By Shalise Manza Young, Globe Staff

There are 10 other wide receivers on the Patriots' roster and Julian Edelman has just 11 receptions over the last two seasons, but as he heads into his fourth season, the former seventh-round pick's versatility might give him a leg up over the others.

The 5-foot-10-inch, 198 pound former Kent State quarterback took 181 snaps on offense and 125 (over seven games in the second half of the season and playoffs) as a defensive back, and also fielded a team-high 28 punts for 296 yards (10.6 average) and 12 kickoffs for 284 yards (23.7 average).

By comparison, fellow receivers Deion Branch, Chad Ochocinco, Jabar Gaffney, and Donte' Stallworth have little to no special teams value at this point, which could sway things in Edelman's favor.

But as his teammates have declared before him this offseason, Edelman said competition only creates better players.

"That’s part of this business. Every year I’ve been here, there’s been pretty high competition at every position and I think that makes guys better when you’re competing. And if you’re afraid to compete probably you're going to be gone," he said. "So there’s definitely a lot of competition and you’re getting better.

"All I can do is worry about trying to learn the receiver position and whatever they want me to do in any other phase of the game."

Edelman also took a couple of playful swipes at his teammates, saying Tom Brady's acting "has come a long way" since he was in an episode of "Entourage," and that he tells new Patriot Brandon Lloyd often that he's been a fan since he was "a little kid" growing up in Northern California and Lloyd was with the 49ers (for the record, Lloyd was drafted by the Niners in 2003, when Edelman was a junior in high school).

After the Patriots' organized team activity session last week, Edelman said it was exciting to be back on the field with his teammates, "especially with the taste in your mouth you have from last year. Starting over and building from there."

Asked about the differences Josh McDaniels has brought to the offense (McDaniels left New England for Denver in 2009, the year the Patriots drafted Edelman), he said most of it is in the terminology, but acknowledged that it's pretty similar to what he's known for the last few years.

As for any coming cameos with the defense, Edelman said he hasn't been in any defensive meetings to this point. That can always change.

By Shalise Manza Young, Globe Staff

Stephen Neal, the Patriots' former right guard who retired a little more than a year ago, will be honored this weekend - though not for his play on the football field.

The former wrestling champion is one of four men being inducted into the National Wrestling Hall of Fame in Oklahoma during ceremonies Friday and Saturday.

Prior to signing with the Patriots in 2001 as an undrafted free agent who hadn't played football in college, the 6-foot-4 Neal was a two-time NCAA wrestling champion at Cal-Bakersfield and was a four-time All-American.

In 1999, he won the US Freestyle, Pan-American games and World Championship in his weight class, earning him recognition from the sport's governing body as the best wrestler in the world that year.

Neal played in 86 games with 81 starts for New England.

By Shalise Manza Young, Globe Staff

Vince Wilfork was one of six Patriots players to chat with reporters after today's OTA session; a big Celtics fan, the defensive lineman called Wednesday night's overtime loss "heartbreaking" and said he still has faith in the Green.

But he also talked about the defense that he served as a captain of, and agreed with former teammate Matt Light's recent comments that the Patriots' defense was young and trying to establish the same type of swagger that the defense had during the team's Super Bowl-winning years.

Wilfork said Light's assessment was fair.

"I think that he’s right. [The defense was at] a level that, you had guys that played this game for a long time, had been in this system for a long time and they just knew how to play," Wilfork said. "When you’re around something for so long you adapt, you can start doing some different things and move around differently because you know it so well. Being a young defense [last year], I think with the lockout and all of that, I think we struggled at certain points with some of the things that we did. Hopefully it can better this year."

Step one in the process of improving is now, he continued, with the team on the field for organized team activities, learning the plays and getting a feel for one another.

"I think the OTAs are good for us and are definitely good for a younger team. We’ve got a younger defense and I’m not saying we’re too young, but at the same time it helps to be able to get together and get the little things out of the way that can make a big, big difference down in the season," he said.

"I think some of those things we can get done now. We’re trying now. With OTAs we’re trying and every day we put something different in and every day guys are coming in to work. That’s what it’s going to take. You have to strive to get better and that’s where I’m at right now – striving to get better and hopefully my teammates are doing the same thing."

As for some of his new young teammates on the defensive line, draft picks Chandler Jones, Jake Bequette and Justin Francis, Wilfork said it was too early to make an assessment.

But given the Patriots' history, he added, there's no question in his mind that "down the road we'll be happy about everything."

With veteran Jonathan Fanene, New England's top free agent signing, it's a matter of learning to trust the man he'll be playing with.

"It’s a trust issue. I think the quicker you can trust somebody, the quicker you can learn and teach people things and get on the same page with one another I think the better you’ll be," he said. "That’s the phase we’re in now with OTAs – just getting together and getting familiar with one another. Some guys have been around here and some guys haven’t. Just being able to go out there and work with one another and see how we work off each other. You go from there and you build chemistry like that and that’s what we’re doing now."

