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FOXBOROUGH, Mass. – As reporters entered the New England Patriots' locker room around 12:45 p.m. on Wednesday, receiver Danny Amendola emerged and made his way toward his locker.

He was one of the only players in the locker room at the time, his presence notable because he’s mostly been absent since injuring his groin in the season opener Sept. 8.

When a reporter approached and asked if he was available to speak, Amendola said he was unsure. In his first year with the club, he got the memo quickly -- injured players who aren’t suiting up for games generally stay in the background.

But soon enough, a member of the team’s media-relations staff told Amendola it was OK, and what ensued was a media blitz.

The scene, in and of itself, reflected that Amendola is closing on a return to the field. If not Sunday night against the Atlanta Falcons, the Oct. 6 game at Cincinnati now seems like a realistic target.

As Amendola said himself, “I anticipate being 100 percent shortly.”

This was the most significant Patriots news-related development of the day, and here are a few follow-up thoughts:

More clarity by Saturday night: For those on the fantasy-football circuit, there should be a clearer picture of Amendola’s potential availability by Saturday night. Because the Patriots are playing on the road, this means the team will downgrade to "out" status injured players who remain home Saturday while the team travels to Atlanta. This is what happened with tight end Rob Gronkowski and others in the Sept. 8 season opener.

Revisiting decision to play through injury in opener: Amendola said he didn’t regret playing through injury in the second half of the opener, in which he was a key contributor. He acknowledged that adrenaline was part of it. He also said there was no way to know if playing through the injury made it worse. If the adductor becomes an issue that nags Amendola over time, the process through which Amendola was cleared to return in the opener could come under scrutiny.

While closer to 100 percent, still could be situation to manage: While Amendola expressed optimism about a return to the field “shortly,” he stopped short when asked if he could say with certainty that he won’t have to manage the injured area in the future. “I’m not really sure on that one,” he said. NFL Network previously reported that Amendola’s adductor tore away from his bone.

The danger in getting excited about a 3-0 start is that pesky little thing known as "The Other Thirteen Games." Victories in the first three weeks can lead to a 15-1 season, as they did for the Green Bay Packers in 2011. Or they could mean a 2-11 finish and a fired coaching staff, as the Arizona Cardinals found out last year.

So let's keep our wits as we analyze the seven teams that have started this season 3-0. It has been four years since that many teams were still perfect after three weeks. The 2009 season offers another lesson in early conclusions: One of the seven (the New Orleans Saints) won the Super Bowl but two finished 8-8 and missed the playoffs altogether (the New York Giants and Denver Broncos).

So who is this year's version of the 2009 Saints? Are there any candidates to emulate the 2012 Cardinals? NFL Nation has some thoughts.

If there is anything to glean from the first three weeks of this season, it's the emergence of two early powerhouses. The Seattle Seahawks and the Broncos have outscored opponents by a combined 213-98, and their individual point differentials of 59 and 56, respectively, are by far the best in the NFL. (The next best is the Kansas City Chiefs at 37).

The Seahawks' path to Super Bowl XLVIII seems clear: Clinch home-field advantage at CenturyLink Field, where they have won 10 consecutive games, and book their ticket to New York. The Broncos, meanwhile, have scored the second-most points through three games in NFL history and only figure to improve as defensive stalwarts Von Miller (suspension) and Champ Bailey (injury) return to the lineup.

What about the rest?

Has Andy Reid built an instant Super Bowl contender in Kansas City, or will his Chiefs level off? Has Ryan Tannehill really developed into a championship-caliber quarterback for the Miami Dolphins?

Are the Chicago Bears for real after two fourth-quarterback comebacks followed by two defensive touchdowns in their victory over the Pittsburgh Steelers? The New England Patriots are fortunate to be 3-0, right? And has Sean Payton restored the Saints' magic? Let's take the pulse of NFL Nation.

Which 3-0 teams are legitimate Super Bowl contenders?

The Saints should definitely be considered as legitimate Super Bowl contenders, based on their offensive track record under coach Sean Payton and quarterback Drew Brees. Not only did they win the Super Bowl in 2009, but their offense was even better in 2011, when they finished 13-3 and set the NFL record for yards gained in a season (7,474). I don't expect an exact repeat this year, but I think that's closer to the norm than last year's 7-9 season.

