The New England Patriots fortified their offensive line depth on Sunday by agreeing to a new deal with offensive tackle Conor McDermott, who started for the team in the last six games of the season.
On Wednesday, ESPN’s Field Yates revealed the contents of the contract being a two-year, $3.6 million extension with a max value of $5.1 million, including incentives.
It’s a much-deserved deal for McDermott, who was plucked off the New York Jets’ practice squad during the season and thrown into the fire of an offensive line coached by former defensive coordinator Matt Patricia. Yet, he never backed down from the challenge and even held his own as a solid depth option for a Patriots team that desperately needed it.
Patriots OT Conor McDermott signed a 2-year, $3.6M extension that includes $750K in playing-time incentives each year to bring the max value to $5.1M. He started the team’s final six games at right tackle in 2022.
— Field Yates (@FieldYates) February 22, 2023
They’ll need even more help in 2023 with Isaiah Wynn set to enter free agency. There are also questions surrounding the future of Trent Brown on the roster.
The Patriots will need to add more pieces, either through free agency or the draft. But McDermott is a worthy placeholder, who could improve under offensive coordinator Bill O’Brien and expected offensive line coach Adrian Klemm.