Shawn Springs Signs 3-Year Deal With New England

After watching Deltha O'Neal struggle to replace Asante Samuel in 2008, the New England Patriots have signed 12-year veteran Shawn Springs to a three-year contract in an effort to strengthen their secondary.

It was reported over the weekend that a deal was close, and it's now official as ESPN's John Clayton reports Springs will make $10 million over the next three seasons.

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Springs spent the past five years as a member of the Redskins, and was cut to clear salary cap space after the team signed Albert Haynesworth and DeAngelo Hall to mega-deals at the start of the offseason. Springs is coming off a 2008 campaign where he intercepted one pass and was credited with seven pass defenses in nine games.

The only real negative is that he's going to be 34 at the start of the season. Despite being on the downside of his career, he's still a capable player that should offer something to a New England secondary that registered just 14 interceptions a season ago, while giving up the second-most touchdown passes in the NFL (27).

It's also decent value when you consider the money that's been thrown at free agent cornerbacks this offseason, including Domonique Foxworth, Ronald Bartell and the previously-mentioned Hall.