Every time I hear that monicker for a swashbuckler I think of the old joke my father used to tell me:

Father: Where are your buccaneers?
Me: I don't know.
Father: On the side of your buccanhead.

Bahdum, ssssss.  Thank you very much - I'm here all weekend.

Ugly is my word for this game.  Ugly, messy, stinky.  There were very few bright spots in what was an abysmal showing.  However, as I've mentioned before, relax.  This is preseason and it's not about winning, although winning would be nice.  It's a science experiement.  It's about putting players in situations and examining the outcome.  It's about getting as many players on the field as possible.  And it's about getting a look at players so coaches can decide who to send home.  A few rambling thoughts:

• A most excellent observation by standingpat during the game thread, the defense was "bend don't break" and very generic, as if BB was purposely "hiding" his good stuff.  This was evidenced by CB Ellis Hobbs playing very soft for the first part of the game.  Bucs QB Brian Griese made the same observation.
• Adam?  We heart you and thanks for the rings, but DANG!!  G-man spanks a 53 yarder.  2 games in a row he's money.
• Welker looked like he'd shaken off the rust from a post season groin injury which put him on the PUP.
• Cassel stretched out Moss midfield and I thought he was going to get crushed.  Brady never does that as it spells disaster for tall skinny guys like Randy or little skinny guys like Wes.  2 de-merits, Matt.
• Speaking of Cassel, he's in the fight of his career and he's losing.  No excuses at this point, because the vets were on the field.  Matt can't blame "The Chad" or CJ Jones for his woes when Moss and Welker were on the field for a crapload of snaps.  He managed only 3 points in 6 drives.  Not good.
• S Brandon Meriweather appeared to be in considerable pain when he left the game in the first quarter.  If it's serious, batter up - John Lynch.
• Kevin O'Connell, after looking pretty good in his first NFL outing against the Ravens, throws an interception on his first play against Tampa Bay.  Later, he admits he forced that one and the ball should've ended up in the stands.
• ILBs weren't plugging the gaps during Tampa Bay running plays.  Even veteran Bruschi was having a tough night.

General observations: There were some glaring individual mistakes on the field.  But, this is where I gotta say Belichick is smarter than me.  He's playing very basic, vanilla offenses and defenses.  There's nothing exotic nor is there anything special about what he's putting on the field.  It's all about evaluation in a "live" situation, against someone wearing a different helmet.

Buccanhead...I kill myself.

Yes, New England Patriots fans, preseason game number two is upon us.  For your viewing pleasure, tune in to The NFL Network or WCVB / Channel 4 @ 8:00 PM.  I'll have the game thread opened up around 6'ish as well.

After preseason game number one against the Ravens, I have a few things I'll be looking for, so here's a breakdown:

Quarterbacks - Matt Cassel did not have a good game.  Communication with wide receivers was off, despite a lot of reps in training camp.  Hopefully Belichick and the coaching staff worked on that aspect of Cassel's game and he comes out with a little more polish than we witnessed.  Matt Gutierrez wasn't much better, but he's backup to the backup; I'm less concerned about him.  Kevin O'Connell was a welcomed surprise and I hope to see more of the same.  Tom Brady did not make the trip to Tampa Bay due to a sore foot.  Which foot it is has not been revealed.  Happy place...happy place...ohhhhmmmm.  Seriously, relax.  Preseason is not the time to push an injury, especially with your star quarterback.

Wide Receivers - After Welker got off the PUP a few weeks back, he commented how it'll take some time to get back in the swing of things, that he was working to get his timing back with the QB's, specifically Brady.  Apparently, it didn't take long.  Mike Reiss has reported that the triumvirate is looking as sharp as ever.  Look for more playing time from Moss, Welker and Gaffney.  C.J. Jones is fighting for his job.  He did not have a good showing and will need to step up.  "The Chad" is another that needs to amp it up a bit.  I really hope he succeeds; we could really use the skills he projects to have.

Running Backs - LaMont Jordan was killer against the Ravens.  At this point, I really feel like he could own the redzone/goal line RB job.  I think Maroney and Morris will see more playing time as well as Faulk.  I'd like to see a few successful options to Kevin before a feel better.

