When you break the Patriots-Texans matchup down to Tom Brady and Bill Belichick against Matt Schaub and Gary Kubiak, well, you start to think that maybe Dan Shaughnessy had a point in his column blasting Houston’s chances against New England.

It’s obvious that the Patriots’ quarterback and head coach hold an advantage over the Texans’ combination, but the question is, which is bigger? In Brady versus Schaub, you have a three-time Super Bowl Champion, who’s proven himself over and over again in the postseason, against a quarterback who won his first playoff game just days ago.

Kubiak has one more playoff win than his quarterback, but he still doesn’t stack up to Belichick, especially after the Texans dropped three of the last four games of the regular season and lost their first-round bye.

In NESN’s Two Sides debate, Jeff Howe of the Boston Herald took Brady over Schaub, while Mike Mutnansky of WEEI took Belichick over Kubiak. The two also tackle whether Mike Shanahan should have taken Robert Griffin III out against the Seahawks on Sunday.

Mutnansky won the debate, according to NESN Daily viewers, but which side are you taking? Watch the video above to watch Howe and Mutnansky tackle the important NFL issues.

PEABODY, Mass. — Patriots wide receiver Wes Welker sang the company line Saturday while discussing his contract situation, going as far as to say he doesn't have plans to play anywhere other than New England.

"No, I don't foresee that happening," Welker said about the possibility that 2012 is his last season with the Patriots. "I just take it a day at a time, and try to get ready and better for this year."

Welker, who was conducting his annual youth football camp at Bishop Fenwick High School, was operating in the mode of damage control. He spent about 10 minutes with the media explained that any negative comments this week were a poor choice of words on his part.

Welker signed his $9.5 million franchise tender Tuesday and tweeted it was a "leap of faith" to get the process moving toward a long-term agreement. He also told the Boston Herald on Thursday that the negotiations have "gotten worse" over time.

"It's probably not the wisest choice of words, but sometimes you react on emotion every once in a while," Welker said. "It gets the best of you. I'm just excited to be on the team, excited to go out there and help my team win in 2012."

Obviously, the negotiations haven't been ideal from Welker's perspective. While he said he goes "back and forth" on being disappointed about it, he maintained he's happy to hit the field for another season in New England.

"I'm not frustrated whatsoever," Welker said. "I know the words that came out made me seem that way, but I'm not frustrated at all. I'm making five times more than what I did last year, so there's no frustration here.

"I just enjoy playing ball, enjoy being out there and enjoy playing the game. That's never going to change. I think you can get caught up in it and react silly sometimes. You know what? We're playing a game that we love, and there's no need to get into everything else about it."

Welker plans to report to Gillette Stadium on Monday for the start of voluntary organized team activities, and that led to the timing of his decision to sign his franchise tender. The 31-year-old said he's training hard to prove he's earned the $9.5 million, as well as to prove that he's still got the ability to maintain his performance level well into his 30s.

"I know probably history and stats are against me," Welker said. "But you know what? They've been that way my whole career, so I'm not too worried about that. I'll just continue to work hard and train hard and do the things I've done to get myself here and continue to do more of it. Hopefully play at a high level the whole time."

I already got sentimental Wednesday during my Two-Minute Drill, so I’ll hold the sap for my final mailbag for NESN.com.

Thanks to everyone for their questions, and if you’ve got more to ask, find me on Twitter.

Who plays outside linebacker opposite Rob Ninkovich in the 3-4?
–@animedpet, via Twitter

It’s a tough question to answer because it depends what the Patriots are aiming to accomplish. For instance, Mark Anderson stood up a lot toward the end of last season, but he almost always rushed the passer, though he dropped more during the Super Bowl. If the Patriots go with that sort of look, there could be plenty of candidates, including Chandler Jones, Jake Bequette, Jermaine Cunningham, Markell Carter, Dont’a Hightower or even Trevor Scott.

But if they want the outside linebacker to drop in coverage — or at least make the offense think he’s capable of dropping into coverage — Cunningham or Hightower might be the better candidates. Bobby Carpenter might fit into that role, as well. Either way, I think we’ve all got a lot to learn about those players before drawing closer to an answer.

Where do you think the Andre Carter situation is right now? Is he getting healthy? Are the Pats still thinking of signing him?
–@hhRafael24, via Twitter

My stance on this has remained the same since the end of the season. Carter and the Patriots are perfect for each other, both on the field and in the locker room. He’s also at the point in his career where winning matters and his role is valued. As long as Carter is healthy enough to play, I believe he’ll be back in New England. That is, of course, unless another team gives him a dump truck full of gold.

