Bill Belichick (AP)

Forbes has published its annual list of coaches’ salaries, and Patriots coach Bill Belichick is at the top of the list once again. Forbes says he makes $7.5 annually, which is tops among all North American football, baseball, basketball and hockey coaches.

Belichick’s salary has been a closely guarded secret over the years. The last time we heard talk about it was back in 2007, when it was reported the coach and franchise agreed to an extension that would keep him with the franchise through at least the 2013 season, according to ESPN. And earlier that year, Belichick made a brief mention about his contract situation.

“I don’t talk about contracts, but I would say I like working here, I like the organization — ownership, coaches, scouts, players, and the guys I work with,” he said in July 2007. “I appreciate the opportunity to work here, and it’s a good situation. I don’t see that changing anytime soon.”

Belichick has been a fairly regular presence on the Forbes list. In 2010, Belichick was second to then-Lakers coach Phil Jackson. But after Jackson retired followed that season, Belichick moved into the top spot at $7.5 million, which makes 2012 his second straight year at No. 1 overall.

Belichick isn’t the only New England coach in the Top 10. Celtics coach Doc Rivers was tied for second with Redskins’ coach Mike Shanahan, Rams coach Jeff Fisher and Seahawks coach Pete Carroll, all at $7 million, annually. (For the complete list, CLICK HERE.)

Patriots seventh-round pick Alfonzo Dennard wavied his right to a preliminary hearing Tuesday afternoon, according to a report from the Associated Press, and he remains free on a $5000 bond. Dennard will now be arraigned May 30 in Lancaster County District Court on a charge of third-degree felony assault of a police officer.

Per the AP, Dennard is accused of striking an officer during a disturbance outside a Lincoln bar on April 21, five days before the NFL draft. If convicted, he could face five years in prison and a $10,000 fine. Thought to be an early- to mid-round talent, it’s believed the incident led to a drop in his overall draft stock.

“Alfonzo is a guy who we spent a lot of time on. Obviously the incident affected his draft position,” Patriots coach Bill Belichick said shortly after New England selected Dennard. “But certainly we’re aware of it. We researched it, we found out as much as we could about it. Obviously as an organization we were comfortable taking the selection where we did. … There’s obviously some other things that are currently out there from a legal standpoint that I obviously can’t comment on.”

Markell Carter had no problem running with the rookies this past weekend at Gillette. (WEEI.com photo)

FOXBORO — Of all the players at rookie minicamp this past weekend at Gillette Stadium, the one that could have taken issue with the fact that he was there was Markell Carter.

The defensive end/outside linebacker was maybe the most productive member of the Patriots’ practice squad last season — it was a rare occasion when he didn’t have a black practice jersey in the locker signifying that he was one of the practice players of the week.

But the glass-is-half-full Carter looked on the opportunity to take part in rookie minicamp as a blessing. In a session with the media before heading to practice, he was able to convey just how important the weekend of work is for him, especially since he didn’t get a chance to get into a game last season.

“I’m getting a lot of work in that I wasn’t able to get last year, so this weekend my main focus has been getting better, just trying to grow in the defense and pick up on those things I missed last year,” he said.

It was an up-and-down year for Carter. He was a sixth-round pick out of Central Arkansas, but didn’t get the necessary foundation for a rookie heading into his first season in the NFL because of the lockout. Carter and the rest of the rookies got a late start, and that affected their overall development.

“Of course, whenever you can get a couple months in before that’s always going to help. I got here [and] on the first day, I got a playbook about this big on my desk and the next morning I was expected to know it all,” said Carter, recalling last season. “So to just have that time to prepare and just feel comfortable with the teammates, that means a lot, too.”

Carter made the roster, and landed on the practice squad. While there was no game action, the Patriots thought enough of him to give him a bump in pay from the usual practice squad contract of $150,000 to more than $300,000. It was an investment in their future.

“There was no bitterness that I wasn’t able to play,” said the 6-foot-4 Carter. “Bill [Belichick] is a great coach. Whenever he says I’m ready, I’m ready. The pay raise let you know that they’re interested in you, and whenever your boss gives you a pay raise, you’re going to feel good about yourself.
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Dont'a Hightower speaks with the media on Friday morning at Gillette. (WEEI.com)

FOXBORO — After a college career that included working as the defensive centerpiece on a national championship team, linebacker Dont’a Hightower is back to square one.

The rookie out of Alabama was one of a handful of young guys who opened up their professional football careers at rookie minicamp at Gillette Stadium. The 6-foot-4, 260-pound Hightower, who will wear No. 45, is one of several former elite college players who are starting all over again.

“It’s the calm before the storm,” Hightower said before a workout on Friday afternoon. “I know what’s on my plate and I know what I have to do in order to be a part of this football club. I’m going to do everything in my power to contribute to this team and help win.

“It just means a lot for me to have my dreams come true. [Just] being a little boy and looking up and being able to play in the NFL, and doing something you love to do with so much passion, it’s definitely something that means a lot to me. It’s No. 1 on my priority list right now.”

