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New England Patriots quarterback Tom Brady spent time with teammate Wes Welker last weekend at the Kentucky Derby. Between the schmoozing and excitement of horse racing, Brady should have given his top receiver a subtle message and said, "Buddy, it's time to get back to work."

There is one thing for certain about the Patriots: You do not fight the machine.

Welker is facing an uphill battle he cannot win. Many have tried before him and failed. Welker is not the exception.

Welker has yet to sign his franchise tender and hasn't decided how long he's going to protest New England's one-year, $9.5 million offer. The potential distraction has been held to a minimum thus far, but it would only grow stronger if Welker continued to skip New England's offseason program.

The Patriots' mandatory minicamp is scheduled for June 12. The best advice is for Welker to have his mind made up by that time. Missing New England's current voluntary program is not a big thing. But if Welker also chooses to skip the Patriots' three-day veteran minicamp, that is when he's hurting the team in the eyes of the coaching staff.

At that point the gloves may come off -- and Welker doesn't want that.

New England is emotionless and shrewd in negotiations. Just ask three-time Super Bowl winner Willie McGinest, who apparently still carries some level of bitterness about how he was handled by the Patriots at the end of his career. McGinest recently got into a Twitter spat with Welker about his contract situation and delivered this stern message.

"We're all expendable at Patriot Place," McGinest tweeted to Welker.

McGinest is right. NFL players in general are expendable, but even more so in New England.

Welker needs to be more mindful of how the Patriots often treat players like replaceable and interchangeable parts. It happened to McGinest, who spent the final three years of his career with the struggling Cleveland Browns. It happened to Richard Seymour, who was great for eight seasons with the Patriots and suddenly shipped to the Oakland Raiders for a first-round draft pick. The Patriots also traded future Hall of Fame receiver Randy Moss to the Minnesota Vikings when Moss grew unhappy about his contract.

Welker should know better. No one player is above the team in New England. That is the Patriot Way.

This is not to say Welker hasn't worked hard and doesn't have a point about long-term security. This is more about wisely navigating the cruel business side of the NFL. It's all about leverage. Welker has little. New England has plenty. Sometimes it's best to accept your fate and move forward.

Welker remains steadfast in shedding the franchise tag for a long-term contract.

"Through my body of work, through the past five years, I think what I've done I've earned a long-term deal,” Welker recently told ESPN Boston Radio. "It's what I am looking for and what I want. Hopefully that's the case and hopefully we come to something where we can make that happen."

Do not think for one second that New England is not prepared for the worst. All the Patriots have done this offseason is sign wide receivers.

New England signed receivers Brandon Lloyd, Jabar Gaffney, Anthony Gonzalez and Donte’ Stallworth in free agency. All are productive veterans who have a chance to add something to the offense. The Patriots also re-signed veteran Deion Branch, backup Matthew Slater, and drafted rookie receiver Jeremy Ebert. Chad Ochocinco and Julian Edelman also remain on the roster.

New England will have an elite passing game next season with or without Welker.

If Welker decides to stage a lengthy holdout, Lloyd and Gaffney would be the starters, while Branch, Gonzalez, Stallworth and Ochocinco compete in training camp for backup roles. New England also runs a lot of two tight-end sets with Pro Bowler Rob Gronkowski and Aaron Hernandez. This is still a very deep and talented group of targets for Brady, who also has a knack for making everyone around him a couple of notches better.

Despite 122 receptions and 1,569 yards last year, the Patriots have found a way to make Welker replaceable. But that's only if Welker chooses to be and doesn't sign his franchise tender.

The next move should be the best move by Welker. He should sign the franchise tag, take the $9.5 million and see if anything changes over the next several months at Patriot Place.

Because there's always a chance the Patriots could have a change of heart between now and August. New England has the salary-cap room to extend the 31-year-old Welker and give him the long-term security he's seeking. But it's going to be on the Patriots' terms, not Welker's.

INDIANAPOLIS -- As displayed in his video documentary "A Football Life," New England Patriots head coach Bill Belichick enjoys fishing in his free time. It's fitting, because in football Belichick is not afraid to cut bait.

Many players have come and gone in New England. Some have worked out better than others. But the culture of winning remains the same.

There are only seven players remaining from the Patriots' last Super Bowl team in 2007. In four years, nearly the entire roster has been remade into a championship contender.

