Wed, 06/12/2013 - 12:44pm — Anonymous

FOXBORO — Without mentioning his name, Bill Belichick addressed the Brandon Spikes situation on Wednesday.

Asked about his reaction when a player chooses to work out on his own away from the team, as was the case with Spikes during OTAs, Belichick offered this:

“It is what it is,” he said “We all know what the rules and the guidelines are and that’s what they are.”

May OTA’s are technically voluntary but every NFL team mandates some form of attendance and/or participation from players under contract in June mini-camp.

Spikes has been in attendance this week, and spoke Tuesday. He said he likes to do things “a little different than everybody else.”

Can it affect a player’s position on the team if he chooses not to be here?

“It is what it is,” Belichick said. “We don’t make the rules.”

Wed, 06/12/2013 - 11:50am — Kevin Dillon

Boston College coach and former Florida offensive coordinator Steve Addazio joined Dennis & Callahan Wednesday morning to talk about new Patriot Tim Tebow.

Addazio, who coached Tebow during his Heisman Trophy-winning season at Florida, said he thinks Tebow can be a successful quarterback in the NFL.

The media crush descends upon Tim Tebow at Gillette Stadium. (AP)FOXBORO -- I came, I saw, I survived. And I think I believe Tim Tebow is actually now a formal member of the New England Patriots.



MIKE PETRAGLIA

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Tue, 06/11/2013 - 9:31pm — Mike Petraglia

FOXBORO — Aaron Hernandez was in attendance Tuesday as the Patriots opened mandatory mini-camp and was catching passes from his old college friend and teammate Tim Tebow in the back of the end zone, just like he used to with the Gators.

Hernandez said everything with his shoulder, repaired in the spring, is fine. The fact that he was on the field and participating, though on a limited basis, is a good sign that recovery is indeed full speed ahead.

Tue, 06/11/2013 - 5:04pm — Christopher Price

Ed Reed said Tuesday that a kick from Patriots quarterback Tom Brady in the AFC title game may have ultimately caused him to suffer an injury and undergo offseason surgery to repair a torn labrum in his hip.

Reed hinted to reporters that incident — a play where the quarterback was sliding to avoid a tackle and ended up nailing the veteran safety — led to an injury. Reed said that looking back, there’s only one play where the injury could have happened.

Tue, 06/11/2013 - 5:02pm — Anonymous
Ed Reed

Ed Reed

Ed Reed said Tuesday that a kick from Patriots quarterback Tom Brady in the AFC title game may have ultimately caused him to suffer an injury and undergo offseason surgery to repair a torn labrum in his hip.

Reed hinted to reporters that incident — a play where the quarterback was sliding to avoid a tackle and ended up nailing the veteran safety — led to an injury. Reed said that looking back, there’s only one play where the injury could have happened.

“Only play I can look at is when I got kicked by a certain quarterback, but even, then I played in the Super Bowl and you saw what happened there,” Reed told reporters. “Even then I had two MCL sprains, a second degree one in the left in the Super Bowl in the first quarter and played through that. So if you’ve got any questions about my heart and how I play and how I work (that’s your answer).”

The defensive back, who signed a free-agent deal with the Texans in the offseason, said Brady has since apologized for the slide. Brady was fined $10,000 for the incident.

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

Tue, 06/11/2013 - 4:03pm — Christopher Price

The Patriots worked out wide receiver Austin Collie on Tuesday, a league source confirmed.

The former Colt, who has endured three (known) concussions and serious knee surgery, has 173 catches for 1,845 yards and 16 touchdowns in four seasons in the NFL. The 27-year-old was a fourth-round pick of the Colts in 2009, and the 6-foot-1, 200-pounder had his best season with Indy as a rookie when he had 60 catches for 676 yards.

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

Tue, 06/11/2013 - 4:01pm — Anonymous

The Patriots worked out wide receiver Austin Collie on Tuesday, a league source confirmed.

The former Colt, who has endured three (known) concussions and serious knee surgery, has 173 catches for 1,845 yards and 16 touchdowns in four seasons in the NFL. The 27-year-old was a fourth-round pick of the Colts in 2009, and the 6-foot-1, 200-pounder had his best season with Indy as a rookie when he had 60 catches for 676 yards.

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

Tue, 06/11/2013 - 3:55pm — Anonymous
Brandon Spikes

Brandon Spikes

FOXBORO — While there was a big crowd gathered to talk to one former Gator following Tuesday’s minicamp session, another one who will have a far greater impact on the fortunes of the 2013 Patriots drew a far smaller group.

Linebacker Brandon Spikes — making his first appearance on the practice fields behind Gillette this offseason — was limited as he took part in Tuesday’s minicamp session. The occasionally combustible linebacker, who steered clear of the OTAs earlier this spring, appeared to be limited in what he was able to do, but jumped in as part of the 11-on-11 drills at the end of the workout.

He certainly didn’t appear to be at full strength, but when it came to explaining his absence from the spring sessions — sessions that we voluntary — he didn’t hold back.

“I just feel like I was trying to put myself in the best position to compete for a spot on the team, and also help this team win a championship,” the 25-year-old explained. “You guys know me – I do things a little different from everybody else. I don’t think that’s bad or a shocker.

“Honestly, if everybody in this world was a [conformist], it would be one boring place.”

There was a school of though that said Spikes, who is heading into the final year of his contract, was trying to force the issue when it came to getting a new deal. While his absence certainly drew the attention of coach Bill Belichick — who took a minor shot at the linebacker, saying, “All of our players except one have been here regularly through the offseason up until this week” — Spikes smiled when he was asked if his absence was related to a desire for a new contract.

“Now you know I can’t speak on that,” he said with a laugh. “Why would you ask me that? No comment, guys. No comment.”

While he was away (he was working out at Bommarito’s in Florida, a favorite spot of former Patriots receiver Wes Welker), he made sure to stay in touch with his teammates who were at the facility.

“I stayed in contact with some guys, making sure things weren’t changing in the meeting rooms and things like that,” he said. “I just wanted to stay on top of my game and I felt like being somewhere else, being on my own I normally do better and be productive that way.

“The guys embraced me as soon as I walked in the door. It’s cool,” he added. ““Of course. It’s good to see all the teammates, new guys, younger guys – it feels good to run around a little bit.”

A 6-foot-2, 255-pounder who has built a rep as one of the premiere run stoppers in the league, Spikes has made it a point to try and become a three-down linebacker. (He finished with a career-best seven passes defensed last year.) While it remains to be seen if he can be a linebacker who can contribute in pass coverage — an area where the New England linebacking corps struggled last season — he knows he’s entering a pivotal year. If he can prove that he’s evolved into a linebacker who can stay on the field on passing downs, he could be in line for a sizable payday.

He’s certainly started on the right foot — he said Tuesday that he’s feeling as good now as when he was a rookie.

“I feel awesome,” he said. “I feel great. Ready to go.”