By Greg A. Bedard, Globe Staff

FOXBOROUGH – Some observations from today’s second off-season practice open to the media:

• Practice was again outside in beautiful weather. Players were in helmets and no pads, as per the rules in the CBA.
• The session was at a brisk pace again with much less competitive situations than the first practice, which feature more 7-on-7 situations. This time, there was only one 11-on-11 period near the end of practice for about 10 minutes and QB Tom Brady only took one rep.
• Not a whole lot of big changes as far as personnel except that Ryan Wendell and Robert Gallery flip-flopped to LG and RG, respectively.
• In the team period, QB Brian Hoyer was 7-of-9 with most of his completions going to Brandon Lloyd (three), Wes Welker (two) and Jabar Gaffney (two). QB Ryan Mallett was 2-of-6 but Stevan Ridley did drop a pass. Brady was 0-for-1 with his pass to Julian Edelman underthrown and batted away by Nate Ebner.
• There was nothing spectacular about any of the plays and the defense appeared to be working on blitz.
• The running backs continued a rotation and Ridley still appears to be the most explosive of the backs in my opinion, although Shane Vereen is certainly quick. Ridley had the only carry during 11-on-11 and he got on the linebackers very quickly.
• Lloyd again showed great route running in the drills, including a sluggo route (slant-and-go) that was to perfection. There is no wasted movement and he never takes a false step. Very precise.
• Gaffney continues to work in the slot but behind Welker. Donte Stallworth is an outside threat but he hasn’t stood out. Deion Branch continues to be unimpressive. The guy catches everything but his burst is diminishing.
• Aaron Hernandez appears to be playing heavier this season, which could help his durability if it’s good weight. He’s getting a lot of run with Gronkowski out and even DE Alex Silvestro is playing full-time at TE at this point.
• For the second-straight week, Rob Ninkovich worked only as a DE and Dont’a Hightower was solely a MLB. Not sure what if anything to make of Hightower only being inside so far. You figured coming from Nick Saban’s scheme that Hightower would be able to handle a lot fairly quickly, but to this point he’s only being played inside and not being allowed in space. He’s also behind Brandon Spikes and Dane Fletcher at this point at that spot. Maybe they’re just starting the rookie off slowly and will expand his role from here. Certainly plausible. Hightower appears to be a little heavy. Just expected little bit further along at this point compared to the other rookies, but he’s about on their same level.
• Nothing eye-opening about Chandler Jones to this point but he’s certainly where you figured him to be – working his way up at Elephant behind Trevor Scott. Chandler is long and athletic. It will be interesting to see how he grows from here and how fast.
• Jake Bequette is in the mix on the other side, but the guy who really has a little pop to his game – and, again, it’s only May in “underwear” (shirts and shorts) – is Rutgers DE Justin Francis, who was an undrafted free agent. If any of the rookies have opened any eyes in the earlier going, it’s Francis. He’ll be an interesting guy to watch moving forward.
• Got to watch rookie CB Alfonzo Dennard a little bit more today. What jumps out, in a negative way, is his body type. He is much shorter and squat than I figured. At the combine, he measured at 5-10 and 204 pounds, which seems heavy for an NFL CB (and prospects usually gain weight after the draft). Devin McCourty was 5-11 and 193, for example. Will be interesting to see if Dennard is viable at CB at the pros without changing his body a bit – if he can do that. Or maybe his body type could be OK in the slot or maybe he could convert to safety.
• McCourty continues to be at CB and had a couple very nice pass breakups. Still think the Patriots would like to play him at safety but at this point the talent is limited at CB so McCourty almost has to play there. Don’t know if that’s going to change.
• Ras-I Dowling was moving much better this week after being sluggish with his footwork last week. He could be working his way through something, possibly his hip surgery from last season.
• Kyle Arrington continues to show well, and Patrick Chung and Steve Gregory are working well together at safety. Second-round pick Tavon Wilson seems to be one of those guys that could come on during training camp and win a job. He has a good presence on the field.
• Nate Ebner was on the field for the first time today. Nothing stood out either way on him but it feels like, as we suspected, he’s going to have to make his mark on special teams.
• Patriots continued to work a lot on subpackages, including more dime in this practice.
• There was a lot of work on the running game offensively in this practice. A lot of pulling plays with the guards. Dan Connolly and Dan Koppen rotate more in this practice. OTs Nate Solder and Marcus Cannon both look they have added some much-needed strength in the offseason. Both look really well put together in their second seasons.

By Zuri Berry, Boston.com Staff

FOXBOROUGH -- Far be it for any quarterback to crow over the crop of receivers that he has in the spring. But this is no ordinary group. Tom Brady has a decorated bunch whom he has plenty of history with, from the newly signed Jabar Gaffney and Donte' Stallworth, to veterans Deion Branch, Wes Welker, and Chad Ochocinco. With all of the receivers in place, including free agent signing Brandon Lloyd, it was an inevitable topic of discussion in Brady's first speaking session to the media Thursday afternoon.

"We've brought in quite a few guys. So hopefully the mix of guys that we had last year along with the new guys can create some different options for us," Brady said. "It's a very competitive position. All of our days at practice have been very competitive. But it'll help our defense out, it'll help our offense out. The more good players you have, the better team you're gonna be. It's only our sixth day of OTAs. Obviously we have a lot of work to do before the season starts. It's been a lot of fun being out there, seeing Dante' and Jabar who I've played with before. And I really loved playing with those guys. And obviously Wes, Deion, and Chad. We have a very competitive position."

Brady also opined on his appreciation for the spring practices, which he says he did not necessarily enjoy in his 20s.

"I appreciate it every day. I think that one thing that my injury taught me a few years ago was how fragile this game is," Brady said. "To be able to take the field every week is really a blessing. Maybe at 34, I feel a little differently in that sense. I love it just as much now as I ever have. I love being out here for the OTAs. Going on 25, I was probably [expletive] about the OTAs. But when you're 34, you're not. You're saying alright, let's see what kind of team we got. I really got nothing else going on in my life. So I try to come out here and do a good job for this team."

