METAIRIE, La. -- David Patten, who was among the Saints' leading wide receivers last season, agreed to a new two-year contract with New Orleans on Monday.
Patten's 792 receiving yards were second on the team last season while his 54 receptions ranked third. Patten also had three touchdowns.
"David stepped into our lineup immediately last season and provided immediate leadership and he was a consistent and dependable target," Saints general manager Mickey Loomis said. "He is a consummate professional and his work ethic and leadership skills, coupled with the things he can do on the field made his re-signing a priority for us."
During his 11-year career, Patten has caught 313 passes for 4,553 yards and 23 touchdowns. He was part of three Super Bowl-winning teams in New England.
New Orleans recently acquired linebacker Jonathan Vilma in a trade with the Jets on Friday, then reached free-agent deals with former Patriots cornerback Randall Gay and former Jacksonville Jaguars defensive end to Bobby McCray.
The Saints currently have only two quarterbacks under contract: starter Drew Brees and reserve Tyler Palko, who was the third-stringer last season behind Jamie Martin. Martin, 38, is currently a free agent.
Copyright 2008 by The Associated Press