Big-name players like Randy Moss, Richard Seymour, Mike Vrabel, Tedy Bruschi and Rodney Harrison all left New England for various reasons. Some were released, retired, or traded and wound up on television.

You also have recent malcontent situations this past season such as former Pro Bowl safety Brandon Meriweather and former Pro Bowl defensive lineman Albert Haynesworth. Meriweather had off-the-field issues last season and surprisingly didn't make the 53-man roster. He landed with the Chicago Bears. Haynesworth was acquired in a big trade this summer and released about midway through the season.

Football is a cruel business. But it's particularly cruel in New England if you're underperforming and not buying into the program. You can multiply that by 10 if you're a malcontent.

"Most head coaches and GMs, they're never really willing to swallow their pride and admit that they made a mistake," former Patriots fullback and NFL Network analyst Heath Evans explained. "Bill just says 'Well, I thought we could fix [Haynesworth]. We couldn't. So bye-bye.' Most guys will sit there and hurt their team by allowing a cancer to infiltrate the system, the mindset, how you get something done. But Bill never hesitated.

"He saw enough. He gave [Haynesworth] enough chances and, boom, he's gone. That's an aspect of the structure and discipline. Bill doesn't care how it makes him look or what he's doing. He's going to do what's best for the team."

Haynesworth and Meriweather were cut because they no longer fit. Moss, Seymour and Vrabel were traded while the value was still high enough to get something for them. Belichick is always thinking about the next move.

Patriots starting receiver Deion Branch was fortunate.

The former Super Bowl MVP held out for more money during New England's training camp and the preseason in 2006, and was eventually traded to the Seattle Seahawks for a first-round pick. Branch got the money he wanted. Seattle signed him to a $39 million extension. But Branch never had the same success in Seattle and was traded back to New England for a fourth-round pick in 2010.

Branch was a good teammate, but the holdout with New England left a bad stench. The Patriots showed they were willing to forgive, and now Branch is one of the veteran leaders of this year's team.

"I was very honored," Branch said. "Not many have the opportunity to come back to the same team that drafted you. Guys don't get the opportunity to go through that phase. I was just very thankful."

New England receiver Chad Ochocinco is an interesting case. He's caused issues in the past with the Cincinnati Bengals. But he's quickly -- and wisely -- bought into the "Patriot way."

Ochocinco only has 15 receptions, but fellow Patriots have described him as the model teammate. He accepted his role in New England, no matter how small it is, for the greater goal of trying to win a championship. Moss also caused problems elsewhere and quickly changed his stripes when coming to New England. The talkative Ochocinco received advice from Moss this season on how to handle the transition.

"I learned to shut the [expletive] up," Ochocinco said this week.

Why doesn't this work everywhere? Why isn't every NFL team selfless and without internal issues?

"I think it doesn't work everywhere, because everyone has to buy in. I mean coaches, players, front office and owner," said former NFL executive Michael Lombardi, who once worked with Belichick. "With the Patriots, everybody buys in from the top all the way through. It's a way of life in New England. It's not just a daily job."

According to veteran guard Brian Waters, star quarterback Tom Brady plays a major role with team chemistry. Brady is an extension of Belichick in the locker room. No one is more competitive and works harder than the team's highest-paid player.

"Everybody's got egos, everybody's got their own way of doing things or what they think is the best way of doing things," Waters said. "But to have a coach set the tone and a player follow the tone as good as Tom, it's hard for any player on your team to even think about having a different thought process. If the best player on your football team is buying in 100 percent, then who are you to be any different? That’s something you have an appreciation for."

Evans, who played with the Patriots from 2005-08, went on to tell a great story involving future Hall of Famer Junior Seau. He was a 12-time Pro Bowl linebacker who joined the Patriots late in his career in 2006.

"Junior Seau, when he first got there, I don't think Junior had ever been yelled at a day in his life, or maybe even coached," Evans recalled. "Junior was over the center, trying to time the snap count, and he must have jumped offsides three times in our first practice. So Bill had it all teed up -- 'the lowlight film' is what he called it. Everyday we had a lowlight reel, and you do not want to be on that lowlight reel, because 52 other players are watching your bad mistake.

"So Junior is there jumping offsides and Bill just goes into his rant. Junior is like, 'Is he really doing this to me?' It was to the point where Junior stood up and said 'Buddy' ... He couldn't believe Bill was giving him the business like that."

