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Some Patriots-based items on the agenda for this week:

Gronk's fourth surgery. Patriots tight end Rob Gronkowski is scheduled to undergo the fourth surgery on his left forearm on Monday at Massachusetts General Hospital. Doctors feel confident that the infection has been eradicated, but they won't know for sure until they take tests during the procedure and then examine those over the next week.

Patriots organized team activites begin. The next phase of the Patriots' offseason program shifts into a higher gear with players participating in their first organized team acitivities on Monday and Tuesday. The first phase of the offseason program was centered around mostly conditioning, and now the work intensifies with a team-based, on-field focus. "I'm looking forward to getting back out on the field and back to football a little bit; it ramps it up," running back Shane Vereen said last week, in anticipation of the OTAs. Media members will be present for Tuesday's session.

NFL spring meeting in Boston. The NFL is holding its annual spring meeting in Boston on Tuesday. It's a one-day meeting from 8:30 a.m.-5 p.m., and the big item on the agenda is that Super Bowl L and Super Bowl LI will be awarded. The rest of the meeting is essentially reports and discussion on various matters, and with some owners arriving on Monday, there could be some league-wide chatter to monitor from Boston today. Commissioner Roger Goodell will address the media at the end of Tuesday's meeting.

Patriots quarterback Tom Brady leads off Peter King's "Monday Morning Quarterback" piece on SI.com, with King speaking to Brady about his offseason and also his charity of choice, Best Buddies.

Brady tells King: "Going into my 14th year, I have never had more confidence in how I am throwing the football. I've never felt better throwing the football."

Brady details some of the work he's done with throwing coach Tom House, and how he's developed a quick rapport with House.

"The same way Tom Martinez was always there to watch and give me corrections, Tom House has told me why certain corrections need to be made," Brady tells King. "Look at a baseball swing and a golf swing. It's all mechanics. Look at how Barry Bonds swings. Look at how Floyd Mayweather punches. Mechanics. When you've got to fit it into the tightest windows, mechanics are crucial. And to me, the offseason is crucial. If you make a throw within four feet, that's not going to be good enough. You have to make the throw within four inches of your target. That's good enough. And that's why the mechanics you adjust and learn in the offseason are important. You're going to keep them during the season."

As for his work with Best Buddies, which includes the upcoming Best Buddies Challenge, Brady said: "It's one of the highlights of my year. Playing football is not curing cancer, and it's not helping people with intellectual disabilities. So when I leave Hyannis Port on Saturday afternoon, you feel like you've made a difference in people's lives.''

To read King's "Monday Morning Quarterback", CLICK HERE.

The Patriots and Browns haven't squared off since the 2010 regular season, but there a number of connections between the franchises that make Cleveland a familiar foe. Patriots head coach Bill Belichick once was the head coach of the Browns, and his right-hand personnel aide, Mike Lombardi, recently was rehired by the franchise to serve as the general manager. He's part of a brain trust charged with rebuilding the franchise that has struggled through recent seasons.

Perhaps the biggest question mark on the Browns roster is whether 2012 first-round pick Brandon Weeden is the solution at quarterback. If it turns out he's not, the Browns signed a pair of veteran signal-callers this offseason, including former Patriot Brian Hoyer. Hoyer, who bounced around the league after being released by New England following last training camp, agreed to terms on a two-year deal and may have a chance to compete for either the starting or top backup job.

Outside of the quarterback position, the Browns have a solid roster led by an impressive defensive front seven that will be run by highly regarded defensive coordinator Ray Horton. The Browns paid big to lure Horton from Arizona, making him one of the higher-paid assistants in the NFL.

Let's dig deeper into a challenge the Patriots will face on either side of the football against the Browns.

Offense: The Browns not only hired an offensive-minded head coach in Rob Chudzinski, they also brought in former Chargers head coach Norv Turner to serve as the offensive coordinator. Turner has a strong track record as a coordinator and is a talented playcaller who has a pension for pushing the football down the field through the deep passing game. With an excitable young receiver in Josh Gordon who has the speed to take the top off of a defense, the Patriots likely will be tested by the vertical passing game. Travis Benjamin doesn't have the same size as Gordon, but his sensational speed makes him a potential deep target down the field as well. Much like the Patriots focused on containing the Ravens' vertical passing game in the AFC championship game, they'll likely do the same against the Browns.

