Patriots DE Jones eager to make good impression
FOXBOROUGH, MASS. (AP)
New England's Chandler Jones took the field with no idea what to expect
from his first day of rookie minicamp Friday.
All
he knew was that the Patriots wanted him here. So much so that they
traded up to select the former Syracuse defensive end at No. 21 overall
last month.
So, no better time than the present to start showing they made the
right decision, right?
''I'm
just going in there blind,'' Jones said, as he donned his new No. 95
shorts and a grey Patriots t-shirt. ''Just taking it one day at a
time.''
Jones, 22, is among several new Patriots eager to be seen this weekend,
as the 2012 roster begins to take shape at Foxborough.
''A
lot of people tell me I only get the opportunity to make one first
impression. This week is my opportunity to make a first impression,''
Jones said. ''What I'm trying to do is learn this playbook and impress
the coaches.''
How the staff views him in the early going is
important to Jones, but the education element is an even bigger factor
during this first weekend.
''"The key is to learn all the dos
and don'ts. Be a sponge,'' he said. ''Know your role and earn respect
from everyone. It's just the different trends and learning different
ways, and getting in with the guys and build trust with them.''
The
6-foot-5, 260-pound lineman took the field at the Dana Farber
Fieldhouse, next to Gillette Stadium, along with 19 other minicamp
roster invitees for an elongated walkthrough. The players went through
some stretching and agility drills before breaking off into positional
groups. The players were unable to participate in contact drills, due
to offseason NFL restrictions.
The Patriots' other six drafts
picks were also in attendance, including the team's other first-round
selection, linebacker Dont'a Hightower.
New England will conclude the two-day minicamp at Gillette Saturday.
On
Thursday, the Patriots announced several coaching moves, including Matt Patricia being moved into the defensive coordinator slot. That position
was vacant last season, when the Patriots won the AFC title and lost to
the New York Giants in the Super Bowl. Patricia coached the safeties
last year, and was formerly the linebackers coach for five years.
Also
Thursday, the team confirmed that it had signed running back Joseph
Addai. A former first-round draft pick who played six seasons for the
Indianapolis Colts, Addai has gained 4,453 yards on 1,095 carries with
39 rushing touchdowns in his career.
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