Wes Welker remained in shorts and a cutoff t-shirt, continuing to workout with the teams training and rehab staff, although he didn’t do nearly the work on the field that he did in the morning session.

–The players not on the field again were Logan Mankins and Derrick Burgess. Welker, Darnell Jenkins, Ron Brace and Sam Aiken were in sweats/shorts and worked out with the training staff on the side.

–The team got together before and after practice in a large group huddle, the latter of which included signing Happy Birthday to defensive line coach Pepper Johnson. One of his players, Ty Warren, gave Johnson a birthday Gatorade bath during group stretching after the conclusion of practice. Warren even left the Gatorade cooler on top of Johnson’s head.

–During some pre-practice work rookie offensive lineman Thomas Welch took some snapping reps working with regular long snapper Jake Ingram and FG/PAT holder Zoltan Mesko.

–Just one of those funny observations in the big-money, high-tech world of the NFL – the defensive front uses garbage cans turned upside down to serve as mock offensive linemen in their pre-practice work.

–The wide receivers do a variety of drills in their early group work, and it looks like position coach Chad O’Shea might be putting his stamp on things in that area. The receivers made cuts out from behind large tackling dummy, attempting to make the blind grab and toe-tapping catch along the sidelines. The receivers did a few drills using the large bags to cut off of and serve as screens. Along the sideline, all the receivers seemed to find the drill pretty difficult as few, if any, both caught the ball and got their feet down.

–Brandon Tate made a great catch on a deep ball down the left sideline against air early in practice. While falling to the ground he reached up to first bring the ball in with one hand before securing it with the other as he went to the ground just inside the pylon for the touchdown.

–Fred Taylor had a dropped pass in the practice, this after fumbling in the morning. He hasn’t had the best start to camp, that coming on the heels of a tough spring in which he dropped a lot of passes in a couple different workouts.

–The running backs went one-on-one with the linebackers in a pass coverage drill early in practice. A very tough drill for the defenders, I thought they held their own often enough. The best series of reps involved Jerod Mayo and Kevin Faulk. On the first the linebacker got a great, legal bump on the veteran back to disrupt the play, nearly throwing him to the ground before the incompletion. Ever the competitor, Faulk immediately wanted another rep. He got his way and took advantage, shaking past Mayo with a swim move for an easy reception over the middle. Each side claimed a victory, probably what you’d want in a competitive, balanced camp.

Thomas Williams batted down a pass with a nice break to step in front of Thomas Clayton in the drill. Elsewhere, Brandon Spikes not only struggled in his coverage, but seemed to hold the receiver on each of his reps.

–While the backs and backers were going at it, the wide receivers/tight ends and safeties/corners were doing the same on the far end of the field. Though it was hard to keep track of reps in both areas, I did see Randy Moss beat Darius Butler badly, with the second-year player seemingly giving the All-Pro too much respect and cushion. Butler protected the deep ball to the point where Moss had a good 5-plus yards of separation on his in-cut.

–Owner Robert Kraft was in attendance for the second straight session.

–A number of players seemed to get shaken up during the workout, including Matthew Slater, Bret Lockett and Clayton. Lockett went to the locker room early.

–The sides broke up into two groups for some team work. With Brady and Hoyer leading one offense and Zac Robinson leading the other. In one running rep Tyrone McKenzie did a nice job taking on a pulling Nick Kaczur, fighting off the block and then wrapping up the running back. McKenzie certainly looks the part and has the hard-nosed style of a run-first inside linebacker.

–Kickoff return was once again the area of focus on special teams. There was a slight change, though, in the groupings at returner. Tate was joined by Faulk as the off returner for the first rep, possible due to Slater being out of action. Julian Edelman was alongside Sammy Morris, with the pair seemingly having a little miscommunication that led to a heart-stopping, last-minute return by Morris. Taylor Price and Devin McCourty manned the third group to take reps.

–Sebastian Vollmer took a penalty lap during one drill. Robinson and Ryan Wendell took a penalty lap for a botched exchange in team action. The pair took a penalty lap in the morning session as well.

–Tom Brady had great practice in terms of his play-action fakes. At one point he held the ball on his hip for what seemed a like good two-count as the defense tried to catch up. Unfortunately Brady made a poor throw after the great fake.

–Brady seemed to get his foot stepped on after a throw in one drill. He limped around a bit after a couple reps thereafter.

–McCourty got even more significant reps in his second practice than he did in his first. At times he lined up opposite Leigh Bodden in place of Darius Butler. He also took reps on the left side at other times, with Butler getting some reps on the right side in place of Bodden.

