The New England Patriots announced their first signing from their 2004 rookie draft class today with the signing of safety Dexter Reid. The team also announced the signing of free agent defensive tackle DeVonte Peterson. Terms of the contracts were not disclosed.
Reid, 23, was the first of two fourth round draft choices selected by the Patriots in 2004. He was the 113th selection overall. The 5-foot-11-inch, 203-pound safety started 36 of 47 games at North Carolina, where he recorded 466 career tackles, including four sacks, and three interceptions. He was a two-time, first-team all-conference selection. As a junior, he was named a defensive co-captain and earned the defensive MVP honors after leading the team with 166 total tackles, the second-highest tackle total in school history. He started every game at free safety as a senior and compiled an additional 132 tackles, including 3.5 tackles for losses.
Peterson, 26, originally signed with the Buffalo Bills as a rookie free agent on April 27, 2001. The 6-foot-2-inch, 275-pound defensive tackle was released on Aug. 22, 2001, then was re-signed by the Bills and allocated to NFL Europe, where he played for the Scottish Claymores. He was waived by the Bills after training camp in 2002 then signed with the Indianapolis Colts in June of 2003. He was waived by the Colts on Aug. 31, 2003.
