FOXBORO, Mass. — Safety Vince Fuller's gamble paid off.
He reached an injury settlement with the Lions on Dec. 6 to be released off injured reserve and give himself an opportunity to sign elsewhere, and he was picked up this week by the Patriots, who signed him to a one-year contract worth a prorated portion of $685,000, which will work out to about $80,000 over the final two weeks of the regular season.
Fuller has a chance to add depth at safety, a position that has been in flux since Patrick Chung went down in early November.
"You couldn't ask for a better situation," Fuller said. "You get an opportunity to work again, and then work for a team that has clinched their division and has a chance to play in the playoffs. It's something that every player dreams for."
Fuller, a fourth-round pick out of Virginia Tech in 2005, spent the first six seasons of his career with the Titans before getting released in September. He signed with the Lions in October but only played in one game because he suffered an elbow injury.
"Any time you get put on injured reserve, you think you're done for the year," Fuller said.
Fuller actually worked out for the Patriots before signing with the Lions. When he was released from their injured reserve, they already had some background information on him. After they contacted him again this week, the process quickly came to a head.
"I thought that maybe [I'd get a call to play again this season]," Fuller said, "especially teams that had issues in their secondary with injuries or things of that nature. You never know until you actually get that phone call, so I was fortunate enough to do so."