When will all of the Patriots’ rookies be signed?
–@patriotbomber, via Twitter

As of this writing, they’ve signed second-round pick Tavon Wilson and both seventh-round picks, Jeremy Ebert and Alfonzo Dennard. Honestly, these contracts are easy to construct with the new CBA and rookie salary scale. The teams and agents know what they’re working with, and the only haggling will really come over the guaranteed money. The days of the rookie holdouts should pretty much be over.

Who has a bigger impact on the offensive line: Nate Solder or Robert Gallery?
–@BostonSwagger, via Twitter

If it’s not Solder, the Patriots will be in trouble. Solder will start at left tackle, and he played well enough last year for the Patriots to be optimistic about his future. Gallery, on the other hand, will be insurance in case left guard Logan Mankins can’t start the season due to knee surgery. Gallery might also be able to serve as the team’s top reserve at tackle.

I was wondering, with 90 players showing up for training camp, how will the coaches have the time to properly evaluate them? That’s a lot of bodies! It just seems you can’t play everyone in the preseason games.
–D-jessee (Boston)

Yeah, it is, but it’s going to be a lot easier to handle that number this year than last, when they had a 90-man roster limit directly out of the lockout. Now, at least the coaching staff has a full offseason to evaluate each player. The coaches will be able to go through each player’s tape during the month and a half of downtime before training camp, too, which is an immediate edge on last year’s scenario.

You’re right that 90 players will not get into each game, but injuries will usually weed out a bunch of players. From there, the Patriots are returning a host of performers from last year, so those evaluations will be easier. And then it comes down to maximizing the playing time for the mass of players on the bubble. With the extra spots, it’s also important for the bubble players to perform well in practice and meetings.

So, while it seems like a daunting number, it won’t be overly difficult to evaluate everyone. I’m sure the coaches would always prefer 90 players to 80.

Jeff, does the defensive backfield still seem like the weakest area on the team? There are a lot of ifs at the position.
–@Giguere4211, via Twitter

Well, you could list a number of ifs at a lot of places, but there might be a wider range of speculation in the secondary. They’ve got a lot of potential, but “potential” is a key word in May. Really, though, I think it comes down to two players, and I’ll use your word here: If Devin McCourty returns to form and Patrick Chung stays healthy, the secondary is going to be a whole lot better next season. If that happens, the rest of the pieces will take care of themselves.

Gel, mousse, or pomade? Thanks.
–@RumfordJohnny, via Twitter

Gel. I don’t even know what that third thing is.

Cornerback Alfonzo Dennard signed a four-year deal Thursday, according to a source, and the money was called “standard” for a seventh-round draft pick under the new rookie salary scale. All rookies sign four-year contracts, per the collective bargaining agreement, but first-round picks are subject to team options for a fifth season.

Dennard, a Nebraska product, was viewed as a second-round prospect before the draft. However, he allegedly punched a police officer the week prior to the draft, and he’s facing charges for the incident. Patriots head coach Bill Belichick said he was still “comfortable” enough with Dennard to draft him.

The Patriots have also signed second-rounder Tavon Wilson and seventh-rounder Jeremy Ebert.

Larsen, actually, is reconnecting with Gronkowski, and he said the third-year tight end is still the same guy he knew at Arizona. Larsen was a senior when Gronkowski showed up as a freshman.

"Just incredible, you've never seen a guy like that," Larsen said. "Big and strong, I swear he looked like he does right now as a freshman coming right out of high school. I couldn't imagine what he did in high school. He was a good player."

Larsen got married and had a kid in college, so he said he didn't see a lot of Gronkowski away from the field. But on game day, Larsen had no doubt of Gronkowski's talent.

"He's one of those guys that come around and you just feel like he's going to be special," Larsen said. "So far, he's proved that."

The two have a good relationship, and Larsen has been happy to reconnect with the fun-loving tight end.

"Yeah, I joke with him. I was a senior when he was a freshman, so I used to beat him up in college if you guys believe that. It's been good seeing him, seeing the success he's had, getting to talk with him again."

It's because of you, the readers, that I've put so much work into the Two-Minute Drill every Wednesday for nearly two years. The "20 thoughts" concept was a spur-of-the-moment idea that I hoped would catch on over time, but it became a popular fixture on NESN.com almost immediately.

Because of that, I tried desperately to return the favor. The Two-Minute Drill consistently drew tons of clicks, and I worked hard to make sure they were worth it.

The funny thing is there's never been an actual direction with this column. Sometimes, I'd just try to empty my notebook from the previous week. Other times, I'd go in depth about a particular topic and see where it would take me. I've offered various degrees of statistical breakdowns, analysis and sourced info with the intention of providing some insight and entertainment.