Offensive Line - JHR is the guru, but overall the O-line struggled against the Ravens and has been hampered by injuries.  Barry Stokes has been IR'd and the boys are getting older.  A younger OL is a necessity, IMO but we needed to fix linebacker first.  Let's just hope we don't need Kevin O'Connell scrambling skills all around.

Linebackers - An area focused on so heavily, the linebacker corps appear to be shaping up nicely.  OLB draftee Shawn Crable is really looking good while ILB Jerod Mayo is turning into a stud and Pierre Woods was an animal against the Ravens.  OLBs Mike Vrabel and Adalius Thomas will see more reps as will ILB Tedy Bruschi.  I think if this lineup proves successful, fan favorite ILB Junior Seau will retire.  I'd like to see ILB Victor Hobson do well.  He's been struggling after moving from OLB for the Jets.  Rookie ILB Gary Guyton continues to impress.

Cornerbacks - Hobbs and Bryant continue to be the starters in my mind and rookie Terrence Wheatley has really gotten himself noticed in a field of 10.  Why so many?  Belichick's looking for something, some secret sauce that'll spell disaster for opposing teams.  With that many cornerbacks on the roster, this says to me he thinks this will be a key position for 2008.

Safeties - The Denver Broncos released veteran John Lynch and Belichick promptly snatched him up.  Lynch is known for being a super hard hitter and has signed a one year deal with the Patriots.  This appears to be a direct response to the loss of Tank Williams, the hybrid safety/linebacker guy who was such a good fit for the nickelback position.  I'll be watching John.

Defensive Lineman - Jarvis Green is back and Richard Seymour is feeling pretty good.  An interesting note: Belichick had the guys practice switching from a 3-4 to a 4-3.  A 4-3 is a good overall defense, but is very effective against the run so look for it during an obvious running situation.

From Reiss's Pieces:

Jabar Gaffney over Chad Jackson. In 11-on-11 work, the top receiving trio for quarterback Tom Brady was Randy Moss, Wes Welker and Jabar Gaffney. Chad Jackson, who struggled at times in the preseason opener, did not got any work with Brady when the team had three receivers on the field in the drill. Jackson came on with backup quarterback Matt Cassel.

Uh oh.  "The Chad", heir apparent to the Donte Stallworth crown, is not getting reps with Brady.  If I read too much into this, Chad's in a world of hurt regarding his spot at Donte's position.  If I relax and take a deep breath, Belichick is trying to spread the wealth, giving "Brady time" to all.

In the spring, it appeared that Hobson was a good bet to help the Patriots this year, but he’s yet to break through in training camp (most recently working next to Bo Ruud & Eric Alexander), and could be in jeopardy of not making the club if a player like Gary Guyton (rookie free agent) continues to excel on special teams.

Victor is moving from OLB in the Jets' 3-4 to ILB in the Pats' 3-4 and appears to be having a tough time of it.  Brian Basset from The Jets Blog, in Around the AFC East, Week 1, had his doubts about Hobson's effectiveness:

I think that Hobson is well suited to play inside, but at a minimum, the Patriots should be looking to start their young guys by the end of the season in Hobson's place.

Mike Vrabel and Ellis Hobbs join the first string. Outside linebacker Mike Vrabel and cornerback Ellis Hobbs seemed to have their workload increase.

It's good to see these vets back in the rotation after recently coming off of the PUP.  Interestingly enough, Hobbs is lining up opposite Fernando Bryant which, at this point, projects to be the 2 starters at cornerback.

The possibility of keeping 5 running backs on the final roster. With Belichick asked several questions about RB LaMont Jordan, the topic of possibly keeping five running backs came up (the Patriots kept 4 out of camp last year). The five would presumably be Laurence Maroney, Sammy Morris, Kevin Faulk, Heath Evans and Jordan. "We'll keep the best football players, the players that will help our football team the most," Belichick said, pointing out that if the team would keep four quarterbacks (like it did in 2000) it would also consider keeping five running backs.

That's Bill being his usual cagey self.  Heck, I don't blame him.  You don't want to let the cat out of the bag too early.  But, can you imagine that lineup in the backfield?  Depth like a Roman Phalanx, mad skills, physicality and youth.  I could see Belichick hanging on to 5 running backs just to stuff it to all the pundits who claimed we didn't have a running game last year.

