Posted by ESPN.com's Tim Graham
Four days ago, I put together an item with the help of ESPN's research crew that showed the New England Patriots' opening-day defense could be their youngest since Pete Carroll's first year as head coach.
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On Sunday, it got even younger.
Although the Patriots probably aren't done tinkering with their lineup, the trade of nine-year veteran defensive lineman Richard Seymour means the Patriots will have that much less experience when they take the field Sept. 14 against the Buffalo Bills on "Monday Night Football."
The Patriots will start the game with at least six new defenders on the field than last year's opener.
They traded Seymour, linebacker Mike Vrabel and cornerback Ellis Hobbs. Strong safety Rodney Harrison and linebacker Tedy Bruschi retired.
Left cornerback Lewis Sanders was not re-signed and is unattached. Sanders started only in Week 1, but his replacement, Deltha O'Neal, is gone, too. O'Neal signed with the Houston Texans but didn't make the squad.
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ABOUT THIS BLOG
Tim Graham
Graham joined ESPN.com in 2008 after covering the Miami Dolphins for the Palm Beach Post. He previously spent eight years at the Buffalo News, where he was an award-winning NHL and boxing writer. The Baldwin-Wallace College grad also has worked for the Las Vegas Sun and Boston Herald.
