New England has many options in this weekend’s NFL draft.
FOXBORO, Mass. (AP) – Winning two Super Bowls in three years is an amazing feat. Now the New England Patriots have made another impressive move.

Five days before the NFL draft, they’ve already used it to get better.

By sending a second-round draft choice to Cincinnati for Corey Dillon on Monday, they filled a hole on a team that has few of them. When the two-day draft starts Saturday, they’ll be more concerned with building depth than adding starters.

“We can definitely go out and play with what we have. I would say that is probably true of every position,” coach Bill Belichick said. “If we have a chance to improve it, we will evaluate that and see what we can do.

“If we don’t, then we have guys that have played that have won quite a few games for us.”

The Patriots were 21-2 last season, including exhibition and playoff games. They won their last 12 regular-season games then tacked on three more playoff wins. They beat Carolina 32-29 in the Super Bowl and have a chance to get even better with their stockpile of draft picks.

Even after giving up a pick for Dillon, the Patriots still have six selections in the first four rounds – two in the first, the 21st and 32nd – one in the second, one in the third and two in the fourth.

The Patriots, 27th in rushing in the NFL last season, let free agent Antowain Smith leave but no longer need a top college running back.

“There really is no pressure on me because the team was basically set and they were winning Super Bowls without me,” Dillon said.

The Patriots could use depth in the offensive line after center-guard Damien Woody signed with Detroit. At tight end, they have Christian Fauria and 2002 first-round pick Daniel Graham, who has progressed in each season. At wide receiver, Deion Branch, David Givens and Bethel Johnson were drafted in the past two years and Troy Brown is still a very effective receiver for quarterback Tom Brady.

“I wouldn’t trade that group of receivers for any in the league,” Brady said after the Super Bowl.

The Patriots have no immediate needs on defense after giving up a league-low 238 points last season, although they could take a defensive back in case they give disgruntled cornerback Ty Law his wish and release or trade him.

At linebacker, they’ll have another new player even without the draft. Rosevelt Colvin, just 26, had 21 sacks with Chicago in 2001 and 2002 but played only two games with New England before sustaining a hip injury last season.

The Patriots beefed up the defensive line with young players by drafting Richard Seymour in the first round in 2000, Jarvis Green in the fourth round in 2002 and Ty Warren in the first round in 2003.

Kicker? They have perhaps the best clutch kicker in the NFL in Adam Vinatieri, whose field goals won the two Super Bowls.

Punter? Last month, they signed Josh Miller, sixth in the AFC in gross and net yardage with Pittsburgh last season, to replace an ineffective Ken Walter.

Belichick will add to a team with very talented role players and a few stars without big egos. Dillon, who rushed for at least 1,000 yards in six different seasons, could see their togetherness when he was with Cincinnati.

“It was just one heartbeat, offense and defense,” he said. “The chemistry here is great and they know how to win football games.”

Belichick feels the draft is deep in receivers, running backs and defensive linemen. The linebacker crop is better than it has been in a number of years and the cornerback group “is not bad,” he said.

“Bill Belichick manages a roster like a stock portfolio,” Patriots owner Robert Kraft said in February. “He’s always trying to upgrade the bottom of a roster, like you try to upgrade your bottom five or six stocks.”

The draft is his next chance to do that.

“Once you get past the middle of the first round, it’s pretty hard to predict who is going to be (available) and who isn’t,” Belichick said. “It’s an important part of building your team so, from that standpoint, it is exciting.”

AP-ES-04-20-04 1827EDT