INDIANAPOLIS -- Shortly before training camp in July, I had the opportunity to speak with Patriots safety Sergio Brown about the upcoming 2011 season. Thursday morning at the Patriots' team hotel in downtown Indianapolis, Sergio and I had the chance to talk again and catch up and talk about his increased role, thoughts on the defense, and how the secondary has coped with so much change throughout the season.

While Sergio probably won't too many snaps on defense tomorrow against the New York Giants in Super Bowl XLVI, his role on special teams certainly can't be discounted, as he has become one of the team's best at covering kicks.

On turning training camp opportunity into bigger role:
I stepped up into a bigger role after those guys [Meriweather, Sanders, McGowan] left at the beginning of the season and played a little bit more and now I'm just contributing to the team [any] way I can. It's a blessing because I'm better than last year and I just keep taking steps forward.

On how he has improved as a player:

Experience; I've gotten older and I've been able to focus on the important things while trying to weed out the things that don't matter. I'm just really focused on getting better and everything we need to do as a football team.

Thoughts on his emergence as a special teams player despite up-and-down playing time on defense:

Special teams is a big part of the game - there is a lot of hidden yardage in special teams and whatever value we can get we need to have. So every chance I get out there to do anything I just want to give it 100% and try to contribute to the team.

On transition in defensive backfield and how the secondary has coped with it and improved:

We just want to play our best football after Thanksgiving - play our best football going into the playoffs. And once the playoffs hit, we wanted to really narrow down and really, really play our best football because it's like another chance, or another season. In the whole scheme of things, once you get to the playoffs, that's the only thing that matters. It doesn't really matter what happened before or anything so we just [have been] trying to come together as a group and play our best, best football in the playoffs - the postseason.

INDIANAPOLIS -- Thursday morning, I had the chance to talk to Patriots defensive lineman Brandon Deaderick. The second year defensive lineman started the year on the PUP list, missing the first six games before quickly jumping into the action.

Deaderick, a seventh round draft choice out of Alabama, admitted that it was "hard sitting out those first six weeks watching everybody else go out there and play while I'm sitting there and working hard every day." However, according to Deaderick, "it paid off."

Of course, we all know the impact Deaderick has had for the Patriots. He ended up playing in the team's final ten regular season games, picking up five starts. In those games, he came up with 17 tackles in two sacks (and came close on several more).

Deaderick closed out the year as the team's starting right end in the 4-3 base defense, and now that the team has switched to the 3-4 for the playoffs, he's starting in that base as well. When I asked Deaderick what defense he felt was his best fit in terms of technique, he simply pointed out the one-gap vs. two-gap differences, and remarked that "as far as what I fit into better, it doesn't really matter to me, I play them both." Sounds like a man who has accepted his unlikely role as a versatile player.

Brandon Deaderick is in just his second year in the NFL. He was a seventh round pick just over a year ago. He's proven he can be a starter in either the 3-4 or 4-3. Regardless of what base defense the Patriots run against the Giants on Sunday, it's evident that Deaderick will have some type of role.

On a side note, Deaderick is just two years removed from winning the BCS National Championship and is already playing for a Super Bowl title. I asked him what that meant to him, and Deaderick stated that "it means a lot. I guess I really don't see it how a lot of older veterans see it - they've been playing for so long, some haven't ever been in a playoff game and all that. Still, it means a lot, I'm not taking it for granted."

INDIANAPOLIS -- Patriots receiver / defensive back / chef Julian Edelman is a busy man these days. Between spending time in both the offensive and defensive meeting rooms, Edelman has also established himself as quite the chef.

I sat down with Edelman during media access earlier today, and asked him a few questions about his versatility, the team's match-up with the Giants, and his omelet cooking skills. Edelman really provided some great answers and football wisdom, so if you're going to read one transcript from my interviews on site at Super Bowl XLVI, let it be this:

On what versatility means to him:

Versatility, as it's defined, means "to do a lot of things." For me, it means anything you can do to help contribute to the team winning the game. That's mostly the reason why I'm here and I'm excited for the opportunities.

His response to those who doubt his ability to cover receivers:

I really don't worry about what people say. If I'm worrying about that, I'm worrying about the wrong things. I'm more worried about preparing this week for the New York Giants. This is the last game of the 2011 season... or 2012, whatever it is. And that's what I do.

Thoughts on the challenge of covering Victor Cruz in the slot:

Like you said, he's an explosive player. He's got great short area quickness and he's got long speed. He not only plays the slot, he can play outside and he's got good run after catch ability. He's definitely a very good player and we have our hands full.

On how NFL career has progressed based on his initial expectations and his development as a receiver:

I'm still learning; the day you're done learning is the day you're done. I don't really think about my career in the past, I think about this week, right now. And once this season's over I'll go back and I'll evaluate what I have to do better for the upcoming season.

Based on all of his recipes and good things to eat posted on Twitter, what his best omelet is:

I can make a killer sweet potato casserole omelet, little thing, where you sauté the onions and all that stuff. I like to do that, but I literally just throw whatever I have in the kitchen into the omelet. I enjoy making those breakfasts and they're pretty tasty.

INDIANAPOLIS -- Patriots linebacker Tracy White is known best for his ability on special teams. There's no doubt that when it comes to covering kicks, White is one of the best in the business. White was second on the team in special teams tackles (14) and also played on the "core four" special teams units in 2011 for the Patriots.

