There is a joke to be found in it somewhere: Giving his backup long snapper a four-year, $22 million contract extension is peak Bill Belichick.
Of course, Deatrich Wise Jr’s primary role with the New England Patriots is not that of providing depth at the long snapper position. A fourth-round selection in the 2017 NFL Draft, Wise Jr. is a valuable member of the team’s defensive line — one that has appeared in a combined 67 regular season and playoff games over his first four years in the league.
Of his almost 2,000 career snaps, the vast majority has come on the defensive side of the ball.