Hobson friend, not foe-Former Jet feels comfortable

[Lil Bit Special]

http://www.telegram.com/article/20080726/NEWS/807260449/1009

FOXBORO— Victor Hobson left enemy No. 1 territory in April, and he’s been fast to make friends with his new teammates since arriving here.

“From the first day I walked in, the players and the staff did a great job of making me feel like I was at home,” said the former Jets linebacker. “Each day I get more and more comfortable.”

The 28-year-old Hobson played the last five seasons in New York, the last two under coach Eric Mangini. In their ongoing attempt to add youth to the linebacker corps, the Patriots signed Hobson, an unrestricted free agent, to a one-year deal during the offseason.

“He’s a smart kid,” Patriots coach Bill Belichick said. “He’s fast, he’s tough and has been a very productive player. I feel like he can compete with some of the other players we have at that position, and we will see how it all works out.”

Hobson, who totaled 62 tackles and two sacks in 14 starts last year, played outside linebacker in the Jets’ 3-4 defense, but is expected to move to the inside, and work in some combination with Tedy Bruschi and rookie Jerod Mayo, in New England.

“Whatever they ask me to do, I’m just going to do the best job I can,” Hobson said, “whatever that entails — inside, outside. You have to know different roles. Different situations and different scenarios arise for each position. But it’s all a learning experience. I look forward to it, and I embrace it.”

Mike Vrabel, who has started training camp on the physically unable to perform (PUP) list, and Adalius Thomas are projected as the Patriots’ starting outside linebackers. Thomas began last season playing on the inside, but after Rosevelt Colvin was lost for the season with a foot injury, Thomas moved to OLB, the position where he made his mark in Baltimore.

Colvin was released in February and recently signed with the Texans.

Hobson is wearing Colvin’s old No. 59 uniform.

“Victor has been an 80 percent playtime player the last couple of years, although he played outside in that system,” Belichick said. “In (former Jets coach) Herman Edwards’ system before that, he played in the 4-3, but he played more of an off-the-line type of position. That’s more where he will play for us as an inside linebacker — more off the line of scrimmage than on it, where he played for the last couple of years.”

Hobson, a Jets second-round pick out of Michigan in 2003, averaged 69 tackles the last five years. His most productive season was 2006, when he registered 100 tackles and six sacks.

Last year’s linebacking foursome of Bruschi, Thomas, Vrabel and Junior Seau had an average age of 33.5 years. Bruschi, who mulled retirement two years ago, is back for a 13th season.

“The hunger’s still there,” said the 35-year-old Bruschi, the current longest-tenured Patriots player. “The fire’s still there. It’s something that I want to keep on doing.”

Seau, who turned 39 in January, had offseason shoulder surgery and remains a free agent. He has not ruled out returning for a 19th NFL season.

In addition to bringing Hobson on board, the Patriots went after some young linebackers in the draft, taking Mayo in the first round, Shawn Crable, a Michigan product like Hobson, in the third, and Bo Ruud out of Nebraska in the sixth.

The Patriots signed Mayo, the 10th overall pick, on Thursday, the first day of training camp.

Eric Alexander, who’ll enter his fourth season, and Pierre Woods, another former Wolverine who’s in his third NFL season, have had most of their playing time on special teams but are still in the linebacker mix.

Hobson said the decision to come to New England was an easy one.

“I just felt comfortable here,” he said. “It makes it that much easier to do your job when you feel comfortable in a place. I’m blessed to be in this position. I just want to take advantage of the opportunity.”

[Irish Jet]

Yay, looks like BB is going to give him a shot inside. A thing that I wanted to happen for ****ing ages under Mangini.

[JETSFAN5180]

Shoulda coulda woulda.I wish him all the best excepet when he plays the NYJETS.