While typically known for his role in the "third phase," Tracy White actually stepped into a defensive role at times this year. White played a season high 64 snaps against the Eagles, and also helped make the game-sealing deflection (that turned into a Jerod Mayo interception) against the Redskins.

During media access to players this morning at the University Place Conference Center in downtown Indianapolis, I asked White about the increased role he has seen thus far in 2011. White remained modest, attributing his increased playing time to hard work and film study more than anything.

"I just studied hard - my work ethic and just paying attention to details. This team holds you a lot more accountable than other teams I've been on. So it's study, hard work, and looking and the leaders and seeing what they do."

The Patriots could play a lot more four-man fronts against the Giants on Sunday, and I White could see a lot more playing time as an every-down linebacker.

Nonetheless, there's no question that White's biggest value to the Patriots comes as a special teams player. I asked him about his special teams play, and the values that the coaches place on it. White admitted that he's "been labeled a special teams player throughout [his] career" but that it was something that he can "take pride in" and "set goals" himself in.

Because of White's skill and experience as a special teams player, I asked him if he saw himself as a leader.

"Yeah, I do my 'leadership thing' by showing more than talking. I'll say certain things when I can and [share] my experience. But I'm really the type of person who shows [by example] rather than doing too much talking. Things that I know, I will tell, just to help my team. Whatever I can do to help special teams out I do - I talk, do my hitting, do whatever I have to do."

Following Super Bowl XLVI against the Giants, White, 30, will hit free agency. In his two years with the Patriots, White has proven to be a player the Patriots can rely on - and not just on special teams. I'd expect him to be back in New England yet again in 2012.

INDIANAPOLIS -- During media access this morning at the Univserity Place Conference Center in downtown Indianapolis, I had the chance to sit down and talk to Patriots linebacker Dane Fletcher about his 2011 campaign and other topics.

On the up-and-down season ending in a Super Bowl XLVI appearance:

You know, it's been ups and downs, peaks and valleys this year, for sure. My thumb injury - broke it a couple of times - and now I'm here at the Super Bowl and I'm trying to play at the top of my level. So it's a great experience.

Thoughts on Fletcher's new "wrinkle" defensively, lining up at defensive tackle on third downs in sub-packages:

It's cool, man. Any way they want to utilize me on defense, I'll take it. I played a little d-line in college and linebacker here so they're trying to use me as a hybrid guy.

Whether he feels more comfortable in the 3-4 base or the 4-3 base:

Either one - I like playing linebacker a little bit more than d-line, generally I feel more comfortable there. I like dropping back but I also like hitting blitzes, I like getting in there and making plays either way.

What Brandon Spikes' return has meant to the Patriots defense and how he feels he compliments Spikes and Jerod Mayo:

Spikes brings a lot to our defense and he comes in and he's a hard hitter and I just bring a little versatility I feel like - whatever they ask me to do I'll do.

We'll have more from Fletcher and other Patriots players throughout the day.

Earlier today, I was granted the privilege of having an exclusive one on one phone interview with Patriots safety Sergio Brown.  Brown, who signed with the Patriots as an undrafted free agent last season following his career at Notre Dame, enters his second year with the team in 2011.

In the interview, Sergio and I discussed a variety of topics from his Notre Dame career under Charlie Weis to his rookie campaign to his lockout activities.  But before we get started, I just wanted to thank Drew Rigsbee of ETL Associates for making the interview happen.

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Greg Knopping: I think, off the bat, I'm sort of obligated to ask you... how's the lockout been treating you?

Sergio Brown: It's been a lot of free time. Time to work out and have time to yourself... but I'm kind of anxious to get back to work.

Greg Knopping: I could imagine. And have you been following the progress of the CBA [negotiations] at all?

Sergio Brown: Yeah, yeah, I've been following it a little, as much as I could, from what my agent's been telling me and all the older players and just talk.

Greg Knopping: Yeah, and it's been looking pretty optimistic now, which is always a good thing.

Sergio Brown: Yeah, it's a real good thing. Been giving us hope.

Greg Knopping: So going back to your Notre Dame career a little bit... you spent your Notre Dame career playing under Charlie Weis and then you came to the Patriots last year under Bill Belichick, who had Weis as his offensive coordinator during the team's three Super Bowl Championships. What differences have you seen between the two coaches and do you think playing under Weis helped your transition to the pro level under Bill Belichick?

Sergio Brown: Yeah, I think it has helped me in the transition, because I mean they're pretty similar and [have] a lot of the same type of styles, the same approach to a lot of stuff. But they're totally different coaches at the same time; one offense - one defense. But, you know they're both just trying to win football games.

Greg Knoppping: And speaking of your Notre Dame career, do you have any one moment that particularly stood out as special to you?

Sergio Brown: I would probably say my first game my junior year. It was like my first game ever playing. That actually was like my first game ever playing on defense and we played San Diego State and I had a pretty good game - it was a lot of fun.

Greg Knopping: So your first good college game is against San Diego State and your first good pro game is against the [San Diego] Chargers.

Sergio Brown: Yeah, I was thinking the same thing about San Diego. I like California, I guess.

Greg Knopping: After Notre Dame, you signed with the Patriots. What was your thought process behind that decision?

Sergio Brown: I mean it was... I was trying to sign with a team as a[n undrafted] free agent. We had to break down teams. Who do you think you have a better fit with? Who really keeps free agents? I was familiar with New England's style because of my relationship with Charlie Weis at Notre Dame. And it like... it was almost a no-brainer. I knew it was cold up in Boston but other than that it was almost a no-brainer.

A whole lot more of the interview after the jump!

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