"I can do what I know I can do, so I've just got to trust myself."

FOXBOROUGH – Last season, Craig Woodson laid the foundation of his NFL career. He earned a starting spot, finished fourth on the team in tackles, and was one of the bright spots during a lopsided Super Bowl loss.

Now, heading into his second season, Woodson says it’s time to keep “adding tools” to his game as he continues to improve.

“It gave me a lot of confidence knowing that I could play at a high level with the best guys on the field and I just want to keep building on that,” Woodson said. “I’ve got to keep getting better every day that I come into the building. What I did last year was last year, this is this year and I’ve got to prove myself again.”

Woodson, 25, came into the league with plenty of college experience. He stepped right in and made an impact last season after playing 46 games at Cal.

But, there’s nothing quite like making plays at the NFL level to boost a player’s confidence. Woodson became the first Patriots rookie to recover a fumble and make an interception in a playoff game during the Divisional Round against the Texans. He had a team-high 10 tackles in the Super Bowl, along with three for loss and a pair of deflections.

There weren’t many moments where Woodson showed a lack of confidence, but having that kind of experience should help cut down on them, Woodson said.

“I would say the moments that I did not have confidence were the moments that I may have given up a play or something,” Woodson said. “For me this year, that’s the biggest thing, having confidence going in that I can make every play out there and I can run with guys. I can do what I know I can do, so I’ve just got to trust myself.”

Woodson laughed when asked if he had received anything in exchange for giving up his No. 31 jersey to three-time All-Pro Kevin Byard, who signed in the offseason, but opted not to share what it was. Woodson now wears No. 4.

Last season, Woodson was paired with his former Cal teammate Jaylinn Hawkins in the Patriots secondary. He’s looking forward to picking up a thing or two from Byard as the two adjust to playing together.

“I know he’s going to help me out there when it comes to seeing things, allowing the game to slow down even more than it’s stating to already,” Woodson said. “Once we get to practice and on the field, I’m sure he’s going to give me some keys and some tools that are going to help me.”

It’s been a little more than three months since the Seahawks’ 29-13 triumph over the Patriots in the Super Bowl. With OTAs set to begin next week, the Patriots are eager to get back to the grind, Woodson said.

On Wednesday, the Patriots hosted a community event at Gillette Stadium. The atmosphere was relaxed, with players showing kids how to do football drills.

The intensity will ramp up soon enough, and the players will be able to show off what new tools they’ve added to their game.

It’s a new year featuring a new jersey number and a new veteran safety to work alongside for Woodson. He’s ready to tackle it.

“I think everybody just wants to move forward and keep working,” Woodson said. “That’s how it is, we’ve got to keep working and get back to where we want to be and win games this year. It starts now. We’ve got to work, put in the grind and everything will take care of itself.”