So, thank you for reading every week. You've made it all worthwhile. It's time to roll out my final Two-Minute Drill for NESN.com.

1. It was difficult to come away with any definitive impressions during the Patriots' rookie camp. The media only witnessed 50 minutes over two practices, but they were low-intensity sessions anyway. More than anything, the weekend's meetings and practices were a teaching tool to get the rookies some basic knowledge so they can mesh with the veterans by the time they all unite next week for organized team activities.

2. While I can't sit here and say, "Player X looked great, and Player Y was a mess," I definitely did learn a few things, and you can check out those notes during my practice reports — day one, day two.

3. Defensive end Justin Francis was the surprising star of the camp's string of media sessions, as he shared some funny stories about the similarities between Bill Belichick and Steve Belichick, who went to Rutgers with Francis and joined the Patriots' coaching staff last week.

4. Seventh-round pick Alfonzo Dennard was not made available to the media during the camp. Obviously, he's going through some legal issues in Nebraska after allegedly punching a police officer, so the Patriots are trying to protect him from that line of questioning. It would just be nice to get to know him because a player's personality can often be useful for their overall evaluation. It's helpful to get a glimpse inside the person to see what makes them tick.

5. The Patriots are completing the second phase of their offseason workouts this week. It was a three-week phase that allowed individual drills and "perfect play" drills, in which the offense and defense could not line up against one another. The second phase spanned three weeks, and it sounded like there was some decent intensity on the field.

6. Things will get a little more exciting next week, though, when they start organized team activities, which will closely resemble real practices. The Patriots will conduct three weeks of OTAs (10 total) before their minicamp June 12-14. Then, they'll be off until training camp in late July.

7. The players should be extra amped for OTAs due to the restrictions during the first five weeks of workouts. (To be fair on that point, it's very much worth noting the players collectively bargained for a lesser workload in the offseason.)

"It's always exciting when you can get back out there, put the helmets on," Patriots wide receiver Donte Stallworth said. "When you can finally start easing out of the weight room and conditioning part of it, and get back into practicing and football-specific things, then that's always the fun part. Guys are excited.

"Monday will be the fun day, and I'm sure everyone is looking forward to it."

8. I've maintained throughout the offseason that Julian Edelman will likely play in all three phases in 2012, and I caught up with him Tuesday to ask him what he's got in store for next season.

"It's pretty simple," Edelman said. "I'm going to do whatever the coaches ask me to do. You'd probably have to ask coach [Bill] Belichick on that one. I'm going to do it with a smile on my face and can't wait to help contribute to the team this year."

9. It's always funny listening to rookies talk about the first time they got to see the Patriots' playbook. Here are a couple quotes.

Chandler Jones: "I don't have an actual measurement, but it's pretty heavy."

Francis: "It's kind of like a 'wow' thing. It's kind of big, but that's expected."

10. Keep an eye on Patriots defensive tackle Marcus Forston, an undrafted free agent out of Miami. Forston was the top defensive tackle recruit in the nation in high school, but he didn't live up to the hype at Miami, which was a big disappointment in the region because he was compared to Vince Wilfork and Warren Sapp. The talent exists, but the drive is the question. Maybe someone like Wilfork can get Forston on track, but even still, the Patriots have a good group of defensive tackles. It'll be tough for him to make the 53-man roster.

11. Forston was asked if he had any regrets after leaving school early.

"No regrets, I'm just looking forward," Forston said. "Right now, I'm just working hard. I'm glad to be a Patriot, and I'm going to give 110 percent."

12. Forston isn't a rare case, either. Amazingly, by my count, 21 of the 65 underclassmen who declared for the draft did not get selected this year. That's a serious problem that must be addressed, at least through raised awareness. But then again, it might just be an issue that's on a case-by-case basis. Either way, I was very surprised to see 21 underclassmen went undrafted. I would have guessed about five or 10.

13. I dug up a stat over the weekend and wanted to bring it back in case you missed it. Patriots wide receiver Brandon Lloyd has been more than twice as productive during his career while paired with New England offensive coordinator Josh McDaniels, and click here for more on those two.

Lloyd played 25 games for McDaniels through parts of those three seasons, and the numbers are staggering. In those games, Lloyd had 119 receptions (4.8 per game) for 1,953 yards (78.1) and 14 touchdowns (0.56). But in the other 87 games of Lloyd's career (including the conclusion of 2010 and the beginning of 2011, when the two got split up), he has 192 catches (2.2 per game) for 2,831 yards (32.6) and 17 touchdowns (0.20).

