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Clifton Brown, who covers the NFL for the Sporting News, ranks the league's 32 head coaches in a piece now posted on Sportingnews.com. He puts Bill Belichick second.

"With three Super Bowl rings, no current coach can match his resume," Brown writes. "Belichick has been remarkably consistent, with at least 10 wins in each of the past nine seasons. His place as an all-time great coach is secured. So why isn’t Belichick in the No. 1 slot?"

Brown then answers his own question, pointing out that Belichick has been on the losing side of three straight games against his No. 1 coach, the Giants' Tom Coughlin. Two of those games were Super Bowls.

Brown adds that Belichick is 1-5 lifetime against Coughlin.

To read the piece, CLICK HERE.

Some leftovers from Thursday's weekly Patriots chat on ESPNBoston.com:

xpatcan (Savigno, Italy): Mike, are there noticeable differences in coaching styles between Bill O'Brien and Josh McDaniels that really stand out from your observations? Do you consider McDaniels a tad more creative or instructive?

I see more similarities than differences, which makes sense since O'Brien first learned the team's system/offense while working under McDaniels. When watching a practice, it wasn't a challenge to hear O'Brien as he coached his offensive personnel hard. The same is true with McDaniels. Both are real detail-oriented. I don't know if I'd call McDaniels more creative, but there are probably staples that McDaniels leans on a little more (e.g. screen pass) than O'Brien. Overall, I see the differences as more subtle.

Gary (No VA): Mike, no way Gaffney/Branch/Edelman/Slater all make the team. Thoughts?

Gary, I could envision a scenario where they do. Of the group, I'd put Slater as the No. 1 lock because of special teams value, followed by Gaffney. I still think Edelman has value to the club as a top punt returner/potential slot receiver of the future, so I put him on the roster. Then it comes to Branch. I sense from several followers that there has been a general "cooling" on Branch, but I still think he has something positive to offer the club.

Matt (Somerville): Mike, how spoiled have we Pats fans gotten over the past few years watching BenJarvus Green-Ellis never fumble? You have to think that element is going to come back a bit more this year.

Matt, that was part of what made Green-Ellis so valuable to the offense. It's also one of the big issues that second-year rusher Stevan Ridley should be working on this offseason after two fumbles late last season. In the end, you're obviously trying to strike a balance between ball-security and playmaking. I think the Patriots have more upside in the "playmaking" area at running back with Ridley, Shane Vereen and Co., but there are more questions in the "ball-security" area.

Damien (Maryland): Mike, with the addition of Joseph Addai, what do you think is a realistic touch per game amount for the RBs on this roster? I'm a fan of the RB by committee, but I also figured with BenJarvus Green-Ellis gone, Stevan Ridley and Danny Woodhead would take a more prominent role in the offense.

Damien, if everyone's healthy, I think we'll see Ridley and Shane Vereen get the bulk of the work. I see Addai as a nice "insurance" type of addition if Ridley and Vereen don't emerge, as well as a backup option for Danny Woodhead in the "passing back" type of role. While I'd lean toward Ridley/Vereen getting more work, it's also safe to say we can expect the Patriots to mix it up from week to week, depending on the game-plan.

Sam (Nashua, NH): Mike, Randy Moss is doing all the right things in SF. There is no doubt he would have done the same in NE. Knowing that now, tell me why Brandon Lloyd is a better fit for us than Moss. I don't buy age because Moss will be faster at 45 years old than Lloyd ever was in his prime. What do you think?

Sam, the one point I'd quibble on is this one -- "There is no doubt he would have done the same in NE." I think there is some doubt. I also think it's easy to forget how, in my view, quarterback Tom Brady was mentally exhausted with Moss by the end of his tenure (from a sense of the need to feed him the ball to keep him engaged). By the end of Moss' time in New England, I felt he was the type of player who could turn at the flip of a switch, and because he was such a magnetic personality, it had ripple effects in the locker room. I view Lloyd as a safer play in that regard.

It's been a busy week for former Patriots left tackle Matt Light (still feels a bit different to write that), as he spent time on the broadcasting circuit, first visiting ESPN's campus in Bristol, Conn., before traveling to Culver City, Calif., for two days of work on NFL Network.

