FOXBOROUGH, Mass. - The New England Patriots signed first-year tight end Matt Brandt today. Terms of the agreement were not disclosed. Brandt will wear number 46 for the Patriots. The team subsequently waived rookie tight end Andy Stokes.
Brandt, 25, was originally signed by the Detroit Lions as an undrafted free agent on April 30, 2004. The 6-foot-5-inch, 248-pound tight end was with the Lions during 2004 training camp before being released on Aug. 23, 2004. Brandt attended Miami (Ohio) University, where he started 26 of 37 games, catching 76 passes for 916 yards and nine touchdowns. As a senior in 2003, the Toronto native ranked eighth among all Division I-A tight ends with 35 receptions and 485 receiving yards, while his seven touchdowns ranked fourth among all Division I-A tight ends.
Stokes, 24, was drafted by the Patriots in the seventh round of the 2005 NFL Draft with the 255th and final overall selection. The 6-foot-4-inch, 257-pound tight end attended William Penn, where he started all 31 games over three seasons. In his college career, the St. George, Utah native recorded 104 receptions for 1,578 yards and 10 touchdowns.
