The New England Patriots made a couple additional announcements regarding player personnel late Saturday afternoon.

The club announced they re-signed free agent safety Brendan McGowan and linebacker Tracy White to contracts.

McGowan, who came to New England in 2009 after four seasons with the Chicago Bears, missed all of 2010 with a chest injury after playing in all 16 games (11 starts) in 2009. That season McGowan set career highs with 66 tackles, 10 passes defensed 3 forced fumbles and 1 fumble recovery.  He is expected to get most of his time as a special team’s member.

White, a nine-year veteran, has previously played for Seattle, Jacksonville, Green Bay and Philadelphia prior to coming to New England last season as part of a trade for future considerations with the Eagles.

White was a big time contributor on special teams in 2010 making 18 special teams tackles.

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Here is the transcript of newly acquired WR Chad Ochocinco’s meet the media session.

The team also announced the release of rookie linebacker Anthony Leonard, who was signed just Wednesday as an undrafted free agent out of West Virginia.  So like former Nevada linebacker Ryan Coulson who was also a UDFA, Leonard was sent packing just mere days after signing.  You have to wonder what the deal was with these two.  Did they fail to disclose a previous injury to the team?  Did they flunk the conditioning test? Are they not following rules? Can they not grasp what is being taught?  Are they lazy?  Is it a matter of roster numbers? With the Bill Belichick and the Patriots we will probably never know.

The Patriots also released their training camp schedule for the next few days.

Sunday

On field sessions are from 10 a.m. to 11 a.m. and 2:30 p.m. to 5 p.m.

The Patriots experience is open from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.

Monday

The team will practice, times to be announced.

For all the latest training camp information go to patriots.com/trainingcamp or call 508.549.0041.

Stay with Sox & Dawgs for all the latest Patriots news through the free agent frenzy.   We will post larger signings and trades as soon as we can and will recap the minor days near the end of the day.

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The Patriots have placed 2011 draft pick OL Marcus Cannon on the active/non-football injury list.  Cannon, who was drafted out of TCU, is recovering from a form of non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma and currently is not expected to practice.

If he were to start practicing the team would remove him from the list and place him on the active roster.

Tight End Aaron Hernandez who was sporting a new uniform number on Friday has been activated from the PUP list. He had his first practice session on Saturday.

Newly acquired WR Chad Ochocinco had his first session with the Patriots media members today after practice.  Ochocinco promised to be a chameleon and lay low and just be Chad.

Ochocinco also confirmed that Hernandez wanted nothing in return for #85 though he did say he would let Hernandez drive his Toyota Prius on the weekends and give him some McDonald’s coupons.

Hernandez said he’d rather drive Ochocinco’s Lamborghini.

After he spoke, Chad asked reporters for a group hug.

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The NFLPA is now officially re-established as a union.  This was one of the points of the new CBA that needed to finalized by August 4^th.

Head coach Bill Belichick spoke on newly acquired DT Albert Haynesworth saying that the deal with Washington was finally complete.  I originally reported this week that Haynesworth was in the group of players who couldn’t practice with the squad until August 4^th because he was restructuring his contract.  Apparently that isn’t so and Haynesworth is eligible to practice.

When asked when he expected Haynesworth on the field Belichick said, “he will be out there when he was ready.”  And that’s all he would say leaving that statement up to interpretation.

So does that mean Haynesworth is running into the same conditioning issues he had in Washington?  Or is because he has gone so long with out football contact that Belichick wants him to decide when he is ready to go full bore?  Here’s hoping this is a non-issue.

So far there is nothing further to report in signings of the three remaining draft picks, Nate Solder, Ras-I Dowling and Shane Vereen, other than that there is some haggling going on but I hear there’s progress being made

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Patriots offensive lineman Logan Mankins signed his franchise tender on Friday.  Mankins, who was designated as the team’s franchise player, could have signed the tender or negotiated a long-term contract with the club. 

