"When the Rams made Torry Holt a first-round draft pick in 1999, the young receiver's goal was to play in the NFL for a decade.

Yesterday on the turf inside Gillette Stadium, Holt chuckled as he spoke about preparing for his 12th season as a professional, and how he can help the young receivers on his new team, the Patriots.

"I think the best way I can help and teach those guys, first and foremost, is being here, being diligent, being precise, being efficient, being on time as much as I possibly can, participating in the drills, participating in the workouts, running routes at the proper depth, being efficient off the line of scrimmage — the detailed things,'' Holt said. "Most importantly, just leading by example. These guys are young, eager guys who want to learn. They want to be good at their particular craft. I know they're going to be watching me day in and day out.''"