Donte Stallworth meets the media Tuesday afternoon at Gillette Stadium. (WEEI.com photo)

FOXBORO — A little older and a little wiser, wide receiver Donte Stallworth is ready for his second act with the Patriots.

The well-traveled Stallworth, who spent the 2007 season in New England before leaving as a free agent, jumped at the opportunity to return to the Patriots, signing a one-year deal as a free agent in March. It was a chance to not only go back to the scene of some of his greatest professional success, but to do so with an increased wisdom, one he confessed he didn’t necessarily have in his first go-round with New England.

“I’m a lot more mature now than I was then,” Stallworth said Tuesday during a break between workouts at Gillette Stadium. “I feel like I’m playing better. I’m in a better place mentally, physically and I just felt like at that time I was still trying to mature and grow into a professional athlete. I feel like I’m a lot further down the road than I was last time.

“Back then, I was really more relying on my talent,” said the 6-foot, 220-pounder. “Now that I’m going into my 10th year, I think I run better routes now and understand different coverages and what teams are trying to do.”

The 31-year-old Stallworth, who had 46 catches for 697 yards and three touchdowns with the Patriots in 2007, said a large portion of that increased off-field maturity is because of what he went through in 2009 when he was charged with DUI manslaughter following an accident in Florida. He spent time in jail, and was suspended for the duration of the 2009 season.

“The year I was out and just sitting around and watching my teammates play and watching my friends play, it was not a good feeling,” Stallworth said. “It’s the same, even when you’re hurt. Guys never want to miss games. Anytime you miss something that you appreciate in life or that you love in life, if you have an opportunity to get it back, you always have a better appreciate for it next time.”

Stallworth said that after spending time with the Browns (2008), Ravens (2010) and Redskins (2011), walking back into the New England locker room was an “interesting” experience.

“It was a little weird feeling. It was kind of surreal,” he said. “But honestly, I think it took about a week or so to get adjusted and to really realize that, hey, I really am back; it’s not just a dream. It’s been good being back and seeing a lot of the same, familiar faces — friendly faces. So it’s been good. It’s been five years, but not much has changed other than all the restaurants and stuff around here. That’s a big difference.”

Stallworth enters a crowded field at wide receiver — the Patriots have loaded up this offseason at a position they were already pretty well stocked coming off the 2011 season. Stallworth, Jabar Gaffney, Anthony Gonzalez and Brandon Lloyd join a group that includes Wes Welker, Deion Branch, Julian Edelman, Britt Davis, Matthew Slater and Chad Ochocinco.

“It’s going to be good competition; we’re all friends, we all have known each other for awhile and respected each other’s games, so we’re going to make each other better,” Stallworth said. “We’ve been doing that now, with the workouts and really having fun, and the real fun gets to start on Monday when we start practicing. Who knows how it will play out, but I’m feeling good; I’m feeling healthy.”

Here are some more highlights of Stallworth’s Q&A with the media:
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Chad Ochocinco reportedly agreed to a pay cut. (AP)

Chad Ochocinco isn’t stupid.

The wide receiver, who earned $6 million in salary and bonuses last season but only came away with 15 catches for 276 yards and a touchdown, was scheduled to make $3 million in base salary in 2012. However, the news that he has agreed to reduce his contract to a $1 million base salary for 2012 signals shows that he’s committed to doing as much as possible to make it work in New England.

When it comes to the wide receiver position, Ochocinco faces a far different situation than the one he encountered when he first joined the Patriots last summer. Now, he’s part of a far more crowded group at receiver — New England has spent the offseason treating the wide receiver spot like it did with defensive line last offseason, importing several veterans in hopes of trying to add depth and create some good positional battles at the spot. Brandon Lloyd and Anthony Gonzalez were acquired in free agency, as well as familiar face Donte Stallworth. In addition, figure that Wes Welker (provided he signs his franchise tender) and Deion Branch will also be in the mix. In all, the Patriots now have 10 receivers under contract, presuming Welker inks his tender.

As a result, Ochocinco can certainly see the writing on the wall. He’ll head into the 2012 facing a healthy positional battle on the outside, one that will include Branch, Stallworth and Lloyd. On a team that frequently utilizes two-tight end sets (as well as Welker in the slot), that likely means one outside receiver will be left out in the cold when it comes to regular snaps in 2012. Of course, this doesn’t guarantee him a roster spot, but the move means that any roster decision regarding whether or not to keep to cut Ochocinco won’t come down to his contract.

