Patriots To Sign Chad Brown

According to South Coast Today, the Patriots are expected to sign linebacker Chad Brown.  In the report:

The Patriots and 15-year veteran linebacker Chad Brown, who spent the 2005 season in New England, have agreed to terms, according to a league source.

The signing comes in the wake of a report by the San Diego Tribune that the Pats have also come to terms with another vintage linebacker, Junior Seau.

After they were shredded by the Indianapolis Colts in the AFC Championship Game, linebacker was considered a position of need for the Pats to address in the draft. But instead of getting younger, they have gotten older. They only used one of their picks, a sixth-rounder on Southern Methodist’s Justin Rogers, to fill the gaps at linebacker.

For Brown, who will turn 37 in July, 2007 will be his 16th NFL campaign. Tedy Bruschi, Mike Vrabel and Larry Izzo are also long in the tooth and Rosevelt Colvin will be 30 when the season starts.

Brown was signed by the Patriots in 2005 as a free agent and was credited with 54 tackles in 15 games (five starts). Brown was originally drafted by the Pittsburgh Steelers in 1993 and played there until 1996.

Although this report sounds promising, Chad Brown’s agent declined that Chad had signed with the Patriots for now at least.  Brown was cut last year at the end of training camp, but should still make the roster this year.  Brown, 37, is still versatlile, and still has enough left in the tank to provide depth off the bench.