NFL notes: Reggie Wayne looking forward to fresh start

Reggie Wayne said he was talking to several NFL teams before deciding to sign a one-year contract with the New England Patriots.

“There were a lot of serious calls, from some good teams, but I felt like this was the best place,” Wayne said Tuesday before joining his new team for his first practice.

Asked why New England was the right fit for him, Wayne said, “I want to win, point blank.”

For Wayne, who has played all 14 seasons with the Indianapolis Colts and will be 37 in November, this is a fresh start and there’s a lot of work to be done after signing at this point in the preseason.

Coach Bill Belichick, who confirmed the signing on a Boston radio station, called Wayne one of the best route runners in the game.

Wayne said he was injured all last season, when he battled triceps and groin injuries in a career-worst season of 64 catches for 779 yards and two touchdowns.

He enters the regular season seventh all time in the league in receptions and eighth in yards receiving, with 82 touchdowns. In the postseason, he is second in catches, fourth in yardage and tied for seventh in TDs.

Broncos beef up O-line by signing guard Mathis

Two-time Pro Bowl guard Evan Mathis has agreed to a one-year deal with the Denver Broncos that could be worth up to $4 million.

The Broncos are high on rookie left guard Max Garcia, but they already have two starters – left tackle Ty Sambrailo and center Matt Paradis – who are NFL novices.

Steelers sign Vick to be backup quarterback

Michael Vick needed a job. The Pittsburgh Steelers needed a backup quarterback.

The Steelers signed the four-time Pro Bowler to a one-year deal on Tuesday night, hopeful there’s enough game left in the 35-year-old’s still dangerous legs to provide the defending AFC North champions some insurance should something happen to Ben Roethlisberger.

Quick kicks

A person with knowledge of the injury says Cowboys CB Orlando Scandrick is out for the season after tearing two ligaments in his right knee. Scandrick was injured in practice Tuesday in Oxnard, California. The person told The AP that Scandrick tore the anterior cruciate ligament and medial collateral ligament in the knee. Secondary coach Jerome Henderson said Scandrick told him right after the injury, “It’s my ACL. I know it. It’s gone.” … Colts DE Robert Mathis returned to practice after spending all of training camp on the physically unable to perform list as he continued to rehab from a torn Achilles tendon suffered last year. … The Bengals released QB Josh Johnson, making AJ McCarron the backup to Andy Dalton. … Rex Grossman, who hasn’t taken a snap in an NFL game since 2011, could join the competition to be the backup for Falcons QB Matt Ryan. Grossman, 35, was given a physical and was to have a workout following the team’s afternoon practice. … Dolphins FS Louis Delmas has been placed on the season-ending injured reserve list because of a torn ACL in his right knee.