ESPN NFL

Christmas may have come early for the New England Patriots, who on Friday solved their season-long punting problem by signing veteran free agent Todd Sauerbrun, a three-time Pro Bowl performer.

Details of the contract were not yet available but Sauerbrun, released earlier this season by the Denver Broncos, will be the Patriots' punter for their Christmas Eve game at Jacksonville. The 12-year veteran auditioned for New England coaches and personnel officials earlier this week.

New England was left without a veteran punter when Ken Walter was forced onto injured reserve this week by a foot injury. Walter last month replaced Josh Miller, who began the season as the Patriots' punter but suffered a shoulder injury that prematurely ended his season.

The Patriots had two young punters, Tom Malone and Danny Baugher, on their practice squad, and there was some feeling that one of them might be elevated to the active roster. But the Pats worked out veteran Sean Landeta on Monday, then brought in Sauerbrun, clearly the best punter available, for an audition.

"We looked at all our options, and feel like this one is the best one for the football team," coach Bill Belichick said. "It's what I said earlier in the week we'd do, and that's what we tried to do. We try to do what's best for the football team. That's always No. 1 with us."

Sauerbrun, 33, has appeared in 162 games and is one of the NFL's premier punters over the past decade. But the former West Virginia University standout has suffered in the past from what have been perceived as attitude problems. Then, this summer, he was suspended by the league for four games for a violation of the NFL steroids and related substances policy.

After finishing his suspension, Sauerbrun was released by the Broncos, who elected to keep second-year veteran Paul Ernster.

Sauerbrun worked out for several teams during the course of the season, but none signed him.

In stints with Chicago (1995-99), Kansas City (2000), Carolina (2001-2004) and Denver (2005), he posted a gross average of 44.0 yards and a 36.0-yard net average on 832 punts. Sauerbrun has 248 kicks inside the opponents' 20-yard line and only 102 touchbacks, and has never had a punt blocked.

Len Pasquarelli is a senior NFL writer for ESPN.com.