No one player is bigger than the team in New England. The Patriots have done a great job of consistently sending that message and getting rid of players who don't understand. It's resulted in another Super Bowl appearance Sunday against the New York Giants.

The 2011-12 Patriots are particularly close-knit. Owner Robert Kraft says it's arguably his favorite group since owning the team, and they are one game away from capping a special season.

"One thing I've learned is that many games are lost and won in the locker room before the game starts," Kraft said this week. "Now, they have to go out and execute [against New York]."

MIAMI -- Oakland Raiders defensive tackle Richard Seymour was ejected for the second time in as many seasons after throwing a punch at Dolphins offensive lineman Richie Incognito.

Seymour made a statement to the media after the game.

"I apologize to my teammates, coaching staff and the organization, also the Raider Nation. I'm disappointed that I wasn't there to finish the game with my teammates. I think that it’s an emotional game and I shouldn't have let my emotions get the best of me. No excuses."

The punch certainly wasn't full force, and it's debatable whether Seymour deserved to get ejected. The NFL most likely will review the incident this week.

MIAMI -- Whether Oakland Raiders defensive lineman Richard Seymour officially threw a punch will be debated this week. But the recipient of the blow -- Dolphins guard Richie Incognito -- said the referees did the right thing by ejecting Seymour.

"It kind of came out of the blue and caught me by surprise," Incognito said in the locker room after the Dolphins' 34-14 victory. "The ref was standing right there and made a good call."

There was a lot of jawing and several minor scuffles between Oakland's defensive line and Miami's offensive line during the first half. The Dolphins were dominating the line of scrimmage. Miami rushed for 209 yards against Oakland.

Seymour eventually grew frustrated in the third quarter and put his hand in the face of Incognito. The referees, in an effort to keep the game under control, wasted no time throwing the flag and issuing the ejection. Expect the NFL to look into this play to determine if a fine is needed for Seymour.

Incognito was asked if he thought Seymour's shot to the head was a punch attempt.

"I'm not going to comment on this or that," Incognito said. "But the referees made the call and the decision was in his hands."

MIAMI -- Here are some initial thoughts on the Miami Dolphins' dominant 34-14 victory over the Oakland Raiders:

What it means: Miami won its fourth game in five tries and continues to relish its role of spoiler. The Dolphins improved to 4-8 and will have their third consecutive non-winning season. But they continue to share their misery by beating other teams late in the season. This was Miami's most complete and impressive performance of the year. The Dolphins took advantage of their 10 days of preparation and looked very sharp offensively and defensively. It also came against an Oakland team (7-5) that is leading the AFC West.

Defense continues to dominate: The light has come on for Miami's defense. The group has been one of the league's better units for the past month. The Dolphins baffled and battered Oakland's offense Sunday. Miami held Oakland to just 14 points, which were scored in garbage time, and sacked Raiders quarterback Carson Palmer two times. Miami was the NFL's sixth-rated unit in 2010, but started slow this season during its 0-7 start. The group is finally rounding back to its expected form.

Bush continues to thrive: Dolphins starting running back Reggie Bush continues to have his most successful season running the football. Bush rushed for 100 yards on 22 carries. By the fourth quarter, Dolphins fans were chanting "Reggie! Reggie!"

Seymour Watch: A fine could be forthcoming for Raiders defensive tackle Richard Seymour. He was ejected in the third quarter after a half-hearted attempt to punch Miami guard Richie Incognito. Seymour has a reputation for questionable play and the refs wasted no time ejecting him. This was the second ejection in as many seasons for the former Pro Bowl player. Seymour also was ejected last season for a shot to the face of Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback Ben Roethlisberger after the whistle.

What's next: The Dolphins will play their second consecutive home game next week when the Philadelphia Eagles (4-8) come to town. Miami is looking to win its fourth consecutive game at home.

Frustration continues to mount for the Oakland Raiders. Oakland defensive tackle Richard Seymour was ejected in the third quarter of Sunday's game against the Miami Dolphins.

Seymour and Dolphins guard Richie Incognito were jawing most of the game. The Dolphins are thrashing Oakland, 34-0. And, in a moment of frustration, Seymour put his hand in the face of Incognito and officials threw him out.