14. Patriots receiver Jeremy Ebert, a seventh-round pick, is finishing his degree at Northwestern, and he won't be able to report back to New England until June because of the school's quarter system. Great for Ebert, but I don't know how an NFL draft pick can keep such a steady head while going through the final month of his senior year.

"It's Northwestern," Ebert said. "You've got to kind of take it seriously. It's a good academic school. School comes first there, not athletics. I've got to put my head in the books a lot."

15. Good to hear from defensive end Markell Carter, who said his sister, Keyarrie, is "doing a lot better" in her battle with lupus. Keyarrie will be moving in with Carter soon because she'll be able to take advantage of some of the best doctors in the world in Boston. For more on Keyarrie, check out this story I wrote in December.

16. Stallworth and McDaniels are obviously in their second tours with the Patriots, and they were both part of the team's record-setting offense in 2007. I asked Stallworth if he's noticed any differences in McDaniels since they last worked together, and the receiver joked, "He put on some weight."

Stallworth then added, "Josh is still the same fiery guy he was when I was here last. I think, obviously, we've only been around for a few weeks now, but with him having the experience of being a head coach for a while, and leaving here and coming back, I'm sure his mentality is a little different. He probably understands things a little better. That can help us out."

17. Edelman and cornerback Devin McCourty attended a nice community event Tuesday. They visited with patients and donors at the Kraft Family Blood Donor Center of the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, and it was really cool to see how everyone reacted to their presence. The players really do make a difference when they go into the community for these events.

18. Edelman and McCourty put it in perspective.

"It just definitely humbles you and puts life in perspective," Edelman said. "These people are real heroes. They're saving people every day. I'm honored that they allow us to come and meet these people."

"Sometimes we can get caught up in everything we're trying to do, getting better as football players," McCourty said. "But you step outside of that and you get to see real life, see things that really matter, these donors and getting to see some patients. If we can just put a smile on somebody's face, be some type of difference, or help them, it's a pleasure to do it."

19. Edelman said it hit home a little more because they were in the Kraft Center.

"With the Kraft family and what they do, with the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute," Edelman said. "I personally got to know a little bit of Mrs. [Myra] Kraft and the time that she donated to everything. You feel like you have nothing else to do but go out here and give some time. It's definitely for a great cause."

20. For my last note, I want to thank everyone at NESN for helping me develop as a person and professional over the last three years. It's been an amazing run, and I'll always consider myself part of the NESN family. It's truly been an honor to work for a company that I grew up admiring, and I wish NESN all the best going forward. I'll always be watching.

Have a question for Jeff Howe? Send it to him via Twitter at @jeffphowe or send it here. He will pick a few questions to answer every week for his mailbag.

Welker signed his franchise tender Tuesday, which fully guaranteed his $9.5 million salary for the 2012 season, and it means he'll be able to report for offseason workouts at Gillette Stadium, if he chooses to do so.

That's timely because the Patriots start their organized team activities Monday. Since the OTAs are full-fledged practices, they're viewed as an important portion of the offseason program, and the players are looking forward to them after five weeks of conditioning and restrictive practices.

Those same teammates should thank Welker, too, because he just put them ahead of his own business. The value of Welker's leverage over the Patriots can be debated, but he definitely sacrificed some of it by signing his tender.

Welker wants a long-term contract, and he deserves one after leading the team in receptions for five consecutive seasons. But the front office has almost all of the power over Welker now that he's signed his tender.

Welker and the Patriots have until July 16 to work out a long-term deal (it says July 15 in the collective bargaining agreement, but July 15 falls on a Sunday this year), and the two sides have each expressed a desire to reach such a resolution. The next two months will unveil how much motivation each respective party has in coming to an agreement.

Welker could have drawn out this ordeal, and few would have blamed him. When it's all said and done, maybe Tuesday's sign of good faith will work in his favor. But there's a realistic chance that it will cost him some money.

That's the mark of a guy who loves the team and the game more than the paycheck. Welker should be forever revered for that.

Have a question for Jeff Howe? Send it to him via Twitter at @jeffphowe or send it here. He will pick a few questions to answer every week for his mailbag.

Patriots wide receiver Julian Edelman and cornerback Devin McCourty were informed of Wes Welker's big news Tuesday, just moments after he signed his franchise tender. Edelman and McCourty both beamed as they realized the team's five-time receptions leader would be returning to work.

"I think it's a real positive thing," Edelman said. "He's one of our better players on our team, and he's only going to make us better. I just heard. That's the first time I've heard it, and I think that's great."

