Tue, 05/21/2013 - 1:10pm — Christopher Price

FOXBORO — Danny Amendola isn’t worried about comparisons to Wes Welker.

The receiver, signed as a free agent this offseason, said Tuesday can’t concern himself with people who might try and make a connection between him and Welker, who signed with the Broncos in the offseason after six years in New England.

Tue, 05/21/2013 - 1:09pm — Anonymous
Danny Amendola was the center of attention Tuesday at Patriots OTAs outside Gillette Stadium. (Mike Petraglia/WEEI.com)

Danny Amendola was the center of attention Tuesday at Patriots OTAs outside Gillette Stadium. (Mike Petraglia/WEEI.com)

FOXBORO — Danny Amendola isn’t worried about comparisons to Wes Welker.

The receiver, signed as a free agent this offseason, said Tuesday can’t concern himself with people who might try and make a connection between him and Welker, who signed with the Broncos in the offseason after six years in New England.

“That’s not something I need to worry about,” he said after Tuesday’s OTA session on the fields behind Gillette Stadium. “I’m worried about the playbook and getting the routes down and getting on the same page with my teammates. The good thing is, I don’t have to worry about that stuff.”

Amendola, who spent a sizable portion of the nearly two-hour session working with quarterback Tom Brady, said it’s easy to see Tom Brady‘s greatness after a few sessions.

“Absolutely,” he said. “I said it today — he darted me in the chest with one ball and I was just like inside my head, ‘Wow, this guy can really wing it.’ That’s why he’s Tom Brady.

“He’s a really good quarterback. Everybody knows that. [I'm] just trying to get on the same page — so far, so good,” added Amendola, who had the chance to work with him in Southern California earlier this spring. “More work is best going into the season. Any time you get a jump and get to work with each other, that’s good. We’re getting a lot of good work in here right now. That’s the most important thing.”

Amendola does have some history in this offense, as he had the chance to work with current Patriots offensive coordinator Josh McDaniels for a year in St. Louis.

“It’s familiar. When Josh was in St. Louis, I got to know it pretty good. It’s a little more intricate out here. It’s something to grasp, and I’m learning it every day,” he said.

“It’s the verbiage — it’s everything. That’s the most important thing. The vocabulary of the offense. I’m leaning, day in and day out, and studying at night.It’s a process. Second day, so I’m looking forward to the next practice and just getting ready for that.”

Amendola is one of several new faces at wide receiver for the Patriots this year. It’s a group that includes veterans Mike Jenkins and Donald Jones as well as rookies Aaron Dobson and Josh Boyce. While he confessed to feeling a little like the new kid in school — even joking that he’s gotten lost inside Gillette Stadium a couple of times — there’s a feeling that he and the rest of the new guys are all in this together.

“Yeah, there’s a couple of guys here who have been here a while, but we’re leaning on them to really show us the ropes of the drills and the practice and trying to get the tempo going in the practice,” Amendola said. “We kind of thrive off that and we kind of get it going. I feel like we have a really good group. I feel like there are some guys coming from other teams with a lot of experience and it’s exciting to see what we’re going to be able to do.

“You have questions and meetings and you kind of thrive off each other. It’s definitely a group atmosphere and a group effort. That’s the way it goes.”

For more Patriots news, check out weei.com/patriots.

Tue, 05/21/2013 - 9:32am — Jerry Spar

The Patriots announced Tuesday that Tedy Bruschi has been voted into the team’s Hall of Fame in fan balloting. Bruschi and former radio play-by-play caller Gil Santos will be inducted on Aug. 11. Bruschi also will be honored at halftime of the home opener against the Jets on Sept. 12.

Tue, 05/21/2013 - 9:31am — Anonymous
Tedy Bruschi won three Super Bowls with the Patriots. (AP)

Tedy Bruschi won three Super Bowls with the Patriots. (AP)

The Patriots announced Tuesday that Tedy Bruschi has been voted into the team’s Hall of Fame in fan balloting. Bruschi and former radio play-by-play caller Gil Santos will be inducted on Aug. 11. Bruschi also will be honored at halftime of the home opener against the Jets on Sept. 12.

“We knew when we drafted him in 1996 that ‘Bruschi’ was going to be a fan favorite in New England,” owner Robert Kraft said in a statement. “But he was so much more than that. During the most successful era in the history of the franchise, Tedy was the heart and soul of the defense and proved to be a champion, both on and off the field. He was a high-energy, tenacious defender whose playmaking abilities helped propel the Patriots to three Super Bowl championships in four years. His remarkable and courageous return to the field following a stroke only added to his legend and solidified his place among the most iconic Patriots in franchise history. We look forward to celebrating his induction with our fans.”

A 19-person nomination committee comprised of media, alumni and staff selected three candidates for the Patriots Hall of Fame in April: coach Chuck Fairbanks, offensive tackle Leon Gray and Bruschi. Fans had a month to vote at patriots.com.