–Brady had some real highs and lows during an exciting red zone segment late in practice. First, he hit Randy Moss for a score, beating McCourty. He also found rookie tight ends Rob Gronkowski and Aaron Hernandez for touchdowns, both coming at the expense of Patrick Chung. But in between he put a quick play action throw right into Gary Guyton’s hands for what would have been a potential 100-yard interception return for a touchdown. Guyton showed good hands and reflexes to make the play.

–Practice closed with the veterans doing a series of sprints while the younger and unproven players took more “opportunity” reps on the other end of the field. It’s interesting that guys like Price and McCourty get a ton of reps early in practice, but also get reps in the “opportunity” segment at the end.

–The Patriots will return to the field on Friday for another day of double sessions, with the morning workout getting underway at 9:30 a.m. The practice is open to the public, but be sure to check Patriots.com for any last-minute schedule changes or updates.

The report states that Burgess has not reported to Foxborough and “as recently as Wednesday, Burgess told associates that he was leaning toward retirement.”

In the wake of Wednesday’s release of Shawn Crable, Burgess’ potential retirement would leave an even larger hole on the outside linebacker depth chart in New England.

Though Burgess had just five sacks last season after joining the team via a summer trade from the Raiders, the veteran did see substantial playing time. Regardless of whether he lived up to expectations as a former Pro Bowl pass rusher, he was a known commodity at a position filled with mostly unknowns at this point. Aside from returning starter and 10-sack man Tully Banta-Cain, the rest of the depth chart includes Pierre Woods, Rob Ninkovich, rookie Jermaine Cunningham and first-year Pat Marques Murrell.

Burgess seemed to draw little interest this offseason in free agency and eventually re-signed with New England on a one-year deal. Now, it seems, the 31-year-old may decide to walk away from the game rather than return to the Patriots.

If Burgess does retire, what do you think about the depth at linebacker? Who will start? Is it now a necessity that the team go out and get added talent at the position through either free agency or a trade? Let us know with a comment below!

Not surprisingly Logan Mankins was not on the field for the practice. “Logan’s not under contract,” Belichick said while saying that the players that are in Foxborough are the one’s who are under contract. The restricted free agent guard has not signed his RFA tender and voiced his desire to be traded earlier this offseason.

–Beyond Mankins the only other player not on the field for the morning session was veteran linebacker Derrick Burgess. A group of players including Wes Welker, Darnell Jenkins, Sam Aiken and Ron Brace were in attendance wearing shorts or sweats. They took part in stretching before moving to the side to work with the trainers and conditioning staff.

–Welker was very active in his work with the medical staff. He did some running on the side with the other players who weren’t practicing before moving onto the field for some running work. He ran routes under the watchful eye, and sometimes tethered resistance, of director of rehabilitation Joe Van Allen. At times Welker was doing his work in between other drills taking place during the practice. It was the most aggressive, on-field rehab work I can remember seeing during any training camp practice. Welker put on knee brace after stretching and throughout his various running drills.

–Tom Brady, to no one’s surprise, was on the field for the opening practice. No. 12 has not cut his hair, as it continues to shaggily show itself from under his helmet. Brady did not wear a brace on his formerly repaired left knee, going with what looked to be a black, soft sleeve. Brady did not speak to the media afterwards, but is expected to do so sometime in the next couple days.

–A large crowd of fans took in the morning workout, despite the rain. The practice action took place in full pads, including some pretty good hitting during a few drills.

–At various points in drills both Matthew Slater and Brandon Tate struggled catching the ball, possibly thanks to some slick hands. Tate failed to haul in a Brady pass in some goal line work, a throw that while not perfect was certainly catchable.

–Mike Wright saw a lot of action during the workout at right defensive end in a group with Ty Warren and Vince Wilfork. Wright also threw Matt Light to the turf in a one-on-one pass blocking drill. Tully Banta-Cain and Wilfork both had to run penalty laps during that drill.

–At one point early in practice Belichick took a lot of time working with the defense, and the linebackers in particular. Belichick was discussing/showing some specific technique stuff with both Jerod Mayo and Gary Guyton.

–Kickoff return was the special teams area of focus for the morning. Tate and Slater (off returner), followed by Julian Edelman and Sammy Morris (off) and then Taylor Price and Devin McCourty (off). McCourty actually got the return job with Price on the next turn through the rotation.

–While the kickoff return work was going on, Randy Moss was on the opposite field as the only receiver with the quarterbacks – Brady, Brian Hoyer and Zac Robinson.

–The rest of the kickoff return unit had a front line of Bret Lockett, Pierre Woods, Eric Alexander, Patrick Chung, Tyrone McKenzie and James Sanders. Rob Gronkowski, Dan Connolly and Aaron Hernandez.

