Green wasn't aware that Seymour would be sidelined when he was approached in the team's locker room last week, but he was prepared for the possibility. Either way, he indicated his approach would not change as he attempts to build on a 2006 season in which he played in all 19 games (4 starts) and totaled career highs in sacks (7.5), tackles (57) and forced fumbles (3).
"It was the best year I've had since coming into the league, but my whole thing is that this is a new year and it's 'what have you done for me lately?' " said Green, who has filled in for Seymour in the past, the most recent long stretch coming with four straight starts in 2005. "Just like you do every year, you take a humble approach and work to get better, to improve your technique, to do what it takes to get on the field."
It's the same approach the 6-foot-3-inch, 285-pound Green noticed from veterans like Anthony Pleasant, Bobby Hamilton, and Rick Lyle when he first arrived as a fourth-round draft choice out of Louisiana State in 2002. Guidance from that trio left an indelible impression on Green, helping him accept his role as a super substitute in New England when he could have pursued a starting role elsewhere. Instead, he signed a five-year contract extension before the 2005 season.
"Those guys were very humble, and they taught me about the reality of the team, and what a team is," said Green, who has missed just two games over his career, suiting up in 89 regular-season and postseason contests (24 starts). "The reality of that grew on me. People now ask me why I'm not starting, or if I want to be a starter. I say the same thing those guys said back then. It doesn't matter. You just do your part and try to win football games."
In the Patriots' 3-4 alignment, the right defensive end is most often accountable for two gaps, meaning it is less about penetration and more focused on taking on linemen to control the line of scrimmage. While Green hasn't been a full-time starter, he's still logged a high percentage of snaps as a regular in the third-down defense, and also has rotated into the game on early downs, so his participation still has been in the 50-percent range.
