The Facts: The Patriots will continue to take a patient and conservative approach with Lewis' recovery from a torn left ACL, but things are going well. Some close to Lewis feel that he's about one month away from being able to play in a game, which naturally means that his availability for the season opener Sept. 11 in Arizona is looking good at this point (assuming no unexpected setbacks).

Diehards Line:Lewis tore his ACL in a Nov. 8 game against the Washington Redskins and underwent surgery on Nov. 18. Dr. James Andrews performed the surgery. While Lewis' progress is encouraging, ESPN.com's Mike Reiss notes the team is bringing him along slowly because there is little urgency at this time of year, which is consistent with their approach for most players coming back from surgery. So while Lewis' recovery has been on a promising track, his level of participation in OTAs might still be limited (if he participates at all) and there is a possibility that approach could also extend into the start of training camp.