The New England Patriots confirmed Wednesday that they re-signed defensive lineman Alan Branch and also signed unrestricted free agent cornerbacks Bradley Fletcher and Robert McClain.
According to earlier reports, Branch received a two-year contract worth a maximum $6.6 million. McClain signed a reported one-year, $1.24 million deal that includes up to $760,000 in incentives for playing time. ESPN reported that Fletcher’s one-year deal is for a maximum $2.5 million.
An unrestricted free agent who turned 30 in December, Branch was drafted in 2007 by the Arizona Cardinals and had played for Seattle and Buffalo before joining the Patriots. He signed with New England midway through the 2014 season and played in eight regular-season and three postseason games, highlighted by his seven tackles in Super Bowl XLIX.
Branch has started 49 of 102 NFL games and totaled 184 tackles and eight sacks.
Fletcher, 28, spent the past two seasons with the Philadelphia Eagles after four years with St. Louis Rams. He has 306 career tackles and eight interceptions.
Last season with the Eagles, Fletcher started the first 15 games but was burned repeatedly late in the season in coverage and benched for the final game. He led the Eagles with 26 passes defensed.
McClain, 26, has bounced between the Carolina Panthers (2010), Jacksonville Jaguars (2011) and Atlanta Falcons (2012-14) in four NFL seasons. In 63 career games, he has 202 tackles, three interceptions, two forced fumbles and four fumble recoveries.
In 2014, McClain started six of 16 games for the Falcons and totaled 60 tackles, one sack and two interceptions.
