Lynch would be safety valve

Injury concerns may force a move

FOXBOROUGH - They wanted to get faster on defense this year, and at the same time inject some much-needed youth into the mix. The early returns from training camp indicate the objective has been achieved.

So why, then, were the Patriots hosting 36-year-old safety John Lynch on a free agent visit yesterday?

Unexpected health issues at the position, combined with the unexpected availability of a gritty nine-time Pro Bowl selection whom the Patriots pursued four years ago, have led the team in such a direction.

Whether the Patriots sign Lynch, who was released by the Broncos Aug. 1, remains to be seen. It's always possible that a flag was raised in a physical - Lynch had two concussions during the 2006 season and has had numerous neck injuries, including surgery in 2004 - which could put the kibosh on such a move. Or perhaps Lynch has second thoughts and decides his career is over.

But if there are no such holdups, the addition of Lynch would be strikingly similar to how the Patriots inked linebacker Junior Seau during training camp in 2006. At the time, Seau had "graduated" from football and few figured he had much left to offer, pointing to back-to-back seasons with the Dolphins that ended prematurely because of injuries.

Yet Seau found the fountain of youth in New England and became not only a key contributor over two seasons, but also a spiritual type of leader in the locker room.

Could Lynch pull a Seau?

Much like the time Seau arrived, detractors will point out that he no longer runs as well as he once did, and they'd be right. Few 36-year-olds run as well as they did when they were 23, and that's probably why Broncos coaches planned to only play Lynch on early downs this season.

Yet what Lynch might now lack in speed, like Seau did before his arrival, he makes up for in other areas - smarts, instincts, and know how. So, if the Patriots do deviate from their faster-and-younger plan, Lynch is the type of guy to make a move with.

"Leadership is the main word that comes to mind when I think about John," said Patriots reserve cornerback Jeff Shoate, who spent time on the Broncos' roster and practice squad from 2004-07.

"He was really a leader and a big example for all of us on how to play the game, and I think he could help a lot of the young guys here in the secondary. There was a lot of talk about how he was older and whether he could get the job done, but all I saw was someone who could get it done every day."

The visit with Lynch comes in the wake of the Patriots losing Tank Williams to a season-ending knee injury in the exhibition opener. Williams, at 6 feet 2 inches and 223 pounds, seemed to be a big part of the team's plans as a hybrid safety/linebacker - most of his practice time came closer to the line of scrimmage, and perhaps the Patriots have the 6-2, 220-pound Lynch in mind for a similar linebacker-like role. If that turns out to be the case, Lynch wouldn't necessarily be a starter, but someone to call upon in specific personnel packages.

The Patriots' health issues at safety go deeper than just Williams, as both of last year's starters - Rodney Harrison and James Sanders - have been shuffled in and out of training camp practices. Sanders returned to practice Monday, and was working alongside 2007 first-round draft choice Brandon Meriweather during yesterday's session. Third-year player Antwain Spann and rookie free agent Mark Dillard were the second string.

So, it makes sense that the Patriots would be seeking reinforcements at the position, and now the question is if Lynch - with 224 career regular-season games on his résumé - still has something left to offer.

He wouldn't make the Patriots younger or faster, but if he follows in the footsteps of Seau, he'd certainly make them better.

That is reason enough to explore the possibility.

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