Jerod Mayo -- not a repeat offender. One aspect that the coaching staff and veteran players often stress is that mistakes will happen with young players, but the key is to not let the same mistake happen twice. Belichick noted that first-round draft choice Jerod Mayo has been solid in that regard, as he isn't a repeat offender.

Yup, great draft choice.  Time will tell, but I'm feeling better and better about Jerod Mayo.  Young, smart and big, he appears to be coming along nicely.  We're rooting for you, Jerod.  Keep up the good work.

With less than a month and 3 preseason games left until the Sept 7th opener with KC, the New England Patriots have their work cut out for them.  But, this is no surprise; every team has their work cut out for them.  Preseason games are not about winning, they're a science experiment designed to test many hypotheses in a live situation.  You'll see play calling I'd term "head scratchers" (pass on the 2 point conversion vs. hand off to Jordan), but coaches are experimenting with different packages, players and situations.  There's a lot of ingredients in this soup and we haven't even seen much of the starters.

Positives

Jerod Mayo - as any first rounder should, he's having an immediate impact.  Other than a few mis-reads in coverage, he appears to be stepping up to the NFL level and making an impact.  One play in particular, knocking of Ray Rice's helmet on a 1 yard run, was of particular note.  He smothered Rice.

Stephen Gostkowski - I said it in the game thread - Adam who?  I mean no disrespect to one of New England's heroes, but Gostkowski was money.  He hits 3 field goals for 36, 44, and 40 yards and was kicking off like a mofo.  Thanks G-man.

Shawn Crable - he used his long arms to bat down at least one pass.  When he was taken out on one play, I saw his eyes never the play and he bounce up running.  It's good to see the "never stop" mentality.

Kevin O'Connell - cool surprise.  He handled himself better than Matty Squared.  Sure, he may have been up against backups to backups to backups, but I thought he did a fine job and DAMN... he can run.

Pierre Woods - What tha?!?!?!  He was all over the field, reading pass coverage and making tackles.  I think we'll see more of him.

LaMont Jordan - the guy's a bull and fills the gap between fullbacks and running backs; he could be the goal line guy to blast through defenses.

Negatives

Cassel and Gutierrez - looked like O'Connell should've looked - deer in the headlights.  Whether it was their fault or receivers running bad routes, who knows.  I just know how Kevin looked compared to #2 and #3 - they should be worried.

CJ Jones - dropped passes, mental mistake during a kickoff return (should've let the ball hit the endzone for a touchback) and bad routes.  If he can't catch the backup's passes, how's he going to pull down Brady's rockets?

Chad Jackson - He's not showing me he can fill Stallworth's shoes.  Whether it was Cassel's fault or his, there was clear miscommunication between the 2.  Chad needs to build confidence with the QBs and hit the playbook.

Special Teams - FINISH! FINISH! FINISH!  That run back was ugly.  I mean, how many Patriots had their hands on the guy?  Finish the tackles by either knocking his block off or wrapping the guy up.

Head on over to Baltimore Beatdown for blogger Rexx's take on the game.

Pat Kirwan's article at NFL.com is a well written and objective article in my mind.  Pat asks a number of burning questions and throw out some opinions based on his observations and interviews with Kraft, Pioli, Belichick and some of the players.  I won't cut & paste the entire text of that article, but I'll attempt to answer the same questions in my homeristic, blogger frame of mind.  If you're even remotely interested in comparing, bring up Kirwan's article and track side-by-side.

1. Can New England repeat its 16-0 2007 season?
No.  Now, before you unleash a blanket party on my sorry butt and drop my sad carcass in an alley behind the Bell In Hand, hear me out.  Most teams in the first half of the season were taken by surprise.  Before they knew what hit them, it was over.  Call it carpet bombing or call it a Blitzkrieg, the first 8 games were a massacre.  And then came the Colts.  As banged up as they were, it was a 4 point "Whew!!!".  It's my opinion that most teams are preparing for the carnage we unleashed last year.  I'm not saying we're gonna lose to Indy, but they're healthy and looking to prove it.  I also feel that 2 west coast swings with back-to-back games will take their toll; I think we can expect a loss from 1 of those games.

