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Here are four important players to keep an eye on who are returning from injuries suffered last season:

Buffalo Bills: Defensive end Mario Williams

Injury: Pectoral

Thoughts: Williams was on his way to a dominant 2011 after he recorded five sacks in his first five games. Then he tore his pectoral muscle and was sidelined for the rest of the season. That didn't scare Buffalo away from making Williams the richest player in franchise history. The Bills gave Williams a $100 million contract in free agency to improve their pass rush. Williams will join teammates Mark Anderson, Marcell Dareus and Kyle Williams to make up one of the NFL's most formidable defensive lines. There's no reason to think Williams won't be successful with this group as long as he avoids injuries.

Miami Dolphins: Left tackle Jake Long

Injury: Bicep

Thoughts: Long missed two of the final three games last season and was placed on injured reserve last December with a torn bicep. The perennial Pro Bowl left tackle went four straight years without missing a start but played hurt much of last season. Long is entering the final year of his contract, and the rebuilding Dolphins need a healthy season from their best player. Miami general manager Jeff Ireland says he wants to keep Long in a Dolphins uniform for a long time. The team may not extend Long's contract happen this summer, but look for the Dolphins to offer Long a huge extension by next year -- especially if he shows his durability in 2012.

New England Patriots: Tight end Rob Gronkowski

Injury: Ankle

Thoughts: Gronkowski didn't miss any games last season. But he suffered a major ankle injury in the AFC Championship Game against the Baltimore Ravens that hindered his effectiveness in New England's Super Bowl loss to the New York Giants. Gronkowski opted for surgery after the Super Bowl and is in the recovery phase. There is no reason to believe he won't be the same dominant player who set an NFL record for tight ends with 17 touchdown receptions in 2011. Gronkowski is 23 years old. But sometimes with youth comes the propensity to rush back on the field. It will be up to the Patriots' medical staff to make sure "Gronk" takes his time getting back to 100 percent.

New York Jets: Safety LaRon Landry

Injury: Achilles

Thoughts: The Jets signed Landry to a one-year, $3.5 million contract despite knowing he wasn't 100 percent. Landry has already missed organized team activities. The Jets hope his Achilles can be fully healthy by training camp. Landry, when healthy, is a big and physical safety who can blow people up. That would fit in well with New York's defense. But Landry can't help the Jets unless he's on the field. The former first-round pick missed 16 games the past two seasons with the Washington Redskins.

» AFC Scenarios: East | West | North | South » NFC: East | West | North | South

Yes, the start of training camps is two months away, but it’s never too early to consider the coming season. A look at the best-case and worst-case scenarios for the Patriots in 2012.

Dream scenario (15-1): The Patriots take advantage of the easiest strength of schedule in the NFL on their way to home-field advantage throughout the playoffs. Barring injury, it's hard not to see New England winning at least 11 or 12 games this year. Note the dream scenario is 15-1, not 16-0. The pressure of going into the playoffs undefeated is immense. New England found out the hard way after the 2007 season, when they came up just short in the Super Bowl against the New York Giants. It would be easier for New England to get that loss out of the way early so the pressure of a perfect season won't be on their shoulders late in the year. The AFC East looks ripe for the Patriots once again. They went 5-1 against the division in 2011, which is key to winning the AFC East and vying for home-field advantage in the AFC.

Nightmare scenario (9-7): Is 9-7 really a nightmare? Not for most teams. But it's Super Bowl or bust for New England, and a nine-win season with the chance to miss the playoffs is probably the worst this team could do considering its talent and easy schedule. Significant injuries are the only thing I can see derailing the Patriots from another playoff run. Quarterback Tom Brady suffered a season-ending knee injury in 2008 and New England still finished 11-5. But this is a different team, especially on defense. A significant injury to Brady, especially early in the season, would be a nightmare and make the Patriots an ordinary team again. I'm not convinced this team is good enough, especially defensively, to hold up like it did a few years ago without its future Hall of Fame quarterback. Also, who knows if Ryan Mallett or Brian Hoyer is good enough to lead the charge? Maybe in time, but the Patriots don't want to find out next season.

The New England Patriots have played in five Super Bowls -- winning three -- since they drafted quarterback Tom Brady in the sixth round in 2000. They also have eight division titles in that span, and Brady and coach Bill Belichick recently became the winningest quarterback-coach combo in NFL history.

But all of that comes to an end when Brady retires.

Brady, who turns 35 in August, says he wants to play in New England until he's 40. That is great news for the Patriots, because they will struggle the second the future Hall of Famer hangs it up.

