GREEN BAY, Wis. -- The Green Bay Packers had as many as four key defensive contributors who were scheduled to be free agents after this season.
Now they only have three.
The Packers signed defensive lineman Dean Lowry to a contract extension, the team announced Tuesday. The three-year deal with worth just over $20 million, including a $6 million signing bonus, a source told ESPN.
Lowry, a fourth-round pick in 2016, was scheduled to make $2.025 million this year in the final season of his rookie deal.
He moved into a full-time starting role midway through the season after injuries depleted the defensive line. Muhammad Wilkerson, Mike Daniels and Kenny Clark all finished the season on injured reserve.
Wilkerson was not re-signed, and Daniels is entering the final year of his deal. Starting inside linebacker Blake Martinez and last year's sack leader, Kyler Fackrell, also are scheduled to be free agents after this season.
Lowry has only missed one game in his first three years, appearing in 47 regular-season games with 19 starts. He played in all 16 games and made eight starts last year. He set career highs in tackles (57), solo tackles (39), sacks (3) and passes defensed (4) while also registering the first forced fumble of his career.