2. Is secondary a primary concern?
Maybe.  Rodney's aging, but he's still Rodney.  Tank Williams is showing some stuff like a good veteran should (besides, I like his name).  Terrence Wheatley appears to be challenging the vets for a spot.  That's what we need - talented young guys willing to throw themselves in harm's way.  I think the secondary will be underestimated.

3. Will problems that the Giants exposed be resolved?
The O line gets a bad wrap for the Superbowl.  Unable to stop the crushing pass attack unleashed by the Giants' defense, Brady spent a lot of time eating fertilizer.  But, let's not forget they protected him smashingly for most of the season.  My biggest gripe, however, was not with the O line; it's with OC Josh McDaniels.  The Patriots are known for adjusting in the second half and McDaniels didn't.  Brady was taking too much time in the pocket and should've gone to a Manning (Peyton, that is) style quick release.  I don't want to send too many props to the midwest, but Manning is one of the best in the league at this style of offense and I see the Patriots adopting some of that.

4. Is Seymour ready to return to his All-Pro form?
Seymour had a tough 2007, but supposedly he's healthy.  He hasn't been practicing a whole lot, but don't read too much into that.  Brady is only throwing one practice a day.  Belichick seems to be protecting his vets and stars so they don't get worn out.  Remember, the Patriots played a month more than most and need to rest their key players.

5. Where are the most critical position battles?
This is where I disagree with Kirwan.  3 out of 4 of his position battles are dead on except for Gaffney vs. Jackson.  Kirwan feels Gaffney is in the lead for a third receiver spot.  Gaffney has never struck me as a WR who lines up almost every play; in my mind, he's a speciality guy brought in to make sideline or corner grabs.  Jackson is supposed to be the bull of the WR group; a receiver with RB capabilities post catch.  I think that Gaffney and Jackson take on totally different roles.

Be careful what you wish for.  The time between OTAs and Training Camp is a relative deadzone for information, a blackout period that I can't stand for 2 reasons, a) not much to talk about or report on and b) syndicated columnists writing stupid articles about power rankings, best receivers, who IS and who IS NOT going to win the super bowl - shutup people!!  Noone's thrown a regular season pass yet.

At any rate, come Training Camp it's like drinking from a firehose.  The media, like sharks circling a bloody carcass, are certainly pounding the keyboards.  I've been cruising around and thought I'd summarize some interesting tidbits for you.

As usual, Mike Reiss is doing an awesome job of reporting on Training Camp.  A few interesting quotes and some observations:

Training camp is both a physical and mental grind and Bill Belichick had the team in full pads in both practices today, putting his club to the test right off the bat.

18-1?  Record breaking season?  Get your butt on the field and put the pads on.  Belichick doesn't appear to be letting up starting from the first day.  They need to earn every no-pad minute or cancelled session BB sends their way.

Brady tried three long passes to Randy Moss – one of which was completed down the left sideline for a touchdown. But the play looked to be a blown coverage, with safety Antwain Spann late in getting over to help rookie cornerback Terrence Wheatley, who had lined up across from Moss.

No worries here.  50 TD passes for Brady and 23 TD receptions for Moss in 2007 ease my mind.  Plus, it's the first day.  If I can read anything into Brady and Moss missing those passes, I'm more encouraged that Spann and Wheatley seem to be doing well.

In a passing drill against eight defenders, Tom Brady attempted a long pass to Randy Moss down the right sideline, but Moss was well covered by cornerback Fernando Bryant in the end zone and the ball fell incomplete. The play seemed to be a good indication that Bryant still runs well, as he was stride for stride with Moss – in full pads.

It was projected Bryant may end up with the departed Asante Samuel's spot and this may be a good indication.  Granted, it's very early, but if Fernando is keeping pace with Moss, one of the best receivers in the NFL, I'm encouraged.  And happy he's on OUR team!

The Tom Brady/Chad Jackson connection was off on successive throws, which led Brady to share a few thoughts with Jackson. It appeared the two were not on the same page.

