FOXBORO — At the slightest mention of some real action going down, Jabaal Sheard’s eyes light up and the corners of his mouth pull up into a grin.

Right now, the Patriots are conducting mandatory minicamps. Like organized team activities before, these practices are held in shorts, shirts and helmets. That means no full pads, no full contact, no all-out mayhem on the field.

For a defensive end like Sheard, it’s hard not to look ahead to those days.

“Oh, yeah, when it comes to football? Yeah, yeah, definitely, man. Guys are always on the edge,” Sheard said yesterday when asked if he’s anxious to get the pads on.

“Football is a fun game. When you get a chance to put on pads and make tackles, it’s even more fun, and you get to talk a little trash with it. We’re definitely looking forward to camp and excited to be putting on the pads when we come back.”

While the 6-foot-3, 264-pounder is itching to wrangle a quarterback to the turf, his mental focus also remains sharp.

“I think that’s the big importance of football,” Sheard said. “Guys don’t realize it, but mental reps are very important. That’s why we’re getting a lot of film work, a lot of just going through a walkthrough period where you get a feel for each other. That’s the important part of football: You get a chance to actually learn and see what everybody’s doing around you.”

Sheard’s intensity level at practice has caught the eye of some of his teammates.

“From looking at him, he’s a ball of energy,” defensive tackle Alan Branch said. “I don’t think he came off the field once during our (work against the) no-huddle.”

Part of why Sheard has seen so much work with the defense is that fellow end Chandler Jones has been sidelined with a hip injury. Sheard, who was in over the offseason to a two-year, $11 million contract, is expected to trade reps with Jones and Rob Ninkovich on the edge as the team hopes to improve its pass rush from the position.

During his first four years in the league with the Cleveland Browns, Sheard played both as an end in a 4-3 defense and as an outside linebacker in a 3-4. During his first two seasons in Cleveland, he had 15.5 sacks before dropping off to 7.5 his last two seasons.

Sheard obviously wants a return to the numbers from his first two NFL seasons.

And whether he’s in full pads or not, he’s willing to do whatever it takes to get there.

“It’s all football,” he said. “You’ve got to come to work and be a professional. That’s how you last long in this league.”