FOXBOROUGH -- In a high-tech world, Shawn Springs is a low-tech cornerback.

While other players rely solely on film work or some other sort of game video to try and gain an edge on an opponent, the veteran cornerback, who signed with the Patriots on March 11, is decidedly retro when it comes to his preparation. When he needs to get an edge, he goes to his notebook.

Not Macintosh. More like Trapper Keeper.

“I keep notes on all receivers over the years. I’ve developed notes on all receivers,” the 34-year-old Springs said after Thursday’s minicamp session on the practice field behind Gillette Stadium. “So when I’ve played Randy [Moss], I’ve had a game plan against him. Whether it was Marvin Harrison or going way back to Jimmy Smith or Chad Johnson. That’s one of the things -- I’m a big note taker.”

That’s not to say there’s not a place in his world for game film or other prep material. The Ohio State product says his notebook offers a perspective that no other type of study material can provide.

“Tape is amazing. You need your tape,” he acknowledged. “But you still have to have your notes when you play guys.”

The 6-foot, 204-pound cornerback, the son of former Dallas and Tampa Bay running back Ron Springs, said a lot of guys around the league keep notebooks on their opponents. It’s a lesson he learned from spending time around those old Cowboys teams.

“My Dad, and guys like Everson Walls -- guys he played with back in Dallas -- they would tell me, ‘Hey, when you play against a guy, you have to take notes so you can remember. You might play them again,’” Springs explained. “In the NFL, you play people more than once, so I always had notes.”

It’s more common than you’d think, said Springs.

“A lot of guys around the league [do it]. I learned from one of my old coaches. He showed me his notebook of old receivers and stuff he played against. And I’m quite sure some receivers got notes on guys too, as to how they’re going to play this guy,” Springs said. “There are a lot of receivers … I tell you who probably has a notebook is [Jacksonville wide receiver] Torry Holt. A guy like that would have one. He would have notes on guys.”

He said he has a bunch of notes on Terrell Owens and new teammate Randy Moss. But a 12-year veteran of the NFL also goes back a few years.

“I still have some old notes from Tim Brown,” he said with a laugh. “That shows my age.”

Springs said there’s nothing special about the way the notebook looks. He’s clearly not worried about a rogue wide receiver sneaking into his house and walking away with it, because he doesn’t keep it under lock-and-key. Instead, the relatively anonymous looking secret to his success stays in his book bag.

“It’s like your notebook, right here,” he said with a smile, reaching for a reporters’ notebook. “It looks like this and it’s got a lot of notes. ‘Joey Galloway -- he’s fast. Randy Moss -- don’t turn your back. He will dunk on you.’”

Laugh if you want, but you can’t argue with success -- Springs is heading into his 13th season in professional football, and has compiled an impressive resume. He’s one of 17 active players with 30 or more career interceptions and has recorded at least one interception in each of his 12 NFL seasons. Springs is the only defensive back in NFL history to lead his team in sacks (6) and interceptions (5) in the same season, achieving the feat with the Redskins in 2004.

He played for the Redskins the past five seasons, and prior to that, Springs played seven seasons in Seattle, which chose him with a first-round draft pick in 1997 with the third pick overall. Overall, he’s played in 157 career games with and has made 662 tackles (568 solo) with 8.5 sacks and 32 interceptions.

He came to New England this spring as part of a massive overhaul of the New England secondary. Many of the defensive backs who were in New England last year -- Ellis Hobbs, Deltha O’Neal, Lewis Sanders, Fernando Bryant, Jason Webster and Rodney Harrison -- are all gone, either traded, released or retired.

In their place are several new faces, including veterans like Springs and Leigh Bodden and rookies like Patrick Chung and Darius Butler, who join a group of younger players like Jonathan Wilhite and Terrence Wheatley who have limited experience in New England’s system. Thus far, it’s been a satisfying mix for Springs, who has walked the line between knowledgeable vet and newcomer.

“It’s still a lot of work. I’m still learning. I’m studying really hard -- every day is a new day. I pick up different things that I learn. I’m really working,” he said. “I find myself answering a lot of questions and meeting with guys who ask me different things -- how do I know this and how do I know that? You know, a lot of the young guys are helping me. They’re teaching me the system. That’s kind of cool.”

And if they need a hand, he will show them the notebook. Springs said he has shared information before -- Arizona wide receiver Larry Fitzgerald has called several times looking for some background.

But he’s not going to show just anybody.

“[It’s] all copyrighted,” he said with a smile. “Can’t have you putting my notes on eBay or something.”