FOXBOROUGH, Mass. - The New England Patriots signed veteran free agent DE Mark Anderson today and released first-year DL Marlon Favorite.

Anderson, 6-4, 255 pounds, is a veteran of five NFL seasons with the Chicago Bears (2006-10) and Houston Texans (2010). He originally joined the NFL as a fifth-round draft choice of Chicago out of Alabama in 2006. Last season, he played in the first four games with the Bears before being released on Oct. 5. He was signed by Houston on Oct. 6 and played in 11 games with two starts for the Texans.

Anderson has started in 20 of 77 total NFL games and has accumulated 154 total tackles, 25.5 sacks, seven passes defensed, five forced fumbles and two fumble recoveries. He has also played in three postseason games, including Super Bowl XLI.

As a rookie in 2006 with the Bears, he registered 12.0 sacks, the most among all rookies, including six total sacks during the month of October. The 12.0 sacks equal the fourth-highest sack total recorded by an NFL rookie since 1982. He was named to the All-Rookie Team, was named NFL Defensive Rookie of the Month for October and finished second in NFL Defensive Rookie of the Year voting.

Favorite, 6-1, 317 pounds, joined the New England practice squad on Jan. 4, 2011. He spent his rookie season in 2009 on the practice squads of St. Louis, Kansas City, Seattle and New Orleans after originally joining the NFL as a rookie free agent with Carolina in 2009 out of Louisiana State. Favorite spent time with Buffalo in the 2010 offseason and then went to training camp with Indianapolis before being released prior to the start of the regular season.