Projo Pats Blog

March 16, 2008 - March 22, 2008 Archives

The Patriots have just announced the signing of corner Fernando Bryant.

In a statement, Bill Belichick said, "Adding a cornerback with Fernando's experience and production is a good opportunity for us."

According to profootballtalk.com, the Patriots have signed free agent cornerback Fernando Bryant to a one-year deal.

Bryant, a nine-year veteran, apparently also had an offer on the table from Denver but decided to join New England. A Georgia native, he spent the last four seasons with the Lions, after playing for Jacksonville for the first five years of his career. The Jaguars chose Bryant (5-foot-10, 175 pounds) 26th overall out of Alabama in 1999.

Heavily involved in community work, Bryant played in all 16 games last season, with 69 tackles, two interceptions, 13 passes defensed and a forced fumble. However, he played in just 22 games over his first three seasons in Detroit, including just two in 2005.

Pats' linebacker Mike Vrabel was voted to the NFL Players' Association executive committee yesterday, on the same day that Titans center Kevin Mawae was selected as president.

Mawae succeeds former Eagle Troy Vincent, whose term recently ended and who is no longer an active player; Vincent reportedly will become assistant executive director, and has designs on eventually becoming executive director when longtime head Gene Upshaw leaves the position.

Vrabel, the Broncos' Dominique Foxworth and New Orleans' Drew Brees were chosen as new members of the executive committee; the Eagles' Brian Dawkins, the Colts' Jeff Saturday, Houston's Mark Bruner, Tony Richardson of the Jets, Tampa Bay's Kevin Carter and free agents Donovin Darius and Keenan McCardell were all re-elected to the committee.

On the Players' Association website, Mawae, who spent six years on the executive committee, said the collective bargaining agreement and the potential owners' lockout are the biggest issues facing the players; he also wants to educate younger players on why their salaries are what they are now.

Hey all -

We're out of hibernation and on a field trip to Boston College's Pro Day, where 22 NFL teams have sent at least one representative to keep an eye on the activities.

Most of them - and many of the reporters as well - are here to see QB Matt Ryan and OL Gosder Cherilus. But we're here mostly to see East Providence's Jamie Silva.

Silva has already run his two 40-yard dashes, his long hair kept down by a black headband, giving him a Captain Caveman-like appearance. Silva slipped off the line at the start of his second run and pulled up before finishing. He waited a minute and went again, though we don't know yet what his times were. Silva was not happy with his 40 times at the Combine and wanted to put up a better nmber today even though he knows that is not his strength.

Kansas City has five representatives here, including head coach Herm Edwards, offensive coordinator Chan Gailey and GM Carl Peterson. The Patriots are represented by scouts Brian Flores and DuJuan Daniels.

Ryan currently is louging in one end of the field, chatting with Edwards. He will do a series of drills solo in a little while.

shalise