The Eagles announced that they have reached an agreement with defensive back Patterson regarding a contract extension. The 2005 first-round pick has been rewarded with a seven-year, $32 million extension, up to $37 million based on incentives and bonuses.
With only 24 games left in his career, Patterson has agreed to sign a contract extension with the Philadelphia Eagles that pays off. This contract is very unique in that he has played only two years of his rookie contract. Patterson joined the Eagles in 2005 on a five-year, $6.625 million contract that included $3.825 million in guarantees. With this contract extension, Patterson will be entitled to an additional $9 million in guarantees, bringing the total to $12.825 million before his third year. With the extension, The Eagles managed to secure the player for the 2016 season.
Before Patterson, three other top draft picks recently received contract extensions before their rookie contract expires. In fact, guard Shawn Andrews, cornerbacks Lito Sheppard and Sheldon Brown received extensions while they were still rookies. But Patterson is the only one granted an extension this early in a rookie deal. In fact, he’s only halfway through his sophomore year.
Patterson was the 31st player signed by the Eagles for the 2005 draft. He quickly established himself as an important part of the Eagles’ defense. The former USC Trojan started seven games as a rookie and played 62 percent of the snaps on defense. Patterson was fully a part of Andy Reid’s recent strategy to improve the defensive line. This year, Coach Reid fielded first-round pick Brodrick Bunkley to help out at tackle, and they signed Darren Howard at defensive end.
Patterson recorded 44 tackles and 3.5 sacks as a rookie. This season, he has been on the starting roster in all eight games and has 28 tackles, 1.5 sacks. The young player also recovered two fumbles, including one that he returned 98 yards for a touchdown against the San Francisco 49ers. It is no wonder why the Eagles did not hesitate to sign the player until 2010. In addition, the Eagles have historically had good performances under coach Andy Reid, which also convinced Patterson to sign a long-term contract with the team. .