Light's next stop -- Disney World.

Light will be honored at tonight's 52nd annual Pop Warner All-American Scholastic Banquet at Disney’s Yacht & Beach Club Resort.

Each year, Pop Warner honors more than 9,000 of its young athletes as All-American Scholars and recognizes notable professional athletes and industry leaders who serve as role models for Pop Warner’s participants. The latter part is where Light fits, as he will be presented the Pop Warner Humanitarian Award, which goes to the individual who has demonstrated a lasting commitment to youth and the community.

Light, of course, is the founder of the Light Foundation, which strives to instill responsibility, accountability and leadership in youth through unique outdoor learning experiences.

If this was next year, Light could have stayed closer to home, as the annual event will be held in Boston at the Copley Marriott, May 24-25.

In a Friday segment on NFL Network's "Total Access", former Patriots Willie McGinest and Heath Evans opined on New England's stacked competition at receiver. The question was asked, "How many of the 12 receivers on the roster can actually make the club?"

McGinest led things off by declaring Wes Welker and Brandon Lloyd locks, while adding that Matthew Slater -- because of his special teams value -- isn't going anywhere.

So that's three right there.

"There are some other guys that have a lot of talent -- Jabar Gaffney had a great year in Washington -- but the thing that sticks out to me is Josh McDaniels. Six of the 12 guys that are here have played under, or for him, in his system. They understand him. It's all about Josh McDaniels and the direction that this offense is going," McGinest said.

Evans then pointed out that the Patriots, unlike other clubs, would feel comfortable keeping fewer running backs than other clubs so they could load up on receivers.

"A normal team would be struggling, how do we cut 12 guys down to six? Well, the Patriots have the option cut them down to eight," Evans said. "You'll still have an odd man out and it's probably Chad Ochocinco, because if you start putting in the special teams battle, because every wide receiver that's not your true core starter needs to have some type of impact on that special teams unit every given Sunday. Obviously, that's not Chad's forte."

To watch the segment, CLICK HERE.

ESPNBoston.com projected depth chart:
1. Wes Welker
2. Brandon Lloyd
3. Deion Branch
4. Jabar Gaffney
5. Julian Edelman (punt returner)
6. Matthew Slater (special teams captain)
--- cut line ---
7. Donte' Stallworth
8. Chad Ochocinco
9. Anthony Gonzalez
10. Britt Davis
11. Jeremy Ebert
12. Matt Roark

Mike Reiss was a guest on ESPN Boston Radio with Adam Jones on Friday, touching on the Patriots and media-access to the team's organized team activity. Some of the topics discussed included:

1. Biggest takeaway from Brandon Lloyd's practice and post-practice comments.

2. Wes Welker and the franchise tender.

3. Chandler Jones and why we've seen earlier signings with draft picks.

4. Breaking down some of the moving parts along the offensive line.

5. The safety position and the pairing of Patrick Chung and Steve Gregory.

To listen to the interview, CLICK HERE.

(After Thursday's organized team activity, ESPNBoston's three Patriots reporters were asked to pick one player they want to see more of in the coming months, and explain why.)

FB SPENCER LARSEN (picked by Field Yates)
Intrigue around Larsen is natural given his versatility -- he once started a game on offense, defense, and special teams as a rookie -- which is a characteristic always appreciated by Bill Belichick. Larsen also has familiarity, as he thrived under new offensive coordinator Josh McDaniels during their time together in Denver.

In helmets and sweats it’s difficult to make much of Larsen’s overall skill set, but he displayed more athleticism that I had anticipated, and an adept ability to catch the football. Larsen showed off body control in keeping his base and center of gravity underneath him as a receiver, and has a soft pair of hands to corral the football.

We’ll learn much more about his skill set in further OTA’s and training camp, during which we’ll also come to better understand how McDaniels envisions a fullback being utilized in his offense. Although McDaniels has previously relied on two-back sets (Larsen’s role in Denver is certain evidence of that), it’s no guarantee that the team will keep a fullback, as was the case coming out of training camp in 2011.

