Patriots News

"It's a rite of summer around the NFL. Players have to endure the drudgery and monotony of two-a-day practices and positional drills. Players do not relish training camp, but for coaches, the lessons taught in the searing heat of July and August will ideally pay dividends when summer fades to fall and the games count. Perhaps no head coach gets more out of training camp and prepares his team for the rigors of an NFL season better than Bill Belichick, according to former Patriots players. Belichick, who will open his ninth training camp as Patriots coach this morning at 8:45 at Gillette Stadium, conducts each practice session with a purpose and maps out a game plan designed to have his team ..."

"The Patriots have reached a deal with first-round pick Jerod Mayo, according to a league source. The rookie inside linebacker, drafted with the 10th pick overall in April's draft, will be at the second of the team's two scheduled practices today, the opening day of training camp. Mayo will not be on the field for the first practice, which is scheduled for 8:45 a.m. this morning. The second practice is set for 5:30 p.m. We will follow up with details of the deal when they become available."

"One hundred seventy days have passed since the Patriots suffered one of the most devastating defeats in team history, a loss that spoiled not only a fourth championship in seven seasons but a shot at immortality and a perfect 19-0 season. Today, coach Bill Belichick officially turns the page as the club’s 2008 training camp kicks off with double sessions. He embarks on a new campaign with the same goals and grand prize still in sight. And with a few exceptions, the team that went 18-0 before suffering the ultimate crusher in Arizona back in February remains intact. Gone are defensive backs Asante Samuel, Randall Gay and Eugene Wilson along with linebacker Rosevelt Colvin from the defense. ..."

"Then there was one. The Patriots reached an agreement with second-round draft pick Terrence Wheatley yesterday, leaving first-round selection Jerod Mayo as the team's lone unsigned pick heading into training camp tomorrow at 8:45 a.m. in Foxborough. According to an NFL source, Wheatley signed a four-year deal averaging $648,750 per season. He received an $890,000 signing bonus and will carry a $295,000 base salary for 2008."

"When the Patriots take the field for the start of training camp tomorrow - the symbolic start of the 2008 season - 172 days will have elapsed since Giants wide receiver Plaxico Burress's perfection-preventing, game-winning touchdown grab in Super Bowl XLII. The memories - and pain - of an 18-1 season are still fresh; however, so is New England's start. With a new season come new issues and new story lines. Here are 10 to keep track of as training camp kicks off:"

"His tenure with the Patriots began with swirling questions about his work ethic and loss of speed, but those innuendos aren't hovering over Randy Moss anymore. They've been left behind with the defensive backs in his rearview mirror. Moss's dynamic entry in New England and remarkable individual performance in 2007 - the 98 receptions, the NFL-record 23 touchdowns - have shifted the focus surrounding him. The more prevalent questions, especially since he signed a three-year extension this offseason, now seem to be different, such as what makes him tick off the field. Who is Randy Moss?"

"Far from the glitz of the National Football League or the underbelly of the drug trade in which he became an undercover informant, justice for New England Patriots offensive lineman Nicholas Kaczur was meted out yesterday in a cramped wood-paneled office that serves as a court in this small upstate New York town. Kaczur paid $355 after pleading guilty to speeding, and court officials said his misdemeanor drug charge of possessing 202 OxyContin pills would be dismissed if he stays out of trouble for six months. The 315-pound football player, who was 20 minutes late for the hearing, also agreed to participate in a two-year drug treatment program administered by the Patriots."

"New England Patriots offensive lineman Nick Kaczur pleaded guilty yesterday to speeding in a deal with prosecutors that will put a misdemeanor drug possession charge on hold and allow him to report to training camp today. The 28-year-old Kaczur was ordered to pay $355 in fines and fees by Whitestown Town Justice Stanley Wolanin, who said the drug possession charge will be dismissed if he stays out of trouble for the next six months. The plea deal also requires Kaczur to comply with any type of treatment, monitoring or employee assistance program imposed by the Patriots, Oneida County Assistant District Attorney Grant Garramone said. Patriots spokesman Stacey James said the team had no ..."

"The Patriots yesterday locked up second-round draft choice Terrence Wheatley, signing the cornerback out of Colorado just two days prior to the start of training camp. Wheatley’s agreement leaves linebacker Jerod Mayo, the team’s first-round pick (No. 10 overall) out of Tennessee, as the lone draft choice unsigned... Wheatley, 23, figures to be in the mix for ex-Patriot Randall Gay’s old role as a nickel corner. With his blazing speed, Wheatley also might earn a job as a kick returner, given his exploits while in college. He gained 1,350 yards on kickoff returns during his time with the Buffaloes."