Especially with tight end Jimmy Graham healthy again and back to being one of the most difficult matchups in the league. Clearly, however, the Saints need to improve a run game that has been practically non-existent to keep defenses honest and keep Brees upright.

Meanwhile, the Saints' young defense has been one of the biggest surprises in the NFL this year under new coordinator Rob Ryan. I still expect a few growing pains before the season is over. But they don't need to be dominant for the Saints to succeed. And I think they can continue to come up big in some big moments. Players are clearly responding to Ryan's energetic approach and versatile schemes. And they have some bona fide talent to work with in every unit -- including emerging young pass-rushers Cameron Jordan and Junior Galette. That was the biggest question mark heading into this season. If the defense can keep playing anywhere near this level, the Saints could run away with the NFC South title.

The undefeated Miami Dolphins are arguably the biggest surprise in the NFL.

But can the Dolphins be serious Super Bowl contenders? Let's temper those expectations. The Dolphins absolutely have playoff potential. This is a franchise that hasn't made the postseason since 2008. Ending that streak and having a winning season should be Miami's primary goals.

A 3-0 start is terrific, especially after beating the talented Indianapolis Colts and Atlanta Falcons in back-to-back weeks. But the Dolphins certainly have holes.

Depth is an issue in several areas and will be tested. Miami could be without several defensive starters -- defensive end Cameron Wake (knee), defensive tackle Paul Soliai (knee) and cornerback Dimitri Patterson (groin) -- against the New Orleans Saints on "Monday Night Football." The Dolphins also face issues such as pass protection (14 sacks allowed) and having the 28th-ranked rushing attack.

In addition to the undefeated Saints, Miami has tough games against the defending champion Baltimore Ravens (2-1), New England Patriots (3-0) and Cincinnati Bengals (2-1) before the end of October. The Dolphins cannot rest on their early success. They must continue to improve.

The health and production of second-year quarterback Ryan Tannehill is the biggest key. However, the Dolphins have a lot to prove over the course of 16 games.

Miami has a perfect record, but it's far from perfect.

Judging strictly from the numbers, the Kansas City Chiefs are legitimate Super Bowl contenders. They are No. 1 in the AFC in scoring defense, No. 2 in the conference in scoring differential and, most importantly, tied for first place with a 3-0 record.

But it's another number, one that will be impossible to sustain, that's feeding the Chiefs' success and threatens to reveal them as pretenders once it begins its inevitable correction.

The Chiefs are leading the league in turnover differential at plus-9. They are one of two NFL teams yet to commit a turnover. That's a statistic capable of making a good team look great as long as it lasts. The trouble is, it never does last, at least not at this rate. Once their turnover differential starts to balance out, here is the advantage the Chiefs will lose:

The Chiefs have started 10 possessions on their opponents' end of the field. Their opponents have started one in Kansas City's territory, and even that drive began at the Chiefs' 49.

Such consistently favorable field position can make life easy for a team, and credit to the Chiefs for enjoying the ride while it lasts.

It won't forever. When it ends, the Chiefs will have to make their own way.

Their defense looks capable of doing that, but their offense needs a boost. When it doesn't get one, the Chiefs will suddenly look mortal.

This 3-0 team is better than the Bears squad from 2012, which started 7-1, and is a legitimate Super Bowl contender for a variety of reasons. The Bears have already scored three defensive touchdowns, but the major difference is the club is getting contributions from both sides of the ball and special teams.

Chicago provided evidence of that with quarterback Jay Cutler engineering back-to-back, come-from-behind victories over Cincinnati and Minnesota to start the season, before coming through in the clutch on the road Sunday, bailing out a struggling defense to clinch a victory against the Pittsburgh Steelers.

The Bears racked up nine defensive touchdowns last season, which tied for the second most in NFL history. But at this juncture last year, the unit had only one score, yet basically carried the entire team through its impressive first half.

Through the 7-1 start in 2012, skepticism existed because the Bears simply hadn't played good teams. This year, the combined record of the teams first three opponents is 2-7. But don't be fooled, this is a better Bears team.