–When they went to team work on defense the linebacker group behind Wilfork, Warren and Wright included Rob Ninkovich on the left side, Guyton and Mayo in the middle and Banta-Cain on the right side.

–Nick Kaczur took plenty of reps at left guard in Mankins’ absence, including plenty or work with the offense running behind his side on the goal line.

–In that goal line drill the defense seemed to get the better of the action. Woods had a couple nice hits, knocking down Laurence Maroney. Wilfork also made a nice play in the drill.

–Morris got plenty of early reps in drills at running back, although he did get stuffed a couple times in the goal line drill.

–Fred Taylor had a fumble during a team segment, forcing the veteran to take a penalty lap.

–The play of the day came when Brady hit Moss deep down the middle of the field in team work, beating….Sanders. Moss made a beautiful hands-only grab. Not sure exactly what happened to the defense, but it seems hard to believe that having Sanders one-on-one with Moss deep was the plan.

–Brandon Meriweather and Patrick Chung took the early reps at safety. Sanders and McGowan rotated through, as did Lockett at times.

–Owner Robert Kraft was in attendance to take the latter portions of the practice.

–Hoyer had a nice completion in team work to a crossing Slater, beating Chung’s coverage in the intermediate area between the hashes. The ball was slightly behind Slater, who slowed down to make the catch. Chung pounded the ground in disgust after the play.

–Though Darius Butler continues to get the bulk of the reps at corner opposite Leigh Bodden, McCourty did get some action in that spot in his first pro practice.

–Linebacker Thomas Williams, who actually was a full-time fullback in college at USC, continued to take some reps at the position. He lined up in front of the running backs on the goal line, including the play that Wilfork blew up as Morris was stopped short of the goal line.

–Stephen Gostkowski went six-for-seven on his field goal attempts to close out practice. He started around at around 27 yards and worked back to around 44. He missed on his attempt from about 44 yards from the right hash, going slightly wide left. It was tough to see from the media tent if he indeed miss, but thankfully defensive lineman Kyle Love signaled it no-good from his spot beneath the uprights.

–Many players drew large crowds after the workout including Kaczur, Stephen Neal, Light, Sebastian Vollmer, Kevin Faulk, Butler, Ty Warren and others.

–Former Belichick Cleveland Browns underlying and Raiders personnel man Michael Lombardi was in attendance in his new job working for NFL Network and NFL.com. Lombardi shared hugs and chats with both Belichick and Moss.

–Neal took note of the fact that the media cannot cross the sideline on the practice fields, even after practice to speak with players. “It’s like Field of Dreams. You can’t cross the line,” Neal said with a smile. Despite considering retirement last winter, Neal said he’s “5,000-percent committed” at this point.

–Some of the big topics the media discussed with the players included Mankins’ absence and the removal of the pictures of past players/success from the football offices in Gillette Stadium.

–New England will return to the field for its second workout of training camp at 3:45 p.m. That practice is also open to the public. As always, be sure to check Patriots.com for any schedule changes or updates.

The move is interesting in a lot of ways. It closes the door on the “career” in New England of a guy who looked and measured the part of the ideal 3-4 outside linebacker, but never lived up to the billing. He was inactive for half his rookie season and then spent the rest of his short stay on IR. He also was reportedly placed on PUP earlier this week for another injury. In the end, the time came to cut ties with Crable in order to sign Devin McCourty and get under the 80-man roster limit to start camp.

With Crable gone, both of New England’s pair of 2008 third-round picks are no longer with the team. The other, quarterback Kevin O’Connell, was cut last year. The second-round pick from that year, Terrence Wheatley, may also be in a battle for his roster life heading into his third training camp. He’s played more than Crable, but not enough to pencil himself into any role with the team entering his third season. The fourth-round pick from that year, cornerback Jonathan Wilhite, has also been seemingly working his way down the depth chart over the last year. Fifth-rounder Matthew Slater could be in a fight for his job as a core special teamer this summer. As it stands right now, that 2008 draft could yield Jerod Mayo – the 10th overall pick – and not much else of substance. Coming right after a 2008 draft that brought Brandon Meriweather and absolutely nothing else, that’s a pretty bad two-year draft take.

Crable’s exit also cuts down the competition and intrigue at outside linebacker. While he’d never stepped on the field, many still held out hope that he could give the pass rush a boost. That hope, is now dead. That may put that wild-card spotlight of hope at linebacker and a greater importance on 2010 second-round pick Jermaine Cunningham. If he can’t contribute right away the potential at the position in the near future would seem to be pretty limited.

One more thing that’s clear from Crable’s release – football is back, baby! Training camp, news, notes and daily action is here!