It was called a "punch" by officials, but that is debatable. If anything, it was a weak attempt at a punch. But Seymour has a reputation for questionable play, and that likely played a factor.

Last season, Seymour was ejected for hitting Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback Ben Roethlisberger after the play. Expect the league to look into this ejection by Seymour and determine if he deserves a fine.

Well, that didn't take long.

It was just a matter of time before a former New England Patriot laid the wood on recently released defensive tackle Albert Haynesworth. In short, New England's big offseason acquisition brought nothing in return and the Patriots ended the experiment this week after eight games.

Former Patriots safety Rodney Harrison crushed Haynesworth in an interview Wednesday evening on Vic Carruci's Cleveland Browns Daily show on WKNR:

"To see Albert Haynesworth get an opportunity to come to a great organization, with a great coach, a fabulous quarterback and all the good parts around him...to see him come out there and flat out quit, for him to pretend like he's hurt and not go out there and become a professional football player with every chance and opportunity that guys hope and dream for, he gets it. He gets a $100 million contract, and to see him flat out quit was very disappointing. And I'll tell you this, he's going to look back five, 10, 15 years from now when he's done playing football. He will look back on his career and he will be sitting in his mansion. But he will feel miserable, because no one is going to ever respect the name Albert Haynesworth because he flat out quit. That's a shame and that's a disappointment. You shouldn't play the game of football for money. You should play it because you love it. If you love it, and you go out and play well, you're going to make money. You're going to have a good life. But I'm very disappointed in Albert Haynesworth."

Ouch!

Harrison is part of the old guard in New England. He was an enforcer during the Patriots' dynasty years when they won three Super Bowls. New England's defense has been unable to replace players like Harrison, Tedy Bruschi, Ty Law and Richard Seymour. The Patriots have tried to find replacements in mercurial players like Haynesworth and it hasn't worked out.

That's clearly been frustrating for former Patriots like Harrison.

The NFL Network's list of "The Top 100: Players of 2011" resumed Sunday night with Nos. 61 through 70. Three more AFC East players were named.
The rundown of AFC East residents so far:

• 61. Brandon Marshall, Dolphins receiver
• 62. Jerod Mayo, Patriots inside linebacker
• 63. Cameron Wake, Dolphins outside linebacker
• 76. Santonio Holmes, Jets receiver
• 79. D'Brickashaw Ferguson, Jets tackle

The NFL Network's list is based on ballots submitted by NFL players.

Eighteen receivers are in the top 100. Eleven receivers rank ahead of Marshall.

"The guy can do everything," Kurt Warner said on the review show. "I'm hard pressed to find 11 guys at that position that are better than him."

Added fellow analyst Warren Sapp: "I think that might have a little something to do with his quarterback [Chad Henne] that was throwing him the ball. Normally when you have a good combination, they both rise. When you have a bad combination, somebody has to suffer. Brandon suffered."

Mayo is the first of five New England Patriots on the list of 100. Quarterback Tom Brady probably will be No. 1. Nose tackle Vince Wilfork also will pop up at some point. Who will be the other Patriots? Left guard Logan Mankins and slot receiver Wes Welker are safe bets, but rookie cornerback Devin McCourty started in the Pro Bowl.

Oakland Raiders defensive lineman Richard Seymour was No. 66. The Patriots dealt Seymour two years ago for a first-round draft choice that brought Colorado tackle Nate Solder last month.

Much like Adrian wailed to Rocky before the big Ivan Drago bout, Comcast SportsNet New England writer Tom E. Curran has a message for the Patriots:

"You can't win!"

Curran was referring to which team got the better end of the Richard Seymour trade in 2009.

The Patriots traded their star defensive end to the Raiders for a 2011 first-round draft choice. The Patriots used the 17th overall pick on Colorado tackle Nate Solder.

Solder might not start this year. The Raiders, meanwhile, have had two seasons of production from Seymour. He was voted to the Pro Bowl for 2010, registering 5.5 sacks and 10 tackles for losses in 13 games.

"And for two years," Curran wrote, "the Patriots have missed the hell out of him."

Curran goes on to explain the trade might've been a "necessary divorce" because of financial considerations -- his and nose tackle Vince Wilfork's contracts were up after 2010 -- and uninspiring play.

But the Patriots biggest problem on defense the past two years has been a laggard pass-rush. They tied for 14th in the league with 36 sacks last season.

