NFL Rumors: Duron Harmon Re-Signs With Patriots For Four Years, $20M

UPDATE (4:10 p.m. ET): Safety Duron Harmon has re-signed with the New England Patriots on a four-year, $20 million contract, according to Mike Garafolo of NFL Media.

ESPN.com’s Mike Reiss and the Boston Herald’s Jeff Howe confirmed Garafolo’s report.

UPDATE (4:55 p.m.) Harmon’s agent confirmed the signing.

My man @dharm32 staying with Patriots on a new 4 year deal. Congrats. #Patriots #PlayersRep #4moreyears

— Sports Agent (@andysimms) March 9, 2017

UPDATE (8:05 p.m.): Additional details about Harmon’s contract, via Howe:

Duron Harmon's four-year deal is worth a base of $17M and a chance to earn up to $20M. It includes $6.5M guaranteed ($5M SB).

— Jeff Howe (@jeffphowe) March 10, 2017

ORIGINAL STORY: The Patriots and Duron Harmon are negotiating a new contract that would keep the free-agent safety in New England, according to multiple reports.

NFL Media’s Ian Rapoport reported Thursday, citing a source, that Harmon and the Patriots are “expected” to get a deal done.

Source: The #Patriots are working on a deal to bring back versatile DB Duron Harmon. It’s expected to happen. More secondary action.

— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) March 9, 2017

Harmon is one of several Patriots defensive players set to hit the open market Thursday afternoon. Though he was the clear No. 3 safety this season behind Devin McCourty and Patrick Chung, he operated almost as a third starter given how often the Patriots employed their dime and “big nickel” packages.

The drop-off after that trio is steep. The next players behind Harmon on the Patriots’ safety depth chart are Nate Ebner and Jordan Richards, who played a combined 36 defensive snaps all season.

One of three Rutgers products in New England’s secondary along with McCourty and cornerback Logan Ryan, Harmon has played in 63 of a possible 64 games since the Patriots drafted him in the third round in 2013. He recorded two interceptions, four pass breakups and a career-high 31 tackles this season.