No official word yet from Patriots brass, but several news organizations are reporting today that New England has matched the Denver Broncos' one-year offer to punter Todd Sauerbrun.

Laden with incentives, the contract could be worth as much as $1.4 million.

So how does Sauerbrun feel about his new deal in New England? See what the Rocky Mountain News has to say (at the bottom of its article about Broncos coach Mike Shanahan).

Meanwhile, with Asante Samuel talking trade and Randall Gay talking to the Jets, the Pats may be pursuing a veteran corner in the free agent market, according to one Boston-based newspaper. Another paper says the team will bring a Draft-eligible cornerback to Gillette for a closer look.

No matter who ends up in New England's defensive backfield this season, the position will be highly scrutinized. So, today, The Providence Journal focuses on which DBs the Patriots might consider in this month's NFL Draft. Draft strategy is the subject of another feature in the Boston Herald.

And take your pick of Mock Drafts this Tuesday. NFL.com has two, with four different players being selected by the Patriots in the first round. Another football-related website predicts that New England will trade up to get one of Urban Meyer's Gators.

And what if Mo Lewis had not injured Drew Bledsoe in 2001?

"Tom Brady would have been the starter within a year. The Pats would not have won the Super Bowl in 2001, but they likely would have won the next year."

"If Lewis doesn't knock out Bledsoe in that game, the Patriots that year would have went on to the Super Bowl and maybe would have won. The following year in training camp Brady would have won the starting job and Bledsoe either is a backup or gets traded. Brady still would have went on and become a modern-day legend and Bledsoe still would have had a good career somewhere else."

Those are just a couple of reactions from fans across the country. You can add your two cents to the hypothetical debate at ESPN.com.