The New England Patriots are reportedly retaining another key piece of their defense.
According to NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport, the Patriots are re-signing linebacker Anfernee Jennings to a three-year, $12 million deal that could go up to as much as $24 million.
The 26-year-old Jennings is coming off a career year in New England. The 2020 third-round pick made a significant leap in his fourth season with the Patriots, starting 14 games and recording 66 tackles, including a team-leading 16 tackles for loss.
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The 2023 season was Jennings’ first as a full-time starter. The Alabama product stepped in as a major contributor after a season-ending injury to Matthew Judon. Prior to that, Jennings had been a part of the defensive rotation but hadn’t made a huge impact. But in the final season of his rookie deal, Jennings had a breakout year of sorts, showing that he could be an impact player.
Jennings is the latest key piece of the defense that the Patriots have retained before the start of free agency. The team also retained safety Kyle Dugger (franchise tag) and linebacker Josh Uche (one-year deal). That’s in addition to the team keeping key pieces on offense, including offensive lineman Michael Onwenu and tight end Hunter Henry.
