As loud as Gillette Stadium got with 50 seconds to go, it got just as quiet midway through the first quarter. That’s when Jerod Mayo, the reigning defensive rookie of the year, hit the turf and stayed there.

The second-year captain left the Patriots’ 25-24 win over the Bills in the first quarter with a right-knee injury. Not good.

Following the game, coach Bill Belichick said he did not have an update. “No, I wish I had one for you,” he said. “I really do.”

So what happened? Who knows?

But here is what I do know. Mayo was in “good spirits” at halftime, according to one teammate. The player told me Mayo seemed, “OK.” Later, Mayo was asked by another teammate how he’s doing.

“He said, ‘It’s nothing serious,‘ ” a player told me, recounting his conversation with Mayo.

This is good to hear, but until we get a more detailed update, I’ll continue to hold my breath.

And now, according to Pro Football Talk, they have signed the 40th overall pick of the draft, nose tackle Ron Brace.

Left unsigned are 2nd round draft choice Patrick Chung, 3rd rounder Tyrone McKenzie, as well as George Bussey and Jake Ingram.

          Under the American legal system Faulk would be guilty of possession of a banned substance, but there is no reason for the league to punish the possession of illicit drugs like steroids or marijuana, the aim of the substance abuse policy is to keep the game clean.  Kevin Faulk is clean so why is he being suspended?  Roger Goodell is too strict, bordering on some third world dictator mad with power.  If Adam Jones can play at all Kevin Faulk should be able to play the first game of the season.

I can’t say that I am totally worried as that team hasn’t shown any great potential since 2006 season but having a HoF QB in the neighborhood is not good.  Maybe it will just amount to harmless fun celebrity watching on November 13 when the Jets show their face at Gillette, or they could be a serious thorn in the side of the Patriots as Favre proved to be last year, keeping the Packers competetive to the brink of a Superbowl berth.  Maybe Favre will go on the IR mid-season due to his age or just flounder in the muck that is the rest of the AFC east. 

Whatever happens in New York for the Jets this trade just made the plot thicker for the Patriots.

First, the Patriots placed offensive tackle Anthony Clement on injured reserve.  Despite starting every game the last two seasons for the Jets, the 6′8″ tackle really struggled out of the gate during training camp for the Patriots.

To replace Clement, the Patriots signed 34 year old offensive lineman Barry Stokes.  Stokes is versatile, having started at both guard and tackle during his long career.  Stokes is a slightly longer shot to make the team, although his experience and versatility should help him.

In some really good news, three players came off the PUP list for the Patriots.  Wes Welker, Ellis Hobbs, and Bo Ruud all participated in Saturday’s practice.  It will be interesting to see how the cornerback position shapes out, now that Hobbs is back.

I also wanted to give my good word to Andre Tippett, who was officially inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame yesterday.  Bob Kraft said the following on Tippett;

“I am a lifelong fan of the NFL and became a Patriots fan in 1960 when the team was founded. And in 1971, I became a season ticket holder and have enjoyed attending nearly every Patriots game with my family. Of all the players I watched and rooted for during that time, I can say without a doubt that Andre Tippett was the most dominant defender the Patriots have ever had and one of the greatest to ever play the game. Andre possessed the perfect combination of strength, speed and athleticism. In his prime, Andre was probably the most intimidating player in the game. I can’t think of a higher compliment for a linebacker.”

Also, to make room on the roster for Jerod Mayo, the Patriots released tackle Lavdrim Bauta.  I think he was with the Pats for about the same amount of time Troy Brown was.  About 24 hours.

The team opened up the morning session with warmups and stretching, and then broke down into positional drills.  This is how most of the practice was, except for a little 9 vs 7 and 11 vs 11 team work.  Much of the team focused work was on the running game.  

Offensively, Laurence Maroney looked really sharp most of the practice, keeping his pads low, and showing that quick burst that everyone knows.  Defensively, Victor Hobson really stood out to me, he already looked comfortable… but keep in mind that it’s the first day.

Tom Brady took it easy most of the morning practice, not doing any excessive throwing.  Matt Cassel took most of the reps with the first team, while Matt Gutierrez took most of the reps with the second team.  Both quarterbacks looked pretty sharp.

