When Chad Ochocinco was traded to the New England Patriots to team with Tom Brady, it naturally seemed that the duo was destined for great things.

Destiny, however, is never written but only created by oneself. As such, Brady and Ochocinco have taken charge of their fate by building camaraderie.

It’s been a short time yet, but there is a noticeable change in the chemistry between the two. Ochocinco got off to a rough start to training camp, dropping a fair share of passes in the early going. In Tuesday’s practice, however, Ochocinco dropped only one pass.

When Brady spoke about Ochocinco for the first time, he tempered his excitement and tried to hold off on feeding too much into the hype of the situation:

“I’ve known Chad for a long time, I’ve watched him for a long time. He brings a lot of energy to the team, and we’re looking forward to everyone being out here and trying to get better.

Trying to see what we can make of this year… [Ochocinco has] been a very prolific receiver; I think he’s had a bunch of production over the years. Hopefully he can come in here and find a role on this team, like we’re all trying to do.

We’re all trying to come out here and see what we can make of this year, see what kind of role we can make for ourselves.”

Roughly translated, Brady wanted to make sure that Ochocinco didn’t think he was going to come in with an expectation of a certain number of passes to be thrown his way.

Despite that, it’s hard not to notice the two getting on the same page so quickly. In fact, Deion Branch seems to think that Ochocinco is on the fast track to success in the Patriots offense.

“I think he’s picked up a lot of things,” Branch said after Sunday morning’s walkthrough, according to ESPN Boston’s Mike Reiss. “The stuff they’ve thrown at him, I think he’s done a great job of picking it up.”

“The stuff that he’s sliding on, we’re going to do our best to pick him up when we can, and when he needs it. So far he hasn’t been needing it and that’s a good sign.”

That quick learning curve will be imperative in this post-lockout environment, and could be key in creating chemistry between the quarterback and the pass catcher.

During Tuesday’s practice, Brady stepped back and waited for Ochocinco to create separation on a comeback route against Leigh Bodden.

Sure enough, the instinctual veteran was able to get the separation just in time for Brady to make the pass toward the left sideline. Ochocinco made a very nice catch and kept both feet in bounds for a gain of just over 10 yards.

It wasn’t much, but for a team that always stresses doing all the little things right, it was a nice step in the right direction (even on a comeback route, which I guess is technically a step in the wrong direction, but I digress).

Whatever the two have been doing is working, as Patriots Football Weekly beat writer Andy Hart points out that the two hooked up on a 40-yard gain in Wednesday’s in-stadium practice and again in red-zone drills on a touchdown pass.

The work didn’t stop there, though. Hart also noticed more chemistry-building exercises between the two after practice:

“Brady and Ochocinco spent a long time working together and chatting after practice. Brady even took to demonstrating routes himself to show No. 85 exactly what he was looking for.

Brady has spent a lot of extra time working with his new receiver in camp, and often seems to look for him first on many plays as the pair works to build a rapport.”

Expecting the explosive success of Randy Moss in his first year as a Patriot is a bit much. Ochocinco isn’t the same type of receiver, as he doesn’t rely so much on his blazing speed as his cagey veteran instincts, solid hands and crisp route-running.

The scary thing for opposing defenses is that this chemistry and rapport is building this quickly, and it’s only training camp. The momentum is building, and it will be something to keep an eye on during practice, through the preseason, and all the way into their Week 1 showdown with the Miami Dolphins.

Erik Frenz is the co-host of the PatsPropaganda and Frenz podcast. Follow Erik on Twitter @erikfrenz.

Jim Rogash/Getty Images

Apart from a few potential twitter, soccer, or bull-riding-related headaches, Tom Brady had to be thrilled when the Patriots traded for Chad Ochocinco. But (from the individual stats point-of-view, not in terms of wins and losses) several of Ochocinco’s new teammates couldn’t have been nearly as excited by the move.

Even before the trade with Cincinnati, the Bengals had a pretty deep wide receiving corps–deep, not spectacular. 

Wes Welker’s 2010 proved that he might not be as explosive following his torn ACL and MCL, but he’s certainly capable of collecting another 80 balls or so. The same is true about Deion Branch. The former Super Bowl MVP is 32 and was never an elite receiver to begin with, but he’s a great third option to Walker and Ochocinco when they are in sets without tight ends Aaron Hernandez or Rob Gronkowski.

No, it’s Brandon Tate who will lose more opportunities now that Ochocinco is in the mix. 

Tate is only 23 and this is just his third year, but he had made some strides in 2010, catching 23 passes for 432 yards and three touchdowns. And he had that huge, 65-yards, game-changing touchdown in the win over Minnesota. 

But now there just doesn’t seem to be much room for him in the offense. And it doesn’t help that his game is considered somewhat narrow.

As NFL Films Greg Cosell noted, 

“The way the Patriots use Brandon Tate tells that they don’t think much of him at this point. He runs about three routes and the only time the ball comes to him is when a play is specifically called for him.”

Ochocinco, Welker, and Branch are the veterans Brady can rely on on the edges, Hernandez and Gronkowski, will catch plenty of balls over the middle and in the red zone, and Danny Woodhead is going to get his touches in the screen game.

Barring an injury, Tate’s probably going to become very familiar with rookie Ryan Mallett and the second/third team offense.

–Adam Lazarus

Follow me on  Twitter at lazarusa57

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Read More: nfl training camp, Matt Roth (LB – CLE), Albert Haynesworth (DT – NEP), Jonathan Crompton (QB – NEP), New England Patriots

From the looks of things, the New England Patriots have developed their approach to defense:

Get bigger.

