Age-defying makeup

FOXBOROUGH -- How does a team get younger and attempt to remain a Super Bowl contender at the same time? The question highlights the challenge facing the 2006 Patriots.

When the Patriots won the Super Bowl in the 2001 season, they did so as one of the oldest teams in the NFL. Five years later, and following two more Super Bowl championships, the club has a more youthful look.

Consider that the average age of the current roster, as of Dec. 31, will be 27 years old.

The breakdown: Quarterbacks -- 26.5. Running backs -- 27.8. Offensive line -- 26.6. Tight ends -- 25. Wide receivers -- 26.6. Defensive line -- 25.1. Linebackers -- 30. Defensive backs -- 26.7. Specialists -- 28.7

"There are a lot of young players on our team," said coach Bill Belichick. ``It's the only way, really, to keep a team together, to be able to have a young team that at least has the potential to stay together, even if it's at certain positions.

``We all know that once players get to a certain age or certain point in their career, when they're closer to the end than they are at the beginning, then it's only a matter of time that somebody else is going to be there."

Vice president of player personnel Scott Pioli has said the Patriots' goal is to consistently compete for Super Bowl titles. To do so consistently, there must be young players integrated into the mix each year.

That certainly has taken place at a blistering clip over the last two seasons.

Of the Patriots' 10 draft choices in April, eight earned a roster spot on this year's club. Five of the seven draft choices from 2005 are also aboard. Add in rookie free agents like defensive lineman Mike Wright in 2005 and outside linebacker Pierre Woods in '06 -- and close to one-third of the roster has been infused with young talent in the last two years alone.

So how does a team get younger and compete for a Super Bowl championship?

"That's the huge challenge," Belichick said.

It's the challenge the youthful Patriots hope to conquer in 2006.

QUARTERBACK
Starter: Tom Brady
Reserve: Matt Cassel
It's a situation many NFL teams would covet, having a 29-year-old signal-caller in Brady who is entering his prime years and has a mastery of an offensive system in which he's worked for six seasons. One NFL defensive coordinator said preparing for the Patriots is especially challenging because Brady identifies and recognizes the defense so well before the snap, he rarely calls the wrong play. Brady can make all the throws. Cassel, in his second year, earned the No. 2 job after a strong preseason and Belichick believes he's improved as much as any player on the roster. With the Patriots only keeping two QBs for the first time in Belichick's seven seasons as coach, receiver Troy Brown would get the call in an emergency.

RUNNING BACK
Starter: Corey Dillon
Reserves: Heath Evans, Kevin Faulk, Laurence Maroney
The 31-year-old Dillon is healthy again and figures to be the lead back, but he won't be asked to carry the full load. In the preseason, Dillon had 24 carries and Maroney 19, and it wouldn't be a surprise to see that type of distribution in the regular season. Dillon brings power and experience, while Maroney -- the team's first-round pick -- has an explosive burst and often runs through first contact. Faulk is one of the team's most productive players on a per-play basis, taking the field on third down and in the spread, hurry-up offense. He has an exceptional grasp of the passing game for a running back. Meanwhile, Evans offers versatility in the form of a short-yardage runner, blocking fullback, and special teams contributor.

WIDE RECEIVER
Starters: Troy Brown, Reche Caldwell
Reserves: Doug Gabriel, Chad Jackson, Jonathan Smith
Minus holdout Deion Branch, the Patriots have had a near-complete turnover at receiver from the end of 2005 as only Brown has caught a regular-season pass from Brady. Caldwell, a free agent pickup this offseason from the Chargers, has looked sharp in practice but not in the exhibition games. Jackson, a highly touted second-round pick, has participated in only three practices as he recovers from a hamstring injury. The team was in such a dire situation it acquired Gabriel from the Raiders eight days before the season opener, while also picking up Smith -- a former seventh-round pick with eight career catches -- on waivers the next day. Early in camp, Brady spoke about developing chemistry with receivers, and how it took him a long time to do so with Branch. That highlights the less-than-ideal situation the Patriots face at this position.

TIGHT END
Starters: Daniel Graham, Benjamin Watson
Reserves: Garrett Mills, David Thomas
The Patriots will feature plenty of multiple tight-end formations to take advantage of a deep, talented group. Graham, entering the final year of his contract, is one of the game's elite blockers, often sacrificing a potential role as a pass-catcher to protect Brady as a sixth offensive lineman. The speedy Watson is more of a threat as a receiver, as evidenced by his presence in the team's spread offense, when he often attacks the deep middle of the field. Watson's blocking also has improved. Thomas should be active on the game-day 45-man roster because of his presence on special teams, while Mills is a hybrid who will line up at fullback at times. It won't be unusual to see the Patriots call on all four tight ends in short-yardage situations, which they experimented with during exhibition action.

