Globe Staff / March 21, 2008
The Patriots have apparently decided to go the Filene's Basement route in free agency to fill needs at cornerback. Yesterday, New England signed Fernando Bryant to a one-year deal.
A nine-year veteran who spent the last four seasons playing for the Detroit Lions, Bryant joins seasoned cornerbacks Jason Webster and Lewis Sanders, both of whom also signed one-year deals with the Patriots, as free agents brought in following the departures of Asante Samuel (Philadelphia Eagles) and Randall Gay (New Orleans Saints).
All three come with starting experience and are low-risk, potential high-reward additions.
The 5-foot-10-inch, 184-pound Bryant, who was due a $3.35 million base salary for 2008, was released last month. He started all 16 games last season for Detroit, recording two interceptions and 14 passes defended, matching career highs, despite a foot injury.
"Adding a cornerback with Fernando's experience and production is a good opportunity for us," said Patriots coach Bill Belichick.
When healthy, Bryant, owner of seven career interceptions, has been a starting cornerback - he has started 109 of 110 career games. But durability is the caveat emptor he carries.
Last season marked the first time since 2003, the last of his five seasons with the Jacksonville Jaguars, Bryant played a full 16-game slate.
In 2006, he missed six games - one because of the death of his grandmother - and had to sit out the final four games after suffering a concussion in a 28-21 loss to the Patriots at Gillette Stadium. Bryant played just two games in 2005 before he was placed on injured reserve with a clavicle injury. In 2004, he sat out six games because of injuries, and was sidelined the final four by an ankle injury. He played 16 games in 2002, but in 2001, he missed six games with a foot injury.
Like Sanders, Bryant has a connection to Dom Capers, the Patriots' new special assistant/secondary coach. Drafted in the first round (26th overall) by the Jaguars in 1999, Bryant played his first two seasons in the league for Capers, who was the Jaguars' defensive coordinator in 1999 and 2000.
The Patriots have eight players who can play cornerback, led by Ellis Hobbs, who underwent surgery Feb. 12 for a torn labrum in his shoulder. The other cornerbacks on the roster are Brandon Meriweather, who saw the majority of his playing time at safety last season, Mike Richardson, Tim Mixon, and Antwain Spann.
NFL spokesman Greg Aiello offered an update on negotiations with former Patriots employee Matt Walsh, who claims to have additional material that could be relevant to the Patriots' illicit videotaping practices. Aiello said lead attorneys on both sides, Walsh's lawyer, Michael N. Levy of McKee Nelson, and NFL outside counsel Gregg Levy (no relation), are working on documentation. Aiello said "things continue to progress." The sides announced March 9 they made "substantial progress" toward an agreement that would allow Walsh to come forward.
© Copyright 2008 Globe Newspaper Company.
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