What do you think of Crable getting cut and not even making it to his third NFL training camp? What does that leave you feeling about the OLB competition? Let us know with a comment below!

Today we look at the battle for the return jobs in the kicking game.

On the roster: Wes Welker, Kevin Faulk, Laurence Maroney, Julian Edelman, Darius Butler, Matthew Slater, Devin McCourty and others.

Why the competition?:
Aside from Wes Welker’s work as a punter returner, New England return game was pretty underwhelming a year ago. And given that No. 83 is returning from major knee surgery even his status as a returner would seem to be very much up in the air.

Last season the Patriots finished fifth in the NFL on punt returns but only 15th in kickoff returns.

Welker led the AFC and ranked second in the league with a 12.5-yard average, although he was the only guy in the top four who didn’t have at least one touchdown. He and Faulk are the sure-handed veteran options in the return game, although neither is overly explosive.

Edelman was the only other Patriot to return a punt in 2009, with the rookie averaging 10.5 yards on six chances. He also had a punt return touchdown in the preseason. With Welker’s knee and importance to the offense, it would seem that Edelman would be the most likely candidate for the punt return job. Faulk is still a reliable option, while guys like Butler and McCourty might be younger, big-play possibilities.

Maroney had the most kickoff returns (13) last fall, but averaged just 21.5 per. That’s a far cry from the 28.0-yard average he put up as a rookie that ranked him second in the NFL. If Maroney doesn’t win the job as the lead kick returner, Edelman and Slater might be next in line. Both returned 11 kicks each a year ago, the former going for 21.9 per while the latter hit for 24.5 a return.

Maybe most disappointing last fall was that the kick return unit lacked the big plays that were relatively common in the past with Ellis Hobbs, Maroney and Bethel Johnson fielding game-changing returns. In fact it was the first year since 2005 and only the second since 2001 in which New England did not have a kickoff return for a touchdown.

Therefore, maybe the most intriguing option in the return game is second-year former third-round pick Tate. Tate left North Carolina as the NCAA record holder in combined kick and punt return yards. He had six career return touchdowns for the Tar Heels (three punts, three kickoffs) and after missing most of his rookie season with a knee injury could be an exciting injection of youth in the return game. Butler, and the first-round pick McCourty, might also fill that bill.

What do you think of the variety of options for the return roles? Will Welker’s likely absence from the mix hurt the punt return game? Can one of the young bodies give the team a boost in kick returns, or could Maroney be the guy?

Andy Hart says…
I think Tate is the most intriguing guy in the return game. Even if he’s slow to develop as a receiver, I’d love to see him takeover as the top returner on both punts and kicks. Bill Belichick always seems to go with a reliable vet on punts, but I’d like to see some one of the young guys step up and take the job. Maybe Maroney can return to his better days as a kicker returner, even if his development as a running back remains in question. I’ll be honest, though, I don’t have a great gut feeling right now about the return game. But hopefully it’s just the calamari I had last night.

Erik Scalavino says…
Edelman was hailed as “the new Welker” last year as a receiver. This year, he’ll emulate his All-Pro teammate even further by taking over for him as the Patriots punt returner. With Welker on the mend, Edelman is not only the primary option, but a potential threat to score as well, as we saw in the preseason last year. Edelman’s come a long way since dropping his first two NFL punts last training camp. On kickoff returns, the youth movement continues with another second-year player, Tate, assuming the lead role. Butler will be preoccupied with his role at cornerback, but may also get some reps on occasion. Tate’s explosiveness, however, will provide the Patriots with a legitimate weapon at the position.

Paul Perillo says…
The return jobs could be among the most competitive of camp with several players in the mix. Assuming Bill Belichick doesn’t want to risk Wes Welker on punt returns, finding a dependable replacement may be the top priority. Kevin Faulk is reliable but lacks the big-play ability of some of the younger guys. Julian Edelman showed potential last preseason and should be in the mix. My personal favorites are Darius Butler and Brandon Tate. Butler is probably better suited for kicks while Tate seems capable of doing both. Both are explosive and could develop into home run threats, but neither is tested at this point. It’s time to ignore the inexperience and let the athletes take over.

Now that you’ve read the predictions from the PFW boys, give us your thoughts on the seemingly wide-open competition for return jobs with a comment below!

Today we break down the one-man race for the punting job in the wake of the Chris Hanson era.

On the roster: Zoltan Mesko

Why the competition?:
What competition? That’s the point at punter, there is no competition for the fifth-round pick Mesko.

Sure, he’s a high pick (for his position) and clearly the future at punter for New England.

