The New England Patriots are now very close to wrapping up their entire draft class. The team signed third round pick Chase Winovich to his rookie contract today, per Field Yates of ESPN. As Yates notes, the deal is for four years and $3,827,312, with a $997,312 signing bonus.
The language in the CBA surrounding contracts for third round picks specifically is very vague, which is why it often takes them much longer to sign than other mid-round picks. The Pats now only have one more rookie left to sign, fellow third-rounder Damien Harris.
Winovich was a very interesting player coming out of college, known for his relentless motor. Many analysts were split on him, with some being very high on him and others being skeptical about how he would translate to the pro game. He ended up going right in the middle of the third round, at 77th overall.
The Michigan product was one of the leaders of an elite Wolverine defense. Last year he had 59 tackles, 15.5 for loss, and five sacks. The year before he had 8.5 sacks.
Winovich interestingly began his career as a tight end, but then became an instant impact player after switching over to defense following his freshman season.
Winovich spent five years at Michigan, so he should hopefully not need much time to develop and be ready to play right away. The Patriots lost their best pass-rusher, Trey Flowers, in free agency, so they could use Winovich's help right away.
They did trade for Michael Bennett this offseason, but Winovich should still be given plenty of opportunities for playing time off the edge.
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