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Patriots sign Colvin
11 Mar 03 / by Andy Hart, Patriots Football Weekly
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With one signing the New England defense became much younger and more athletic Tuesday afternoon, as the Patriots reached an agreement with free agent linebacker Rosevelt Colvin. The former Bear visited Gillette Stadium on Sunday and the two sides have been working since that time hammering out a deal. Terms of the deal were not disclosed.
The 6-3, 245-pounder started 15-of-16 games played for the Bears last season and finished the year with 72 tackles and 10.5 sacks. He also had 3 forced fumbles, one fumble recovery and 5 passes defensed.
In just four seasons in the NFL the former fourth-round selection out of Purdue has developed quite a positive reputation as a pass rusher, especially over the last two seasons. In November, Patriots Head Coach Bill Belichick showered Colvin with a great deal of praise during the week leading up to the Patriots game in Chicago.
Colvin would appear to be a good fit for a New England defense that not only needs an injection of youth but also requires a certain degree of versatility to play. The young, athletic, pass-rushing linebacker could play in either the 3-4 or 4-3, adding versatility to a group that already includes the unique talents of Tedy Bruschi, Willie McGinest and Mike Vrabel.
With a total of 21 sacks over the last two seasons, the 25-year-old Colvin had received significant interest on the free agent market and reportedly made visits to Detroit, Arizona, Houston and the Giants prior to his stop in New England.
Colvin's career totals include 56 games played, 36 starts, 210 tackles, 26 sacks, 7 forced fumbles and 8 passes defensed.
Colvin will be talking with the New England media via conference call at 4:30 p.m. EST today. Audio of the conference call will follow here on Patriots.com.