By Greg A. Bedard, Globe Staff

FOXBOROUGH -- We'll be back in a little bit with some observations from practice, but here's the rundown on who wasn't participating:

Not present: LG Logan Mankins, RG Brian Waters, RT Sebastian Vollmer, WR Jeremy Ebert (school), TE Daniel Fells, DT Gerard Warren, DT Myron Pryor (Pryor's non-attendance is not 100 percent. It was tough to see with no jerseys again).

Present and watching: OT Markus Zusevics.

Present and rehabbing: TE Rob Gronkowski, RB Joseph Addai, WR Matthew Slater, LB Tracy White, LB Brandon Spikes.

Returned after being out last week: S Nate Ebner.

All of the rehab group appeared to be moving well, so the injuries seem to be coming along. Gronkowski looks about 10 times better than he did in the Super Bowl. Addai was doing a lot of resistance training at a decent pace.

Will return in about 30 minutes with a practice report.

By Shalise Manza Young, Globe Staff

Patriots' rookie cornerback Alfonzo Dennard, who saw his stock plummet after being arrested outside a Lincoln, Neb. bar just days before the NFL Draft began, entered a plea of not guilty on Wednesday.

According to the Omaha World-Herald, Dennard entered a written plea of not guilty and waived his arraignment hearing on a charge of third-degree assault of a police officer and resisting arrest.

His next court date has not yet been set.

The 22-year old Nebraska product was the Big Ten defensive back of the year last fall and was a four-year starter for the Huskers.

By Steve Silva, Boston.com Staff

Patriots quarterback Tom Brady joined WEEI’s Dennis & Callahan to promote this weekend's 13th annual Best Buddies Challenge and Tom Brady Challenge football game at Harvard Stadium.

Brady, fresh off the debut of his Funny or Die short video for Under Armour, spoke about his progress as a comedic actor since his debut on Saturday Night Live back in 2005.

“It’s not like Tom Hanks in Castaway,” Brady said. “It’s not like I’m playing a dramatic role or something. It’s pretty much being me, so it was fun. It’s interesting when you work with some people for a few years and they go, “Guys, what if we try this?”, so when I saw what they were asking me to do I thought it could be pretty good and there were some funny parts of that day that maybe they caught on some b-roll stuff, but I was laughing pretty much the whole day until they told me to get pissed. ‘No, it’s much more funny when you get really pissed.’

If the Funny or Die short gets Brady another invite to host SNL, he said he’d do it.

“I would, I would, that would be fun to do again if I had the opportunity,” Brady said. “That was a great experience. Like a lot of things, you go through them and you don’t appreciate them until they’re over. And that was one of those experiences where I loved doing it and but then really realized how much I loved doing it after it was over and God man I wish I just took in every single moment of that because it is so unique and you never know if you’re going to get those experiences again so it’s nice to really go through them and enjoy them as much as you can, and I’ve done that with Saturday Night Live. I did it with the Under Armour video, and that’s part of the growth that I think I’ve experienced over the last few years.”

Brady also spoke about his highly-publicized faux-mohawk hairdo worn at a recent gala in New York City.

“I got a lot of grief over that,” Brady said. “I guess part of me, I don’t take it as seriously, it’s just something that, I’ll tell you the truth, I was actually shampooing my hair in the shower one day and I was like, ‘Wow, I might do that, that might be cool,’ because you put shampoo in and you kind of put your hands through it and say, ‘OK, cool, let me see if we can make something of this… it’s a fashion type of event, so if you’re going to do something, if you’re gonna pull off a different tux or a different outfit, then go for it. That was the night to do it. You’re not going to go to some other event doing something like that. You just figure you have fun with it. It’s one night. The great part of it is hopefully I’m not trying to please too many people. As long as my wife liked it, my mom liked it, I’m cool and they liked it.”

More of Brady’s thoughts:

On the passing of former teammate Junior Seau:
"Junior was a great man. He lived with emotion. If you were a teammate you saw his emotion every day and his love for life and his love for the game and his love for his teammates, which is probably why it surprised so many people. Obviously he was going through some things that were tough on him. I wish he could find ways to get help. Unfortunately, these things happen."

On Wes Welker’s possibility of getting a multi-year deal from the Patriots:

Brady: “Well, I wish there was an easy answer. I always support Wes but none of those decisions are up to me. These things end up working themselves out at some point. I don’t know how or when or who or why but sometimes I get emotionally involved in those situations and it doesn’t work out well for me so I just try to support him as a friend. We’re all in this business, and it’s a tough business and you always hope for the best. I don’t know what’s going to happen. I certainly love Wes, I’d love to have him here for as long as I’m playing, so none of those things are really up to me.”

On moving past the Super Bowl loss to the Giants:

Brady: “I think that’s the fun part about starting the OTA process is you really start looking forward at that point, so for all of us you suffer a tough end to the season, and unless you win it all it’s a tough end to the season, but you’ve got those months in there where what you do is you think about the past and you think about what you can do better in your training, and once we start practicing it’s a different team. We’ve got a different group of guys, different mix of talents and we’ve got to see what we can put on the field. It’s been fun being back to work and seeing everybody together and getting on the field and running football plays because it really forces you to move forward. And I think everyone’s done that at this point.”

Thoughts on the intentional grounding play and missed pass to Wes Welker in the Super Bowl:

Brady: “Anytime you don’t do exactly what you hope to do you regret them and you lay in bed at night thinking about every play you could have done a little bit better on so I can pick a lot of plays in that game that I wish I could have done a better job with.”

