Just hours into his first official event as an NFL player, rookie mini-camp, Tyrone McKenzie went down for the season with a torn ACL in his right knee.

One of two of the Patriots' third-round draft picks last year, McKenzie will be on the field with his teammates for organized team activities (OTAs) when they begin later this spring.

"Yes," Belichick said when asked if McKenzie will be able to participate. "He has worked hard. He did what he could do last year [despite the injury] -- he was in a lot of meetings when he first rehabbed his injury. I know he's excited to get back on the field and start a new year. We look forward to seeing him."

Obviously McKenzie has yet to play a down, but he is a candidate to play at inside linebacker.

When the Pats drafted him, Belichick praised McKenzie's maturity and makeup -- the Florida native went to three different colleges because of a series of serious family misfortunes, at one point working the graveyard shift at a Hampton Inn and working out during the day to help support his family before returning to college.