Patriots position analysis: Linebackers

<p><span class="articleBegin">W</span>ith training camp just a month away, we continue our weekly position-by-position look at the <a href="http://patriots.bostonherald.com/patriots.bg"><strong>Patriots</strong></a><font color="#888888"> [<a href="http://scores.heraldinteractive.com/merge/tsnform.aspx?c=bostonherald&amp;page=nfl/teams/077/team.aspx?id=077">team stats</a>]</font> with the linebacking corps, which got younger for basically the first time since <a href="http://www.bostonherald.com/search/?searchSite=true&amp;keyword=Bill+Belichick&amp;mode=score&amp;sorting=pubdate"><strong>Bill Belichick</strong></a> became head coach in 2000. How quickly the newcomers pick things up will go a long way toward defining the Pats defense:</p>
<p><strong>PROJECTED STARTERS</strong>:</p>
<p>ILB -- <a href="http://news.bostonherald.com/search/?keyword=Tedy+Bruschi&amp;searchSite=recent"><strong>Tedy Bruschi</strong></a><font color="#888888"> [<a href="http://scores.heraldinteractive.com/merge/tsnform.aspx?c=sportsnetwork&amp;page=nfl/teams/077/playeraaa.aspx?id=701,team=077">stats</a>]</font>, 13th season</p>
<p>ILB -- Jerod Mayo, rookie</p>
<p>OLB -- Mike Vrabel, 12th season</p>
<p>OLB -- Adalius Thomas, 9th season</p>