On getting accustomed to a new group of wide receivers:

Brady: “I’m very familiar with Jabar [Gaffney] and Donte [Stallworth] and Brandon [Llyod’s] going into a 10th year so he’s really a professional as well. He knows how to prepare himself, he’s been in our offense so he has at least familiarity with the things that we’re doing so it’s fun to work with him. We haven’t been out there long. We’ve got a ton of practices to go. Hopefully we make progress every day. Hopefully when we’re on the field we’re communicating and talking through stuff in the film room, talking through stuff on the game field of things that I see, things that I expect, things that he sees, that he expects, so ultimately this game’s about anticipation. If you’re not on the same page as your receiver, running backs, or offensive linemen you can never anticipate, then you just react, and if you react, you’re always slow so I don’t need to be any more slow than I already am, so I figure out ways to anticipate better, that’s part of the process in the offseason, things that you see that you need to make improvements on. If you don’t, you fall behind. Everyone else is gaining ground; you’ve got to find ways to gain ground as well.”

By Zuri Berry, Boston.com Staff

An injury-plagued career has halted what once was a bright future for Anthony Gonzalez. In New England, the hope was for him to revive what had been promising a few short years ago. But he was on his last legs.

Last season, he had no receptions in a reserve role for the 2-14 Colts while suffering various minor injuries throughout the year. In 2010, he played in only two games, suffering a high ankle sprain in the opener before going down for good in Week 8 of the season with a posterior cruciate ligament injury to his left knee. He suffered a PCL injury to his right knee in the 2009 opener, causing him to miss the rest of that season.

If there was anything worthwhile with Gonzalez as a Patriot, it was the idea of him as a slot receiver as he was with the Indianapolis Colts. But with Wes Welker firmly in place as the team’s lead receiver and Jabar Gaffney and Julian Edelman in the mix, there was little possibility, if any, that he’d stick on the team. The Patriots now have 11 receivers.

In Gonzalez’s five-year career, he has recorded 99 catches for 1,307 yards. His last productive season was in 2008 when he caught 57 balls for 664 yards and four touchdowns. Since then, he has played in 11 of 48 possible regular season games.

Zuri Berry is a sports writer and producer for Boston.com. He can be reached via e-mail at zberry@boston.com. Follow him on Twitter @zuriberry.

Matthew Slater has to take the next step to stick with the Patriots in a crowded position group. (Jim Davis / Globe file)

By Zuri Berry, Boston.com Staff

There’s a logjam at wide receiver on the Patriots’ roster. Do you know how many are on the team right now? The correct answer is 11. Paring that down to six, or even seven, at this moment seems like a monumental task given the talent in the group. Most of the wideouts are quite decorated. Some are on their second tenure with the team. Some are looking to make a comeback. And some are just trying to get their careers going. Here’s a look at those 11, where they could possibly play in the Patriots’ plans, and our best guess at what the depth chart may eventually look like.

Wes Welker
He is the alpha male of the group, central to the wide receiving corps plans. When Welker delayed signing his franchise tender, he caused this logjam at receiver as the Patriots responded by signing every Tom, Dick, and Harry who wasn’t bolted to a depth chart. With no serious threat of sitting out this season despite the lack of a long-term contract, he figures to cost at least one of the recently signed wideouts a job. Last season, he led the league with 122 catches for 1,569 yards and nine touchdowns.

Deion Branch
On his second tour with the Patriots, Branch has been reliable, albeit lacking any explosiveness. It was his lack of speed, and the departure of Randy Moss in 2010, that spurred the signing of Chad Ochocinco to fill the role of deep threat. At most, Branch was the fourth or fifth option behind and tight ends Rob Gronkowski and Aaron Hernandez (Ochocinco was fifth or sixth). Last year, he pulled down 51 catches for 702 yards and five touchdowns. But despite his consistent route running, his impeccable chemistry with Tom Brady, and a knack for having big games when the Patriots needed it, he still doesn’t instill fear in the opposition. His role could be diminished greatly if one or two of the newbies, like Brandon Lloyd and Jabar Gaffney, supplant him at the X position (outside receiver). But as a veteran of the Patriots offense, he’ll have an advantage for a roster spot. How many snaps he’ll play is another matter entirely.

Julian Edelman
We’re going into the fourth year of Edelman’s career and despite the promise of a solid slot receiver, he’s firmly implanted as Welker’s backup. That could change given the relatively young receiving options on the team now and whether they show enough promise to merit some work in the slot. The veteran Gaffney will likely push Edelman aside, too. But with Edelman’s other skills, both as a returner and a makeshift defensive back, Bill Belichick could find him to still be useful on special teams. His status is in flux, but we consider him to be a core part of the Patriots receiving corps.

Chad Ochocinco
The final line on Ochocinco’s 2011 season is 15 catches, 276 yards and one touchdown. Let’s just say that one season of underachievement is enough. If Ochocinco hasn’t gotten the full grasp of the Patriots’ playbook by now and developed a rapport with Tom Brady, then he’ll likely be pushed aside. It’s a do-or-die offseason for an 11-year veteran who has struggled with the complexities of the offense. It’s because of his lack of impact that the team has brought in Gaffney and Donte’ Stallworth, both members of the team at one point.

Matthew Slater
A special teams maven, Slater’s 2011 highlight is that he went to the Pro Bowl. He’s also got home run capability at wide receiver. But when given the opportunity, Slater failed to come up with a number of catches. (The other highlight of his last season was a 46-yard reception in Week 1 … his only catch of the season.) In a crowded room, Slater sticks out because of his special teams abilities. But that can only get you so far.

