01:00 AM EDT on Wednesday, June 14, 2006

BY TOM E. CURRAN
Journal Sports Writer

FOXBORO -- "It's totally different. A big change. From the time you get to the airport you see it."

That's what Johnathan Sullivan said when comparing the New England area -- his new workplace -- to his old place of employment, New Orleans. He might be hoping the professional experience is just as different.

Acquired in a trade with the Saints last week for wide receiver Bethel Johnson, Sullivan comes to New England looking to start anew after three disappointing seasons. "I'm focused on the future," said the No. 6 overall pick from the 2003 draft. "The past is not an issue for me. I'm focused on what I can do for New England now." The 6-foot-3, 315-pound defensive lineman was tight-lipped about his time with the Saints and appropriately deferential about fitting in with the Pats. "Coach says he'll let me start at nose and learn the plays, then move to end and see if I learn those plays," he said. "I'm just looking to get on the field in any way possible." A friend of Richard Seymour's at Georgia, Sullivan has the chance to go from being a near-bust to a valued player on a good team. The Pats need a backup nose tackle to Vince Wilfork , and the team never feels it can have too many capable defensive linemen.

"Jonathan is a player that we had highly regarded out of college," said Pats coach Bill Belichick. "He comes from a good program at Georgia. We think he can do a lot of things that we would ask our defensive linemen to do and we felt like there was fair value in the trade. We give up something. We feel like we got something and we have a guy that we can work with. He's primarily an inside player, but I think he has some position flexibility and we'll see how that develops."

Conditioning has been an issue for Sullivan but he didn't seem sloppy yesterday. In fact, he carried his 315 pounds rather well.

But Sullivan absolutely has his work cut out for him coming to the Pats' 3-4 system. He said -- and Belichick agreed -- that he has to throw out what he now knows about playing on the line.

Asked if he thinks Sullivan has the skills to fit in, Belichick said, "Well, we'll find out. We think he does. So we'll find out."

Dillon is mum

Early in the morning practice, 31-year-old running back Corey Dillon ran hard to his left and cut the ball upfield as the New England offense ran through plays against "air" (no defenders).

Normally, that wouldn't be remarkable, but Dillon rarely ran to his left last season after suffering a high ankle sprain in the season's third game.

Dillon opted not to speak to the media, responding to an entreaty from the Pats media relations staff by lifting his head in the direction of the media and saying, "(Expletive) them."

Rookie running back Laurence Maroney , walking with Dillon, chortled at the veteran's comment.

Some in the media felt Dillon looked heavier than usual. It really didn't appear that way, though maybe the barrel-chested Dillon standing next to the solidly built but not as imposing Maroney gave that impression.

Asked about Dillon, quarterback Tom Brady said, "Corey always looks good to me. He's a big, powerful man. I'd hate to be on the other side of the ball with him coming at me.

"I'm not worried about Corey. Corey's got a great attitude and he's working hard and that's what we expect. That's what we expect from all the veterans, to really lead the younger guys and come in here and set the example."

Natural progression

A subtle changing of the leadership guard will happen in some key positions this season as veterans such as Willie McGinest , Christian Fauria and Matt Chatham have left via free agency. The void is filled naturally, Belichick said. "It's not something that I think you can force as a coach," he said. "It just happens in some cases more than others. But I think that's a natural progression on a team; older players want to help the younger guys that can come in and help us play better and can help the team. I think we have an unselfish group of veteran players that are very willing to give their time and the benefit of their experience to the younger guys and help them learn what whoever helped them. Because that's kind of giving back from somebody that when they came into the league I'm sure that there were players on whatever team it was that helped them learn and kind of go through the ropes so to speak." It is, Belichick pointed out, the way of the world in this sport. "I've pretty much talked to the team this year in the same terms that we have in the past. The names are different, but those scenarios have been common," he said. "It's different guys, but you can find that kind of transition every year, again, on every team. Guys that have gained more experience that are a year older, they're going to have to take on more responsibility as they move up in seniority in one way or another. It doesn't mean that they have to stand up and give a team speech. In some degree, there's a form of leadership and setting an example or whatever you want to call it, there's a certain element of that." Praise for Jackson Brady on rookie receiver Chad Jackson: "I like him a lot. He's a smart kid. He's really willing to learn. He's excited. He had a great, productive college career. He's coming in and he's really working hard, which I think everybody is impressed by -- his work ethic. I wish I had gotten him the ball a little bit more today. I was walking off the field realizing I've got to start getting him the football. I'm excited about him, and I know he's excited about being here."

Squib kicks

The Pats went in full pads during the morning practice. With Deion Branch the only "unexcused absence" (Belichick refused to talk about what kind of discipline he's in for), the other players who weren't out there were rehabbing. Among them were center Dan Koppen, safety Rodney Harrison, tight end Daniel Graham, tackle Nick Kaczur, running back Patrick Pass and corner Randall Gay. . . . The initial group of linebackers on the field in the morning practice was Rosevelt Colvin and Mike Vrabel at outside linebacker with Monty Beisel and Tedy Bruschi working inside. The secondary was Ellis Hobbs and Eric Warfield at corner and Tebucky Jones and James Sanders as the safeties. Eugene Wilson didn't get a lot of work during the early session. Hobbs raised eyebrows by railing at Warfield when the veteran newcomer dropped a would-be interception in 7-on-7 drills.

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