Ian Rapoport notes Belichick has had Jerod Mayo lined up at OLB recently at camp, off the line of scrimmage next to Brandon Spikes.
"Coach Belichick puts me everywhere," Mayo said. "Whatever he asks me to do, I’m willing to do. I feel like I can do a lot of things. Hopefully it works out. We have a lot of different things that we’re trying out. After preseason, we’ll see what happens."
"I’m willing to do anything — cover, blitz, whatever the team needs me to do," Mayo said. "I just love winning, man."
"To be honest, I feel pretty comfortable in any scheme, no matter what it is. Whatever coach throws out there, I’m willing to do."
Paul Perillo tells us who's hot and who's not from Monday's camp.
Who's hot: Sergio Brown – The backup safety and special teamer stepped into the limelight on Monday, working alongside Patrick Chung with the first defense. Brown, who made the roster a year ago as an undrafted free agent out of Notre Dame, adds a little size to the back end of the defense at 6-2, 210. With the team reportedly working out veteran safeties perhaps Brown has a chance for a bigger role in 2011.
Who's not: Two-minute offense – Tom Brady and Brian Hoyer each had a chance to put points on the board and neither really came close. Both drills were filled with sacks and incompletitions. The few passes that connected usually were short dumpoffs to backs that resulted in small gains. The offense still needs some work.
Mark Farinella reports Wes Welker feels better than he has in years and still in his prime.
"This is the best I've felt in my career, I feel like," Welker said, "and just my knowledge of the game and being able to be healthy has really helped, and hopefully I'll keep on improving and I'll keep on getting better as the year goes on."
"I feel great," he continued. "I feel like I've gained a step from two years ago. This is the best I've felt in a long time. The main thing is getting off the ball, and I think that's something I lacked a little bit before. But you know what? That was last year and I'm looking forward to this year and being healthy, and going out there and helping the team win."
TEAM TALK
- Training Camp Schedule for Tuesday: 10:30-1:00
- Paul Perillo points out that Brandon Meriweather was not working with the first unit yesterday, plus more news and notes form Monday's practice.
- Erik Scalavino tells us what happened at Monday's full-pads, indoor practice where there were some violent hits, with the most memorable given by Ninkovich and Chung.
- The New England Patriots will receive the Madden Protectors Award Trophy for having the NFL's best offensive line during the 2010 regular season.
- Press Conference: Nick Caserio (12.59 min. video) plus Transcript.
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WEEI Patriots Monday: Tom Brady (19.36 min. audio), Deion Branch (12.20 min. audio), Danny Woodhead (10.55 min. audio), Dan Koppen (8.57 min. audio), Vince Wilfork (15.42 min. audio) and Bill Belichick (38.57 min. audio)
- Post practice interviews: Aaron Hernandez (2.31 min. audio), Patrick Chung (3.11 min. audio), Wes Welker (3.59 min. audio)
- Patriots Today - Monday inside the Field House (2.55 min. video)
- Patriots Today - Hernandez widens his role (2.16 min. video)
- Patriots Today - Branch and others on Patriots Monday. (3.32 min. video)
- Locker Room Uncut - Words from Welker, Branch (2.54 min. video)
LOCAL LINKS
- Karen Guregian remembers last January Wes Welker said he was driven to do better and vowed to make it happen. He's made good on his word.
- Shalise Manza Young notes Wes Welker looks to be as dangerous as he was in his first three seasons with New England.
- Paul Kenyon reports Wes Welker feels like he's at the top of his game.
- Mike Reiss reports Wes Welker could be next in line for an extension with the Patriots.
- DJ Bean notes Aaron Hernandez appreciates the test, getting lit up by Chung but keeping possession of the ball, even if it aggravated him a bit.
- Mike Petraglia notes Pat Chung hit Aaron Hernandez so hard at practice that the TE saw stars. For the record, Hernandez held on to the ball.
- Tom E. Curran checks in with his notes from camp, including the increase in physicality in practice -- especially with the tight ends.
- Greg A. Bedard recaps yesterday's practice: Passing offense has a rough go after two strong days.
- Ian Rapoport tells us how practice went Monday:"Bill Belichick cracks me up. It’s an indoor practice to avoid the rain. So he takes a drink of water, walks over to the ball, squirts water on the ball, then gives back the bottle."
- Mike Rodak offers his observations from Monday afternoon's practice, including who's banged up and who's working out on the sidelines.
- Christopher Price gives us some quick notes from Monday's camp.
- Mark Farinella sees some organizational dissatisfaction with the safety corps as currently configured.
- Karen Guregian thinks Sergio Brown might be moving on up in the safety pecking order.
- Ian Rapoport wonders if Brandon Meriweather is on the block.
- Mike Reiss highlights the safety shuffle in practice.
- Karen Guregian focuses on Kyle Love, who recently married his college sweetheart and is loving 'his life, his wife and football'.
- Jeff Howe thinks Steve Maneri's versatility helped him take the biggest leap of his young NFL career, when he earned his first start at right tackle last Thursday.
- Mike Reiss counts Bill Parcells among those jumping on the Taylor Price bandwagon.
- WEEI Patriots Monday: Deion Branch - Dan Koppen - Danny Woodhead - Bill Belichick.
- Ian Rapoport Patriots Notebook: Long-snapper Matt Katula offers no explanation for his preseason embarrassing snap that went over Zoltan Mesko for a failed attempt.
- Mike Reiss reports Logan Mankins' name has been added to the new FieldTurf at his alma mater, Fresno State, a result of a donation he made to the program.
NATIONAL NEWS
- Joel Thorman (SBNation) NFL Preseason, Week 1: Five things to remember from 15 games. 1. The Patriots are still really, really good.
- Mike Klis (Denver Post) Triceps injury could be serious for Ty Warren, Broncos.
- Scott Kacsmar (Cold Hard Football Facts) Touchy subject: Early returns on new kickoff rule.