Klecko positions himself

FOXBOROUGH -- Nobody knows what lurks in coach Bill Belichick's mind, but it seems safe to say Dan Klecko is going to make the Patriots and get appreciative playing time. Question is, will the former collegiate defensive lineman make a push to be an eventual starter at his new primary position, linebacker?

"I think Dan is doing well considering he has only played the position for a month, really," Belichick said yesterday. "I think he is doing pretty well and a lot better than a lot of guys who have played it a lot longer.

"Now, he still has a long way to go. I am not talking about Dick Butkus here. I think he has done well and I think that [with] his versatility in other areas of the game -- on special teams, rushing the passer, a little bit on offense -- he has really created a good position for himself in terms of being able to be used by a team in a number of different spots."

And that's how it starts. Inch by inch. Role player to full-time player. Right now Klecko is a backup inside linebacker and fullback. Who knows where he's going?

"He is definitely improving," Belichick said. "You could even see it just in one practice yesterday. There were things that he improved in yesterday that were much better than they were a couple of days before. Now he can hopefully take those into game situations and get those positive results.

"Again, he has a long way to go, and there are guys that are playing the position that have played it for several years, in some cases probably double-digit years, ahead of him. He certainly hasn't caught up with them yet. But for what he has done, I think it has been good."

"I looked a little more aggressive in the Bengals game, and so that was better," said Klecko, who added that the difference between this year's camp and last year's is "pretty much night and day." He is much more involved, in many areas.

Klecko said part of his advancement came by working in the offseason with his father, former Jets defensive lineman Joe Klecko. "He's a student of the game. He's basically always on my side trying to help me," said Klecko. "When I look at the game, I think he's one of the players who revolutionized the way defensive linemen play now. The way he used his hands, he was one of the first guys who really started using that. What he teaches me is what I hear coaches teach me up here. It's basically the same."

In addition to his linebacking duties and special teams contributions, Klecko would seem to move up the depth chart at fullback with Fred McCrary having been cut.

"Fullback gives me something more to do and a better chance to make the team," Klecko said.

Upholding Law? Players Association sources said yesterday no grievance was filed or likely will be filed on Ty Law's behalf to recoup a $106,000 workout bonus, a strong indication that the money will be paid to Law.

Law said after the loss to Cincinnati last week that all was well.

Law's agent, Carl Poston, said he could not elaborate because of a confidentiality agreement with the Patriots, but Players Association sources indicated that Law would have had a strong case against the team had the money been withheld because the team paid the workout bonus to Law every previous season, setting a precedent.

Law's contract does not specify that his offseason workouts with track coach Bob Kersee are eligible for the bonuses, but the Patriots had given Law the money because of the great shape he's been in when arriving at minicamps and training camps. Poston would not comment on why the Patriots elected not to add the $106,000 to the $1 million roster bonus they paid him in March.

Warm feeling Quarterback Tom Brady said the difference between his right arm this year and last is he doesn't have to spend as much time warming up before he throws or icing down afterward. Brady said he used to spend up to 25 minutes just getting his arm loosened up. "I can just do more of a normal warmup, and it just feels better," he said. "It's not causing me the inflammation it caused me last year." . . . The Patriots waived rookie tight end Andy Mignery to get down to 80 players. Mignery was signed as an undrafted free agent May 2. Mignery was originally recruited as a quarterback at Michigan but made the transition to tight end as a junior in 2002.