Visanthe Shiancoe signs one-year, $1.2M contract with Patriots

Visanthe Shiancoe signed a one-year contract worth $1.2 million (with $800,000 in incentives) with the New England Patriots on Tuesday, CBSSports.com's Mike Freeman reports.

By Will Brinson

Jul 24, 2012 at 7:05 pm ET • 1 min read

Shiancoe is taking his talents to New England. (US Presswire)

On Monday, CBSSports.com's Jason LaCanfora reported that free-agent tight end Visanthe Shiancoe was visiting the Eagles on Tuesday after meeting with the Patriots on Friday. It didn't take Shiancoe long to decide where he wanted to play, though. CBSSports.com's Mike Freeman reports he has signed a one-year deal with New England.

Freeman reports that Shiancoe's contract is worth $1.2 million and is heavy on incentives, with just $400,000 of that guaranteed, per a league source.

Jason Cole of Yahoo! Sports first reported the news Shiancoe picked New England.

With the Shiancoe signing, the Pats continue to pick up tight ends: obviously Rob Gronkowski and Aaron Hernandez are the stars, but they've added Jake Ballard (which made everyone in New York happy!), Daniel Fells (signed in March) and added rookie Tyler Urban through the draft.

Of course, Ballard won't be much of a factor in 2012, Fells isn't a guarantee and Urban is a rookie. Shiancoe, who averaged 42 receptions, 485 yards and five touchdowns in five years with the Vikings, provides the Patriots another tight end who can step in and produce right away as needed.

And it wouldn't be surprising if New England decides to use Shiancoe, Hernandez, Fells and Gronk in some sort of insane all-tight-end formation at some point either.

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