The New England Patriots and veteran safety Patrick Chung on Wednesday agreed to terms on a two-year contract extension, according to a report from ESPN’s Field Yates.
The new deal will pay Chung, who had two years remaining on his previous contract, $12.8 million over the next four seasons, including a $3 million signing bonus, per Yates.
The Patriots and S Patrick Chung have agreed to a two-year extension through 2023, per sources. Chung gets $3M to sign and is now due up to $12.8M over the next four years. One of the most reliable players on their standout defense.
— Field Yates (@FieldYates) May 20, 2020
It also likely frees up the necessary salary cap space to sign second-round draft pick Kyle Dugger, who projects as Chung’s eventual replacement. Chung was set to carry a cap hit of $5.9 million in 2020 and $3.7 million in 2021.
Chung will turn 33 in August and has battled numerous injuries in recent years, including heel, chest and ankle ailments that sidelined him for three games and parts of two others last season. He also underwent shoulder and forearm surgery after the 2018 season.
The extension doesn’t necessarily tie Chung to the Patriots through the 2023 season, at which point he’ll be 36 years old. ESPN’s Mike Reiss tweeted that Chung’s “added years are mostly there to provide the team cap relief.”
The Patriots create $925k in salary-cap space with the revamped deal for safety Patrick Chung.
While the contract is technically an extension, the added years are mostly there to provide the team cap relief.
In agreeing to the deal, Chung gets financial adjustment for 2020.
— Mike Reiss (@MikeReiss) May 20, 2020
The Patriots’ depth chart at safety currently consists of Devin McCourty — who re-signed earlier this offseason — Chung, Adrian Phillips, Dugger, Terrence Brooks, Cody Davis, Malik Gant and Adarius Pickett. Phillips, Dugger and Davis are newcomers.
