Kraft has confidence in Dillon

FOXBOROUGH -- Patriots owner Robert Kraft trusts the collective judgment of coach Bill Belichick and vice president of player personnel Scott Pioli and, therefore, trusts that newly acquired running back Corey Dillon won't be the problem in New England that he was in Cincinnati.

There's no question Dillon, a three-time Pro Bowler, can carry the load, but he also carries a lot of baggage. During his seven seasons with the Bengals, he was arrested once for fourth-degree domestic assault following an August 2000 altercation with his wife and another time, during his rookie year, for DUI, negligent driving, and driving with a suspended license. He was considered the best running back in the 1997 draft but slipped to the second round because of a reported nine arrests as a Seattle teenager.

From missing minicamp to criticizing the team on national television last month, Dillon was a disruption during his last days in Cincinnati. After a talk with Dillon and after receiving assurances from Belichick and Pioli, Kraft has no reservations.

"I try to hire the best managers I can and then I try to ask them very tough questions and hold them accountable," Kraft said after presenting the team's "Community Quarterback Awards" at Gillette Stadium. "I'm interested in not bringing in players who we're not going to be proud to have in the New England community and how they're going to represent us off the field as well as on the field. I think in the discussions I've had, predicting the future, our people feel pretty good about it, that he's a good person to have here."

Kraft said of the phone conversation with Dillon, "He was very respectful and said all the right things.

"I think he wants to win, that's what's been represented to me. And he wants to come here and be part of a winning program and not be someone who is the man. He understands we're about team. I think he believes he can come in and help this team, and I think our managers believe we have a better football team with him here, with all the things that are important to our family.

Kraft was asked his reaction to Ty Law's arrest early Saturday morning in Miami Beach, Fla., on misdemeanor charges of failure to obey an officer and resisting an officer without violence.

"I know what I've read in the papers. I don't know any more than that," said Kraft, who has not spoken with Law during his ongoing contract dispute. "As good a job as you folks in the media do, sometimes that's not the whole story. Do I want to wake up and hear a report like that? No. It's like one of your children, it's the worst nightmare, you don't want to hear that. But I don't know all the facts.

"Ty Law was our second first-round pick [in 1995]. He's one of my favorite players and a favorite of the fans. He's someone I like a lot, and I hope he'll be playing next year for the New England Patriots and I'm sure all our fans feel that way as well."

Hope? Kraft was asked if he had any doubt as to whether Law would be here this season. "No," Kraft said. "He's under contract."