Defense: The name Ray Horton may be familiar to Patriots fans, as he was the coordinator for the Arizona Cardinals in 2012 and made comments to the effect that he was able to detect whether the Patriots were going to run a passing or running play prior to the snap, which put his defense at an advantage in a 20-18 Week 2 win. Regardless of whether that actually was the case, Horton is a strong defensive coordinator who runs an aggressive, pressure-heavy scheme. The Browns loaded up on pass rushers this offseason, signing free agent Paul Kruger and drafting Barkevious Mingo sixth overall. Horton doesn't just bring conventional pressure: He comes from the Steelers' school of defense and will overload, zone blitz and find various ways to deceive quarterbacks pre-snap. Couple the new additions with an already promising young front seven, and Cleveland looks to have the personnel and scheme to be a disruptive defense in 2013.

Quick-hit thoughts around the NFL and with the Patriots:

1. When media members are present for the Patriots’ organized team activity on Tuesday, one of the first areas of interest will be starting middle linebacker Brandon Spikes’ presence. Spikes, who joined the team as a 2010 second-round draft choice, enters the final season of his contract so this is a big year for him to improve his stock and land what he hopes is a big payday. Given that background, it’s notable from this perspective that Spikes hasn’t been seen much at Gillette Stadium since the offseason program began in mid-April. Staying away is within Spikes’ rights, and there have been productive players in past years (e.g. Mike Vrabel) who have taken the same approach at times. So one of the first things I’ll be looking at Tuesday is if Spikes is present, and if he is, if there is any noticeable difference in his physical condition and how he is being employed.

2a. When I saw the reported contract terms of Dwight Freeney’s two-year contract with the San Diego Chargers -- base value of $8.75 million, $5.75 million in 2013, with a $3.25 million signing bonus -- the first thought was that there was little chance the Patriots would have been willing to do that. That’s an excellent deal for Freeney, and if that’s close to what John Abraham is seeking, I’d imagine the Patriots are out of that mix too.

2b. I also draw a parallel between the Freeney deal and that of Patriots defensive end Rob Ninkovich, who is scheduled to earn a base salary of $1.4 million in 2013, which represents one of the better veteran values in the NFL. Part of that is due to Ninkovich working himself into a core player in the team’s system after signing as a “street” free agent in August 2009 -- he puts in the work and has become one of the club’s most well-rounded defenders. I also give credit to the Patriots’ coaching, scouting and development because anyone could have signed Ninkovich after he was cut by the Saints as a long snapper in 2009.

3. It was interesting to learn how Patriots coach Bill Belichick and Buccaneers coach Greg Schiano handled their “coaching summit” earlier this month. Part of the Patriots’ staff traveled to Tampa Bay to meet with part of the Buccaneers’ staff, while part of the Buccaneers’ staff traveled to New England to meet with part of the Patriots’ staff. Such an arrangement speaks to the growing trust between Belichick and Schiano. The general feeling was that it was a productive use of time and a unique setting for coaches to exchange ideas.

4. There is something to be said for helping a player in a time of need, but it’s hard to imagine first-year Jets general manager John Idzik keeping running back Mike Goodson on the roster after Goodson was charged Friday with possession of marijuana, possession of drug paraphernalia, unlawful possession of a handgun and possession of a hollow-point bullet. The Jets signed Goodson to a three-year, $6.9 million contract this offseason, and in retrospect, they would have been better following through on their interest in Danny Woodhead instead. Idzik wants to create a culture of competition with the Jets, but if he keeps Goodson on the roster, he runs the risk of creating a culture that lacks accountability.