The Patriots went to the playoffs each season since Seymour left, but they got knocked out in their first games. You have to wonder if Seymour would've made the difference.

What do you think? How great must Solder be to overcome two seasons with no compensation for losing Seymour?

Buffalo Bills general manager Buddy Nix recently said rare circumstances would be required to trade the club's third overall draft choice. He sounded fixed on making that pick, even though he has no idea how much it will cost him.

There's curiosity over what the New England Patriots will do with their abundance of draft assets. They have enough picks that they could trade up into the top 10. Yet they don't know how rich that territory will be.

We know the NFL draft will begin Thursday night. Unclear are the dollars it will take to sign those picks.

Rookie cost controls almost certainly will be part of the next collective bargaining agreement, but will that deal be hammered out before the 2011 season?

If not, then teams might operate under last year's rules. That would mean more outrageous guaranteed dollars to prospects who haven't snapped an NFL chinstrap. A league source calculated NFL teams have committed over $3.154 billion in guarantees to first-round draft choices since 2000.

The Associated Press reported the NFL's proposal for a rookie pay system -- made before the lockout -- included $300 million in diverted funds that instead would go to veteran contracts and player benefits and slow the rapid growth of guaranteed first-round money (up 233 percent since 2000).

The money would be saved by shrinking the already-in-place rookie salary pool system, where the league allocates a certain number of dollars to be spent based on the number of picks and their spots in the order.

Also in the reported proposal: first-round contracts would be capped at five years under the proposal. All other draft picks would be capped at four years. The player's maximum allowable salary would go down if he hadn't signed by training camp, a deterrent to holding out.

Buffalo News reporter Mark Gaughan recently estimated the Bills would save roughly $15 million on their No. 3 pick with rookie cost controls. That certainly would make another Aaron Maybinesque pick more digestible.

With all this in mind, let's examine how much guaranteed money AFC East clubs have spent on their first-round draft picks since 2000. Data provided from the aforementioned league source shows the Patriots have spent most efficiently, the New York Jets have spent the most total dollars and the Miami Dolphins have spent the most per player.

The Dolphins have drafted eight first-rounders since 2000 and spent an average of $12.043 million in guaranteed money. That figure ranks eighth among all NFL clubs, but those players averaged only 37 starts for Miami.

Only the Buffalo Bills averaged fewer starts from their first-rounders at 36.2, but the Bills rank 19th in average guaranteed dollars committed.

Left tackle Jake Long's mammoth contract inflates Miami's dollar figure. The top 2008 pick became the highest-paid offensive lineman in NFL history days before commissioner Roger Goodell said Long's name at Radio City Music Hall. Running back Ronnie Brown was rewarded with $19.5 million guaranteed as the second pick in 2005.

Those picks were successful, but the Dolphins also committed $13.865 million to receiver Ted Ginn, $9.016 million to cornerback Jason Allen and $7.133 million to defensive end Jared Odrick.

The Jets' massive guarantee total includes left tackle D'Brickashaw Ferguson ($29.6 million), quarterback Mark Sanchez ($28 million), outside whatever Vernon Gholston ($21 million), cornerback Darrelle Revis ($14.7 million) and defensive tackle Dewayne Robertson ($14.7 million).

There are a couple royal busts in there, but the Jets still have spent relatively well. Despite picking in roughly the same average first-round slot as the Dolphins and Bills since 2000, the Jets have averaged nearly 61 starts per player.

The Bills' big-ticket items have been running back C.J. Spiller ($18.9 million), left tackle Mike Williams ($14.4 million) and Maybin ($10.9 million).

Buffalo's first-round picks ranked 19th in the NFL when it came to average guaranteed dollars.

The Patriots have committed eight figures in guaranteed money to only two of their 10 first-round selections since 2000 because of their penchant to trade back. Their average first-rounder is taken 20.7th overall.

Inside linebacker Jerod Mayo ($13.8 million) and defensive end Richard Seymour ($11 million) are the Patriots' lone top-10 picks under Bill Belichick and look like basement bargains compared to other names mentioned above.

With the 17th pick in the 2011 AFC East reader mock draft, the New England Patriots select ... J.J. Watt, defensive end, Wisconsin.

For the second straight selection, readers concentrated on defensive ends. Watt was the pick in a landslide, generating more than twice as many votes as his nearest competition, California defensive end Cameron Jordan.

