Charles Johnson is the second former Eagles receiver to sign with the Patriots. (Allsport)

The addition of Johnson comes less than one full day after the Patriots reached agreement with his former Philadelphia Eagles teammate Torrance Small. The team had said Wednesday night its intention was to secure both players.

Johnson, 29, signed a two-year contract that could be worth $3.3 million. It includes a signing bonus of $200,000 and base salaries of $500,000 for 2001 and $1 million for 2002. But where Johnson could earn considerably more is in playing time incentives worth up to $1.6 million over the two years of the deal. The incentive structure is triggered by just 50 percent playing time and tops out at $800,000 for participating in 80 percent of the offensive snaps.

"If Charles performs the way he always has," said agent Joel Segal, "he'll make a lot of money. And if he's on the field, as he should be, Drew Bledsoe is going to want to throw him the ball."

Johnson and Small were the Eagles' starting tandem in 2000 but were released because coach Andy Reid wanted to infuse younger players into the position. The two are good friends and also are indicative of the kind of high-character locker room leaders that coach Bill Belichick worked hard this offseason to add to his team.

A seven-year veteran, Johnson has appeared in 102 games and started 87 of them. He has 337 catches for 4,456 yards and 23 touchdowns. Last season, he started 15 of 16 games for the Eagles and had 56 receptions for 642 yards and seven touchdowns.

The former University of Colorado star was the first-round choice of the Pittsburgh Steelers in the 1994 draft. After five seasons in Pittsburgh, he signed with Philadelphia as an unrestricted free agent in 1999.

Small, 30, agreed Wednesday to a one-year contract with a base salary of $500,000, but agent Rich DeLuca said the deal could be worth $1.1 million counting incentives.

New England has been attempting to find a starting caliber player to pair with Terry Glenn, one who would then permit Troy Brown to return to his most effective role, as the No. 3 receiver. And with the future of Glenn now uncertain because of pending charges in a recent domestic abuse case, the need to find proven targets for Bledsoe has intensified.

A nine-year veteran who entered the league as the New Orleans Saints' fifth-round selection in the 1992 draft, Small has always been a dependable receiver, a tough possession guy undaunted by going over the middle, one who can be counted on for 45-50 catches per season. He will be joining his fifth NFL team, having played previously in New Orleans (1992-96), St. Louis ('97), Indianapolis ('98) and Philadelphia (1999-2000).

In two seasons with the Eagles, he started 29 games and caught 89 passes for 1,224 yards and seven touchdowns.

For his career, the former Alcorn State standout has appeared in 130 games and started 56 of them. He has 342 catches for 4,573 yards and 31 touchdowns.