"As we all know, it’s rare for the Pats to select a linebacker in the first round. That means Tennessee’s Jerod Mayo, selected 10th overall, must be pretty special. Should Adalius Thomas fill the outside linebacker role left by the departing Rosevelt Colvin, Mayo is going to have to step in right away, or at least, be in the middle linebacker rotation along with Tedy Bruschi [stats] and Victor Hobson. During spring workouts, Mayo showcased some of the speed the Pats have been lacking at the position. Now he just needs to sign and get to camp."

"No team is safe from the free agency and money constraints that reshape rosters and create question marks throughout the NFL. Not even a team that went 16-0 in the regular season. Thus, with training camp set to kick off tomorrow at Gillette Stadium, the Patriots find themselves with some work to do in some vital areas. The departure of top-flight cornerback Asante Samuel is the most obvious area of concern, but there are other spots on the field where the defending AFC champs must come up with solutions. These positions and subsequent training camp battles will be on display in the coming weeks. With the football season finally upon us, let’s take a look at some of those areas:"

"With the New England Patriots beginning training camp on Thursday and thus kicking off the start of the 2008 season, we’ll take a look at the players at each position and questions for each, as well as potential camp battles that will play out in the coming weeks."

"It's a different city and team, but the situation is strikingly similar. Jason Webster is just hoping for a happier ending than his first time around. Last July in Buffalo, Webster was competing to answer one of the major questions facing the Bills: Who will replace top cornerback Nate Clements? After Clements broke the bank in free agency with San Francisco, Webster won the job, but broke his forearm in the Bills' first game, ending his season. Now Webster has brought his healthy forearm, helmet, and shoulder pads to New England in hopes of providing the answer to one of the more significant questions facing the Patriots: Who will replace top cornerback Asante Samuel?"

"Patriots big guns Laurence Maroney, Ty Warren and Benjamin Watson join 17 other pigskin powerhouses in a new 60-second Reebok TV spot directed by Oscar-winning photography director Janusz Kaminski. The “Join the Migration” ad, which promotes Reebok’s Speedwick Tee, shows flashes of the big, bad Pats wearing their cool, moisture-wicking shirts. But it appears Super Bowl XLII MVP Eli Manning of the Giants and his big brother, Indianapolis Colts QB Peyton Manning, get more face time."

"With training camp set to begin Thursday, the Patriots shored up their roster yesterday by signing free agent tackle Anthony Clement along with a wide receiver and two of their draft picks. The team inked linebacker Shawn Crable and quarterback Kevin O’Connell, each of whom was drafted in the third round last April. Also getting a contract was wide receiver Chris Dunlap, who the Pats released last Sept. 1 after signing him as a rookie free agent out of Georgia Tech on May 14. Only first-round pick Jerod Mayo and second-round selection Terrence Wheatley remain unsigned."

"Everybody has questions. How soon can quarterbacks Matt Ryan and Joe Flacco start in Atlanta and Baltimore? Where does Brett Favre play in 2008, if he plays at all? Is there another team such as the New York Giants that will come out of the shadows at playoff time to seize the Super Bowl? There are no ready answers in July and August. Training camp is a time to grind, but it's also a time for optimism. Let's set the stage for the NFL's 89th season."

"Yes, the Bears have some issues as they head into training camp this week. But they are not alone. Each of the 32 teams in the NFL will be trying to answer deep questions, tie together loose ends and bury ghosts of the past. Here is a look at the other 31:"

"According to Fox News and the Associated Press, a source familiar with the situation says the Packers feel it's a simple case of two plus two. "They feel like Favre had something [in place], and that's why he was so anxious to get this release all of a sudden," said the source. Delving deeper, the source says examination of telephone records would indicate there has been "more than normal" contact between Favre and Vikings offensive coordinator Darrell Bevell, a - you'll be shocked to hear this - former Green Bay assistant. Yeah, well, whatever."

"But with the departure of Donte' Stallworth to Cleveland, the third receiver spot alongside Randy Moss and Wes Welker is up for grabs, and Jackson, along with Jabar Gaffney and Kelley Washington, will have a chance to seize it. Jackson wouldn't say this was a make-or-break year, but he's acknowledged its importance in determining whether he'll be labeled a late bloomer or a bust. "It could be a big year for me," said Jackson. "I hope it is, and I'm going to work hard to make it a big year because I need one.""