5a. Browns general manager Mike Lombardi gave a speech to the Pro Football Hall of Fame luncheon club on Monday, and part of his remarks in the speech and afterward to reporters reflected his vision for the team. Lombardi highlighted the importance of first-half point differential, noting that the clubs that consistently lead at halftime are typically playoff-caliber teams (the Patriots outscored opponents 290-148 in the first half in 2012). Then the idea is to load up on pass-rushers who can turn it loose once the team has the lead. The Browns’ top draft pick this year was LSU defensive end/outside linebacker Barkevious Mingo and they also spent big money on free-agent defensive end/outside linebacker Paul Kruger. With third-year pro Jabaal Sheard also in the mix, the vision is starting to come into focus.

5b. The Browns visit the Patriots on Dec. 8 this season, and would anyone be surprised if it’s Brian Hoyer (signed to a two-year deal by the Browns last week) vs. Tom Brady in that game? I wouldn't, in part because Lombardi-the-media-analyst wasn't high on Brandon Weeden. When Lombardi was with NFL Network, he once wrote a piece on NFL.com that suggested Hoyer would be his quarterback trade target if he was running a team. One of the things that likely appealed to Lombardi with Hoyer was being in a Patriots system in which he was required to make quick decisions and get the ball out fast.

6. I don’t view the Patriots’ mildly surprising releases of defensive tackles Brandon Deaderick and Kyle Love as a tell-tale sign that the team is significantly changing its scheme or looking for different things from their d-tackles. Deaderick has scheme versatility (3-4 end and 4-3 tackle), and Love fit in both schemes as well. We often hear the words “quality depth management” from the Patriots’ brain trust and it makes no sense to cut two part-time starters in mid-May and voluntarily thin all-important depth unless Bill Belichick had ultimately come to the conclusion he didn’t want the players around for other reasons. My read between the lines: The Patriots no longer viewed Deaderick as a “program” fit and they were disappointed in Love’s performance/conditioning after he signed a two-year contract extension in 2012, and perhaps had a lower level of tolerance to wait for his potential return to health.

7. Turns out the Jaguars were the only team to put in waiver claims on Deaderick and Love, which highlights, in part, how the first-year regime of David Caldwell (general manager) and Gus Bradley (head coach) plan to churn the roster with a bevy of moves to see what sticks. It makes sense when considering all the holes they had to fill. It reminds me a little bit of the Patriots, circa 2001 -- not all the moves will result in long-term fits, but if you can hit on one Mike Vrabel, and maybe add a steadying presence such as Anthony Pleasant or an undervalued asset such as David Patten, you’re taking steps forward.

8a. Random thought, Part I: Is there another division in the NFL that added more speed at the receiver position than the AFC East this offseason? The Dolphins landed the fastest free agent in Mike Wallace. Meanwhile, the Bills drafted one of the fastest receivers in Marquise Goodwin, and the Patriots have younger legs on the outside with draft picks Aaron Dobson and Josh Boyce.

8b. Random thought, Part II: Wondering how much, if at all, recently appointed Bills general manager Doug Whaley had Ben Roethlisberger in mind when he endorsed Buffalo selecting quarterback E.J. Manuel in the first round of the draft, a pick that surprised many. Whaley spent 10 years in Pittsburgh before arriving in Buffalo and was there when the Steelers drafted the strong-armed Roethlisberger in the first round. Every personnel man is a product, in some form, of where he came from. Another example from this perspective was Scott Pioli, the former Patriots vice president of player personnel, selecting defensive lineman Tyson Jackson with his first pick (No. 3 overall) as Chiefs general manager (a pick that also surprised many at the time). When that pick was made, I wondered if Pioli had visions of a 2001-type Richard Seymour selection.

9. Will it be Tedy Bruschi, Chuck Fairbanks or Leon Gray as this year’s Patriots Hall of Fame inductee alongside longtime play-by-play announcer Gil Santos? Fan voting ended Wednesday and the results are expected to be announced early this week. All three finalists are more than worthy. I voted for Bruschi.