The same is true for third-round pick Jake Bequette. A defensive lineman out of Arkansas, Bequette was one of the most important parts of the Razorbacks defense. But now, he’s one of the low men on the totem pole.

“For me, it’s exciting. It’s been a lifelong dream to play in the NFL, especially for a great organization like the Patriots,” Bequette said. “It’s just awesome — very exciting. Like I said, I can’t wait to get started.”

Rookie minicamp is a little like freshman orientation. The youngsters aren’t so much worried with the intricacies that come with playing the game. At this point in their careers, they’re simply looking for someone to point them toward the locker room, the practice field and the cafeteria. One thing that does help the transition is the fact that it’s just rookies (and a handful of others) on the field this weekend, and so the ratio of coaches to players is pretty favorable for a young guy looking for guidance.
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Jake Bequette was drafted in the third round by the Patriots. (AP)

There are some overriding themes in how the Patriots attacked the 2012 draft, but above all, it appears that many of the guys they went after are versatile, maybe none more so than third-round pick Jake Bequette, a defensive end/linebacker out of Arkansas.

Bequette has played all along the defensive line as a collegian, but really made his bones on the outside. With the Razorbacks, he played predominantly defensive end in a 4-3 scheme, but he also got some extended work standing out as an outside linebacker at the Senior Bowl and the combine, and that positional versatility will likely be tested this weekend at New England’s rookie minicamp.

Patriots coach Bill Belichick said shortly after New England made the pick that the 6-foot-4 1/2-inch, 274-pound Bequette (pronounced BECK-ett) might be able to play either defensive end or linebacker in the Patriots’ system.

“Jake was a very productive guy in the SEC as a defensive end in [the Arkansas] system,” Belichick said of the 23-year-old. “[He] did some linebacker stuff at the Combine and the all-star games, but he’s primarily been a productive pass rusher for Arkansas over his four years in a good conference.”

Bequette has some impressive numbers. Not considered an elite athlete, the four-year starter was a first-team All-SEC selection last season after totaling 28 tackles, an SEC-best 10 sacks — the sixth-highest single-season total in school history — and five forced fumbles despite missing three games to a hamstring injury.

He finished his collegiate career with 22 sacks (third in school history) and 13th with 31 1/2 tackles for loss. Overall, he notched 140 tackles, 24 quarterback hurries, eight forced fumbles, seven pass break-ups and three fumble recoveries in four years.
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New England's first-round picks Chandler Jones, left, and Dont'a Hightower. (AP)

If you were a broker, you might call Chandler Jones is a long-term investment for the Patriots.

Many agree that Jones, who was taken in the first round of the NFL draft late last month by New England, is a work in progress. That’s not to say he won’t have a sizable impact in his first season with the Patriots, but there’s a feeling among many who have watched him play that his best days are ahead of him. NFL Network analyst Mike Mayock said that “three years from now, [Jones] might be the best defensive end in football,” while ESPN’s Todd McShay says Jones “has a chance to be a star” and is “just starting to scratch the surface.”

Jones’ college position coach says the same thing.

“The Patriots are in for a surprise,” said Syracuse defensive ends coach Tim Daoust, who worked with Jones last season. “I genuinely believe his best football is ahead of him.”

Jones, taken at No. 21 overall by the Patriots, is a long, lean player in the mold of Willie McGinest, a 6-foot-5, 265-pound defensive end who is known for his ability to get after the quarterback. He secured a first-team Big East nod in 2011 even after missing the first five games of the season with a knee injury. In seven games, Jones managed to accumulate 39 tackles, 4 1/2 sacks, one forced fumble and an interception.

“He’s a perimeter player, a guy that lines up on the end of the line, whether you want to call him a linebacker or defensive end, but he’s an end-of-the-line player,’’ Patriots coach Bill Belichick told Sirius XM Radio shortly after the pick was made. “He’s got great length — height, arm length — [and] very athletic. He came out early, missed part of the season last year with an injury, but the opportunity he’s had to play he’s been very productive against a lot of good players in his conference, so we thought that he’d be able to work against NFL-type tackles.

“We played both odd and even front last year, I think we’ll continue to be multiple that way, but he’s more of an end-of-the-line player.”

Jones does have that long, lean, end-of-the-line look about him, but he also brings some versatility to the field, according to Daoust.

“I know that the Patriots have a track record of taking versatile players who are also high-IQ guys, and Chandler fits that mold. He’s an extremely coachable kid who is also very intelligent,” Daoust said. “He’s able to take coaching very quickly when he gets out there on the football field.
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With the Patriots set to hold rookie minicamp next weekend at Gillette Stadium, coach Bill Belichick took advantage of the down time and checked out at least some of this weekend’s festivities at the Kentucky Derby. (Belichick wasn’t the only member of the franchise in attendance — quarterback Tom Brady was also reportedly there.) Anyway, here’s video of Belichick and his significant other Linda Holliday walking the red carpet: