FOXBOROUGH, Mass. -- The New England Patriots travel to West Virginia on Tuesday in advance of joint practice sessions with the New Orleans Saints on Wednesday and Thursday. Before the team leaves, it will conduct a morning practice from 9:30-11 a.m. ET. The practice is closed to the public but open to reporters.
Veteran cornerback Tarell Brown figures to join his teammates in West Virginia after not playing in the preseason opener Thursday, and then leaving Saturday's practice about halfway through with athletic trainers. Brown returned to the field Monday and provided a status update of sorts.
"They took me in to check on a few things," he explained of why he left Saturday's practice. "It was something we were dealing with earlier in the week; it was trainers being cautious."
Brown, who is competing for a starting role on the right side opposite Malcolm Butler, said "everything's good" with his previously injured foot that required surgery in the offseason.
Another reason Brown drew a larger media crowd after Monday's practice was because of his performance. He intercepted two passes late in the session when the offense was working on forcing the ball into the end zone from about 25-30 yards away as part of specific game situations.
Monday's practice was full of various situations, and Brown worked in the slot at times. That's a change for him based on what he primarily did in San Francisco and Oakland, when he was mostly on the outside.
"We’re all out here to do a job and whatever they ask me to do, I’m willing to do -- have to learn it, have to go out and compete at it, and be the best I can be every day," he said before detailing some of the main differences about playing inside: "There are a lot more option routes, choice routes on the inside. You’re dealing with smaller, quicker guys, so you have to get your hands on them a lot faster. Besides that, it’s pretty much the same -- you just have to cover your guy.”
As for what's ahead this preseason, Brown was asked if he'd like to play in a game as a tune-up of sorts, or if he's OK being held out as he was in the preseason opener.
“We’re all out here to compete; whatever coach asks me to do I’ll do," he said. "That’s coach’s call. I’ll let him speak on that. But I’m ready whenever my number gets called.”