Patriots sign fullback James Develin to two-year contract extension
The Patriots took care of a bit of before-summer business Thursday.
The Patriots took care of a bit of before-summer business Thursday, ironing out a two-year contract extension with fullback James Develin, according to a league source.
The deal is worth $3.8 million and includes a $600,000 signing bonus, according to the NFL Network.
The Patriots also are close to signing long snapper Joe Cardona, a league source said.
Develin, who will turn 30 next month, had been under contract through 2018 and was set to hit free agency after next season. He signed a two-year deal with a maximum value of $2.85 million last March. Develin was due $800,000 in base salary for the 2018 season, with up to $500,000 more in roster bonuses and incentives.
The fullback has been with New England since 2012 and last year was honored with his first Pro Bowl selection.
At a time when many teams don’t employ a fullback, Develin played 30 percent of the Patriots’ offensive snaps last season. He has worked primarily as a lead blocker for the running game, but also has been a valuable tool used by Josh McDaniels and Tom Brady to decipher defenses and act as a decoy in the passing game. Develin also played on 37 percent of the Patriots’ special teams snaps.
Special teams is where Develin figured he’d be most likely to make an impact when he joined the Patriots. He came to New England after a college career as a defensive lineman for Brown and stints in the UFL, where he first transitioned to fullback, AFL, and on the Bengals’ practice squad.
Instead, he’s had a sizable role in the offense since 2013, having earned that role behind the scenes in his first year with the Patriots.
“He started off on the practice squad, worked his way onto the roster, on and off as an active and inactive player,” coach Bill Belichick said last December after Pro Bowl selections were announced. “[He] has the last couple of years fallen into a very consistent and productive role in the kicking game and offensively. His play time has increased. His production has increased. As hard as he works in the weight room, on the field, off the field, preparation. I mean, whenever you see James, you see him working.”
Pro Football Focus had Develin ranked as the NFL’s fourth-best fullback in 2014, the third-best fullback in 2016, and the second-best fullback in 2017.
The Patriots have made the Super Bowl in each of Develin’s last three healthy seasons. He missed the 2015 season because of a broken leg.
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Quarterback Christian Hackenberg visited with the Patriots on Thursday, according to multiple outlets. Hackenberg lasted less than a month with the Raiders, who acquired him in May from the Jets for a seventh-round pick.
