Report: Patriots, Matthew Slater agree to two-year extension

The New England Patriots and special team captain Matthew Slater have agreed to a two-year extension, according to ESPN’s Field Yates.

Slater, 34, has played his 12-year career with the Patriots and has become an instrumental part of the locker room. He’s been named a Pro Bowler eight times and earned First-Team All-Pro honors five times.

The deal will be similar to his last and will bring him around $2.6 million per year, according to Yates.

The Patriots & special teamer/WR Matthew Slater have agreed to a two-year extension, per sources. The deal is similar to his last, which averaged $2.6M/year.

Slater, a longtime team captain, is one of the team’s most respected players & arguably the top ST player in the league.

— Field Yates (@FieldYates) March 14, 2020

Slater’s presence will be monumental if Tom Brady leaves in free agency, keeping the locker room together and optimistic. The Patriots have retained crucial pieces in Josh McDaniels and Nick Caserio, giving the team some foundational pieces for the 2020 season.

Brady, Devin McCourty, Kyle Van Noy, Jamie Collins and Joe Thuney are some of the other big free agent names the Patriots will have to figure out in the coming week.