The Patriots signed three veteran free agents to reserve/future deals on Wednesday: tailback Dion Lewis, defensive tackle Antonio Johnson and defensive end/outside linebacker Rufus Johnson.
The signings of all three players were disclosed in the NFL’s daily personnel notice.
The 24-year-old Lewis was most recently with the Colts, who released him in September. Lewis has also had stints with the Eagles and Browns. Mike Lombardi, now an assistant to the Patriots’ coaching staff, was the Browns’ General Manager when the club acquired Lewis from Philadelphia in 2013.
Lewis (5-8, 195) was a fifth-round pick of the Eagles in 2011.
Antonio Johnson (6-3, 312) has the most experience of the trio. A fifth-round selection of the Titans in 2007, the 30-year-old Johnson has appeared in 83 regular-season games (52 starts), with the bulk of his experience coming with Indianapolis from 2008 through 2012. The Titans released Johnson with an injury settlement (knee) in September.
Rufus Johnson, 24, was a sixth-round pick of New Orleans in 2013. The Saints waived him in August. Johnson (6-5, 272) got looks at both outside linebacker and defensive end with the Saints.