Brandon King is sticking around New England for the foreseeable future.
The Patriots are signing King, a linebacker and core special teamer, to a two-year contract extension, according to a report Friday by NFL Media’s Ian Rapoport.
King was preparing to enter the final year of the two-year, $2.6 million contract he signed last offseason.
Though he hasn’t played a single defensive snap during his four-year NFL career, according to Pro Football Reference, King plays an important role in the kicking game for a Patriots team that greatly values quality special teams performers.
The 25-year-old Auburn product led all New England players in special teams tackles last season with 12 and ranked third in special teams snaps played behind longtime standouts Nate Ebner and Matthew Slater. He also did not miss a single tackle, per Pro Football Focus.
Brandon King made 12 total special teams tackles last season without missing a single attempt.
He joins Matthew Slater and Nate Ebner as the only trio of teammates with top-20 special teams grades a season ago.
Slater – 82.3 (3rd)
King – 76.1 (T11th)
Ebner – 71.7 (20th) https://t.co/LL1hv3OtFi— PFF (@PFF) May 17, 2019
Extending King, who joined the team as an undrafted free agent in 2015, is the latest of several special teams-focused moves the Patriots have made this offseason.
New England also signed running back Brandon Bolden and safety Terrance Brooks to contracts with substantial guaranteed money, re-signed kicker Stephen Gostkowski and punter Ryan Allen and traded up to select punter Jake Bailey in the fifth round of the 2019 NFL Draft.
