Ty Law has been having discussions directly with coach Bill Belichick on a possible return to the Patriots, according to Law's agent, Carl Poston, but the Patriots have not yet talked money. ''The talks have been on the level of Ty and Bill and nothing else," Poston said. ''It's been more of a feeling-out process. As I receive some offers on Ty, I'll present them to the Patriots and see what they think and what they can do."

In an offseason full of consternation regarding free agent departures, the Patriots took a major step toward ensuring their future success on Wednesday by signing Richard Seymour to a contract extension. The deal had yet to be announced officially but it?s believed to be a four-year extension that will keep the three-time All-Pro defensive end in a Patriots uniform through 2010. Seymour was entering the final season of his six-year rookie deal and was set to earn a base salary of $2.020 million in 2006. Financial terms of the deal were not disclosed. Seymour received a raise in salary following a brief contract holdout last summer, and according to a section of the collective bargaining agreement, a player cannot receive another raise for a full calendar year. So the big money portion of Seymour?s extension will likely begin in 2007.

Kicker Martin Gramatica, who was out of football all of last season, was signed by New England Thursday as a potential replacement for the departed Adam Vinatieri. The Patriots also signed safety Tebucky Jones, who was one of their two first-round draft picks in 1998 but was traded away four years ago. Vinatieri, who kicked last-minute field goals to win two Super Bowls for New England, signed last month with Indianapolis.