FOXBOROUGH, Mass. – The New England Patriots announced that they have re-signed unrestricted free agents CB Kyle Arrington and CB Aqib Talib, and veteran free agent S Adrian Wilson. Terms of the contracts were not announced.
Arrington, 26, has spent the last four seasons with New England after joining the Patriots' practice squad on Sept. 21, 2009. The 5-foot-10, 195-pounder, was signed to the New England 53-man roster from the practice squad on Nov. 8, 2009. Arrington originally entered the NFL as a rookie free agent with Philadelphia out of Hofstra in 2008. He began the 2009 season on the Philadelphia practice squad before finishing the season on the Tampa Bay practice squad. Arrington began the 2009 season on Tampa Bay's practice squad but was signed to the 53-man roster prior to the Buccaneers' season-opener against Dallas. He made his NFL debut against the Cowboys on special teams. Arrington was waived by Tampa Bay on Sept. 14 and joined the New England practice squad on Sept. 21.
Arrington has played in 57 NFL games with 40 starts and has 217 total tackles, eight interceptions with one returned for a touchdown, 28 passes defensed and 52 special teams tackles. In 2011, he tied Charles Woodson and Eric Weddle for the NFL lead with seven interceptions. Last season, Arrington started in 12 of 16 games and finished with 67 total tackles, 10 passes defesned, one forced fumble, one fumble recovery and nine special teams tackles.
Wilson, 33, is a veteran of 12 NFL seasons with the Arizona Cardinals (2001-12). The 6-foot-3, 230 pounder, originally entered the NFL as a third-round (64th pick overall) draft choice by the Cardinals out of North Carolina State in 2001. He was released by Arizona on March 8.
Wilson has played in 181 career games with 162 starts and compiled 716 tackles, 25.5 sacks and 27 interceptions in his 12 years with the Cardinals. He holds the NFL record for most sacks in a single season by a defensive back (8), is the Cardinals' all-time leader in passes defensed (99) and forced fumbles (15), and his 99-yard interception return for a touchdown in 2006 is tied with Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie for the longest in team history. Wilson has earned Pro Bowl honors five times (2006, 2008-11) and All-Pro honors in four times (2006, 2008-09, 2011). He is just the sixth player in NFL history to record 25 sacks and 25 interceptions.
Talib, 27, was originally drafted by Tampa Bay in the first round (20th overall) of the 2008 NFL Draft out of Kansas. He was acquired by New England in a trade with Tampa Bay on Nov. 1, 2012 in exchange for a 2013 fourth round draft pick. The 6-foot-1, 205-pounder has played in 64 NFL games with 50 starts and has accumulated 228 total tackles, 19 interceptions with four returned for touchdowns, 60 passes defensed, two forced fumble and two fumble recovery. He started in two postseason games last season with the Patriots and added 10 total tackles and one pass defensed. He played in four games for the Buccaneers in 2012 and registered 20 tackles, one interception and defensed seven passes. Talib started in five of six games for New England last season after the trade, and compiled 19 tackles and in interception that he returned 59 yards for a touchdowns. He returned his only pick with the Patriots 59 yards for a touchdown in his first start with the team vs. Indianapolis (11/8).