Cutler is one of the main reasons for that. He's matured. He's accepted the coaching. He's putting in more time to sharpen his craft, while shedding the enigmatic gunslinger persona for a more controlled approach. His protection is better. The front office has surrounded him with more weapons and an offensive-minded coach in Marc Trestman, who is the architect of a system Cutler believes in.

If there has been one constant of Bill Belichick-coached Patriots teams since 2000, it's that they usually get better as the season progresses. Surely, there have been exceptions (2009 comes to mind), but there are no indications this year's team is headed down that path at this point.

The defense has exceeded expectations through three games, although a lingering question is how much of the unit's success is a result of playing weaker competition. Sunday night's game on the road, against the fast-starting Atlanta Falcons, should tell us more about the unit. And while the offense has struggled to find its groove, the return of tight end Rob Gronkowski should provide a boost and with Danny Amendola saying he envisions being 100 percent shortly, big-time reinforcements are on the way.

So if you're judging on the present picture, it's understandable that one would say this team isn't a Super Bowl contender. In a game against the Denver Broncos, right now, you would have to pick the Broncos. But this is about projecting what the Patriots could be, and at this point, there's no reason to think they won't evolve as past Belichick teams have. Many of those clubs have been Super Bowl contenders. 

Receiver Danny Amendola and tight end Rob Gronkowski both had limited participation in Wednesday’s practice, according to the team’s official injury report. The Patriots practiced in full pads.

Elsewhere, veteran defensive tackle Vince Wilfork (foot) was a new addition to the injury report. He had full participation, but this is the first time we’ve learned of an injury for him. Also, linebacker Jerod Mayo (ankle) and cornerbacks Kyle Arrington (groin) and Marquice Cole (hamstring) were new additions to the injury report, as they were limited in their participation.

As noted earlier, special-teams captain Matthew Slater (wrist) and starting right tackle Sebastian Vollmer (foot) were not spotted at practice and the team confirmed that they did not participate.

FOXBOROUGH, Mass. -- When Patriots quarterback Tom Brady arrived at the podium for his weekly Wednesday news conference, and asked which reporter wanted to start the proceedings, there was a noticeable silence.

That's when veteran Patriots reporter Tom E. Curran of Comcast SportsNet, who has a knack for lightening the mood at times, piped up with an outside-the-hashmarks question.

"How come you don't have a cool nickname like Matty Ice?" he asked, in reference to Falcons quarterback Matt Ryan.

Brady played along with the hard-hitting question.

"I don't know. I don't have any nicknames?" he responded.

"Nothing really," Curran replied.

"That should be the thing. That's a good story for this week," Brady said with a playful touch. "TB12 is pretty good. Not bad."

When Curran disagreed, Brady relented.

"Not as good as Matty Ice," the quarterback said, drawing laughter. "Matty Ice is pretty sweet."

The "TB12 vs. Matty Ice" storyline is a natural one this week as the Patriots prepare to visit the Falcons on Sunday night. The Georgia Dome should be electric.

"It's a really challenging environment to play in -- it's loud, it's a dome, it's Sunday night," Brady said as the news conference turned more serious. "Coach always says, 'if you love football, then Sunday night at 8:30 in Atlanta will be the place to be.' I totally agree."

One area Brady touched upon is the Patriots' red zone offense, which has produced four touchdowns in 13 trips. In terms of touchdown percentage, which isn't a foolproof stat to measure red zone efficiency, the Patriots rank last in the NFL.

"We've been practicing it quite a bit," Brady said. "We definitely left some points on the board, just poor execution. I've been one of the main culprits."

FOXBOROUGH, Mass. -- Patriots tight end Rob Gronkowski was once again on the practice fields Wednesday morning as he continues his recovery from offseason back and forearm surgeries.

He addressed the media following practice, though he said nothing of note as it relates to his status for this Sunday's game.

"There really is no update," he said. "You know how we go. And I'm improving every week."

Asked whether he thought he could be ready to play this Sunday, Gronkowski offered, "I don't know. As of right now, we're just focusing day by day and tomorrow is another step forward and we've got to see.

