New England defensive lineman Richard Seymour was not at the Patriots opening training camp practice on Friday marking the beginning of what could be a very lengthy holdout. Seymour wants to re-negotiate his contract that currently has two years remaining. Coach Bill Belichick said after Friday's practice that he was "just concentrating on the people that are here. Coach the guys that are here." While he has the support of some teammates, it is obvious that a prolonged holdout will have an impact on the Patriots great team chemistry. Quarterback Tom Brady said, "Richard's a great person. He's a great teammate. Hopefully, he's here (soon). I can't control it, so I'm just going to go out there and worry about playing quarterback."

The Patriots have signed lineman Jarvis Green and standout linebacker Mike Vrabel to contract extensions. Green, one of the Patriots' collection of outstanding young linemen, got a four-year extension through 2009. Earlier in the spring, he had signed the one-year restricted free agent qualifying offer of $1.43 million. The five-year contract that results from the extension can be worth as much as $18 million. It will pay Green, who has never played more than 40 percent of the Patriots' snaps but is an important part of the defense, about $6.5 million over its first two years. The signing bonus is believed to be $3 million to $3.5 million. Details of Vrabel's extension were not available. He was technically under contract through 2007 but the 2006-07 seasons were so-called dummy years, each with a base salary of $5 million, and the deal needed to be reworked after the coming season concluded.

New England linebacker Ted Johnson announced his retirement Thursday after a 10-year NFL career, saying he decided to retire rather than risk further injury following a series of concussions. A member of three Super Bowl champion teams in New England, Johnson notified the team of his decision a day before veterans were scheduled to begin training camp. His retirement further weakens the inside linebacker position. Tedy Bruschi, the other starter there, has said he will sit out this season after suffering a minor stroke last winter. Johnson, 32, was drafted by the Patriots in the second round of the 1995 NFL draft out of Colorado, the 57th overall player selected. The 6-foot-4, 253-pound linebacker started 106 of 125 regular season games and was credited with 865 career tackles and 11? sacks.

The New England Patriots sign their first round pick from the 2005 draft, offensive lineman Logan Mankins on Monday. The 307-pound Mankins played at Fresno State, where he blocked for quarterback David Carr, now with the Houston Texans. Mankins, who started 40 games in four college seasons, was taken with the 32nd and final pick of the first round after not allowing a sack in his final college season.

The New England Patriots inked their third round pick, cornerback Ellis Hobbs, to an unspecified contract on Friday. Hobbs, a cornerback and kick returner out of Iowa State, was the 84th overall pick. The Patriots released rookie running back DeCori Birmingham, who was signed as an undrafted free agent out of Arkansas.

New England Patriots Tedy Bruschi will sit out this season because of a stroke he suffered 10 days after helping the Patriots win their third Super Bowl in four years. "Tedy ... has declared his intentions to forgo the 2005 campaign," Patriots spokesman Stacey James said in a statement. "The Bruschi family wanted to express their heartfelt appreciation for the tremendous outpouring of support they have received from fans throughout New England and others around the country." Bruschi, 32, suffered a mild stroke on Feb. 16, three days after playing in the Pro Bowl and 10 days after helping New England beat the Philadelphia Eagles 24-21 in the Super Bowl. James said Bruschi has made daily progress in his rehabilitation. He has attended team meetings, helped new players learn the defense and worked out in the Patriots' weight room. But didn't practice during the team's June mini-camp. Training camp begins July 28. "All offseason, we have seen and felt Tedy's strong and upbeat presence," coach Bill Belichick said. "As usual, we will keep the focus on the short term and address the future in due course. We are pleased Tedy continues to be part of the team and he has our complete support." Bruschi had said it was possible that he could sit out the 2005 season and return in 2006. "Football to me, it's something I love and it's something I'll always want to do," the Patriots linebacker said last month at a party to pass out the latest Super Bowl rings. "But I've got to think about my wife and my sons and just make sure things are right."

New England Patriots veteran inside linebacker, Tedy Bruschi, has yet to declare his intentions for the upcoming season with only 8 days left until camp. Bruschi suffered a mild stroke five months ago and had been recovering ever since. For what it's worth, Bruschi has acted like a man who wants to play, spending much of his spring working out and attending film sessions at Gillette Stadium. And a report on New England Cable News last night, citing a team source, said the chances of Bruschi playing were 90 percent. What his family and coaches have to say is another matter.

Scott Pioli, who helped build the New England Patriots teams that have won three of the last four Super Bowls, has agreed to a contract extension as the team's vice president of player personnel. Terms of the extension that will keep Pioli with the Patriots were not disclosed. Robert Kraft, the Patriots' chairman and chief executive, said Pioli ``has done a tremendous job managing our personnel department and overseeing the draft for us.'' Pioli, 40, joined the Patriots in 2000 along with coach Bill Belichick. The team won a Super Bowl title in Pioli's and Belichick's second season in New England. Since that victory, the team has repeated as Super Bowl champs two more times, including this year's 24-21 victory over the Philadelphia Eagles.

Winners of three of the last four Super Bowls, the New England Patriots have agreed to a contract extension with vice president of player personnel Scott Pioli. Robert Kraft, the Patriots' chairman and chief executive, said Pioli "has done a tremendous job managing our personnel department and overseeing the draft for us."