The Patriots on Wednesday signed broad receiver David Patten, who performed with New England from 2001-04 but was not within the NFL final year or so right after getting cut through the Cleveland Browns in instruction camp.
[+] EnlargeDavid Patten
Icon SMIDavid Patten was on 3 Extremely Bowl-winning teams using the Patriots.
The 35-year-old Patten's final action arrived using the New Orleans Saints in 2008, when he appeared in 5 games and got 11 receptions for 162 yards and a single touchdown. In 2007, Patten got enjoyed a good comeback year or so using the Saints, catching 54 passes for 792 yards and 3 touchdowns.
Patten performed on all 3 from the Patriots' Extremely Bowl-winning teams. In the course of his four-year tenure using the Patriots, Patten caught 165 passes for Two,513 yards and 16 touchdowns within the normal year or so and additional 15 receptions for 174 yards with two touchdowns within the postseason. The most effective year or so of his 12-year job also arrived in New England in 2004, when he got 800 yards getting and seven touchdowns.
Patten provides a veteran presence at a placement wherever the Patriots are youthful and provides depth too, that is essential thinking about the uncertain timeline about the return of Wes Welker right after knee surgical treatment.
Because Patten was out of football in 2009, it will be a stretch to call him a lock for any roster spot. But this isn't a single of individuals sign-and-retire kind contracts. The Patriots saw sufficient of Patten in the exercise to believe he could perhaps assist -- in the really minimum in offseason perform.
Tim Graham's consider on Patten
This clearly is really a kick-the-tires signing. If Patten was any type of response for that Patriots' third-receiver requirements, they would've brought him in at some stage final yr. AFC East weblog
An additional aspect from the Patten signing that's noteworthy may be the locker area dynamic.
Right after a year or so by which the Patriots didn't constantly appear to possess all 53 players pulling in exactly the same course, Patten brings a professionalism to some area that could only advantage individuals close to him, nevertheless lengthy he is close to in his 2nd stint using the team. That ought to advantage youthful receivers this kind of as Brandon Tate and Julian Edelman.
