Patriots agree to terms with Leigh Bodden - thudias's Blog

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Patriots agree to terms with Leigh Bodden

Posted on March 10, 2009 at 04:21 PM.

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Patriots agree to terms with Leigh Bodden

Link|Comments (0) Posted by Christopher L. Gasper, Globe Staff March 10, 2009 03:08 PM
According to a league source, the Patriots have agreed to terms on a one-year deal with free agent cornerback Leigh Bodden.
The 27-year-old Bodden was released by the Detroit Lions on Feb. 9, after a season in which he had one interception -- although it was the only interception by a defensive back for the 0-16 Lions, who had just four interceptions total last season.
The Patriots brought Bodden in for a free-agent visit on the first day of free agency (Feb. 27), but Bodden departed Foxborough without a deal. Now, he has one.
In 2008, Detroit traded massive defensive tackle Shaun Rogers to Cleveland to obtain Bodden (as well as a third-round pick) and then signed him to a four-year, $27 million contract extension. They cut him before a large roster bonus that would have kicked in the contract was due.
The 6-foot-1-inch, 193-pounder is a good fit for the Patriots because he flourished in Cleveland when former Patriots defensive coordinator Romeo Crennel was his coach.
Bodden, who spent the first five seasons of his career with the Browns, had a career-high six interceptions in 2007 with Cleveland. He picked off 11 passes and was credited with 39 passes defended in the three seasons Crennel was his head coach. During that same three-season time period, Bodden, who spent his first two NFL seasons as primarily a special teams player, started 36 of the 38 games he played in for the Browns.
Bodden now joins Shawn Springs in a retooled Patriots secondary.
Upgrading that unit was apparently a priority for Bill Belichick and the football operations staff after a 2008 season that saw only the Arizona Cardinals (36) allow more touchdown passes than New England, which surrendered 27.
The Patriots were also tied (with Detroit and San Francisco) for second in the NFL in most opponents' completions of 40 yards or more, allowing 12; only the Jacksonville Jaguars (17) allowed more.