10. I knew Bill Belichick has felt strongly about defensive back Devin McCourty since selecting him in the first round of the 2010 draft (27th round), but I might have underrated those thoughts. After listening to Belichick’s “Building a Champion” keynote address at the symposium “Sports Medicine and the NFL: The Playbook for 2013” earlier this month, it struck me that Belichick included McCourty in an elite class when discussing what was important to him in players. Belichick talked about having passionate hard-working players who don’t just want to know their assignment, but want to know every part of the overall scheme, and the first three players mentioned were Tom Brady, Jerod Mayo and McCourty. McCourty had a stellar rookie season at cornerback resulting a Pro Bowl appearance, dipped in 2011, and then was somewhere back in the middle in 2012 when a midseason shift to safety altered his role. While public perception of McCourty might have wavered over the last few years, I don’t think Belichick has wavered one bit when it comes to him.

In a column that provides a snapshot look at some of the larger issues facing each team in the NFL, Pete Prisco of CBSSports.com writes a piece titled, "Pressing questions for all 32 teams heading into the summer."

For the Patriots, Prisco focuses on the offense, with this question: "Who starts outside at receiver with Danny Amendola in the slot?

As previously noted by Patriots owner Robert Kraft, the club returns all but two starters and both are at the receiver position (Wes Welker, Brandon Lloyd), so it makes sense that Prisco would look to that area.

"The Patriots drafted Aaron Dobson and Josh Boyce and both will be given good chances to play," Prisco writes. "Part of that is because there isn't much in front of them. Veteran Michael Jenkins doesn't run that well. Donald Jones, signed away from Buffalo, will be in the mix as well. The Patriots better hope one of those rookies can provide some speed outside."

When considering some other questions that could be asked, here were a few others that came to mind:

1. Will the Patriots' pass defense improve with continuity in the secondary?
2. Is the pass rush suffice?
3. Will Rob Gronkowski and Aaron Hernandez make it through the season healthy, and if not, how does that affect the offense?

To read Prisco's piece, CLICK HERE.

James Walker, who covers the AFC East for ESPN.com, was in Los Angeles for this year's NFL Players Association's Rookie Premiere and caught up with Patriots second-round draft choice Aaron Dobson.

One question that Walker asked Dobson was on his penchant for making tough, one-handed receptions.

"It’s all instinct," Dobson tells Walker. "I’m just going for the ball and I attack the ball very well. That’s how it happens. I can bring them in with one hand and I can catch with two hands. It’s just being focused, really."

One example came right here (YouTube video).

Dobson also touches on earning his college degree in three-and-a-half years. To read the Q&A, CLICK HERE.

The Patriots will play just once on "Monday Night Football" during the 2013 season, and the game comes on the heels of their Week 10 bye. It will take place in Charlotte against the Carolina Panthers, who feature one of the most exciting young players in football, quarterback Cam Newton.

The teams have something of a history after a memorable meeting in Super Bowl XXXVIII, but while the Patriots have continued their success since that time, the Panthers took a nosedive in the standings and have had to rebuild the franchise.

That process was expedited with the selection of Newton, the AP offensive rookie of the year in 2011. Entering his third season in 2013, Newton is hoping to push his team out of the bottom half of the NFC South.

Here's a challenge the Patriots will face from either side of the ball against Carolina.

Offense: There are so many challenges that center around Newton for the Carolina offense, as he is a true dual-threat quarterback who can stress a defense with his arms and legs. He has sensational arm strength and can drive the ball down the field (veteran wideout Steve Smith remains an elite deep threat), and when asked to use his legs Newton can carve up a defense. The Panthers mix in a variety of option runs with their stable of backs (read, veer, etc.), and Newton can break tackles and make defenders miss in the open field. Put simply, Newton is one of the most difficult quarterbacks to game plan for in all of football. Among the many areas that he has excelled in as a pro is in the red zone and near the goal line as a runner. Newton is built like a fullback or tight end, and the Panthers aren't afraid to use that strength to close out drives.