"New England Patriots offensive lineman Nicholas Kaczur had 202 Oxycontin pills imprinted with letters indicating they were Canadian-made stuffed in his pocket when he was arrested by New York State Police in April, according to police reports. Kaczur told police he bought the pills in Boston from a drug dealer named Danny, but a spokesman for the company that makes the pills and a drug industry specialist said the 202 pills, each marked CDN on one side, were made in Canada and imprinted with those letters to curtail cross-border smuggling of the potent painkiller."

"With a crowded crop of cornerbacks on the Patriots' roster, the last thing a rookie needs is to come to training camp late. That won't be an issue for Jonathan Wilhite. The fourth-round pick will be there next Thursday when the Patriots open training camp at Gillette Stadium. He reached a four-year deal yesterday. Financial terms were not disclosed."

"In 2 1/2 weeks, when Newark's Andre Tippett is inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame, he'll assume his place as the second great pass rusher of his era -- behind former Giant Lawrence Taylor. A linebacker for the Patriots from 1982-93, Tippett has waited a long time to join Taylor, a first-ballot selection in 1999. "It's a known fact that I've been referred to as the LT of the AFC -- or AT is the LT of the AFC. To me, it's all the same," Tippett said during a conference call yesterday. "It really doesn't matter now, because we're all in the same place." On Aug. 2, the five-time Pro Bowler will join the five other members of the Class of 2008 -- defensive end Fred Dean, ..."

"An affiliate of the New England Patriots football team is playing defense on a new field: the market for auction-rate securities. The Foxborough team affiliate has sued Ambac Assurance Corp., the big bond insurer, in a dispute similar to a raft of others in which institutional borrowers found that policies they took out didn't guarantee low interest rates after auction-rate markets froze up this spring."

"With camp opening in 11 days, we close our position-by-position look at the Pats with the safeties. This is still very much Rodney Harrison’s group, and his health will be one of the keys stories of the season:"

"Donte' Stallworth is a man of many pursuits. But when it came to being pursued in free agency, Stallworth wanted a suitor that could provide more than just the most cash; he wanted a team that had a wealth of talent as well. Stallworth, who became a free agent when the Patriots elected not to pick up $8 million in roster bonuses, landed in the land of Lake Erie, LeBron James, and the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, catching on with the Cleveland Browns. The Browns went 10-6 last season - their best record since being reincarnated in Cleveland in 1999 - and narrowly missed the playoffs. After adding Stallworth, who signed a seven-year, $35 million deal, and reinforcing the interior of its ..."

"New England Patriots running back Kevin Faulk pleaded no contest to misdemeanor marijuana charges and received a year of probation. Judge Herman Clause also suspended a five-month sentence Tuesday, according to the clerk of court's office in Lafayette Parish. Faulk was issued a misdemeanor summons for simple possession of marijuana at a Li'l Wayne concert at the Cajundome in February."

"Patriots running back Kevin Faulk, who was cited for marijuana possession in February while attending a concert in his home state of Louisiana, pleaded no contest to a misdemeanor charge of simple marijuana possession yesterday in a Lafayette court, according to television station KATC, which first reported the news on its website. Faulk will have a five-month jail term suspended and be on probation for a year. He will have to pay a $300 fine, a $250 drug test fee, and court costs. He also will have to perform 40 hours of community service in Lafayette Parish, speaking to students about drugs, according to KATC. According to the station, Faulk, 32, also will have to complete 20 hours ..."

"Patriots running back Kevin Faulk pleaded no contest yesterday in Lafayette, La., for misdemeanor possession of marijuana stemming from a summons issued in February, according to a report on KATC-TV in Louisiana. The 32-year-old Faulk will have his five-month jail term suspended and given a one-year supervised probation with several conditions. He must pay a $300 fine, nearly $500 in court costs and fees, and perform 40 hours of community service. Faulk must also complete 20 hours of a substance abuse program."

"One Hall of Fame down, one to go for Ben Coates. The Patriots announced yesterday that Coates will be the 13th player to be enshrined in the team's Hall of Fame. The preeminent tight end in team history, Coates won the fan voting at Patriots.com to receive the honor. He was one of three finalists, beating out running back Jim Nance and offensive lineman Jon Morris."