"I'm taking everything day by day and today I went out to practice, went into meetings, did everything normal, so just day by day and improving every day."

Gronkowski reinforced that a big part of his recovery process is regaining the strength throughout his body that was lost as a result of the time off from working out.

"Yeah, definitely, and like I said before, that's part of the whole rehab process," he said of getting his strength back. "I mean, it's not just rehabbing your back and your arm. I took off my whole body for about a couple months, so you've got to get everything going again. All muscles firing again at all parts of your body."

The 24-year-old said his strength is improving, which is evidenced by his frame filling out. Though Gronkowski lost muscle mass, he said that he hasn't lost any weight throughout the process.

"I don't lose weight. I can look skinny and still be the same amount of weight," he said, before cracking. "It goes by skinny or looking jacked."

When asked whether he was back to the state of being jacked, Gronkowski quipped, "You guys tell me."

FOXBOROUGH, Mass. -- In his Wednesday morning news conference, Bill Belichick talked about the discovery process for the coaching staff through the first three games of the season.

"You're trying to maximize your talent, your players, your scheme, and we're going through that process. There are some things we found out over the first three weeks that we would do a little bit differently knowing what we know now," Belichick said. "That's part of our job -- to figure out what's best for this team to win."

Belichick said that process is ever-evolving, but it makes sense to think the first few weeks of the season are the most volatile. This is when teams begin the process of attempting to form an identity and learn most about exactly what they have on the roster.

Along those lines, here are three things from a media-based perspective that have been part of the discovery process through three games:

1. Sudfeld's dip. Undrafted rookie tight end Zach Sudfeld looked like he was going to be a big contributor based on preseason performance. But he's averaging just 18 snaps over his two regular-season games played and doesn't have a catch. Initially, the thought was that Sudfeld might be the "move" tight end a la Aaron Hernandez, but Michael Hoomanawanui (more valuable than anticipated) has been tapped for some of those duties as well. Wouldn't be surprised to see even less of Sudfeld going forward.

2. Hightower over Spikes in sub defense. When middle linebacker Brandon Spikes stayed away from voluntary offseason workouts to train in Florida, reports indicated that it was to show his ability to be a three-down linebacker. But through three games, Spikes hasn't played much in the team's pure sub packages, with fellow linebacker Dont'a Hightower getting the nod over him. We've charted Hightower on the field for 181 of 209 snaps (including penalties), while Spikes -- whose playing time was lessened by missing most of the first half of the season-opener due to dehydration -- has been charted on the field for 84 of 209 snaps.

3. Kickoff returner still a question mark. When the Patriots signed free-agent running back Leon Washington to a one-year, $1.2 million contract on March 14, it seemed like a cure-all for the team's in-need-of-a-spark kickoff return unit. Washington was a 2012 Pro Bowler as a kickoff returner. But Washington was seldom used as a returner in the preseason and was released for six days (and visited the Jets and Giants during that time) before being re-signed. Running back LeGarrette Blount is currently the top kickoff returner -- he seemed to be the choice over Washington to begin with --and he's had four returns for 84 yards (21.0 avg.). When Washington (thigh) returns to full health, it will be interesting to see if the coaching staff gives him another crack at the top job. Could be an upgrade.

ESPN.com team reporter Mike Reiss on the New England Patriots' hot topics as they begin preparations for Week 4.

FOXBOROUGH, Mass. -- Starting right tackle Sebastian Vollmer, who didn't play in the second half of Sunday's 23-3 win over the Buccaneers after injuring his foot, was not present for the start of practice Wednesday.

The Boston Herald reported that Vollmer has a sprained foot.

In Vollmer's absence Sunday, third-year player Marcus Cannon stepped in at right tackle. The Patriots' depth would also get a boost if veteran Will Svitek, a swing tackle and guard who missed the first three games with a knee injury, returns to action. Svitek, the former Atlanta Falcon, appears to be making progress.

Special teams captain Matthew Slater (wrist) was the only other player not spotted at the start of practice, in which reporters saw jogging and agility drills.