Edelman and McCourty were visiting patients and blood and platelet donors at the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute Kraft Family Blood Donor Center when Welker made his announcement. The teammates were impressed by his selfless decision.

"It just shows that he puts the team first," McCourty said. "He cares about being here, and it will be good to see Wes back in the locker room."

Edelman echoed, "It says that he's a great teammate. He wants to get back with the team. I'm sure he's excited to come back and train with us. And I'm excited to have him back, to learn from him, work with him. It's going to be great to have him back."

Have a question for Jeff Howe? Send it to him via Twitter at @jeffphowe or send it here. He will pick a few questions to answer every week for his mailbag.

That's been a goal of his since the two sides parted ways in 2008. Stallworth really wanted to return to New England in 2011, but the interest wasn't reciprocal. That changed this offseason, and Stallworth said Tuesday it's been a dream come true.

"It was interesting," Stallworth said of the first time he walked back into the locker room after re-signing. "It was a little weird feeling. It was kind of surreal. But honestly, I think it took about a week or so to get adjusted and to really realize that, hey, I really am back. It's not just a dream. It's been good being back and seeing a lot of the same, familiar faces — friendly faces. So it's been good. It's been five years, but not much has changed other than all the restaurants and stuff around here. That's a big difference."

Stallworth said he's stayed in touch with quarterback Tom Brady over the years, and he's still got a good amount of friends on the team, which made the reunion all the more appealing.

"I've always had a lot of respect for Mr. [Robert] Kraft, and really the whole organization and a lot of the players here," Stallworth said. "[I've] still got a lot of friends on the team, so I just thought that it made a lot of sense for me to come back here and try to help this team win some ballgames."

Photo via Twitter/@jeffphowe

Have a question for Jeff Howe? Send it to him via Twitter at @jeffphowe or send it here. He will pick a few questions to answer every week for his mailbag.

But the New England Patriots got a chance to see their rookies in action at the team's rookie minicamp this past weekend. A pair of first round picks, linebacker Dont'a Hightower and defensive end Chandler Jones, were the headliners, and the Patriots are hoping the two can help revamp the New England pass rush.

The Pats will also have an interesting training camp battle at wide receiver this summer.

NESN.com Patriots beat writer Jeff Howe took some time to answer your questions on Twitter — which fans asked using the hashtag #NESNlive — on Monday afternoon. Check out the questions and answers below.

[View the story "Rookies Dont'a Hightower and Chandler Jones Expected to Provide Immediate Impact on Defense" on Storify]

Wes Welker

And really, as a source indicated, the only “urgency” to complete an extension will be in time for July 15, which is the deadline for all franchise players to sign a long-term deal. If a contract isn’t reached at that point, it will have to wait until after the 2012 season.

Welker told WEEI on Monday that he wouldn’t miss any games in 2012 due to contractual issues, which NESN.com has been reporting throughout the offseason.

Welker hasn’t committed to whether or not he’ll attend the Patriots’ mandatory minicamp June 12-14. He has publicly stated he doesn’t need a contract extension in order to report to camp, and he can simply sign his franchise tender before showing up.

But Welker wants a long-term deal, and when the Patriots placed the franchise tag on him, they released a statement saying that’s their goal, too.

The Patriots and Welker have two months to reach that desired destination. Since the two sides want it to happen, it would make sense for it to get done, particularly considering how well they’ve worked together on the field since 2007.

Yet, as the days go by without much progress, the possibility clearly exists that nothing will happen by July 15. As a source said, just because the urgency is there, it “still doesn’t mean there will be [a contract extension in place by] then.”

Have a question for Jeff Howe? Send it to him via Twitter at @jeffphowe or send it here. He will pick a few questions to answer every week for his mailbag.

Welker told WEEI's Mut and Merloni that he's got "9.5 million reasons" why he won't be missing any games during the 2012 season. The Patriots placed the franchise tag on Welker in March, and both sides have said they want to reach a long-term extension. Yet, there hasn't been any progress on that front.

NESN.com has reported throughout the offseason that Welker would not be expected to hold out. Welker hasn't signed his franchise tender yet, but he'll do that before missing any games.

"The main thing is really just trying to keep a level head about it, and make sure you're making the best decisions for yourself," Welker told WEEI, according to ESPN.com. "But at the same time, put yourself in a position where you can play for a great team and hopefully do some great things in the future."

Welker hasn't attended the first four weeks of voluntary offseason workouts at Gillette Stadium, but his attendance — in one way or another — will speak the loudest during mandatory minicamp, which runs June 12-14. Welker hasn't committed to attending the minicamp, but he said Monday that he'd "really like to be there."

