The only problems that got Tom Brady off the field were thunder and lightning.

The Patriots quarterback even kept playing through a torrential downpour yesterday at Foxborough, Mass., leading the offense through its paces.

"Throughout the monsoon, or whatever you want to call it," wide receiver Greg Lewis said, "he was fired up: 'Let's get up to the huddle, break the huddle, let's get out there and get this thing right.' "

Brady was back on the first day of New England's training camp, taking snaps just as he did before he was knocked off the field for the 2008 season by a left knee injury in the opener.

He dropped back and threw a 20-yard pass that bounced off Ray Ventrone's hand, a sideline pass that just eluded Wes Welker, and a long completion over the middle to Julian Edelman. He made handoffs and faked others.

About an hour into practice, heavy rain fell. But the Patriots stayed out there until a clap of thunder and a flash of lightning sent them running for cover during a field goal drill, ending the session about a half-hour earlier than planned.

Brady didn't talk to reporters.

VICK CASE

FORMER FALCON SAYS HE'S CLOSE TO SIGNING

Michael Vick said yesterday that he is getting close to signing with a team but refused to elaborate.

Vick made the comment to reporters as he left a courtroom in Newport News, Va., after a hearing in his bankruptcy case. Asked about his progress in signing with a team, Vick said: "We're getting close." He declined to answer additional questions.

NFL commissioner Roger Goodell conditionally reinstated Vick on Monday, a week after the former Atlanta Falcons star completed his 23-month sentence for running a dogfighting ring.

VIKINGS

LEUKEMIA FORCES UDEZE TO RETIRE

Minnesota defensive end Kenechi Udeze has retired, ending a remarkable comeback from leukemia.

Udeze says his leukemia is in remission. But he's dealing with side effects from treatment and is unable to play.

Minnesota's first-round draft pick in 2004, Udeze was a starter for four seasons.

He was diagnosed in February 2008 with the disease, which is a cancer of the blood and bone marrow. Udeze missed all of last season.

After a marrow transplant more than a year ago, Udeze was on the field for practices this spring and summer.

ELSEWHERE

In the courts: New York Giants linebacker Antonio Pierce appeared yesterday before the grand jury investigating gun charges against former teammate Plaxico Burress and was expected to return today. Pierce was with Burress at a Manhattan nightclub Nov. 29 last year when the wide receiver shot himself in the leg.

Rams: St. Louis signed offensive tackle Jason Smith, the second overall pick of the draft. The 6-foot-5, 306-pound Smith was drafted out of Baylor.

Raiders: Rookie receiver Darrius Heyward-Bey signed a five-year contract that will guarantee him at least $23.5 million. Heyward-Bey was the seventh overall pick out of Maryland.

Packers: Green Bay has signed first-round draft pick Clay Matthews III, an outside linebacker from Southern California.

Browns: Cleveland has agreed to terms on a four-year contract with rookie wide receiver Brian Robiskie, a second-round pick out of Ohio State.

Lions: Detroit has signed second-round pick Louis Delmas to a four-year contract. The safety played at Western Michigan.

Giants: New York signed second-round draft picks Clint Sintim and William Beatty to four-years deals. Sintim is a linebacker from Virginia; Beatty is an offensive tackle from Connecticut.