NOTEBOOK

FOXBOROUGH - In what could be an attempt to spark contract negotiations, nose tackle Vince Wilfork was not present for the third straight day of organized team activities yesterday.

Although the practices are voluntary, players often use them to express displeasure with their contracts by staying away. Wilfork enters the final year of the six-year deal he signed as a rookie in 2004, and is scheduled to earn a base salary of $2.2 million this season.

Wilfork is seeking an extension, and while the sides have talked, there has been little progress this offseason. Wilfork appears to be trying to accelerate the process, similar to the approach running back Leon Washington is taking with the Jets.

The 27-year-old Wilfork, who has developed into one of the game's top nose tackles, has not returned telephone messages in recent days.

The Patriots didn't work much out of their base 3-4 alignment yesterday. Without Wilfork, second-round draft choice Ron Brace and fifth-year veteran Mike Wright would project as replacements at the hard-to-fill spot.

Returning to returns?

As a rookie in 2006, running back Laurence Maroney was one of the NFL's more explosive kickoff returners, ranking second with a 28-yard average. After being held out of that role the last two years, in part because of injury concerns, he could be making a return to returning as the Patriots look at options to replace Ellis Hobbs.

When the Patriots worked on kickoff returns yesterday, Maroney was part of a tandem with second-year man Matthew Slater, an opportunity he's welcoming.

``Anything that gets the ball in my hands is a good thing,'' said Maroney, who ripped off long returns of 74 and 77 yards in 2006.

Maroney's presence on kickoff returns that year helped contribute to the Patriots ranking first in the NFL in average drive start (31.6-yard line).

Last season, the Patriots ranked third (30.5-yard line) in that category, with Hobbs the NFL's second-rated kickoff returner.

Credited with assist

Last month, director of player personnel Nick Caserio was sitting next to coach Bill Belichick in the team's draft room, fielding trade possibilities from teams. Yesterday, he was on the field in a coaching-type capacity.

Caserio's on-field work seems to be geared toward helping ease the transition from the loss of offensive coordinator Josh McDaniels, now the Broncos' head coach.

Quarterback Tom Brady reflected on his time with McDaniels, and the Patriots' reshuffled coaching staff, after practice.

``Josh and I had a great relationship. That's part of the NFL, things change every year and there are [11] new head coaches and he's one of them. I hope that we find ways to move on without him,'' he said. ``We've already started that process. It doesn't stop for anybody around here. You leave and someone else fills your spot and they're anxious for the opportunity. We have to work hard to get up to speed on everything, and the coaches that are in that role are doing that.''

Bill O'Brien moved from receivers to quarterbacks coach, while Chad O'Shea was hired from the Vikings as receivers coach.

Caserio has had two stints on the team's coaching staff since 2002, most recently working with receivers in 2007.

Break it up

At one point yesterday, cornerback Leigh Bodden's timing was spot-on as he broke up a Brady pass intended for Randy Moss. Bodden believes facing Moss on a regular basis can only make him better.

``It's great to go against a receiver of his caliber,'' said Bodden, who is vying to be a key part of a revamped secondary after signing a one-year, $2.25 million contract this offseason.

Bodden mostly lined up at right corner yesterday, opposite fellow free agent signee Shawn Springs.

Taking a dive

The play of the day came when second-year quarterback Kevin O'Connell launched a bomb over the middle to diving receiver Greg Lewis. Lewis, acquired in a trade from the Eagles in March, had run a slant pattern, with Springs in tight coverage.

Brady was impressed with the connection, with Lewis's grab taking him back in time.

``That was ridiculous,'' Brady said. ``I told him that was the one he caught in the Super Bowl [in 2005] on us.''

Among the missing

Fifteen Patriots weren't on the field for practice. The group included safety Brandon Meriweather, inside linebackers Jerod Mayo and Tedy Bruschi, defensive linemen Ty Warren and Jarvis Green, and running back Sammy Morris. Bruschi was mourning the death of his mother . . . When the Patriots began working on three-receiver sets, veteran Joey Galloway was the third man in alongside Moss and Wes Welker. At one point, Lewis stepped in at No. 3 . . . Defensive lineman Richard Seymour on the sessions this week: ``Just starting from the ground up, it's good to see the guys, get back on the field, putting on the cleats again and the helmet. It's a time to start chipping away at it.'' . . . The Patriots issued 96 media credentials, a large number that reflected the interest in Brady's first practice in front of reporters . . . Linebacker Paris Lenon, who signed a one-year deal Wednesday, was on the field for practice . . . The Patriots are scheduled for another organized team activity today, which is closed to the media.

Christopher L. Gasper of the Globe staff contributed to this report; Mike Reiss can be reached at mreiss@globe.com