Welker will be in town this weekend for his football camp at Bishop Fenwick High School, which he was promoting Monday on WEEI. Welker doesn't need to be in New England to negotiate the contract, but sometimes, these things work out that way. Regardless of whether or not it happens this week, Welker's comments Monday served as the most positive news that has come from the contractual stalemate in weeks.

Have a question for Jeff Howe? Send it to him via Twitter at @jeffphowe or send it here. He will pick a few questions to answer every week for his mailbag.

The 6-foot-4 Central Arkansas product said Saturday that he's up to 275 pounds, and it looks like sturdy, healthy weight. That's a far cry from where he's been in recent years.

As a senior, Carter said he was at 250 pounds. He got up to the 255-260 range during the pre-draft process and increased his weight to 265 pounds during his rookie season in 2011.

"I've gained a few pounds," Carter laughed. "I've gained some explosiveness, and just a lot of work in the weight room was my main focus this offseason."

Carter was in the good graces of the Patriots' coaches last season, earning at least two pay raises while remaining on the practice squad throughout the year. He's considered a hard worker with a good on-field motor, but he needed to boost his weight and playing acumen to get an opportunity on game day.

The 22-year-old said it was important to add productive weight throughout that process, and he credited the boost to an intense workout regimen, proper intake of nutritional supplements and a diet of four or five peanut butter and banana sandwiches per day — his father's recommendation.

"That's the big thing," Carter said. "Not just putting on the weight, but make sure it's the weight that helps you function best for your position."

Carter was one of six veterans who participated in the Patriots' rookie camp this weekend, and he said it was a great opportunity to get the extra experience, especially since he wasn't able to run through the rookie camp last year due to the lockout.

Carter has always come across as a mature person, but he said he has developed his professionalism, too, which goes hand-in-hand with the gain in weight.

"I'm more organized," Carter said. "I'm more of a professional now. I understand my role. I understand what I have to do to achieve that role, and that's mainly my focus. Right now, the only thing I should be focused on is football and recovery, and that's my direction in life right now."

If all goes according to plan, Carter may be able to translate the pass-rushing skills from college to the pro level. He had 16.5 sacks and 143 tackles in his collegiate career, and he added 19 tackles for loss as a senior.

The Patriots' depth chart at defensive end is still up in the air for 2012, so it's still not clear how much of a role Carter could earn. Mark Anderson departed for the Bills, and Andre Carter is still nursing a torn quad, although he could return if he's healthy. Veteran free agents Jonathan Fanene and Trevor Scott could earn starting-caliber snaps, while first-round pick Chandler Jones and third-rounder Jake Bequette will also contend for serious playing time. Markell Carter and Brandon Deaderick are among the younger players who will also fight for their chance.

Carter has taken the necessary steps to give himself that opportunity, and he's also learning how to play with the added weight by working out and running with extra band resistance. He said his explosion and lateral quickness are up to speed, and he's added more power to his punch. With all of that in mind, Carter's growth during his first year as a pro should translate to a more successful second season.

"I learned the Patriots way, how to handle myself with this whole new situation that I'm kind of being thrown into," Carter said. "Having that time on the practice squad, it gave me a lot of time to develop, a lot of time to find out who I was as a football player and even as a man myself, just being on my own."

Have a question for Jeff Howe? Send it to him via Twitter at @jeffphowe or send it here. He will pick a few questions to answer every week for his mailbag.

Photo via Facebook/Luke Hughes

It's not viewed as a punishment. Rather, the half dozen one-year vets have appreciated the chance to enhance their knowledge of New England's system.

Defensive ends Markell Carter, Alex Silvestro and Aaron Lavarias, running back Eric Kettani, quarterback Mike Hartline and kicker Chris Koepplin have joined seven draft picks and seven undrafted free agents at the two-day camp.

"It's good," Lavarias said. "It's kind of a nice refresher course. Having been here a little bit last year, you feel like you're a little bit ahead of the curve. You know a little bit more of the terminology of things, but at the same time, I still have a lot of work to do. I've got to study as hard as anybody else just to find a place on this team."

Carter spent his rookie season on the practice squad. Silvestro was up and down between the practice squad and the active roster, and he was famously promoted to the game-day roster the night before Super Bowl XLVI. Lavarias had two stints on the practice squad last season, but he also spent three months out of the NFL.

Kettani was on the practice squad until October, when he was recalled by the Navy, but he was allowed to return to the Patriots last month. Koepplin spent the 2011 training camp with the Patriots, and Hartline was in last year's training camp with the Colts.

