Monday Patriots Headlines

NEW ENGLAND PATRIOTS HEADLINES FOR 8/16

The Patriots have one session scheduled today from 10:00am - 11:30am, as they get set to travel to Atlanta for joint practice sessions and then another exhbition game this Thursday night.

UPDATE (8:15am): The team just announced that today's session has been moved inside due to the weather and is not viewable by the public.

The big news late yesterday afternoon was the fact that veteran wide receiver Torry Holt was placed on injured reserve with an apparent knee injury, which ended his season. There were high hopes that Holt would provide quarterback Tom Brady with another veteran target, but this move effective ends that debate. The team has since re-signed local favorite Buddy Farnham, who was released back on August 9th.

The Boston Globe has the story, with his agent telling the newspaper that he's disappointed that he won't get an opportunity to play for the Patriots.

"He is disappointed,'' said Holt's agent, Kennard McGuire. "He looked forward to competing and playing with another great quarterback, and playing for one of the all-time great coaches.''

Many wondered with the depth at receiver whether or not Holt would make the team, and there was some speculation that head coach Bill Belichick had placed Holt on IR in an effort to let the veteran avoid being cut outright from the team. However, his agent confirmed to the newspaper that Holt is expected to undergo surgery.

Mike Reiss takes a detailed look at the team's depth chart after Holt's injury, along how the impact of the loss of Ty Warren my affect them.

Meanwhile the Worcester Telegram has an article on linebacker Derrick Burgess, who has finally joined the team and returned to the practice field yesterday at Gillette Stadium. Burgess had missed the start of training camp while he pondered retirement, but was glad to be back on the field.

"I felt good, a little rusty," Burgess said. "I'm just going to keep working hard and take it day by day."

Karen Gurgegian of the Boston Herald also has an article on Burgess, and wonders that even though he's physically here in Foxboro, whether or not he's also mentally committed to being here after spending the last couple of weeks pondering calling it quits.

The Telegram also reports that defensive lineman Ron Brace has finally passed the conditioning test and took the field after missing the first 17 days of training camp. The fact it took Brace over two weeks from the start of camp to finally pass it likely doesn't have him in the good graces of Belichick, who generally isn't too pleased when guys don't show up ready to go. Either way Brace said yesterday he's just glad to be back out there with his teammates.

"It feels really good," said Brace. "Words can't describe it. I'm happy to be out here working, catching up with these guys."
"Every time you come out here it's an opportunity to get better," Brace said. "I missed out on a great deal of my opportunities, but now I'm trying to make up and catch up to the group."

Mark Farinella of the Attleboro Sun Chronicle also looks at Brace, who told the newspaper he's 'trying to get back in a rythm' with the team.

Brace's return is definitely a help after the team placed recently placed Ty Warren on injured reserve. He's listed as Vince Wilfork's backup on the depth chart, but the Globe also reports that Brace did spend some time yesterday working at different spots up front.

Steve Buckley of the Boston Herald has an article on tight end Aaron Hernandez, who says that he likes the spread offense here in New England and that it was similar to what they did in Florida.

"It's similar, because it's a spread offense," Hernandez said. "We had a lot of similar stuff in Florida, but a lot of the language is different. But if you study, it all comes easy."

Ian Rapoport of the Boston Herald has a blog entry from yesterday's practice session and talks about the fact that it looks like Terrance Wheatley may finally be out of the doghouse after head coach Bill Belichick threw him some praise yesterday.

"He's been a productive player for us in camp," Belichick said. "He's way ahead of where he was last year at this time. I'm not saying he's where needs to be, but he's had a good camp and he's done well."

In other news Brady had been spotted with two of his fingers taped together recently but he participated in both practices yesterday, with head coach Bill Belichick telling the media that the quarterback's injury isn't 'life threatening', and didn't seem concerned during his press conference yesterday.

Christopher Price of WEEI.com has the complete Q & A from Belichick's press conference yesterdayavailable for those of you who would like to read it in its entirety.

SUNDAY PRACTICE NOTES:

Afternoon Session:

Quick Hits From Afternoon Practice - Boston Globe
Burgess Back, Sunday PM Notes - Patriots.com
Training Camp Report from Sunday PM Session - WEEI.com
What happened at Patriots training camp? Day 13, Session 2 - Boston Herald

Morning Session:

AM Practice Wrap: Brace, Burgess Participate - NECN
Report from Sunday AM Walkthrough - WEEI.com
What happened at Patriots training camp? Day 13, Session 1 - Boston Herald
Observations from this morning's walkthrough - Boston Globe