Matthew Slater Reportedly Re-Signs with Patriots on 2-Year Contract

Special teams captain Matthew Slater has been with the New England Patriots his entire career, and that won't change in the near future after he reportedly re-signed with the defending AFC champions.

On Tuesday, Mike Reiss of ESPN.com reported Slater and the Patriots agreed to a two-year deal.   

New England selected him in the fifth round of the 2008 draft, and Reiss noted this deal provides him "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."

Slater has one catch, two carries and 35 kick returns in his career but has never found the end zone.

However, his value extends beyond his raw statistics. He often draws double-teams, which frees others to make plays and help New England win the field-position battle.

Slater is one of the best in the league at doing just that and has seven Pro Bowl appearances on his resume to prove it.

Reiss also pointed out he won the 2017 Bart Starr Award as the player who most exemplifies character and leadership across the league.