Took a ride down to the New England Patriots training camp on Tuesday. We made a wrong turn and ended up in Rhode Island, but we got there in time for the afternoon practice session. (How did we end up in Rhode Island? Don't ask.)

The Patriots have two synthetic turf practice fields situated next to Gillette Stadium. Admission to training camp is free, bleachers are set up along the one practice field's sideline, some folks prefer to sit on a small hill behind the end zone and pack a lunch if you don't want to take advantage of the concession stands behind the bleachers. A thirsty Pats fan can even purchase a $4.00 Gatorade from one of the vendors roaming the bleachers. You read it right - a vendor at training camp. The Kraft family does not miss a trick or an opportunity to make a buck.

All eyes were focused on quarterback Tom Brady and his recovery from reconstructive knee surgery. Brady looked good and was moving well, which was demonstrated by his performance in Thursday night's 27-25 exhibition win over the Philadelphia Eagles. Is Brady going to blow you away with his arm strength? It's not his arm strength that impresses which is more than sufficient - it is the accuracy of his throws. Former NFL quarterbacks Phil Simms and Joe Montana are always mentioned as two of the most accurate passers in NFL history, but Brady's name has to be on that list.

It was a no pads practice. Preparing for the Eagles on Thursday night, Belichick probably saw no need to get his guys banged up. The Patriots are a veteran team and why risk injury in a Rex Ryan fight-filled practice. Linebacker Teddy Bruschi and wide receiver Wes Welker did not participate in Tuesday's afternoon session, and neither played against the Eagles.

Impressions

Randy Moss was working hard. After watching him get in his work, it seems virtually impossible to cover Randy Moss one-on-one. Defensive end Jevon Kearse was labeled The Freak - the wrong guy was given that moniker. Moss is a potent combination of speed and size. And he's not helping New England's secondary build its self-confidence - no one could keep up with Moss. Rookie free agent defensive back Jamar Love must have nightmares of Randy Moss turning him inside out. 

With Wes Welker absent from the practice field, rookie wide out Julian Edelman stepped into Welker's role as the slot receiver with the first team offense. Edelman was impressive and made you think you were looking at a Wes Welker doppelganger. His performance in Thursday night's exhibition game against the Eagles reinforced what was witnessed Tuesday afternoon. Edelman returned a punt 75 yards to the Big House, caught five passes and totaled 136 all-purpose yards.

All of this, from a guy, who was a seventh-round draft choice. Edelman even made a tackle on the game's opening kickoff.

Coming out of Kent St., Edelman was a quarterback projected to play wide receiver in the NFL. Taken with the 232nd pick in the draft, Bill Belichick and his staff seem to possess an innate knack for discovering football players. It's clear that Edelman is a football player, which makes you wonder what the rest of the NFL was thinking. Of course, Belichick is afforded the luxury of taking the occasional flyer on an unconventional talent, but that vision is seldom seen around the league.

During the course of practice, Brady and Edelman were in constant discussion. It appeared Brady was giving the kid a quick tutorial on the Patriots offense.

At the end of practice, Edelman wasn't done. He took extra reps grabbing footballs shot from a jugs machine.

Julian Edelman (#11) rockin' the mohawk at Kent St.

Not that I'm doing a Sports Illustrated/Peter King tour of NFL training camps, and this may be standard operating procedure throughout the NFL, but Belichick impressed me with an unusual special teams drill. New England's punt coverage gunners attempted to beat two men down the field by running through the bench area. How many teams practice that exact situation in training camp? The drill didn't last long, but it certainly speaks to Belichick's attention to detail.

Bon Jovi

Jon Bon Jovi was in attendance to watch Tuesday afternoon's practice. When the Patriots came out for the afternoon session, Bon Jovi was blaring from the sound system. Knowing Belichick was a big fan of the Jersey rocker, I wasn't surprised to hear his selection in music, but then someone pointed out to me that Bon Jovi was on the sideline. Apparently, most of the women in the bleachers had already spotted him long before I was aware of his presence.

If you're interested, Bon Jovi was wearing a Pats t-shirt, distressed jeans and a hipster black hat. Does Bon Jovi wear shorts? I doubt it.