The New England Patriots re-signed unrestricted free-agent running back James White and exclusive rights free-agent fullback Jakob Johnson on Thursday.
White, 29, will return for his eighth season with the New England Patriots, while Johnson, 26, returns for his third. While the Patriots didn’t announce terms of either deal, James signed a one-year deal worth a guaranteed $2.5 million while the financial terms of Johnson’s one-year deal weren’t disclosed, according to ESPN.
White has won three Super Bowls with the Patriots since they drafted him in the fourth round in 2014 out of Wisconsin.
The 5-foot-10, 205-pound White rushed 35 times for 121 yards and two touchdowns and caught 49 passes for 375 yards and one score in 14 games (zero starts) last season.
In 92 career regular-season games (13 starts), he has 369 receptions for 3,184 yards and 25 touchdowns, plus 1,240 rushing yards and 10 TDs.
White gained 139 yards from scrimmage and scored the game-tying and game-winning touchdowns in the Patriots’ come-from-behind 34-28 overtime victory against the Atlanta Falcons in Super Bowl LI.
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Though known for his blocking, the 6-3, 255-pound Johnson caught eight passes for 35 yards and a touchdown while also contributing heavily on special teams last season.
Johnson played linebacker and tight end at Tennessee. He joined the Patriots as part of the NFL’s International Player Pathway Program in 2019 after playing in 12 games for the Stuttgart Scorpions in the German Football League in 2018.
Johnson began the 2019 season on the practice squad before being promoted to the 53-man roster in September of that year.
–Field Level Media