Things that have become foreign to New England the past dozen years will become routine again. New England will have down years and miss the playoffs -- just like everybody else. The Patriots won't survive various injuries -- just like everybody else. The Patriots also will run through a few quarterbacks, too -- just like everybody else.

On Wednesday, ESPN.com examined potentially dominant teams in 2015 . At that point, I think New England's easy run over the AFC East will be a thing of the past.

Here are four reasons New England will struggle in the post-Brady era:

No. 1: Patriots won't immediately find Brady's replacement

Brady's story is once in a generation. He's a former sixth-round pick who slipped through the cracks to become one of the top five quarterbacks of all time. Brady had the drive and “it" factor to become the greatest player in franchise history. Brady often is compared to Joe Montana, because they share a similar story about 20 years apart.

The chances of New England finding another Brady anytime soon are slim.

Patriot fans will scream Ryan Mallett is a future franchise quarterback. But how does anyone really know, considering the 2011 third-round pick hasn't thrown an NFL pass?

What about Brian Hoyer? The undrafted quarterback has shown small flashes but certainly not enough to warrant Pro Bowl status. The drop-off going from Brady to 99 percent of other quarterbacks will be steep.

Even if Mallett or Hoyer turn out to be viable starting quarterbacks, neither will be nearly as good as Brady. Is Mallett or Hoyer a future Hall of Famer? Probably not. Will either quarterback perennially make the Pro Bowl? Not likely.

New England has been able to overcome poor defense, injuries and at times average receivers to still be competitive. Brady was great enough to carry the Patriots through various weaknesses. That no longer will be a luxury in New England. It will be much harder to get everything right with other areas of the team, especially if the quarterback position is in flux.

No. 2: The offense is old

Brady is turning 35 in August. No. 1 receiver Wes Welker is 31. Starting receiver Brandon Lloyd is 30. Longtime left tackle Matt Light just retired this offseason. Guard Brian Waters may follow, if not this year then soon after.

When Brady is gone, it's likely all of these important offensive pieces will be gone as well. A Patriot offense without Brady, Welker, Lloyd, Light, Waters, etc. means New England is virtually starting over in a few years.

The Patriots still have a couple young stars in tight end Rob Gronkowski and Aaron Hernandez. But consider this: One tight end probably will bolt in free agency. Both Gronkowski and Hernandez -- two of the top five players at their position -- have rookie contracts set to expire in two years. Both will be looking for huge paydays, and New England can't do that with two players at the same position.

New England most likely will throw the money truck at Gronkowski, perhaps making him the highest-paid tight end, and let Hernandez walk. Brady also will be 37 and possibly retired or on his last legs by the time both tight ends will look for extensions. Returning to New England's offense long-term won't be as attractive two years from now for a pending free agent like Hernandez.

No. 3: Sun is setting on Belichick

Belichick just turned 60 years old. How much longer will Belichick coach the Patriots?

Belichick has coached in the NFL in some capacity for 37 years. He is approaching his fourth decade in the league.

Even head coaches have a shelf life. Belichick currently is the NFL's fourth-oldest head coach behind Tom Coughlin (65) of the New York Giants, Romeo Crennel (64) of the Kansas City Chiefs and, by a few months, Chan Gailey (60) of the Buffalo Bills. Perhaps we are also witnessing the last few years of Belichick roaming the sidelines.

A good debate topic in New England would be who contributed more to the Patriots' dynasty the past dozen years: Brady or Belichick? Both are Hall of Famers. But in my opinion, Brady's development and dominance at quarterback is a stronger factor in New England's success. Belichick would not have won all those games, division titles and championships in New England with shoddy quarterback play. Brady remained dominant and kept the team afloat, even when Belichick struggled coaching the defense, which is Belichick's specialty.

No. 4: The rest of the AFC East will catch up

I often call the AFC East the "Brady and Belichick division." They're the great equalizers who keep the Patriots on top.

But without Brady in a few years, and perhaps Belichick, all four teams are back to an even playing field. Who will be the top quarterback in the AFC East when Brady retires? Ryan Tannehill? Mark Sanchez? Tim Tebow? Someone else?

Maybe all four teams will have average quarterback play. That means the Patriots, New York Jets, Bills and Miami Dolphins must rely on other areas to be successful and win the division.

Can the Patriots rely on their defense to lead the way? Not right now. Not even close. New England is in no position to overcome poor quarterback play, and that probably won't change overnight.

