After the Indianapolis Colts decided not to pursue him in free agency, veteran wide receiver Reggie Wayne has found a new team for likely one final go around in the league.
Nfl Network is reporting that the New England Patriots have signed the 36-year-old to a one-year deal. Wayne’s previous contract paid him an average of $5.83 million per year and his cap hit for 2014 was $6.167 million.
JUST IN: The Patriots and former Colts WR Reggie Wayne have reached a 1-year agreement (via @RapSheet) pic.twitter.com/8vZQJwJjHn
— NFL Network (@nflnetwork) August 24, 2015
The immensely talented wideout has been a mainstay of the Indy receiving corps for the past 14 seasons. He was there for nearly the entirety of the Peyton Manning era and has shared the field with a vast array of elite pass catchers, including future Hall of Famer Marvin Harrison. Over the course of his nearly decade and a half in the league, he has over 14,000 receiving yards and has caught 82 touchdown passes from the likes of Manning and now Andrew Luck.
Numerous accolades have come Wayne’s way since he was drafted in the first round (30th overall) by the Colts out of Miami back in 2001. He led the league in receiving yards in 2007, has appeared in six Pro Bowls and has a world championship ring on account of Indianapolis’ Super Bowl XLI triumph over the Chicago Bears.
Wayne’s production has fallen off over the past two seasons after a stellar 2012 when he finished with the second highest receiving yardage total of his career (1,355) catching passes from Luck for the first time. He would tear his ACL in 2013 and miss the final nine games of the season. Last year, he would manage only 779 yards, two touchdowns and ended the year with his worst per catch average as a pro.
Nevertheless, he still should be able to provide the Patriots with a viable second or third option to throw to. If and when he does decide to hang up the cleats, his career statistics certainly warrant Hall of Fame consideration.
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