New England Patriots linebacker Anfernee Jennings was scheduled to become an unrestricted free agent at 3 p.m. CDT Wednesday. But the former Alabama standout isn’t going anywhere.
After a breakthrough season in 2023, Jennings is re-signing with the Patriots, with the NFL team’s official website posting the reports of his return on Wednesday morning. Jennings is staying in New England for a three-year contract extension with a base value of $12 million and a maximum value of $24 million, NFL Network and ESPN reported.
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Jennings began his fourth NFL season as a game-day inactive in the Patriots’ first two contests of 2023. But he started 14 of the remaining 15 games, recorded a career-high 66 tackles and led New England with 14 tackles for loss as the Patriots defense yielded a league-low average of 3.3 yards per rushing attempt.
A torn biceps suffered by Matthew Judon opened a spot on the field for Jennings early in the 2023 season, and he played 677 defensive snaps – 42 more than Jennings had in his first three NFL seasons combined.
A two-time All-State selection and the 2014 Class 4A Lineman of the Year at Dadeville, Jennings joined the Patriots from Alabama in the third round of the 2020 NFL Draft.
In his first three seasons, he played in 30 games with seven starts, recorded 47 tackles and one tackle for loss while playing 635 defensive snaps. That action came in the 2020 and 2022 seasons. Jennings took the opt-out in the 2021 campaign under the NFL’s plan to play during the coronavirus pandemic.
Most of that action came as an inside linebacker. But in 2023, Jennings played mostly as an edge defender, and his ability to set the edge played a big part in New England’s success in stopping the run.
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Mark Inabinett is a sports reporter for Alabama Media Group. Follow him on Twitter at @AMarkG1.