The Patriots have been busy taking a look at players, reviewing the roster, setting their draft board, and working on contracts. Here's the insider list on who's been signed, who's not, and what known details are of those who have rejoined New England's roster in Foxboro.

The list includes details on Adam Vinatieri, Troy Brown, David Givens and more.

Patriots Draft Coverage:

For draft coverage, be sure to check out The NFL Experts coverge with your Insider access pass: www.thenflexperts.com. College pro days, insider stories on which teams are looking at players and more NFL Draft analysis can be found there daily.

Free Agents, Signings and Contracts

FRANCHISE PLAYER:
--PK Adam Vinatieri (tendered at $2.5M).

TRANSITION PLAYER: None.

UNRESTRICTED FREE AGENTS

• --RB Rabih Abdullah is a special teamer and reserve running back with the size and physical stature the Patriots like. He could get a training camp invite because New England doesn't have much depth at the position. Cedric Cobbs' potential and Kory Chapman's play in Europe could impact Abdullah's status especially with young players like safety Guss Scott and Benjamin Watson returning from injury and expected to play on special teams. Signing him is not an immediate priority.
  
• --WR Troy Brown carried a cap number of $5.7 million into 2005 with $5 million in new money so after trying to negotiate those numbers down, the Patriots declined to pick up a team option that would have required a $2.5 million March 2 bonus payment. Brown was looking for No. 2 receiver money for three years and the Pats were apparently offering No. 3 receiver type dollars. The two sides are likely to continue negotiations, and Brown could be back in the mix.
  
• --S Je'Rod Cherry is a special teamer who won't likely be re-signed. With Scott returning from a knee injury, Cherry, who once again performed well in the kicking game, is expendable and is the type of player New England would look to sign during the season as an injury replacement if he were available.
  
• --WR Kevin Kasper won't likely be re-signed unless the Patriots become thin at wide receiver over the next two months. Then, if Kasper is still available, he could be signed in May or June to compete for a job in camp.

RESTRICTED FREE AGENTS

• --WR David Givens (tendered at $1.43M with 1st-round pick as compensation) was hoping for the low tender so that he could shop his services or a long-term deal with the club. He is the only one of the Patriots four RFAs that could receive a sniff in free agency with a first-round pick looming as compensation. But even Givens, who led the Patriots with 56 catches last season, would be hard-pressed to receive an offer requiring that type of compensation.
  
• --DL Jarvis Green (tendered at $1.43M with 1st-round pick as compensation) should have his services secured for at least one more season. No team would fork over a first pick for Green, a productive reserve in New England over the last three years.

EXCLUSIVE RIGHTS FREE AGENTS

• --OL Gene Mruczkowski (tendered at $305,000) has been with the team in some capacity - either the practice squad or the active roster -- for a couple of seasons and seems to be progressing. He will be tendered and brought to camp to battle for a job. His ability to play guard and center helps his chances since the Patriots have no true backup center on the roster.
  
• --S Guss Scott (tendered at $305,000) was a third-round pick last year but signed a one-year deal. He spent 2003 on injured reserve after injuring his knee in a preseason game and while he has one accrued season toward free agency, he is has no credited seasons in terms of salary and can be retained for the $230,000 tender. If he is healthy, the Patriots will likely try to work out a longer-term contract.

PLAYERS RE-SIGNED

• --OT Tom Ashworth: RFA; $1.43M/1 yr.
  
• --LB Don Davis: UFA; terms unknown.
  
• --OT Brandon Gorin: Potential RFA; $2.3M/3 yrs, $400,000 SB.
  
• --DT Ethan Kelley: ERFA; $305,000/1 yr.
  
• --OG Stephen Neal: RFA; $1.43M/1 yr.
  
• --FB Patrick Pass: UFA; $1.36M/2 yrs, $150,000 SB; 2005 cap: $615,000.

PLAYERS ACQUIRED

• --WR/KR Tim Dwight: FA Chargers; 1 yr, terms unknown.
  
• --CB Duane Starks (trade Cardinals).
• -- WR David Terrell: FA Bears; 1 yr, terms unknown.

PLAYERS LOST

• --OG Joe Andruzzi: UFA Browns; $9M/4 yrs, SB unknown.
  
• --TE Zeron Flemister (released).
  
• --OT Adrian Klemm: UFA Packers; $2.6M/2 yrs, $800,000 SB/$200,000 RB '06.
  
• --CB Ty Law (released).
  
• --QB Jim Miller: UFA Giants; $790,000/1 yr, $25,000 SB.
  
• --CB Earthwind Moreland (released).
  
• --WR David Patten: UFA Redskins; $13M/5 yrs, $3.5M SB.
  
• --LB Roman Phifer (released/failed physical).

MEDICAL WATCH: The Patriots have a mandate against speaking about their injuries, but Rosevelt Colvin is interested to see how his hip responds to the offseason program and some new exercises that will further test it. "I'm not in major discomfort like I was a year ago at this time. I have to wait and see how my body responds to certain things I haven't done," Colvin said.

Special Offer

Not an insider yet? Get the Free Trial, or sign up and take advantage of the Special Offer for 6-month or annual pass members including a Free Patriots Superbowl XXXIX DVD or other great gifts.

If you are reading this article via a news portal, you can find the original on PatriotsInsider.com
URL: http://www.patriots.scout.com

Or talk about it in the Forums
URL: http://mb2.scout.com/bpatriotsinsider