Patrick Chung Returns To New England Patriots, Fills Secondary Depth

The New England Patriots are bringing back a familiar face to their secondary.

The Patriots signed free-agent safety Patrick Chung, the team announced Thursday. Terms of the deal weren’t disclosed.

Chung was drafted 34th overall by the Patriots in 2009 and started 30 games in four seasons with New England. He signed with the Philadelphia Eagles as a free agent in 2013, played in 12 games that season and was released March 11. He’ll be 27 years old next season.

A switch to a cover-1 defense with more man coverage from the cornerbacks could be beneficial for Chung, who struggled to cover deep in his previous tenure with the Patriots.

Chung will compete with Duron Harmon and Adrian Wilson for snaps at safety. The Patriots reportedly have considered moving cornerback Logan Ryan to safety as well.