Veteran quietly fitting in
CB Bryant set to prove himself with Patriots
FOXBOROUGH - Entering the NFL as a first-round draft choice with the Jaguars in 1999, cornerback Fernando Bryant knew all about high expectations. They followed him to Detroit in 2004 after he signed a lucrative free agent deal.
So what Bryant has experienced the last six weeks, since joining the Patriots, is something altogether different.
He's flying under the radar.
"I can understand it, because this is the league we live in - it's 'what have you done for me lately?' " he said Monday after completing a workout in the Patriots' offseason program.
"It's no knock on Detroit, but when you haven't been in a winning program for four years, it's not going to come with a lot of recognition. And any time you're coming to a place where you had two Pro Bowl players in Ty Law and Asante [Samuel], whoever comes in isn't going to draw much attention unless it's a top-five pick, or you're trading for a Champ [Bailey] or a DeAngelo Hall."
Indeed, when the Patriots signed Bryant to a one-year, $730,000 deal March 20, it hardly made ripples across the NFL. Perhaps if the deal had been a bit richer - and Bryant said he turned down at least one other lucrative offer from another club - there would have been more buzz.
Instead, Bryant has quietly entered the offseason program, traveling from his Georgia home to Foxborough each week to put himself in the best position to land not only a roster spot but the starting role vacated by Samuel.
The 5-foot-11-inch, 185-pound Bryant is a leading contender in what projects to be a fierce competition among the likes of returning starter Ellis Hobbs, free agent signees Lewis Sanders and Jason Webster, 2008 second-round pick Terrence Wheatley, 2008 fourth-round pick Jonathan Wilhite, and 2007 sixth-round pick Mike Richardson.
The personable Bryant, who might best be described as polite yet confident, is embracing the logjam at the position.
"I tell people all the time, in this league, you can't be afraid of competition," he said. "About 250 draft picks come into the league [every year], so 250 players have to leave - that's the reality of the situation.
"You don't start 109 games out of 110 games from just being an OK player. I'll stand behind my work and the chips will fall where they may. The one thing I know about this program is that the best player is going to play. It has nothing to do with draft status, it has nothing to do with years. It's about winning here."
The winning was crucial to Bryant when he plotted his next career move.
After the Lions released him in late February to avoid a $4 million salary cap charge, Bryant took a conservative approach in free agency, waiting to see which of the league's top teams had the greatest need for cornerbacks. He said the Broncos, Falcons, and Rams had discussions with his representatives, but he set his sights on New England after the club had expressed some interest.
In addition to the chance to win his first Super Bowl ring, another appeal of joining the Patriots was reuniting with new secondary coach Dom Capers, who served as defensive coordinator in Jacksonville in Bryant's rookie season. The Patriots' general approach with veterans was also a consideration.
"That's something that's talked about among players - there aren't too many teams in the league right now that have a track record of bringing veterans in, and allow them to continue to progress in their career," he said. "I like the way they handle veterans here and welcome them in."
If there is a knock on Bryant at this point in his career, it's injuries. He battled through a foot injury last season to play in all 16 games for the first time since 2003. He also has just seven career interceptions, a low total for a consistent starter.
As for his work in the offseason program, Bryant indicated that he is being challenged unlike any other time in his NFL career.
One change is that he is learning both the left and right cornerback positions, which means an increased focus on footwork.
"I've only been a left corner in the league, I've only been a left corner since I was 7," he said. "You can't be position-specific here, and that's one thing I do like, the versatility they have in all the schemes they run, so you can't really get a bead on them and you don't really know what they're doing game to game. I'm looking forward to it.
"This is a little different but it's exciting."
Mike Reiss can be reached at mreiss@globe.com.
