[Chris Singleton] had been moved from outside to inside linebacker in [Bill Parcells]' defensive alignment this season in an effort to find him a productive niche after three years of unfulfilled promise. Singleton started the first four games this fall, but after making 17 solo tackles and 7 assists in the first three games, he had only a single tackle and assist in Game 4 (against the Jets) and was replaced -- permanently, it would turn out -- by Todd Collins.

Even worse for Patriots fans is the realization that Singleton (and defensive end Ray Agnew) were picked after the Patriots traded the third pick overall in 1990 for Seattle's two first-round picks (No. 8 and 10 overall). Seattle used the New England pick to take Cortez Kennedy, one of the National Football League's premier pass rushers and a true impact player. Furthermore, with the pick after Singleton (and before Agnew), Miami claimed offensive tackle Richmond Webb, who immediately became a mainstay of the Dolphins' line.

In Singleton, the Patriots had hoped to find an eventual successor to Andre Tippett, who is still playing while Singleton will be looking for work.