Brandon Lloyd
Call him a journeyman if you want, but where Lloyd has played, he’s played well. Over his nine-year career (despite injury-plagued seasons in 2007 and 2009), he’s tallied 311 receptions, 4,784 yards, and 31 touchdowns. In splitting time between Denver and St. Louis last season (he was a vocal proponent of Kyle Orton over Tim Tebow in Denver), he finished with 70 catches, 977 yards and five touchdowns. His familiarity with Patriots offensive coordinator Josh McDaniels’ offense, as part of the Broncos in 2009-10 and part of the Rams in 2011, gives him a leg up on Ochocinco, who has struggled with its complexities. His signing will figure him to be Patriots’ X receiver. The Pats will utilize his play-making skills outside the hashmarks, where he is known for making circus catches through the years.

Donte’ Stallworth
Stallworth is still trying to restart his career after being suspended for the entire 2009 season for hitting and killing a pedestrian. He was sentenced to 30 days in jail and eight years of probation for the accident. In 2010, he came back to the NFL via the Baltimore Ravens and in eight games caught two passes for 82 yards. In 2011, he caught 22 passes for 309 yards and two touchdowns for the Washington Redskins. A return to New England, where he played in 2007, could help him avoid permanent free agency. In his last stint with the team, he tallied 46 receptions, 697 yards, and three touchdowns, filling the role that Ochocinco and Branch had last season.

Jabar Gaffney
Is he an X (outside) or a Z (slot) receiver? That kind of versatility, plus a respectable resume, is going to cause a wedge. In Gaffney, coach Bill Belichick has a guy who can step in for Welker and a guy who can fill in for Lloyd/ Branch/Ochocinco. Last season, he had 68 catches for 947 yards and five touchdowns as the Washington Redskins’ leading receiver, a career year for him. He has familiarity with the Patriots offense from his three seasons here. Finally, if his 40-yard dash time resembles anything close to when he ran it in the combine 10 years ago (4.41), he’ll provide the much needed speed boost the Patriots have been lacking. Gaffney is sure to figure in the group. It’s just a matter of whose job will he be taking.

Jeremy Ebert
The seventh-round pick, No. 235 overall, has a long shot to make the roster. But that doesn’t mean he doesn’t have skills. In his senior season at Northwestern, he nabbed 75 passes for 1,060 yards and 11 touchdowns. At 5-feet-11 and 200 pounds, Ebert also fits the slot receiver mold. If he’s got enough game, he can make a run at being Welker’s backup and contribute on special teams. But he’ll have to show enough promise to warrant an extended look on the practice squad. Being a seventh round draft pick won’t save him.

Britt Davis
A late addition to the Patriots’ practice squad last season, Davis has seen limited action in the NFL. He suited up for three games with the Denver Broncos last year but did not record any catches. The onus is on him to differentiate himself from a talented group – much like defensive back Ross Ventrone did last year – to garner playing time on special teams or elsewhere. He has practice squad eligibility.

Matt Roark
A rookie free agent out of Kentucky, Roark is a lanky 6-5 receiver who can go up and get the ball. But we’re having a hard time figuring how Roark can work his way into this offense given the pedigree of veteran talent in front of him. He seems destined for the practice squad.

Analysis
One might think Belichick is trying to recreate the 2007 season with this group of receivers. With Welker, Stallworth, and Gaffney currently on board, the team’s only missing piece of the 2007 equation is Randy Moss. But this isn’t 2007, and Moss isn’t coming back. Lloyd, envisioned as the field-stretching receiver in place of Moss, isn’t the burner one might hope (4.62 40-yard dash) but he can create separation from defenders and has a good history within McDaniels’ offense. With Lloyd and Gaffney signed, the older yet more accomplished Ochocinco and Branch are likely to become more and more irrelevant.

Projected roster and cut list (6 receivers):
Wes Welker
Brandon Lloyd
Jabar Gaffney
Deion Branch
Julian Edelman
Matthew Slater
--
Chad Ochocinco (on the bubble)
--
Donte’ Stallworth
Jeremy Ebert (practice squad eligible)
Britt Davis (practice squad eligible)
Matt Roark (practice squad eligible)

Zuri Berry is a sports producer and writer for Boston.com. He can be reached at zberry@boston.com. Follow him on Twitter @zuriberry.

The Patriots have announced a few roster moves, two of which we knew about and two we didn't:

The most surprising move is that WR Anthony Gonzalez has been cut. The first-round draft pick in 2007 of the Colts had some injury problems the last couple of years with Indianapolis, but shortly after he was signed by the Patriots, he declared himself to be healthy and excited for the opportunity with New England.

Gonzalez seemed like a good risk/reward type of player who could add to the Pats' depth as a slot receiver. However, he was not spotted on field last Thursday when reporters were present for OTAs.

The team also announced the signing of rookie TE Nick Melillo. Melillo, 23, went to Kentucky. The 6-foot-2, 226 pounder played in 32 games over three seasons, with 23 receptions for 240 yards and one touchdown.

The signings of seventh-round pick Alfonzo Dennard and veteran OL Jamey Richard also were made official.

By Shalise Manza Young, Globe Staff

USA Today has taken a division-by-division look at each NFL team's offseason moves and graded them based on free-agency pickups and losses, the draft and coaching changes.

Not surprisingly, the Patriots and Bills earned the highest grades for the AFC East. Both received an A-minus.

The Dolphins were given a B-minus and the Jets a C-minus.