In evaluating the Patriots offensive skill players, it’s clear that the team has myriad of experience and talent, which further complicates the process of projecting how individuals fit into the 53-man roster plan. But in seeing Larsen on the field, and having previously seen him during his time in Denver, he projects to be a player that Patriots fans could come to further appreciate for all of his contributions. New England has thrived off of utilizing players in a number of roles in the past, and Larsen has stated his openness to doing what is asked of him. That could open up the possibility that he’s used not only all over the offensive formation, but also as a core special teams player and perhaps even at linebacker.

Re-examining the Patriots offensive skill players, it’s possible that the team could only keep one receiver (Matthew Slater) who is likely to regularly contribute on special teams. That might put a premium on the team to utilize other offensive skills players on special teams, and again Larsen’s value would be highlighted.

In building his roster, Belichick has seemed to approach the process with the mantra in mind of finding, for lack of a better term, football players. He isn’t one to fall in love with a player who can run fast and jump high unless he can make functional use of those tools. Athletes and potential aren’t what he seems to seek.

Larsen won’t earn individual accolades on a consistent basis, but he’s the type of player that appears prepared to do a number of jobs on a consistent basis. A Belichick type of player.

Count him as one to keep an eye on heading into the 2012 season.

TE BRAD HERMAN (picked by Mike Rodak)
Rob Gronkowski and Aaron Hernandez are certainly the premier tight end duo in the league, but the question pops up from time to time: What would the Patriots do if one, or both of them, are injured?

Over recent seasons, the Patriots have tried to keep the tight end position well-stocked beyond their two young stars. Veteran Alge Crumpler helped eased the two into NFL life, while last season, draft choice Lee Smith and rookie free agent Will Yeatman battled in training camp before both caught on with other teams. And most recently, the Patriots brought on veteran Daniel Fells, who started 15 games for the Broncos last season.

On Thursday, however, Fells was nowhere to be seen, reportedly recovering from an injury. Gronkowski spent the duration of the practice working with the team's training and strength staffs to rehab his left ankle after surgery this offseason. The Patriots converted defensive end Alex Silvestro to tight end for at least the time being, and he saw plenty of reps on Thursday. Otherwise, they were down to Hernandez and rookie Brad Herman.

An undrafted free agent, Herman started only three games last season at Iowa, where he played under former Bill Belichick assistant Kirk Ferentz. He had only eight catches on the season. On Thursday, Herman may have matched that total in practice, taking advantage of his chance to stand out in the absence of Gronkowski and Fells.

When Gronkowski and Fells return, one storyline will be whether Herman is able to continue to earn reps in practice, come minicamp or even training camp. The Patriots always seem to keep at least one undrafted rookie on their 53-man roster each season. With only eight signed this year, could Herman be next in line?

LB BOBBY CARPENTER (picked by Mike Reiss)
Just one player? That's a tough assignment.

Based on what we saw Thursday, my list started with second-year running back Shane Vereen (what can he do if healthy?), veteran center Dan Koppen (fighting for a job after a long run as a starter), second-year offensive lineman Marcus Cannon (if pressed into full-time, is he ready?), receiver Brandon Lloyd (fun to watch a different skill set of any receiver on the roster), second-year cornerback Ras-I Dowling (how does he recover from hip surgery?) and linebacker Bobby Carpenter (where does he fit?).

Since my two ESPNBoston teammates went with offensive players -- and I just cleverly circumvented the rules to initially mention six players instead of just one -- the final choice came down to defense.

We've already had a lot of discussion about Dowling this offseason, so I went with Carpenter, the 2006 first-round draft choice who was easy to spot in warmups because of the long blonde hair coming out of the back of his No. 59 helmet.

Carpenter was later on the field during sub package work, and in an offseason where more resources have been devoted to that aspect of the defense, it made one wonder if Carpenter might be able to carve out a niche as a coverage player. Bill Belichick has noted that more of the game is being played in space, and maybe that's the type of role that brings out the best in the athletic Carpenter, who is now on his fifth NFL team (Cowboys, Dolphins, Rams, Lions, Patriots) in seven years.

