The New England Patriots and veteran safety Adrian Phillips reached agreement on a three-year contract extension that includes $7.25 million guaranteed, a source told ESPN's Adam Schefter on Saturday.

Phillips, 29, has become a key cog on the defense since signing a two-year, free-agent contract with the Patriots in 2020. He is third on the team with 70 tackles and his four interceptions rank second on the club.

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In November, coach Bill Belichick said Phillips "almost always does the right thing" and compared him to longtime Patriots safety Patrick Chung.