Bruschi misses practice again

FOXBOROUGH -- Linebacker Tedy Bruschi missed his fourth straight practice yesterday, fueling speculation he sustained an injury earlier this week.

Asked to confirm that Bruschi injured his wrist, coach Bill Belichick said, ``His wrist is probably sore. I'm sure he has a lot of sore body parts. He's day to day."

Players took note of Bruschi's absence. Cornerback Ellis Hobbs, for one, looks to Bruschi for inspiration.

``We all get banged up, we all have our nicks and bruises," Hobbs said. ``When I sit down at my locker and look over to my far right and see a guy like him and what he's been through, who am I in my second year to be complaining about something minor? This guy has been through life-threatening situations."

Quarterback Tom Brady isn't concerned with how Bruschi will handle his apparent setback.

``Tedy has been through a whole bunch, so I'm not worried about him at all," Brady said. ``Tedy has the most positive attitude of anybody I've been around, so I'm sure it won't be long before he's out here."

Nose tackle Vince Wilfork believes the Patriots must focus on not breaking stride despite Bruschi's absence.

``We have to just keep rolling," he said. ``Whatever his situation is, I'm sorry, but we have to keep rolling. We have a season to play."

With Bruschi missing yesterday's lone practice, and Monty Beisel held out for the second straight workout, the Patriots turned to veterans Don Davis and Barry Gardner at inside linebacker with their top unit. Second-year player Eric Alexander and rookie free agent Freddie Roach also took practice repetitions at the position. The 29-year-old Gardner, though, appears to be the player who would step into Bruschi's role, as he led the huddle and set the front seven during drills yesterday.

An eight-year veteran who entered the league in 1999 as a second-round draft choice out of Northwestern, he signed a free agent deal with the Patriots in May. He's played in 110 games, with 24 starts, although he hasn't been a regular starter since 2000.

The 6-foot-1-inch, 245-pound Gardner, who has suited up for the Eagles (1999-2002), Browns (2003-04), and Jets (2005), has never played in a 3-4 defense. Belichick, however, said he's a quick study.

``Barry is a smart guy, he is a very instinctive player," Belichick said. ``He picks things up pretty quickly and he understands concepts, so even though he hasn't played in this style of defense or this system, fundamentally there are a lot of instinctive skills that he has. He understands defensive adjustments."

Those expecting defensive lineman Richard Seymour to return to practice were disappointed, as Seymour continued to rehabilitate at Gillette Stadium. He is one of seven players on the team's physically unable to perform list.

Seymour's absence from training camp is strictly physical, and in many ways precautionary. He is attending team meetings.

``He's preparing to play, and that's all I can say about it," said Eugene Parker, Seymour's agent. ``I want to respect the Patriots, and they don't like to talk about injuries up there."

Parker wouldn't specify Seymour's ailment, but a league source indicated it is his quadriceps.

Parker echoed Belichick's comments that Seymour's absence has nothing to do with his contract. One line of thinking is that Seymour was being held out of practice until a bonus payment in his massive contract extension could be cashed, as players can't receive more than one raise in a calendar year.

Said Belichick: ``It doesn't have anything to do with it. Nothing."

Despite soaring temperatures, the Patriots practiced yesterday from 3-4:30 p.m. Hobbs, who hails from DeSoto, Texas, felt right at home.

He told teammates that if they really wanted to experience searing heat, they needed to come to Texas.

``It's like opening up an oven and that gust of air just blows right in your face," he said. ``I could smell the rubber burning when I was training on turf surfaces. You couldn't even sit down on the turf and stretch in Texas. These guys up here have nothing to complain about."

Belichick said the team wouldn't take any ``undue risks" but didn't plan to make adjustments to its practice schedule.

``I can tell you what's going to happen against Buffalo on Sunday [Sept. 10 in the season opener] if this is the day we'll have," he said. ``The ball will be kicked off at 1:05 and both teams will be out there . . . We have to play through it."

Marquise Hill missed his seventh straight practice, while fellow defensive lineman Jarvis Green was held out for the sixth straight workout . . . Cornerback Asante Samuel was not present for the second straight practice, while rookie Laurence Maroney missed his first . . . Ten practices into training camp and Eugene Wilson has yet to practice at safety, where he's played in 55 games with 53 starts over the last three seasons. Instead, the 5-10, 195-pound Wilson has been solely at cornerback . . . Belichick said he hoped to have the majority of the team's ``basic system" installed by the end of the week . . . Receiver John Stone, who appeared to injure his leg in Tuesday night's practice, returned to the field yesterday . . . The team practices twice today, with the first session at 9 a.m. and the second at 2:30 p.m.

REISS'S PIECES For continuous Patriots training camp news, go to www.boston.com/reiss