Bruschi, selected by the Patriots in the third round of the 1996 draft, helped New England to an AFC championship in his first season. He went on to appear in four more Super Bowls during his 13-year career.

A two-time All-Pro selection (2003, ’04), Bruschi finished his career with 1,110 tackles, 30.5 sacks, 12 interceptions and 11 forced fumbles in 189 games (139 starts). He is the only player in NFL history to return four consecutive interceptions for touchdowns.

Tue, 05/21/2013 - 7:15am — Anonymous
Aaron Dobson was drafted this spring by the Patriots. (AP)

Aaron Dobson, who stands 6-foot-3, 210 pounds, was drafted by the Patriots in April. (AP)

This offseason, the Patriots lost wide receivers Wes Welker (5-foot-9, 185 pounds), Deion Branch (5-9, 195) and Brandon Lloyd (6-0, 200). They also lost Danny Woodhead (5-8, 200), who in 2012 became the first New England running back to finish with at 40 catches and 40 carries since Kevin Faulk turned the trick in 2008. In their place, the Patriots picked up several new faces, most of whom are considerably bigger guys than the ones who departed in the offseason.

Free agent signings
Mike Jenkins (6-4, 214)
Donald Jones (6-0, 208)
Danny Amendola (5-11, 188)
Lavelle Hawkins (5-11, 194)

Draft choices
Aaron Dobson (6-3, 210)
Josh Boyce (5-11, 206)

Rookie/undrafted free agents
Mark Harrison (6-3, 231)
TJ Moe (6-0, 200)
Kenbrell Thompkins (6-0, 196)

This is not to suggest that the Patriots have made a concerted effort to go bigger at the receiver position, but the differentiation in size is interesting contrast, especially if you go back and take a look at the receivers New England has built around over the last decade. Prior to the pickup of Jenkins, the only other 6-foot-4 receiver on the roster the last decade was Randy Moss, who spent three-plus seasons with the Patriots from 2007-2010. (Going back to 2002, Donald Hayes also stood 6-4. In addition, J.J. Stokes, who spent part of the 2003 season in New England, stood 6-4.) And at 6-3, Dobson and P.K. Sam are the two tallest receivers the Patriots have drafted since Bill Belichick took over the team prior to the 2000 season.

But this current group not only has size, but speed to go with it. Boyce, Harrison and Moe all popped favorably at the combine when it came to both speed and quickness (Moe and Boyce were both in the top five in the 3-cone drill for all players, while Boyce and Harrison were in the top 12 in the 40 for wide receivers). According to alert Tweeter Mike Loyko, all of the receivers the Patriots picked up with the exception of Jenkins ran sub 4.5 40s as part of the pre-draft process. It appears that finding a combination of size and speed — particularly on the perimeter — was a priority for New England this offseason.

(The acquisitions certainly would be in line with what one opposing scout told us when it came to offseason priorities for the Patriots in late January: “The Patriots need to add a vertical speed player with some size to the offense. … The Patriots do have fast wide receivers, but they are small, and require [Tom] Brady to be more accurate on his deeper throws. And because of their size, they aren’t consistent vertical threats. What they need is a wide receiver who is a vertical threat, but is also big enough to be physical in press coverage.”)

One other area where that sort of size can come into play is in the red zone, particularly when running fade routes on jump balls. Dobson in particular showed a real knack for getting into the end zone as a collegian with 24 touchdown catches — 12 of his 49 receptions as a junior went for scores — and could provide Brady with another massive presence when it comes to pass plays inside the opponents’ 20. (The presence of a healthy Rob Gronkowski, combined with Dobson and another lengthy receiver, could change New England’s scoring philosophy when it gets inside the 20-yard line.)

Of course, size and success at the receiver position don’t necessarily go hand-in-hand in New England. The two most prolific receivers in franchise history — Welker and Troy Brown — were classic undersized targets who made their bones as terrific route-runners with an innate sense of what the quarterback wanted and where they needed to be at any given moment. Likewise, the career Foxboro failures of Sam (zero career catches), Hayes (12 catches in one season) Stokes (two catches in two games with the Patriots) or the 6-foot-1 Chad Jackson (13 catches in 14 games with New England) suggest that the connection can be overblown.

Do these moves suggest that the Patriots have changed their philosophy when it comes to identifying wide receivers who might fit in their system? With the radical offseason remake the Patriots have undertaken at the receiver position — and the move from undersized pass-catchers to bigger receivers — it’s clear that while the Patriots might not have decided to completely overhaul the way they identify, draft and develop wide receivers, they’ve certainly decided to tweak their approach. At the very least, they’ve given Brady some targets he’ll have no problem identifying.

Mon, 05/20/2013 - 6:54pm — Anonymous
Mark Harrison signed with the Patriots Monday. (AP)

Mark Harrison signed with the Patriots Monday. (AP)

At first glance, the numbers jump off the page.

