Just two days after being released by the Minnesota Vikings, cornerback Robert Tate has a new home, with the four-year veteran signing on with the Baltimore Ravens on Thursday afternoon.

	Tate

Tate, 28, drew considerable interest after his Tuesday release, as at least four teams phoned agent Ron Del Duca about his client. But Tate, who began his career as a wide receiver, was familiar with Ravens coach Brian Billick from their days together in Minnesota, and with a number of former Vikings who are currently on the Baltimore roster.

The former University of Cincinnati standout signed a one-year contract, with the base salary believed to be $525,000. Sources said that Tate will play in Friday's preseason game at Philadelphia. The one-year deal allows him to go back into the unrestricted free agent market next spring.

At least one other team interested in Tate made a formal offer.

With projected starter Gary Baxter sidelined, and yet to play in a preseason game, the Ravens' cornerback corps has been thinned. The team continues to shuffle a secondary unit that returns only one starter, corner Chris McAlister, from its 2001 lineup.

At worst, Tate figures to play as a "nickel" and "dime" defender and should see plenty of action.

A sixth-round selection of the Vikings in the '97 draft, Tate has played in 48 games and started 23 of them. His best season was in 2000, when he started all 16 contests and had a career-high 69 tackles, with two interceptions and two forced fumbles.

For his career, he has 125 tackles, three interceptions, 24 passes defensed and two forced fumbles.

Len Pasquarelli is a senior writer for ESPN.com.