... to the system.  The last remnants of the defensive link to all three Super Bowl championships had left. 

Richard Seymour was traded to the Oakland Raiders for a 2011 first-round pick.  NFL insiders on ESPN did not even list New England as a Super Bowl contender after they heard about the trade.

This makes it a total of three veteran players, Mike Vrabel and Tedy Bruschi being the others, that the Patriots have lost in the preseason.  

The on-the-field leadership for the defensive backs has been placed on the broad shoulders of Jerod Mayo, a second-year player whose rookie season warranted his selection as the 10th overall in the first round. 

Young players like Brando...

Read Complete Article at Bleacher Report - NFL