The New England Patriots have seen a number of their players from last year leave this offseason. Matthew Slater is not going to be part of that ex-Pats group, however, as the wide receiver and New England have agreed to a new deal, according to a tweet by Mike Reiss of ESPN.
Special teams captain Matthew Slater is returning to the Patriots on a two-year deal, per source.
Reiss expounds more on the contract in his piece on ESPN.
The two-year deal gives Slater, who entered the NFL as a fifth-round draft choice of the Patriots in 2008, a chance to spend his career with just one team. That is something his father, Pro Football Hall of Famer Jackie Slater, did by playing 20 years with the Rams.
When the Patriots recently traded for wide receiver Cordarrelle Patterson, some took it as a sign that Slater would not be coming back to New England. Slater also visited the Pittsburgh Steelers, adding fuel to the rumor that he will be suiting up for another team next season.
Matthew Slater has been a staple on the Patriots’ special teams, which now retains its depth with the 32-year-old former UCLA Bruin’s return. Apart from Patterson and Slater, the Patriots’ special teams also feature Nate Ebner and Brandon King.
A true asset on the field, Slater’s importance to the team is also evident in the locker room. In fact, he won the NFL’s Bart Starr Award in 2017, an award given to the player who best exudes character and leadership. Moreover, Slater has also been named to the Pro Bowl in each of the last seven seasons, tying the record of Steve Tasker for the most Pro Bowl selections for a special teams player.
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