For the past two seasons, the parking lot around Foxboro Stadium has been an ever changing construction zone. CMGI Stadium is being constructed directly behind Foxboro Stadium, an outdated stadium built on the cheap in the 1960s.

	Antowain Smith has rushed for 920 yards on 240 carries and found the end zone 11 times this season.

Yet the best architect on site doesn't wear a construction hat. While CMGI put the Patriots and their franchise into the 21st century, head coach Bill Belichick did an amazing retro-fitting of the Patriots. In two seasons, he turned a decaying roster into a 9-5 all-but-certain playoff team. Unlike most construction projects, Belichick's rebuilding of the Patriots came in way ahead of schedule and significantly under budget.

CMGI Stadium opens next season and cost $325 million to build. In comparison, Belichick built his team like Foxboro Stadium -- which cost $6 million -- but his foundation may be better. According to NFL Players Association figures, the Patriots have the league's second lowest payroll at $49.6 million, $5.5 million more than the Cowboys but $14 million under the NFL average.

The Broncos spent $85 million this year to be 7-7. The Patriots got nine victories at 58 percent of the cost.

As coaches go, though, Belichick is usually a cheap date for an owner. He prefers the low-cost role players instead of the high-paid superstars. He'd rather spread his owner's money throughout the most active 36 players instead of the starting 22.

Every year, new front office executives come up with new formulas to build within the restrictions of the salary cap. What will be studied if it's better to invest $9 million of the cap on 16 veteran role players or to go for two or three front line starters.

None of his 16 signings is going to the Pro Bowl, but their contributions turned the Patriots from a 5-11 team to a potential 11-5 team if they can close out with victories over the Dolphins and Panthers in the final three weeks.

While the construction crews donned their hard hats in the parking lot, Belichick wore a salary cap after taking over the team last year. The Patriots were $10.5 million over the salary cap and had only 36 players by March of 2000. Belichick started purging high-priced veterans -- Bruce Armstrong, Zefross Moss, Ben Coates, Vincent Brisby, Todd Rucci, Steve Israel, Shawn Jefferson, Chris Sullivan and others. Cap hits on their departures left Belichick little room to maneuver.

The Patriots ended up with a league-high nine minimum salary rookies last year just to fill out his roster. Free agency was selective. He looked for low-priced veterans who loved the game of football. Because Belichick had coached defensive lineman Bobby Hamilton and cornerback Otis Smith, those were easy signings. He gambled that former Seahawk Grant Williams could help him at tackle.

That's where the damn burst the first year. The Patriots knew they were thin going into Belichick's first training camp. Six of the Patriots top 10 offensive linemen failed the team's training camp physical. Just to get by at the start of the regular season, he signed Joe Andruzzi and Sale Isaia, who ended up getting them through the season as the starting guards.

The first draft didn't produce great initial dividends. Tackle Greg Robinson-Randall, a low fourth-round pick, is coming on in his second year as a starter. The defensive line is getting some contribution from sixth-round choice David Nugent. Tom Brady, another sixth-round choice, turned into this year's biggest story filling in with a 9-3 record for injured Drew Bledsoe.

Heading into his second season, Belichick was more defined on team needs. Having so many low-priced rookies at the back of his roster left the Patriots helpless when injuries mounted during the season. So, he and personnel director Scott Pioli systematically studied every veteran to find low-priced fits. After all, they still were $6.5 million over the cap and had to release veterans Chris Slade, John Friesz, Larry Whigham, Henry Thomas and others to get under the cap.

Even though 40 percent of the Patriots signings came after June, Belichick and Pioli formulated a plan of attack.

The first signing was for special teams. They gave linebacker Larry Izzo, a special teams wiz for the Dolphins, $275,000 and four years of salaries at the NFL minimum. Per plan, Izzo leads the league in special teams tackles.

The first crisis came when defensive tackle Chad Eaton was being pursued by the Seahawks. Eaton was Belichick's type of player, a hard-working, overachiever who loved the game and got the most out of his ability. Though he was hoping for more than $3 million a year, Eaton got a four-year, $10.7 million offer from the Seahawks that included a $3.5 million signing bonus.

The Patriots spent only $2.6 million of signing bonuses for 16 players who brought in 115 years of experience, so Belichick said goodbye to Belichick and went for volume.

