The New England Patriots have agreed a deal to sign former Seattle Seahawks cornerback Brandon Browner, according to reports.

Browner will be suspended for the first four games of the 2014 regular season having violated the NFL's substance-abuse policy last season.

However, the Patriots have decided to hand him a three-year deal worth a reported $17m (£10.2m), according to ESPN.

Browner's suspension only applies to regular-season matches, meaning that he is able to sign for a team, show up for the off-season program, attend training camp and play in the pre-season games.

The 29-year-old is the second cornerback to be brought in by the Patriots since the free agency market opened on Tuesday, with Darrelle Revis also joining the team from the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.