Here's the opinion on the Patriots:

New England Patriots (A-): Bill Belichick's bunch was oh-so-close to its fourth Lombardi Trophy in 11 seasons. But the Pats have been busy since their four-point loss in Super Bowl XLVI. Six of their seven draft picks were devoted to a defense that finished last in the AFC. Rookie DE Chandler Jones and LB Dont'a Hightower should be impact players in short order, though second-round S Tavon Wilson was questioned by some as a reach. Much will be expected of Jones after the team chose not to re-sign Anderson and fellow DE Andre Carter, who combined for 20 sacks in 2011. Seventh-round CB Alfonzo Dennard has the talent to make a difference, and a secondary that still seems unsettled might need him.

A scoreboard-shattering offense said goodbye to longtime LT Matt Light, who retired, and steady RB BenJarvus Green-Ellis. Nate Solder, a first rounder in 2011, should thrive in Light's role while the tailback-by-committee approach promises to endure with Stevan Ridley taking a leading role with ex-Colt Joseph Addai in the mix. Watch a saturated receiver group. Wes Welker and free agent signee Brandon Lloyd, who knows offensive coordinator Josh McDaniels' playbook well, should start. But it could be a spirited battle with Deion Branch, Chad Ochocinco, Julian Edelman, Jabar Gaffney, Anthony Gonzalez, Donte' Stallworth and special teams ace Matthew Slater vying for jobs. Bottom line: New England is loaded for another Super run.

Buffalo got high marks for its "boldness" for signing top free agent, DE Mario Williams, and signing former New England pass-rusher Mark Anderson, who along with Marcell Dareus and Kyle Williams give the Bills "arguably the best defensive line in the AFC East."

The Dolphins' offseason was saved by a strong draft, writes Nate Davis, while the Jets, a team with "multiple deficiencies coming off a disastrous season" seemed focused primarily on quarterback, first extending Mark Sanchez and then acquiring Tim Tebow.

Though he hasn't been shy about sitting before television cameras since announcing his retirement a couple of weeks ago, appearing on both ESPN and NFL Network, Matt Light got a different kind of attention over the weekend.

He and several others were honored by Pop Warner at the organization's All-American Scholastic Banquet in Orlando, Fla.

Light received the Pop Warner Humanitarian Award, given "to an individual who has demonstrated a lasting commitment to youth and the community."

He was chosen because of his work through his Light Foundation, which strives to instill responsibility, accountability and leadership in youth through unique outdoor learning experiences.

Others honored included current Buccaneers defensive lineman Gerald McCoy, who received the Inspiration to Youth Award, Tennessee women's basketball coaching icon Pat Summitt, given the Pop Warner Female Achievement Award, and NFL Players' Association head DeMaurice Smith, who was given the Warner Award, Pop Warner's most prestigious award.

Veteran linebacker Rob Ninkovich, who has watched his role steadily increase with New England, isn't bothered by the first round draftees, pass rusher Chandler Jones and versatile linebacker Dont'a Hightower, who could take snaps away from him.

On the contrary: Ninkovich not only welcomes the competition, he's ready to help the youngsters any way he can.

"It really doesn’t hurt me at all. I’ve been through a lot in my NFL career, so it really doesn’t affect me as far as guys coming in," Ninkovich said last week after an OTA session. "I look at it as a plus that the team is going to be better. If you have any type of injury or something, you have guys coming in and we’re all good, we’re all fresh and all talented. So it helps the team out. I’m excited.

"The first year is a long year for rookies, so as much advice as I can give them, it will help them out."

The 28-year-old Purdue product, who started all 19 games in 2011 with 74 tackles, 6.5 sacks and 2 interceptions during the regular season, is still working to improve, heading into his sixth season.

"I think going into this year, I really want to be better overall, improve on coverage, and getting more pressure on the quarterback," he said. "I feel every year is kind of a step to get a little bit better and that also comes with experience. So having last year help me out with a lot of the experience I had and all the game-time plays and situations, it was  a good year for me and now I want to build on that and continue to do well out there."

Pepper Johnson is now linebackers coach and Patrick Graham, who was linebackers coach last season, takes over the defensive line, but Ninkovich, like most of his teammates, doesn't foresee any problems.

"Whoever is going to be coaching me at any given time it varies. Everyone is a good coach. 'Pep' is going to help me out. Pat’s going to help me out. Everybody’s going to coach me up so it’s always good to have different styles of coaching and they’re all trying to do one thing, and that’s help me get better," Ninkovich said.

By Shalise Manza Young, Globe Staff

The Patriots have signed G/C Jamey Richard, according to league sources.

The 27-year old Richard is 6-foot-5, 295 pounds, and was originally a 7th round pick of the Colts in 2008 out of the University of Buffalo, though he has New England roots: he was born in Weston, Conn. and played at Weston High.

Richard played in 48 games over four seasons with Indianapolis, with 11 starts (seven in '08 and four in 2010).

He and two other free-agent offensive linemen were in Foxborough this week for workouts with the team, and with Richard signing, it was clear the team was in the market for a lineman to help with depth and not just doing due diligence with their visits.

Richard is the 90th man on the Patriots' roster, meaning they have now reached the NFL offseason limit.

By Shalise Manza Young, Globe Staff

Here's another ranking up for debate:

NFL writer Clifton Brown of Sporting News has posted his ranking of NFL head coaches, 1-32, taking into consideration each coach's accomplishments, but also where he is now.

Brown declares the Giants' Tom Coughlin as the league's top coach, with the Patriots' Bill Belichick second.

Here's his explanation on the top two, plus where he ranked the rest of the coaches in the AFC East:

1. Tom Coughlin, New York Giants
No present coach has a better knack for getting his team to play best when it counts the most. He has won two Super Bowls as the underdog. He has won two NFC championship games on the road. And he has done it in the pressure-cooker of the New York media market.

