Kenny Britt close to deal with New England Patriots after release from Cleveland Browns

Kenny Britt is close to getting another shot, and with the defending Super Bowl champions no less.

Britt, a veteran wide receiver who was waived by the Cleveland Browns last Friday, visited with the Patriots in Foxborough, Mass. on Tuesday and is close to signing a two-year deal with New England, ESPN reports.

The 29-year-old is a former first-round pick in 2009 out of Rutgers, a school Patriots coach Bill Belichick has shown affinity for throughout the years. New England currently has three former Rutgers players -- Devin McCourty, Duron Harmon and Jonathan Freeney -- on its active roster.

Britt had 18 catches for 233 yards and two touchdowns in nine games with the Browns before being waived. He has lifetime totals of 327 receptions for 5,114 yards and 32 touchdowns over 113 NFL games in nine seasons.

Last season, Britt logged his first career 1,000-yard season with the Los Angeles Rams, collecting a career-high 68 receptions for 1,002 yards and five scores. He had a career-best nine touchdown catches in 2010 with Tennessee, where he spent his first five NFL seasons from 2009 to 2013.

New England (10-3) currently sits atop the AFC East and is prepping for a major showdown with AFC rival Pittsburgh next Sunday.