Rodney Harrison returns with one year left on his contract, but is healthy and able to start from the first day. James Sanders started at free safety in 2007 and had a solid performance, but may be challenged for a starting spot in training camp by Brandon Meriweather.

Meriweather should be concentrating on his role at safety rather then cornerback and safety as he did last season in his rookie year. If he does well in training camp he may be starting come opening day. Definitely starting mid-way through the season.

Veteran Tank Williams joins the roster at safety and has practiced as an additional linebacker in special situations. Although Williams may not be the same type of player as Harrison, I look forward to see how he is used by new coach Dom Capers.

Special teams player Ray Ventrone may get a chance to break the roster and find time rotating in the line-up, but this may be his last year of opportunity with the Patriots.

Undrafted rookie Mark Dillard is also trying to make the roster, but he may be lucky to make the practice squad.

I see Capers and even Harrison challenging the other players to step up and play a more physical game in coverage and moving up in the box to help make tackles and blitz more often.

So why is safety a strength in 2008?

The only real loss from 2007, was Eugene Wilson. Wilson was a known starter and fell out of favor due to too many missed plays as well as injuries. He finished the season rotating into different packages or not playing at all.

Wilson was a bit of an enigma, as he played well his first season having converted from cornerback to safety and replaced Lawyer Milloy to start the season next to Harrison. Wilson helped the Patriots win a Super Bowl that same year.

Since then Wilson has lacked the confidence, leadership and health worth giving him a contract extension. Wilson is now playing cornerback for the Bucs.

IN BILL WE TRUST!! 

The Patriots have signed fourth-round pick cornerback Jonathan Whilhite. The former Auburn star is set to join a secondary that no longer has Asante Samuel, Randall Gay or Eugene Wilson, but does offer a new coach for the defensive backs in Dom Capers and experience with veteran Fernando Bryant joining Ellis Hobbs.

The Patriots have not yet signed second-round CB Terrence Wheatley, who also joins the depleted secondary and is expected to learn quickly and hopefully start at some point in 2008.

The other rookie signings to day have been 5th-round pick special teamer Matt Slater and 6th-rounder linebacker Bo Ruud.

Slater has practiced on special teams, defense and offense and may seem like a plug n play play to be utilized in multiple situations. He is a combination player  similar to Bam Childress and recently released Willie Andrews. Slater may still be a developmental player and most likely will make the practice squad and may make a couple of game day rosters in 2008.

At inside linebacker, Ruud has the opportunity to learn from some of the best with Tedy Bruschi, Adalius Thomas and Mike Vrabel all having palyed the position under head coach Bill Belichick and defensive coach Dean Pees. The offseason acquisition of veteran Victor Hobson and selection of rookie first-round pick Jerod Mayo means these three may all learn together.

Ruud is a definite for the practice squad, but if he performs well in training camp and shows the ability to learn quick and do well on special teams could crack the roster come opening day.

IN BILL WE TRUST!!

There was too much hype on the Patriots in 2007 after obtaining Adalius Thomas, Kelley Washington, Donte’ Stallworth, Kyle Brady and picking up Randy Moss and Wes Welker with draft picks.

More then a few in the media did feel the Patriots had built one of the best teams on paper. The Patriots were predicted to go to the Super Bowl and a few in the blog’o’sphere even believed the Patriots could go undefeated.

I did not care as much about the number of victories, breaking individual, NFL or team records. Peyton Manning and the Indianapolis Colts have proved more then once that breaking records do not win Championships. I want the Patriots to win the next Super Bowl Championship and the next one and the next one…

The Colts won in 2006 without having a record breaking season or career year for Manning, but they played as a team and won with solid defense in the playoffs. Even though Peyton did have his pout in the 2006 AFC Championship game, he proved to be a leader and brought his team back to win and after many futile attempts finally made it to his first Super Bowl.

In 2007, the other Manning - Eli - was able to take the pressure of off-field comments from former and current teammates and improved during the season. With the help of an aggressive and impressive Giants defensive attack, Eli was able to handle the pressure of the undefeated Patriots to lead the Giants as Super Bowl Champions. I am still certain that if the Giants had not backed off during the second half of the final game of the season, the Giants would have won that game too.