As of now he has chosen to sign the tender which is worth a reported $10.1 million for the 2011 season.

Mankins a 2005 first round draft pick is a three-time Pro Bowl player and a three-time NFL All-Pro.  He is a huge key in the protection of NFL MVP Tom Brady.

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Photo credit: AP Photo

Veteran running back Kevin Faulk has been re-signed by the New England Patriots.  Faulk, a 1999 draft pick out of LSU, has played his entire career with New England, the 13-year veteran played in just two games last season before tearing his ACL.

He said today that before the lockout he was contacted by head coach Bill Belichick who told him he wanted him on his team in 2011.

Faulk reiterated today that he was going to play for the Patriots or no one in 2011.  His contract terms were not disclosed but it is believed to be a one-year contract.

The Patriots also announced the signing of free agent DL Steve Williams.  Williams played the last two seasons in the Canadian Football League with the British Columbia Lions.

An undrafted free agent in 2006, Williams signed with the Kansas Chiefs with whom he has his only NFL playing experience.  Williams has also spent time on the roster of the Carolina Panthers and the New England Patriots.

Williams signed with the Patriots in May 2009 and was part of the last roster cut made by the club that September.  He then went on to the CFL

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Photo credit: AP Photo

The New England Patriots locked up defensive back Kyle Arrington for two more seasons.  The former undrafted free agent was an exclusive rights free agent and he could have chosen to sign his exclusive rights tender or negotiate a deal. 

He chose the deal.

The two-year extension can be worth as much as $3.275 million over the two years with contract escalators for playing time.  The new contract also gives Arrington a bunch of up front money.

The Hofstra product had 71 tackles and 1 INT returned for a touchdown last season.

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Today was cut day in the NFL and several New England players got the axe.  Among the cuts today were TE Alge Crumpler, OL Nick Kaczur, DL Ty Warren, DE Marcus Stroud, LB Tully Banta-Cain, DB Tony Carter and rookie UDFA LB Ryan Coulson.

Of those players Crumpler is most likely to return to the team under a more cap friendly deal.  Kaczur was a salary cap hit, Warren failed the conditioning run, Stroud isn’t progressing from his injury, Banta-Cain was a cap hit, Carter didn’t project for team and why Coulson got cut just days after signing a contract is kind of odd.  It leaves a few reasons.  We know someone who was an undrafted free agent is very unlikely to be a cap hit so that leaves injured, dumb or lazy or some combination of those.

The Patriots also announced the signing of 3^rd round pick QB Ryan Mallett, which we told you last night was going down today, and they also signed 5^th round pick Marcus Cannon, who is battling a form of non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma. Mallett’s deal is worth $2.2 mil over 4 years with signing bonus a little under $650,000, according to a league source. Cannon’s contract numbers aren’t know at the time but I’d suspect it’s also a four-year deal.

With these signings the only remaining unsigned draft picks are 1^st rounder OT Nate Solder and second round picks DB Ras-I Dowling and RB Shane Vareen.

Rookie TE Lee Smith who is one of the six signed Patriots draft picks had his contract rejected by the league due to some of its language.  They didn’t say what was objectionable about the pact but that the team and Smith will need to tweak a few things for it to pass through the league lawyers.

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While the team works out it’s worth noting that the official Patriots part to the Chad Ochocinco trade is two draft picks.  A 5^th round pick goes to Cincinnati in 2012 while they will receive a 6^th round pick in 2013.

Speaking of Ochocinco, as many of you know his beloved #85 belongs to second year tight end Aaron Hernandez of Bristol CT.  Ochocinco says he wants #85 and he doesn’t care what it costs him.  Did you hear that Aaron?  One of the highest prices paid for a jersey number comes from Clinton Portis who wanted #26 when he was traded to the Washington Redskins a few seasons back.  He reportedly paid $18,000 for the jersey number.

So Aaron what do you want? Cash or maybe a Rolex? Maybe have your rent paid for the year?  The possibilities are endless.

