01:00 AM EDT on Tuesday, August 31, 2004

BY KEVIN McNAMARA
Journal Sports Writer

FOXBORO -- The Patriots began making some moves yesterday to meet the NFL's roster deadlines, but the toughest decisions are still to come.

As expected, the team placed third-round draft pick Guss Scott on injured reserve, and he'll be lost for the season. Scott, a safety out of the University of Florida, suffered a major knee injury in the preseason loss to Cincinnati on Aug. 21, but a secondary blessed with some good depth should make up for his loss.

The team also released punter-placekicker Cody Scates and long-snapper Brian Sawyer . The moves secure jobs for punter Josh Miller and long-snapper Lonie Paxton .

The Patriots will make a few more moves today to get their roster down to 65 players, excluding the exempted players who took part in NFL Europe last spring. Next Sunday, the NFL Europe exemptions expire and rosters must be reduced to the regular-season limit of 53 players. Next Monday, clubs can name as many as eight players to their practice squads.

The Patriots play their final preseason game Thursday night, and could conceivably make their final cuts any time after that. However, the Pats probably won't tip their hand until the last possible moment, according to coach Bill Belichick .

"We're kind of in a unique situation in that we'll be starting our preparations for the opening (regular season) game probably earlier than most other teams will, and that will coincide with the final cut-down date," said Belichick. "I would imagine that our final cuts will come Sunday. We may or may not do some before that, but I think ours will come Sunday, like everybody else's. That would be my best guess."

No update on Brown

It'll be interesting to see just how much Belichick and the Patriots respond to the NFL's new guidelines requesting more information on the status of injured players. Asked yesterday how veteran receiver Troy Brown was recovering from a leg injury he suffered while returning a punt on Saturday in Carolina, the coach said, "I don't have any update on that."

Asked when he might see an update, he said, "That is not really my field. When we have something on that, we'll pass it on."

Belichick said he isn't worried that Brown could be lost for a long period of time. Brown was not seen in the Patriots' locker room preparing for either practice or work with the team's training staff. Neither was Ty Law , another veteran star who was held out of Saturday's game. One receiver who was dressing for workouts was David Givens , who also missed the Carolina game.

"I could've played but my body wasn't holding up," Givens said. "I'll be ready (for the Sept. 9 opener), though. I'll be all right."

Watson's on the ball

The one Patriot who delivered an eye-opening effort against Carolina was first-round draft pick Ben Watson , the tight end out of Georgia. Watson missed the bulk of camp in a contract dispute but has grasped the offense very quickly and wowed some teammates with the speed and size (6-3, 253) that captivated the Patriots' front office enough to make him the 32nd pick in the draft.

Watson caught six passes in the game, three in each half. Included was a six-yard TD pass in the second quarter. Watson was not available to comment yesterday, but quarterback Tom Brady is impressed with the youngster's ability.

"I think we've thrown a lot at Ben and he seems to be picking it up really well. He's excited to be out there. He can do some good things out there," said Brady.

Brady said Watson is a bright kid who spent one season at Duke University before transferring to Georgia.

"He's a smart guy. He got into Duke for a while, right?" Brady said. "He's come in and picked up the offense much faster than I ever did. It's not so much about knowing it in the classroom as getting on the field and really recognizing things and applying them."

It looks like the Pats will use Watson as a traditional tight end as well as a stand-up receiver and even an H-back type of player.

"I think he did some good things," Belichick said. "Benjamin has been working hard. He is a smart kid and he had some background from all the passing camps and minicamps in the spring, so that's definitely helped him. There is no real substitute for experience on the field, either in practice situations or in the games."

Colvin progressing

Linebacker Rosevelt Colvin continues his recovery from major hip surgery but clearly has a long way to go to regain the speed and strength that made him a major free-agent signee entering the 2003 season.

Colvin saw time in the Panthers game but didn't register a tackle. He admits he's not 100 percent but says progress will be measured in continued perfect health.

"I'm getting better and keep knocking the rust off," Colvin said. "As long as I'm continuing making progress, then I feel positive about the situation. Hopefully, I won't have any bad days. Every day if can I go out there and practice and every week if I can go out there and play, then I'm happy what I can do."