Gaffney

FOXBORO — When Jabar Gaffney arrived in New England in October 2006, he revealed that his wife Terin was most thrilled that he would be playing with Tom Brady, her favorite NFL player.

Given how things have turned out for Gaffney with the Patriots, Brady is probably Jabar’s favorite player now, too.

Jobless for a month after the Eagles released him in September two years ago, Gaffney has developed into a solid possession receiver for Brady, tallying 36 catches for 449 yards and a career-high five touchdowns last season after beating out former college teammate Reche Caldwell for a roster spot in a suddenly deep receiver group.

It took Gaffney a while to find his niche in 2007, with Randy Moss, Wes Welker and Donte’ Stallworth at Brady’s disposal. But by the end of the season, Gaffney had surpassed Stallworth, and 24 of his catches came after the bye week. None was more thrilling than his game-winning touchdown in Baltimore in Week 13, when he was able to keep his tiptoes inbounds and the Pats’ undefeated record intact.

His play gives him confidence, but Gaffney isn’t resting on his accomplishments.

“In the first meeting (of training camp) Bill [Belichick] says he doesn’t care how long you’ve played or how many Pro Bowls you’ve been to or what you’ve done in this league,” Gaffney said. “It’s about earning your play time right here on the field. And he backs up what he says, so you have to come out here and earn it.”

With Moss and Welker the presumptive top receivers, the battle is for number three. Coming into camp, it seemed that Gaffney, Chad Jackson and Kelley Washington would be duking it out for the role, but the early favorite has to be Gaffney.

Seemingly from the moment he signed with the Patriots, he’s had an on-field rapport with Brady.

“It kind of picked up quicker than most receivers pick up with their quarterbacks and vice-versa,” Gaffney said.

He recalled that in his first or second practice with his new team, the offensive system still new to him, there was a play — similar to that TD against the Ravens — that led him to think he had landed just where he was meant to be.

“I was just trying to get the feel for (the offense) and we had a little play that we had just put in. I ran through the defense, he scrambled a little bit, I came back for it and he found me right end zone and I was like, ‘Yeah, this is going to be fun.’ ”

While he isn’t the fastest or biggest or most electrifying wideout, Gaffney does do one thing well: he consistently makes plays when they come his way.

Gaining a quarterback’s trust is about “getting open and catching the ball every time he throws it to you. He’ll gain more trust in you knowing that you’re going to be where you’re supposed to be and that you’re going to make the play when it comes to you.”

Bill Belichick praised Gaffney when asked about the 27-year-old yesterday.

“I think he does everything pretty well — he doesn’t really have any weak points,” Belichick said. “He’s smart, he’s a good technique receiver, he’s got good skills, he’s got quickness, got some speed, got size, good height, long arms, catches the ball well. He knows how to get open, knows how to work the defenders.

“Quarterbacks trust him a lot because they know where he’s going to be. He’s a very dependable player.”

Though he seemed reluctant to admit that he’s had a career rebirth here, Gaffney was on the verge of being labeled a second-round bust. Picked 33rd overall by the Texans in the 2002 draft, their first ever, Gaffney averaged 43 catches and 500 yards a season in his four years with Houston. In 2005, the final year of his rookie contract, Gaffney pulled in 55 receptions. He then signed a free-agent deal with Philadelphia.

But disappointing camp play, a legal incident in New Jersey and the Eagles’ trade for Stallworth led to Gaffney’s release. He caught just 11 passes in his first 11 regular-season games with New England in 2006, but Gaffney’s stature rose in the playoffs as he snagged 18 balls for 207 yards in the team’s first two postseason games.

He says he’s starting fresh this year, and following the words of Belichick, is doing his best to control his part of the play time equation: he’s putting his best there on the field. The coaches will determine who gets to be in the games.

In this case, Gaffney is hoping he’s one of Brady’s favorites. Today’s camp schedule

smanza@projo.com