But that was true for long snapper Jake Ingram a year ago and he still had to work through camp next to Nathan Hodel. Same for 2006 fourth-round pick Stephen Gostkowski, when Martin Gramatica was on hand to at least present the possibility that there was competition for the job at kicker. Hodel wasn’t released until Aug. 31. Gramatica on Aug. 23. But at least both were on the roster to open their respective training camps in 2006 and 2009.

Not this time, though. After Aussie David King was sent packing this spring, Mesko is all that’s left on the punter depth chart. No last-legs veteran. No journeyman. No fellow rookie. Nothing.

And Mesko didn’t exactly light things up in spring work, either in OTA action or mini-camp. He was utterly inconsistent as he appears to be tweaking his mechanics. He spent a lot of time punting on the move at Michigan. He won’t be doing that on Sundays. He’s clearly got the leg, but what we saw in the Spring was at least a two-to-one shank-to-bomb ratio.

Like any rookie, Mesko has a lot to learn. He’ll need to perfect his footwork, drops and overall mechanics. His situational work will be in the spotlight. But unlike most rookies, Mesko enters camp knowing that, at least on paper, the Patriots 2010 punting job is all his.

Are you OK going to camp with only Mesko at punter? Would you prefer some competition from a veteran, maybe even Hanson? Or is it good for Mesko to know the job is his from the very beginning?

Andy Hart says…
I’m a believer that competition is good for all involved. I’m surprised that Bill Belichick and Scott O’Brien appear to be simply handing the punting job to Mesko. I’d rather there be someone on hand to push the rookie to his limits. I know as a fifth-round draft pick he’d be likely to win the job either way, but the same could have been said for Gostkowski in 2006. He still had competition and Mesko should too, at least early in camp. I’m not big on just handing jobs to guys, especially rookies. If he can’t take the heat of training camp competition, then what’s he going to do in a key spot in a key game?

Erik Scalavino (our own former college kicker and resident special teams expert) says…
I’m slightly surprised there isn’t one other punter in camp to compete with Mesko. But in the end, as a fifth-round draft pick, he would have won the job anyway, so, I’m OK with giving him the added confidence of entering the season with job security. Besides, he has enough to worry about with the adjustment to his mechanics that we witnessed during spring practices. Now, that’s all he has to focus on this summer. That should help Mesko relax and make the necessary changes without simultaneously looking over his shoulder.

Paul Perillo says…
The bottom line here is the Patriots used a fifth-round pick on Mesko and he will be the guy. Unless he fails miserably during the season, I don’t see the team bringing in anyone to compete with him. He has a big leg and should settle in nicely once he gets more comfortable with the adjustments of kicking in the NFL.
Now that you’ve read the predictions from the PFW boys, give us your thoughts on the lack of competition at punter with a comment below!

Today we break down the battles along the defensive line, competition that includes both the starting job at right defensive end and a number of spots at the bottom of the depth chart.

On the roster: Vince Wilfork, Ty Warren, Gerard Warren, Mike Wright, Damione Lewis, Myron Pryor, Ron Brace, Darryl Richard, Brandon Deaderick, Kade Weston, Adrian Grady, Kyle Love

Why the competition?:
Though the Patriots can no longer roll out the no-questions-asked, first-round defensive front of Warren, Wilfork and Richard Seymour, the New England defensive line remains a potential strength of the team.

The biggest question, though, is who can step up and fill Seymour’s vacated right defensive end spot. Two potential answers are actually fellow first-round draft classmates of Seymour’s from 2001 – free agent additions Gerard Warren and Lewis. Both are solid if unspectacular pros. The former has essentially been a full-time starter in his previous NFL stops in Cleveland, Denver and Oakland. The latter is a solid locker room presence and at least a capable on-field contributor. Both would seem to be more suitable every-down options than the now-departed Jarvis Green.

Gerard took the bulk of the reps at right defensive end this spring next to Wilfork, so it at least appears he’ll have the first chance at winning the starting job. Interestingly, if Lewis isn’t in the mix as a starter the veteran former Panther and Ram could be in a battle for his roster life. After the starting jobs are handed out, with Ty Warren and newly-rich nose tackle Wilfork locks for two of the spots, Wright is the most established veteran. His versatility is his strength, and while he may not be an NFL starter he’s a great luxury as a backup, sub player and special teams contributor.

Maybe the most heated battles along the defensive line will be for the backup jobs and final spots on the roster. Bill Belichick generally keeps seven or eight guys on the line. That means if Warren, Wilfork, Warren and Wright (No wonder Seymour got traded! Maybe he would have stuck around if his name had been Weymour!) are roster locks then the other guys are battling for three or four jobs.