OFFENSIVE LINE
Starters: Dan Koppen (center), Matt Light (left tackle), Logan Mankins (left guard), Stephen Neal (right guard), Ryan O'Callaghan (right tackle)
Reserves: Wesley Britt (tackle), Russ Hochstein (center/guard), Nick Kaczur (tackle), Gene Mruczkowski (center/guard)
In building their young, talented line, the Patriots put a premium on athleticism, toughness, and smarts. It's a group that should be able to grow together, as only Koppen -- who makes the calls from the center spot -- is scheduled for unrestricted free agency after the season. The unit reflects the overall youth movement, as the oldest player is the 29-year-old Neal, and the biggest surprise is the emergence of O'Callaghan, a fifth-round pick out of California. Light returns from a broken leg that limited him to three games in 2005, while Mankins and Neal were constants, starting every game last season. Mankins, in particular, flashed Pro Bowl potential. Koppen is working his way back from a torn rotator cuff and could be limited at the start of the season, with Hochstein a capable fill-in.

DEFENSIVE LINE
Starters: Richard Seymour (end), Ty Warren (end), Vince Wilfork (nose)
Reserves: Jarvis Green (end), Marquise Hill (end), Le Kevin Smith (end/nose), Johnathan Sullivan (nose), Mike Wright (end/nose)
Like the offensive line, the defensive front is young and talented, with the 27-year-old Green its oldest player. The all-first-round starting group of Seymour (sixth overall in 2001), Warren (13th overall in 2003) and Wilfork (21st overall in 2004) is the foundation for the team's 3-4 defense, because all three are strong enough to hold the point of attack and account for two gaps. Wilfork, specifically, has made significant strides at one of the more demanding positions. Seymour is arguably the NFL's premier lineman, although his stats don't reflect that because, unlike other top linemen such as the Colts' Dwight Freeney and the Panthers' Julius Peppers, Seymour has greater responsibilities. The team's depth allows it to switch to a 4-3 alignment at any moment, with Green the first player off the bench and Wright a player on the rise.

LINEBACKERS
Starters: Tully Banta-Cain (outside), Tedy Bruschi (injured; inside), Rosevelt Colvin (outside), Mike Vrabel (inside)br>Reserves: Eric Alexander (inside), Don Davis (inside), Larry Izzo (inside), Junior Seau (inside), Pierre Woods (outside)
The lack of depth here is one of the team's primary concerns. With only nine linebackers, and Bruschi still recovering from a broken wrist, the team is dangerously thin. Vrabel is the mainstay and most likely will begin the season at inside linebacker, where he has the size (6 feet 4 inches, 261 pounds) to take on opposing guards and be a run-stopper. He'll be joined by Seau until Bruschi returns, with Seau then projected as a situational player on early downs. That leaves Colvin and Banta-Cain on the edge, with Colvin looking to start wire-to-wire for the first time since his career-threatening hip injury in 2003. Banta-Cain never has started a regular-season game in his first three seasons, but has had an excellent camp. Davis has been part of the team's third-down package, while Alexander and Izzo make their primary contributions on special teams. Woods was this year's surprise, as he was signed as a rookie free agent and is third on the depth chart on the outside.

DEFENSIVE BACKS
Starters: Rodney Harrison (safety), Ellis Hobbs (cornerback), Asante Samuel (cornerback), Eugene Wilson (safety)
Reserves: Willie Andrews (cornerback/safety), Randall Gay (cornerback), Artrell Hawkins (safety), James Sanders (safety), Chad Scott (cornerback/safety)
One of the main questions entering the exhibition season was whether Harrison would be back for the opener, and he expects to suit up Sunday. He brings leadership and a physical presence, although opponents likely will test him to see how well he runs after recovering from three torn knee ligaments. Harrison's return should aid Wilson, who seemed to feed off the veteran in their first two seasons together. Harrison might not play full games at the start of the season, which is where Hawkins comes in. At cornerback, Samuel is on the rise as he approaches unrestricted free agency, while Hobbs looks to build on his impressive second half of 2005. Sanders and Scott are part of the dime package (six defensive backs), with Scott a sturdy presence and Sanders an understudy to Harrison.

SPECIAL TEAMS
Kicker: Stephen Gostkowski
Punter/holder: Josh Miller
Long snapper: Lonie Paxton
Kick returners: Andrews, Faulk, Maroney
Punt returners: Andrews, Brown, Faulk
Gostkowski, a fourth-round pick out of Memphis, couldn't have done more in the exhibition season, making 9 of 9 field goals (long of 54 yards) and all 11 extra points. But that production won't mean much if it doesn't translate to the regular season. The 36-year-old Miller has been a calming presence as a holder on field goals and has kept himself in tip-top shape after finishing sixth in the NFL with a 38.3-yard net average in 2005. Paxton is a sure-fire snapper now in his seventh season. Andrews, a seventh-round pick, has flashed potential on kickoff and punt returns, as has Maroney, but the team might not want to risk using Maroney in that role. Coverage-wise, Izzo, Davis and Alexander are part of a core group.

COACHING
Bill Belichick enters his seventh season, and is the only coach to win nine or more games in each of the last five seasons. Dean Pees takes over for Eric Mangini as defensive coordinator, although the team's multiple system -- which can switch from a 3-4 to a 4-3 at any time -- remains the same. Josh McDaniels begins his first official season as offensive coordinator, a job he essentially had last year without the title. Special teams coach Brad Seely returns for his eighth straight season and the team's longest-tenured coach, of course, is Dante Scarnecchia (offensive line), who enters his 23d season with the club. In all, the Patriots' offensive, defensive, and special teams systems have remained intact over the last seven years.