Defense: New Panthers GM Dave Gettleman knows the importance of strong defensive line play after spending 14 years with the New York Giants organization, where the front four has served as the foundation of the defense in recent seasons. Carolina entered the 2013 draft with a pair of book end pass rushers in Charles Johnson and Greg Hardy, but the interior lacked bulk and disruption skills. That problem would appear to be solved with the additions of Star Lotulelei and Kawann Short, defensive tackles who were drafted in the top two rounds. Both spent an abundance of time in opponents' backfields throughout their college careers and should make it difficult for offensive lines to focus squarely on the Panthers' pair of defensive ends. While it's no guarantee that either will be immediate starters as rookies, given Carolina's lack of depth at the position it seems like a safe bet that they'll be contributors during their inaugural NFL season. The Patriots' offensive line will need to be ready for the four-man front.

We often hear players say that their body is their temple, and that was the first thought that came to mind when news surfaced Friday that Patriots tight end Rob Gronkowski might require back surgery.

While the potential back surgery is viewed as minor, it would still be surgery, and if that’s the way it unfolds, that will be five surgeries for Gronkowski since November (four on his left forearm, one on his back).

That represents a lot of stress on Gronkowski’s temple in a short period of time.

Yet if things go according to plan, Gronkowski wouldn’t miss any regular-season games if he has to undergo back surgery. So while it would be easy to go all gloom-and-doom, that’s not the sense I get from some folks close to the situation.

Still, this isn’t the way anyone would draw things up in the offseason playbook.

From this viewpoint, Gronkowski's forearm injury/recovery was partially due to some bad luck, and there was always a sense that Gronkowski ultimately will recover. It's just a matter of when. Doctors seem to feel Gronkowski is in a good place with the forearm right now.

But any issues with Gronkowski’s back fall into a different category and remind us that a back ailment at Arizona (different from this one) contributed to his slipping to the second round of the draft and missing his final college season.

Those thoughts weren't at the forefront of our thinking early in Gronkowski's NFL career. He was one of the most durable Patriots in his 2010 rookie season, never missing a game or practice. In 2011, he again played every game, and his durability was never really in question until an ankle injury in the AFC Championship Game.

At that point, he had all but erased health-based questions that surrounded him when he came out of college, and the Patriots rewarded him with a lucrative contract extension after his second season.

Now, fair or not, some of those same questions are back on the radar.

ESPN NFL Insider Adam Schefter tweeted the following today: "A disc issue in Rob Gronkowski's back is being examined and could require surgery. This does not sound good ...

Then followed up with this: "Rob Gronkowski's back issue considered minor, per source. If he needs surgery it'd be during time frame that he'd be out with arm surgery. ...

And this: "Quote from person close to Gronk: 'He is going to be fine long term. (He is) not worried about the short term, i.e. start of training camp.'"

Mike Garofolo of USA Today first reported the possibility of Gronkowski needing back surgery.

Patriots safety Tavon Wilson was a guest on Sirius XM NFL Radio’s "Late Hits" program with hosts Alex Marvez and Jim Miller on Thursday night, and the interview served as a check-in of sorts on the off-the-radar 2012 second-round draft choice.

It’s interesting to note that even though Wilson was the third player selected by the Patriots last year (after first-round picks Chandler Jones and Dont’a Hightower), his draft slot (48th overall) would have made him the team’s top pick this year.

So just as some have high hopes for 2013 Patriots top pick Jamie Collins (52nd overall) to emerge quickly, there’s no reason that expectations shouldn’t be at the same level for Wilson.

While Wilson figures to be in the mix to start alongside Devin McCourty, the Patriots also signed veteran Adrian Wilson in free agency.

“He’s been a great player in this league for a long time, and I’m glad we brought him over,” Tavon Wilson said in the Sirius XM NFL Radio interview. “I can learn a lot from Adrian, all the things he knows. I’ve been working closely with him so far and trying to soak up everything I can from him.”

One of the trickle-down effects of the Adrian Wilson signing is his influence on younger players like Tavon Wilson. It's similar to a different “Wilson” for the Patriots, 2003 second-round draft choice Eugene Wilson of Illinois, who was mentored by veteran Rodney Harrison over a four-year span.

Over the last five weeks in the Patriots’ offseason program, Tavon Wilson explained that one of the things Adrian Wilson has stressed is understanding more than his own assignment, but also how the offense is attempting to attack the scheme. Wilson feels as if he has a solid foundation from which to build.

