During his conference call yesterday, newly acquired wide receiver/special-teams’ player Greg Lewis revealed that quarterback Tom Brady was present at Gillette Stadium for the first day of the offseason workout program.

Asked if he had met Brady yet, Lewis said, “I met Tom today at a workout and in the locker room. He came up to me and welcomed me to the team. He seemed like a great guy. I’ve seen him on film do great things.”

Brady was photographed in Brazil last weekend, so there was concern among the Patriots’ fandom that the rehabbing quarterback might not be in the building when off-season workouts began yesterday.

As to whether Brady looks like he’ll be ready to go for on-field work, Lewis sidestepped the question.

“Well I didn’t graduate with a Ph.D. or an M.D., so I can’t describe what he looks like or what he is,” he said. “I know that when I get out there, whatever he asks me to do, I’m going to be ready to do it and I’m going to try to do it to the best of my abilities.”

Peppers

Peppers to New England?

When the Patriots cleared nearly $20 million in salary-cap space by trading Matt Cassel and Mike Vrabel last month, speculation began as to how the team might spend that newfound money. Some expected it would go to re-signing Vince Wilfork and Richard Seymour, or perhaps on another player from outside the team, say Julius Peppers.

In the first report linking Peppers to the Pats, nfl.com’s Vic Carucci wrote yesterday that New England and the Carolina Panthers were in talks about a trade that would send the four-time Pro Bowler to the Patriots in exchange for the second-round draft pick (34th overall) New England received from the Kansas City Chiefs in the Cassel/Vrabel deal.

Carucci wrote that the sides are trying to finalize the deal sometime between the start of the owners’ meetings next week and the NFL Draft next month.

Peppers would be converted to outside linebacker in the Patriots’ 3-4 defense. He currently plays defensive end in the Panthers’ 4-3 set.

Carolina has placed its franchise tag on the 6-foot-7, 283-pound North Carolina native, which would pay him a guaranteed $16.68 million for the coming season. But Peppers has expressed a desire to play elsewhere, and reportedly has made a list of four teams he would like to play for. New England is apparently the only AFC team on the short list.

Last night, the Panthers denied the trade report.

That’s because they aren’t allowed to have any trade talks involving Peppers until he signs his one-year tender worth $16.7 million — or until his agent brokers a deal with another team and comes to Carolina for approval.

While the thought of Peppers playing on the outside with Adalius Thomas is a thrilling one for Patriots’ fans, an anonymous player-personnel source quoted by Carucci says Peppers’ torso is too long for the traditional OLB spot in a 3-4 and he might not be good dropping into coverage as he’s “very stiff.”

Galloway confirmed

Though the club has yet to make an official announcement on his signing, the agent for veteran wide receiver Joey Galloway has confirmed that his client will be joining the Patriots.

In an email to the Boston Globe, agent Shawn Trell said the decision to sign with New England was an easy one for Galloway, released by the Tampa Bay last month, because it gave him the opportunity to play for a “premier owner, organization, team and coach.”

The 37-year-old receiver missed several games last season due to an ankle injury, which Trell said is fully healed.

Johnson joins lineup

The Patriots yesterday announced the signing of veteran interior offensive lineman Al Johnson, as well as new deals with defensive lineman Mike Wright, safety/linebacker Tank Williams, safety Ray Ventrone and offensive tackle Wesley Britt.

The 30-year-old Johnson is 6-5, 305 pounds and was a reserve center/guard with the Dolphins last year for four games at the end of last season. In 2007, he started 14 games at center for the Cardinals, but was placed on injured reserve at the start of the ’08 season and was released in October. A 2003 second-round pick of the Cowboys out of Wisconsin, Johnson missed his rookie season due to injury but would play 47 of 48 games for Dallas over the next three seasons.

smanza@projo.com