Uh oh.  It's early in the season...It's early in the season.  10..9..8..7...  Deep breaths.  Ok, a bit over dramatic, but "The Chad" is Stallworth's heir apparent; we need this to work.  My impression, given Jackson has route trouble, is that he's a tremendous physical talent with playbook issues.  Or, quite simply, Brady and Jackson haven't had that much time to work together given Jackson's 2 years of almost no play.  Time will tell, but I'm hoping for the latter.

And finally, Jerod Mayo is signed and on the field (props to bartHML for tracking this down).  Jerod, meet Tedy.  Tedy, meet Jerod.   Bond.  Play frisbee together.  BB, move their lockers side-by-side.

FOOTBALL!! FOOTBALL!! FOOTBALL!!  Relax man, it's only training camp.

www.83foundation.org

You knew this was coming. I've gone at least a month without writing an article about, or with, Wes in it. And now it's time.

One of the most productive receiving corps of the 2007 season, the real question is, "Can they do it again?"  Longevity and consistency is the hallmark of a great offense and this is true of this group of receivers.  For 2008, all eyes will be watching.  Will they dominate like 2007?  Can they continue the incredible success they had last year?  The answer is a definitive, homeristic yes.  Why?  Because with this group of guys we seem to have all the bases covered.  Seam - Moss; underneath/slot - Welker; power receiver - Jackson; speciality - Gaffney, Washington.  Let's not forget Aiken, Jones, Ortiz, and Slater.  And, for the stars of 2007 (Moss and Welker) it was their first year in a Patriots uniform.  THEIR...FIRST...YEAR!!  It can only get better.  Let's get to it.

Randy Moss - Breaking the regular season TD record by pulling down 23 touchdown passes, Randy is the gazelle of the group.  There's nothing sweeter than watching Moss "lope" down the sidelines, pull down a pass only he can catch, and then turn on the afterburners.  DBs, who were already struggling to keep up with him, give up as the legs attached to his 6-4 frame extend even further to totally embarrass that back.  While not catching those impossible passes, he draws mucho coverage away from other receivers; a HUGE benefit, if you ask me.  I'm glad he's signed.

Wes Welker - In my opinion, one of the most impactful acquisitions of 2007, Wes owns the slot.  Belichick, always watching other teams, picked him up from the Dolphins because he gave Patriots DBs fits - they just couldn't cover him.  Wes's footwork and quickness make him very slippery and difficult to manage.  He was absent from all OTAs which led to many questions about his health.  A theory which I agree with: he was worn out.  One of Brady's favorite targets as the chain mover of the group, he pulled down 112 catches for a 10.5 yard average.  When Moss wasn't open, Wes was the look of choice; I see that changing a bit as there's just too much film from 2007 showing that exact scenario over and over.  Defenses are preparing for it, I guarantee you.  The little engine that can, he'll succeed no matter what the defense tries.  Where's Wes?  Oh, he's behind you...with the ball...running for the endzone.

Jabar Gaffney - The ultimate speciality receiver, Jabar is brought in to make those impossible "keep both feet in bounds" catches.  Time and time again, I've seen Brady throw the ball at his fingertips and outside the plane of the in bounds line, only for Gaffney to somehow pull it down, keeping both feet in the green.  He's not used a lot and will never have stellar numbers, but he's the guy when you need to make possible the impossible.  The most memorable, however, is the Brady-to-Moss-to-Brady fleaflicker against the Steelers.  Brady ends up launching it to Jabar, burning Anthony Smith yet again.  This year, however, I have a feeling Jabar will take on a more active role with the departure of Stallworth.

Chad Jackson - A lot has been written about this man.  The heir apparent to Stallworth's position, much attention will be focused on "The Chad".  His role is Welker with a few more pounds and some muscle.  He's the chainsaw to Wes's scalpel.  Jackson will be relied upon to produce like an RB post catch; his job is breaking tackles and gaining yardage after the catch, a running back with great hands.  There's a few question marks, though.  Having spent his first 2 seasons injured for the most part, he's considered fragile.  In addition, it's been reported he has trouble with the playbook.  Coaches have been working with him non-stop, so I think we'll see improvement and productivity from Jackson.  He's definitely a guy to watch during TC.

Sam Aiken - A recent acquisition from the Bills and first year Patriot, Sam will be a strong addition to the special teams corp, but I don't see him getting much time on the field as a WR with the group of guys above.