That meant tight end Rob Gronkowski (left forearm/back) and receiver Danny Amendola (groin) were working with teammates, as they did on a limited basis the last two weeks. Amendola, in particular, seemed to be moving better than he did last week as he aggressively worked his way through the bags in agility drills.

The Patriots' official participation/injury report, which will detail the level of participation of each player in practice, will be released around 4 p.m. ET.

A weekly analysis of the New England Patriots’ quarterback play.

Rewind: One week after turning in a rare sub-50 percent completion effort against the Jets, Tom Brady had better results in a 23-3 win over the Buccaneers on Sunday. He finished 25-of-36 for 225 yards with two touchdowns and one interception, but it was the interception (in the end zone) that he admitted bothered him well into the night. He also had a few other plays where he missed open receivers. It's the type of performance that many teams would happily take, but based on Brady's high standard, it fell a bit short.

Fast-forward: The Falcons are without two key players in the front seven, as pass-rushing defensive end Kroy Biermann (torn Achilles) is out for the year and linebacker Sean Weatherspoon (foot) is on short-term injured reserve. While playmaking cornerback Asante Samuel is always a concern, this looks like a short-handed defense that Brady could have success against.

Streak on the line: Brady has thrown at least one touchdown pass in 51 straight games, which is the longest active streak in the NFL and the second-longest streak behind Saints quarterback Drew Brees (54). In a storyline that the NFL schedule-makers perhaps saw coming, Brady can tie the record on Oct. 13 against the Saints.

Brady-to-Gronkowski revisited? The Patriots have scored four touchdowns in 13 trips inside the opponents' 20-yard line, which percentage-wise ranks them last in the NFL. One possible remedy for Brady & Co. is the potential return of tight end Rob Gronkowski. The status of Gronkowski, and its trickle-down effect on Brady and the offense, will be watched closely.

Prediction: Brady often shines on the national stage. Based on the way the Dolphins drove on the Falcons for a fourth-quarter, game-winning drive, Brady has to feel good about the possibility of putting up some big offensive numbers.

Every Wednesday during the season, we'll lead off the day with a quick recap of former New England Patriots players and their standing with new teams.

Patrick Chung (Eagles)
Starts at safety in home loss to Chiefs and plays 61 of 83 snaps, finishing with three tackles.
Season snapshot: Starts all three games and is credited with 17 tackles.

Brandon Deaderick (Jaguars)
A reserve defensive tackle, he plays 18 snaps and has one assisted tackle and one fumble recovery in road loss to Seahawks.
Season snapshot: Has played 54 total snaps; three tackles, one sack, one fumble recovery

Zoltan Mesko (Steelers)
Two punts for 59 yards in a home loss to Bears; with his second attempt a mishit 21-yard situational punt from Steelers' 48.
Season snapshot: Has punted 16 times and has a 43.3 avg. (27th in NFL) and 38.1 net (26th in NFL); zero touchbacks and one inside the 20.

Trevor Scott (Buccaneers)
Plays 14 snaps as a reserve defensive end in loss to Patriots and is credited with an assisted tackle.
Season snapshot: 45 total snaps.

Donald Thomas (Colts)
Lands on season-ending injured reserve after injuring his quadriceps in Week 2 home loss to Dolphins.
Season snapshot: Was opening-day starter at left guard and now faces long rehab.

Wes Welker (Broncos)
Totals seven receptions for 84 yards and a touchdown in home victory over Raiders; plays 51 of 76 snaps.
Season snapshot: Has played 155 of 221 offensive snaps, and has 19 catches for 190 yards and four touchdowns.

Danny Woodhead (Chargers)
Totals five carries for 31 yards, and seven catches for 55 yards in road loss to the Titans.
Season snapshot: Leads team with 17 receptions (for 108 yards), and has carried the ball 14 times for 58 yards. Has played 77 offensive snaps.

The Patriots worked out a trio of players on Tuesday -- tight ends Ryan Otten and Bryce Davis as well as running back Jeremy Wright -- according to a league source.

Otten, 6-foot-6 and 241 pounds, originally was signed by the Jacksonville Jaguars as an undrafted free agent this past spring, but was later waived by the team. He was a productive player at San Jose State, where he finished with nine touchdowns over his last two seasons.

