Eleven things to watch at New England Patriots training camp – ESPN Boston

Great stuff in this one, including my favorite topic:

Gone are the days of a surplus of big, physical defensive linemen; in its place is an overflow of hybrid outside linebacker/defensive end types in the 250- to 270-pound range. This was highlighted by 2013 top draft pick Jamie Collins, the 6-foot-3, 250-pound linebacker/defensive end from Southern Mississippi, who was selected 52nd overall. What it all means remains to be seen, as the Patriots still could employ the 4-3 base defense that they mostly played last year, or perhaps there will be a shift to more of a 3-4 type of front to play to the strengths of the hybrid numbers on the roster. At the least, there should be more athleticism in the team’s sub packages, and that’s where more of the game is being played these days (57 percent for the Patriots in 2012). Scheme tweaks bear watching in camp.