If Carpenter makes the team -- he could be competing for a spot against someone like second-year linebacker Jeff Tarpinian -- he would also project to help on special teams.

When the Patriots signed Carpenter to a one-year deal earlier in the offseason, Carpenter told Sirius XM NFL Radio, "If you have a specific talent they’re going to find a way to utilize that."

I'm interested to see how Belichick and his coaching staff do that with Carpenter.

The Patriots have reached a contract agreement with free-agent center/guard Jamey Richard, a source confirms.

The 27-year old Richard played in 48 games (11 starts) in four seasons with the Colts, after being drafted in the seventh round in 2008. ESPNBoston.com's Mike Rodak reported on Wednesday that Richard was one of three offensive linemen that the Patriots had in for a tryout this week.

Richard, who played in college at Buffalo and is considered a longshot for a Patriots roster spot, had some struggles with the shotgun snap with the Colts. The shotgun is a vital part of New England's attack.

The Patriots had Dan Connolly and Dan Koppen working as their top centers in Thursday's organized team activity. At guard, with 2011 starters Logan Mankins (recovering from ACL surgery) and Brian Waters (did not attend voluntary session) not on the field, Robert Gallery (left) and Ryan Wendell (right) lined up next to Connolly with the top group.

It's only May, but of all areas on the roster, the offensive line looks like the spot that currently has the most moving parts, with Bill Belichick tweaking things to account for depth.

The agreement with Richard ties into that line of thinking.

Shalise Manza Young of the Boston Globe first reported the Patriots' agreement with Richard.

As we previously reported, the Patriots hosted tight end Dallas Clark on a free agent visit.

Clark ultimately passed on joining Joseph Addai among former Colts now in New England, choosing instead to play for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, where a shot at a more substantial offensive role appears likely.

In an interview with ESPN Radio’s Doug Gottlieb (hat tip to Pro Football Talk for mentioning the link), Clark expounded upon his decision to choose the Bucs over both the Patriots and Chiefs.

Specifically, Clark was asked about his visit to the Patriots, to which he offered the following:

“It was really weird. After a few minutes of just kind of getting over that, just focusing on the opportunity and the option to play for the organization then you start really getting excited and geared up,” he said. “What a class act organization and coaches and everyone involved, and the players over there. It’s a special place, that’s for sure, but it just didn’t make sense to go there compared to Tampa.”

In regards to Clark’s closing comment, it’s possible that he’s referring to the fact that the Patriots have both Rob Gronkowski and Aaron Hernandez entrenched as primary tight ends, and Daniel Fells now in the fold as a third option.

As is evidenced by the wide receiving group, the Patriots aren’t afraid to stockpile talent and hold a positional competition. Adding Clark to the tight end mix would have brought even more skill and experience to a position where the team is already well stocked.

As Mike Reiss and Mike Rodak noted in their analysis of the deal reached between the Patriots and top draft choice Chandler Jones, the process of signing rookies has become exponentially less difficult under the new collective bargaining agreement (signed in July of 2011).

All deals signed by rookies are now for four years (although first-round picks can sign a contract with a team-option for a fifth year), and the overall value of the deal is largely fixed by the CBA. But one detail that remains up for potentially serious negotiations is the amount of guaranteed value included.

Jones’ deal (as reported by Reiss) includes fully guaranteed money for the first three seasons. In 2015, however, he is due a base salary of $1.5 million, of which only $752,284 (just north of 50 percent) is guaranteed.

Although our sample size under the new CBA is small, it’s already evident that it will be customary for picks selected in the latter third of the first round to not receive full guarantees.

Last year, the player drafted in Jones’ 21st slot, Browns nose tackle Phil Taylor, was the highest-drafted player to not receive a fully guaranteed four-year contract. In fact, he held out briefly from training camp while awaiting the consummation of his contract, as his agent and the team worked to straighten out the details.

The fact that seemingly no such quibble took place between the Patriots and Jones this year is a positive sign.

