Patriots: Mitchell in Need of a Secondary Education

Freddie Mitchell’s big mouth struck again.

Philadelphia’s other loquacious receiver -- the one without the Pro Bowl pedigree and ankle injury -- offended some members of the New England Patriots when he dissed the team’s secondary in a television interview.

Mitchell, a starter only because All-Pro Terrell Owens is hurt, said he just knew the numbers -- not the names -- of New England’s cornerbacks. He singled out Rodney Harrison, saying he “has something” for the veteran strong safety.

“It just shows he doesn’t have respect for us,” Patriot cornerback Asante Samuel said Friday, responding to Mitchell’s comments from a day earlier.

The Patriots’ defensive backs will see Mitchell up close when the defending champions meet the Eagles in the Super Bowl on Feb. 6.

“You have so many young guys nowadays, so many young guys that don’t have respect for the game,” Harrison said. “Some people are just immature. Some people really haven’t experienced certain things.”

The Patriots have a patchwork secondary that includes a rookie free agent (Randall Gay), a converted receiver (Troy Brown) and a guy (Hank Poteat) who was taking college courses before the playoffs started.

Starters Tyrone Poole and Ty Law have been sidelined with injuries most of the season, but the fill-ins shut down Peyton Manning and the rest of the Indianapolis Colts in a second-round playoff game, and intercepted Pittsburgh’s Ben Roethlisberger three times in the AFC championship game.

“Freddie Mitchell is a guy who is getting time now because Terrell is hurt,” Patriot linebacker Willie McGinest said. “We don’t worry about what he’s saying. He will have to deal with that on the field.

“All I can say is, Rodney Harrison is the wrong guy to mention, especially if you’re a receiver. [Mitchell] is not humble. He hasn’t done enough in this league to be on TV talking about that. Philly has a lot more class than that. It’s just one guy.”

Mitchell’s response?

“I was joking. I don’t care. It’ll all be solved on Sunday,” he said.

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Edgar Bennett was hired as Green Bay’s running back coach. Bennett replaces Johnny Roland, who accepted the same job with New Orleans.... Tennessee hired Ray Sherman as receiver coach. Sherman spent the last five seasons with Green Bay.... Buffalo cornerback Nate Clements was added to the AFC Pro Bowl team to replace the injured Chris McAlister.