FOXBORO, Mass. (AP) – The New England Patriots signed free agent offensive lineman Corbin Lacina on Tuesday, hoping to provide depth following the recent retirement of guard Brenden Stai.

“That’s the first thing (coach Bill Belichick) asked me: “You’re not going to retire, are you?,” Lacina said Tuesday after his first practice as a Patriot. “No, I’m here to play.”

The 32-year-old Lacina, a 10-year NFL veteran, started every game for Minnesota last season and 41 of 56 games over the last four seasons with the Vikings.

The Patriots have had a string of sudden retirements by free agent offensive linemen in recent years. Joe Panos retired on the first day of training camp in 2001. Rich Tylski retired on the second day of the 2002 camp. And Stai retired a few days after this year’s preseason opener against the New York Giants.

“He’s a veteran player who has a lot of experience playing guard in the league,” Belichick said of Lacina. “Corbin’s been in a couple of different systems. Usually, when a player’s been through that, he’s pretty much seen most of what’s going to happen at his position.”

The 6-foot-4, 314-pound Lacina was picked in the sixth round of the 1993 draft by the Buffalo Bills. He played for the Bills through the 1997 season before signing with Carolina, where he started 10 games before being sidelined by injury.

He joined the Vikings in 1999 and started all 16 games at left guard last year, blocking for running back Michael Bennett as he amassed 1,296 rushing yards, the second-best single-season performance in team history.

“I’m looking forward to getting back in the groove,” Lacina said. “I know this team has given me a lot of headaches over the years, playing in Buffalo for a number of years, so I’m looking forward to being a part of it.”

AP-ES-08-19-03 1704EDT