Now personally, I have seen enough Mannings winning Super Bowls for a lifetime, but now that both Peyton and Eli have each won their own, they could still win a few more…

So how about our Patriots? It has been since 2004 since our team has won a Super Bowl and although the Patriots have had their chances recently - it has been a big disappointment. Losing to the Colts after a huge lead in the 2006 Championship and then going 18 and doh! in the 2007 Super Bowl.

OK - that is the past and this is 2008

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Please let us know if there is a Patriot website we should add to our list.

We have added new pages to include the Patriots Roster and 2008 Schedule.

We will be making a few more changes with bits and pieces here and there over the next few weeks as we gear up for training camp.

Enjoy the weekend!

The success of our forefathers who created this great nation may not recognize America the way it is today. It may be true that some scholars believe the creation of the United States was not to become a dominant world player, but our forefathers would be proud that America and Americans have and continue to contribute to freedom around the globe.

God bless our troops and and those families that have their  sons, daughters, husbands, wives, dads and moms living overseas and representing the United States where ever they are.

My favorite memories have been out on the lake in a boat and watching the local ‘private’ firework shows. Lost weekends of hamburgers, beer, volleyball and skinny dippin… also a few road trips to the fireworks and Boston Pops at the Common. ah - enjoy the cook outs and fire works!

Happy to be an American!

The Patriots will start off Thursday with two practices and have single practices Friday (25th) and Saturday (26th), before holding another two-a-day on Sunday (27th).

The Patriots first pre-season game will be August 7th against the Ravens at home. The Ravens are a physical team and we should see a few good battles between the rookies. How will Patriots rookie linebackers Mayo and Ruud do versus Ravens rookie quarterback Joe Flacco - can they bring the pressure?

Will the Ravens be able to throw against Wheatley and Whilhite? How will second year rookie Mike Richardson perform

I look forward to the training camp and to see the rookies and the new vets on the field for the first game! Tank Williams, Fernando Bryant and VictorHobson should provide a glimpse of their speed and agility in the Patriots scheme. these players could be the key to the Patriots success to step in and fill the gaps left after 2007.

The Ravens game may also show us a bit on how defensive backs coach Dom Capers will utilize his players and how physical the DBs really want to be.

But that is still a whole month away!!

IN BILL WE TRUST!

Andrews still sits in jail without chance for bail after allegedly threatening his girlfriend with a handgun and pointing it at her head.

Although it was not clear at the time of the initial report how dangerous the situation had been nor how severe Andrews’ girlfriend was apperently hurt.

Andrews may have also been denied bail as his initial case is still open and pending a sentence for his guilty plea for possession of marijuana with intent to distribute.

The Patriots website announced Andrews relase as part of the signing of rookie linebacker Bo Ruud:

FOXBOROUGH, Mass. - The New England Patriots announced the signing of sixth-round draft choice Bo Ruud today. Terms of the agreement were not disclosed. The team also announced the release of third-year defensive back Willie Andrews.

This is too bad for Bo Ruud. He finally makes it into the NFL and signs with a premiere team and shares the experience with a teammate being dumped by the team for a second arrest.

OK - so I had to bring this up, but I will follow up on Ruud in more detail.

Also - Jamie you were right!

IN BILL WE TRUST!!

“The New England Patriots take the conduct of our players very seriously. We are aware of the very disturbing and alarming reports regarding Willie Andrews. We will not offer any additional comment, as is our policy regarding pending legal matters.”

While nothing has yet to be done with Andrews from a personnel perspective, one should expect his release soon. This type of criminal behavior amongst players should not be tolerated. It is a shame too, as Andrews was looking like he was going to become a stand-out special teams player and possibly handle the kick return duties. He had one return for a touchdown last season against Miami. It truly is a waste of talent over something so foolish.

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Could this  be considered the best few years in Boston sports history? Is this the best decade as three sporting franchises have won World Championships with the Patriots and Red Sox winning multiple times?

Of course it is the best in recent memory and we no longer have the Boston sports teams of our parents past that live a bright and lasting memory of the ages. The teams of the recent past and present will live in our memory and those we share with our children.

Ah so nice to be a Boston sports fan and yes this does lead to great expectations! But enough for now as I will enjoy a nice cigar tonight and as one person once said ‘bring on the grapes!’