Wide receiver Mark Harrison was a three-year starter at Rutgers who finished his college career with 107 receptions for 1,769 yards and 18 touchdowns. A starter as a sophomore, he had 44 receptions for 829 yards and led the Big East with nine touchdowns. After struggling a bit as a junior, in 2012, Harrison played in 13 games with 11 starts, and he finished with 44 receptions for 583 yards and six touchdowns.

Physically, he appears to have the tools to succeed: The 6-foot-3, 255-pounder doesn’t necessarily possess elite speed, but he’s a big target with a sizable wingspan who can overmatch undersized defensive backs. In addition, he was one of the best receivers at the combine when it came to his vertical jump and broad jump.

So why was a physical specimen like Harrison available to the Patriots in mid-May, almost a full month after the draft? Two possible reasons.

One, fair or not, there are some questions about his background. According to one report, Harrison was one of the players at the combine this past February who had a trashed hotel room. Regarded as mid-round pick, that may or may not have played a role in the fact that he wasn’t drafted.

(For what it’s worth, Rutgers coach Kyle Flood went out of his way to defend Harrison, telling ESPN, “I’ve been on a lot of road trips and we’ve never had a single disciplinary issue with [Harrison]. He’s a model of the type of person we want here at Rutgers. It would be so out of character to be involved in this that I just cannot imagine under any circumstance that it would happen and involve him.”)

And two, according to Brad Biggs of the Chicago Tribune, Harrison failed his physical with the Bears because of a foot injury. (Just prior to Rutgers Pro Day, he apparently broke the fifth metatarsal in his left foot.) However, it was believed that Chicago was interested in re-visiting the possibility of re-signing Harrison when the injury was cleared.

As for how he projects at the NFL level, his size and skill set suggest an oversized receiver, perhaps bordering on tight end. He certainly compares to the 6-foot-1, 245-pound Aaron Hernandez, another big wide receiver who masquerades as a tight end in the New England passing game. As a collegian, Hernandez ran a 4.64 40, displayed a 33-inch vertical leap and a 9-foot, 3-inch broad jump. By way of comparison, Harrison posted a 4.46 40-yard dash, a 38.5-inch vertical leap and a 10-foot, 9-inch broad jump.

Mon, 05/20/2013 - 5:41pm — Christopher Price

Rob Gronkowski underwent another procedure on his left forearm on Monday afternoon, and according to multiple reports, the surgery was a success.

Mon, 05/20/2013 - 5:40pm — Anonymous
Rob Gronkowski

Rob Gronkowski

Rob Gronkowski underwent another procedure on his left forearm on Monday afternoon, and according to multiple reports, the surgery was a success.

Pro Football Talk reported that the infection which had been lingering in the wake of the initial surgery was “gone,” and that the tight end had a “new plate installed” in the arm to provide support. Ian Rapoport of the NFL Network has also indicated that the surgery was a success, adding “no fifth surgery on the forearm” is needed, according to a source, a point that was echoed by ESPN’s Adam Schefter.

Gronkowski suffered the initial break in a Week 11 win over the Colts, and later re-broke his arm in the postseason against the Texans. The 24-year-old caught 55 passes for 790 yards and 11 touchdowns for the Patriots in 2012.

Gronkowski will still be faced with one more medical issue this offseason, as he’s scheduled for back surgery soon for a disk problem that reportedly bothered him last year.

For more Patriots news, check out weei.com/patriots.

Mon, 05/20/2013 - 5:17pm — Christopher Price

The Patriots added a pair of players to their roster on Monday, signing wide receiver Mark Harrison and kicker David Ruffer, according to the league transcrion wire.

Harrison is a 6-foot-3, 231-pounder from Rutgers who had an up-and-down career as a collegian — in 2010, Harrison had 44 catches for 829 yards and nine touchdowns, which included a game against Cincinnati where he finished with 10 catches for 240 yards and four touchdowns.

Mon, 05/20/2013 - 5:16pm — Anonymous

The Patriots added a pair of players to their roster on Monday, signing wide receiver Mark Harrison and kicker David Ruffer, according to multiple reports.

Harrison is a 6-foot-3, 231-pounder from Rutgers who had an up-and-down career as a collegian — in 2010, Harrison had 44 catches for 829 yards and nine touchdowns, which included a game against Cincinnati where he finished with 10 catches for 240 yards and four touchdowns.

Those numbers dropped way off in 2011 — perhaps due to a head injury — all the way to 14 catches for 274 yards. Those numbers went back up again last year when he had 44 receptions for 583 yards and six touchdowns. He becomes the fourth former Rutgers player to be picked up this offseason by the Patriots.

As for Ruffer, he is a 6-foot-1, 193-pounder from Notre Dame who converted 18 of his 19 field-goal attempts in 2010, including a 7-for-7 stretch from beyond 40 yards. A 2010 Lou Groza Award finalist, he connected on his first 23 career field goal attempts as a collegian — an Irish record

For more Patriots news, check out weei.com/patriots.