To Colvin, 'backers are front and center

ROSEVELT COLVIN Tweaked offseason regimen

PAWTUCKET, R.I. -- Rosevelt Colvin still has a few days of vacation left, and he plans to enjoy them before the grind of training camp officially begins Friday. But that hasn't stopped him from considering the possibilities for the Patriots' linebacking corps.

Where will the top four linebackers line up in the team's 3-4 set? Even Colvin is curious.

"Everybody is sort of a jack of all trades," he said.

Indeed, one of the top story lines to follow when the Patriots hit the practice fields will be the deployment of linebackers. When Colvin assesses an experienced depth chart that also includes Tedy Bruschi, Junior Seau, Adalius Thomas, and Mike Vrabel, he sees players that all line up at multiple positions.

Still, Colvin is smart enough to know that the first domino to fall in any linebacker equation will be Thomas, the prized free agent signing whose presence should have a trickle-down effect on the rest of the group. In last month's minicamp, Thomas lined up at inside linebacker. But his primary position over seven seasons with the Ravens was outside linebacker.

"The abilities he possesses definitely gives Coach [Bill Belichick] a lot of thoughts and places he can put him in," Colvin said.

If Thomas lines up inside, it would allow Vrabel to return to his more natural outside spot. Yet if Thomas is outside, it opens up a host of other possibilities, such as an innovative package that could include all five top linebackers.

As for the dynamics of that quintet -- which totals a whopping 53 seasons of experience -- Colvin is excited to see what develops.

"It's definitely a group of guys that has some years under our belt, but I don't necessarily think that's a bad thing," Colvin said last night at McCoy Stadium, where he threw out the first pitch at the Pawtucket Red Sox game and presented a $30,000 check to Easter Seals as part of the "CVS All Kids Can" initiative that supports children with disabilities.

"You see what Adalius has done in other places. You see the production and leadership that Tedy and Mike provide, as well as Junior. Hopefully we can hold up our end of the bargain, and everybody else can take care of their side, and we can go out and produce a good product this year."

Colvin, 29, is doing his part. He said he tweaked his offseason regimen, mainly his diet, to build off a 2006 season he felt could have been better from an individual perspective (8 1/2 sacks, 26 quarterback hits).

"I left some plays out there that I felt like I should have made, and would have put me in that 'talking about this guy' category," he said. "I tried to do the best I could [this offseason] to put myself in a position where I can play at my best. I have a couple more days and I have to hit the ground running."

While veteran players aren't required to report to Gillette Stadium until later this week, several rookies already are working at the team's complex. That's why the agent for fourth-round draft choice Kareem Brown, a defensive lineman from the University of Miami, felt finalizing a four-year contract yesterday was important.

"This time now, working one-on-one with coaches, is important for Kareem's future," said Peter Schaffer. "Working with the team, we found ways to get him into camp on time, and get the contract we were looking for. It's a win-win situation."

The Patriots also signed seventh-round draft choice Mike Elgin, a center/guard from Iowa. That leaves first-rounder Brandon Meriweather as the lone unsigned pick.

Receiver Troy Brown's contract is a one-year package, with a base salary of $820,000. Brown received a $40,000 signing bonus. Of the base salary, $435,000 is guaranteed . . . Linebacker Chad Brown's deal is a one-year pact with a base salary of $820,000. Brown received a $40,000 signing bonus and $60,000 of the base salary is guaranteed . . . Colvin on cornerback Asante Samuel: "It's a situation where it has to play out on that side of the table. Everybody knows Asante is a good friend of mine. I'd love to have him as a teammate. If not, it gives someone else the opportunity to get out there and make some plays."

Mike Reiss can be reached at mreiss@globe.com.