FOXBOROUGH, Mass. (AP) — When the New England Patriots sought to add receivers through free agency, the reinforcements they found looked very familiar.

That’s because both 11-year veteran Jabbar Gaffney and 10-year veteran Donte’ Stallworth are doing their second tours in Foxborough.

Then came Brandon Lloyd, a 10-year veteran, who was immersed in the Patriots offense when he played under Josh McDaniel in Denver and St. Louis. He’s now been reunited with McDaniel, who returned to the Patriots last season and is again the offensive coordinator.

That means the learning curve has not been steep for the three players who hope to provide depth behind All-Pro Wes Welker and a host of other veterans at wide receiver.

Still, they don’t take anything for granted, considering how many other veteran receivers couldn’t master the Patriots’ complex offensive schemes.

Gaffney caught 85 passes for 1,039 yards and eight touchdowns for the Patriots in three seasons from 2006-2008 and left the team on good terms.

“In this league, you never know,” Gaffney said. “Guys leave and they return.”

Gaffney said he never really forgot the Pats’ system and it came back to him rather quickly.“It was just like putting my comfortable shoes back on,” he said.

In 2007, Stallworth caught 46 passes for 697 yards and three TDs for the Patriots.

There are 10 receivers in camp, and the Pats will likely keep six or seven.