Pryor would seem to have the edge among the second-year players, with the sixth rounder having seen more action than the 2009 second-round pick Brace and the practice squader Richard. Though Pryor did little to standout as a rookie in terms of making plays, he impressed enough to get significant reps. Brace, for what it’s worth, has spoken openly this spring about what he learned as a little-used rookie and what’s expected of him moving forward.

The rookie class brings a couple seventh-round picks in Deaderick and Weston. Both have the size and supposed athleticism for the 3-4, but the former may have the advantage early on coming from Nick Saban’s Alabama defense that has some similarities to what the Patriots do.

As has been the case for virtually the entirety of Wilfork’s time in New England, finding a true backup nose tackle is always a big part of the competition for defensive line roster spots. Although, no one has really emerged in that role over the years.

Will Gerard Warren bring some consistency to the starting job at right defensive end? Could we see Wilfork, as was the case on occasion out of necessity last season, play some end? Which of the young players has the most upside? Can Brace bounce back from a tough campaign and make that Year 2 jump that so many people talk about? Can the defensive line, as a whole, be good enough to take some of the pressure off the young linebacking corps?

Andy Hart says…
It looks like Gerard Warren will get the nod at RDE. He’s a solid vet and I think he’ll be an upgrade over Green and the rest from last fall. That WWW line is a solid starting unit. Brace has talked the talk this spring, but now he must prove it. I have my doubts. Beyond Wright, there’s not a lot to count on with the backups. WWW must stay healthy, in my eyes, or it could be a long year up front. Wilfork is as important as any player on the team not named Brady.

Erik Scalavino says…
Based on spring practice results, I’m expecting newcomer Gerard Warren to have the inside track to start at right defensive end alongside Wilfork and Ty Warren, with Wright a virtual lock as the proven, versatile backup. The real battle will be for the remaining reserve spots. Lewis most likely makes it, leaving Brace and Pryor as the frontrunners for the final two jobs, in all likelihood. At least one will probably not make the cut, meaning there’s an opening for Richard or one of the rookie/first-year players. Brace got a lot of reps in the spring, meaning the coaches are giving him every chance to succeed, but I wouldn’t feel confident betting on him.

Paul Perillo (yes, he’s finally back from vacation!) says…
The Patriots are better situated to fill the Richard Seymour void with veterans Gerard Warren and Damione Lewis, which should help. Vince Wilfork and Ty Warren give the team a solid starting group, particularly against the run, and Mike Wright does a nice job getting after the passer in subpackages. It would be a nice bonus if one of the many youngsters develops and contributes in 2010, otherwise this is a thin group.
Now that you’ve read the predictions from the PFW boys, give us your thoughts on the competition on the defensive line with a comment below!

Today we break down the battle at outside linebacker, arguably the most important competition on the roster this summer.

On the roster:

Tully Banta-Cain, Derrick Burgess, Jermaine Cunningham, Pierre Woods, Rob Ninkovich, Shawn Crable, Marques Murrell

Why the competition?:
A year ago a variety of bodies filled out a variety of roles at outside linebacker. By the end of the season Banta-Cain had established himself as a starter and every down option. Beyond that not much else was ascertained at the position, aside from the fact that it was one of the weaknesses of the team.

Now that Adalius Thomas has been sent packing and officially declared a free agent bust, the outside linebacker spot can look to the future. Banta-Cain re-signed with New England this spring, a reported three-year deal worth $18 million with $6 million guaranteed. After his 10 sacks a year ago he’ll be expected to lead the way in the pass rush, one of the team’s weaknesses last fall.

But who will join Banta-Cain with regular playing time and have a potential positive impact on the scheme? A big part of the possible answer comes in the form of unproven young players. Cunningham is one of this year’s second-round picks and would seem to have all the tools needed on the edge to be a well-rounded outside linebacker. The same was thought of the former third-round pick Crable, but after two years on IR and no NFL games played his professional future is far more dubious than bright. Ninkovich has a lot of physical similarities with Mike Vrabel and a similar background. But that doesn’t mean he can develop into an All-Pro. And while Woods started five games last fall, he’s notched only one career sack and at best seems like an option against the run. Or he may be a very good special teams contributor miscast in extended defensive action.

Like Banta-Cain, Burgess re-signed this spring. He had a quiet first season in New England after his summer trade from Oakland. His five sacks weren’t overly memorable, though he drew high praise at times from Bill Belichick. Maybe the former Pro Bowler will be more productive and an impact player with a year in the system under his belt. Maybe.

While it’s not nearly a return of the days when guys with proven NFL resumes like Willie McGinest, Vrabel, Rosevelt Colvin and Thomas were battling it out for action at outside linebacker, this could very well be one of the most competitive training camps at the position in the Belichick era. Starting jobs, roster spots and careers may very well be on the line.