As a rookie in 2012, he played in every game, with four starts when injuries to starters added up. He showed solid ball skills (4 interceptions), but also was involved in coverage breakdowns on two deep passes that went for touchdowns. Wilson (6-0, 210 pounds) ultimately played 42.5 percent of the defensive snaps in the regular season, with his primary niche coming in a linebacker-type role in the dime package.

Whether he can expand that role, and how it all comes together with returning starter Steve Gregory and free-agent signee Adrian Wilson, will be one of the interesting storylines to follow in training camp.

With the announcement of Patriots top draft choice Jamie Collins signing his contract today, the timing coincides with a project we've been working on at ESPNBoston that highlights "20 years of top picks with Robert Kraft."

For 18 of the 20 years that the Kraft family has owned the Patriots, they have held a traditional photo shoot with the top pick (check out the two years they didn't, which explains why they might never break the streak again).

A snapshot from each year brings back memories and often times tells a story in and of itself.

Thanks to Stacey James and Christy Berkery of Patriots media relations for their assistance, and to ESPN teammates such as Julianne Varacchi, Peter Lawrence-Riddell and Dan Peterson for their work coordinating the slideshow.

To view the slideshow, CLICK HERE.

The New England Patriots have signed second-round draft choice Jamie Collins, the team announced Friday.

Collins was the team's top choice in last month's draft. Patriots coach Bill Belichick said Collins, who played defensive end at Southern Mississippi, will begin his career in New England at linebacker.

The Patriots also made the signing of seventh-round pick Steve Beauharnais official, meaning the team has now signed four of its seven draft choices.

The Patriots have parted ways with a pair of defensive tackles in recent days, as both Kyle Love and Brandon Deaderick are now Jaguars. The team also released Myron Pryor earlier this offseason, and Ron Brace was let go near the end of the 2012 season.

That means that, in essence, four of the team's projected top five defensive tackles from last offseason (we didn't know that Pryor's injury would keep him out for all of 2012) are no longer on the roster.

The Love release obviously involved more than just his on-field ability, as he was recently diagnosed with Type 2 diabetes, leading the Patriots to designate the transaction under the Non-Football Injury/Illness clause.

But examining the string of transactions from a purely football perspective, the question is where the Patriots stand at the position now.

To start, here's a projected defensive tackle depth chart:

Vince Wilfork
Tommy Kelly
Armond Armstead
Marcus Forston
Cory Grissom
Dewayne Cherrington
Joe Vellano

We know Wilfork will anchor one spot along the defensive line, with Kelly expected to play a big role as well (though he's 32, he's started 80 straight games over the past five seasons). If Armstead pans out like his ability suggests, some believe he could be a three-down defensive lineman that can provide pass-rushing ability. Forston was a surprise to make the 53-man roster coming out of training camp in 2012, but that serves as a reflection of the team's view that he could develop into a factor for the defense. After spending most of the year on the practice squad, he was re-promoted late in the year to the active roster, in part because of his ability to play in goal-line defensive packages.

So while the Patriots have thinned the position of familiar faces, they still have, at least on paper, potential depth at the position (one of the undrafted rookies could turn out to be a diamond in the rough as well).

Another component to this discussion is how these players fit into the variety of fronts that the Patriots run. While the base defense featured a four-man defensive line last year, the team played roughly 57 percent of its snaps in sub packages, where players like Love and Deaderick were less commonly used. In addition, the Patriots featured three-man fronts last year in which they flexed defensive end Rob Ninkovich out to a stand-up outside linebacker alignment.

Kelly's versatility was one of the traits that made him attractive to the Patriots, and he can be used as both a nose and 3-technique in four-man fronts and an end in three-man fronts, flanking Vince Wilfork (Chandler Jones would be the other end in this alignment). Given the depth the Patriots have at linebacker, they have the ability to mix and match personnel in 3-4 fronts.

The defensive line was a solid group on the whole last year for the Patriots, but the run defense struggled down the stretch after a hot start to the season. That could also have played a part in the team's decision to cut ties with certain defensive tackles, as there was room for improvement on the interior of the line next to Wilfork.

