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When Lewis Sanders first heard the Patriots were interested in him, the veteran cornerback, who played for the woebegone Atlanta Falcons last season, pounced on the opportunity.
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"When my agent called me up and told me the Patriots were interested, I didn't hesitate," said Sanders yesterday. "I said, 'The Patriots? If they're interested, get it done. Just get it done.' "

That's exactly what Sanders's agent, Kevin Pompey, did, and Sanders inked a one-year contract for a base salary of $730,000, plus a $40,000 signing bonus March 6.

You can't put a price on an opportunity to contend for a championship, an opportunity that Sanders didn't have last season. The Falcons finished 4-12 and never had a chance at the postseason, a place the 29-year-old Sanders has been just once in his eight-year career.

Atlanta was the NFL's version of the Titanic last season, a sinking ship that lost star quarterback Michael Vick and coach Bobby Petrino. Vick was sentenced to 23 months in federal prison for his role in a dogfighting operation before the season, and Petrino abandoned the team with three games to go, departing for the University of Arkansas.

"It was tough, it was tough," said Sanders, who spent his first five seasons with the Cleveland Browns, then played two seasons for the Houston Texans. "Once one thing happened, that would go on a few weeks, and then it would be quiet and all about football, but then something else would happen. It was hard to stay focused and concentrated on football. Every four weeks something different would come out and I think it really affected us as a team."

Along with free agent signee Jason Webster, the 6-foot-1-inch, 200-pound Sanders is expected to help fill part of the void left by the departure of cornerbacks Randall Gay and Asante Samuel. Sanders, who has five career interceptions, started the first six games last season and has started 25 of the 87 career games he's played. He's more likely to compete for a nickel back role on the Patriots.

"I still feel I can start, but it's all up to the coaches," said Sanders. "I want to go out and work hard and whatever they tell me to do, I'll do. Wherever they decide to put me, starter, backup, I'll just go out there and do my role when I'm on the field, just go out there and try to make plays."

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