FOXBORO, Mass. - The New England Patriots announced that they signed veteran cornerback Daryl Porter today as an unrestricted free agent. Terms of the signing were not disclosed.
Porter, 28, joins the Patriots after appearing in 14 games with the Tennessee Titans in 2001. The 5-foot-9-inch, 188-pound defensive back made three starts as a nickel back and registered 31 defensive tackles last season. He saw extensive playing time on special teams and co-led the team with 17 special teams tackles.
After earning all-conference honors at Boston College in 1996, Porter was drafted in the sixth round of the 1997 NFL draft by the Pittsburgh Steelers. After spending the first half of his rookie season on the Steelers practice squad, he was signed by the Detroit Lions and appeared in seven games, primarily on special teams. He played three seasons in Buffalo (1998-00) and appeared in 41 games, finishing with 28 defensive tackles. He joined the Titans after the second week of the 2001 season and appeared in each of their remaining games.
While at Boston College in 1995, Porter played briefly for the Eagles baseball team. His only at bat resulted in a double in an exhibition game vs. the Boston Red Sox.
