FOXBORO, Mass. — Youth be damned, the Patriots say.
Things are still status quo around New England despite a surge of younger players taking over the roster. The Pats have drafted 24 players in the last two seasons, and backup quarterback Brian Hoyer was an undrafted free agent in 2009.
Despite the youth movement, which has had a bigger impact on the defensive side of the ball, Mike Wright said things are still same ol', same ol' at Gillette Stadium. Second-year players Patrick Chung, Darius Butler, Myron Pryor and Ron Brace, and rookies Brandon Spikes, Devin McCourty and Jermaine Cunningham all figure to play a significant role for the Patriots' defense.
"I think it's still Patriots football," said Wright, a defensive lineman who has been with the organization since 2005. "That’s the way Coach [Bill] Belichick wants it. Come in, work your ass off every day, try to learn the defense as well as possible and give 100 percent on the field. I don’t think anything has changed. Guys are younger, but that doesn’t make a difference."
