The deal on Gaffney? A solid investment

FOXBOROUGH -- When wide receiver Jabar Gaffney joined the Patriots last October, the fact that he had signed a two-year contract seemed insignificant. There was no guarantee that Gaffney, who had been looking for work after being cut by the Eagles in training camp, would make it through one season in New England.

That two-year deal looks pretty good now, though, and it reflects a win-win situation for both sides.

The 26-year-old Gaffney has been one of the surprises through training camp, resurrecting a career that had spiraled downward after four years in Houston and one offseason in Philadelphia.

The Patriots likely figured that if they were going to invest in Gaffney and things worked out, they didn't want to be in a one-and-done situation. The investment looks like a good one, as Gaffney -- who did not receive a signing bonus -- is on the books for a manageable $595,000 base salary in 2007.

It hasn't been hard to spot the 6-foot-1-inch, 200-pound Gaffney on the practice field, as he's made several fine catches, one of the latest coming Monday night on a long bomb from quarterback Tom Brady that Gaffney dived for.

But it's not just the receptions that illustrate how he's grown as a player, it's also how he's lined up at different positions in three-receiver packages. Gaffney said it's a result of being comfortable with the offense. He also is more comfortable with his surroundings, and appreciates that résumés mean little, especially among a stocked receiving corps that includes Randy Moss, Donte' Stallworth, Wes Welker, and Reche Caldwell.

"I know how Coach Bill [Belichick] works -- he doesn't play any favorites, he doesn't care about your past, Pro Bowls, Super Bowl rings, whatever you've done," Gaffney said. "You have to go out there and produce or you won't be on the field."

So far, Gaffney has done that. If he was on the proverbial roster bubble at the start of training camp, he's moved himself closer to a lock in recent weeks.

Not that he's about to think that way. "There are a lot of guys here who have started in a lot of different places, and we're all fighting for the same spot," he said. "The competition brings out the best in you."