Scott is now in Patriots' corner

The Patriots signed free agent cornerback Chad Scott yesterday.

Scott is the second veteran defensive back they have picked up since the season ended. New England added Duane Starks in a trade with Arizona in March after cutting cornerback Ty Law.

Scott (6 feet 1 inch, 202 pounds) was released by Pittsburgh in February. He had spent his entire eight-year career with the Steelers, starting 88 of 91 games from 1997-2004.

He sat out the 1998 season on injured reserve because of a torn anterior cruciate ligament in his left knee. He has started all but one game he has appeared in since then, though he missed the last four games of 2003 because of finger surgery, and he played in just seven games last season because of a torn quadriceps tendon.

His agent, Mason Ashe, said Scott was healthy by the end of last season, but he signed only a one-year contract with the Patriots for an undisclosed amount.

"Missing a few games affected his market value and I think teams want to see him healthy before offering a long-term contract," Ashe said.

Ashe applauded Patriots vice president of player personnel Scott Pioli for getting the deal done, and said Scott was looking for the best fit, not the most money.

The Patriots did not draft a cornerback last weekend, and though they were contacted by former Houston Texan Aaron Glenn, they elected to go with Scott. The Houston Chronicle reported yesterday that Glenn has agreed to a deal with Dallas.

Scott, who joined the Steelers as a first-round draft pick (24th overall) from Maryland, has 19 career interceptions. His average salary of nearly $4 million the next two seasons made him a salary cap problem for the Steelers.