When Ochocinco did speak with the media over the last year, he’s always made it a point of saying it’s not about the money, but about winning. By agreeing to restructure his contract, he’s shown a willingness to put his money where his mouth is.

In an offseason that’s seen a lot of additions at the wide receiver spot, the return of Deion Branch brings some consistency and familiarity to the position.

The 32-year-old (he’ll be 33 before the start of the 2012 season) Branch doesn’t have the same wheels that he used to, but his smarts, route-running ability and excellent working relationship with quarterback Tom Brady make Branch a smart re-sign for New England. When Chad Ochocinco struggled in the Patriots’ passing game last season, Brady leaned on Branch heavily as an outside presence and the veteran responded: In 15 games last season, Branch finished with 51 catches for 702 yards and five touchdowns.

For a historical comparison, think of what veteran Troy Brown was asked to do in 2005 and 2006. Those years, the new arrivals were largely unable to mesh with Brady, and so the quarterback continued to lean on Brown’s smarts and veteran savvy. Those two years, Brown caught 39 and 43 balls, respectively, and continued to prove his worth as a part of the New England passing game, even though he didn’t have the same physical skills he possessed earlier in his career.

While there’s no reason to think that this group of new receivers will have a problem connecting with Brady, the fact that Branch will be there — just like the ultra-reliable Brown was those seasons — should give the quarterback the same sense of comfort. Expect the same sort of production from Branch in 2012 that you saw from Brown those years.

Going forward, he joins a crowded group at wide receiver, one that includes Wes Welker (presuming he signs his tender), as well as newcomers Brandon Lloyd and Anthony Gonzalez and returnee Donte Stallworth. In 2012, expect Lloyd to be the primary downfield threat on one side, while Branch will likely compete for playing time on the other side with a group that includes Stallworth and Ochocinco.

Wide receiver Donte Stallworth will return to New England. (AP)

The return of Donte Stallworth provides the Patriots with more options when it comes to finding an intermediate to deep threat in the New England passing game.

The 31-year-old Stallworth is not the deep threat he once was (he averaged more than 19 yards a catch two different years), but he can still stretch the field from time to time. He doesn’t do anything to make the position any younger, but his knowledge of the Patriots’ system and his route-running skills made him attractive to New England, and while he isn’t the burner he used to be, it was clear there was still something left in the tank, especially when the Patriots met the Redskins late in the 2011 season. In that one, Stallworth had four catches for a team-high 96 yards.

No contractual details are immediately available, but like Anthony Gonzalez (who signed a one-year deal for $701,000, payable only if he makes the team), on the surface, it appears to be a low-risk, potentially high-reward addition for an offense that could use depth at the position going forward.

Less than a week into free agency, the Patriots have picked up three veteran receivers in Stallworth, Gonzalez and Brandon Lloyd. And it appears that they are doing with the wide receiver spot what they did with the defensive line spot last season: bring as many tested veterans in, sift through and find the ones who can play, and toss the rest.

In that vein, the addition of Stallworth will certainly certainly create an interesting positional battle for the outside receiver spot. Right now on the roster, the Patriots have Stallworth, Lloyd, Chad Ochocinco and Tiquan Underwood, while veteran Deion Branch remains a possibility to return in 2012.

Brandon Lloyd (AP)

The addition of wide receiver Brandon Lloyd helps the Patriots’ passing game on a number of levels: it provides quarterback Tom Brady with another option outside the numbers, the receiving corps gets slightly younger, and it gives the New England offense something it has been missing since Jabar Gaffney left following the 2008 season — another pass catcher who is not a tight end who can be counted on for 50 or so receptions a season.

The 30-year-old Lloyd, who has averaged 74 catches a season the last two years, has been connected to the Patriots throughout the free agent process for several reasons, not the least of which included his well-known fondness for Josh McDaniels, the New England offensive coordinator who had worked with Lloyd in Denver and St. Louis.

McDaniels helped turn Lloyd the 6-foot, 188-pound receiver from a statistical JAG who never topped 30 receptions over the first seven seasons of his career into a stud who has averaged 74 catches a season the last two years. In all, with McDaniels as the St. Louis offensive coordinator, Lloyd had 51 catches for 683 yards and five touchdowns last year in 11 games with the Rams. That’s on the heels of 77 catches for 1,448 yards and 11 touchdowns in 2010 with Denver, a portion of which happened in McDaniels’ final season as head coach of the Broncos. (McDaniels coached 12 games that year in Denver.)

