New England Patriots: Signing Shaq Mason to an extension is wise

The New England Patriots recently signed Shaq Mason to a big contract extension. Was this a good move?

With the start of the regular season less than two weeks away, the New England Patriots recently locked up one of their best players for the foreseeable future. Shaq Mason and the Patriots reportedly have come to an agreement on a five-year, $50 million extension that will keep him with the team for quite some time.

Mason was drafted in the fourth round by the Patriots, and has become one of the best players on the team, and one of the top guards in the NFL. Having a strong offensive line is one of the most important things in the NFL, and Mason is a big part of the Patriots’ line.

By signing Mason to an extension before he would have hit free agency, the Patriots were able to keep him for a fairly reasonable price considering his skill level. According to Pro Football Focus, Mason received the fourth highest grade among guards last season.

The only three players at guard that had higher grades for the 2017 season than Mason were David DeCastro, Zack Martin, and Brandon Brooks. Mason might not receive the attention he deserves with a lot of other great players on the Patriots, but he has become an elite guard in the NFL.

The reported five-year, $50 million extensions will net Mason an average salary of $10 million per season. That number has him tied for 7^th among all guards in the NFL in average yearly earnings, which is a good deal for the Patriots.

Mason is certainly deserving of this contract extension given to him by the Patriots. After losing Nate Solder in free agency this offseason, the Patriots were very wise not to let Mason anywhere near free agency. If he hit the open market, a team would have likely opened up their wallets big time for his services.

Overall, this was a very smart move for the Patriots. As one of the best guards in the game, Mason is now locked up through the 2023 season.