WEEI.com has confirmed the Patriots have signed sixth-round draft pick Myron Pryor.

Pryor, a 6-foot, 319-pound defensive tackle out of Kentucky, was the 207th overall pick in the draft. A four-year starter for the Wildcats, he was a second-team All-SEC and made 34 career starts as a collegian.

Described by New England Director of Player Personnel Nick Caserio as “big and agile,” he impressed the Patriots after the New England braintrust watched the tape of his performance last year against highly-touted Louisville center Eric Wood.

“We’re happy to have him,” Caserio said of Pryor back in May.

Pryor is the third of the Patriots’ 12 draft picks to agree to contracts — second-round selection Darius Butler and fourth-round pick Rich Ohrnberger are also in the fold. The details of Pryor’s contract have not been disclosed, but Pro Football Talk reports that it’s a four-year deal that includes a $79,000 signing bonus, with a total base salary of $1.829 million.

Multiple reports indicate the Patriots have signed sixth-round draft pick Myron Pryor to a four-year deal.

Pryor, a 6-foot, 319-pound defensive tackle out of Kentucky, was the 207th overall pick in the draft. A four-year starter for the Wildcats, he was a second-team All-SEC and made 34 career starts as a collegian.

Described by New England Director of Player Personnel Nick Caserio as “big and agile,” he impressed the Patriots after the New England braintrust watched the tape of his performance last year against highly-touted Louisville center Eric Wood.

“We’re happy to have him,” Caserio said of Pryor back in May.

Pryor is the third of the Patriots’ 12 draft picks to agree to contracts — second-round selection Darius Butler and fourth-round pick Rich Ohrnberger are also in the fold. The details of Pryor’s contract have not been disclosed, but Pro Football Talk reports that it’s a four-year deal that includes a $79,000 signing bonus, with a total base salary of $1.829 million.

The Patriots, via their web site, announced Monday afternoon they have officially signed second-round draft pick Darius Butler.

Terms of the deal, which had initially been reported last week via the Twitter feed of Butler’s agent, Drew Rosenhaus, were not disclosed. However, a report on Pro Football Talk indicated the contract for the cornerback out of UConn breaks down like this: Butler will receive a roster bonus of $440,000 and a guaranteed option bonus of $1.6275 million. He’ll receive base salaries of $310,000 in 2009, $395,000 in 2010, $582,500 in 2011, and $770,000 in 2012.

Butler, the 41st overall selection, is the second of New England’s 12 draft picks to sign. Offensive lineman Rich Ohrnberger also signed a four-year deal on June 16.

Butler, 5-foot-10, 185-pound cornerback was a two-year team captain who started all of his 45 career college games at cornerback. He was a first-team All-Big East pick as a senior in 2008. Butler finished his collegiate career with 125 total tackles, 10 interceptions and 26 passes defensed.

The Patriots and second-round pick Darius Butler have agreed on a four-year contract.

The news was first reported Friday morning via the Twitter feed of Butler’s agent, Drew Rosenhaus, and later confirmed by the Patriots.

Butler is the cousin of Baltimore running back Willis McGahee. (AP)

Butler, the 41st overall pick in the 2009 draft out of Connecticut, is the second of New England’s 12 draft picks to agree to a contract. Offensive lineman Rich Ohrnberger also received a four-year deal from the Patriots last month.

(UPDATE, 10:50 a.m.  — According to Pro Football Talk, per a league source, Butler will receive a roster bonus of $440,000 and a guaranteed option bonus of $1.6275 million. He’ll receive base salaries of $310,000 in 2009, $395,000 in 2010, $582,500 in 2011, and $770,000 in 2012.)

A four-year starter at cornerback for the Huskies, he finished eighth on the school’s career record list with 10 interceptions. He also returned kicks at UConn, and is the first player in Big East Conference history to produce a touchdown on a kickoff return, interception, reception and rushing attempt in a career.

With the New England secondary in a state of transition — three of the four defensive backs who started last season with the Patriots have either been released, traded or have retired — Butler may get his chance to contribute sooner rather than later.

Butler certainly impressed Patriots head coach Bill Belichick with his Pro Day workout at UConn.