With several familiar faces gone and a host of newcomers now on deck, this will be a position group worth monitoring as the season approaches.

It's difficult to describe the Steelers as a lesser-known opponent for the Patriots given the recent history between the two teams, although they didn't play each other during the 2012 season (it almost feels like they are in the same division given how often the two teams square off).

Like the Patriots, the Steelers have been among the more consistent NFL franchises over the past decade, but there are some who are wondering if an 8-8 2012 campaign (which followed a first-round playoff exit the year before) is a sign that this team is trending downward. The roster still has talent and an elite quarterback, but salary-cap restrictions prevented Pittsburgh from being a major player on the open market this year in free agency.

The Patriots nearly nabbed a starting wide receiver from the Steelers this offseason, as they signed Emmanuel Sanders to a restricted free agency offer sheet that Pittsburgh ultimately matched. The pick that would have been shipped to Pittsburgh if Sanders became a Patriot was the 91st overall, which the Patriots used on safety Duron Harmon.

While many Patriots followers are familiar with the challenges the Steelers present, let's examine one from each side of the ball that the Patriots will have to work through leading up to a Week 9 matchup at Gillette Stadium.

Offense: The Patriots have not yet faced the Steelers with Todd Haley as the offensive coordinator (he took that post prior to the 2012 season), and one of the staples of Haley-run offenses is extensive pre-snap shifts and motions. Those can serve multiple purposes, including stressing a defense into having to make several adjustments on the fly or perhaps catching a player aligned in a position that he's uncomfortable with. The Steelers use multiple tight end sets as well, which can create favorable run/pass matchups (as we see with the Patriots and Rob Gronkowski/Aaron Hernandez). The Patriots' ability to deal with pre-snap adjustments and get properly lined up will be key to slowing down an offense that looks to feature much different personnel entering the 2013 season. While the Steelers no longer have the explosive Mike Wallace to stretch the field vertically, Roethlisberger's ability to extend plays is always a difficult chore to handle.

Defense: Few defensive minds are as well-respected in the NFL as Steelers coordinator Dick LeBeau, a member of the Pro Football Hall of Fame. Among the many ingredients behind LeBeau's prolonged success has been his successful implementation of zone blitzes, which are designed to cause confusion for an opposing quarterback by disguising where the pressure is coming from. If a linebacker is sent off the edge as a blitzer, a defensive lineman may be asked to drop into underneath coverage -- or any other wrinkle involving two or more players. Quite simply, LeBeau is one of the most innovative coaches in the game, and he always develops impressive game plans that present a challenge to square off against. On Wednesday we highlighted the chess match that will take place between Saints defensive coordinator Rob Ryan and Tom Brady on the field when the Patriots travel to New Orleans. A similar chess match will take place between Brady and LeBeau.

New England Patriots tight end Rob Gronkowski is scheduled to undergo a fourth surgery on his left forearm next week, sources told ESPN NFL Insider Adam Schefter. The exact date of the surgery is not yet set.

Gronkowski brought in noted orthopedic surgeon Dr. James Andrews to consult on the surgery. It will be performed by Dr. Jesse Jupiter of Massachusetts General Hospital. Jupiter specializes in the care of traumatic and reconstructive problems of the upper limb, including fracture healing and failure to heal.

The fourth surgery had been considered "very likely" since Gronkowski sustained an infection in the left forearm earlier this year.

Assuming the infection has been eradicated, the fourth surgery would replace the plate in Gronkowski's forearm, and the estimate for a recovery would be about 10 weeks, sources previously told ESPNBoston.com. Assuming all goes well for Gronkowski, that could put Gronkowski's projected return right around the start of training camp in late July.

Gronkowski originally broke the arm Nov. 18 in a game against the Indianapolis Colts. He returned to action on Dec. 30 in the regular-season finale, then broke the forearm again in the AFC divisional round of the playoffs on Jan. 13 against the Houston Texans.

Ian Rapoport of NFL Network first reported Gronkowski needed a fourth surgery.