The Patriots hosted free-agent safety Dashon Goldson on a visit Sunday, but Goldson won't be joining the team. He has decided to re-sign with the 49ers, ESPN NFL Insider Adam Schefter reports.

The Patriots have Brandon Meriweather and Patrick Chung atop the depth chart at safety, with seven-year veteran James Sanders projected as the next man in when he returns to the practice field. Second-year player Sergio Brown rounds out the top of the safety ranks, followed by Josh Barrett (also sidelined by injury).

The team was deep at the position last year, with six-year veteran Jarrad Page -- a former starter in Kansas City -- as their No. 4 option. But with Page signing in Philadelphia, and Sanders and Barrett not on the practice field, the group has been thinned.