Patriots Continue To Keep Their Own Players In Town By Re-Signing Key Linebacker

The New England Patriots are rebuilding their roster, but they are definitely bringing some of their old guys back. According to recent reports, the Patriots made a move to re-sign linebacker Anfernee Jennings.

New England made the decision right after returning Josh Uche to the fold. Patriots head coach Jerod Mayo is keeping another key piece of Bill Belichick’s roster.

Jennings has agreed to sign a three-year deal with the Patriots. The base value goes at $12 million. Incentives elevate the worth of his contract to $24 million.

The linebacker entered the league as a third-round pick. The Patriots selected him in the third-round of the 2020 NFL Draft. Jennings didn’t do much early in his NFL career. He saw action in 14 games in his rookie campaign and was given a situational role.

Sadly, Jennings missed his second season after suffering an injury in training camp. In 2022, Jennings was a backup linebacker. He played in 16 games and started three. The linebacker had 27 tackles, 1.5 sacks, two passes defensed, and a forced fumble.

Patriots have a stacked linebacker unit

Having lost Matthew Judon to a torn biceps in the Week 4 match against the Dallas Cowboys, the Patriots decided to use Jennings. He looked and felt great and managed to lead the Patriots with 14 tackles for loss. Thirteen of these came against the run.

Jennings was a starter in the final 13 games of the season. He played on 50 percent of the Pats defensive snaps during his time on the football field. Jennings finished the season with 62 total tackles, 21 quarterback pressures, 1.5 sacks, one forced fumble, and a fumble recovery.

The Patriots can use Jennings as a run-defender who can do well as a playmaker against the run. He has great speed and can change directions easily. His football intelligence could secure his spot on the Patriots roster on the long run.

Mayo is building a strong linebackers unit. Let’s see how this group does in the regular season.