FOXBORO, Mass. – The New England Patriots announced the signing of defensive tackle Chuck Osborne today. With his signing, the Patriots now report 53 players on their active roster and five players on their practice squad.
Osborne, 27, is a fourth-year veteran who was originally drafted in the seventh round of the 1996 NFL draft by the St. Louis Rams (222nd overall selection). The 6-foot-2-inch, 290-pound defensive tackle was a part of Arizona's "Desert Swarm" defense with Tedy Bruschi. He played in every game as a rookie, starting two at defensive tackle. That year, he recorded 12 tackles, including a sack. He was waived the following year and was out of football in 1997. He played for the Amsterdam Admirals of NFL Europe in the spring of 1998 and earned first-team league honors after compiling eight sacks in 10 games. He signed with the Oakland Raiders in 1998 and played in six games before suffering a season-ending knee injury vs. San Diego (10/11/98). In 1999, he saw action in all 16 games for the Raiders, equaling his rookie total of 12 tackles and a sack. He was released by the Raiders prior to the start of the 2000 season and was signed by the Green Bay Packers. He was listed among the Packers inactives prior to one game and did not play in another before being released in October.
In four seasons, he has played in 37 games, including two starts, and has totaled 28 tackles and a pair of sacks.
