The Patriots are sporting a new look on defense and an attitude of leaving behind their lack of defense in the Super Bowl.

Former defensive coordinator Matt Patricia is now head coach in Detroit. Longtime assistant Brian Flores is running the defense in New England without the formal title of coordinator.

Several players have shuffled on and off the roster. Starting cornerback Malcolm Butler signed with Tennessee in free agency after being mysteriously benched for most of the Super Bowl Rodney Hudson Jersey , but key additions include lineman Danny Shelton, pass rusher Adrian Clayborn and cornerback Jason McCourty joining his twin brother Devin in the backfield.

Linebacker Dont’a Hightower says the players are moving past the Super Bowl loss to the Philadelphia Eagles, a game in which the Patriots defense allowed 613 yards.

”I don’t think any of those guys are going to let that hold over their heads. I’m sure they’re focused on this year. That Super Bowl last year is gone, it’s over with,” Hightower said. ”We’re focusing on training camp.”

Safety Duron Harmon says all his teammates can do now is buckle down on their assignments and string good days together.

”If you’re looking at the tunnel you can’t even see the light right now,” said Harmon, who changed his number to 21 as he gave the No. 30 jersey to Jason McCourty, who played for the Browns last season.

Players say Flores has brought in a different terminology and attitude.

”I know how he’s going to drive the team and I appreciate it,” Harmon said. ”I like his intensity, I love his attitude and I just know it’s going to help me become a better football player.”

NOTES: WR Malcolm Mitchell Derrick Thomas Jersey , still working his way back from knee surgery, was among the players who missed the first day of camp. . TE Rob Gronkowski, in camp amid crawling talks aimed at a new contract, was asked if Tom Brady amazes him performing at this high level after age 40: ”It’s just like he was out here when I first got here. He’s full go, always ready to roll and it’s just an inspiration basically, just how fast he’s always playing and he’s ready to roll.” . Players and coach Bill Belichick are refusing to address Butler’s exit, with Harmon saying: ”Malcolm has moved on, he’s now with the Tennessee Titans and it’s time that we do the same.”

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EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. (AP) When Jon Halapio joined the New York Giants‘ practice squad in 2016, Brett Jones was one of the first guys to welcome him.

Jones had joined the Giants the previous year as a center in trying to make the jump from the CFL to the NFL Marquise Goodwin Jersey , and he appreciated when some new teammates made him feel welcome.

Why not do the same for Halapio? The two 27-year-old offensive linemen became real good friends and helped each other become better players.

Halapio, a guard at Florida, taught Jones some trade secrets at the spot and Jones taught his buddy how to snap and play center.

A little less than two years later, Jones is fighting to keep the starting center job he manned the final 12 games of last season. And it’s Halapio, who is the main competition.

Not only is he the competition, Halapio has been getting most of the first-team snaps in the lineup being put on the field by new coach Pat Shurmur.

Jones isn’t worried. It’s early in training camp and nothing is set. He also has no regrets about teaching the guy who might take his job.

”It’s always been like that in my life,” Jones said Monday. ”If anybody ever gave me an opportunity I wanted to repay it to them. So that was my thing. Jon was on the practice squad and I was the backup center and if Jon was going to play I wanted to help him out and do what I could. That’s what a good teammate does.”

Learning to snap was part of the mentoring.

”He had asked me and I sort of gave him the basic training for it,” said Jones, who was the CFL’s most outstanding lineman in 2014 and missed his first season in the NFL the following year because of a training camp injury. ”After practice we would stay and practice snapping. It sort of went from there.”

Halapio took the long road to the NFL. He was drafted in the sixth round by New England in 2014. He was on the Broncos’ practice squad that season and went to the Cardinals and Patriots training camps in 2015 and ’16, respectively K'Waun Williams Jersey , getting cut each time.

The Giants signed him to the practice squad for most of 2016. He was cut in training camp the following season and re-signed to the practice squad. Injuries got him on the active roster in October and he played in 10 games with six starts at guard.

The move to center came this year.

”Everything was new so I had to learn a lot, not only the schemes, but the different techniques and calls,” Halapio said. ”I had to learn a lot.”

The biggest differences are blocking from a balanced stance, having to make line calls and read coverages and sometimes making the shotgun snaps.

”The more you do it, the better you get,” Halapio said. ”In the offseason I snapped a bunch, and even now I keep snapping after practice so it’s second nature.”

Halapio admits fighting Jones for a job felt odd at first.

”It’s just pure competition now,” Halapio said. ”Like coach says all the time, don’t read into who’s taking the first-team reps. Everyone is being evaluated. As far as me and Brett goes Randy Moss Jersey , we’re friends. We help each other out in the film room, on the field, outside of football. Nothing is awkward between us. Yeah, it’s just pure competition between us and everybody in the room.”

The Giants have revamped their offensive line after last year’s disastrous 3-13 season. Guard Justin Pugh and center Weston Richburg signed elsewhere as free agents. Guard John Jerry is now a backup fighting for a roster spot.

Patriots free agent Nate Solder was signed to take over at left tackle and 2015 first-rounder Ereck Flowers was moved to right tackle. Second-round draft pick Will Hernandez is the left guard and free agent Patrick Omameh is the right guard.

The center spot is uncertain.

A former center, Shurmur says he is watching the position closely. He wants his centers to be good communicators.

Halapio might be a little stronger than Jones, who probably understands the job better and had 30 NFL games under his belt at guard and center.

It should be an interesting decision for Shurmur.

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