I expect Brady to play at least two more years (2012 and 2013) at an elite level. He may opt to play beyond that. But after age 37, there's no guarantee Brady can continue to take the physical pounding and play at such a high level that we have become accustomed to. We've already seen nagging injuries bother Brady more than ever over the past couple of seasons.

Brady is a special talent the organization will probably never see again. So enjoy the success now, Patriots fans. New England will come back to earth and be an ordinary team again in 3-5 years.

Some New England Patriots observers are still scratching their heads regarding defensive back Devin McCourty's sophomore slump. He went from a Pro Bowl corner in his rookie year to a player who couldn't consistently cover receivers in 2011.

McCourty provided some answers this week. He told the Boston Herald he played with a separated right shoulder since Week 10 of the regular season. McCourty returned after two games, but it appears he was more injured than he was letting on.

McCourty struggled mightily down the stretch for New England's 31st-rated defense. He was eventually moved to safety during the Patriots' playoff run. McCourty didn't require offseason surgery but says he's still not 100 percent.

The Patriots hope McCourty just suffered a down year. They need cover corners, and McCourty proved he can make plays when he had seven interceptions and two forced fumbles as a rookie.

PEABODY, Mass. -- Two days after telling the Boston Herald that his contract negotiations had "gotten worse," New England Patriots wide receiver Wes Welker backtracked on his comments, writes ESPNBoston.com's Mike Rodak.

"That was probably a bad choice of words, saying they've gotten worse," Welker said Saturday. "They've pretty much -- they've stayed the same. I'm franchised for the year and I'm completely happy with that."

» NFC pressure points: West | North | South | East
» AFC pressure points: West | North | South | East

Examining who faces the most challenging season for the Patriots and why.

It's hard enough to replace a New England Patriots legend. It's even harder when you're stepping into one of the most important jobs on the team.

That is the situation facing the Patriots' new starting left tackle, Nate Solder. The 2011 first-round pick is entering his second season and first as the full-time protector of quarterback Tom Brady's blind side.

Solder did a good job in relief of injured right tackle Sebastian Vollmer last year. Solder showed good movement and footwork in pass protection, and New England's elite offense didn't miss a beat. This year, Solder will be replacing three-time Super Bowl winner Matt Light on the left side, which is more challenging. Light retired this year after 11 seasons. He started in his fifth Super Bowl last season, capping a great career.

Now, Solder will be facing the best pass-rushers the NFL has to offer. Brady will be 35 in August and needs to take as few hits as possible. Solder was taken in the first round to eventually replace Light. That time came a little sooner than expected, but Solder has to be ready.

John Clayton discusses New England receiver's claim that contract talks with the Patriots have gotten worse.

Chad Ochocinco is known to be different. When everyone goes right, Ochocinco usually goes far to the left.

That is why it's no surprise that Ochocinco showed his sincere and heartfelt support for NFL commissioner Roger Goodell on Friday. The New England Patriots receiver is one of the few players -- at least publicly -- who backs Goodell 100 percent after a rough year that included a lengthy lockout, increased fines, the bounty scandal and high-profile deaths that may be linked to football-related injuries.

The NFL is booming. But this is an unprecedented time of dissension between current and former players and the league office. The league is facing various lawsuits. Goodell also is tweaking the game -- some believe too much -- in the name of safety. Many players disagree with his methods or motives, or both.

Ochocinco addresses many of those issues in his letter to Goodell, whom Ochocinco refers to as a father figure.

"You are in one big [expletive] catch-22 and quite frankly, I am not sure there is any solution," Ochocinco wrote. "One thing I think can help is killing the NFL PR machine."

Goodell is stern, corporate and to the point. Ochocinco is boisterous and playful. Yet the two always got along, despite several fines Ochocinco has received over the years.

Do not expect many players to follow Ochocinco and write emotional letters in support of Goodell. Right or wrong, Ochocinco is on an island when it comes to player support of Goodell.

Perhaps the end of Ochocinco's letter was most pertinent for Patriots fans. According to Ochocinco, he will have a bounce-back year and plans to do a lot of touchdown celebrations in 2012. Ochocinco scored just one touchdown all last year.

Last I checked, New York Jets head coach Rex Ryan recklessly predicted they would win the Super Bowl two years in a row.

Last I checked, the Jets’ offseason boasting was so overboard, they were dubbed the “OTA World Champions” by opponents.

Last I check, it was the Jets who did backflips and over-celebrated their last playoff win against the New England Patriots. Remember Bart Scott’s memorable “Can’t wait!” speech?

So why the sensitivity when Patriots head coach Bill Belichick ripped New York’s stout defense after last season’s 37-16 drubbing?

