Earlier in his professional career, Ellis Hobbs was always in a hurry. Whether it was as a cornerback keeping pace with a speedy wide receiver or accelerating past defenders as one of the best kick returners in the league, the former Patriots defensive back was always in a rush.

But right now, Hobbs would like everyone to know that he’s no hurry, at least when it comes to making up his mind about his future plans. The 28-year-old Hobbs, who suffered his second serious neck injury in as many years this past season with the Eagles, wants everyone to know he hasn’t made a decision as to whether or not he’s going to retire — only that right now, he’s “unemployed with benefits.”

“It’s one of those things where I’m in a good place. I took care of my money,” he said. “I’m in no rush — I just want to take my time and assess the situation. Right now, my priority is my family and the legacy I leave for them. If I have to go back out there and take that risk of further injury, then I don’t want to play.

“But if I’m talking to doctors and they say I can go play and there’s no risk, then so be it. I love the game — I love being around it. I love the camaraderie. Right now, I’m just taking my time and weighing my options.”

If he’s healthy, could one of those options be a return to New England? After four years with the Patriots where he started 49 regular-season games at corner and had nine picks in those contests. He also set numerous marks as a kick returner (including 220 kick return yards in the 2006 AFC Championship and a record-setting 108-yard kick return for a touchdown in 2007) before being dealt to the Eagles following the 2008 season.

There were reports that Hobbs — who was always gregarious with the media — parted on bad terms with New England coach Bill Belichick. But the Iowa State product, who will be an unrestricted free agent once the lockout ends, said any ill will has passed, and added he’d welcome a chance to return to the Patriots if he was given a clean bill of health.

“Absolutely. It’s a job at the end of the day. Barring how I left, whether it was on negative terms or there was a sour taste in my mouth ... a lot was made about that when I left,” Hobbs said. “[But] Bill actually signed something for my son for his birthday after I was traded.

“Look at it from my perspective — he’d be offering a job and I’d be offering a service. It’s just one of those things where you try and keep the personal as far out of it as possible.”

Hobbs is using his time this offseason to work on the Ellis Hobbs Youth Football Camp and Life Skills, which will be held from July 18-22 in West Warwick, R.I., for kids between the ages of 6-18. (For more information, check out his site, EllisHobbsSports.com.) Hobbs said the goal is not to simply provide on-field teaching, but to let them know that what they learn in sports can often be applied to real-life situations.

“There’s a lot of kids out there who are lost, kids with single parents and from broken homes who have a lot of talent but can’t make their way in the world because they might not have the social skills necessary to survive in the real world,” he said. “My mission is to show people — and kids especially — that sports and life go hand in hand.

“Everybody isn’t going to make it in the NFL, but if you take the same skills and ability you have learned in the sports world and apply them to the real world, then you can make it — things like working hard, being part of a team, finding that angle and giving good effort, those things will make you a success in the real world. I want to show them there’s another way of going at this thing — other than acting like a plumb fool — just to get some acknowledgement.”

One thing that stands out is the fact that Hobbs decided to have this camp in New England. Not in his hometown, not in his college town, and not in his most recent NFL stop, Philadelphia.

“This area stuck with me and I believe I stuck with the people,” he said. “A friend in the New England area who I still keep in touch with said that a lot of people were always asking about me. I keep in contact with a lot of Patriots fans on Twitter, and I’ve found that the saying is true: once a Patriot, always a Patriot.

“If the fans are that closely into you and what to know what’s going on with you, obviously you have a good fan base. This is just a way for me to say thank you to the people of New England and a way to give back.”