Odds and ends from Tom Brady's media meet on Thursday.
ON HAVING 11 RECEIVERS ON THE ROSTER:We brought in quite a few guys, so hopefully the mix of guys we had last year -- along with some new guys -- can create some different options for us. It's a very competitive position. All our days in practice have been very competitive.
But it'll help our defense out, it'll help our offense out. The more good players you have, the better team you're going to be. It's only our sixth day of OTAs; we have a lot of work to do before the season starts. It's been a lot of fun being out there and seeing Donte' and Jabar, who I've played with before -- I really loved playing with those guys. Obviously, Wes, Deion, Chad, and Julian it's going to be very competitive.
DO YOU WANT TO SEE WES WELKER FINISH HIS CAREER A PATRIOT?Yeah, I mean of course. I said yesterday there's always contract situations, and it's not my contract situation, so I don't really comment on it, I just try to support Wes, and his role, and what he's asked to do. You see the commitment he makes by coming out here and practicing. He's always worked his tail off, so I love having him out here with me, and he's one of my great friends. Hopefully everything works out.
ANYBODY ON THE TEAM YELL BACK WHEN YOU START AT IT?Probably Wes. Wes gives it to me pretty good. All the guys that are comfortable with me know that they can do it. There are some guys who probably aren't as comfortable yet, but once they get used to it they have no problem. Guys like Matt Light. That's why I miss a guy like Matt, because Matt always told me how it was. Coach Belichick never is afraid to let me know what he thinks of what I'm doing. I appreciate that. That's really what I need.
WILFORK SAYS HE'S GOT GREAT HANDSLaughs I'm going to see. He had two interceptions last year. He was close to leading our team, so he better start working on his run after catch. Maybe we can use him on goal line situations like The Fridge (William Perry) or something. He's a load, I'll tell you that. He's a hell of a player for this team.
ON HOW HIS PERSPECTIVE HAS CHANGED FROM 25 TO 35:I don't know; I'm not 35.
OOPS. SO, 34 THEN:I appreciate it every day. I think one thing my injury taught me a few years ago is how fragile this game is. To be able to take the field every week is really a blessing. Maybe at 34 I feel a little differently in that sense. I appreciate it, I love it just as much now as I ever have. I love being out here for OTAs. At 25 I was probably expletive about OTAs. When you're 34, you're not. You're saying, 'Let's see what kind of team we've got. I've really got nothing else going on in my life, so I'm going to come out here and try to do a good job for my team.
MIGHT THE DEATH OF JUNIOR SEAU HELP ENCOURAGE GUYS TO CHECK IN WITH EACH OTHER, WHETHER ACTIVE OR RETIRED?Yeah, what you get out of this game so much is the relationships that you have with the players you played with. It's a very intimate work environment that we have. We're with each other more than we're with our families over the course of the season. When you share -- when you're a locker-mate, or a position-mate, you know someone very well. You always have concern for them, not only as a teammate, but when they leave the facility as well.
The transition I've heard is hard, and we'll all have to deal with it at some point. But hopefully we can deal with it as best as we know how. If we need help, hopefully we can seek it out.