FOXBOROUGH, Mass. -- The New England Patriots and Pro Bowl fullback James Develin are close to finalizing a two-year contract extension, a source confirmed Thursday.
The deal is worth $3.8 million and includes a $600,000 signing bonus, another source told ESPN's Field Yates. The Athletic first reported that the two sides were close to a deal.
Develin, who earned his first career Pro Bowl berth in 2017, played 30.2 percent of the offensive snaps last season.
While his primary contributions are as a smashmouth blocker in the running game, Develin also has proved to be an effective chess piece to help offensive coordinator Josh McDaniels create -- and quarterback Tom Brady identify before the snap -- favorable matchups in the passing game.
Develin, 6-foot-3 and 255 pounds, also has been a consistent cog on the team's punt-protection and kickoff-return units.
Last offseason, Develin signed a two-year contract with a maximum value of $2.85 million as an unrestricted free agent. He was scheduled to earn a base salary of $800,000 in 2018, with $300,000 in roster bonuses and $200,000 in incentives.
Develin, who played on the defensive line at Brown University, initially played professionally for the Florida Tuskers in the United Football League and the Oklahoma City Yard Dawgz of the Arena Football League in 2010 before joining the Cincinnati Bengals' practice squad in November of that year. He had made the transition from defensive line to fullback with the Tuskers.
When the Bengals released Develin on Aug. 31, 2012, the Patriots signed him to their practice squad the next day.
The Patriots and long snapper Joe Cardona have reached agreement on a four-year extension, per a source. Cardona was entering the final year of his contract in 2018.
