FOXBORO -- Reggie Wayne has been a member of the Patriots for less than two weeks, but he already feels a certain kinship with quarterback Tom Brady. The two have known each other for years as opponents, of course, but when Wayne was asked if he was pleased about Brady's four-game suspension being nullified by judge Richard Berman on Thursday, he responded quickly.
"Yeah," he said. "That's my quarterback."
Wayne didn't expand much on the topic, opting to focus on his own role in the Patriots offense. But Wayne did once again indicate the obvious, even though several of his teammates did not want to comment at all.
"I'm excited he's available," Wayne admitted. "Now Reggie gotta take care of what Reggie's gotta take care of. Get in my playbook, correct all the mistakes I had tonight, and get better. I've only been here for a week and a half or so. Like I said, I'm behind the eight ball."
Wayne played throughout the first half for the Patriots, and he was targeted 10 times by quarterback Ryan Lindley. Of those targets, Wayne reeled in two for 24 yards, including one 18-yarder on the sideline where the 15-year veteran plucked the ball out of the air and away from a Giants defender.
Wayne admitted that he is "still trying to find [his] swag" in the Patriots system, but he said that every rep helped in the preseason finale, even though none of them came with Brady.
"At the end of the day, as a receiver, it really doesn't matter who's at quarterback," Wayne said. "The objective is to catch the ball. Obviously timing and stuff is important also, but when the ball is in the air it's the same intensity to go up, catch the ball, keep the chains moving, and make big plays."
New England Patriots
Asked if he felt he would be ready for next week's season-opener with the Steelers, Wayne said, "I don't have a choice. The week is going to be here regardless of if I'm ready or not. There's a lot more stuff I can learn from tonight. Like I said, it's still a week where I can continue to prepare and get ready."
He added: "It's not my first rodeo. I've been down this road before. I played a half in last week's game, and this week I played a half so I got at least a game in me. I know what I gotta do. I know I gotta take care of my body. As far as [on the field], that will take care of itself. Everything is just mental. Knowing what to do and when to do it."