--The Patriots held a workout last week for West Virginia quarterback Pat White, who might be targeted on draft day now that the team has a surplus of picks in the wake of the Matt Cassel trade.
Adding White would give the Patriots another young, inexperienced quarterback in their quest to find the next Cassel, who took his game to the next level last season while replacing Brady.
With Cassel in Kansas City, the Patriots need a viable backup. Kevin O'Connell is the answer for now. White could be added in the late rounds on draft day to give them another quarterback to groom for the future.
--While rumors continue to circulate about a possible deal sending superstar defensive lineman Julius Peppers to New England, the Carolina Panthers continue to insist there's been no contact between the two teams.
Peppers would be an immediate upgrade for the defense, which is looking to replace pass-rushing linebacker Mike Vrabel - a key cog in the Cassel trade with Kansas City.
Peppers has played defensive end throughout most of his career, but has expressed a desire to play linebacker and could be a prototypical specialist in New England's 3-4 system. Rest assured this deal will continue to be discussed as the offseason continues.
--The Patriots added their first owner, Billy Sullivan, to the team's Hall of Fame, honoring a patriarch who, according to current owner Bob Kraft, is one of the reasons this franchise exists.
The late Sullivan paid a $25,000 fee in 1959 to make the then-Boston Patriots one of the eight original American Football League franchises. The team had no permanent home at the start and often shared venues such as Fenway Park and Harvard Stadium.
--Count young linebacker Pierre Woods among the players saddened by Mike Vrabel's departure.
"It was a big shock, a big shock for me," Woods said. "I normally don't speak to the media that much, but I have a lot of respect for Mike Vrabel, the things he taught me, the things I learned from him, not just being a person, but as an athlete, on the field, off the field, being a father.
"I have nothing but love for Mike. I love him like a brother, a cousin, a friend, everything ... but it's the business side of it. Who knows? Things happen."
QUOTE TO NOTE: "Whatever it was, I was blending it. I had tuna, cottage cheese with pickles. It was pretty bad." - LB Pierre Woods on his limited diet while recovering from a broken jaw.