It also makes the deals yet to be signed by players drafted both ahead and behind Jones (which include Dont’a Hightower’s contract at No. 25) interesting to monitor.

Kendall Wright (No. 20) and Brandon Weeden (No. 22), who sandwiched Jones in the order, have not yet agreed to contracts.

In a story now posted on ESPNBoston.com, Mike Reiss writes on Patriots receiver Brandon Lloyd and how his presence could help fill a void that hurt the offense in its final game of the 2011 season.

The last time the New England Patriots played a game that counted, they most often lined up with receivers Wes Welker and Deion Branch alongside tight ends Rob Gronkowski and Aaron Hernandez.

Their opponent in Super Bowl XLVI, the New York Giants, countered with a three-safety package that effectively focused on taking the middle of the field away. The plan was sound because if there is one area that Welker, Branch, Gronkowski and Hernandez threaten most, it's between the numbers -- short to intermediate. The approach also spoke volumes about how the Giants' viewed the Patriots' passing game -- there was no true vertical threat, and there wasn't much to worry about on the outer edges of the field.

Bill Belichick, based on his offseason moves, must have seen the attack's deficiencies the same way.

Welcome, Brandon Lloyd.

As Belichick noted in a recent interview, the hope is that Lloyd helps balance out the team's attack. That balance was on display during Thursday's organized team activity.

To read the piece, CLICK HERE.

In analyzing the straightforward four-year contract (with a team option for a fifth year) signed by Patriots first-round draft choice Chandler Jones, one thought comes to the forefront: If the salary cap stays flat over the next few years, as owners project, the potential value of players in Jones' situation will be that much greater.

The reason is that Jones ' salary cap charge will be between $1.5 million and $2.5 million per year over the course of the deal.

So to land a potential top young defender, and have it count less than 2 percent against the $120 million salary cap, represents great value.

As for the nitty-gritty of Jones' pact, it has a total value of $8.17 million. He gets a $4.38 million signing bonus up front and will earn base salaries of $390,000 in 2012, $761,522 in 2013, $1.13 million in 2014 and $1.5 million in 2015.

The base salaries in the first three years are fully guaranteed. A total of $752,284 is guaranteed in the final year.

But the key aspect of these numbers is the salary-cap charge, and that's why the teams that draft and develop well over the next few years will put themselves in the best economic position to succeed.

FOXBOROUGH, Mass. -- Offering some leftover soundbites from Dan Koppen's gathering with reporters on Thursday afternoon:

New IR rule: The NFL will implement an exemption this season allowing players who were injured after the beginning of training camp to return after eight weeks on injured reserve. Koppen missed the entire season last year after suffering a broken leg in the opener, and may have been ready to play by season's end. On whether the rule came one year too late, Koppen said: "Yeah, probably, but it is what it is. Last year there were the rules that there were. Things change in this league, for better and for worse. And you just live by the rules you play by."

Dealing with Light retirement: After nine seasons playing alongside Matt Light, who recently retired, Koppen is rolling with the changes. "I've been in the league a long time and a lot of guys in that locker room have been also. We play with the guys out on the field; whether they retire, go to another team, get hurt, doesn't matter, you have to play with the guys you got and build something around that," he said.

On staying in New England: Koppen stayed on the unrestricted free-agent market for nearly a month this offseason, and took a visit to the Titans before choosing to re-sign in New England. "It's great. I didn't want to go anywhere else. Thank goodness it did work out. It would have been probably more of a pain moving the family and getting that stuff squared away. To be able to play here, hopefully for a little bit more, in my career, it's a good feeling. This is where I want to be. This is what I know. Just excited to play this year," he said. "It's just about coming in and just working hard every day and letting everything grow."

On watching his team play from home last season: "It's tough. It makes you appreciate things a lot more. Especially sitting around watching ... you put everything into the offseason. Just to sit around and watch, it makes you have greater appreciation for your job and being around the guys and going out there and playing for one another. It's good to be back," he said.

FOXBOROUGH, Mass. -- Receiver Brandon Lloyd kept his interview with reporters short following Thursday's organized team activity.

