Bill Belichick refused to answer when asked if the Patriots plan to exercise their right to fine holdout wide receiver Deion Branch, who could be docked $14,000 a day. ?I?ll talk about the players that are here,? Belichick said.

The agent for Deion Branch said yesterday that the wide receiver would report to camp without a new deal if the Patriots promise not to use the franchise tag on him in 2007. Branch is entering the final year of his five-year rookie contract and likely will miss the start of today's training camp because he's unhappy with the Patriots' efforts to give him a new contract. His New York-based agent, Jason Chayut, said: "If (the Patriots) came to me and said, 'Jason, we won't franchise Deion,' I would talk with them every day of the season in good faith to get a long-term deal done."

After mulling his options for several days, No. 1 wide receiver Deion Branch decided last night he will not report to camp despite facing a $14,000-per-day fine. A year ago, Richard Seymour sat out of camp until the Patriots agreed to bump up his contract by more than $1 million before making him one of the NFL's highest-paid defensive linemen this past offseason. ``Deion will not be in camp until he feels he's being treated fairly," said Branch's agent, Jason Chayut.

Deion Branch continued to mull his options on Monday in an ongoing battle to win a contract extension. Branch continues to tell friends he intends to hold out, refusing to come to camp despite a change in league rules that has increased the fine for a player under contract not attending training camp workouts from $5,000 per day to $14,000 a day. Branch is also concerned that unresolved contract language in the collective bargaining agreement might put him in jeopardy of losing a portion of the signing bonus he received when he signed his rookie deal in 2002 if he holds out.

Because Deion Branch signed a five-year contract as a second-round pick in 2002, he finds himself in a difficult situation today to receive the fair market value. It is something the Patriots insisted on so they would hold leverage on Branch if he turned out to be a top player. Randle El, taken three picks ahead of Branch, signed a four-year rookie contract with a $930,000 signing bonus. Branch, the 65th pick, got a larger signing bonus ($1.025 million) to sign for five years. As is the case with nearly all picks but first-rounders, Randle El and Branch each were paid the league minimum in base salary per season. That $95,000 difference in upfront money may not have seemed meaningless then, but it is now, since Randle El took advantage of free agency to grab a $10 million signing bonus from the Redskins in March. Branch has spent the summer dreaming of a similar payday.

The Patriots signed sixth-round draft choice Dan Stevenson on Thursday. The 6-foot-5, 300-pound offensive guard was Notre Dame's top offensive lineman last season, starting all 12 games for a unit that averaged 36.7 points and 477 yards per game.

Late July - Training camps open. July 24 - Signing period ends at 4 EDT for unrestricted free agents who received June 1 tender. Aug. 6 - Pro Football Hall of Fame Game, Canton, Ohio. Oakland Raiders vs. Philadelphia Eagles. Aug. 10-14 - First full preseason weekend. Aug. 29 - Roster cut to maximum of 75 players. Sept. 2 - Roster cut to maximum of 53 players. Sept. 3 - Clubs may establish practice squad of eight players. Sept. 7-11 - Season begins. Oct. 17 - Trade deadline. Oct. 23-25 - NFL fall meeting, New Orleans. Dec. 30-31 - Regular season ends. Jan. 6-7, 2007 - Wild-card playoffs. Jan. 13-14, 2007 - Divisional playoffs. Jan. 21, 2007 - Conference championships. Feb. 4, 2007 - Super Bowl, Miami. Feb. 10, 2007 - AFC-NFC Pro Bowl, Honolulu. Feb. 21-27, 2007 - NFL scouting combine, Indianapolis. March 25-28, 2007 - NFL meetings. April 28-29, 2007 - NFL draft, New York. Late May - NFL spring meeting.

A league source is saying that Cornerback Ty Law has three teams on his radar whom he is considering signing with. The list includes the Chiefs, Patriots, and Titans. Many believe that Law will sign with whoever ponies up the most money. The Chiefs and Patriots are believed to be the two true contenders.

New England Patriots defensive lineman Johnathan Sullivan faces several charges, including possession of less than an ounce of marijuana, after his car was pulled over, police said. Sullivan, 25, was stopped by a police officer early Sunday after he ran two stop signs, a police report said.