C.J. Jones - Previously with the Browns and Seahawks, CJ has spent much of his career moving back and forth between active roster, practice squad and NFL Europa.  If things get tight and the front office needs to tighten its belt, I believe CJ is in jeapordy.

Robert Ortiz - 2007 saw him spend some time with the Seahawks after playing in Europe for awhile.  Robert, like CJ, may be in jeapordy if things get tight.

Matt Slater - Matt, a 2008 draftee, has been looking solid during OTAs.  Lining up at both WR and Safety, it'll be interesting to see where he ends up.  Belichick likes multi-role players and I see Matt initially adding value as a kick returner; he's got good hands and, with WR and Safety loaded up, he's an investment in youth, in my opinion.

Kelley Washington - One of the best special teams tacklers on the Patriots, I see more of the same for Kelley.  WR is a crowded position and unless he gets a chance to step in and make a big play, he will most likely become one of the Patriots best special teams guys again.  I hope he gets a shot; I really like Washington.

 
via cache.boston.com 

As many of you know, Mike Reiss is a sports reporter for the Boston Globe and scribes about the goings on with our favorite team, the New England Patriots. Mike's fact-based writing style provides us Patriots nuts with great reference material; you will often see him quoted here, more so than any other reporter.

I knew Mike Reiss was prolific, but I realized just how crazy he was during the Goodell/Specter press conferences.  Reiss's Pieces , Mike's Patriots blog, was being updated constantly with the goings on.  I think it really connected us fans with what was happening at the time.

I've done enough jabbering.  Let's get to the Q&A.

A Colts blogger of ours did an excellent analysis suggesting it will take time for the Patriots's new acquisitions to add value to the defense.  Have Belichick and the front office done enough to fill the gaps between the old guard (Bruschi, Vrabel, Seau) and the new guard (Crable, Mayo) while our rookies come up-to-speed?

Reiss: Time will obviously tell, but I'm going to say a definitive "yes" right now. One area that stood out to me at recent organized team activities was the versatility among many of the defenders, and how the Patriots have a lot of different parts that will allow them to do different things. I could be way off on this, but I think this defense is going to be a lot more dynamic than we've seen in recent years. I sense they're going to try some new things -- a little 3-4, a little 4-3, different sub-package combinations -- and I wonder how much the influence of new secondary coach Dom Capers is playing into that. It might be stuff that we don't see for a few weeks and then all of a sudden it pops up. In terms of the new defenders, I think Fernando Bryant looks like he's a starter at one cornerback spot. I also envision Jerod Mayo and Victor Hobson teaming up with Tedy Bruschi to provide a 1-2-3 combo at inside linebacker. I wouldn't be surprised if Brandon Meriweather is in the starting lineup at safety and much improved, with Tank Williams a major factor in sub packages, bridging the gap between safety and linebacker. On paper, the Patriots might be a bit weaker on the back end of the defense (it hurts to lose Asante Samuel), but I think they'll be stronger in the front seven. Overall, this rates as one of my top storylines going forward -- how will this defense be re-shaped? I might be reading the tea leaves wrong, but it's one reason I particularly enjoy following a Bill Belichick-coached team. Good luck figuring out what's coming next.

The Red Sox won the World Series, The Patriots narrowly missed having a perfect season and the Celtics are inches away from a championship. Have we become spoiled?  Are our expectations now too high?

Reiss: Can I turn this question over to safety Rodney Harrison? Entering his 15th NFL season, Harrison was asked this exact question at the Patriots Charitable Foundation Golf Tournament on Monday. His answer: "No question, fans are spoiled. Having a baseball team, world champions. A football team. Now possibly with our basketball team. Just a great legacy and history of winning championships around here. Hopefully it continues." As for my own opinion, I think Harrison is probably right in some respects. I'd just add that it seems to me that many fans realize this is a great era of sports in town that we'll be reflecting upon fondly when we all look back. Given all the ups and downs of the Patriots since their inception -- not just wins and losses, but ownership instability and off-field incidents -- I don't think any long-time Patriots/football fan who lived through that can ever really be considered spoiled.

