Patriots Extend Patrick Chung Through 2018

The Patriots have tacked on an extra year to safety Patrick Chung‘s contract, giving him a raise for 2016 in the process, according to Field Yates of ESPN.com. Yates reports that Chung is now under contract in New England through the 2018 season, with the one-year extension adding $5.7MM in new money to his deal.Patrick Chung

As Yates and Jeff Howe of the Boston Herald explain, the new money in Chung’s deal breaks down as follows:

  • Signing bonus of $2.4MM.
  • 2017 base salary increased by $700K ($1.8MM to $2.5MM).
  • 2017 per-game roster bonuses increased by $200K ($200K to $400K).
  • 2018 base salary of $2MM.
  • 2018 per-game roster bonuses of $400K.

Despite the fact that Chung is getting a raise for 2016, his cap number will actually decrease by $100K, since the Patriots eliminated $900K in likely-to-be-earned incentives from his deal for the coming season. However, the veteran defensive back will have the opportunity to earn up to $1.5MM in total incentives later in the contract now — there’s a $900K not-likely-to-be-earned incentive for 2017, and $600K in NLTBE incentives for 2018.

While the math on Chung’s new extension is a little convoluted, the upshot is that the Pats are pleased with the 28-year-old’s performance and chose to reward him for it. Since returning to New England for the 2014 season, the former second-round pick has started 29 regular-season games and another five playoff contests for the club, teaming with Devin McCourty to form a reliable duo at safety.

In 2015, Pro Football Focus ranked Chung as the fifth-best safety in the NFL, two spots ahead of McCourty.

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.

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