In the second practice, Tom Brady began to throw a little bit more, airing out a few deep balls to Randy Moss in team drills, one on which he connected.  One guy who stood out to me most of the day, including the second practice, was Jason Webster.  I think he played, actually, along with Fernando Bryant, and is really off to a good start.

Also of note, was the presence of safety Tank Williams.  In some sub-package work, Belichick had Williams move up, and play like a linebacker.  Rodney Harrison has played this kind of role in years past.

Overall, day 1 seemed to be a good day.  There was a lot of positional work and fundamentals, but that’s what training camp is.  The players just have to keep working, as the Patriots’ first preseason game is just two weeks away.

Randy Moss

Heading into 2008, Randy Moss is one of the only wide receivers whose role on the team is cemented in.  He will be the #1 starting wide receiver, no questions asked.  However, it will be interesting to see how much he brings to training camp.  If you remember, last year, he missed all but one day of training camp and the preseason, as rumors even circulated about him being cut or traded.

Chad Jackson

If Chad Jackson is starting opposite Randy Moss come opening weekend, there are going to be a lot of happy Patriots fans.  When the Patriots moved up to select Jackson in the 2006 draft, there seemed to be no limit on his potential.  However, one torn ACL later, things look different.  C-Jack has had 18 months to recover fully from his injury.  Jackson has tremendous footspeed, hands, leaps, and route running ability.  If it all comes together, he could be the #2 threat we’ve been looking for.

Wes Welker

You can never say enough about Wes Welker.  Speed, agility, hands, smarts.  Welker seems to have it all, and he fits the slot position perfectly.  But, and please understand this, he’s not an outside receiver… he doesn’t have the size and strength to play on the outside.  He is most effective on slants, screens, and underneath routes, which is how he managed 112 catches in 2007.  Like Moss, Welker’s position with the team is guaranteed (of course barring injury).

Jabar Gaffney

When people look back on the 2007 season, they are most likely going to think of Randy Moss and Donte Stallworth as the starting receivers.  However, people seem to forget that Jabar Gaffney started more than half the season (over Stallworth, including playoffs).  Jabar has a combination of great hands, good speed, excellent ball awareness, adequate size, and good route running ability.  That translates into a good NFL receiver.  In 2008, Gaffney will either be the #2 or the #4 wideout.  What’s best is that he’s a tremendous fallback if Chad Jackson struggles.

Kelley Washington

In 2007, Kelley Washington found his niche on special teams.  In 2008, I would expect much of the same… but this time around, we might see him play a little more offense.  Although Washington struggled playing receiver during the preseason in 2007, he still managed a roster spot, excelling on special teams.  Now, Washington, how has tremendous size and decent ball skills, has an extra year under his belt in the Patriots system, and it will be interesting to see if he can make an ever bigger impact on the Patriots in ‘08.

Sam Aiken

The Patriots signed Sam Aiken in March so that he could be a special teams guy, which was his motto in Buffalo.  However, if he makes the team, don’t expect him to play on offense, because from what he showed in minicamp, he has stone hands and no concept of the offense (although I will watch him in training camp before giving my final verdict).

Matt Slater

When the Patriots drafted Matthew Slater in the 5th round of this years’ draft, they envisioned him as a jack of all trades type.  He will play receiver and safety but will most likely make his biggest impact on special teams, where he excelled during his stay at UCLA.  He will battle Sam Aiken for the last spot on the roster, but I’ll give Slater the early edge.

C.J. Jones

C.J. Jones was a guy that I liked a lot last year.  He’s a great returner, and showed some receiving skills.  However, I don’t think there is room for him on this years’ roster.  He will battle for a practice squad spot.

Robert Ortiz

Unfortunately, I don’t know a lot about the San Diego State product.  He’s got good size, and decent hands, and can find the seam well.  He can also pick up yardage after the catch.  But he lacks speed to beat defenders downfield, and has problems securing the ball.  He is a potential practice squad guy.  SI had this to say about him prior to the 2006 draft.

Ray Ventrone

Ventrone began the transition from safety to wide receiver this offseason.  Lets hope he stops that transition.  Quickly.  Because he looked god awful as receiver during minicamp.