Tom Brady won't be around forever.  Do you think the Patriots see something in Kevin O'Connell indicating he's the future of this franchise?

Reiss: I don't know if I would word it that way. Obviously, a team wouldn't draft a player in the third round, specifically a quarterback, if it didn't think it had a chance to be a big part of the future of the franchise. But in this case, I think it's as much as being a No. 2 as it is the possibility of being a future starter. More than 60 quarterbacks started at least one game last year in the NFL. That's an astronomical number, and a reminder of the importance of the backup spot. Can Matt Cassel be that guy? I don't think anyone knows the answer, because it's a question that can only be answered if he's thrust into that role, and he hasn't been. So in that case, I like the idea of improving your odds by adding a highly touted player to the mix. I also like the idea that Cassel's contract expires after this season and the team gives itself built-in insurance. That's just smart long-range planning. I'd also point out that there have been positive signs from Matt Gutierrez, a rookie free agent who signed with the club in 2007. The Patriots have been fortunate that Tom Brady has been an ironman, but that doesn't mean they shouldn't prepare for the possibility of having to call on a backup.

There's been a lot written about Chad Jackson and his return to full time play. Do you think he could be the Donte Stallworth replacement we're looking for?

Reiss: Yes, but I don't have the highest confidence at this point. Maybe it's that I caught out of the corner of my eye Jackson running the wrong route in the weekend mini-camp, when there wasn't a defense on the field. I don't want to base my opinion solely on that -- it would be short-sighted to do so -- but I also know there needs to be a trust and bond that develops between quarterback and receiver and that doesn't seem to be there at this point with Tom Brady and Jackson. That's what training camp is for, and it's probably fair to say that's why Jackson will be one of this camp's most intriguing stories to follow.

It's early and there's been limited access to Patriots voluntary camps (ie: Passing Camp), but which new acquisition do you see as adding value quickly?

Reiss: Not including the obvious choice of first-round pick Jerod Mayo, cornerback Fernando Bryant would be at the top of my list. I also think Victor Hobson is going to help, and people will be looking back and saying 'How could there not have been more interest in the free agent market for him?' The third name I'd add to the list is Tank Williams; much of today's game is played with offenses calling on three- and four-receiver packages, and he adds value as an extra defensive back who has linebacker-like skills.

A big Thank You to Mike Reiss for his time and thoughtful answers.  Very cool, Mike.  Don't forget to check out Mike's articles as well as Reiss's Pieces at boston.com 
 

This voluntary (yeah right) first practice is a chance for everyone to dust off the cobwebs and for the rookies to get their first taste of BB's system.  Speaking of Belichick, he views this an important part of the preparation:

"It's a teaching camp," said Belichick. "We try to install a good part of our system and give them a chance to execute it and get familiar with it and hear it called and try to run it, just getting a chance to go through it on the field in a team setting.

Injury riddled for the last couple of years, WR Chad Jackson is ready to hit the field and prove his worth.  The departure of Donte Stallworth certainly created an opportunity for him, but he's gotta deliver.

via cachemediasrv.patriots.com

Rookies and recent acquisitions traded catches from Brady with the likes of Mistah Buttah himself, Randy Moss:

He looked as smooth as ever. He makes catching the ball look so easy. It’s funny to watch guys like C.J. Jones, Matthew Slater or even Kelley Washington take one rep and Moss the next. The guy is one of the truly natural wonders of the football world. He’s special.

Rookie Matthew Slater lined up on offense as a WR.  You may recall he did double duty as a WR and S during rookie camp.  Belichick loves guys like this; he will most likely spend a lot of time on special teams, but it's good to know the kid is versatile.

Sammy Morris is back and looking strong despite missing the last half of the 2007 season with a chest injury.  Considered fragile, I hope he can stay healthy; I've always liked him because he seems like a sure and decisive RB.  He finds the holes and goes for it rather than bouncing around.

With the departure of Asante Samuel, the CB position is begging for someone to come and take it.  The field is crowded with FAs Fernando Bryant, Jason Webster and Lewis Sanders vying for a spot with rookies Terrence Wheatley and Jonathan Wilhite.  It remains to be seen if Asante's shoes can be filled.

Terrence Wheatley
via multimedia.heraldinteractive.com