Purdue pass-rusher Ryan Kerrigan, who would be a 3-4 outside linebacker, was a distant third.

Reader dtay620 wrote:

"In this scenario it would come down to J.J. Watt and Mike Pouncey for me. Ultimately, I think I'd lean towards taking J.J. Watt just because it's a position that is slightly tougher to come by than center.

"Watt is the best 5-technique in the draft and he can kick inside in nickel situations and provide a good pass rush. He could also occupy blockers to help the current group of linebackers make more plays."

There was plenty of trade talk, too. Receivers81 suggested:

"They have so many picks in a draft that is extremely defensive top heavy early on, and it might be worth it to reach up and grab a top #3 pick. Trade the Richard Seymour pick and a second rounder to the Bills to get either A.J. Green or Von Miller. A threatening wide receiver or a pass-rushing linebacker are what the Patriots need the most."

Of the 10 nominees, six were defensive players (all defensive ends or outside linebackers) and three were offensive linemen.

Prospects off the board so far ...

1. Carolina Panthers: Auburn quarterback Cam Newton
2. Denver Broncos: Alabama defensive tackle Marcell Dareus
3. Buffalo Bills: Texas A&M outside linebacker Von Miller
4. Cincinnati Bengals: Missouri quarterback Blaine Gabbert
5. Arizona Cardinals: Louisiana State cornerback Patrick Peterson
6. Cleveland Browns: Georgia receiver A.J. Green
7. San Francisco 49ers: Nebraska cornerback Prince Amukamara
8. Tennessee Titans: Auburn defensive tackle Nick Fairley
9. Dallas Cowboys: USC tackle Tyron Smith
10. Washington Redskins: Alabama receiver Julio Jones
11. Houston Texans: North Carolina defensive end Robert Quinn
12. Minnesota Vikings: Clemson defensive end Da'Quan Bowers
13. Detroit Lions: Boston College tackle Anthony Castonzo
14. St. Louis Rams: Illinois defensive tackle Corey Liuget
15. Miami Dolphins: Alabama running back Mark Ingram
16. Jacksonville Jaguars: Missouri defensive end Aldon Smith
17. New England Patriots: Wisconsin defensive end J.J. Watt

The San Diego Chargers are on the clock with the 18th selection.

Submit your nomination in the comments section below this post. Or you can venture over to my Facebook page and drop your vote under the link. But the conversation has been much more compelling here.

With the 16th pick in the 2011 AFC East reader mock draft, the Jacksonville Jaguars select ... Aldon Smith, defensive end, Missouri.

At the halfway point of our mock project, Smith emerged as the Jaguars' pick in the tightest vote so far.

Reader mjukes7 called it:

"It seems a pretty safe bet that a DE will be selected here...just depends on which one they like best. Realistically, at this point in our mock draft, it could be any of Aldon Smith, Ryan Kerrigan, JJ Watt, or Cameron Jordan. Because he is generally regarded as the higher ranked DE I am tempted to say JJ Watt...but I think they want more of a speed rusher so I will go with ALDON SMITH."

Smith edged Wisconsin defensive end J.J. Watt by one vote and California defensive end Cameron Jordan by two votes. Purdue defensive end Ryan Kerrigan was the only other candidate to get a vote when I tallied them Tuesday predawn.

But readers probably don't care as much about the Jaguars' vote than they do the fact the New England Patriots are next.

Let's review the first 16 picks ...

1. Carolina Panthers: Auburn quarterback Cam Newton
2. Denver Broncos: Alabama defensive tackle Marcell Dareus
3. Buffalo Bills: Texas A&M outside linebacker Von Miller
4. Cincinnati Bengals: Missouri quarterback Blaine Gabbert
5. Arizona Cardinals: Louisiana State cornerback Patrick Peterson
6. Cleveland Browns: Georgia receiver A.J. Green
7. San Francisco 49ers: Nebraska cornerback Prince Amukamara
8. Tennessee Titans: Auburn defensive tackle Nick Fairley
9. Dallas Cowboys: USC tackle Tyron Smith
10. Washington Redskins: Alabama receiver Julio Jones
11. Houston Texans: North Carolina defensive end Robert Quinn
12. Minnesota Vikings: Clemson defensive end Da'Quan Bowers
13. Detroit Lions: Boston College tackle Anthony Castonzo
14. St. Louis Rams: Illinois defensive tackle Corey Liuget
15. Miami Dolphins: Alabama running back Mark Ingram
16. Jacksonville Jaguars: Missouri defensive end Aldon Smith

The Patriots are on the clock with the pick they acquired from the Oakland Raiders for Richard Seymour.