For the defensive line, the Patriots signed Anthony Pleasant and Riddick Parker. Belichick considers Pleasant one of the better leverage defensive linemen in the league. He came out of college weighing 242-pounds but his ability to use his hands and strength made him a solid NFL starter once his body gained enough weight for the position.

Mike Vrabel came from the great stable of Steelers linebackers who didn't have much chance to play. He received a $225,000 signing bonus on a three-year deal.

	Free-agent signings
	Player	Bonus	'01 salary	Total
	LB/Larry Izzo	$275,000	$448,000	4 yr., 2.103M
	LB/Mike Vrabel	$225,000	$475,000	3 yr., $5.3M
	FB/Marc Edwards	$350,000	$450,000	2 yr., 1.135M
	*G Joe Panos	$125,000	$477,000	2 yr., $1.135M
	CB Terrance Shaw	$230,000	$477,000	2 yr., 3.5M
	DE Anthony Pleasant	$200,000	$500,000	3 yr., $4.725M
	QB Damon Huard	$375,000	$525,000	3 yr., 2.1M
	G Mike Compton	$625,000	$477,000	3 yr., $4.3M
	WR David Patten	$0	$580,000	1 yr. $580,000
	*WR Bert Emanuel	$0	$500,000	1 yr. $500,000
	*WR Torrance Small	$0	$500,000	1 yr. $500,000
	WR Charles Johnson	$200,000	$500,000	2 yr., $1.4M
	DE Riddick Parker	$0	$448,000	1 yr. $448,000
	RB Antowain Smith	$25,000	$475,000	1 yr. $500,000
	CB Terrell Buckley	$0	$500,000	1 yr. $500,000
	S Je'Rod Cherry	$0	$477,000	2 yr., $954,000
	LB Bryan Cox	$150,000	$650,000	1 yr. $800,000
	LB Roman Phifer	$43,000	$477,000	1 yr. $520,000
	P Ken Walter	$0	$418,000	1 yr. $418,000
	*No longer with Patriots

The most work went into the secondary where the Patriots were awful on third downs against the pass last season. The Dolphins cut cornerback Terrance Shaw even though he was a solid third-down cornerback last year. They kept in touch with Terrell Buckley and eventually signed him for $500,000.

"I think we've had good leadership from some of our veteran players, guys that have been here for several years," Belichick said in a conference call Wednesday.

"And also, some of the new people that have come in that we brought in as free agents that are also pretty experienced players that the whole group has molded together and bonded together and been able to stay focused on each weekly challenge."

The re-signing of Matt Stevens and the addition of safety Je'Rod Cherry, who's been a top special teamer, rounded out Belichick's free agency work on defense.

Belichick made four moves at wide receiver and felt he hit one big. He signed Bert Emanuel, Charles Johnson, Torrance Small and David Patten, and felt that he hit it big on Patten, who was mostly a third receiver for the Browns last year and caught 38 passes. Patten's athletic ability was good enough to produce touchdowns running, passing and receiving in a game this year. Before camp finished, the Patriots gave Patten a three-year extension for $3.3 million, including a $1 million signing bonus.

Perhaps their most important signing was veteran offensive lineman Mike Compton, who received the biggest signing bonus of $625,000 in a three-year, $4.3 million contract. Not only has he been a steady starter at guard, but he bails out the offense regularly by moving to center for shotgun snaps, because center Damien Woody simply can't do shotgun snaps.

To be successful, you have to be lucky and the Patriots got a few breaks. Belichick knew Antowain Smith from trying to stop him for years in Buffalo. After the Bills released him, the Patriots signed him for $500,000. He's gained 920 yards on 240 carries.

For leadership, Belichick got lucky when two former Jets became available -- Roman Phifer and Bryan Cox. Phifer has been an invaluable starter while Cox has been a strong force in the lockerroom. They've gotten better use out of this year's draft with their first two selections -- defensive tackle Richard Seymour and left tackle Matt Light.

It's made the Patriots the surprise team in the AFC.

"Well, we just try to go out and play hard every week and win every game each week," Belichick said. "That's our goal every single week."

Not bad for a fixer-upper.

John Clayton is a senior NFL writer for ESPN.com.