FOXBOROUGH, Mass. -- Quick-hit thoughts and notes around the New England Patriots and NFL:
1. With the Patriots releasing wide receivers Jordan Matthews, Malcolm Mitchell and Kenny Britt, it opens the door for Cordarrelle Patterson to seize a larger role in the first four games of the season when Julian Edelman serves an NFL suspension.
Here are a few nuggets of note from a recent conversation with the upbeat Patterson:
Tom Brady -- behind the curtain. "He's been doing it for 19 years, and every locker room I've been in, people are talking about him.