NFL Notebook: Brian Flores exerting his newfound influence on Patriots' defense this spring

In this week’s edition of the NFL Notebook, we get an update from Reggie Wayne on why he really left New England, a brewing battle around the league between scouts and coaches, and check out some ex-Patriots who are trying to make a go of it in the CFL. But first, it’s clear Brian Flores is putting his own imprint on the New England defense this spring.

1. One of the things that made us sit up and take notice over the first two OTA sessions we saw — and heard — was the voice of Brian Flores. While he hasn’t been given the official title of defensive coordinator, it’s clear who is in charge of the defense. Usually, there are a few voices who rise above the din of the practice field and can be heard. Flores is now one of them. A commanding presence, it certainly looks like he’s always working, always guiding, always prodding throughout practice. Basically, Flores has been a really vocal presence on the practice field, much more than he’s been the last few years, and it'll be interesting to see how it all translates to the rest of the defense. And as Greg noted here, he’s not shy about making sure things are done right. In my experience, Matt Patricia was a similarly stern presence, but not as vocal as Flores has been here in the early going. There’s a lot of time between now and the start of the regular season, but it’s clear the 37-year-old is putting his stamp on the New England defense. Someone to watch — and listen for — if you’re coming to training camp in July.

2. This past week, Reggie Wayne was held up as an example of someone who left New England because he wasn’t having any fun. On the NFL Network late this week, he responded to the idea, saying he left because he knew he “was done,” and nothing else. “There are some reports out there that I left New England because I said it was not fun or it was too hard. Those reports are false. The fact is, I was done. It was time for me to retire. There were other teams that wanted my services, but I knew it was done for me,” Wayne said. He also offered up one of the great quotes of all-time when asked about Bill Belichick and his methodology. “Bill Belichick is not a party planner. That is not what he is in it for. I think he’s in it for winning championships (and) winning games for that organization,” Wayne added.

3. Talked with multiple scouts around the league this week, and one of the things that came up was an apparent de-emphasis of some veteran scouts and scouting departments across the league. While it’s important to note that no one said this is taking place in New England, there was a feeling two things are going on: One, older scouts are being pushed out at an alarming rate at the expense of coaches who are simply looking for guys to rubber-stamp their own opinions. And two, the input of scouts is being de-emphasized by some clubs during the pre-draft process. (One scout referenced a situation that had a coach with a new team, but made several picks based on recommendations of coaches over scouts.) “It’s the destruction of scouting. Too many teams are investing in younger scouts who are just fact-collectors and check-box guys for coaches," said one. "Coaches salaries are growing at such a rate that a lot of teams can’t keep up. And it makes for a bad situation — if there’s a tight end coach making $750,000 and he likes a tight end that a scout doesn’t like, who is going to win that fight? The coach. Look, coaches always want to shop for the groceries, but they just don’t know where to shop all the time. You just think that oyster looks fabulous. You eat it and get sick. It’s our job to know it’s a bad oyster.”

4. Had a few moments (along with a few other reporters) to speak with rookie running back Sony Michel after Thursday’s OTA session, and came away impressed. The Georgia product was asked about one play where he came away with a nice one-handed grab, but was still upbraided for the route by running backs coach Ivan Fears. Michel offered no excuses about what happened, only saying that he had to be better. “For him giving me some type of coaching tip, that’s what’s helping me improve and move forward,” Michel said. “That’s why he’s my coach. I have to listen to him. I’m excited to have him as my coach, Coach Ivan Fears, because he’s going to do what’s best for this team and help me be the best player I can be.” After talking with some people who knew Michel as a younger player, that sort of contrition is no surprise. Still, it’s that sort of statement that makes a good first impression. “Attention to detail is important, in football, period,” Michel added. “Whatever you do, you have to focus on the little things and try to get better. You want to learn from things like that. That’s what I try to do. I try to soak in information, soak in the coaching and just try to learn from that.”

5. Things start to slow on the transactional front between now and the start of training camp, but that doesn’t mean things grind to a complete halt. In the past, the Patriots have never been shy about tweaking their roster at this time of year. Last year, New England made 13 transactions between the start of June and the last week of July, none of which included the signing of draft picks. (One of which was the signing Julian Edelman to a two-year extension on June 8.) Not saying there’s going to be a complete roster overhaul between now and the start of camp, but teams are still making moves, even at what’s commonly regarded as the slowest stretch on the NFL calendar.

6. The CFL preseason is underway, and there are a handful of ex-Patriots who are looking to latch on with teams up north. We noted one of our favorites in Brian Tyms (Toronto) the other day, but he’s not the only former New Englander with the Argos. Offensive lineman Chase Farris, quarterback McCleod Bethel-Thompson (who had the best nickname — McBLT — in recent franchise history) and receiver/returner Chris Harper are also with the Argos. Meanwhile, receiver Kenbrell Thompkins (who caught 32 passes for the Patriots in 2013) is with Winnipeg.

7. As we said last week, we’re going to try and stack up some charts between now and the start of training camp that look at how the Patriots compare with the rest of the league in a variety of statistical categories over the last few seasons. This week, it’s penalties.

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(For the record, this information comes from the NFL’s Game Statistics and Information System, and does not include penalties that were declined or offset.)

8. The next month-plus, there are going to be a handful of football camps in the area involving current and former Patriots. Last week, we told you about one run by the Patriots’ Alumni. This week, we’ll highlight the All-American Fundamental Camp Showcase, which will be hosted by Patriots’ Jonathan Jones and Marquis Flowers. Set for July 22 at Manning Field in Lynn, campers are promised skill development sessions, coaching, positional work, as well as pictures and autographs. For more information or to sign up, check out their site here.

9. This annual MLB draft — set for this coming week — is always a great reminder the Patriots have had some pretty good baseball talent on their roster over the years. Fullback Patrick Pass (who was with the Patriots from 2000-2007) played three years as a minor leaguer with the Marlins. Safety Jarrad Page (who spent the 2010 season with the Patriots) played college baseball at UCLA and was good enough to get drafted by three different baseball teams before committing to football. Matt Cassel reached the Little League World Series in 1994. Wide receiver Julian Edelman took some BP before a Red Sox-Blue Jays game in Toronto in 2012 and impressed former Boston third-base coach Brian Butterfield. But the most notable among them was Tom Brady, an 18th-round pick of the Expos in 1995. A few years back, I spoke with John Hughes, the scout who tried to convince Brady to play baseball instead of football. Hughes compared Brady to Joe Mauer, another tall, rangy quarterback who was trying to decide between football and baseball. (Mauer eventually turned down a scholarship to play football at Florida State to join the Twins.) Hughes also said that if Brady had focused solely on baseball, he would have been taken in the first five rounds. “He is still the most impressive kid I ever dealt with,” Hughes recalled when asked about Brady. “I always say that what you see when you watch him on a football field, he was that sort of kid at an early age. The way he carried himself, he had the air of a professional. … I often say it was the most fun summer I had following a guy that I ended up drafting but didn’t sign.”

10. Another important stretch for the Patriots looms this coming week, as mandatory minicamp will be held in Foxborough on Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday. (The media is scheduled to have access all three days.) If Robert Kraft’s statements are any indication, expect the quarterback and tight end to be in attendance for that stretch.