The New England Patriots are working on fixing up their offensive line and they're taking care of some players inside their own locker room before addressing free agency. Per ESPN's Mike Reiss, the Patriots have signed restricted free agent tackle LaAdrian Waddle to a two-year contract.
Patriots and OT LaAdrian Waddle agree to a two-year deal.
— Mike Reiss (@MikeReiss) March 9, 2016
Waddle was a rising star with the Lions during his rookie season, but two straight seasons marred with injuries stifled his development and led to his release late in the 2015 season. The Patriots claimed Waddle on waivers and utilized him a few times over the rest of the year.
The Patriots depth chart at offensive tackle consists of Nate Solder, Sebastian Vollmer, Marcus Cannon, Cameron Fleming, and Waddle, with the last three players likely battling for two spots on the roster. It's also possible that the contract for Waddle could lead to the release of Cannon and his massive contract.
Waddle's contract is likely to be closer to the minimum.
Edit: Looks like the contract details have surfaced:
LaAdrian Waddle quietly re-signed 2-year deal with #Patriots yesterday (as @MikeReiss said). $250K to sign, worth $2.425M before incentives.
— Tom Pelissero (@TomPelissero) March 9, 2016
An incentive-laden contract with guaranteed money shows that the Patriots want him around and could perceive Waddle to be a key player moving forward.