FOXBOROUGH, Mass. - The New England Patriots announced that they have signed quarterback Todd Mortensen, wide receiver John Stone, running back Earl Charles and wide receiver Rich Musinski to future contracts. Terms of the agreements were not disclosed. The four players will join the team when the NFL roster limit expands to 80 players next month. Charles and Musinski will be allocated to the NFL Europe League for its 2006 season.
Mortensen, 26, was originally signed by the Detroit Lions as an undrafted free agent out of San Diego University on April 28, 2005. The 6-foot-4-inch, 225-pound signal caller remained with the Lions through their 2005 training camp before being released on Sept. 3, 2005. The Tempe, Ariz. native did not record any passing statistics for the Lions in the 2005 preseason and spent the remainder of the year out of football.
Stone, 26, was originally signed by the Indianapolis Colts as an undrafted free agent out of Wake Forest in the spring of 2002. The 5-foot-11-inch, 180-pound receiver spent the 2003 and 2004 seasons with the Oakland Raiders, where he played in a total of five games and caught three passes for 80 yards. He spent the 2002 season out of football after being released by the Colts following training camp and was signed by the Raiders in the spring of 2003. He spent much of the 2003 season on the practice squad before joining the active roster on Dec. 10 and seeing action in the season finale on Dec. 28. In 2004, he once again began the season on Oakland's practice squad before joining the active roster on Nov. 21 and playing in four games. He was placed on injured reserve by the Raiders on Aug. 30, 2005 and later released on Sept. 25, 2005.
Charles, 23, will re-join the Patriots after being originally signed by New England as an undrafted free agent out of Marshall on April 30, 2005. The 6-foot-1-inch, 215-pound running back was released by the Patriots on July 23, 2005, prior to the start of training camp. Charles will be allocated to the NFL Europe League for its 2006 season.
Musinski, 25, will re-join the Patriots after spending a week with the team during 2005 training camp. The 5-foot-11-inch, 199-pound receiver was signed by the Patriots on July 28, 2005 and later released on Aug. 3, 2005. Musinski was originally signed by the Tennessee Titans as an undrafted free agent out of William and Mary on April 26, 2004. He played in three preseason games for the Titans in 2004 and recorded one reception for five yards. He was released by Tennessee in the final preseason roster cuts on Sept. 5, 2004. Musinski will be allocated to the NFL Europe League for its 2006 season.