"Visitors taking a tour of the construction site for the soon-to-be-finished Hall at Patriot Place can’t help but walk away impressed, even though there is nothing inside the structure save for a few murals and one of the Duck Boats used in the victory parade following Super Bowl XXXVI. The building, adjacent to Gillette Stadium, will showcase the history of the Patriots and the team’s Hall of Fame, and it promises to be a unique sports museum for fans of all ages. The Hall at Patriot Place also is expected to have enough changes and new attractions during the season to make repeated visits worthwhile."

"Accustomed to making long hauls on the football field, Randy Moss acknowledged he was operating far afield from his chosen area of expertise when it came to owning a NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series team. But the Patriots wide receiver, despite being new to the sport, said he was prepared to make a long-haul commitment after announcing yesterday at Daytona International Speedway he had purchased a 50 percent stake in David Dollar's Craftsman Truck Series team, Morgan-Dollar Motorsports."

"The Patriots know the date they hope their season will conclude: Feb. 1. That's when Super Bowl XLIII will be played in Tampa. Now they also know the date their Tampa-or-bust campaign will get underway: July 24. The team announced yesterday it will open training camp at Gillette Stadium in Foxborough July 24. Rookies will report July 21, with veterans due in by July 23."

"Willie Andrews has been released. Of course. He's Willie Andrews. Adam "Pacman" Jones has been given another chance. Of course. He's Adam "Pacman" Jones. In matters of discipline, talent doesn't speak. It bellows. There's nothing new in all this. Seldom does honor trump pragmatism in the world of professional sports. Did I say "professional"? Make that sports, period. The late and truly great Abe Lemons was once asked why he didn't have a curfew for his Oklahoma City University basketball team. " 'Cause you always catch the wrong guys," he explained. Nothing ever changes. Talent is just too precious, and exceptions to the rule are very, very rare."

"It's never a good sign when you're an NFL player and you have more offseason arrests (two) than career touchdowns (one). That was the case for Willie Andrews, and now he's no longer an NFL player. The Patriots released Andrews yesterday, one day after the 24-year-old defensive back was arrested after allegedly brandishing a gun at his live-in girlfriend during an early-morning argument at his Mansfield apartment. Andrews was arraigned Monday on charges of assault with a dangerous weapon and unlawful possession of a high-capacity handgun, both felonies."

"Fans still have the opportunity to cast their ballots for the Patriots [team stats]’ 2008 Hall of Fame class. Voting wraps up at midnight on Friday with the leading votegetter becoming the 13th recipient of the franchise’s esteemed honor. Votes can be cast at www.patriots.com. There is only one ballot allowed per e-mail address. Here’s a quick look at the candidates:"

"Rachel Nance never saw her father play. She never watched the Patriots running back crash through a line of scrimmage and bowl over would-be tacklers. She was 12 when Jim Nance died at the age of 49 in 1992. But she still has plenty of reminders of what he meant to the organization, and to the region. Her memories of his career have been shaped from stories she’s heard from family members, peers who played with him, fans who watched him and old videotapes from the late-1960s."

"Twenty-four hours after being arrested for allegedly holding a handgun to his fiancee’s head, Willie Andrews received his walking papers from the Patriots. The Pats yesterday released the defensive back, who was charged with assault with a dangerous weapon and unlawful possession of a high-capacity firearm on Monday. The arrest marked the second for Andrews since the Super Bowl in February. Two days after the loss to the Giants, Andrews was busted in Lowell with a half-pound of marijuana and $6,800 in cash in his car."

"Along with a sensational pair of hands, game-breaking speed, great instincts and awe-inspiring athleticism, we’ve learned a lot more about Randy Moss during the past year. For one, he has a special place in his heart for kids, especially those in his hometown of Rand, W. Va. On Friday and Saturday, he hosted the Links for Learning/Randy Moss Foundation Golf Tournament at Sleepy Hollow Golf Club in Hurricane, W. Va. The event was the fund-raising kickoff for a foundation that will provide learning centers for children in southern West Virginia. Moss was joined by his former Dupont High basketball teammate Jason Williams, now with the Miami Heat, and New York Jets quarterback Chad ..."

"Troubled New England Patriot Willie Andrews is behind bars again after allegedly holding a powerful handgun to his fiancee’s head when she accused him of cheating on her. The couple were arguing when the 24-year-old Pats defensive back allegedly pulled a .45-caliber Glock, waved it around and then held it to her temple, the 23-year-old woman told police."

