Brown completes deal

The Patriots made it official yesterday, announcing the re-signing of wide receiver Troy Brown to a one-year deal. Terms were not disclosed.

Brown, who has spent all of his 12 seasons in the NFL with the Patriots after being drafted in the eighth round out of Marshall in 1993, said he would speak to the media today. The Patriots started a voluntary four-day passing camp yesterday.

Brown has been the senior Patriot since 2002, a team captain for each of the past three seasons, and he is eighth in team history with 162 games played.

''In this era, it is very unusual for a player to remain with one team for as long as Troy's career as a Patriot," Patriots coach Bill Belichick said. ''Troy Brown is a special player and person and we are glad to have him back."

An all-around contributor, Brown is third on the Patriots' all-time charts for receptions and receiving yards, and leads the franchise with 237 punt returns for 2,524 yards and three touchdowns (tied with Irving Fryar).

Last season, he also saw action at defensive back in nine games, ending the year tied for the team lead with three interceptions.

The Patriots do not plan to release specific numbers, but indications are that only a handful of players are not participating in this week's passing camp.

Receiver Bethel Johnson is in attendance but did not participate in the on-the-field activities because of an unspecified leg injury. The NFL does not require teams to provide injury information during the offseason.

A team source said the injury is believed to be minor, but did not say whether Johnson would be 100 percent by June 9, the start of the team's full minicamp.

JEROME SOLOMON