Earlier today, an article in a Louisiana newspaper quoted New England DE Jarvis Green as saying "this is my last year as Patriot. I'd love to come home and finish off as a (New Orleans) Saint."

But this afternoon, Green and agent Albert Elias told Chris Gasper of the Boston Globe that that player's words were taken out of context and that he does indeed want to remain with the Pats after his current contract plays out at the end of this season.

"I don't think I said it like that," said Green. "Me being from Louisiana and playing at LSU and all that you say it would be a dream to play for the Saints. But I'd love to stay a Patriot, if that happens. I've been there seven years, won a lot of games, two Super Bowls, if I could retire as a Patriot that would be a dream.

"It came out in print the wrong way. I didn't say it that way. It's like anybody who lives in Texas talking about playing for Dallas or Houston. I'm a Patriot. I have been for seven years."

Elias, whose agency recently hosted the Pro Football Combine Camp for over 100 high school players in Louisiana -- on- and off-field teachers are Elias clients like Green, Eric Alexander, Cardinals rookie Herman Johnson and Chiefs CB Travis Daniels.

"We want [him] to remain a New England Patriot," said Elias. "We are ready to listen and ready to do something right now. But we will not be offended if we have to wait. With the collective bargaining agreement in flux and Scott Pioli leaving, they're still trying to figure some things out.

"The bottom line is we want to retire a New England Patriot. He's got another seven or eight years in him. He wants to play as long as [Michael] Strahan played, and he wants to play every year with New England because of his loyalty to Coach [Bill] Belichick."

Fellow D-linemen Vince Wilfork, Richard Seymour and Le Kevin Smith are also entering the final year of their respective contracts.

Green played much of last season with an ankle injury and did not participate in New Enlgand's offseason camps.