"Patriots star Randy Moss is ready to go truckin’. A source told the Herald in the garage area today at New Hampshire Motor Speedway that the wide receiver’s NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series team, Moss Motorsports, will make its debut July 19 at Kentucky Speedway. The truck will be adorned with No. 81, which is also Moss’ jersey number for the Pats. Moss will make the official announcement on Thursday at Daytona International Speedway."

"Unlike the unsuspecting quarterbacks he often blitzed from the blind side and devoured for Sunday lunch, Rosevelt Colvin had an inkling of what was coming after the 2007 season. He knew his days with the Patriots were possibly numbered. He had a high salary for 2008 ($5.5 million), and an even higher salary cap charge ($7.6 million). He also had a broken bone in the middle of his foot. All told, it wasn't a good combination when you're 30 years old and entering the final year of a contract. So no, Colvin wasn't caught off guard when Bill Belichick summoned him for a chat at Gillette Stadium on the eve of free agency in late February, and told him the words players often dread hearing: ..."

"With training camp just a month away, we continue our weekly position-by-position look at the Patriots with the linebacking corps, which got younger for basically the first time since Bill Belichick became head coach in 2000. How quickly the newcomers pick things up will go a long way toward defining the Pats defense:"

"The Buffalo Bills have sold out individual-game tickets to six of their seven games in Orchard Park, the team announced today. The only game for which tickets still are available to fans who are not season ticket holders is the regular-season finale against the New England Patriots on Dec. 28."

"Recognizing athletes from throughout the region, The Boston Globe yesterday honored its All-Scholastics, scholar-athlete award winners, and NEPSAC players of the year at the annual All-Scholastic awards ceremony at the Quincy Marriott. The ceremony included speeches from Williams College football standout Brian Morrissey, Northwestern lacrosse star Meredith Frank, and New England Patriots tight end Ben Watson. Watson, the keynote speaker, talked about the importance of academics, humility, leadership, and teamwork. "There are so many parallels between sports and life," said Watson, who played high school football in South Carolina and was a member of the National Honor Society."

"Senator Arlen Specter clarified Thursday that his involvement in the New England Patriots’ videotaping controversy was not over. Neither is his battle with the N.F.L. ... “My view on the overall situation is that we may well see the other shoe drop somewhere,” Specter said. “We went about as far as we could go, given the public attitude today about the economy and gas prices and Iraq. We’re always very careful about initiating a Congressional investigation. “But that isn’t to say, by any means, it’s over.”"

"While criticizing the NFL's investigation of the Patriots' videotaping procedures, Senator Arlen Specter (R-Pa.) had refrained from asking his colleagues to become involved, but he still left open the possibility of future congressional hearings. Yet in a meeting with the Philadelphia Daily News editorial board Monday, Specter indicated hearings are no longer an option. "I'm not going to call for hearings, because the mood is not right and we've got too many other bigger problems to deal with," Specter told the editorial board, according to a transcript provided by Specter's press office."

"This is the fifth in our look at potential position battles, with training camp now about six weeks away. Last week we looked at tight ends. Today we shift to the offensive line."

"When asked recently what he'd say to someone seeking his autograph on a picture of him attempting to defend David Tyree's remarkable on-the-helmet catch that set up the winning touchdown in Super Bowl XLII, Rodney Harrison didn't hesitate. "You have to pay me," the Patriots safety said with a laugh. But Harrison is actually putting his name on something directly related to the catch, free of charge. Tyree has penned a book titled "More Than Just a Catch," due out in September, and it includes an introduction by Harrison. Speaking Monday at the Patriots' charity golf tournament in Bolton, Harrison explained why he was willing to contribute to such a painful memory for New England ..."

"Patriots cornerback Ellis Hobbs, recovering from February left shoulder surgery to repair a torn labrum and March surgery on a sports hernia, stopped short of saying yesterday that he would be on the field for the start of training camp in late July, but indicated that there have been no setbacks. "I know each day it's getting better," Hobbs said at the Patriots' charity golf tournament at The International. "Physically, I feel a lot better now than I did at the end of the season.""

"Even though Leon Powe typically made him look even sillier than he made the Lakers appear in Game 2 of the NBA Finals on Sunday, Patriots backup quarterback Matt Gutierrez still is rooting strongly for his old high school opponent. Gutierrez played basketball at De La Salle High in Concord, Calif., and his team took on Powe’s Oakland Tech squad several times each year. Apparently, the 6-foot-4, 230-pound Gutierrez also played forward but not quite at the same level as the Celts’ 6-8, 240-pound super sub."