With Albert Haynesworth acquired last week, the Pats worked out former Cleveland linebacker Matt Roth, a 6-foot-4, 276-pound pass-rusher who, at only 28 years old, could be a very big addition to the New England defensive front seven. 

The biggest highlight of the day for New England, both figuratively and literally, was Haynesworth, who held court with the media for the first time since passing his conditioning test late last week. 

Haynesworth fielded questions for some time, noting that he “always liked” the way head coach Bill Belichick goes about his business and the way his teams have performed. 

When asked what he feels his role on the team will be, his answer was simple: “I don’t know, just to kill the quarterback.”

He also said that he plans on leaving his past behind him, and that he doesn’t care what type of defense he plays in. 

“Whatever gap the ball is in, that’s the gap I want to be in,” said Haynesworth. 

The Patriots also cut quarterback Jonathan Crompton on Tuesday. 

The biggest gripe that Patriots fans could possibly have over the past two seasons is that Bill Belichick has not truly addressed the pass rush until the acquisition of defensive lineman Albert Haynesworth. While Bill Belichick seems to work voodoo on some of the most famous headcases in recent NFL memory, (yes, you, Randy Moss) there is legitimate concern that even Belichick might not be able to turn around Haynesworth.

So if the Haynesworth doesn’t work out, which he very well could not, the Patriots need to find help elsewhere.

Osi Umenyiora’s agent has been able to look for potential trade partners. Reportedly, according to Ralph Vacchiano of the New York Daily News, San Diego, St. Louis, Seattle, Denver and Baltimore all have expressed interest in Umenyiora.

Unfortunately, the New York Giants are asking for a first-round draft choice. Those same draft choices which, due to the new collective bargaining agreement, are a bit less costly now and have much better value.

The Patriots could choose to address the need via free agency, or see who hits the scrap heap at final cuts, but if they wish to have a solid plan right now, adding Umenyiora might be something they should consider.

The Patriots just recently let their most disruptive pass rusher go in Tully Banta-Cain due to an abdominal injury. Jermaine Cunningham showed promise last season but that is far from a sure thing, and the next two greatest threats are Rob Ninkovich and Mike Wright—neither who really shout “explosive pass rusher.”

The Patriots have a strong presence in the middle of the field with Jerod Mayo, Brandon Spikes, Gary Guyton and Vince Wilfork. There is a need to solidify the pass rush that Belichick has been unwilling to do via the draft for the past two seasons.

Umenyiora has likely seen his peak but was certainly no slouch last year, finding his way to the quarterback 11.5 times and forcing 10 fumbles. Those are numbers he could easily match in Foxborough.

The problem comes with finding the right compensation for the Giants. If they are truly going to be firm on the first-round draft pick, the Patriots will likely opt out as they prefer to turn first-round picks into multiple picks (in hopes of one day, selecting every player in the second round maybe?). This might be the time to cash in those chips.

Brady is not getting any younger and there seems to be plenty of teams who have figured out how to win in Foxborough in January, so the time might be now to trade in some chips. The free agent market is no longer offering up any great buys, so this will probably be the only way to add a stud pass-rusher.

New England does happen to hold an extra first-round draft pick next year. Just saying.

When you go 14-2, you must be doing something right.

But in the case of the New England Patriots, Bill Belichick is determined to head the New York Jets off at the pass with two major acquisitions that will only make the Pats better come the playoffs.

While Albert Haynesworth and Chad Ochocinco are known for their off-the-field tirades than winning football games, both are quality pick-ups that make the Patriots better on both sides of the football.

In the case of the former Redskin and Bengal, both of them seem to have come to the conclusion that winning matters.

In the case of Haynesworth and Ochocinco, negative headlines and talk radio chatter seemed to drive their personalities. But bad headlines and under achievement become heavy when one looks back at their respective careers.

But after years of team mediocrity and declining production will these two malcontents begin to start thinking about winning in the September of their football careers?

The answer is yes.

Let’s be clear, Bill Belichick and the New England Patriots need to get that monkey off their collective back.

That means winning again in the playoffs after consecutive losses to the Baltimore Ravens and New York Jets in their own crib!

Bill Belichick doesn’t need to be reminded that the last time he won a playoff game was against the anemic San Diego Chargers.

No one needs to remind him that he took an undefeated team to the playoffs only to lose to the overachieving New York Giants on the biggest of stages!

Only another Super Bowl victory will kill the sting of such a monumental loss.

That’s why Haynesworth and Ochocinco are wearing the red, white and blue.

For the same way the Patriots know what they need to do, do you think signing Plaxico Burress was a coincidence?

The Jets want winners.

The Jets are cutting Braylon Edwards loose because he doesn’t seem to get it.

While Burress nearly threw his NFL career away, this is a league of second and third chances thanks to the success of Michael Vick in last year’s improbable MVP-like season!

And while the Jets let Brad Smith slip through the cracks, they believe players who’ve won in the past is what Rex Ryan wants to fill his locker room and this 2011 roster with: Super Bowl champions.

Rex Ryan has done enough talking about winning.

He needs to fill his roster with players who know how to win.

Burress fits that description. Edwards does not.

So the New England Patriots, led by Bill Belichick and Hall of Fame quarterback Tom Brady, have decided to go “all in” for another Super Bowl ring. The Jets have responded by signing a ghost of a winning Super Bowl run that was supposed to end in defeat at the hands of the Patriots.

Burress played a big role in making that not occur.

The presence of Plaxico Burress robbing New England of another Super Bowl appearance tells us just how determined both teams seem to be to finally get to where they believe they belong—representing the AFC in Super Bowl XLVI.