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Wes is back! Wes is back! Wes is back!  Most of the PatsPulpit faithful know of my somewhat creepy obsession with the little engine that can.  As much as I admire Moss, I think Welker had the biggest impact on the 2007 season of any player...other than Brady, of course.  Wes will never put up big TD numbers, but he's the guy marching the offense down the field when the Patriots change to quick slot or underneath routes.  Apparently, Wes dropped a few balls and had this to say:

I think it’s, you know, hard to meet up with the guys in the offseason and get balls as hard as these guys can throw," said Welker. "So, I think that’s one of the tougher parts, especially if you’re not in shape. First off, being in shape, and then getting used to getting those balls and catching them and tucking them away.

The sky is falling!  The sky is falling!  Bull crap.  This is training camp, sports fans.  Dropped balls mean diddley, especially with a guy like Wes.  Any doubts that he'll be in fine form for the season?  I think not.

At any rate, he was pulled off of the PUP along with rookie ILB Bo Ruud and CB Ellis Hobbs.  Hobbs, the CB veteran of the team, is almost guaranteed a starting spot; along side who is anyone's guess, although Fernando Bryant is looking good.  I think the term "starter" is somewhat overrated these days with all the speciality packages and substitutions taking place on a regular basis.  It's more a matter of how many snaps a player plays, in my opinion.

Nick Kaczur spoke to the media about his off-season goings on:

I definitely made a mistake," said Kaczur. "It's football season now. I'm trying to put everything behind me and concentrate on the season now. It's a good thing I have the support of a great organization, and my teammates were all behind and my family and my wife. It's just time to focus on the season now and put everything behind me.

That's it, Nick.  Drink more coolaid and say all the right things.  Keep your nose clean and stay away from dudes on the street selling prescription drugs.  Heck, can't you just ask the team doc?

And last, but not least - the Patriots first pre-season game against the Baltimore Ravens is Thursday, 8/7/2008 @ 7:30 on WCVB/Channel 5.  I will have an open game thread going for your comments.  Throughout the week I'll be putting together some things to look for with our new acquisitions as well as the vets.

As we progress through Training Camp, I will attempt to summarize the interesting points from the various news sources out there.  For more detailed information, I will always include links to the full stories at the bottom of these entries.

Nick Kaczur is practicing.  As you may recall, he appeared on the PUP at the beginning of TC.  OL was a thin position this summer with injuries, so it's encouraging to see some of the guys coming back.  You may recall, Nick was involved in the illegal use of Oxycontin and subsequently complied with a sting of the dealer.  Kaczur has plea bargained down to a speeding charge and must comply with any drug treatment programs the Patriots decide are necessary.  Think what you will - star athletes getting star treatment.  He's back.  We need him.

5 out of 6 TC practices have been full pads.  There's no easing into preparation for the gang; Belichick is making them earn every break they get and is pushing them from the start.  It's a fine line, though.  Coaches worry about wearing out their players or the injuries associated with full pad practices vs. getting them ready for the long hall of an NFL season.  That's why Belichick's the coach; I think he's got it down by now.

WR Robert Ortiz was released to make room for FA RB LaMont Jordan.  In my story Training Camp Shootout: Wide Reciever, I predicted this would happen given his limited roles with previous teams and mostly NFL Europa experience.  I'm a bit confused by the move to pickup LaMont given we already have 5 running backs (Morris, Faulk, Maroney, Evans, Green-Ellis) and 4 are vets.  It could indicate Belichick intends to strengthen the running game significantly and feels the need to have more RBs to rotate in and out.  At 5-10 230 lbs, LaMont is a bull, so he could also see action as a blocking back or in third down situations, similar to a Kevin Faulk role.

Here's an interesting tidbit from Reiss's blog regarding filling gaps by the defense:

This practice was especially physical for the front seven of the defense, specifically in how gaps are filled in the running game. Ty Warren, Vince Wilfork and Richard Seymour comprised the 3-man line, with Adalius Thomas and Pierre Woods at outside linebacker and Tedy Bruschi and Tank Williams at inside linebacker.

Hmm... I thought Tank was a safety.  I guess you never know with BB.  At 6-2 223 lbs, he's big, but not what I'd call a classic ILB size-wise.  Maybe it's an attempt to teach Tank all facets of the Patriots' defense.  Maybe Tank is a multi-faceted player and will be used all over the field.  I'm keeping an eye on this guy.  I was happy when they brought him on board and I'm liking the move more and more.

And, one final thought related to running backs: our OL was dominated in the SB, where it mattered most.  5 sacks and 9 hits on Brady had a significant impact on the outcome of that game.  The Giants correctly assumed we'd try an aerial assault and loaded up on pass rushers.  This year, however, I believe Belichick plans to run the ball down opponent's throats.  As soon as he sees defensive run stoppers replaced with pass rushers, the RB freight train will begin.  Yet another weapon in the arsenal - try to defend the run?  Loft it to Moss, Welker, or Gaffney.  Try to defend the pass - Morris, Faulk, Maroney, Jordan, Evans.  Make defenses worry about too many things and they're spread to thin.

Whoo hoo!!  Training camp starts today and...it's raining. :-(  This means the boys hold practice inside at the Dana-Farber Field House, closed to the public.  This is a perfect example of why you should check patriots.com before making the trek to Foxboro.  The first bit of news is players on the PUP or Physically Unable to Play list:

DL Jarvis Green
RB BenJarvus Green-Ellis
CB Ellis Hobbs
OL Nick Kaczur
G Stephen Neal
OT Oliver Ross
LB Bo Ruud
LB Mike Vrabel
WR Wes Welker
C Ryan Wendell
DL Mike Wright

Before you freak, like I did (Wes/Vrabel/Hobbs?!?!?), here's an explanation from Mike Reiss about the difference between the active/PUP list during training camp and reserve/PUP list during regular season:

These players can return to practice at any time in training camp, once they are cleared to practice because they are on the active/PUP list. The active/PUP list is different from the reserve/PUP list during the season. When players are on the reserve/PUP list during the season, they miss at least the first six weeks.

Get back into practice, guys.  Make me feel better.

Nick Kaczur, offensive lineman for the New England Patriots, was arrested in April on a charge of illegal possession of the prescription painkiller, oxycodone.  He participated in a drug sting that netted alleged dealer Daniel Ekasala:

Kaczur - a 28-year-old, 315-pound offensive tackle - wore a hidden recording device during three different drug transactions in May at gas stations in Foxborough and North Attleborough and a supermarket parking lot in Sharon, according to the lawyer, the two people, and federal court documents. At each of the three transactions, Kaczur paid $3,900 in cash to buy 100 OxyContin pills, a potent prescription pain reliever.

Federal agents arrested the alleged dealer, Daniel Ekasala, moments after the third transaction with Kaczur, said Ekasala's lawyer. He was indicted by a federal grand jury yesterday on three counts of possession of oxycodone (the main ingredient in the prescription drug OxyContin) with intent to distribute. He is due to be arraigned today in federal court.

HGH with Rodney Harrison then Kevin Faulk is found with marijuana after the Super Bowl, now this.  Here we go.  The New England Patriots are a bunch of drug addicts.  Well, let he who is without sin cast the first stone.  Trust me, a simple Google of just about any other team will turn up a plethora of goodies.

That being said, I'm mad as all get out.  Why can't these guys stay away from this stuff?  Don't they realize how much damage it does, not to mention how much damage control the Patriots organization, and us fans, has to do?  Jeez, become a monk for 10 years and ride out your career with a clean nose.

Props to Marima for a comment in this fanpost