Who do you think will end up winning the starting jobs at OLB? Can the pass rush be better than it was a year ago? Which of the young players are you most confident in? Will one of the veterans have a big year, much like TBC did last fall? Can Banta-Cain be a double-digit sack guy for two seasons in a row?

Andy Hart says…
Though I’m a very big TBC fan, I wonder if he can be a consistent double-digit sack guy and if he can hold up as an every down player for a full season. We’ll see, because I think he’s a lock for one of the starting jobs. While I think it’s a huge risk to expect a rookie to fill the role, I could see Cunningham landing the other starting spot early on. I’m just not sold on how valuable and productive Burgess is or can be. I think we may have seen the last of Crable in a Patriots uniform, which is funny since we never really saw him in a Patriots uniform. My heart is with Ninkovich, but I’m not sure he has all the Vrabel-like tools needed to be anything more than a backup or rotational guy. For me it’s Banta-Cain and Cunningham or bust in 2010!

Erik Scalavino says…
Last year’s regular duo of Banta-Cain and Burgess will retain their jobs, by default, at least in the beginning. However, it’s entirely possible that one of the younger players - Crable, Cunningham? - will emerge to overtake one or the other (more likely Burgess). Regardless, with the lack of consistent playmakers at this position, we’ll most likely see a rotational, situational substitution arrangement, with the likes of Rob Ninkovich and Pierre Woods contributing as well. Much like the team’s running back situation, I expect a committee approach to play itself out at outside linebacker in 2010.
Now that you’ve read the predictions from the PFW boys, give us your thoughts on the competition at outside linebacker with a comment below!

Today we take a gander at the competition surrounding Brandon Meriweather at the safety position.

On the roster: Brandon Meriweather, Patrick Chung, James Sanders, Brandon McGowan, Sergio Brown (Terrence Johnson, Bret Lockett and Ross Ventrone are listed as DBs)

Why the competition?:
Rodney Harrison’s departure a year ago left a huge hole in the New England secondary – both in terms of playing time and leadership. While Meriweather earned his first Pro Bowl trip as an injury replacement, the position remains a highly competitive battle between some pretty experienced talents.

There’s little doubt that Meriweather is a starter and one of the keys, for better or worse, to the new age Patriots defense. He’s still got room for growth, but at the current time he’s the given at the position.

The other starting job would seem to be up for grabs. Sanders (5 starts early and late) and McGowan (11 starts from late September through early December) split the duties a year ago. While Sanders is a career-Patriot who’s started 41 games for the team, McGowan was a solid surprise in his first season in New England. Early in the year he shut down opposing tight ends and brought aggressive, physical play to the field. But as a group the middle of the secondary seemed to struggle at times with communication and reliability, strengths that Sanders brought to the field in his late-season redemption. A solid tackler and underrated, conservative option at the position, Sanders enters camp looking to regain the full-time starting role he held in 2007 and 2008.

The second-year former second-round pick Chung is the big unknown in the group. After starting just one game and seeing much more playing time on special teams than defense as a rookie, Chung took the bulk of the reps next to Meriweather this spring in OTA and mini-camp action. He brings solid speed, athleticism and playmaking potential to the position — he did have two sacks and an interception in limited action last fall.

But just because Chung’s lining up with the starters in the spring doesn’t mean he’s the full-time, early season answer at the position. Bill Belichick may see both Sanders and McGowan as known commodities, possibly giving the young Chung more reps to prove what he would bring to the defense. If he maximizes those opportunities then the safety spot could be set with a pair of young guys for years to come. If Chung isn’t quite ready, then New England has two guys in Sanders and McGowan with plenty of starting experience to fall back on.

Who do you think will be the starter next to Meriweather? Will those safeties who don’t win a starting job see a lot of action on the defense? Could a guy like Sanders, who has a pretty high salary, be a surprising training camp cut or even summertime trade? Do you think the safety spot can evolve into a strength of the defense in the coming years?

Andy Hart says…
I’m a long-standing fan of Sanders. I think he’s a solid, sure-tackling safety net. He may not make big plays, but I think he saves plenty of them from happening against the Patriots defense. I’d line him up next to Meriweather and let the former first-round pick be the athletic playmaker he has the potential to be. I haven’t seen enough of Chung on defense to form a real opinion. He has all the tools and the desire. He’ll be in the mix and has a definite upside. McGowan, to me, is best served in a sub role as a guy who I believe brings diminishing returns the more he has to play. In the right spot I think he can be a complementary player on a good defense.