“He had an excellent workout,” Belichick said of Butler shortly after he was drafted. “There is no doubt about it. He’s fast, quick; he has good ball skills. He’s an excellent athlete.”

When Patriots’ Director of Player Personnel Nick Caserio was asked about him this past spring, he gave a similar response.

“Quite frankly, we were surprised he was on the board at No. 41,” Caserio said of Butler, a Florida native who is the cousin of Baltimore running back Willis McGahee. “He’s a pretty versatile guy — his Pro Day workout, it was a real impressive workout. He’s a good kid, a good character kid. We’re excited to have him here.”

Seau played three seasons with the Patriots. (AP)

Junior Seau told XX Radio in San Diego that if the Patriots needed him during the 2009 season, he’d be available.

“I’ll definitely look at it at the end of October or November. Let’s put it that way,” said the 40-year-old inside linebacker, who played in New England from 2006 through 2008.

“What I’m doing is basically just surfing and enjoying life with the kids and carrying on as if I am retired. But if they happen to need me towards the end of the season like they did last year, then I’ll definitely look at it.”

Seau initially retired from the NFL in August 2006, saying he was going through a “graduation.” At that time, he had 16 seasons in pro football — 13 seasons with the Chargers and three with the Dolphins.

But less than a month later, he signed a deal with the Patriots, and played in the first 11 games of the 2006 season while making 10 starts. He recorded 70 tackles (37 solo) in 2006, a total that ranked fifth on the team. He was placed on injured reserve with a broken arm on Nov. 27, 2006. He played all 16 regular-season games in 2007, finishing with 74 tackles (58 solo) and 3.5 sacks.

If he did decide to come back this season, it would mark the second consecutive year Seau made a midseason return to the Patriots. He returned at the end of the 2008 campaign and played the final four games of the season, ending with 22 tackles (15 solo).

Patriots coach Bill Belichick called himself “lucky” to have coached a player like Seau.

“I think that enthusiasm and passion carries over to everybody who is around him: players, coaches and people in the organization,” Belichick said last December. “He’s a special guy and a special player. He brings a lot, he really does.

“It’s pretty remarkable what he’s doing, and the fact that he played as much as he did last year and at his age, at this level, it’s pretty remarkable, especially at that position. I’m lucky to have coached a couple guys like that: Clay Matthews and Junior. That’s rare at that position. A lot of guys don’t even make it until 30, let alone 40.”

Last offseason when Seau was asked about a possible return to the NFL, he said the only team he’d come back to play for is the Patriots.

“Obviously there’s gotta be a need for me on a team that has a chance, which is the New England Patriots,” Seau said. “I’m not just gonna play the game because I love the game; it has to be that there’s a purpose as to why I’d go back and play in the National Football League, and that is to help finish what we started last year with the Pats. And that’s the only reason I’m looking into that.

“Other than that, going in and playing for another team besides the Pats, it would be a waste of my time and a waste of theirs.”

Seau is the second former Patriots linebacker in the last month to talk about a possible return to New England. Willie McGinest told The Sporting News recently he’s talked to many of his former teammates about playing for the Patriots in 2009.

“Yeah, I’ve talked to [quarterback] Tom [Brady], [defensive lineman Richard] Seymour and some other guys there,” McGinest said. “Those guys are lifelong friends, and I’ve heard some people say that it’d be a good fit. Why wouldn’t you want to be a part of that? And with all the history I have, what we accomplished in the playoffs, that wouldn’t be a bad way to finish up.”

Patriots senior football advisor Floyd Reese — who was general manager with the Titans when Steve McNair played for Tennessee — issued a statement through the Patriots regarding the death of McNair earlier this weekend.

“I am deeply saddened to learn of today’s tragic news regarding the death of Steve McNair. He was a player who I admired a great deal. He was a tremendous  leader and an absolute warrior. He felt like it was his responsibility to lead by working hard every day, no matter what. I don’t think there was a player who played with him or against him that didn’t look up to him and respect him. My heartfelt condolences go out to his family, his friends and the many teammates who loved and admired him.”

On the heels of their announcement of the schedule for the first week of training camp, the Patriots just sent out this press release with more info. Here’s the full text of the announcement:

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