Ex-Jet set to show his worth

Hobson on other side of rivalry with Patriots

Victor Hobson will focus on the inside, but Tom Brady knows he can also rush the QB. (2006 file/Matthew J. Lee/Globe Staff)

FOXBOROUGH - One of the last times Kevin Faulk crossed paths with Victor Hobson, they were on a collision course at Gillette Stadium. Faulk was darting up the field and Hobson, playing for the Jets, was attempting to line him up for a bone-crunching hit.

When the players were reacquainted a few weeks back, Faulk couldn't resist the chance to turn the tables from last December. He let Hobson have it, wondering aloud, "How did the enemy get in the building?"

Faulk, one of the longest-tenured Patriots and a team captain, was quick with a joke, his objective to loosen the atmosphere as Hobson makes the transition from New York Jet to New England Patriot.

Given the icy state of relations between the teams, do you think the 28-year-old linebacker has a few stories to tell?

"From the outside looking in, everybody looks at the rivalry and says, 'How could you go there? The two teams hate each other,' " Hobson said Tuesday at Gillette Stadium.

"But as players, with any rivalry - I can go back to college with Michigan and Ohio State - there is always respect for the other players and organization for what they're doing and able to accomplish. It was likewise with them and the Jets."

When it comes to Hobson's own story, the most recent chapter hasn't unfolded the way he hoped. The Michigan alum entered unrestricted free agency this offseason for the first time in his career, and brought a résumé that includes 76 regular-season games, 57 starts, 343 tackles, and 11 interceptions.

Players with lesser credentials had cashed in over the years, and while Hobson admittedly had a down year in 2007, he wasn't expecting a struggle to find suitors.

Yet while other clubs called to express cursory interest, the Patriots were the only team to host him on a visit, which led him to sign a one-year, $605,000 contract with a $40,000 signing bonus in early April.

If there was a silver lining in the move, it was that he could stay in the East - he was born in Englewood, N.J., and went to high school in Philadelphia - while joining a winning organization. And he gets a chance to prove he's worthy of a long-term deal.

"Everybody wants to go in that first wave of free agency, but while people might expect to go there, expectations are different than reality sometimes," said the soft-spoken Hobson. "I tend to be a realist, so when I didn't go with that first wave it was, 'OK, it's no big deal, I just have to find out where I'm going to end up and create my own niche.' It ended up being here and I'm excited about it."

The transition from Gang Green to the Patriots, and the jersey switch from No. 54 to 59, aren't the only changes for Hobson. He's also making a position change - after playing outside linebacker in the Jets' 3-4 alignment the last two seasons, he's focusing more at inside linebacker in the Patriots' 3-4 scheme.

While the switch might not seem like much, it is significant.

Outside linebackers in the 3-4 are essentially defensive ends, meaning they play on the line of scrimmage and are most often facing tight ends and tackles. They must be able to contain an edge of the field in the running game (a Mike Vrabel specialty) while having the power to rush the passer and the athleticism to sometimes drop into pass coverage.

Inside linebackers are usually a bit lighter and play off the line of scrimmage, where they are more likely to see guards and centers firing out at them. On some plays, they might have to call on strength to take on those linemen and fill assigned gaps in the running game, while on others they might need quickness to drop into pass coverage to stay with a running back. Inside linebackers can also be effective blitzers up the middle.

At 6 feet, 252 pounds, Hobson might have been miscast on the outside in New York. Although it's early, he's excited about the challenge of learning the ropes on the inside.

"I just think it looks like more of a natural fit for me," he said. "That's not to say that I can't play outside, but I think this is a great opportunity for me. Whatever it is, I'm willing to step up and perform the role the coaches think is best."

That includes special teams, which Hobson figures will help solidify his place on the team, as "Coach [Bill] Belichick has already made it known that it's very important."

One aspect that has eased Hobson's transition is the presence of former Michigan teammates, a group that includes quarterback Tom Brady, outside linebacker Pierre Woods, and backup quarterback Matt Gutierrez, who transferred after three years to Idaho State. Hobson has also been working out at Michigan this offseason with outside linebacker Shawn Crable, one of the Patriots' third-round draft choices.

Now that he's on the other side of the Patriots-Jets rivalry, albeit for just a short period, is it fair to say there are similarities between the teams?

"I guess you could say that, but this organization is basically what people are trying to be," Hobson said.

The Patriots have been allocated $4.34 million by the NFL this year as their rookie pool allotment. The team cannot go over that figure in 2008 wages in signing draft picks and rookie free agents . . . Drew Bledsoe is one of a handful of Patriots from the 1990s scheduled to be at Gillette Stadium today to record stories as part of preparations for the Patriots Hall of Fame. Willie McGinest, Todd Rucci, and Chris Slade are also among those expected to attend.