It's been an offseason like no other for the New England Patriots, but Bill Belichick has gone great lengths to keep his excellent safety duo in place.
On Wednesday, the team gave veteran Patrick Chung two-year contract extension that includes a $3 million signing bonus. He can make up to $12.8 million over the next four seasons, per ESPN's Field Yates:
Chung's new deal comes two months after Belichick extended Pro Bowl safety Devin McCourty for $23 million over two years. With that, these two Patriots stand outs should feel keen on finishing out their careers in Foxborough.
Drafted in the second round - 34th overall by the Patriots in 2009 - Chung has spent all but one year (2013 with the Philadelphia Eagles) in New England. He has been an instrumental part of their secondary, helping the Pats win the Super Bowl in the 2014, 2016 and 2018 seasons.
Chung and the Patriots fielded the league's best defense in 2019, allowing just 14.1 points per game. Cornerback Stephon Gilmore won the Defensive Player of the Year, but Chung and McCourty were also extremely pivotal in the success of the secondary.
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The Patriots defense will still look a little different next year. Standout linebackers Jamie Collins and Kyle Van Noy left in free agency, signing with the Detroit Lions and Miami Dolphins, respectively. New England also traded safety Duron Harman - renowned for coming up with clutch game-saving interceptions - to the Lions.
But with Chung, McCourty and Gilmore returning for 2020, the Patriots can expect to field another top five or 10 defense in 2020. This group kept New England together during a frustrating year for the offense, and they'll be asked to do so again in 2020.
2020 will mark the Patriots' first season without Tom Brady (who signed with the Tampa Bay Buccnaeers) since 1999. Many are already writing off Belichick and company in 2020, but we'll see if Chung and the defense can prove the doubters wrong.
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