Jeff Howe reports that a group of around 12-15 Patriots have been conducting organized, football-related workouts in the area since March.
While the Jets are working out in front of a swarm of media in sunny California, the Patriots are doing the same in a much more low-key manner in the Foxboro area.
Since NESN.com's report in March, the number of players has increased in size, nearly doubling in total attendance. Names were not given, but NESN.com reported in March that captain Jerod Mayo helped organize the workouts, which have involved gym sessions, plyometrics training (strength and speed) and field work. The workouts are completely permissible because they're being run by players, and the Patriots' staff has not been involved. By working out together, their hope is to avoid injuries once training camp begins.
"We're working hard, and it's intense," one source said. "It's a football workout, and everybody comes in there day in and day out, grinding and ready to work and ready to go. I don't know too many people who are working out as hard as we are right now. We'll definitely be ready. All of the people there will be ready when football comes back around."
Christopher Price talks with Central Arkansas defensive coordinator Matt Williamson about the evolution of pass rusher Markell Carter.
"He really started to work hard at it after two years, and about the middle of his junior season, the light came on — and it hasn’t gone off yet," recalled Williamson. "He probably saw it as a sophomore, but just didn’t have that extra gear he needed. By the time he was a junior, that gear was there."
"I can tell you that he went through the whole program here and not one time has he gotten into trouble," Williamson said of the 21-year-old Carter. "He’s always on time, he does the right things, he’s real diligent with how he represents himself — both on and off the field — and he works really hard at what he does as a football player. Succeeding at football is an important goal for him. He’s the type of person who will always strive to get better and improve. Every day."
"He’s a great pass rusher, I’ll tell you that right now," Williamson said of Carter. "He’s never really played much outside linebacker in the 3-4 — we did mess with that a little bit — but he was hands’ down our best pass rusher. We had our best chance to win when he was rushing the passer.
" If I’m playing to win a game, he’s going to be the guy I want coming after the quarterback off the edge."
"He’s one of those guys who will be noticed because he plays hard and he plays fast. I can’t compare him to anyone in the NFL — they all play like that there — but there’s no doubt he will get noticed. There’s no doubt," Williamson said. "He has speed and athleticism and he’s hard to block. He’s not elusive, just sort of slithery. A lot of guys have had trouble blocking him. He’s hard to get hands on him."
TEAM TALK
- Patriots Today - Vereen excited to be a Patriot. (1.33 min. video)
LOCAL LINKS
- Karen Guregian catches up with DE Marcus Stroud, the free-agent brought in by the Patriots in March.
- Mike Reiss helps us learn more about Patriots 6th-round draft choice DE Markell Carter.
- Chris Warner (Patriots Daily) spoke with 7th-round draft pick CB Malcolm Williams about his unusual route to Foxboro.
- Tedy Bruschi gets help preparing to climb Mt. Kilimanjaro from a long-time Patriots fan he got to know and became friends with when he started in New England.
- Tom E. Curran scouts out how the Ravens did in the Draft.
NATIONAL NEWS
- Ed Station (Bayou Buzz News) LSU's Ex-RB, Stevan Ridley hopes NFL Draft right move.
- Tim Graham (ESPN) Are 32 players better than Tom Brady?
- Tim Graham (ESPN) Patriots draftee Cannon coping with cancer.
- Dennis Dillon (Sporting News) Rookie QBs already working on state of NFL readiness.
- Mike Sando (ESPN) Whether Randy Moss remains relevant.
- Nate Davis (USA Today) Rewind to 2008 Draft: Time has shown Falcons ruled the day. Patriots graded C+
- Vic Carucci (NFL.com) Player workouts positive or disastrous? Depends on who you ask.
- Kevin Fishbain (Pro Football Weekly) Open the doors to undrafted free agents.
- Michael David Smith (ProFootballTalk) NFL on 2011 rules: We are considering a wide range of alternatives.
- Len Pasquarelli (Fox Sports) NFL middle linebackers lose importance.
- Sam Farmer (LA Times) NFL is focused on several issues: At the forefront are the lockout battles and testing for PEDs.
- Michael David Smith (ProFootballTalk) Riddell urges players to switch helmet models.
- AP Report: NFL considers having the World Andi-Doping Agency handle drug testing.
LABOR LUNACY
- Gregg Rosenthal (ProFootballTalk) NFL files opening brief to Eighth Circuit Court of Appeals.
- Mike Florio (ProFootballTalk) Players want to expand lockout insurance case, asking for amounts that could approach or surpass $1 billion.
- Andrew Brandt (Nat'l Football Post) To stay or not to stay. That is the question for the 8th Circuit: a primer.
- Len Pasquarelli (Fox Sports) 'Teaching moment' on NFL labor situation.
- Tim Graham (ESPN) Video: NFL lockout crawls onward. (2.17 min. video)
- SI.com NFL: Judge's ruling discounted harm to league.
- Mike Freeman (CBS Sports) NFL players, coaches violate lockout by staying in touch.
- Clark Judge (CBS Sports) NFL looking into allegations.
- Gregg Rosenthal (ProFootballTalk) Report: Assistant coaches, players in regular contact during lockout.
- Mike Florio (ProFootballTalk) NHL urges appeals court to side with NFL.
- Pete Prisco (CBS Sports) Players, critics way off mark targeting Goodell.
- Michael David Smith (ProFootballTalk) Reggie Bush enjoying the lockout: "Vacation, rest, relaxing".
- MJD (Yahoo! Sports) Roger Goodell gives a Colts blogger a call (Nate Dunlevy from 18to88).