Please post your vote in the comments section below this article or beneath the link on my Facebook page.

If you need to research the pick beforehand, then feel free to browse ESPN.com's NFL draft page, with analysis from Mel Kiper, Todd McShay and the crew at Scouts Inc.

INDIANAPOLIS -- California defensive end Cameron Jordan isn't bashful about revealing how he plans to perform in the NFL.

"I'm a competitive person," Jordan said with a smile on his face. "I don't lose."

Jordan just gave one of the more entertaining news conferences from the NFL scouting combine so far. He's near the top of a deep class. Scouts Inc. rates him the fifth-best defensive end and the 18th-best overall player.

The Miami Dolphins draft 15th and wouldn't appear in the market for Jordan's services. The Dolphins have a crowded defensive line that might leave last year's 28th pick, Jared Odrick, a backup. As for pass-rush stability, sacks specialist Cameron Wake and last year's 40th overall pick, Koa Misi, already are on the roster.

But Jordan looks like a fit for the New England Patriots. They need front seven help and will draft 17th and 28th -- if they don't trade out of those spots.

ESPN draft analysts Mel Kiper and Todd McShay each project Jordan going to the Patriots at No. 17, the pick they acquired from the Oakland Raiders for Richard Seymour.

"The Patriots are a phenomenal team," Jordan said.

Jordan checked into the combine at 6-foot-4 and 287 pounds. He played left end in Cal's 3-4 defense, but he isn't concerned with switching to a 4-3 position, outside linebacker or -- by the sounds of it -- punter.

"My motto is: Draft me, and I'll play anywhere," Jordan said. "I don't care where I play. I just want to be on the team. I want to play football. That's what I love doing.

"I have shown I can stand up. I can play a 3-technique. I can play a 5-technique. Put me anywhere, and I'll play."

Three minutes into an engaging interview, a reporter asked Jordan whether he can transform from a happy-go-lucky guy into a vicious tackler on game days.

"If you see my film, I'm hitting people. I'm laying people out," Jordan said with a laugh. "Actually, there's sort of a switch because I still have the smile on my face, but it's all for a different motive.

"It'll put the biggest smile on me to hit a quarterback and hear the wind come out of his chest. That just pleases me the most."

Jordan is the son of former Minnesota Vikings tight end Steve Jordan, a six-time Pro Bowler.

Despite the bloodline, Jordan's dream was to play point guard.

"That's what I thought I was going to be," Jordan said. "I thought I was going to be the next A.I. [Allen Iverson]. I don't think I have the frame for that. I'm a little bigger than he is. I thought I was going to be Kevin Garnett. That didn't pan out as well.

"Football better suits me."

Typical kid, Jordan admitted he hasn't taken all of his old man's advice.

"He always gave me tips on how to beat a guy, control a guy," Jordan said. "He gives any tips that he can. I may listen to about 45 percent of it.

"He is my father, so I listen to most of it. But 55 percent does slip in one ear and out the other. He'll tell you the same thing.

"My father was a great player, but I'm going to be better than him."

Can a team put too many players into the Pro Football Hall of Fame?

Bill Polian doesn't think so.

Polian assembled the Buffalo Bills teams that went to four straight Super Bowls. Five members of those teams already have bronze busts in Canton: quarterback Jim Kelly, running back Thurman Thomas, receiver James Lofton, defensive end Bruce Smith and head coach Marv Levy. Bills owner Ralph Wilson has been enshrined, too.

"It seems like every second or third year somebody gets inducted into the Hall of Fame and we have a reunion and get to reflect on it," Polian told me Thursday night. "It's a big family that has stuck together and still stays in touch.

"It's a blessing. To be associated with guys like that? It's a special, special group."

Polian insisted more Bills belong in the Hall of Fame and is bothered that wide receiver Andre Reed hasn't gotten in yet. Reed could get the Canton call Saturday. He is among the 15 finalists who will be evaluated by the selection committee for five openings on the 2011 class.

