Lawrence Guy:

Patriots to sport special cleats devoted to personal causes during NFL’s My Cause My Cleat campaign.

With some serious injuries to Derek Rivers and Julian Edelman, that will open up two spots that we had as locks. Ditto for the release of Kony Ealy.

Flowers, like many others in the Pats defense, is versatile and can rush from the edge or push inside as an interior pass rusher.

Confidence is high as always in New England. And for a team that has won 10 or more games for 14 straight seasons, why should there be any other feeling?

If there was one element the Patriots front seven lacked on the edge last season was speed. Rivers will bring that to the pass rush with athleticism

Matthis is a Patriots kind of player. He’s versatile, can play standing up as an outside linebacker or with his hand in the dirt, and has good instincts

Guy’s most natural position is at the five-technique defensive end although he has the versatility to be a three-technique defensive tackle