Last modified: Thursday, July 24, 2008 2:47 AM EDT Cornerback Ellis Hobbs (27) is coming off of two offseason surgeries. (Staff photo by KEITH NORDSTROM) Patriot defense a work in progress BY MARK FARINELLA SUN CHRONICLE STAFF FOXBORO - Defense wins championships. It's been a cornerstone of the Patriots' success of the past 15 years, dating back to the arrival of Bill Parcells in Foxboro in 1993, that for the team to be in a position to challenge for championships, it had to have the ability to limit the number of points an opposing team could score against it. Certainly during Bill Belichick's reign, defense has been front-and-center on the priority list - and on the rare occasions when the Patriots strayed, they stumbled. Key moments to consider under that premise was the entire second half of the Patriots' loss to the Colts in the 2006 season AFC Championship Game, and again in the last 2:42 of Super Bowl XLII against the Giants in February - both times showing indications that the defense didn't have enough left in the tank to make one last stop when it was most keenly needed. As the Patriots open the 49th training camp in their history today at Gillette Stadium, there are indications that at least in a few key areas, Belichick has made the attempt to not only bring the average age of the unit down by a year or two, he has wanted to increase its football IQ a few points to aid in the rebuilding of an important position group. There's a lot of work to be done on the Patriots' defense - even in the wake of an 18-1 season in which defense was not the overwhelming priority it had been in the past, but still performed admirably for a majority of the season. Here are four hot-button areas of interest that should be addressed by Belichick and his staff over the next six weeks: 1. CORNERBACK CAPERS: With the departure of Asante Samuel to the Philadelphia Eagles via free agency, the Patriots lost a gambler who turned both his hunches and ability into a great deal of production, namely 16 interceptions over the past two seasons. With Ellis Hobbs, already suspect in his skills, recovering from two offseason surgeries, Belichick quietly undertook a top-to-bottom rebuilding of the position group after the Super Bowl. He also made the very smart move of upgrading his coaching staff with the addition of Dom Capers, the former Carolina and Houston head coach, who cut his teeth coaching defensive backfields and getting outstanding results from them over his entire career. Capers will have a mixture of youth and experience to mold into a position group that will have to play at a high level from the start. Assuming that Hobbs returns to 100 percent form and improves his coverage skills, he may still have to split time with veterans Fernando Bryant and Jason Webster, both picked up in the offseason as free agents, with rookies Terrence Wheatley and Jonathan Wilhite looking to crack the lineup. Veterans Lewis Sanders and Antwain Spann and rookie Matthew Slater, who's working out on both sides of the ball, could be in the mix. Mike Richardson, a bright spot in last year's training camp before a season-ending injury, may also be a worthy challenger. 2. LINEBACKERS OR LEGACIES: No one has gotten more mileage out of his linebacking corps than Belichick, but that mileage is starting to pile up. Tedy Bruschi and Mike Vrabel will be entering their 13th and 12th years respectively, and there are still no signs that they will need to be replaced any time soon - but time waits for no man. Belichick has gradually lowered the average of the unit by bringing Adalius Thomas (ninth year) and ex-Jet Victor Hobson (sixth) on board, and drafting rookies Jerod Mayo, Shawn Crable and Bo Ruud. He also still has the former "second tier" of Eric Alexander (fourth year) and Pierre Woods (third), but their progress has been slow and this will be a crucial camp for both. Or course, there's always the possibility that Junior Seau might be coaxed off his surfboard late next month to lend a veteran hand. Coming off a remarkable 18th NFL season in which he made 76 tackles, 3.5 sacks and three interceptions, it's reasonable to believe he's still got something left in his tank. But over the course of a 19-game season, and beyond, it would be better for Belichick to learn that he's got linebackers who can step in and play - and don't qualify for their AARP discounts at the team hotels. 3. SEE MORE FROM SEYMOUR: Richard Seymour had a rough year last year. A botched knee surgery delayed his return until midseason and he clearly needed much of the remaining time to round into a reasonable facsimile of himself. He finished the regular season with 30 tackles and 1.5 sacks (another 17 tackles in the playoffs), but was no longer the player who made everyone better around him. Fortunately for the Patriots, Vince Wilfork, Ty Warren and Jarvis Green have grown into their jobs so that they no longer have to feed off the attention Seymour used to get. Still, if the eighth-year defensive end from Georgia is healthy and can play at close to his old form, it would clearly restore the Patriots' defensive line to the status of "best in the AFC" and possibly the entire league. And, depending upon Seymour's health and productivity, it may prove a temptation for the coaching staff to devise ways to get more pressure on the quarterback from the front three (or four). 4. THE SAFETY DANCE: Even if the leader of this unit is entering his 15th NFL season, there are reasons to believe that this could be the best group of safeties the Patriots have ever had - and that will take some of the pressure off the cornerbacks as they re-invent themselves. Rodney Harrison and James Sanders are a quality starting duo. Newcomer Tank Williams is versatile enough that he may find his way into the linebacking mix in some of the Patriots' formations, as Harrison did toward the end of last season. And Brandon Meriweather, last year's No. 1 draft pick, steadily improved over the course of the 2007 campaign and has that pugnacious quality that would make an old battler like Harrison smile with pride. Villanova's Ray Ventrone (third year) and rookie Mark Dillard could provide useful depth. Again, look for Capers' tutelage to be instrumental in putting these players in positions to succeed. MARK FARINELLA may be reached at 508-236-0315 or via e-mail at mfarinel@thesunchronicle.com. Read Farinella's blog, "Blogging Fearlessly," at thesunchronicle.com/sports.