"It's shocking to me that he's not viewed as a shoo-in Hall of Famer," Polian said. "Andre Reed was our biggest big-play player on a team that went to four Super Bowls. How he could not be included in the Hall of Fame when he's one of two guys who dominated is beyond me.

"Go with the facts. Don't go with perception. Go with reality because if you go with reality, you have to say Andre Reed belongs, without question. To me, it's just baffling."

That would give the Bills five Hall of Famers who played or coached all four Super Bowl teams. Lofton played on only three of them. Bills owner Ralph Wilson also has been inducted.

Put that group up against the New England Patriots, who won three Super Bowls in four years.

"The teams are comparable," Polian said.

There aren't that many slam-dunks from all three of New England's championship rosters.

Head coach Bill Belichick and quarterback Tom Brady are surefire Hall of Famers. Beyond that, Adam Vinatieri has a strong case for his heroics, but there are no guarantees for kickers. Jan Stenerud is the only Hall of Fame kicker or punter. Maybe defensive end Richard Seymour or cornerback Ty Law will be considered.

Beyond that, much of the Patriots' roster was comprised of semi-stars such as linebackers Tedy Bruschi and Mike Vrabel, who went to one Pro Bowl apiece, and transients.

That the 1990s Bills will send more players to Canton than the 2000s Patriots is fascinating to me. It shows how incredible the Patriots have been at navigating free agency and the draft to maintain a consistent winner with a fluctuating roster -- and how truly magnificent that collection of talent was for Buffalo.

"That'll never happen again," Reed told me last week. "You won't see an assemblage of players like that -- at least not in Buffalo. I know that."

Those Bills teams also featured offensive linemen Kent Hull and Jim Ritcher, linebackers Cornelius Bennett, Shane Conlan and Darryl Talley and special-teams star Steve Tasker.

Polian is an advocate of Tasker's induction into Canton, too.

"Steve Tasker was, pound-for-pound, the greatest special-teams player ever to play," Polian said. "If you value special teams, then Steve Tasker belongs in the Hall of Fame. I am also an unabashed Ray Guy fan.

"I've seen every player that's played in this game since 1977, and I can tell you Ray Guy literally changed the game -- as did Steve Tasker."

So that would make at least seven Hall of Famers from the 1990s Bills if Polian had his way.

When you consider how much talent Polian gathered with the Bills -- and his success with the Carolina Panthers and Indianapolis Colts since then -- there's no way you can't consider Polian himself.

But for now, Andre Reed is on deck.

"Andre is clearly, clearly, clearly deserving to be inducted," Polian said. "By any measure in the era he played, Andre Reed is a Hall of Famer."

Adalius Thomas admitted "I almost get sick to my stomach" when he sees images of the play three years later.

One of the most magnificent highlights in NFL history was David Tyree's miraculous ball-on-helmet catch in Super Bowl XLII. The play, which began with a sack-defying Eli Manning scramble, propelled the New York Giants to the title and left the New England Patriots one game shy of an undefeated season.

ESPN.com has put together "Inside a Moment in Time" to revisit Tyree's catch. Patriots fans might feel as nauseous as Thomas when they check out the feature, but the feature is an impressive look back at history.

Editors and reporters began the process in June. They spoke with 12 players and one official involved in the play. It's broken into two photos, Manning's scramble and Tyree's catch.

Patriots defenders Richard Seymour, Jarvis Green, Mike Vrabel and Thomas recall what was going through their minds at the time of the first snapshot, as do Manning and Giants linemen David Diehl, Kareem McKenzie, Rich Seubert and Shaun O'Hara.

Patriots defensive backs Rodney Harrison and James Sanders and back judge Scott Helverson share their on-the-spot memories of Tyree's catch.

The package also includes:

• A comprehensive photo gallery of the play.
• NFL editor Sheldon Spencer's feature story on how the play changed Tyree's life.
• ESPN.com senior writer John Clayton's top 10 plays in Super Bowl history.
• A click-and-drag survey for you to rank the greatest Super Bowl plays.
• Another "Inside a Moment in Time" of Pittsburgh Steelers linebacker James Harrison's 100-yard touchdown return in Super Bowl XLIII.
• A debate over which play was better, Harrison's or Tyree's, with senior writer Greg Garber and ESPNewYork.com columnist Ian O'Connor as litigants.