FOXBORO, Mass. (AP) – Left tackle Matt Light signed a six-year contract extension with the Patriots that will keep him in New England through 2010, giving him and the quarterback he protects long-term security.

“He certainly deserves it. He’s a tough player,” Tom Brady said Wednesday. “There’s nobody else I’d rather have over there.”

Light, a second-round draft choice by the Patriots in 2001, has helped protect Brady’s blind side from defenders and was part of a line that didn’t allow a sack last Sunday despite 42 blitzes by Buffalo in New England’s 31-17 win.

Terms of Light’s extension were not disclosed by the team. His agent, Jim Steiner, did not return a call seeking comment on Wednesday.

For Light, who could have become an unrestricted free agent after this season, the contract is good news after he underwent an appendectomy in the offseason that left him at less than full strength late in the exhibition season.

“I’m out there (playing) regardless,” he said. “So, yeah, I feel good. I’m ready to go.”

He’s doing better mentally and emotionally, too, now that he has a new deal.

“I’m very excited to have the opportunity to play with these guys for a lot more,” he said. “It’s a good feeling because obviously (the Patriots) think pretty highly of me, which sends a lot of confidence in my direction.”

Light, 26, was in the last year of a four-year contract he signed after being taken with the 48th pick of the 2001 draft out of Purdue. He has started 53 of the Patriots 55 games, including playoffs, since then.

In other moves, the Patriots re-signed defensive back Je’Rod Cherry, signed wide receiver Kevin Kasper and placed offensive lineman Adrian Klemm on injured reserve.

Cherry, a strong special teams player, had been released on the final cut of the exhibition season after spending the last three years with New England.

Kasper, who was released by Arizona late in the exhibition season, plays a position where the Patriots have been beset by injuries to Deion Branch, Troy Brown and Bethel Johnson. Kasper, a sixth-round draft choice by Denver in 2001, has 24 catches in his NFL career, which also included a stint in Seattle.

For the second straight season, Klemm was placed on injured reserve after the third game. He missed last Sunday’s game at Buffalo with a foot injury.

Patriots sign Cherry, Kasper

The New England Patriots signed defensive back Je’Rod Cherry and wide receiver Kevin Kasper to the team’s 53-man active roster on Wednesday.

Cherry, 31, played in 43 regular-season games and six playoff games with New England from 2001 through 2003. He is in his 10th NFL season, and has recorded 105 special teams tackles, including 36 special teams stops in his three seasons with New England.

The 6-foot-1-inch 210-pound defensive back was drafted in 1996 by the New Orleans Saints in the second round (40th overall), and played for the Saints from 1996 to 1999 before joining the Philadelphia Eagles for the 2000 season. He first signed with the Patriots as an unrestricted free agent in July 2001, and was released in the final preseason roster cut on Sept. 5.

Kasper, 26, spent the first three years of his NFL career with Denver, Seattle, and Arizona. The 6-foot-1-inch, 202-pound wideout and kick returner has played in 30 career games with eight starts, has caught 24 career passes for 297 yards and three touchdowns, and returned 74 kickoffs for 1,808 yards.

The team put Adrian Klemm on the reserved-injured list with a foot injury.