It’s not just as a deep threat — Lloyd represents a serious upgrade across the board for the New England passing game. Per the chart that was whipped up by Steve Palazzolo of Pro Football Focus (left), Lloyd’s numbers in both the intermediate and deep routes the last two seasons are impressive, and will provide a serious boost to the Patriots’ offense.

Last season, the Patriots ran lots of sets with two tight ends and two receivers, and so with Lloyd in the fold, it will be interesting to see how the Patriots approach negotiations with veteran free agent wide receiver Deion Branch, another outside option. In addition, veteran Chad Ochocinco is another wideout who faces an uncertain future now that Lloyd is on the roster.

Regardless of what other personnel moves the club makes going forward, Lloyd projects as one of two outside receivers for the Patriots in 2012, and his ability as a deep threat will only serve to help fellow receivers Branch (if he does return) and Wes Welker (and if he is healthy, newcomer Anthony Gonzalez). Tight ends Rob Gronkowski and Aaron Hernandez also figure to benefit on short and intermediate routes when it comes to the inclusion of Lloyd.

Peyton Manning holds all the cards in free agency. (AP)

With free agency set to start at 4 p.m. on Tuesday, here’s a look at the 10 most important questions, with an eye toward what the Patriots might do:

1. Where’s Peyton going to end up? The quarterback is the biggest name in the free agent class, and will almost certainly command the biggest deal on the open market. Manning and agent Tom Condon are playing their cards close to the vest to this point, but it sounds like Arizona, Miami, Denver and Seattle are in the mix to this point. In addition, Tennessee is also reportedly poised to make a full-court press for Manning’s services.

2. What sort of impact is Peyton going to have on the rest of the free agent market? A lot of his former Indianapolis teammates are also now available, including wide receivers Reggie Wayne and Pierre Garcon, running back Joseph Addai and tight end Dallas Clark. Chances are good that whoever will land Manning probably has a very good shot at landing at least one of his former mates, and subsequently, revamping a sizable portion of their offensive scheme.

3. How will Peyton affect the market for quarterbacks? It’s not just the free agent signal callers like Matt Flynn who stand to be affected by Manning’s decision. Incumbents like Kevin Kolb (Arizona) and Tim Tebow (Denver) could find themselves on the street if Manning ends up in their respective area codes. That could ultimately create a secondary series of ripples for a handful of quarterbacks.

4. What’s going to be the course of action for the Patriots? In New England last year, it was either a boom-or-bust with last year’s free agents: the big names (Albert Haynesworth and Chad Ochocinco) were busts, while the middle of the road guys (Andre Carter, Mark Anderson and Brian Waters) were some of the best free-agent signings of the Bill Belichick Era. This year? There are some intriguing fits for this team that wouldn’t break the bank, including Brandon Lloyd and Richard Marshall, while Mike Wallace remains a big-ticket possibility that would also cost them a draft pick.

5. Who will the Patriots lose? New England isn’t necessarily on danger of losing any of its elite players, but there are some intriguing UFA’s on the roster, including wide receiver Deion Branch, running back BenJarvus Green-Ellis, offensive linemen Dan Koppen and Dan Connolly and Anderson and Carter, all of whom have been important pieces of the puzzle over the last few seasons with the Patriots. Anderson figures to be a sought-after commodity: a 28-year-old who finished with 10 sacks, he could be in line for a decent-sized payday.
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It looks like wide receiver DeSean Jackson is headed back to Philly. (AP)

Cross one possible free-agent wide receiver off the Patriots’ wish list.

DeSean Jackson, the occasional mercural pass-catcher, was hit with the franchise tag by the Eagles on Thursday afternoon. Jackson was the first player franchised in the available window that runs between now and March 5. While it’s expected that the two sides will continue to discuss a long-term deal, the tag means the 25-year-old Jackson is now currently under a one-year contract with Philadelphia at the franchise tag rate, which is roughly $9.4 million.

“We want DeSean to be an Eagle for the long haul and this is a step in the right direction to accomplish that,” Eagles GM Howie Roseman said of Jackson, who finished last season with 58 catches, 961 yards and four touchdowns. “DeSean is a talented player and a proven playmaker in this league and we look forward to him continuing his career in Philadelphia. It’s our understanding that he has the same desire.  We will continue our efforts on getting a long-term deal done with him.”

Jackson was one of several receivers who were free-agent possibilities this offseason for New England, a group that includes Reggie Wayne, Marques Colton, Dwayne Bowe, Stevie Johnson and Brandon Lloyd. (In addition, New England’s Wes Welker and Deion Branch are slated to become free agents, but it’s expected that Welker will also be slapped with the franchise tag between now and March 5.)