by By IAN R. RAPOPORT , The Boston Herald

Filling a void created by the departure of linebacker Mike Vrabel, the Patriots announced yesterday via Twitter they had traded for the Oakland Raiders defensive end Burgess, a 6-foot-2, 260-pound veteran who led the NFL in sacks in 2005.

Two sources with knowledge of the deal said Oakland received a third-round pick in 2010, as well as a conditional fourth-rounder. If the Pats acquire a fifth-round pick in 2010, then the Raiders give back the fourth-rounder and get the fifth. Team officials have not disclosed specifics and coach Bill Belichick was not available for comment yesterday.

To make room, the Pats cut guard Al Johnson.

Burgess had 16 sacks in 2005 and 11 sacks in 2006, but he has never played linebacker. He could play with his hand down in a four-man front.

One high-ranking league official described Burgess as a declining talent, but a solid pass rusher who could thrive in a rotational situation.

Burgess has been disgruntled recently, holding out with hopes the Raiders would re-work a five-year, $17.5 million contract that has one year left.

Nine days later, the Raiders sent him packing, and the destination was no surprise. Since April, there had been rumors of the Patriots' interest in Burgess.

``The word that I was getting was we were going to try and keep (him) around,'' Raiders Pro Bowl corner Nnamdi Asomugha told The San Francisco Chronicle. ``I guess that's the nature of the business. You never know who's going to be here from day to day. It's crazy.''

Burgess last spoke to Bay Area reporters on Dec. 17, 2008, complaining about miscommunication among his teammates.

``It's very frustrating to have these problems,'' Burgess said then. ``I've been here four years, you dig what I'm saying? We've been running the same defense four years and to still have these kind of problems is (upsetting).''

The Raiders were equally frustrated with him. Coach Tom Cable has refused to address Burgess' holdout.

It's not the first time the Patriots turned to the Raiders. This week, they signed quarterback Andrew Walter.

And far more famously, the Pats acquired formerly grumpy receiver Randy Moss, who then broke the NFL touchdown catch record with 23 in 2007.

When Vrabel was traded to Kansas City as part of the trade involving quarterback Matt Cassel, the veteran took with him 21 sacks in three seasons.

Who would play opposite Adalius Thomas?

There were rumors involving the Pats and Jason Taylor and Burgess.

The Pats instead penciled in untested players Pierre Woods and Shawn Crable, the latter of whom has been on the physically unable to perform (PUP) list.

The personnel staff did address the pass rush, adding Tully Banta-Cain, who has recently been injured. During camp, they cut Vince Redd and signed ex-Saint Rob Ninkovich.

Yet none of the players would be considered dynamic.

Ron Borges contributed to this report.

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