Galloway signing official
The Patriots formally announced the signing of veteran wide receiver Joey Galloway this afternoon.
Terms of the agreement were not disclosed. His agent, Shawn Trell, confirmed to the Globe’s Christopher L. Gasper on March 14 that Galloway would sign with the Patriots.
The 37-year-old Galloway, who was released by the Tampa Bay Buccaneers on Feb. 25, visited with the Patriots on March 4 and also had visits with the Buffalo Bills and the Pittsburgh Steelers.
The speedy Galloway spent the last five seasons in Tampa Bay. He had three straight 1,000-yard seasons from 2005 to 2007, but last year was limited to nine games after he broke two bones in his foot. Galloway had 13 catches for 138 yards and no touchdowns in 2008.
He is a veteran of 14 NFL seasons with the Seattle Seahawks (1995-99), Dallas Cowboys (2000-03) and Buccaneers (2004-08). The 5-foot-11-inch, 197-pounder has played in 185 career games with 169 starts and has 682 receptions for 10,710 yards (15.7 avg.) and 77 touchdowns.
Galloway, who appears to be a top candidate to replace Jabar Gaffney (now with Denver) as the Patriots’ third receiver, has averaged 15.70 yards per reception over his career, a figure that leads all active NFL players with 300 or more career receptions. Randy Moss ranks second in that category with a career average of 15.66 yards per reception.
Galloway joins Moss as one of nine active players with 10,000 or more receiving yards and as one of 11 active players with 650 or more career receptions. Galloway’s 77 career touchdown receptions rank fifth among active players. He has recorded six seasons with 1,000 or more receiving yards (most recently in 2007) and is one of four players in league history to have three 1,000-yard receiving seasons with two different teams, joining Henry Ellard, Derrick Mason, and Terrell Owens.
Galloway was originally drafted by the Seahawks in the first round (eighth overall) of the 1995 NFL Draft out of Ohio State.
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