01:00 AM EDT on Friday, May 12, 2006

BY TOM E. CURRAN
Journal Sports Writer

Reche Caldwell has barely made an impact yet in the NFL. Who says he's poised to make one now?

His former boss, of all people. San Diego Chargers general manager A.J. Smith yesterday predicted that wide receiver Caldwell, acquired by the Patriots this offseason, will have an impact in New England.

"That organization really knows how to get packages together for particular players and get the most out of people," Smith said. "I've seen it time and time again. They bring a player in that hasn't had success and give him specific instruction that lets the player know what he needs to do to succeed. It's like individual lesson plans. Wade Phillips (the Chargers' defensive coordinator) does that here. (Patriots head coach Bill Belichick) gets most of the credit for his emphasis on defense, but he gets the most out of players on defense and offense."

While with the Chargers, Caldwell. . . .

"He's been hurt," Smith explained. "He's really had some tough gos physically. With a change of scenery, he really could prosper."

Smith said Caldwell had no real shortcomings in terms of going over the middle or working in a system that called on receivers to make post-snap reads of corners and safeties and run corresponding routes.

"He just couldn't catch a break (in San Diego)," Smith said. "He is very talented. The Patriots are taking a chance on that talent and hoping he stays healthy. In this league, players and coaches move all the time and they go from one place where they weren't performing well to another place where they prosper. We just made a deal like that to get (wide receiver) Rashaun Woods for (defensive back) Sammie Davis. Maybe the change benefits both players."

Meanwhile, Smith said that the Pats haven't shown interest in San Diego linebacker Donnie Edwards, who's been on the trading block since before the draft.

Flutie to kick at City Hall

Lame-duck backup quarterback Doug Flutie will reenact the unique dropkick he made against the Miami Dolphins in the final game of the 2005 season tomorrow at City Hall Plaza in Boston. After that, fans can purchase a chance to boot one of their own. The person who makes the longest kick will win a trip for two to the "U.S. football game of their choice" (the NFL's rules against using its name makes for entertaining press releases). Registration is $20 and all proceeds go to the Doug Flutie Jr. Foundation for Autism Inc. Flutie is still expected to announce in the near future whether he'll play next season. Meanwhile, he's also quietly been looking into Providence as a possible home for an Arena Football League team.

It's Brady on Brady

There's a terrific two-part interview with Pats quarterback Tom Brady on WCVB-TV Web site in which Brady watches an interview of himself conducted in 2000 and reacts to what he said then. The site is www.thebostonchannel.com/sports. . . . Rosevelt Colvin will be involved in an Offense-Defense Football Camp in Smithfield on July 9-13. . . . Also, New York Jets head coach Eric Mangini will hold his one-day camp June 3 at Bulkeley High School, East Hartford, Conn. Camper registration is due May 22, forms can be downloaded from www.cfmfoundation.org . . . Finally, tickets for individual games will be on sale tomorrow at 10:00 a.m. through Ticketmaster. Visa will be the only form of payment accepted. All ticket orders will be processed through Ticketmaster. Tickets will not be sold at the Gillette Stadium ticket office. Ticket orders can be completed online at www.ticketmaster.com or by phone. Coincidentally, Visa -- which will get a whole lot of tickets charged on its plastic tomorrow -- is a sponsor of both the NFL and the Patriots.

tcurran@projo.com / (401) 277-7340