Headset headaches

With Patriots coach Bill Belichick revealing that the team will have NFL officials in camp tomorrow to go over some rules changes, the issue of the adoption of defensive coach-to-player communication by the NFL this season was a hot topic at the coach's morning press conference.

The Patriots coach was asked questions about the new means of defensive communication, which was approved by the league during the off-season in part as a response to the Patriots' signal-swiping flap. Two defensive players will be designated by teams to have radio receivers in their helmet, but only one defensive player with the headset can be on the field at a time.

Belichick discussed the host of issues the new system raises for head coaches, including whom to give the headset to and how to deal with substitutions. For a team like the Patriots that has a number of sub-packages and gives teams different looks in terms of personnel and scheme, it's a little harder to select players for the headset than it for teams like the Baltimore Ravens and Chicago Bears, who have every-down middle linebackers like Ray Lewis and Brian Urlacher.

For that among other reasons, Belichick said he thinks that the system will not completely replace defensive hand signals.

"I think from the coaches that I've talked to in the league, the defensive coaches and the head coaches, everybody feels like you better be prepared to signal," said Belichick.

Belichick said the system is not a huge concern for the Patriots at this point in camp.

"We'll see how it goes. That right now is a low priority," said Belichick. "If we get to it next week, we get to it. We're just trying to get our stuff installed and learn how to run it and make sure that we got it down. We'll deal with that later."

In other news:

• Belichick seemed pleased with the performance of the cornerbacks the Patriots currently have in camp, but did not reveal a leader to replace Asante Samuel. He pointed to veteran Fernando Bryant's ability to get his hands on a few balls in camp and said that overall he feels there is good competition at the position, which is one of the biggest question marks in camp.

  The leading contenders at the positions are veterans Bryant, Lewis Sanders and Jason Webster, rookies Terrence Wheatley and Jonathan Wilhite and second-year man Mike Richardson.

  "Everybody is right in the mix," said Belichick of the cornerbacks. "Everybody is right in the thick of things."

• On a lighter note, Belichick was happy to congratulate his friend Jon Bon Jovi, the majority co-owner of the Philadelphia Soul of the Arena Football League, on the team's victory in the ArenaBowl on Sunday. The Soul defeated the San Jose SaberCats, 59-56, to win the Arena championship in just its fifth year of existence. Belichick joked he was going to visit the rocker and see if some of the Soul's championship magic would rub off on the Patriots.