I feel like I have accomplished zero, not even a grain of salt in this league. And that's terrible for a guy of my status. I've been doing this for a long time."
Dillon has rushed for 10,429 career yards, the 17th best total in NFL history, but he was hurt and ineffective last season when he ran for just 733 yards. With Maroney in the mix and Dillon's age (he turns 32 in October) a popular topic of conversation among his doubters, Dillon altered his offseason conditioning program.
"I switched up a little bit," he said. "Honestly, I'm getting a little bit up there (in age), and those are things I understand. So I wanted to switch it up and do something different and just try to get my body in the best shape possible and come here this year and perform well."
Dillon joked that the specifics of his new workout regimen were "top secret," but he said they've paid dividends already. "To be honest with you, this is the best I've felt at this point in time in the last three years," he said. "I feel good about where I'm at. I'm still not close to where I want to be. I'm going to get there, and hopefully by training camp I'm going to be ready to go."
STRATEGY AND PERSONNEL
-- WR Jakari Wallace was waived by New England.
-- DL Remi Ayodele was waived by New England.
FRANCHISE PLAYER: None.
TRANSITION PLAYER: None.
UNRESTRICTED FREE AGENTS: None.
RESTRICTED FREE AGENTS: None.
EXCLUSIVE RIGHTS FREE AGENTS
--WR Michael McGrew, a rookie free agent, spent the whole season on injured reserve. At least he's got size (6-2, 201).
--OL Gene Mruczkowski has been a part-timer for two seasons and could be in the hunt for a starting job if Neal leaves as a free agent.
--DL Santonio Thomas comes from the right program (Miami) but spent almost all of his rookie season as a practice squad curiosity.
--OL Billy Yates, a three-year veteran, appeared in four games after being called up from the practice squad.
PLAYERS RE-SIGNED
--WR Troy Brown: UFA; $1.1M/1 yr, $265,000 SB.
--WR Bam Childress: ERFA; $275,000/1 yr.
--LB Don Davis: Potential UFA; $795,000/1 yr, $25,000 SB; 2006 cap: $485,000.
--FB Heath Evans: UFA; $626,160/1 yr, $25,000 SB/$6,160 WO; 2006 cap: $456,160.
--CB Randall Gay: ERFA; terms unknown.
--DB Artrell Hawkins (had been released; 2 yrs, terms unknown).
--OG Stephen Neal: UFA; $10M/4 yrs, $3.2M SB.
--CB Hank Poteat: Potential UFA; $545,000/1 yr, $6,100 WO; 2006 cap: $466,100.
--CB Chad Scott: UFA; $1.66M/2 yrs, $200,000 SB.
--S Guss Scott: ERFA; terms unknown, had been tendered at $425,000.
--OL Ross Tucker: Potential UFA; 1 yr, terms unknown.
PLAYERS ACQUIRED
--WR Reche Caldwell: UFA Chargers; terms unknown.
--LB Barry Gardner: FA Jets; terms unknown.
--PK Martin Gramatica: FA; terms unknown.
--S Tebucky Jones: FA Dolphins; terms unknown.
--S Mel Mitchell: UFA Saints; $1.5M/2 yrs, $250,000 SB.
--DT Johnathan Sullivan: Trade Saints.
--CB Eric Warfield: FA Chiefs; $1.51M/2 yrs, no SB; $31,000 WO.
PLAYERS LOST
--OT Tom Ashworth; UFA Seahawks; $13M/5 yrs, SB unknown.
--LB Chad Brown (released).
--LB Matt Chatham: UFA Jets; 3 yrs, terms unknown.
--WR Andre' Davis: UFA Bills; $1.3M/1 yr, $500,000 SB.
--WR Tim Dwight: UFA Jets; $4.2M/4 yrs, $750,000 SB.
--TE Christian Fauria: UFA Redskins; $2M/2 yrs, $190,000 SB.
--QB Doug Flutie: UFA; retired.
--WR David Givens: UFA Titans; $24M/5 yrs, $6M SB/$2M RB '07.
--WR Cedric James (released).
--WR Bethel Johnson: Traded Saints.
--LB Willie McGinest (released).
--CB Tyrone Poole (released).
--CB Duane Starks (released).
--S Michael Stone: UFA Texans; terms unknown.
--PK Adam Vinatieri: UFA Colts; $12.5M/5 yrs, $3.5M SB.
MEDICAL WATCH: No updates.
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