So, they all lack experience to various degrees, and they enjoyed the chance to earn some extra work with the coaches at Gillette Stadium, particularly since they didn't have the luxury to run through a rookie camp due to last year's lockout.

"It's been cool getting to know all the rookies, seeing all the things I missed out on last year via the lockout," Carter said. "Just taking this opportunity to learn. I'm getting a lot of individual work, a lot of one-on-one work that I wasn't able to get last year because I wasn't here. It's been cool just having that time just to grow in the defense."

Of course, the six veterans are anything but roster locks, although the expectations are different for each of them. Carter has a good chance to make the team and contribute, but Koepplin isn't going to steal Stephen Gostkowski's job. Regardless of which side of the spectrum each player resides, they viewed this weekend as an opportunity to further develop their NFL careers.

"I was happy [to attend rookie camp] because I have a lot to learn playing in this league," Lavarias said. "To help me become a better player, I think it's a good opportunity."

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Francis, who went undrafted out of Rutgers, went to college with Belichick's son, Steve, who was a lacrosse player and long snapper for the football team. Francis and Steve Belichick became good friends, and now, they're back on the same team, as Steve was appointed a coaching assistant Thursday.

"It's kind of weird," Francis said with a laugh after being asked if it's strange that Steve is technically one of his bosses. "But he's a good friend, and I know he's never going to direct me in the wrong path. I take that, and I keep that. I'll always respect him. I respect his job, and I respect him as a friend as well."

Francis met the elder Belichick before signing with the Patriots. Belichick, of course, developed a nice pipeline with Rutgers due to his friendship with former Rutgers head coach Greg Schiano, who has since taken over the Buccaneers.

Now, with even more experience working with both Belichicks, Francis said they're extremely similar.

"Steve, he's a nice and steady guy," Francis said. "His dad is the same way. Coach is the same way. He's stern, and Steve is the same way. They both have a great way of dealing with things, and they're very smart. You can't do nothing but respect that."

Francis and Steve Belichick are both going through a new experience during this weekend's rookie camp. While Belichick has spent a considerable amount of time around the team in the past, this is the first time he's had a coaching moniker on his credentials. Francis said it's been important that they've had one another during the learning phase.

"He'll give me a wink and keep my spirits up like, 'Hey, let's work,' " Francis said. "And I'll tell him, I'll give him a nod like, 'Let's work.' [Belichick is] just keeping my spirits up, and I'm keeping his spirits up."

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The 20 players included seven draft picks, seven undrafted free agents and six players with one year of experience.

Sixth-round pick Nate Ebner was a limited participant during the media session, which lasted about 30 minutes. He spent Friday's media portion riding the stationary bike.

New coaching assistant Chris Simms was also spotted at Saturday's practice. He wasn't working with any positional groups during the media portion.

Interestingly, new special teams assistant coach Joe Judge led the practice's opening drill with the linebackers and defensive linemen for the second consecutive day. Linebackers coach Pepper Johnson led the stretch with the linebackers before staying off to the side while they worked with Judge and the sled.

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Because of that, it was a no-brainer that Lloyd would head to New England this offseason. The Patriots needed a bigger threat from an outside receiver, and Lloyd wanted to keep his career on the upswing.

McDaniels explained Friday why the pair has been so successful together.

"Brandon is a really likeable person, first of all," McDaniels said. "He's a smart player. He's been dependable. He's been durable. I think you take it year by year, and I had an opportunity to form a relationship with him as a coach and a player, and he's a guy that kind of took to our system and gave us an opportunity to do some really good things. The players are really the people that deserve the credit. It's not our system. They really are the ones that make it successful. He's had some success in it, and we'll hope that he can continue that."

Lloyd was an average producer at best from 2003-08 when he split time between the 49ers, Redskins and Bears, but he got acquainted with McDaniels when the two arrived in Denver in 2009. McDaniels was the head coach with the Broncos until he was fired in late 2010.

The two had their first reunion in 2011. McDaniels was the Rams' offensive coordinator when they acquired Lloyd early in the season.

Lloyd played 25 games for McDaniels through parts of those three seasons, and the numbers are staggering. In those games, Lloyd had 119 receptions (4.8 per game) for 1,953 yards (78.1) and 14 touchdowns (0.56).

But in the other 87 games of Lloyd's career (including the conclusion of 2010 and the beginning of 2011, when the two got split up), he has 192 catches (2.2 per game) for 2,831 yards (32.6) and 17 touchdowns (.20).

In terms of averages, Lloyd's production more than doubled across the board when he's been with McDaniels, who has an obvious ability to get the best out of the explosive receiver.