Well earlier today Ochocinco was seen wearing his beloved #85 while Hernandez sported #81, which previously belonged to Randy Moss, in practice.  Rumor is Hernandez asked for nothing and just gave Ochocinco #85 to welcome him to the team.  Knowing Chad’s general generosity he will send something Hernandez’ way.

Ochocinco was seen on the field this morning talking with Tom Brady and offensive coordinator Bill O’Brien they appeared to be discussing pass routes.  Due to new league rules any player who signs a new contract or restructures an existing one can not officially practice with the team until next Thursday when the new CBA is fully ratified. Newly acquired DT Albert Haynesworth can only watch practice, work out on his own and take part in team meetings until then.  Ochocinco, who has delayed the restructuring of his contract until after August 4 is now participating fully in practice sessions.

The media covering the team also reported they noticed WR Wes Welker was not even wearing a knee brace during the Thursday workouts.  As you recall Welker tore his ACL in the last game of the 2009 season and made such a miraculous recovery he was ready to play last year during Week 1.

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Photo credit:  Reuters Pictures

Newly acquired DT Albert Haynesworth is facing a misdemeanor sexual assault trial in Washington D.C. on August 23^rd.  Haynesworth was indicted on the charge back in April after a complaint was filed from a February 13^th incident at the W. Hotel.

He is accused of fondling the breasts of a waitress at the hotel’s P.O.V. Roof Terrace and Lounge.

Haynesworth earlier this year had a misdemeanor road rage assault charge dismissed after he and the complainant reached an undisclosed financial settlement.

In the incident the alleged victim, Arthur Velasquez, gave Haynesworth the finger in traffic.  When the cars came to a stop, Haynesworth reportedly exited his vehicle and allegedly punched Velasquez in the face.

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The New England Patriots have an agreement in principal with 3^rd round draft pick QB Ryan Mallett.  The former Arkansas Razorback and the team have agreed on a contract that just lacks signatures.  He is expected on the practice field Friday morning.

Also expected on the practice field on Friday morning are newly acquired WR Chad Ochocinco and DT Albert Haynesworth.  The pair was acquired from Cincinnati and Washington for late round draft picks on Thursday.

The Patriots also have not cut DE Marcus Stroud as previously reported.  They are possibly going to place him on the PUP list but are waiting to make their decision until Saturday when the team has its first full pads practice.  Then if the situation with his injury persists he will either go on the PUP or get released.

Several media reports also say the Patriots are close to signing their first and second draft picks OL Nate Solder and CB Ras-I Dowling.  The contracts are not done but are progressing well and may be finished as early as some time on Friday.

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According to multiple media sources in both Cincinnati and Boston the New England Patriots have acquired WR Chad Ochocinco after the Cincinnati Bengals granted Bill Belichick permission to discuss a contract with his agent Drew Rosenhaus.

Sources say the team signed Ochocinco to a discounted 3-year version of his current contract, which was set to expire after this season. Ochocinco was scheduled to make $6.3 million in 2011; the Patriots needed him to restructure his deal in order to fit under their salary cap.  In return the Bengals get two late round draft picks from the Patriots one in 2012 and one in 2013.

The Patriots were one of three teams granted permission to talk to him, the others being the Oakland Raiders and the San Francisco 49ers.

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Ochocinco, a 10-year veteran, has seven 1,000-yard receiving seasons including a league high 1,369 in 2006.  He has played in 6 Pro Bowls.  Since entering the league in 2001 he is ranked 3^rd with 10,783 receiving yards and 7^th with 751 catches.

Ochocinco is also somewhat of a media star having his own reality show on Versus and having competed on ABC’s “Dancing with the Stars”.

He is known for wearing the #85, hence the last name of Ochocinco which he changed from Johnson, but currently TE Aaron Hernandez has that number and I imagine there will be some negotiating going on for it very shortly.

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Photo credit: Getty Images