The Skinny

Wide receiver looks to be a competitive position heading into training camp.  While Randy Moss and Wes Welker look solidified in their roles, the rest of the position is up for grabs.  Jabar Gaffney and Chad Jackson will battle it out for the #2 spot, Kelley Washington will look to earn more playing time on offense,  while Matt Slater, Sam Aiken, Robert Ortiz, and Ray Ventrone will look to make the last spot or the practice squad.

Laurence Maroney

It’s hard to make a great judgement of Maroney at this point in his career.  He’s been inconsistent at times, he’s had injury problems, etc.  If you watched footage of him from when he was healthy, I’d tell you he was a superstar in the making.  He has unmatched initial burst, great lateral and vertical speed, and this ability to slide out of tackles, with a frame to put on even more muscle.  His hands and pass protection are also improving.  In training camp, it will be interesting to see if Maroney is used more in the passing game, as he showed flashes of improvement throughout last year, especially in the playoffs.  Year 3 will be a big year for Maroney… anyone else thinking breakout?

Sammy Morris

Sammy Morris is certainly the wildcard at this position.  The first half of last year, he looked REALLY GOOD.  His speed was fine, but he really showed great patience and power.  The question with Morris is health.  Is he 100% recovered from the chest injury?  If he is, the Patriots could have the perfect compliment to Maroney.

Kevin Faulk

Come playoffs, Kevin Faulk WILL be there.  He will.  He’s there every year.  Whether he’s backing up Maroney or taking most of the 3rd and long reps, he will get his playing time… he’ll find a way onto the field.  However, he is 32 now, and you have to wonder when age will catch up with him.

BenJarvus Green-Ellis

BenJarvus has good size, strength, acceleration, and playing speed.  At 5′11″, 220 lbs, he has the potential to develop into Maroney’s counterpart in the backfield, he’s that underrated.  Training camp, however, will dictacte Green-Ellis’ chance with the Pats, he could go from making the roster, spending the season on the practice squad, or even being cut.

Heath Evans

Heath Evans will more-than-likely make the team, and will get his playing time here and there.  Evans in the HB-FB hybrid.  You won’t see him lead blocking too often, but he will get in there sometimes, and get a third and short or fourth and short carry, from either position.

Kyle Eckel

The emergence of Kyle Eckel last season was a great story.  Unfortunately, the story may come to an end this training camp, unless the Patriots elect to keep an extra back.  Eckel is a lot like Evans in terms of what he can do on the field, although he is a little less of a blocker and a little more of a runner.  Eckel will have to have a huge training camp to stick with the team.

The Skinny

The running back position certainly has some questions.  Will Maroney be healthy and consistent?  Will Sammy Morris be ready?  How long can Kevin Faulk keep it up?  However, overall, the position is quite solid.  During camp, Morris and Faulk will be battling for playing time, while Green-Ellis and Eckel will be fighting to keep a job.  However, I would look for the Patriots to bring in another body, maybe a Samkon Gado or a Kevin Jones, and that would certainly make things more interesting.

Position Grade: B+

My only concern is the concept of the NFL taking the law into their own hands by immediately suspending or releasing players who have yet to receive their day in court.  Unless Andrews confided in his bosses that everything alleged is true maybe he is innocent.  Andrews doesn’t appear to be involved in any continuous criminal enterprise such as Michael Vick.  I mean, a domestic dispute is a different crime than buying large quantities of pot.  It just so happens they both are illegal and the gun charge could work with the drug charge against him, maybe land him in jail.

At the end of the day Andrews was just not a model Patriot.  After the 2007 season concluded, Coach Belichick said in an interview with the Big Show on WEEI that, regarding Adam ‘Pacman’ Jones and players in general fitting the Patriots model, some players would show up to practice listening to music on their walkman, and kind of do their own thing, go to McDonald’s after practice and stuff like that.  Belichick would replace whatever they were listening to on their headphones with football stuff and really try to steer them in the team direction.  According to Coach Belichick, some of these players just didn’t work out and would fit in better with other teams.  Maybe Andrews will sign with the Cowboys but meanwhile we are down a good Special Teams return man.