Coughlin is the NFL's oldest coach — he turns 66 in August — but shows no sign of slowing down. It has never been better to be Coughlin.

Overall record (16 years): 142-114. Record with Giants: 74-54. Playoff record: 11-7. Super Bowl record: 2-0.

2. Bill Belichick, New England Patriots
With three Super Bowl rings, no current coach can match his resume. Belichick has been remarkably consistent, with at least 10 wins in each of the past nine seasons. His place as an all-time great coach is secured.

So why isn’t Belichick in the No. 1 slot? Because he has lost three consecutive games to Coughlin, including two Super Bowls. Lifetime, Belichick is 1-5 against Coughlin.

Overall record (17 years): 175-97. Record with Patriots: 139-53. Playoff record: 17-7. Super Bowl record: 3-2.

13. Rex Ryan, New York Jets
Let's see: There's Tebow-mania, potential locker room issues and the New York media. Ryan has lost 90 pounds, but there's still plenty on his plate.

Overall record (3 years): 28-20. Playoff record: 4-2.

Chan Gailey, Buffalo Bills
Gailey's team made noise during the offseason. Now comes the harder part — making noise in the AFC East.

Overall record (4 years): 28-36. Record with Bills: 10-22.

30. Joe Philbin, Miami Dolphins
The fan base is frustrated, but Philbin hopes the long search for a franchise quarterback has ended with Ryan Tannehill.

Overall record: 0-0

By Greg A. Bedard, Globe Staff

FOXBOROUGH -- Had our first opportunity to talk to former Colts running back Joseph Addai today since he joined the Patriots and what jumped out is that he appeared very comfortable and comes with a team-first attitude.

Here is some of the Q&A with Addai:

What's it like playing for the Patriots now?

Actually, I’m excited to be a part of the team. It’s a great opportunity for me. I’ve seen them playing over the years, playing against them over the years, so I know I’ve come to a good organization. It’s been smooth and everybody is helping me get acclimated so I’m excited being a Patriot now. I think the future is going to look good.

Being the veteran of the group?

I feel good. Yeah, young guys like Stevan Ridley that went to LSU like I did so I have a chance to teach some of the guys and be a part of that and kind of see how the Patriots go about it. And last couple of the days we’ve been working together, really trying to get things rolling. It’s been a good start and I think it will end well.

On Ridley and Vereen

Real energized guys. Very motivated, eager to learn, want to do well. If you have guys like that, it’s easy to teach. You always want to come in there with the right mindset and help those guys.

On playing with Tom Brady

Tom’s been helping me out a lot, showing me things, teaching me, explaining things to me and understanding that it’s going to take a while for me to get it. But I am getting it and it’s a great experience to play with him.

How similar or different are the offenses?

To me, it’s all about playing ball. You’ve got a great chance to be part of this ballclub and do what they do here and I’m very excited about that.

Injuries the past couple of years?

Injuries are a big part of football and the only thing I can do is move forward. The medical staff over here has been great to me as far as getting my body right and getting ready for this upcoming season. I feel good at this time.

On his versatility

Whatever the coaches ask me to do, I’m doing it. It’s always team-first for me. If he wants me to run, catch and block, whatever he wants me to do I want to be a part of it. It speaks highly on players who can do more than one thing. If he has me doing more than one thing I’m excited about that.

Other offers?

There are always other teams. For me, I think the Patriots were the best fit. I think the Patriots, as far as what they do, they do a lot on the offensive side of the ball and I see myself really fitting in and it was a smooth transition coming from Indy to here.

OK being a mentor?

It’s a team sport, so not matter what you want to help guys, if you’re young or old. So that’s never been a problem for me. At the end of the day it’s about team and winning. I’ve seen a lot. I can show some of the young guys what they may see, what’s going to come up in the near future. And I can also get some help from those guys because I’m a new guy also. I think it’s going to help both sides.

By Michael Whitmer, Globe Staff

FOXBOROUGH -- Center Dan Koppen is taking part in organized team activities for the Patriots this week after missing nearly all of last season with an ankle injury he suffered in the opener.

Following a two-hour practice on the fields behind Gillette Stadium, Koppen met with the media, and said it wasn't easy watching as the team advanced to the Super Bowl.

"You’ve got to be mentally strong enough to handle that and say injuries happen and move on, but it’s tough to sit there and watch," Koppen said. "To sit around and watch, it makes you have greater appreciation for your job. Being around the guys, it’s good to be back."

Koppen broke his left ankle in the opener against Miami, and became an unrestricted free agent after the season, drawing mild interest. He ultimately signed a two-year contract with the Patriots that reportedly could be worth $6 million.

Returning to the only NFL team he's played for -- the Patriots picked him in the fifth round of the 2003 draft out of Boston College -- is exactly where he wants to be.

"I didn’t want to go anywhere else. Thank goodness it did work out, it’s probably more of a pain moving the whole family and getting all that stuff squared away," Koppen said. "I’m hoping to play for a little bit more and end my career here. This is where I want to be, this is what I know."

He's started since his rookie season, but might have to overtake Dan Connolly for the starting center spot this season. Competition, Koppen said, comes with the job.

"There’s always guys coming in trying to take your job," Koppen said. "My approach this year is not going to be any different from last year. No one’s job is safe on this team, maybe minus 12 [quarterback Tom Brady], but you never know around here.

"You’ve just got to go out and compete and work hard, show the coaches that you can be reliable and dependable, and they know that you know what you’re doing. There’s always competition, that’s what the coaches stress to us."