Erik Scalavino says…
While I still have my concerns about Meriweather’s fundamentals, I’ve no doubt he’s the only safety with a secure job. It looks like Chung will get every chance to be a starter, but until he proves himself, I remain a skeptic. McGowan is a playmaker at times, but is too inconsistent. Ironically, the most steady player, Sanders, seems like the forgotten man in this competition. But I think all four will make the team and contribute in a rotational role, much like last year.

Now that you’ve read the predictions from the PFW boys, give us your thoughts on the competition at safety with a comment below!

Today we look at the wide receiver position.

On the roster:
Randy Moss, Wes Welker, Julian Edelman, Torry Holt, Sam Aiken, Brandon Tate, Taylor Price, Matthew Slater, David Patten, Buddy Farnham, Darnell Jenkins.

Why the competition?:
New England’s passing game has been pretty easy to scout in recent years, if not easy to stop. It’s been mostly about Tom Brady (or Matt Cassel) throwing nearly 600 passes combined to Randy Moss and Wes Welker. While that will probably be a big part of the plan in 2010, the competition is more about who’ll fill out the other roles and roster spots for an offense that lacked a regular third option last fall.

First, though, Welker must get back on the field. Some retain the belief that he’ll still open the year on PUP. But his high-paced appearance during OTA and mini-camp action would seem to have him on course for a spot on the 53-man roster. Still, the question will be whether he can return to true Welker-like levels of quickness, reliability and production. Likewise, Moss battled injuries a year ago and is a year older. He believes he’s in his final season in New England, so he should be focused on proving he can still be an elite playmaker.

After Nos. 81 and 83 slide into their staring roles, then what? Holt caught 50 passes for the Jags last year and seems to still have something left as a route runner. He’s got Hall of Fame credentials, but he’ll have to prove that he can be a productive option along the lines of Jabar Gaffney, and not a gaffe of a veteran free agent addition as was the case with Joey Galloway.

But clearly the most intriguing and competitive area of the wide receiver depth chart is with the young talent. Julian Edelman’s rookie transition from college QB to productive NFL slot receiver was borderline remarkable. The Welker fill-in must prove the durability and consistency that his Pro Bowl teammate has over years, but if Edelman can build off his debut effort he clearly can help out the offense in the coming months and years.

Two young players with everything to prove are second-year speedster Brandon Tate and rookie third-round pick Taylor Price. Tate saw minimal action as a rookie while coming back from a major college knee injury and then returning to the sidelines on IR with another knee injury. He didn’t catch a pass last fall, but got plenty of run this spring on the practice fields and seemingly will be given every opportunity to carve out a role for himself. He’s also very much in the mix as a returner.

Price looks to have the speed, route running, hands and intellect to be an option as a rookie – something that’s not always easy at the receiver position in the NFL. He comes from an Ohio system that didn’t field an NFL passing scheme, so he’ll have to get up to speed with the Patriots playbook before he can prove his physical tools.

The rest of the players on the roster are either pigeonholed veterans or true roster long shots. As the returning special teams captain, Aiken would seem to have a step up on a guy like Slater who’s been OK as a special teamer in his first couple years. And though Aiken made some big plays in the passing game with what was a career year out of necessity a year ago, the more he sees the field on offense in 2010 the worse a sign it is for the overall production, health and development of the rest of the depth chart.

How will all the roles at receiver play out? Can Moss and Welker continue to be the focal point of the passing attack without some help from either Holt or the youngsters? Which young receiver are you most excited about?

Andy Hart says…
First, I think Moss is poised for another big year and expect that Welker will be on the active roster to open the season. I also think that Holt will help this team this year, far more than Galloway ever did and close to a Gaffney-ish complementary role. When it comes to the young guys, I’m really interested to see what Price can do. I think he might be the best, most well-rounded option for the future at the position. I have my overall doubts about Tate and need to see Edelman prove he can stay healthy and take the pounding in the slot. That’s not easy and is why Welker has been so special in New England.

Erik Scalavino says…
Clearly, Welker’s condition is the biggest concern at wide receiver, but after seeing him perform in the spring, I’m more optimistic that he’ll be contributing in Week 1 of the regular season. And with Moss heading into a contract year, I’m expecting big things from him again, too.

I’m cautiously optimistic that Holt will stabilize the all-important third wide receiver spot, and expect Edelman to continue his impressive development, both in his role and as a receiver in general. Tate’s potential as a receiver and kick returner are intriguing. Price will also get every opportunity to prove himself. They both appear to have talent that the Patriots coaches can exploit.

Now that you’ve read the predictions from the PFW boys, give us your thoughts on the competition at wide receiver with a comment below! And remember, T.O. is not actually on the roster right now so leave him out of his little discussion.