On Thursday Jets cornerback Darrelle Revis stood behind his “jerk” comment about Belichick, which stemmed from a private statement Belichick made to his son while walking off the field last November.

Belichick, according to the New York Post, said “Thirty-seven points on the best defense in the league … [expletive].”

We won’t repeat the three words Belichick said next, because this is a family-friendly blog. But it still resonates with Revis, who said Belichick’s comments were too personal. I say Revis and the Jets are too sensitive.

The Jets cannot be the kings of trash talk and not be able to take it, especially after suffering a 21-point beatdown. Even the usually reserved Patriots occasionally will have something to say. The Jets cannot get their feelings hurt when they are almost always the aggressors.

There is a fine line you don’t want to cross when mouthing off to an opponent. I agree with Revis in that regard. But the Jets (of all teams) are not the voice of reason on this topic.

If the Jets suddenly want to get sensitive about trash-talking, maybe they should look in the mirror and do some introspection.

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 continues 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 with the Patriots -- 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 Patriots players often are treated 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.

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.

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.

Last week ESPN.com's blog team examined big questions around the NFL. I had four in the AFC East that need to be answered that you can check out here.

This week we want to look at four smaller questions about the AFC East. Credit goes to NFC East blogger Dan Graziano for the idea.

Will the Jets improve safety play?

Opponents found the weakness in the New York Jets' defense in the second half of last season. The Jets were exploited time after time over the middle of the field, particularly by opposing tight ends. It was part of the reason the Jets lost their final three games.

Will New York improved its safety play in 2012? The Jets are banking on LaRon Landry to be an upgrade over Jim Leonhard. Landry is a bigger hitter but his coverage skills are questionable. Landry also has injury concerns. Eric Smith struggled last season but will get another year in the starting lineup. Neither safety is known for coverage.

The corners -- Darrelle Revis and Antonio Cromartie -- will do their job. But the Jets could have the same issues over the middle if Smith and Landry don't step up.

Will Shawne Merriman contribute?

Where does Merriman fit with the 2012 Buffalo Bills? It depends mostly on Merriman's health. The outside linebacker is trying to return from back-to-back season-ending Achilles injuries.

Buffalo could use a rejuvenated "Lights Out" coming off the edge this year. The Bills have made it a point to improve their pass rush by investing most of their free-agent dollars on starting defensive ends Mario Williams and Mark Anderson. Merriman has lacked the burst he had earlier in his career. But if he can add several sacks to the pile for the Bills, that would be a huge bonus.

Can the Miami Dolphins find a second pass-rusher?

Speaking of pass-rushers, the Dolphins have one in Cameron Wake, who just received a $49 million extension. But who will take the pressure and double-teams off Wake, which was a major issue last season?

Miami's defense is strong in many areas. The team is expected to use more 4-3 looks under first-year defensive coordinator Kevin Coyle. Wake will be a threat on one edge, but someone needs to step up on the opposite side.

Miami's second-leading player in sacks last year was Jason Taylor, who is retired. Maybe defensive lineman Jared Odrick has the potential to fill the void. The Dolphins also drafted Olivier Vernon in the third round to bolster the pass rush.

Will Patriots' running game produce?

The reigning AFC champion New England Patriots improved their defense. They upgraded their wide receivers and signed several offensive linemen.

But what about New England's running game? The Patriots did little at tailback. They lost leading rusher BenJarvus Green-Ellis and signed Joseph Addai, which is a downgrade. Addai averaged just 3.7 yards per carry last season.

The key will be the development of second-year running backs Stevan Ridley and Shane Vereen. New England hopes one or both players make a big jump in Year 2. The Patriots will be a pass-heavy team. There's no denying that. But the running backs have to make the most of their opportunities when quarterback Tom Brady isn't throwing the ball.

I remember interviewing Matt Light in the New England Patriots' locker room this past January after their playoff win over the Denver Broncos. Light was funny, engaging and most importantly calm and at peace, which is not the norm in the playoffs.

Two weeks later, Light was preparing for Super Bowl XLVI against the New York Giants. I spent time at his podium with other media twice in Indianapolis. Again, I was pleasantly surprised how relaxed Light was in such a high-pressure situation. The biggest game of the year was upcoming, and Light was the left tackle responsible for protecting quarterback Tom Brady against the NFL's most formidable defensive line.

Although I didn't know it at the time, it didn't surprise me when reports began to surface that Light would retire after 11 seasons. Light made it official Monday with a formal ceremony in Foxborough, Mass.