By Greg A. Bedard, Globe Staff

FOXBOROUGH – Here are some observations from today’s practice that was open to the media.

Before I begin, a few disclaimers.

• It is VERY, VERY early, so don’t go flying off the handle about anything. Things will certainly change in time.
• This is the third practice the Patriots have had. We don’t know what was done the other two, or whether this was a “let’s try a few things” sessions. Also, the Patriots know the media is watching. They might show some things or hide some things accordingly.
• The media is limited in what we can report. Specifically, we can’t report “on offensive or defensive strategy. This includes describing formations, personnel groups or non-conventional plays.” We also can’t report comments made by coaches.

So, with that backdrop, a few intentionally vague thoughts after watching practice:

• There was a lot of teaching going on, which is what these OTAs are designed for. But it wasn’t only the coaches. Players were helping other players. Saw Vince Wilfork showing Jermaine Cunningham the finer points of leverage during a drill. Jerod Mayo was helping Dont’a Hightower. The safeties were doing a lot of talking amongst themselves.
• The secondary seems to have a bunch of moving parts with different players playing in different groupings, though there appeared to be a solid core (which we can’t report).
• Devin McCourty was at cornerback.
• It seemed clear to me that CB Ras-I Dowling, who went on IR last year after hip surgery, is working his way back from the ground floor. He appeared to be lacking some reps and when he was on the field, he didn’t possess the same explosiveness that we saw early last season that got him immediately in the lineup. He appeared very stiff and lacked fluidity. On a couple of occasions he was easily beaten down the field. But it’s very, very early and he may need some easing back.
• Another thing that really jumped out was the S Josh Barrett was noticeably slimmer, which is something that needed to happen. I thought Barrett was way too big last year – he almost looked like a linebacker – and that often showed up in his play when he had trouble changing direction. Maybe Barrett hasn’t lost weight, but it sure looked like he has changed his body – and for the better.
• Dan Connolly was the top center, even missing both guards and one tackle. To me, that reinforces that it’s his job to lose against Dan Koppen – unless injuries prove such a problem closer to the season that the team is better off moving Connolly to guard to given them a “best five.”
• None of the rookies just assumed a starting role. That’s no surprise at all. But Chandler Jones, Dont'a Hightower and Tavon Wilson appeared to not be far off from being in the mix.
• Not much jumped out about Jones that we didn’t already know. He’s learning his way around this defense. Same with Jake Bequette.
• Somewhat surprised Hightower ran solely with the linebackers. Figured he might get some DE work, but he could be working on different things in other practices.
• LB Bobby Carpenter was on the field a lot.
• Jonathan Fanene looked bigger than I guess I pictured. Patriots have some bulk inside with Wilfork, Kyle Love, Fanene, Brandon Deaderick, Gerard Warren, Myron Pryor, Marcus Harrison, Marcus Fortson and Ron Brace. A lot of competition there again in this camp, just like last year.
• Josh McDaniels’s spin on the offense was noticeable and there was a lot of carryover from what he did in Denver. Probably didn’t help things that Aaron Hernandez was the only real tight end on the field (aside from UDFA Brad Herman, who was playing with a limp).
• WR Chad Ochocinco seemed to pickup where he left off. Deion Branch had to tell him where to line up at one point, and then Ochocinco went offsides and had to run a lap.
• WR Wes Welker had an uneven day catching the ball. (Hurry, somebody go write that he’s being distracted by contract talks! Kidding.) Did find it a little amusing that at one point Brady threw a pass to Welker in the seam that was reminiscent of the Super Bowl play. Brady threw it high – but slightly to the inside this time – and Welker snagged this one while leaving his feet.
• WR Brandon Lloyd looks like he’s been living in his offense for a while – which he has in Denver and St. Louis – and a natural. He catches everything with ease. Can definitely see what scouts said -- not a burner but a long strider who can cover ground -- about him.
• There were not many “wow” moments for anybody today. Not a whole lot stood out. There were on a few sessions of 7-on-7.
• Ryan Mallett underthrew a ball and was picked off by Marquice Cole. Mallett didn’t look sharp. Brian Hoyer was on his game. Cole played a lot of gunner on punt team.
• Brady seemed solid. Nothing outrageously good or bad. The one thing that stood out was his rapport with this group. With Jabar Gaffney and Donte’ Stalloworth returning, it had a “getting the band back together” feel. The WRs were having a lot of fun being around each other.
• There was a lot of sub package defensive working happening. Don't know if that's an everyday thing, or just for today.

By Greg A. Bedard, Globe Staff

FOXBOROUGH -- A few quick notes before we come back in a little bit with a little more detail from the Patriots practice on Thursday.

Not present for likely injury/rehab reasons: LG Logan Mankins, RT Sebastian Vollmer, WR Anthony Gonzalez.

Not present for reasons unknown: RG Brian Waters, LB Tracy White, TE Daniels Fells.

Rookie not present (graduation): WR Jeremy Ebert.

Present but rehabbing: TE Rob Gronkowski (ankle), LB Brandon Spikes (knee), WR Matthew Slater (unknown), DT Myron Pryor (shoulder), S Nate Ebner (unknown).

The team practiced without jerseys, so some identifications were difficult. Just helmets and no other pads.

It was a brisk practice at a very good pace. Most of the drills were for individual positions with a few run drills sprinkled in and some 7-on-7 at a controlled pace.

Unsigned draft picks Dont'a Hightower and Jake Bequette were present. Rookies don't have to be under contract to participate.

Red Sox third baseman Kevin Youkilis was on hand, perhaps to win some brother-in-law points with QB Tom Brady.

Will be back in a bit.