After one season out of the NFL, Brandon Lloyd is back for a second tour with the team that drafted him 11 years ago.
The 49ers have signed the 32-year-old Lloyd to a one-year contract, the club said Tuesday.
Lloyd last played in 2012, catching 74 passes for 911 yards and four touchdowns for New England. The 49ers pursued him in free agency last offseason, but Lloyd spent the season away from the game.
Lloyd spent his first three seasons with the 49ers (2003-2005) before joining the Redskins (2006-2007), Bears (2008), Broncos (2009-2011), Rams (2011) and Patriots (2012). He has caught 385 passes for 5,695 yards and 35 TDs in his NFL career. Though not especially fast, Lloyd’s athleticism and body control were among his top attributes when last seen on the field.
In San Francisco, Lloyd will likely contend for a complementary role in the offense. Michael Crabtree and Anquan Boldin are the 49ers’ top targets at wideout, with Vernon Davis one of the game’s top tight ends.