Light is a rarity in the NFL, because he knew when to walk away. He's 33, appears in good health and has the rest of his life ahead of him with his family and children. Light also is a three-time Super Bowl champion and three-time Pro Bowler.

"When you know it's your time, you just know," Light said, according to ESPNBoston.com.

Light could have played another year or two at a high level. He was under contract with the Patriots one more season and had a starting job waiting for him. Light wasn't forced to retire, like so many former NFL players. Light chose to retire.

At a time when football injuries, concussions and post-NFL life are being put under the microscope, Light provides a beacon of hope that retired players can walk away from the game they love just fine. The key is for players to be mentally and physically prepared for the next phase, which is not always easy.

I usually don't like to look beyond this season in the NFL because so much can change in a year. But ESPN's resident scout Todd McShay has an interesting mock draft up for 2013.

It's a very early projection. But let's take a look at what McShay has in store for the AFC East:

Miami Dolphins

Pick: No. 8

McShay's pick: Jarvis Jones, OLB, Georgia

Thoughts: McShay projects Miami to take one of the best pass-rushers next year. Jones recorded 13.5 sacks as a junior, and expectations are high for Jones in 2012. Pass-rushers are always needed. For example, Dolphins outside linebacker Cameron Wake is entering the final year of his contract and is in the middle of a dispute with the team.

New York Jets

Pick: No. 9

McShay's pick: Barkevious Mingo, DE, LSU

Thoughts: I'm surprised McShay and Scouts Inc. project New York to have a top-10 pick next year. Are the Jets on their way to another implosion, as the No. 9 overall pick suggests? If that's the case, McShay sees the Jets drafting another pass-rusher in Mingo. This is the norm for Jets coach Rex Ryan. But I think running back and offensive tackle could be more pressing needs by the end of next season.

Buffalo Bills

Pick: No. 17

McShay's pick: Logan Thomas, QB, Virginia Tech

Thoughts: The Bills didn't draft a developmental quarterback this year. So I understand why McShay sees Buffalo taking one in the first round in 2013. Buffalo will need to have someone ready to replace Ryan Fitzpatrick in the next few seasons. But I was surprised that it was Thomas over Oklahoma's Landry Jones, who has more buzz entering this year. But both players will settle it on the field to determine who is the second-best quarterback prospect behind Matt Barkley of USC.

New England Patriots

Pick: No. 32

McShay's pick: Marquess Wilson, WR, Washington State

Thoughts: Once again, it's interesting that McShay and Scouts Inc. are vaguely predicting a Super Bowl title for New England. The Patriots have so many receivers already that I'm finding it hard to see New England drafting that position in the first round. The Patriots have few holes. But maybe cornerback or running back could be early targets, depending on how things play out this season.

How much has New England's defense improved?

It can't get much worse. The New England Patriots were 31st in total defense and 31st against the pass in 2011.

New England selected all defensive players until the seventh round of last week's NFL draft. It was a wise move to draft for defense, particularly in the first round, where the Patriots selected pass-rusher Chandler Jones and physical linebacker Dont'a Hightower.

Not everyone agrees with all of New England's selections. Second-round defensive back Tavon Wilson was a controversial pick. Wilson was not invited to the combine and certainly wasn't projected as a second-round pick. But you can't disagree with the Patriots adding six new defensive players to the roster.

The Patriots appear to be focused on their pass rush. Jones, Hightower and third-round defensive end Jake Bequette displayed the ability and athleticism to pressure the quarterback in college. Improvement in that area this season would be huge for the Patriots.

New England's offense already is elite. Quarterback Tom Brady and the offense carried a struggling Patriots' defense all season during their Super Bowl run. The defense doesn't need to be top 10 in 2012. But if it can make immediate strides and get into the top 15 or top 20, that could be enough to make New England a strong title contender once again.

Bill Belichick of the New England Patriots was the last person to coach future Hall of Fame linebacker Junior Seau. Belichick signed Seau at the tail end of his career and was Seau's coach for his final four seasons in the NFL.

Seau died Wednesday at the age of 43. Belichick released a statement on Seau Thursday:

"A day later, it is still hard to believe. Of all the players I have coached, nobody was more full of energy and vitality than Junior Seau. He respected and inspired every single person he came in contact with -- players, coaches and support staff. His defied the odds by playing two decades in the NFL at a level and with a youthful spirit rarely seen but appreciated by everyone. Junior will always be remembered as a intense Hall of Fame player from the old school. He was a charismatic icon. At the same time, as a human being he was as caring, warm and lovable as they come. That’s what I will miss most of all. It was a privilege to have coached Junior Seau. My condolences to his family."