Davis previously was with the Cincinnati Bengals and has served as a long snapper. The 24-year-old attended Central Oklahoma.

Wright, another undrafted player, left Louisville early and eventually signed on with the Pittsburgh Steelers. He finished his college career in style, scoring a touchdown in the Cardinals' upset win over Florida in the Sugar Bowl.

None of these players was signed to a contract, as it's possible this was a workout that the team used to keep tabs on its list of priority free agents.

Following Week 3 of the regular season, the NFL's waiver wire priority system resets. No longer is the priority determined by last year's record; it is now based off of how teams have performed thus far in 2013.

Prior to Week 3, the Patriots had the 29th priority on the waiver wire, which is to say that if a player was waived, there were 28 teams ahead of them who could claim him and have priority of being awarded him ahead of the Patriots.

Now that Week 3 has passed, the order has reset, which it will continue to do each week of the season.

The Buccaneers, by virtue of their 0-3 record and strength of schedule, now have the top priority in the waiver system. To break a tie between teams with the same record, the record of opponents already played is tabulated. If two teams have the same record, whichever has played the superior opponents (based on won-loss record) will have priority. If two teams have the same record and same won-loss record among opponents, a coin-flip will be used to break a tie.

The Patriots are one of seven teams with a 3-0 record, though the Seahawks, Saints and Bears have an opponent's combined record of just 2-7, while the Patriots' opponents have a combined record of 3-6. Because of that, the Patriots have priority over those teams if they were to both put in a claim.

If the Patriots were to claim the same player as either the Chiefs or Broncos -- who have also played opponents with a combined 3-6 record -- the league would use a coin flip to determine which team the player was awarded to.

If the Patriots were to claim the same player as either the Dolphins, Miami would be awarded said player because they have played a more difficult schedule (four wins by their three opponents).

So, as things currently stand, the Patriots have the 27th priority on the waiver wire, shared by the Chiefs and Broncos.

In Michael Holley's book "War Room: The Legacy of Bill Belichick and the Art of Building the Perfect Team," Holley details the rise of the Patriots under Belichick, while weaving in how former assistants Scott Pioli and Thomas Dimitroff went on to run their own teams and took many (but not all) of the same team-building principles with them.

One part of the book is timely to revisit this week, as the Belichick-built Patriots prepare to face the Dimitroff-built Falcons on Sunday night.

In 2011, Dimitroff made a bold trade in the NFL Draft to select receiver Julio Jones with the No. 6 overall pick. The trade was costly, with the Falcons giving up a 2011 first-rounder (27th overall), 2011 second-rounder (59th), 2011 fourth-rounder (124th), 2012 first-rounder and 2012 fourth-rounder. And according to Holley's book, it was a move that Belichick advised Dimitroff against making because of its high cost.

This was a hot topic when "War Room" was released, with the Atlanta Journal Constitution and others (SI's Peter King's book review) writing on Dimitroff going against the advice of one of his mentors.

Spinning it forward, Belichick was asked the following question on his regular conference call today: Has your opinion changed at all on the currency that Thomas Dimitroff gave up to trade up for Jones in the draft ... now that there have been two-plus years to see how he's developed as a receiver?

"I think Julio has done a great job for them," Belichick answered. "He's an excellent football player, period. As a receiver, he's got good good strength, good speed, good ball skills. He makes some acrobatic catches, goes up and takes the ball away from defenders. He's strong after the catch. Tough guy to tackle. He's also very good in the running game, a good blocker. He's a guy that will go in and get linebackers and safeties in the running game; he's probably about as good as anyone in the league. So it's not just his receiving skills, although they're very good. I think he's a complete football player. I know he's a tough kid, and a hard worker, and is great for their program. I'm sure that they're very happy he's on their team, because he does a good job in every area."

Belichick obviously likes Jones (team-high 27 catches) as a player, but his response didn't answer the direct question of whether his opinion has changed from the 2011 draft as it relates to what the Falcons gave up to select him.

That's a good topic to debate, especially when considering Jones figures to be the Patriots' No. 1 defensive priority on Sunday night.