Welker meant no offense toward Samuel

FOXBOROUGH - Wes Welker does not think former Patriots cornerback Asante Samuel chose money over championships when he signed a six-year, $57 million deal with the Eagles.

"He chose money over championships, and that's the way it goes sometimes," Welker was quoted as saying this summer at a youth football camp in Oklahoma. "Asante's a great player, so it hurts not to have a guy like that. But, then again, it's part of the business of the game."

Welker said he was joking and didn't realize a reporter was present. He said he called Samuel to explain.

"I was talking at [Viking] Adrian Peterson's football camp and a kid asked a question, and I was just kind of joking around about it, and didn't realize I was going to be quoted on the whole deal," Welker said. "It was just one of those deals. I've talked to Asante, and he understands the whole deal, so it's all good."

Welker said he never felt that way about Samuel's decision.

"No, no, you know, I mean, he's a good dude," said Welker. "He was a good player here, and he still is a good player. I'm good friends with Asante, so I can sit there and joke around with him and stuff. It's definitely a deal that got blown out of proportion."

Samuel, who morphed from unheralded fourth-round pick to Pro Bowler in five seasons with New England, wouldn't say what he thought about Welker's comments.

When reached by telephone yesterday, Samuel said he's not talking about facing his former team until after tonight's game.

Samuel's ex-teammates acknowledged it will be strange to see him on the other side of the ball. Samuel produced an NFL-best 16 interceptions the last two seasons.

"Yeah, it's going to be strange to see the [No.] 22 in green," said wide receiver Jabar Gaffney. "We've been used to seeing him around here for his whole career. It will be fun, too. He kind of knows us a little bit and we know him."

Cornerback Ellis Hobbs said playing against former teammates is just part of the NFL nowadays.

"It always feels weird initially when you see a guy on the other team, but it is what it is," Hobbs said. "It used to be you stay with a team 10, 12 years, your whole career. It's just not like it used to be. I wasn't around then, but I'm hearing it from older guys. It's just the nature of the beast, man. You just move along."

Line reinforcement

The Patriots bolstered their beat-up offensive line, signing center/guard Mike Flynn to a one-year deal for the veteran minimum of $830,000. Flynn got an additional $40,000 in bonuses.

To clear a roster spot, the team released cornerback Ade Jimoh.

The 34-year-old Flynn has New England roots. He played at Springfield's Cathedral High School and at the University of Maine. In 10 seasons with the Ravens, Flynn started 115 of 134 games and was a starter on the Ravens' 2000 Super Bowl championship team, getting the nod for 14 games at right guard and two at center. Last year, he started all 15 games he played at center.

Flynn, who entered the league in 1997 as an undrafted free agent, knows there are no guarantees in New England, but he was intrigued by the opportunity, said his agent, Ralph Cindrich.

"This is a guy that was a starter on a Super Bowl team and always made a good dollar," said Cindrich, who said Flynn played through a shoulder injury last season. "Seven or eight years ago, he was in the mid-$2 millions. This is not a junk player. The question is how much does he have left? I asked him that. He's not going to try to go back to the guy that started the Super Bowl. But he's a smarter player now."

Wilhite debut?

Tonight could mark the exhibition debut of rookie cornerback Jonathan Wilhite, who returned to practice this week after suffering a right hamstring injury during practice Aug. 4.

The fourth-round pick, who missed the team's first two exhibition games, said his goal is to play in a preseason game prior to the regular season. Wilhite said he didn't think the injury has left him too far behind in the cornerback competition.

"I was in all the meetings. I watched practice film with them, so I don't think I really got behind," said Wilhite. "It's good to go out there and get some physical reps and just get out there and practice. I think I'm ready to work back into it now."

Wilhite said that although mental repetitions are important, there is no substitute for repetitions on the field.

Dual capacity

Hobbs might continue in his dual role of cornerback and kickoff returner. He resumed kickoff return duties against the Buccaneers, taking back two for 32 yards.

Hobbs, who set an NFL record with a 108-yard kickoff return last season, said he had no idea he'd be returning kicks until coach Bill Belichick told him, "You're up," after Tampa Bay scored on the game's opening possession.

"Bill has a knack for not telling you anything. He just kind of puts you in the heat of the moment to kind of see how you're going to respond to it," said Hobbs, who didn't start practicing until Aug. 2 after having offseason surgeries to repair a torn labrum in his left shoulder and a hernia.

"I had my mind-set going into the game that I was probably going to get thrown into the fire [and get] a couple of kickoff returns. I needed it, though, to make sure the shoulder was OK, the groin. It gave me that much more confidence coming out of the game, saying, 'You know what, everything is ready.' "

 

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