"He understands what we ask of the receiver position," McDaniels said. "He's brought a skill set on the outside, on the perimeter that has definitely been helpful to the offenses that I've had a part in here in the last few years. How he fits in and what we end up doing with him along with the other receiving corps, we'll kind of find out as we go through the spring and the summer. But I'm excited to have an opportunity to coach him again."

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New England's seven draft picks were still glowing from one of the greatest rushes of their lives, but that feeling of ecstasy was set to subside as the workload increased. Granted, that's what they love to do, but the rookie camp serves as a strict transition.

The Patriots' highest draft picks were immediately introduced to the New England media two weeks ago, and they returned to their respective homes afterward. From there, they celebrated, received plenty of congratulations, sought out advice and worked out to ensure they were in proper shape for this week's camp.

"It's been kind of a rollercoaster ride," defensive end Jake Bequette said. "Getting the call on draft day was awesome, and after that going back to Fayetteville, [Ark.], and continuing to work out, getting ready for my first appearance here in Foxboro and getting ready to go."

The Patriots' seven draft picks joined seven undrafted free agents and six players with one year of experience at the rookie camp. As head coach Bill Belichick joked during the draft, they won't be building Rome over the course of the weekend, but it's a useful tool to build a foundation as the rookies prepare to join the veterans for organized team activities and minicamp.

The rookies have started sorting through the playbook to get a better idea of the terminology, and the on-field work gives them a chance to see how the Patriots run their practices. The idea, in its simplest form, is to ensure the rookies don't hold the veterans back when the full team unites for practice.

"Learn the playbook and earn the respect from your teammates, guys who have been here," defensive end Chandler Jones said. "That's what I've been trying to do, learn the playbook and get their trust."

Several rookies, including linebacker Dont'a Hightower, noted this stretch has served as the start of their fulfilled dreams of reaching the NFL. It also means the afterglow of the draft has switched off, as the purpose of their process has officially begun.

"I'd rather not have the spotlight on me," Hightower said. "I'm glad that's over. It's fun and everything, but I'm ready to get down to business."

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Photo via Twitter/Mike Reiss

Hightower played at Alabama for head coach Nick Saban, who was Bill Belichick's defensive coordinator with the Browns in the 1990s. Saban and Belichick remain close, and their defensive systems are similar.

Much to Hightower's excitement, he opened the Patriots' playbook and recognized some familiar verbage.

"Some of the terms are some of the same," Hightower said. "But at the same time, it's going to be more about me looking into the playbook and learning the different terminology, get with some of the older guys that have been here for a while and had so much success. There's a lot of older guys that are here that are going to help me get along."

Two of them will be linebackers Jerod Mayo and Brandon Spikes. Hightower is already familiar with both, as they were two of the most prominent defensive players in the SEC during the last decade.

Coincidentally, Hightower used Mayo and Spikes as a resource in the past, and he's going to get a chance to do it to a much higher degree at Gillette Stadium.

"When I first got drafted, I reached out to those guys, and texted them and told them how much I was looking forward to getting in and working with those guys," Hightower said. "Them playing in the SEC, I've seen them in action before. I watched them play and stole a couple of their moves that they used out there on the field. I'm really looking forward to getting in and working with some of those guys."

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Both were undrafted free agents from Ole Miss who signed with New England. And Bolden linked up with the Patriots about a month after Green-Ellis departed for Cincinnati in free agency.

So, until Bolden makes a name for himself, he'll be continuously referred to as the replacement for Green-Ellis, the next Green-Ellis or Green-Ellis' clone.

Bolden said the two don't even know each other, but he has become familiar with Green-Ellis' legacy at Ole Miss.

"A standup guy, had a few records here and there," Bolden said. "He did a real great job from what I know."

Bolden is a good, hard, physical runner with average speed and some pass-catching ability, but he suffered a fractured ankle during his senior season, which played into the reason he went undrafted. Bolden finished his collegiate career with 2,604 yards (5.4 yards per carry), 76 receptions, 807 receiving yards and 33 total touchdowns.

The rushing numbers don't stack up to Green-Ellis' output in college, but Bolden displayed superior receiving stats. Yet there's one glaring issues that separates the two. Green-Ellis didn't fumble the ball in college, while Bolden coughed it up eight times.

Still, Bolden made sure to study Green-Ellis as much as possible, even though the resources were limited.

"He was the running back before I got there, but he was also with another staff before I got there," Bolden said. "So the little film they did have, I did watch."

Bolden will surely get to study more of Green-Ellis' film during his time with the Patriots, who would love for Bolden to grow into a replica of his predecessor.

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