OTA video: Kevin O'Connell

All this week we're featuring video from Wednesday's OTA (organized team activity) at Gillette Stadium. Today's video: QB Kevin O'Connell.

With Tom Brady absent from the on-field portion of this week's voluntary organized team activity at Gillette Stadium, fellow quarterback Kevin O'Connell had to answer all the questions reporters have about the Patriots rehabbing starter.

O'Connell showed off some of the elusiveness he typically saves for an oncoming pass rush with the media horde that surrounded him Wednesday. Here's a taste of the Brady-themed questioning:

How does Brady look?: "I can just say that we're all working hard, man. Working really hard. I know that he's going to do everything in his power and being around him for the better part of the past year, I've really earned a lot of respect for him. When it comes to his work ethic, I know he's going to be just fine."

On having Brady back with the team: "It's tremendous. He does everything the right way from the time he gets in in the morning until the time he leaves. It's just a matter of being a sponge, like i said, when I came in here, I was just looking forward to having the experience of having such a tremendous leader at the position and trying to take things from him each and everyday. To get better and help this team any way I can."

How is Brady's rehab going?: "I think he's working as hard as anyone else around here, doing everything he can. I'm just looking forward to working wit him the rest of the summer."

On what O'Connell admires most about Brady: "His leadership and the way you walk into the locker room and you can just tell Tom's there, just by the mood of the locker room. It starts at the top with him and I think he's been like that here for so long that people continue to gravitate toward him. Young and old. It's something that I really look to, as a young guy, to be around him, learn that, and continue to apply that to being a leader in my own right."

Unable to glean much information on Brady, the focus occasionally shifted back to O'Connell, a Patriots' third-round choice (94th overall) last season who projects to be the top backup on this year's squad.

"My mindset, going into this second year, is that I've had the chance to go through everything at least once now. A lot more is going to be asked of me, understanding things, and moving forward. I just want to do best I can to improve every day out here, take advantage of being out here with my teammates."

And you don't even have to mention the name Matt Cassel for O'Connell to know just how close he is from being New England's starting quarterback.

"No matter what the situation going to look like, I'm approaching it the same way," he said. "Last year was an unfortunate situation, but I was able to get a lot of reps throughout the year that, as the third quarterback, I wouldn't have got. Moving forward, I just want to apply the things that I learned and at the same time, take every rep and get better every day out here because you just have to be ready. Do whatever you can to help the team and put the team first."

To hear more from O'Connell, check out the video at the top of this entry. You can read more on O'Connell in this Globe story from earlier this week.

Previous OTA video

• May 21 - OLB Shawn Crable
  
• May 20 - RB Fred Taylor