FOXBOROUGH, Mass. -- The New England Patriots signed second-round draft choice S Patrick Chung today. Terms of the agreement were not disclosed. Chung was drafted by the Patriots out of Oregon with the first of four second-round selections in 2009 (34th overall). The Patriots also released three-year veteran S Antwain Spann.
Chung, 5-11, 212 pounds, started more games than any other defensive player in Oregon history, starting 51 straight games during his college career. As a junior in 2007, Chung was named Second-team All-American and First-team All-Pac 10 Conference. He received the Gordon E. Wilson Award, given to the team's top special teams player. He averaged 22.3 yards on nine kickoff returns while leading Oregon with a career-high 117 total tackles, nine passes defensed and two interceptions. Chung earned Third-team All-American accolades in addition to making All-Pac 10 Conference First-team for the second consecutive year in 2008. He finished the season with 92 total tackles in 13 games with two sacks. He caused and recovered a fumble, and returned an interception 31 yards for a touchdown.
Spann, 6-0, 200 pounds, spent parts of the last three seasons between the Patriots' practice squad and the 53-man roster. He saw action in 19 regular-season games and three postseason games for the Patriots. Spann originally joined the NFL as a rookie free agent with the New York Giants in 2005 out of Louisiana-Lafayette.