If there was one takeaway from this perspective, it was when Lloyd said he's never been a part of a team with as many weapons as the Patriots have. It was easy to see where Lloyd will fit, working the outside parts of the field to help balance out the team's attack.

A few soundbites from Lloyd:

On working with Tom Brady. "It’s good. [He’s] definitely professional; makes the throws, makes the correct reads and delivers the ball. ... He’s good. He’s good from far away and he’s good up close."

On what stands out to him about the Patriots' approach. "The coaching, the way that the message is delivered and the way that the coaches coach and the players all fall in line. It’s been a good experience so far."

On how his transition to the Patriots has been going. "Plugging away. Just getting into our OTAs and understanding the process and the way that the plays are called and run and just the execution of the workouts and the timing and the scheduling. It’s been a change and I’m excited to see how everything works out."

On the dynamics of all the pass-catchers. "It’s everybody, including Wes [Welker] and Gronk [Rob Gronkowski] and the tight ends. Everybody has been communicating and excited. However this pans out, however the lineup falls, it’s going to be a talented group of players."

On how potent the offense could be. "Only time will tell. We still have a lot of work to do. We have a lot of practices ahead of us. We still have a lot of work to do before we can start making any predictions like that."

On how close the Patriots' offense is to what he played in with the Broncos and Rams under Josh McDaniels. "It’s pretty close. Obviously the terminology is mostly the same; [it’s] pretty much the same."

Every Thursday on ESPNBoston.com, there is a Patriots chat in the early afternoon. Today's chat kicked off at 2 p.m. ET, can be recapped here, and included some of the following topics:

1. TE Rob Gronkowski and where he stands in his recovery from offseason ankle surgery.

2. Focusing on the defensive backfield and potential combinations.

3. Can the Patriots keep both Rob Gronkowski and Aaron Hernandez when their contracts expire?

4. Projecting Chandler Jones and his role.

5. Thoughts on some of the moving parts on the offensive line.

6. The receiver position and where Chad Ochocinco might fit.

FOXBOROUGH, Mass. -- New Patriots running back Joseph Addai owns unique perspective on a trademark AFC rivalry from the past decade, having played his first six seasons with the Indianapolis Colts.

But he’s not interested in drawing comparisons between the two teams’ run of success during the course of his career, or in dissecting the infamous Tom Brady versus Peyton Manning debate.

“I’m a Patriot now. That’s behind me,” Addai told reporters on Thursday afternoon after the team’s third organized team activity of the 2012 offseason.

Addai was added during free agency, and it is believed that his versatility out of the backfield was attractive to head coach Bill Belichick. He has previous experience as a primary ball carrier, pass receiver, and is a highly-regarded pass blocker, all tasks he’s willing to continue in New England.

“Whatever [the] coaches ask me to do, I’m doing. It’s always team first for me. If he wants me to run, catch, block, whatever he wants me to do, I just want to be part of it,” Addai said.

Beyond his roles on the field, Addai may be counted on to mentor the pair of young running backs that the Patriots drafted last season, Shane Vereen and Stevan Ridley. That too is a role he’s ready to embrace.

“It’s a team sport, no matter what, you want to help guys, if you’re young or if you’re old. That’s never been a problem for me. At the end of the day this team is about winning,” he said.

It hasn’t taken long for Addai to see the promise in both Vereen and Ridley, who like Addai attended LSU.

“Real, real energized guys. Very motivated, eager to learn, want to do good. [When] you got guys like that, it’s easy to teach. You always want to come in there with the right mindset and help those guys," Addai said.

Part of Addai’s success in New England will likely be dictated by his ability to stay healthy, an issue that has plagued him in recent seasons. He says he feels good now, and that the Patriots medical staff has been critical to preparing him for 2012.

He’s been limited to just 20 games over the past two seasons, but Addai appears intent on looking forward and contributing to his new club rather than reflecting on seasons past. That calls for learning a new offense, but he shrugged off a question about the differences between the system he was a part of in Indianapolis and that which he is in now with New England.

“To me, it’s all about playing ball. I’ve got a great chance to be a part of this ballclub, and do what they do here, and I’m very excited about that,” he said.