FOXBORO -- As reporters gathered around Reggie Wayne's locker during the veteran receiver's first official day as a member of the Patriots, he sat down in a chair, his back hunched forward, and he poured over notes in order to try to absorb what is to him a totally new offensive system.
"It's a process," Wayne said. "I'm just trying to get accustomed to learning my environment, learning all my teammates, staff. And the biggest thing is learning the playbook."
The Patriots came to an agreement with Wayne on Monday and announced his signing on Tuesday afternoon. One of the most productive receivers in NFL history, the 14-year veteran of the Colts organization ranks in the top 10 all-time in both receptions and receiving yards. He is the league's active leader in both categories.
Asked why he believed New England was the best landing spot for him at this point in his career, Wayne replied: "Want to win -- point blank."
Patriots coach Bill Belichick described Wayne's career as "outstanding" during a press conference on Tuesday. Wayne explained that the respect between the two -- who have shared a sideline during Pro Bowls in the past -- was mutual.
"Respect. You gotta respect what he's done in this league over the year," Wayne said. "Even though I was on the opposite side, you see that from afar and that's what you want. You want to be part of that. You want to put that into your repetoire. Pro Bowls, before the games, after the games, always mutual respect. He's one of the best at it."
In the past, Belichick has called Wayne one of the best route-runners the game has ever seen. Informed of those comments, Wayne responded in kind.
"That's what he said about me, I'm on the other side to say he's one of the best to ever do it in the coaching form," Wayne said. "It's one of those things where you're a free agent and you get calls sporadically. You sit down you put your head together you talk to your agent and you figure out what's best."
Wayne said that he had received "a lot of serious calls from some good teams," but eventually settled on the reigning Super Bowl champions because it was the place that he thought gave him the best chance to potentially add another ring to the one he won with Indianapolis in 2006.
Before getting ahead of himself, Wayne continuously reminded everyone listening that he had plenty of studying to do before he would be a fit in the Patriots offense.
"I felt this was the best place," Wayne said. "I'm excited about the transition. I got so much work ahead of me, I'm sitting here at my locker now cramming. It's been some years since I had to cram. It's something new for me and I'm looking forward to the journey."
Wayne never contemplated retirement, he explained. He has been working out since the spring with plans to play. Where he would play was uncertain. As the calls came in, he waited for the right opportunity, saving his body the rigors of the first few weeks of training camp in the process.
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The timing with the Patriots worked for him, but if he had waited any longer, he said it might have been difficult to learn everything he needed to learn as a member of a new team.
"I knew I was gonna be behind the eight ball," he said. "I was sitting at home in Miami and just constantly getting that itch. The longer I waited the harder it was going to be. I think it was right on time. I gotta go back to school and figure all this out."
Wayne slides into a receiver group that includes Brandon LaFell (on the physically unable to perform list), Julian Edelman (missed the team's first two preseason games), Aaron Dobson (missed the first two preseason games), Danny Amendola, undrafted rookies Chris Harper and Zach D'Orazio and second-year player Jonathan Krause.
It's unclear just how he'll fit in on the depth chart, but that's not his concern at the moment.
"All that is on my shoulders, how fast I can catch up, how quick I can learn," he said. "Right now it's just taking it one day at a time. They're throwing everything at me right now and seeing what sticks. It's homework for me. That's all I can do."
Moments later, once reporters dispersed, he went back into his locker, sat down, and got back to studying.